Finding joy and friendship in the journey, Missing my mom and being a mom

I am having some goat issues.

Our neighbor goat is about to tip me over.

"GO HONE GOAT!" is what Hazel often yells.

I've been pulling weeds and working a little harder at preventing weeds. I did the pinterest newspaper trick (suppose to be a great weed preventor) in a large area in our backyard.  I didn't think the wind was blowing the day I took on this project, but I quickly discovered it was. So, trying to lay newspaper over a big area with a little wind  and a curious puppy wasn't easy. Also, I kept running acrossed coupons I wanted to clip. That is me: thrifty, easily distracted and random. Then I bought several bags of mulch and spread that out over the newspaper. As I have madeover a couple of areas, I have been motivated to buy some fun perennials and a couple of blueberry bushes. These plants don't thrive in an area where a goat loves to eat and wander. Quickly, my plants were eaten. Why is this neighbor goat not focusing on my weeds?? It seems to focus on my new blooms and treasured plants. And why does this goat sometimes roam free?

Today over coffee I shared our goat problem with 5 great friends. We often find ourselves sharing things much bigger than a roaming goat. But I realized as I shared my story that this is a group of women who are easy to share with. The good, bad, sad, silly and ugly. God has blessed me with some fantastic friends. I left the morning at Maria's feeling blessed and nourished. With mother's day right around the corner, I certainly miss the friendship I had with my mom. I miss sharing the big things and the little things with her. She would laugh if she could see me or Vance chasing this goat off.  I miss many things about her. God knows our needs and places people in our life who never replace those who we've lost but these people bring us joy and share our pains - if we let them.

I feel so blessed also to have four siblings who share with me memories of our dear mom!

They are some of my favorite people to be around.

http://thegypsymama.com/2012/05/mothers-day-for-the-motherless-daughter/

Today, my friend Katie (a beautiful blessing, a friend who also shares joys and pain) emailed me the above link to a blog with a post I might be able to relate to.

I did. I love the way the author writes and through tears I read through her beautiful post... thought I would share.

This weekend will be a weekend of soaking up these kids! And remembering my mom with love...

Finger painting! I never let the boys do this at 2. I am so much more laid back

than I was several years ago. I love watching my kids be creative!