Wednesday Morning!

 I am so thankful for friends who lift me up!! 

The children's book Dandelions was introduced to me yesterday, through Mrs. Weed! Oh I love it!! 

The past ten days have been hard for a variety of reasons. 

Last night several things came to a head - requiring a constant need for prayer.

I lost my voice for about 4 days and then it came back "tiny" as a kindergarten girl told me! (made me giggle) finally that is a lot better and I am so thankful! 

On a more positive note - I have a couple of things started in the greenhouse! Want to start cosmos today! Our greenhouse is not heated so I hope it is enough to keep the door and window closed and maybe throw some fabric over the starts on nights that the temperatures are low. 

I have the chicken coop tidy - but oh chickens and their poop! And why do they like to poop on our front walk?

Have a blessed day!! 

MY MOM

 I started this post yesterday but lacked a little energy, maybe a little courage to finish it. I am back.

Gosh this life we live. 

I feel almost claustrophobic that our mom only got 45 years. I am at 47 and there is so much more I want to see and do. I hope to be a grandma. I hope to visit Arizona. I'm gonna get to Tony's Tavern in Custer, Wa  - - still on my bucket list! I hope to publish a book! 

I hope to build others up and be a light in my community, I work at this. 

So, here it is, the anniversary of her death. 

March 25 is usually a date with lots of signs of spring if you live in Washington state. 

I love seeing the calves, the baby sheep, the farm store with the baby chicks. I see daffodils and hyacinths coming up. But it holds more death than it does life for me. I allow March 26 to be different. 

After a really tough week, I was reminded that my mom had a lot of tough days - and she faced them with grace, humor, and fixing her eyes upon Jesus. Yes, she had rough days and she had stress. But I loved how she found something to laugh about, even on the tiugh days! And I feel she faced situations and hardships with grace! What a sweet example. 

The week after she passed, our heifers calved. I remember my Grandpa Ken, her dad, came over to check on us and saw a couple of new baby calves in the front field. He stopped and commented on how much mom loved that season. About a week before she passed she told my sister Lesha that she was excited to pick fabric and sew pillows for the bench on the covered front porch. 

We just never know...

March

 

Sweet Nellie! 

This is Merit's spring break but he can't come home because of baseball. 

I can't imagine how beautiful Walla Walla is on these spring days!

These first spring like moments! 

They are heavenly. 

I have laryngitis. I can't do no voice. 

It is getting a bit better. 

Tomorrow I changed my full day of teaching to a half a day and I am scheduled to teach all day Friday. 

Today I just rested my throat. 

What's up? 

School 

Studying

Learning

Teaching

Critter fun

Horse fun

Vance is working in the pasture and burning debri

Baseball

Hazel made truffles two nights ago - they were amazing!

peanut butter and honey

 I made a sandwich for my lunch at work Wednesday- a honey and peanut butter sandwich - while making it, I realized I maybe have not had a honey and peanut butter sandwich since I was in HS.

My mom made me peanut butter and honey sandwiches throughout grade school, even sometimes in HS.... I took a bite and I had this WAVE of memories. A huge wave. I pictured my mom in the H Street Rd. kitchen. I remembered what is what was like to get home from school and she was there. I remembered her cooking, baking, making school lunches in there...

The anniversary of her death is March 25 - each March I allow myself more moments of missing her, remembering her... I sort of give myself more permission to look back. 

I talked to a friend Wed whose mom has brain tumors. She is starting radiation soon. She was positive about her mom's day to day, hopeful about the treatment... she brought up how no one is guaranteed 70 80 years... what are we waiting for?

Baseball and country living; you'll find us outdoors

Walla Walla Warriors and Big Bend Vikings split Sunday's double header

Walla Walla Warriors

*******************

Moses Lake Mavericks

What a win! 12:0

Let the good times roll! 

 

Oh - we have not had a chance to sit down. 

But I am not complaining.

Tons of baseball, Oren's try outs are moved to next week. Vance is working on his old Ford tractor. We are walking the horse when we can. He has been a bit stubborn, but he's a good guy.

I teach third grade again tomorrow! 

Last night at sunset

#letthegoodtimesroll

 

At 2:55 on Thursday I checked Oren in at Great Clips on line - the website said a 37 minute wait. I picked him up from school at 3:30. we headed there. Upon our arrival, they told me another 20 min. So we ate at the new Ramen Poke next door. Oren was not a fan, Hazel and I were. While sitting there, we had to move from our first table. INCHES of a man's butt crack was showing and we could not have had a better view. Hazel asked if we could please move tables. 

We did. Then, sitting awfully close to us - Ramen Poke is not a big establishment - a twenty some year old gal was sharing her entire life with a 40 some year woman. We tuned in. At first noisy observation, I thought it was a job interview. The young woman was sharing all of her skills. As time went on, she talked about her uncle who had passed and how she had gotten a tattoo to remember him. All the while the 40 something lady nodded and smiled - just nodded and smiled. I wondered if it were a counseling session. Back to the tattoo, the woman wanted to get something to remember her uncle and so she got the words "pull my finger" tattood on her arm.

Hazel and I got the giggles, I mean really got the giggles. Oren was disgusted with his noodles - which were actually mushrooms. 

For this to happen in the same week that I had a crazy movie theater experience just reminded me that life is far from dull. 

At the movies - four of us ladies went - a man came in 2/3 of the way through the movie and threw out a lot of hallelujuahs and amens and also was not afraid of spoiling some key parts. He'd seen the movie before.  He did a lot of waving, pointing, and clapping. Our fab four, although slightly annoyed, just giggled. 

We have seen Merit once since Christmas and it was brief. Once since Christmas. It's March 10. I was doing just fine with this until about four days ago and I just began missing him like crazy. Oren and I are in the same boat. 

Merit has heard all of these stories - among others -as I have heard his and we are able to stay connected - better this week than some others. We get to see him today. 

Our HS Mavs varsity team play in Mercer Island today! GO MAVS

March

 Nothing like a March snow to get you in the Easter spirit. lol I think it is still snowing now. 

BOTH Merit and Willem are supposed to have baseball games tomorrow - I wonder if that will happen.

I took these pictures earlier this week. I am so thankful that the afternoon it was most beautiful this week, we were at home to enjoy it! 

Hazel has SUCH a fun two days planned! More on that later. 

I taught 3rd grade Monday and Tuesday, fifth grade Wednesday, yesterday I had a WONDERFUL day off!I cleaned bathrooms, went thrifting, hung out with Vance at the shop, made cards...

And today I am heading in to teach third grade just for the morning.

Happy Friday! 

Tuesday Morning Musings

Waking up to snow yesterday was a bit disappointing - but it is mostly melted now and the sun is shining! 

My sub bag always has some of my very favorite children's books in it. If I need a fifteen minute filler, I love pulling from that bag! And while in Mrs. Verrall's second grade class last week, I read a book that she included in her plans, it was a Johnny Appleseed book that I had never seen before! I ordered it on Amazon the next day. I love the story of Johnny Appleseed! 

Cowgirls won last night in Vegas! Our niece Emily is a cowgirl! #letthegoodtimesroll

Baseball is under way. 

Might give chicken raising one my year. This was a hard winter for raising chickens. And when I cleared probably 10 buckets of chicken manure out of the coop two weeks ago - that had primarily been frozen for months - hmmm, I wasn't sure I wanted to keep going with this. And Vance has been tired of the chickens for quite some time. But! I do appreciate them and their eggs -which we have not seen since November. 

We have a great place for them! Maybe a few chicks this spring and one more run at it!  

Heading in to sub third grade! 

 

HAPPY SUNDAY!

 

Goodies I brought to the Favored Farmhouse yesterday...

Thrifted this "planter" $1

Found this gem Friday at the  senior center for $5! 

I actually found 2! One is in front of our coop. 

Happy Chickens!! Who quite possibly are experiencing the longest winter of their life!

In like a lion, out like a lamb

 

Time is cruising, here we are welcoming in March --

In like a Lion out like a Lamb.

It was SO windy today.

I am pretty pleased with Ashwaganda. Placebo affect? Maybe - It is an herbal supplement that can help stress or anxiousness. The Health Pantry here in Moses Lake has steered me right many times before - I am thankful for the recommendation.

Oren is enjoying a short, fun season of basketball. 

I am dreaming of more flowers than veggies in my garden this spring/summer - but we shall see. I have several friends who inspire the heck out of me when it comes to gardening.

Tasha was excited about heading East for state basketball- They even had a house rented with friends. 

Her plans were changed again - poor girl- many changes of plans 

Her labs did not look good. They had her drive to UW hospital yesterday -they admitted her. Scans, swabs, tests... and an endoscopy in a couple of weeks. Med adjustments etc

I am praying for less side effects and for more days with energy. I am thankful she has a strong heart.

What has me so bummed or frustrated or uneasy is that some complain about seemingly little things. And then when I watch her, still dealing with the effects of her stroke, fighting through med side effects, having many days and weeks changed with hospital stays it makes me feel so bad for her. I suppose I feel a little resentment towards those who complain so quickly - but resentment is not a good thing either. 

I taught 2nd and kinder this week. The kids are so fun and the learning is just terrific, little sponges. Senior Center thrift store had several goodies this week including so many fun fabrics that I am excited about. 

Vance bought tires for a tractor he has had for 20 years - his grandfather's old tractor - the purchase of the tires inspired a new seat, then a pressure washing and now several projects have followed.