Twenty-two years and counting...

This Friday Brian and I

will celebrate 22 years of marriage!

These photos are some of my favorite

from the beginning of this journey together.
Our senior year of high school and

our first year of college hold many special memories

and the joy in these pictures tell it all.

Happy 22nd anniversary Brian!

It's been an amazing journey so far and

Lord willing...

we will have many more years to come.

I love you!!

Saturday chores and fun

Chloe found a pair of legs today while raking the leaves!
The giggles from the wheelbarrow gave it away...

It was nice to see a brother and sister having fun raking the leaves.

I remember...

I remember this day...

I remember... many details of this day one year ago. It was a beautiful warm fall day. The sun was shining. We did normal things. We cried. We prayed. But the details of what happened on this day are not the most important. What is important is what God did for us on this day.

I remember... what God did for us on this day. He knew before the foundations of the world that this day would happen. He held you in His hand and gave comfort. He provided, in tiny and huge ways, what you would need. He forgave. He blessed. He reminded us of what really matters and what ultimately is our purpose in life.

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for his is good; for his steadfast love endures forever

I remember... watching you as we moved on from this day. Watching as you sat with your Bible, knowing that your strength would come from Him and no where else. I watched as you held your children and loved them. I watched as we faced each milestone and moved on towards the next one, trusting in God's Providence. I watched as we laughed at some of the most unlaughable situations.

Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free.

The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?

The Lord is on my side as my helper, I shall look in triumph on those who hate me

...I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the Lord help me. The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.

I watch you now, in the new place God has you. Some days seem like two steps forward and three back, but you're taking steps. I see a Mom who loves her children deeper. I see a friend and sister who is loved and a special part of my life. I see God's child, growing in understanding and wisdom, who grasps the power of the gospel.

I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.

The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.

This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it

...You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you.

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!

Psalm 118

..."My, the fall leaves sure are beautiful this year"...

Priorities...

Today I had the pleasure of spending some time talking with one of our daughters about priorities, getting done what needs to be done, and not taking on guilt over something that is not yours to be responsible for. It was one of those rare scary-but-a-blessing-mom-to-daughter talks that say to me, 'she's growing up...wait she's REALLY growing up...'

As I finished talking with her and moved on to the rest of my morning, I thought more about the advice I had given. I took inventory of my life and what I seek as my priorities... God, husband, family, others, self... pretty standard stuff around our house. But wait...do I really seek these? In the middle of my chaotic morning I prayed, "God, do I seek these as my priorities? Show me my weakness. Show me my sin".

Then I looked at my right foot and I realized that God already had. You see I have this immobilizing boot on my foot to help with a collapsing bone structure. It isn't painful with the boot on, but it is unbelievably awkward! I move at a snails pace and my productivity is WAAAY down. I'm used to flying through my day and checking off my mental to-do list for the day. I have been forced by Providence to slow down and remember my priorities. Praise God!!! As I clomp-step through my day, I now have time to really think, 'Is this important or should it wait? Is there something more important I need to do right now?'

Now I don't necessarily recommend this 'boot' sanctification for everyone, but it does make me think that we all have situations where God calls us through unusual circumstances to realign or remember what our right and true priorities are. So, somethings won't get done and that is okay. I can let them fall off my plate without guilt because God has ordained this place with these circumstances right now. There is great freedom in that.

HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY STEVEN!!!!

Happy 1st Birthday Steven... Big Tuck, Auntie R and all the kids love you very much!!

Rutabaga...

Now that is a Rutabaga!! Amanda found this out in our garden and I could not believe how big it was. I truly thought that the only thing this would be good for was the chickens or the compost pile. But after Brian's search on the Internet for recipes and some encouragement to just cook the thing, I did it and was pleasantly surprised. It tasted a bit nutty and starchy like a potato, but wasn't bitter like I had thought it would be.

And I did learn a few things about Rutabagas...

• They are also called Swedes
• In Ireland they used to carve them like pumpkins
• Forest Grove, OR is the rutabaga capital of the NW, where there is a study group dedicated to Rutabagas
• They were a food staple of soldiers during WWI
• You can cook them just like a potato

...it's a good thing too, because we have a whole row of them just waiting out in the garden!

The newest farm addition...

Let me introduce our newest farm acquisition...

a baby Boer buck goat named Mr. Tumnus (Mr. T for short). He is 4 months old and very cute!! He's all furry and friendly, but a bit skittish right now. The best part though is that...

HE HAS EARS!!

All our other goats are La Manchas and have these mini ears that look rather odd. We are hopeful that he will help provide future baby goats for our farm.

last of the Ireland posts...

When we arrived in Dublin last July, we took a wild taxi ride to our hotel. It may not have been all that wild, but my stomach was still somewhere over the Atlantic and it seemed that taxi was going way too fast. During this ride, Brian was on the look out for a store he was hoping to visit, Peterson Pipes in Dublin.


Peterson pipes begun manufacture in Dublin in 1865 on Grafton St. and developed many notable designs for their pipes. One was Peterson's famed 'Dry System' pipes, patented in 1894. Featuring a small reservoir intended to collect moisture before it reaches the smoker, the 'System Pipe' is designed to create a drier cooler smoke. Another design element from Peterson is the so-called "P-lip": a mouthpiece that directs smoke upwards towards the roof of the mouth instead of the tongue. This is intended to produce a drier and less biting smoke than when smoke is directed at the tongue, as with other pipes.

Brian was interested in purchasing a genuine Peterson pipe directly from the store in Dublin. So as we neared the end of our trip we made a point to walk around to the opposite end of Trinity College in the hopes that we would find the store Brian spied on our taxi ride. We were successful and he came home with a new full-bent pipe to add to his collection.