BabyGirl is a freshman. Isn't that the most revolting thing you've read in months? Once they walk through the line at 8th grade graduation, our kids are officially labeled "Freshman." How can that be possible? I'm pretty sure it was just last week we were wrestling her into a pair of capris and a ratty tank top to drag her kicking and screaming out the door for 1st grade. There's no way she's 1 semester away from drivers ed. I reject your reality and substitute my own.

The week of her graduation was a tough one. We had VBS at church every day immediately after school. Miss T and I were busy trying to pack up our kitchen for summer break. One of our walk-in freezers died 2 days before school got out. I was trying to pack up so we could leave Friday immediately after I got off work so we could go to TN for Art's wedding. I was going to get to see PG (Princess's baby boy) up close for the first time that weekend. Hormones were raging. Mommy feelings were raw with BabyGirl moving on from the school she'd been in for 10 years. The house was a hot mess. The FarmHands were dragging home everything they'd ever made at school. And husband and I were having a breakdown in communication that was leaving me a weepy mess.

Graduation was Thursday night. QM was coming to town on Wednesday afternoon but Daddy couldn't make it. Wednesday I had to run to town to get BabyGirl a graduation present. Then I ran home to start scrubbing bathrooms and doing laundry. I was beyond exhausted and only 1/2 way through a very long week.

Daddy called to chat and I had a full on bawling meltdown on the phone. I was tired, angry, stressed out, and there was no end in sight. He kept telling me it was all going to be OK. He told me to take a deep breath and that no matter how things went I'd be done in just a few days. I hung up the phone and cried like a baby.

QM had told me she was nearly here but wanted to stop by Busha and Bucka's house first. Since I was in mad lady cleaning mode and had to pick the FarmHands up from VBS at 5:30, I told her I'd see her then. She told me she wanted to drop off BabyGirl's graduation present since it wasn't wrapped.

I met QM on the road home after VBS. She turned around before we got to her and was parked in my driveway when we pulled up. I hustled everyone inside and only had a chance for a cursory greeting before BB went into full on meltdown over a stye on his eyelid. I was trying to calm him down while washing his hands and fixing a hot compress while telling QM about my earlier meltdown on the phone with Daddy. Suddenly I heard a familiar voice say, "Hey, Aunt FarmWife?"

I didn't have to turn around. When I heard HT I knew QM had brought Princess and the boys with her. Deep sobs were instant and I fell on my mother while my sister was slipping her shoes off at the back door. When I turned to greet her, Princess just held out a sleeping bundle to me. "Here, just take him," she said.

The pictures of me meeting PG for the first time are of a bawling mess of an aunt and the sleepy smile of a tiny curled up nephew.

That was a good day.

The days that followed were also good.

Husband and I ironed out our communication issue. I finished my 3rd school year as a lunch lady. BabyGirl successfully (honors society gold cord and all) and beautifully (when did my little blonde with clothing issues become a stunning young lady) graduated from junior high. Art married her best friend in the most beautiful and touching ceremony I've ever witnessed. I spent 3 1/2 days in TN loving on my nephews, laughing with my family, and enjoying the hills I miss so much when I'm home.

Days have been good since. They've been long. They've been lazy. Summer has been simple. And it's not half over.

And we even looked like grown ups.

Have you ever had The Best Weekend Ever? I have. But I'm cool like that. Don't beat yourself up if you haven't. Not everyone can be quite as cool as I am. Art can. But then no one is quite as cool as Art. Not even me.

Years and years and eons ago I went away to college. There I met some really awesome people. Then I decided not to return to that college the next year and within a year I had lost touch with the majority of the people I'd met and loved.

One person in particular stayed in my extended circle a bit longer than most of the others. His name will hence forth be Lane. Lane and I continued to talk on the phone on and off the summer after I left. To be entirely truthful my efforts to keep in touch with him stemmed from a bit of an unrequited crush. He and Art began talking and after many years, many conversations, and a few bumps in the rocky road of life became very close friends.

Unfortunately life gets in the way. Neither Art nor I had seen Lane in 17 years. And then he was engaged. And we both got invites. Perfect gifts were hunted. Perfect dresses laid out. Hours were spent on shoes and hair and foundational undergarments (if you do not understand the importance then you most definitely are male) and nail colors and trip arrangements and hotel reservations and child care arrangements.

Last weekend found Art and I fully dressed and made up in our very best in a hotel room 14 floors from the maze of streets that is down town Springfield, IL staring at each other with the sudden realization that we were about to lay eyes on Lane for the first time in 17 years. Not only that, but there was a decent chance I would see others I'd known "back in the day" and having never been to a class reunion, I wasn't sure how to deal with that possibility.

At one point Art said, "Do you think the bride is this nervous?" It was a good question. I had no answer.

Up to that point the day (and evening prior) had been packed full of hysterical laughter, random singing, car dancing, long conversations, driving, pictures outside The Circle K, and my brief but thorough check under the hotel beds for dead prostitutes (one can never be too careful).  As we wove our way to the wedding venue we were jittery. Much too jittery for a wedding that was not our own.

After a very brief ride in a parking garage elevator where I'm 99% sure someone had recently lived for an extended period of time....or had recently died...we found ourselves bravely trodding down the street pretending we do this every day.

Moments later it was all over. Lane was there. We were there. Hugs had been shared by all. And it was perfect. There was no weirdness. There was no awkwardness. It was just Lane and Art and Farmie chatting and waiting for the former to get married.

The wedding was lovely. Lovely is the perfect word for it. The groom looked like he was about to sprint down the aisle to hurry the procession along. The bride was stunning and sweet and looked like something out of a book on how to get married.

You know that amazing brooch bouquet everyone's been drooling over on Pinterest for the past 2 years? Yeah, she carried one of those. One she made. From brooches belonging to Lane's much loved and recently deceased grandmother.

Art had predicted many tears but I was self assured that I would not cry. Art was right. I was wrong. The bride and groom took communion together after saying their vows and exchanging rings and that's when I fell apart.  Technically I held it together until Lane lowered his head and prayed with his bride. After that it was all over for me.

And then, then it was time for the reception. Art and I had decided that if we were uncomfortable or bored or if things got weird we would duck out gracefully and spend the night hanging out in our pajamas instead.

Yeah, that didn't happen.

In fact, we were still there when the lights came on. We were there when the cater waiters cleared away all the dishes. We were there when Lane packed up his collection of vintage cameras that served as centerpieces. We were there when they took the table cloths off the tables.  I'm pretty sure we were 15 minutes from being bodily removed by the wait staff.

There were a total of 3 people there I knew other than the groom and one more I think I may have met in passing 18 years ago. By the time we got back to the hotel that night my face hurt from laughing. Old friends and their "new" wives were the perfect antidote to my tired-mom-ness. The only thing I truly wished for was that the night could have gone on a few more hours.

And my amazing Art never missed a beat. She injected herself into the midst of the reminiscing and laughter and arguments just as she always does. It didn't matter that she hadn't gone to college with the rest of us. It didn't matter that she had almost no history with these people. She loved them and in return they loved her. But then who wouldn't love Art? She's amazing (I may have mentioned that).

Last weekend was exactly what I needed. I'd take a few more like it if they were offered. And the best part of it all was that I got to spend 28 uninterrupted hours with my very best of friends. I'd take that every day.

Plus, I ate a bacon cupcake. Yup. Bacon. And it was good.

The glimmer is becoming a full blown glow.

It's been a wicked bad summer. A summer I hope never to repeat.  But things are looking up.

One thing I hadn't mentioned here is that when I was in the ER with BabyGirl I called Husband to tell him her arm was broken.  He had news for me.  They're shutting down his department at work and he would be losing his job in 6 months or so.  Now to be clear he wouldn't be without a job. He could transfer in the plant where his seniority would take him, but that could mean a serious cut in pay and hours.

Today he interviewed for a new position at work and much to my surprise, they've already called and told him he got it!  I think the pay will be comparable to what he's currently making and it is in a much quieter part of the factory than he was expecting.

He will probably be losing the overtime he's been working since BabyGirl was born, but what I'm making will cover that.  I truly believe God put me in the job I'm in fill this gap.

In other wonderful news- #1 Son's 10 days of blood sugar readings were so good the doctor said we could stop checking.  I called the office and asked after looking over our log & realizing nothing on it came even close to the numbers we were worried about.  And on top of that, his rash that caused the diabetes scare in the first place, is nearly gone.

Yesterday was a tough day at work.  I was worn out and discouraged when I got home.  It was one of those days when nothing went as planned and we spent the entire day trying to get caught up.  Today was the polar opposite.  Today was a day that should have been difficult and drawn out.  It was not at all.  It was easier than expected and things went very smoothly.

Today I feel like I can breath.  Today I know that the good can outweigh the bad. Today I can praise God with a happy heart instead of praising Him in the midst of heartache.

Proving once more that I am a mean mother.

Summertime on the Farm means days on end spent splashing and playing and fighting about the splashing and playing in our pool.  It's not a huge pool, but it's decent sized.  It's a do-it-yourself deal from Walmart. It's big enough for us and we love it.

Husband and the kids spent hours this week getting the grass pulled out of the sand patch, the tarp laid just so, the pool assembled and finally filled. The filling takes most of 2 days and all of one night....and a really long hose.  I was recuperating indoors so I wasn't available to help.

Now I realize I also won't be able to enjoy the pool.

Yesterday I went to see the surgeon to have my stitches removed and my one week out check-up.  After swapping stitches for steri-strips, he told me he doesn't want me bending over or lifting anything over 20 pounds until I see him again in three weeks.  Much to Bitsy's chagrin, the steri-strips and scab are keeping me land locked for the time being. I need to stay out of the water until my incision is completely healed.  She has spent most of the day trying to convince me I can just lounge in my papasan in the pool.  "It's not swimming, Mommy.  It'll be OK."

Unfortunately, Mom's unplanned abdominal opening also means the highly anticipated trip to Holiday World has been put on indefinite hold.  I can hardly make it through a trip to the grocery right now.  A full day spent walking around an amusement park and hurtling down water slides is entirely too much for me to imagine let alone attempt.

As we were on the way home from town today, Husband and I were discussing New Harmony, IN, where we spent our very brief honeymoon.  I said I would love to take the FarmHands there sometime to go on one of their walking tours.  Under his breath, Husband mumbled, "You'll have to speed up a bit first."

I said, "Are you making fun of my shuffle?"

"No.  I'd be happy with a normal pace."  Can't say I blame him after having to follow me through the grocery while I moved like an octogenarian.  "So would I, dear."

Now if we could just convince the FarmHands that I'm not faking just to ruin their summertime plans.

Drum Roll Please......

I got the job!!  Next year I will be the new head cook at the FarmHands' school.  Both of the cooks are retiring at the end of this year so I thought I had a pretty good shot at one of the jobs.  I'm a bit nervous about all the paper work involved, but I'm sure I'll get the hang of it.

Thank you for all your prayers and good wishes.

The day I found out was one of those days when any piece of good news is not only welcome, but necessary to one's mental stability.  My laptop (that we bought in January) wouldn't let me get on line.  I'd been on with tech support for our ISP for hours the day before & they assured me the problem was in the lap top.

After work on Monday I called Walmart to find out what to do with the computer.  I talked to a woman in electronics and she told me I had until Friday (that would be 90 days from our original date of purchase) to return the lap top for an exchange.  I had to take #1 Son to the lab in the hospital to have his cheek (and never ending case of impetigo) cultured, so I was going to take the computer back during that trip to town.  I spent the next 40 minutes frantically dumping any kind of information we had put on the computer- programs, photographs, pass words, music- not knowing I could just restore the computer to it's factory settings.  All the while, I was furious because it took me hours to get all those photos loaded and tagged and edited the way I wanted.  And it took almost as long to get all my music transferred (and I really don't have that much music on my Zune).

By the time I threw Bitsy in the van and headed in to school (at the very last minute) to get the FarmHands, I was frazzled far too near to my breaking point.  At the hospital we had to wait for 20 minutes to get registered (normally we wait less than 5 minutes) and with 4 kids in an environment that demands calmness, that is not fun.  Finally got done there and headed to Walmart where they proceed to tell me they don't exchange computers after 15 days from the time of purchase.  I explained that I called at 2 o'clock and spoke to a woman who assured me I could even after I gave her the date on our receipt.  Everyone was baffled (including the woman working in electronics who said she hadn't spoken to me) and since I didn't get her name, I was out of luck.  The did give me a warranty page so I could get a hold of HP (since there wasn't one in the computer box at all) and apologized profusely for the misunderstanding.

I loaded the FarmHands back up & warned them that I needed a totally silent ride home or I might just fall apart.  For the most part, they listened.

As soon as I got home I called HP's warranty hot line and spent the next TWO HOURS and FIFTEEN MINUTES on the phone with my new Indian bff- Samantha.  After trying 75,000 different things and eventually returning the computer (that still held a bit of the personalizations I'd stored) to it's factory settings, it still did not work.  I finally had to tell Samantha I couldn't work on it any more.  It was 7:35 and my children still needed to be bathed, fed, and sent to bed.

That night was the school board meeting that would decide if I would have a job next year or not.  I spent the next 2 hours nervously fidgeting and waiting for a phone call that might not come till morning if it came at all.  By 9:45 I was about to snap like an over tightened guitar string.  I decided a hot bath was in order.  I had no more than stretched out in the tub than the phone rang.  Sure it was Husband calling to see if I'd heard anything about the board meeting, I answered from the tub.  It was the principal.

He congratulated me and told me who got the other job then told me they'd let me know about a training schedule as soon as they get one worked out.  I called Husband, Mom, and Art to let them know the good news then finally decided I'd better get out of the bath.

As I was getting ready for bed, I noticed the light was still on in BabyGirl's room (it was 11 o'clock at night by this point).  When I got on to her for still being up she said, "But Mom, I read the end of the chapter and had to find out what was going to happen next!  I just couldn't stop reading!"  Since BabyGirl doesn't read willingly, I couldn't really get on to her.

Then I told her I was going to be a cook at her school full time next year & that's when the best thing that happened all day occurred.  My daughter- willingly and of her own accord- hugged me!  She not only hugged me, but she hugged me and said, "Awesome!"

It was a good day after all.

Wonderful news!!

Uncle Gick's surgery went perfectly yesterday! He came through with flying colors & is now at home with a very sore shoulder.

We all slept a little deeper last night. We've all breathed a little easier today.

When his doctor came out to tell us how the procedure went he informed us that one of his leads wasn't working at all & one or two others were broken. He replaced the non-functioning one & repaired the other two. With that tweak alone, Uncle Gick should feel much better.

This was probably the best Christmas present any of us could have asked for!

I've never really talked about this before. Uncle Gick was diagnosed with Cardiomyopathy when I was about 14 or 15 years old. We're not really sure what caused it. He was sick & it may have been a virus that traveled into his heart or it may have been a new allergy medicine he was on (years later it came out that this medicine caused heart damage). His doctors didn't really give us much hope at the time. QM told me that without a heart transplant he wouldn't live very long.

Uncle Gick didn't want a heart transplant. I'm not positive of all his reasons but I do know he didn't want to live his life on anti-rejection drugs. I do know that his doctors said he wouldn't live to see his 50th birthday.

When BabyGirl was 8 months old, he got his pacemaker. We all saw an immediate improvement in him. He turned 50 when I was pregnant with #1 Son. At 58, we're all thrilled that he's proven his doctors wrong.

Uncle Gick is one of our favorite human beings. We're really glad God has let us keep him this long. I pray He lets us keep him another 20 years.

Farm Girls can be pretty, too.

A short while ago I posted my header picture again & Art commented that I needed cooler mud boots. While my boots are both warm for the winter & functional in the mud & muck farm life has in store, they are not cute. Not even a little bit. In fact, they are the total opposite of cute. But for once, I've taken function over fashion. B-o-r-i-n-g.

A few weeks ago we had to take the FarmHands to the big town of E'ville for dental appointments. Afterwards we made a GIANT Rural King run. Not that we had to get a lot at Rural King, but the Rural King we were visiting was HUGE! I love it there. It's like the Ikea of farm supply stores (not that I've ever been to an Ikea...I'm just guessing). The boys both needed new mud boots as they've outgrown & worn out their last pairs.

While searching through green & black boring boots, I stumbled on the super cute ones. They had their own aisle. Most of them were for kids. Horses, fire trucks, lady bugs & the like decorated most of the boots. On the next shelf over were women's mud boots in pastel plaids, polka dots, candy stripes, and other pretties. They weren't terribly sturdy, fit mostly for rain puddles & not hog stalls.

And then I turned the corner. There they sat in all their resplendent glory. Purple Paisley Cowboy Boots made entirely from rubber. I'm pretty sure I heard angels singing country music in the back ground. Knowing full well that I was not going to buy them, I still needed to try on a pair. I have a perfectly good pair of boot at home. I had no real call to spend money on fancy ones....as much as I wanted to.

Today I went to Bucka & Busha's to shampoo their carpet before the Aunties come to visit for their week in the fall. Busha & I were talking in the kitchen when she went into one of the back bedrooms & brought out a big shopping bag. In it were the boots! She & Bucka & Uncle Gick had doctors appointments in E'ville yesterday & they decided to check out the Giant Rural King. Busha decided I needed the boots so she found an employee to help her hunt them down.

I am a very happy FarmWife now. And for good measure, it started raining this afternoon, so they'll have to be worn tomorrow!

I only hope Art approves.

---------------

Oh, and Zann, yes, BabyGirl did stay at her camp out. She had a wonderful time! Hiking, rappelling, compass walk, blindfold walk, rope walk, scavenger hunt, sing-a-long at the campfire, hot dogs, s'mores, pop corn over the campfire, breakfast on buddy burners (cookers made from a candle & a coffee can), teachers sneaking in to TP the tents, games, giggling, little sleep, dirty shoes.....you name it, they did it! I'm so proud of her for sticking around. She decided to stay about 30 minutes after we got to camp while we were setting up the tents.

Vacation in bullet points because I'm too tired for anything else

• drove 4 hours to Lexington to find out the hotel pool was closed & we had to entertain the FarmHands all evening in a 2 room suite. Thank the Lord for DVD players & Narnia movies.


• drove 3+ hours to Sieverville, TN to visit Knife Works with in-laws. Could have stayed another hour easily, but these folks see stuff fast.


• took FarmHands to Wonder Works in Pigeon Forge. LOVED it...all except for the glow-in-the-dark rotating entrance. Seriously messed with my head. FarmHands had a blast!


• checked into cabin & unloaded the boat load of junk it takes to shuttle this group anywhere.


• went to Dixie Stampede for dinner & show. LOVED it (especially watching the FarmHands' faces when the girl rode 2 horses at once standing up!).


• got horribly ill the last 5 minutes of the show (possible food poisoning from the night before) and spent the rest of the night wishing I could die.


• decided that when day light came, I was calling my daddy and making him come get me & take me back to Illinois (it was about 3 am at the time)


• woke up the next day & felt a tiny bit better. Decided to delay Dollywood one day & see the aquarium instead.


• drove a short distance (thank goodness) into Smokey Mt. National Park and saw the view from a lookout point then headed into Gatlinburg.


• went to see Christ of the Smokies ($5 all day parking if you're ever in the neighborhood) & found a painting I wanted for over our fireplace until I realized the price tag read $125 and not $25.


• Went to The Big Blue Aquelium (that's what HT calls it) and LOVED it (I'm really LOVING a lot of stuff today, aren't I?). My stomach wasn't so happy about all the wavy moving water, but I still really enjoyed it.


• Slept like a rock after a dose of Dramamine


• DOLLYWOOD!!!!! This was the FarmHands' first trip to an amusement park of any kind. I will leave it entirely to your imagination...but they LOVED it (see?).


• Thursday we drove 4 more hours to Cave City, KY to meet up with my parentals, Princess, Axl, and HT to do Dinosaur World (the greatest place in the entire universe) for Princess's birthday.


• Slept much less like a rock but still decently.


• Hit Mammoth Cave twice with a stop at Applebee's & Wal-Mart in between. Ate pot roast & chicken at the cabins thanks entirely to Mama & Daddy then set things on fire with my sister (in the fire ring...don't freak out).


• Drove home

Yes, I am still recovering. Yes, we had a great time. Yes, I was ready to be back in my bed.

Yesterday BabyGirl turned ten. That makes me feel old. I cannot believe I've been a mother for an entire decade. I still have no idea what I'm doing.

Husband is back to work today. The pool is up. It's hot. I can't quit sneezing. The cicadas are swarming. We're running out of Popsicles. I'm pretty sure it's summer (solstice or not).

Home Sweet Home

Tonight I will miss the king size bed Bitsy & I spread out on all weekend. I will miss the quiet of having only one child to care for. I will miss being a few feet away from my mother & father's door. I will miss being able to drive across town to visit with my grandparents. I will miss the congregation I grew up in. I will miss the pool and Bitsy's screams of joy as she splashed from her Pa's arms to mine. I will miss her excitement as she pressed the elevator buttons in the hotel. I will miss being able to adjust the thermostat up & down as my moods changed. I will miss my mini-vacation. But tonight I will not miss my older children. I will not miss my husband's soft snores in the night. I will not miss the hum of my own home as I drift off to sleep. I will not miss the peace of the country. I will not miss lounging in my tub when ever I like. I will not miss raiding my pantry at any given moment. I will not miss my recliners. I will not miss my DVR. I will not miss the presence of our furry friends. Bitsy and I spent the weekend in the land of Grandma & Grandpa M&M with Mama & Daddy. It was a wonderful trip. This was the first time in many years I've spent more than a few hours there at a time. It was the first time I've been to church with them since BabyGirl was tiny (the same church where I grew up). I got to meet the soon-to-be-3 year old son of my best friend from grade school. I got to see Aunts and Uncles and Cousins. The church had a special service Sunday night honoring Grandpa M&M's many, many years as an elder. There were actually 2 men honored & one man ordained into the eldership so it was a very special service. It was amazing to see how much the congregation loves my grandparents and how many lives they've touched. My Grandpa isn't in good shape. He's had to move out of the Independent Living apartment he & Grandma moved into last summer and into an assisted living home next door. It's been really tough on him and Grandma both (not to mention the rest of us who don't like to think of the two of them separated or failing). But last night, Grandpa was wonderful. He was happy and lively. He chatted with everyone. He was shocked by the honors they gave him. He was thrilled to be surrounded by family and friends. And I'm so very glad we got to be there.

Ringing in the New Year- FarmHands Style

Most people get dressed up, go to a party with friends, sip Champagne, and belt out Auld Lang Syne to ring in the new year. Not us. We fight over the Wii, put the kids to bed at a semi-decent hour, and veg out to Criminal Minds on the DVR. We also miss the actual change over not noticing it's 2011 until 12:25 am. Yeah, we are party animals.

Today we've spent the day playing Wii, fighting over the Wii, playing card games, fighting over card games, watching videos, and fighting over nothing. Anyone see a pattern here?

Yesterday Husband decided we should go to Wal-Mart to look for a new Wii controller (to use in my Zumba belt) and jeans for him. The trip was almost productive. In reality, he needed 3 pairs of jeans but instead we came home with one pair, a Wii controller, and Mario Kart for the kids. Oh, and did I mention the fighting all the way home?

I think the Ramones were on to something when they rocked out with I Wanna Be Sedated. I'm counting down the hours until Monday morning when I can pack 3/4 of them off to school. I know, I know, I'm a horrible mother. I should revel in the screaming, but alas, instead it just makes me want to double up my Prozac.

Actually we have had a lot of fun this week. We've laughed a lot. We've played a lot. We got to spend a lot of time with QM and Daddy and an afternoon with Uncle Gick & Unkie Di and their extended family. We visited with Uncle E and Aunt C. The kids ran around and played outside 2 days this week (60 degrees on December 31st!). I'm getting into my Zumba groove again (I LOVE this game. If you have a Wii I highly suggest it. The game will set you up on a work out calendar or you can wing it. And you can stumble about in the privacy of your own home instead of in front of 25 total strangers. So far I've worked out 20 minutes a day all but 2 days since Christmas Eve). We've watched a lot of Doctor Who. We've watched the Back to the Future movies. We've been ultra competitive playing Gamewright games (LOVE them, too).

But I am ready for Monday. I'm ready for more than 10 minutes of peace and quiet at a time. I'm ready to turn in my referee whistle. I'm ready for my house cleaning to count for something instead of being demolished immediately after I've finished.

I'm ready for 2011.

Let's take a walk...

Right on over to Ordinary Days to read my second ever guest post! Ordinary Sarah is in the process of moving (yes, the week of Christmas) and she asked me to fill in. Turns out, she even picked a topic for me, but I forgot it and accidentally deleted the email she sent prior to my writing the post. Whoops. But since she said nice things about me and put up my post anyway, I doubt she's too peeved at me.

In other news, today was the last day of school for the FarmHands...and now, 6 hours into Christmas break, they're trying to kill each other. Oh my darling angels. Heaven help us!

Yesterday I ticked Bitsy off a bit. We dropped the kids off at school and drove past the local playground. "Pweese, tan we play at da playground? Pweese, Mommy?" came the plaintive sigh from the back seat.

"I'm sorry, Baby. It's too cold outside. We have to go home."

"Just for 9 seconds? Tan we play just for 9 seconds?" And mean old me wouldn't stop even for nine seconds.

Last night she wanted me to change the sheets on her bed because she found her Winnie-the-Pooh sheets in the closet. I told her next time they needed changed but not just then. "Pweese? Wif cherry on top? Wif hot dog on top? Pweese, Mommy?" I'm such a party pooper.

Yesterday Busha had cataract surgery. While the FarmHands were eating breakfast I told them what was going on. B.B. said, "So we should pray for Busha, right?"

"Yup, Bub. That would be a great idea."

"OK. We can do that at dinner tonight."

"You don't have to wait for dinner. You can pray anytime you like. You don't even have to do it out loud if you don't want to." Bitsy disagreed with that last part & made everyone stop eating so she could pray for Busha. Well, actually so I could pray for Busha and she could repeat me.

Busha told her surgeon and all the hospital staff that she was in good hands because her Great-granddaughter had prayed for her. At her follow up appointment today her doctor said she shouldn't have had the vast improvement in her eye sight that she's had. She said, "Yes I should have. My great-granddaughter prayed for me. That's why it's worked so well." He agreed.

We've prayed for Jacob this week & he's home. We prayed for another friend who had spinal surgery & had a really rough first night. The next day she felt so much better. My kids are seeing the power of prayer first hand & I couldn't be happier.

Praise God!

Jacob got to go home yesterday!! What a wonderful Christmas gift for his parents & his big brother. Korey posted a picture of him on Facebook yesterday. Jacob was grinning ear to ear!

Thank you, Lord!

Christmas, Christmas time is near....

Time for toys and time for cheer. We have plenty of both, although I have yet to purchase a single gift. Yup, December third and I have NOTHING. It helps that we really only buy for our kids & HT, and our kids don't get a huge haul....but it would be nice to have a few things stashed away. Every year I hit the month of September thinking, "I'm going to start picking up one or two things each week & get it over with." But it never really happens that way.

I could shop for BabyGirl & Bitsy all day long. Everything I see I think, "Oh, the girls would love this!" But buying for the boys is like pulling teeth. I have no idea what to get. They're boys. They can only own so many action figures and matchbox cars.

Today I got my table cloth, some window clings for the kids' rooms, and tins to fill with Pfefferneuse for the teachers this year. Last night, A Starry Night popped by and surprised me. She had promised to help put up my new tree. She & IT Superguy (formerly known as NM) were having dinner with his folks last night after IT Superguy climbed down out of his deer blind. It's so nice having a grown up around to help with the tree & visit with not to mention another person to wrangle my kids when needed. Between the two of us we got the tree up & the lights on (a job that makes me dizzy every year).

After she left, the FarmHands and I put up the tinsel and ornaments finishing shortly before bed....and before I quit being able to breath through my nose. Decorating for Christmas always causes an allergy attack for me. It tends to put a damper on my Christmas spirit. But I am determined to prevail.

It doesn't seem like an uphill battle any longer. I have found my Christmas Cheer.

Pennies, Blankets, and the World of Bitsy

B.B. came home from kindergarten today with a small piece of paper that had his name & today's date printed on it. A penny was taped to the paper as well. When I asked him about it he said, "I found that on the playground so I turned it in to Miss Jill (the school secretary)." If they find a small amount of money & it's not claimed at the end of the day the child that turns it in gets to keep the money.

I love that he was so concerned about someone losing money that he turned in a penny. Most kids would have pocketed it & not thought twice about it. I would have.

Bitsy & I spent the afternoon with A Starry Night after dropping Husband off at the body shop. He was picking up Babe. She had a loose body panel that had to be reattached. Since we were in town & had nothing to do with our afternoon, Bitsy & I decided we needed some Girl Friend time with Starry Night. It was fun. A Starry Night is determined to wiggle her way into Bitsy's good graces in any way possible. Today it was with candy & yarn.

She made Bitsy a hat a few weeks ago & today she let Bitsy pick out yarn to make more hats & scarves to go with her winter coat. By the time we left, Bitsy had dug 4 skeins of yarn out of Starry Night's yarn bag & petted them, stacked them, and loved on them repeatedly. I told her I was going to buy her yarn for Christmas. Bitsy replied, "OK, Mom. Me like tiny yarn. It soft."

We beat the big kids home by about 10 minutes. Then we all packed back up & headed to Uncle E's to see Ray-ray. Bitsy had 2 of her old baby blankets & we decided Ray-ray needed them. They're both farm themed blankets & Ray-ray is all about the farm & country stuff. Bitsy told Ray-ray the blankets are for when she gets married and has babies. She said Ray-ray can have 2 babies since we gave her 2 blankets. Ray-ray laughed & said, "What if I want more than 2 babies?" Bitsy thought about it for a minute then told Ray-ray she could have 3 babies & we'd buy her one more blanket at the store.

For the record, Ray-ray is not pregnant. She's not getting married. She's only been seeing her boyfriend for a few months....but Bitsy is prepared. She's thinking ahead & making sure everyone is on the same page...her page.

In other news, I think 3 out of 4 FarmHands may be losing their voices...this could be fun.

It just kept getting better.

Yesterday did not start off well. I was worn thin. Saturday was spent in E'ville with Husband and the kids while BabyGirl & #1 Son got caps & fillings at the dentist. Yuck. Especially since BabyGirl was so nervous she spent the morning crying & refusing to get ready to go, then got nauseous on the drive down.

We came home & I realized my kitchen was trashed & I had 4 loads of laundry that had to be washed. Daddy called & said he & QM would be bringing Grandma & Grandpa M&M by our house on their way home from vacation. That meant I couldn't leave the mess for later.

Yesterday I woke up to the boys fighting in the dark living room. It was 6 am (they're not supposed to leave their room before 8 am on the weekends) and they were looking for our Iron Man 2 DVD. They plugged their night light in under my bird cage and were rifling through the entertainment center. The DVD was in the Blu-ray player they're not allowed to touch. This did not go over well with Mama.

There was quite a bit of foot dragging & arguing while getting ready for church, one toy box completely dumped in the floor, some serious refusal to clean up any kind of mess, then entirely too much fidgeting & arguing during church. These things in combination do not do good things for this Mama. Add to that a husband who does minimal housework, worried about the state of the dishes & household affairs (most of which were taken care of prior to church) who's telling his wife what needs to be done, and the last remaining shreds of my composure were destroyed.

Husband took the boys & Bitsy outside to play. BabyGirl sequestered herself in her room. I finished my chores and crashed out on the couch with a DVD Que full of Criminal Minds. After a brief nap, things started looking up.

MIL came by with some pictures she found when they were cleaning out Husband's grandmother's house (she moved in with one of his aunts a few years back). Later she came by with 2 yellow creamer pitchers she'd saved from 2 of Husband's great-grandmother's kitchens. They are the sweetest little things & I promptly put them up with some things from my grandmothers kitchens.

A few minutes later NM & A Starry Night came by for a visit. NM was bringing a movie over for the boys & they ended up staying & chatting for more than an hour. It was so nice to get to have a real face to face conversation with grown ups while my kids played in the yard.

QM, Daddy, and The Grands got here about a quarter 'til seven. We sat around the dining table we inherited from Grandma & Grandpa M&M while they ate dinner (we'd had ours earlier) and we looked at vacation pictures. Bitsy even talked (she never does when there are people around). They didn't get to stay very long, but I will take what ever time with them I can get. And both Grandma & Grandpa were thrilled with the way their table & chair cleaned up (I have film being developed now so I should have pictures to post by the weekend).

I turned in early last night & watched a bit of Pride & Prejudice in bed before falling asleep.

It's nice when a day redeems it's self like that. I'm hoping the rest of the week follows suit.

Food, Fun, and Fall

First of all, what is it about David Hasslehoff that makes people want to watch anything with him on it? That man has been creepy since 15 minutes after Kitt kicked him to the curb. Ugh.

Now, on to other, more interesting things. It's Fall Y'all! Finally. Now if only the rain would visit for a day or two. The summer heat hung on a bit too long for my taste, but at the moment I fear a good solid spark could permanently mow my lawn...and our shed....and possibly the woods by the house. I know the farmers are flying through the fields in a marathon harvest before rain hits, but I think they could use a few days off while my lawn gets a much needed drink.

Yesterday we had one of the missionary couples our church supports come visit. They talked about the work their doing in Mexico and we finished up with a fellowship dinner. Lots of time to visit, laugh, chat, eat GOOD food, and spend time with grown-ups. It was wonderful!

After church, Bitsy, B.B. & I headed to Uncle E's to see NM & A Starry Night's wedding pics. 800 wedding pictures! They were beautiful. Some were positively breath taking. If you're in our area & need some good pictures, drop me a line & I'll send you the name of their photographer. She was wonderful!

And now on to more important matters: One more shot at Ask FarmWife! My friend Vic asked me yesterday when I was going to have another round because she promises a great question. Anyone else want to play? What do you want do know?

FarmHands on Father's Day

I love living in the country today. Living in the country means I can hang clothes on the line while (still) wearing my nightshirt at noon. If we lived in town, I'd have to actually get dressed and then instead of having to toss my sweaty night shirt in the wash, I'd have to toss actual clothing in the wash.

Secondly, it's HOT. Today I am thanking the Lord for things like Central Air and refrigeration and Crystal Light. Otherwise, I'd be hiding in a dark room somewhere wishing for winter.

And finally, Tips from the FarmHands on how to have the most excellent Father's Day ever!

First of all, make sure Dad gets to do something he loves....like mow the yard. This is really important. If you skip this first step, Dad will get bored & then there's no pleasing him.

Secondly, do fun things with him, like go swimming in the back yard. Let him give you all underwater piggy back rides until he turns blue from holding his breath. He will LOVE this. Trust us.

Third, take him somewhere really cool. Like to the movies. To see something really cool. Like Toy Story 3. It's a great film and Dad likes nothing more than watching our favorite movies...over, and over, and over.

Number 4: take Daddy out to eat somewhere really nice. McDonald's is a great choice! Dad can have a value meal while we enjoy french fries and MILK SHAKES!! Did you hear us?! MILK SHAKES!! With whipped cream!! Yum.

And finally, take the man swimming....again. This time, make sure it's dark outside. Then you can float around and watch the bats swoop down out of the woods to catch bugs. Mama will love this, too.

Hope you enjoyed your Father's Day as much as our dad did!

When eleven hours just isn't enough.

You may (vaguely) remember my cousin Scottie (occasionally spelled with a Y), his wife, May and their oldest daughter, Katie. Then again, you may have more of a life than me and not hang on every jot & tiddle I put down here.

Well, Miss Katie is here again, spending three weeks of her summer at Uncle Gick and Unkie Di's house. My kids were over the moon when they found out she was coming back. Big plans were made on both sides. Monday we went to get her so she could come swimming with us.

Yesterday we decided to hit up the free family movie our local theater shows on Wednesday mornings in the summer (WONDERFUL thing!!). We picked Miss Katie up at Bucka's house at 9:15 in the morning so we could get a good seat at the movies. It's a good thing we did because every day care and nursing home in the surrounding county brings all their folks to see the movie. Beffie and the boy she babysits met us there.

After the movie, we spent the day playing outside, swimming, eating popsicles, painting nails, and playing some more. The day ended at Uncle Gick & Unkie Di's house with cake & ice cream for Katie's 7th birthday (which was also yesterday). There was more swimming, bubbles to be blown, snap-it's to pop on the patio, kittens to wrangle, and lots and lots of yelling to be done. We left there shortly before 9 last night.

On the way home, B.B. started crying that he missed Katie & wanted to spend more time with her. I said, "What, 11 1/2 hours wasn't enough for you?" and they all chorused back, "NO!"

Tonight, the FarmHands are heading back to Uncle Gick & Unkie Di's to swim with Katie in "Gick's Bitsy sized Pool!!" (as Bitsy calls it. She can touch bottom in his pool, but cannot in ours) while this Mama gets her groove on at Zumba. We should all sleep well tonight!

Summertime and the living is Tech Free.

It may not technically be Summer yet, but none the less, Summertime is in full swing on the farm. The kittens are all old enough to spend the majority of their time underfoot and climbing the steps to my porch. The sheep are being sheared (slowly but surely by Husband). Sunblock is applied to four squirming bodies before they burst out the back door. Popsicles are in high demand. Band-aids are the fashion accessory of the season. Swimsuits are the wardrobe item of choice. Weeds are growing nearly as fast as the corn in our garden. Fireflies are the evening's entertainment. Food preparation happens at night, when it's the coolest, or is restricted to anything that does not involve turning on the stove. Very little time is spent indoors & then it's usually only during times for bathing, sleeping, or when it storms.

For the first time in years I've broken my No A/C before June rule. Happily. My feet are permanently tattooed in flip-flop tan lines. My toenails are painted a bright, almost shocking pink. I'm considering buying Wal-Mart out of sundresses and I am beyond thankful for the invention of clothes line.

I love summer.

And that Tech Free Tuesday business I failed so miserably at this winter? It's decided to come back with a vengeance and liberally pencil it's self into my summertime schedule. Whether I like it our not.........I like it......don't tell.

Things I've learned spending lots of time with grade schoolers:

Friday was the first & second grade field trip and today was field day for the entire school (kindergarten to eight grade). I helped out with both. I learned a lot!

• My niece loves me. As soon as I got on the bus, Niece T started shouting, "FarmWife, FarmWife, sit with me & Darcy!" She told me 4 or 5 times that she wanted to be in my group, but since I was a first grade chaperon & she's in second grade, I didn't think that would happen. When her group was paired with mine for the first half of the day, she was over the moon! I don't get to spend a great deal of time with her, so it was a really fun day.
  
• I'm not old. There was a discussion among a group of the first & second grade girls about it. They all agreed I was not at all old. Then one informed me I wasn't quite as old as her granny. Then she told me her granny is almost 90. It was fun while it lasted.
• If you're a fun chaperon, you get to ride the elevator up & down with the little girl on crutches while everyone else has to tromp up the stairs. It was the same girl who's Granny is a bit older than I am.
• First & Second graders stuck on a bus for an hour are L.O.U.D.
• If you use your "big voice," little boys who've been ignoring your requests, suddenly sit up & listen. Especially when, up until that point, you've been the "fun chaperon."
• First & Second graders do not care that Alonzo Fields was the Chief Butler at the White house for 4 presidents including FDR. And they really don't want to look at letters he wrote, telegrams sent to him by presidents, or notes he wrote while taking care of the big house.
• Washing red long underwear on a wash board is great fun...when it's just for pretend. Making butter is great fun...when it's just for pretend. Grinding corn with a hand grinder is great fun....when it's just for pretend.
• If 8th grade boys would wear pants that fit, they could run faster than 1st grade girls.
• Getting hit in the chest with a water balloon launched from 50 yards away hurts. Bad. And will get the water balloon portion of the day shut down pretty quickly.
• Children who will not run at home for love nor money, will run pointless laps around a play ground at the slightest suggestion.
• Sitting down on a concrete wall will make you a random 5 year old girl's best friend for the next 20 minutes. Said girl may even lavish you with many hugs 'round the knees while asking you 8,000 questions about your own children (who she does not know). The same thing can happen a few hours later when you sit down next to a little boy on a bench.
• Holding a new born can still make me all squishy inside, but being able to hand him back to his mama while he's still happy, well fed, and dry, is a great thing!
• Turning 34 does not make you immune to teachers giving you birthday spankings.