When it rains.....well you know the rest!!

I keep telling myself that living on love is just fine...

but believe me there are moments that I do wish money grew on trees.

We have had one thing after another happen lately.

Living large also means you need a bit more money to live on too.

We had some serious water damage to our basement that thankfully the insurance is covering but the stress of it all takes its' toll...then the van decides to give us a nice gift of a huge repair bill.

Now Doug says the hydrant is acting up now down by the barn.

What more can go on?   I just finally am getting back into the work scene after many months of back pain and then with my Dad passing away...playing catch up is exhausting but we know its do-able.

I know that God provides and things always work out but its the energy we spend or I spend worrying about every little thing is exhaustig!!  

So I look to my faith to know that this little hump is temporary and all that really matters is our health and us being together and able to fill our lungs with air and keep going.

I am blessed beyond what I realize I know....I just need to remind myself that the material things and bills don't really change any of that.

Thanks for listening.   This blog of mine is therapeutic and necessary for me many days to sit down and take the time to realize what we DO have and not focus on what we DON'T!!

Life is good and God is Great!!

Marcus Monday!

I sure love this young man!!

Weebles wobble but they don't fall down!!

Delaney Ann sure loves.....

her weebles!!!

Why so sad?

Wonder why this little boy looks so sad.....still looks so sweet to me though!

Turning it all into Gratitude Monday!!

I love seeing my children be close to their dad.

I love the fact that we show that we care and love in our family daily.  

I love that even when we have tough days at the Holen Hills farm...we end them with a hug.

I love that the father of this house of many cares what goes on and likes to have a say in it.

I love that I can count on him staying on top of things with the kiddos just as much as me.

Today is turning everything into gratitude....even if it is an annoyance.

What do you have that can be turned into gratitude?

How about those shoes laying all over....I love that I have kids to fill them.

What about that laundry pile that seems to never go away...I am glad I have healthy

children that get them dirty with all their activity.

So today I am going to look at all things with the angle of gratitude.  

Perhaps starting the week of this way will be a thing to be thankful about too.

I love hugs

and smiles too!

Happy chaos.....

When you have a household of 9 is it ever possible to have quiet?

I just don't know if it is....the weekends are very noisy..

I know I am blessed with these 14 other little or should I say 16 other feet that run around this house but there are days that the noise is too much...a bit too frazzled..and it makes me simply need a corner to put myself for a little quiet and rejuvination.

I sit in my quiet but I can still hear...it warms my heart when I hear the older ones talking and interacting with the little ones....but not to soon after that I hear

the famous two words...

"where's mom?"

Then I know I have been busted and my quiet time is up until the next little sneak away I can do!! 

its 11 11 11

So the day is finally here....11.11.11  I have been seeing this in some way or another the last 11 years...see there is another 11.  I keep hoping it perhaps means good luck or some bright idea or spell will come upon me and I will be cured...refreshed...empowered or simply relaxed ...totally.

I don't know what all these 11's mean in my life...from seeing the time of day twice each day filled with 1's or mile marker 111 or whatever it may be..but they have been staring me smack dab in my eyes for many years now.

I just wonder what it means.   I know on 11.1.11 was the day we buried my dad and that to me made me think perhaps all these 11's were a bad thing.

I hope not.

I hope I can have security knowing that no matter what happens today or any other day...it happens for a reason which at that moment is an unknown.

I pray that God will show me the right way.

 I feel a little lost so any navigational insight would be so welcomed.

 Hope you find your lucky moment or thing in todays 11.11.11 and more importantly find love and peace in your day!! 

Wordless Wednesday.....

Young friends....

~~~Closure~~~~

Will it ever be?

   Will I ever have it for myself to move on...yet not forget.  

I don't know how to ....

Nor am I ready to.

I think cremation is an option that I always thought I for sure wanted but now

after having gone through a funeral with my dad being cremated....I feel different.  It doesn't , for me, give me any closure...Doug feels the same way as well now.   It has caused us to look at the end of life differently.   I can't explain the ache there is inside...I can not get the idea of my mom sitting at the kitchen table alone now....that is what bothers me the most is the thought of my mom alone at nite...every nite.

It makes me sad.

I think I will be for awhile.

 

Faithful Friday

Having faith that he IS in a better place....love you Dad!!

THankful thursday!!

I have a lot to be thankful for...

they come in little sizes and bigger sizes...

but they are mine and I know how blessed I truly am!

Wordless Wednesday...

Miss Delaney

I love this youngest daughter of mine!!

My gentle Reminder

We all have our good days and sometimes, especially lately,

it seems as if I have been having a lot of challenging days.  That is a good word for it.

From chronic back pain to a flat tire to a chipped tooth...to our water softener dying and 

drowning our basement to the nice tune of thousands of dollars.

It has been daily moments of "what...now this?"  

But even though these not so fun things happen I know it could be much worse.

All I need to do is walk my not so positive attitude up the driveway and stand on top and look forward.

Forward to the beauty that is right in front of me...that God has created and the beauty

that is so natural, pure, and gives me peace and the reminder that things are okay.

The checkbook will be okay, our soggy basement will be okay, and my mental status too

will all be OKAY!!  

So I take this lil walk frequently and this time I happen to bring my camera with just so I could share

the view I have to remind me that I am blessed.  What view do you have?   Care to

share?

Thankful Thursday!

Wordless Wednesday

thankful thursday....

Mom and Dad....they mean the world to me and it is very difficult to watch them age.

Wordless Wednesday!