How crazy that I get in my blog and realize it has been a whole year...
Many things have changed, and I would hope that includes myself. I have been challenged, broken, strengthened, and loved. Part of me has wanted to blog about our loss on a separate post, so I will just reference it here but go in depth on a later date.
Last year we spoke with Janice and Snoball and decided we were "all in" with commitment to build our house. Jonathan decided to move us to a closer home on the farm, that is nearer to our home site, to the milk barn, and the homestead house! It's a very nice home, and probably my favorite yet. We are still laughing about how we have now lived in 5 of the homes on the farm, LOL!
Well, soon after we found out we were moving, I found out I was pregnant! On thanksgiving morning, a pregnancy test showed I would be expecting a sweet baby in August, 2016. A sweet baby that we lost just right around Christmas. Since we wait to find out gender, we didn't have any ultrasounds, so we didn't know we had lost the baby for another 6 weeks when I began to miscarry. We are told that she probably died around 6 weeks. My body just was in denial, as I had a very pregnant-looking belly by the time I was 10 weeks along, and maternity pants were even a must. The lost was hard, but the Lord had given me an instinctive intuition that something "wasn't right", so when it came it wasn't a shock.
So much has happened since then. Recovery, taxes, homeschool, a very wet spring, setting up house, a hot summer, school testing, and grieving in between. It's odd that I am writing this as if all of this year revolved around the loss, when in truth, it didn't. The loss has drawn us closer as a family, and closer to the Lord in our faith...but life has happened in all its crazy wonderful gloriousness, and the sorrow just comes and goes in small waves, as dates and milestones pass, and we mourn and are comforted.
The children are all amazing. I love each one so dearly. They have such honest questions! They change so fast.
Jason is 10, and an incredible part of the Ranches success, as he is Jonny's right hand helper :) He does this while keeping up with his school work, and doing much around the house and with his siblings.
Tyler is ALMOST 9 (3 days!!) and beginning to help on the farm more as well, and tested excellently on his assessment test this summer! He is so smart, and rises to the occasion when his older brother isn't home.
Micah is 7, and is hilarious...he always comes up with such funny "facts" that can't remotely be true. Just tonight he declared with a sincere and concerned face that he has "had a cough for 3 years straight". Such a specific time frame is SUCH a Micah thing, LOL! He is cheerful, does a great job on his chores, and is super smart in his studies. He tested grades ahead, and this was his first year testing! I am proud of all the boys for their academic achievements in the last school year.
Emilie has the sassy oldest-daughter thing down PAT. She is a little Beauty, and knows it. She has begun to do kindergarten this fall, and is tickled pink about it! She loves helping me clean the house and has helped so much with Olivia...from potty training, to brushing her hair, or playing dress up...she is an ideal "little mama".
Olivia is a precious miracle child who seems to be determined to get into trouble as a toddler! She is talking so much now, but potty training has been tough and we are all looking forward to when she has mastered it.
I have been busy making this house a home, changing our diets and meal plans to be more "whole" and healthy, and trying to keep up with these crazy kids. We are missing the Hawkins family, but have adjusted to the changes like we always do. I shop every-other week, to get ingredients for a 2-week meal plan. Costco is my friend!!! Keeping the 5 kids behaving while shopping, is something I have NOT mastered. Maybe one day?? You can hope with me.
Jonny works hard. He studies hard. He is incredible. We have had many late night discussions, and long car ride discussions, about the Torah and new covenant...to which the kids often sit, listen, and glean. They are engaged on a new level and excitement about the Word. We read and search and fellowship about the bible as a family, more than we ever have, and that has been so awesome.
Jon had my brother Zee to help him on the sawmill, and they finished all the wood we should need for the house. Our cow just freshened a month ago, so Jon milks her, and has been raising about 100+ ducklings for eggs (and eventually meat). We have about 50 cows and calving season is just around the corner. Winters are cold here, but sunny and bright. The boys are troopers and head out to work every morning on the ranch, and come back in with pink noses and frozen fingers, but usually smiles on their faces and a kiss for my cheek as they kick off their boots. I am looking forward to a crisp fall and winter, now that the summer heat is behind us.
Our pool is down for the winter, and our puppy Tasha is now 6 months old and the kids love her!
I think that's about everything! Hello Jewish year 5777, and school term 2016-2017!
