We Lost a Dear Friend Today...

Solemn news this morning... Steve's first boss passed away. He was not only a boss, but a very dear friend; one we found when we moved far away from our families, he took us in as his own. We had holiday meals with his family and shared many years of fun and laughter with him and his wife, Bertha.

When we went to Louisiana a couple of months ago, Bertha and Paul were some of the 'firsts' on our lists of people to visit.  You know, their age was up there and time was running out.  They have been very near and dear to our hearts for many years. Paul has been taking care of Bertha who has been an invalid for many years; bathing, caring, feeding, carrying, bedding and loving Bertha.

Paul passed away in his sleep overnight.  No suffering, just fell asleep and didn't wake up.  He left behind Bertha, his very best friend for 65+ years.  Can you say a few prayers for Bertha?

Here is a picture of us all together; Steve, Lindel (another one of Steve's co-workers and dear friends), Edith, with Paul and Bertha this last May. All treasured friends. 

May you rest in peace, Paul.  We're gonna miss you.

Congratulations! It's A...

BOY!

We have officially identified the family 'jewels'!  


Steve has officially named our little man ('cause he is kinda little right now) "T-Bone":

And I have officially determined that the saying is true - "If moma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!"  

She doesn't look happy, does she?

Moma and baby are doing great - and would probably be doing even better if granny was not 'justa clickin'.

A New Family Member - A CALF!!

Remember Bertha?  The one we said was so HUGE?  She was further along than our other cows - she had a calf last night!  Steve went out to feed my chickens and checked on the cattle.  He found an extra set of legs climbing over the wood pile. He initially thought it was a dog, but when he looked closer - it was a new calf.  We are grandmooparents!  YIPPEE!

Here - we think it is a boy, but we are not yet sure.  Check 'him' out!

What a way to end the first week of retirement!


How is that going?  LOTS OF PAPERWORK, setting up a new computer, PAPERWORK, financial crap, PAPERWORK, Facebooking, and more paperwork.

I have been pondering why it doesn't feel 'real' to me...

Then I realized that Steve was there for all the chitter chatter about retiring with his buddies...

And he was the one that received, read through and turned in the retirement paperwork...

He was there for the last day and the chitter chatter with fellow workers...

And he is the one that has fielded all the "RETIRED!" phone calls... 

He is the one that has been congratulated over and over... 

He is the one that can now sleep in and not race to work every day... 


And what happened in my life?

Nothing has changed!

No celebration...

No trip....

No vacation to enjoy retirement... 

Not even a date night...

No big "HALLELUJAH!!" 

Nada...


Nothing in my life has changed.


Except he doesn't go to work.

Now I understand the anticlimax... 

My disassociation with his retirement...


I thought there would be a weeks worth of celebration of one sort or another!

But

Nothing in my life has changed.  

POOT!


EXCEPT  we have a baby calf to enjoy!  

Steve is RETIRED!

It is official! Steve is retired!

As of TODAY!


WHOOT!

Now you know why the "lots of changes"!

Here we go!!

Casserole Carriers

For Christmas, I have started making gifts.  I just don't like going into a store to purchase gifts, I don't like shopping, and I certainly don't like the commercialism that goes with Christmas.  Mostly, I don't like how impersonal I feel giving those gifts.  I don't think it is the actual gift, but more the frantic pace shopping is, with commercialism gone wild and the gluttonous baskets filled to the brim with crap people don't care to give or receive.  

Christmas is not about that at all.  Yes, we all know Christmas is about Jesus' birth.  A precious little baby born to the world... a child that was given to us to save us, to open our hearts and minds to others, to share the beauty of life and to teach us to bestow blessings on others.

Sometime years ago, it became a holiday about gift giving.  I think at the time it was meant to be a holiday of 'giving'... giving from the heart about those you cared deeply about.  Little treasures that were meant only for you... tiny nothings that just let others know you were important in their lives.  Treasures you held dear to your heart because they were tiny gifts of love that meant you were someone special to another person.  Treasures. Truly gifts.

Later some 'genius'  decided it was about SELLING.  MONEY EARNING.  Fill the consumer's basket, frantically get everything the child desires.  EVERYthing the child desires. Toss crap at people they don't want or need.  Anything and everything sold to fulfill commercialism's dreams.  Things invented that make you shake your head.  Encourage frantic shoppers!  Isles and isles of crap to take your money... and PEOPLE GIVE THEIR MONEY!  That is what I don't get... WHY do people spend so stinking much MONEY at Christmas??

Something was lost along the way... People lost it.  They lost the meaning of what Christmas is meant to be; about the gift of love;  that someone special who made your life worth living, someone showing appreciation that they ARE in your life and that you are a gift to them.  One that moves your heart and lets you know how important you are to another.  Christmas is about love.


So, I have decided that my future gifts will be about love.  Hand chosen for each person, and made just for them.  I started a bit late this year and didn't get all my gifts made, but next year I will be better.  I have already started!  What did I make this year?  I made casserole carriers!  WHEW!  Did I overbite... lol... but I did get a few done and given away.  What a work of love!

Here is what one looks like:  

If you didn't get one, I am sorry.  It was not because I didn't think of you; it was because I refused to buy something that meant nothing to you or I, and it was because I started too late and got too few made.

If you are reading this, I love you.  You mean the world to me.  And you know I am awful at time management and I promise to get better.  I thought about you long and hard and how I was disappointing myself because I didn't get just one more made.  Yours.

You are special to me and I love you for loving me. 

Garth!!

 What can I say?  Garth was AWESOME!

Trisha was just as awesome!

Together, they are incredible!

And very much in love:

The concert was energizing!

He cried when he sang "The Dance":

He praised God and was baffled so many people loved him!

I enjoyed it tremendously - and I am still well!


And I think Steve even enjoyed it!

And we didn't spend the day looking at his butt!

Garth was worth it.  I love that man!

Almost as much as I love mine!

*Almost*

But mine is MINE!  And I wouldn't trade him for Garth - but Garth... Yeah, worth going to see!

I've Slept With Thieves...

I have slept with thieves (essential oils) and sprayed with Halo... Here's hopin' the decision to see Garth isn't the worst decision I have ever made. 

Wish me luck!

Here goes nuttin'!  

Decisions and Dilemmas

So many things have happened over the last year... I still feel like our home is not 'ours' yet.  We haven't had time to paint the rooms yet.  We painted the living room, I thought it was a pretty yellow, but it is a lemon yellow.  I have dealt with it for months and I hate it even more.  

A few months ago, I bought several different colors of yellow paint and slathered them on the walls.  One is fluorescent, one is orange like a pumpkin and one is just yucky.  Finally I found one - Buttery is the name.  It is nearly the same color as margarine.  I am going with it next.  Here's hopin'!

Finally, I know I want to go with blues and yellows in the living room - sorta like this:

Well, maybe not THAT blue, but you get the idea... I want buttery walls and blue/white with the loot I brought back from Singapore.  So that is where I am going with this... 


However, we have a fireplace in the living room and I have had trouble trying to get a picture or something to go above it.  Last week, I saw an ad on a local facebook page for a headboard with matching mirror for $30.  I bought them both and brought them home.  My intention was to use the headboard for a lattice (have you seen the price of lattice?) for clematis and vines in the garden.  

Here is a picture of it leaning up by the house (not in place in the garden):

Pretty for lattice work, right?  WHOOT!


But the mirror that came 'free' with it... what was I going to do with it?

I set it in the living room until I could sell it... and of course, I didn't ever get around to it.


Then I had this wild hair:

Ok, so it is leaning up to the wall right now - not in place - but I think if I paint it flat black (like wrought iron) it will look great against the buttery wall.  I even think it will look fine with my blue/white stuffs in there...  especially if I put some blue/white on the mantel.  What do you think?

Decisions, decisions... have I ever said I was not an interior decorator?

And finally, a dilemma... I have GARTH BROOKS tickets for tomorrow night!  I have really struggled with going to see him.  I love Garth and everything he is.  He is a stand-up guy (he gave up a raging career because was more important to raise his kids!), he is down to earth (we see Trisha and him shopping in our little town and they are both 'one of us') and he has a heart of gold.  Let's face it, Garth is an easy guy to love in so many ways...

But since I have no immune system and the flu is raging in our area!  Where else better to go to 'catch' it than an arena with 17,000 people shoulder to shoulder singing (spewing droplets) of  God knows what??

*sigh*

I have about decided to toss in the towel and go see Garth. Believe me, I am struggling with this.  Seriously struggling.  I hope I make the right decision.  I could sell those tickets in a heartbeat 10 minutes before the concert... and I guess I still might.  

But I love Garth.  

I don't love the flu or the idea of subjecting myself unneccesarily.

But for Garth?

I might have to do it... but will I regret it?  

*UGH!*

Speaking of the flu.  Punkin' has it and she has an awful case of it.  Please keep her in your prayers.

 That is all today, folks... and tomorrow

Is Garth!

Punkin'

Have you seen a picture of Punkin' lately?  She took this picture and shared it on Facebook the other day:

She sure has grown up lately, but she has the same sense of style her daddy does!

She is our wild, carefree child!  

She did assure me that I was *not* to put this picture of facebook - I didn't - I put in on my blog to be seen by the entire world!  Love you, Punkin!

She has developed such a crazy sense of humor!  She makes me laugh all the time - she is such a hoot to be around.  And she is so stinkin' quick witted!  Not as quick as her Uncle Jeremy - but she keeps me on my toes!

I love how kids (all kids) develop their own personalities - and how they just grow and grow into them.  Each child, not just Raelee is unique and precious.  I love kids; I love their imaginations, their freedom, their innocence, their ideas, and their unconditional love. 

And I love this girl!

Disinfectant to Wash the Germs Away... Missing!

A year and a half after diagnosis - I have finally figured out how to explain to people about the blood disorder I have... I have no 'disinfectant' in my blood to deactivate the germs that enter it.  NO 'disinfectant' whatsoever.  Germs have free reign in my body. 

On the other hand, I have FEW recognizers that tells my blood germs are present - so my body doesn't even know most of them are there anyhoo.  But if it does, it has no way to tell the 'disinfectants' there ARE any dangers present.

Maybe that is my saving grace...  (?) 

And finally, I do have LOTS of fighters - which would be great - IF my body realized it HAD invaders - and 'disinfectants' - to wash them away.

But it doesn't.  :-(  It is clueless...

Does that make it easier to understand?

Things You Forget When You Live in Warm Climates

Little miracles on the car windows...

*Farm Girl/Guy Problems*

So we are all still trying to get to know our girls and they are us... in western Oklahoma, they had very little people contact, but here, you know me - I want to be up in their faces all the time.  I want to get to KNOW them - they are our critters!

I get dumb stares:

And MissyBadCat aka Missbehavin' is not sure what to think about that critter...  She always goes where I go - like the dog; one is my right side kick and the other is my left side kick.  Chelsea, the dog, just wants to round 'em up and corner them.  Missbehavin', on the other hand, wants to be under them, near them and around them.  (I think she is scoping out out the milk content)... but she is finally accepting them, and they are her.


We are learning all the ropes of cattle farming. One thing we learned is that if you buy 22 bales of hay and put it all out in the pasture, the four cows are gonna eat a little - from all 22 bales!  When that happens, picking a bale up with a tractor is not an easy task:

*farm guy problems*

And it doesn't tie off too easy either:
 

 

But eventually it all works out and you get it there.  Cows are not very patient critters - they stand (in the way) at the ring waiting for the new food:

 

Or stare you down to make it happen faster:

Another thing we have learned is that freezing temperatures freezes water troughs and ponds.  We finally got this one broken up and inserted a water heater to thaw it out.  The girls are now happy to have water drink, not ice cubes, to munch on:

 

If you will notice, that ice is about 2" thick!  BRRR!  At the time this picture was taken, the pond hadn't yet frozen over - so they did have water.  It is now frozen.  We have to be sure the heater is working several times a day.  *farm girl problems*


One of the things we found we are supposed to check every day is the girls butts.  Yes, you read that right, butts.  Apparently, right before they give birth, their backsides get soft and you can see the birth canal widening and getting ready to birth.  So, every day, twice a day, we try to peek at the girl's backsides.  Some days it is easier said than done.  I think they know... you know... like us women know... we DON'T WANT OUR BACKSIDES being examined.  I was lucky here - they were racing away from the trailer - they were not up to any more rides!

So now you know some of what our lives are like with the new cattle farming.  So many things have changed this last year and continue to change.

We never know where our lives are going to lead us.  Years ago, we used to know what to expect; you know, kids had school, scouts, band and such. These days, it is just Steve and I, the farm and the critters.  We think we know what to expect, but things just keep changin', life keeps happenin' and ...

The world keeps on twirlin'.

So Many Changes...

Behind us, in front of us... so many changes!

Surprise!  I am back!

One of our changes:  We bought cattle!  Pregnant cattle to be exact.  Cows.  'Heifers' we are told.  And we bought 4.  Yes, just four, but we are ecstatic!  They are due to 'calve' the end of February.  Except (BIG) Bertha... 

Meet our new critters:  

Bertha, Lucy, Hazel and Maddi... in order here.  

The two black ones are full angus and they white faced are angus/hereford mix.  We LOVE having cattle!!  Steve is already talking about leasing more land and getting MORE CATTLE!  That makes my heart sing!  I love farm life.  :-)  It was where I was meant to be.


Here are a couple of the daddy's: 

Ok, so he is kinda proud of himself and took up the whole frame, but you get the idea... see the others in the background?  They are our 'cow-baby daddies'.  These are Gelbvieh/Red Angus BULLS.  Can't wait to see what they produce!



The not so good part of having cattle was hauling them here:

Yep, it was my job to clean that mess!  OH MY GOSH!  Was I glad my smeller is permanently broken!  Lol... but 

 I got 'er done and returned the trailer better than I found it - (Rule #1 in my book):

Steve is now talking about buying a bull to 'service' our cows.  We shall see what comes of that!  If he does, I think I will call the bull "Stud Muffin"! 


Now, let's talk about Bertha:

 

Did I say enough?

No?

Poor Bertha!  She is either further along than the other 3 or we are having one HUGE calf - or TWINS!

Can you imagine another 6 weeks of her growing?  OH!  And did I say I took this picture two weeks ago - so at that time, she had 8 more weeks of growing!  At this point, she can't move to me fast enough for me to take a picture, or shall I say I can't stand outside long enough to wait for her to move to me!  It is COLD outside!

POOR BERTHA;  HUGE AND COLD!

And this is what us new 'cattle farmers' are faced with:

And temps are dropping!

Brrr!

Poor 'cattle farmer wanna be's'!