this and that

sniff. sniff. sigh.
I am still having allergy trouble
...from our flooded/mildewed basement, soy dust, the burning pit
and probably pulling up the carpet and painting too.

I haven't been taking supplements or vitamins nearly as much as we used to
...and I need the extra boost right now.
I should really order some we are out of that I obvious need right now.

The hunters pulled into the farm with a huge 20 lb. swan today.
They were hollaring & yelling with excitment
...I gasped and walked away from the door.
I'm not against all hunting
...I just don't see any good in sport hunting. sigh.

The actual harvest is over...
but the work in the field
and the work on the farm
is far from over for the season.
It's a good kind of busy though. {grin}

I am finally painting our chairs
...and when I say finally I mean as in
it's taken me 4 years to get this started! Ha!
This isn't all of them, or the colors they will be
...but it's the start.



I just heard about a little boy who was killed when he was alone & shifted his dad's pick-up into neutral... then panicked and jumped out, only to have the truck run over him.
This family has been in my thoughts and prayers since I heard the news.
I can't imagine, except I sort of can. sigh.

Farming accidents are very real...
and they happen everyday.
There isn't a day that goes by that I don't thank God for his protection
and pray for open eyes, ears & minds to make wise choices.

It is such a challenge sometimes.
I get a call to hurry and bring the service truck to the field.
I can't move car seats around to every truck and tractor
...nor would they fit or buckle into most of them.
So we go, with buckles and prayers....
and never leave them alone!

My dad was here for nearly a week
and I didn't take
ONE picture of him!
What kind of photographer does this?!!!
At least I'll always have the memories...
and so will the kids!

I still have a thing with rear-view mirror pictures...
going on 5 or 6 years strong.
I'll probably be able to make a book with all of them one day
...just to have photographic proof that I was there! Ha!



We went to town today
in our honda as the girls call it.
We quickly discovered the lights had been left on and the battery was dead.
Grayson went out to the shop and brought back the charger.
Shortly after we were on our way, but the radio wouldn't work without the code
and the code was locked in the glove box.
The girls fell asleep, the boys were reading....
and I found myself surrounded in silence.

Beautiful, peaceful silence
just me pounding along the dirt...
thinking about how blessed we are.

I said I would never live in North Dakota, or way out in the country, or homeschool or cloth diaper...
and look at me now!
God is so awesome and so is his perfect plan for our lives.
I look back at our tough few years
and the words that flow to my lips is...
Thank You God.
I am thankful for the challenges and hurdles He walked us through...
thankful for changing me, working in me and growing in me.

I am so thankful for where we are now
and I can't wait to see Gods plan for our lives unfold
...one day at a time!

27 comments:

  1. Hallie Lobaugh10/19/11, 11:15 PM

    Thank you. I needed hear your words about God's plan. I often wonder why certain things are happening, I need to remember that I will look back and see that God had a plan all along.

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  2. Hallie Lobaugh10/19/11, 11:16 PM

    Thank you. I needed hear your words about God's plan. I often wonder why certain things are happening, I need to remember that I will look back and see that God had a plan all along.

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  3. Beautiful post. I read often but don't comment much. You have such a wonderful outlook on life. I find your blog very soothing, thought-provoking and fun, all rolled into one. 

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  4. Who kills a swan ??? There is no sport in that , id watch my kids around people like that !!! And i would turn them in , sick fools !!!!

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  5. Love reading your thoughts... The last paragraphs are beautiful and so full of faith, and it is truly amazing to see the Lord's plan unfolding in your life, isn't it!? :) Thank you! 

    My husband hunts deer if he has time that year. (Not this year...)  My boys will hunt. Maybe my daughter and I will hunt. It's a wonderful way for us to provide lean, healthy venison for our growing family. We believe that responsible hunting is a wonderful thing while teaching importantl character qualities, bonding for my husband and sons, and providing sustainable nourishment. We'll only harvest what we can eat, freeze or can, or donate. We believe in moving towards living off the land and what has been provided to us! :) Hunting swans for sport? Yeah... no thank you!

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  6. What a gorgeous post.  Quite a testament. 
    Beautiful.  :)

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  7. Salt in Suburbia10/20/11, 8:22 AM

    Oh such a full, rich post. Love the rear-view mirror pic. SO sorry for the family who lost their son in the accident. I pray for them - that they can someday find peace. Shooting swans? Is that even legal? I come from a hunting family and grew up on wild meat and fish, but it seems like that would be something that was a mistake, not a cause for celebration.

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  8. You're such a pretty mama! Love that pic of you! Love all of your words. I feel the same way...thank you God.

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  9. courtney.778210/20/11, 9:41 AM

    Lovely to see you with peace for the moment you are in now and dreaming of the future together as a family. I strive for this but am struggling a bit. You give me hope.

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  10. I've learned my lesson on saying "I'll never".  I think God sees that as a challenge.  So my "I'll NEVER drive a mini-van!" turned into four kids and an "I love my mini-van!", and "I'll never homeschool" turned into "I love homeschool"!

    Hey, maybe I should say "I'll never loose this weight!"?!

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  11. Stephanie Precourt10/20/11, 12:19 PM

    Love this, sweet friend.
    Steph

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  12. Love your chairs and your words and your pretty face.  And that shot of the kitties below, in the previous post.  Love that too. :) 

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  13. brittanyclaire10/20/11, 2:17 PM

    Love that you told me... Thank you! :)

    Sent from my Windows® phone.

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  14. Hi! I'm Nicole from Romanian Princess! I LOVE your blog. I'm your newest follower! If you'd like, come check out my blog, and if you like it, I LOVE followers! Thanks so much!

    www.romanianprincess.com

    XoXo Nicole Mariana 

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  15. Still loving your blog. There is another blog I found (somehow) of a mommy that is having twin girls. She just had surgery to resolve TTTS. Please say a prayer for her and the sweet babies. Pray for two heartbeats in the morning. These babies will make her a mommy of 6 also. Her blog is "Enjoy the Journey" and her name is Kecia Cox. They have an amazing adoption story as well. I kept thinking of your girls while I was reading her story.

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  16. blueschoolmomma10/20/11, 8:47 PM

    I dont' like sport hunting either! Makes me sick to my stomach...especially African safari hunts. Not cool!

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  17. brittanyclaire10/20/11, 10:23 PM

    Thanks for sharing! I'd love to pray for them....
    I tried to find her blog but couldn't find the right now. Hmmm.

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  18. brittanyclaire10/20/11, 10:24 PM

    Glad you're here Nicole! I'll have to go check your blog out. :)

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  19. brittanyclaire10/20/11, 10:24 PM

    Ha, isn't that the truth!

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  20. brittanyclaire10/20/11, 10:25 PM

    Awww... thank you! :)

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  21. brittanyclaire10/20/11, 10:26 PM

    Sigh. It wasn't a mistake... it was for sport. I guess he had a swan license. :(
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  22. brittanyclaire10/20/11, 10:26 PM

    Thanks Kat! Always love hearing from you.

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  23. brittanyclaire10/20/11, 10:27 PM

    I agree.... Responsible hunting is very valuable. It's not really something anyone in my family does so I am not familiar with it... but now that we have hunters I am learning more!!
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  24. brittanyclaire10/20/11, 10:28 PM

    Well thank you... It's always a treat to find a comment like this in my email. :)
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  25. brittanyclaire10/20/11, 10:28 PM

    You're welcome and thanks for being here to listen to me share.

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  26. Hey Brittany I just dig your blog. I have a question? If you have time perhaps you could advise me. I had a hysterectomy August 4th that came with every complication I feared and ended up on 3 months bedrest. This surgery was medically necessary. My energy is ZERO. I've been told this is normal. Oy, normal. Can you suggest one or two supplements that would boost my energy level and perhaps my immune system. I'm 43 and still have my ovaries thankfully. I'm just exhausted all the time. I realize you are not a doctor, but you do seem to know a few things about vitamins etc.

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  27. My "I will nevers" are similar to yours, except I have always lived in South Dakota! I started cloth diapering a couple of weeks ago, will formally start homeschooling next fall, and can't wait to move to the country as soon as we can afford to move.

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Thank you for blessing me with your words!

Brittany