Winter Wonderland

My kids would make excellent meteorologists; the 'winter storm' they've been predicting (for about a month or so) has finally come! All three of the bigger kids were bundled up and outside before breakfast this morning, shoveling, digging, swinging, marching... and tromping through the still-running creek! I don't understand the magnetic-like attraction between children and water.

Though I have enjoyed the extended autumn that we've had, I must admit that the clean white beauty of the freshly fallen snow brings a peace and stillness to me - especially when there is a steaming cup of hot tea in my hand. I love watching the wee birds as they flock to the feeder outside my kitchen window, their little bodies all puffed up against the cold. The winter birds are one of my favorite things about the cold season! Unfortunately, I've not seen even a glimpse of a single cardinal. Maybe this new snow will bring them out of hiding.

Well, the kids have come in, eaten pancakes, and have scattered - some back to the cold outdoors, some to cozy corners with favorite books... and one to his world of imagination. Off I go to dishes, laundry, and another cup of tea!

How To Clean Your Stove:

1 – Since you are running behind, in an attempt to cook supper faster than usual, turn up the [electric] burner under your milk-based soup.

2 – With the oven timer beeping, forget about the soup as you try to clear a spot on the counter for the bread that done in the oven.

3 – Smile at the beauty of the bread you just pulled out of the oven… and then immediately forget it as you grab a spoon to stir the soup.

4 – Groan with dismay as you feel the telltale layer of cooked milk along the bottom of your pan.

5 – Calmly, without panicking, remove the soup from the burner and retrieve another pot (which, thankfully, is clean!). Pour the soup into the new pot.

6 – Turn the burner DOWN as you continue to cook the soup.

7 – Glance at the bottom of the now empty pot and again groan with dismay, since you cannot see even a tiny bit of metal. No, it is completely covered with black burned milk.

8 – Taste the soup, in hope that you salvaged it. Sigh with thanksgiving and relief that the soup is still yummy.

9 – Back to the blackened pot: Fill ¾ full of water and begin to heat it. Realize that you have too much water, and distractedly pour off one third of the water (the pot is now ½ full)

10 – Bring water in blackened pot to a boil.

11 – Observe with fleeting reservation the rapidly boiling water then, ingoring the tiny voice of caution in your head, pour in about ½ - ¾ c of baking soda.

12 – Stand like a fool as a volcano erupts all over your stove. Turn the burner down, only to recall that you still have a horrid electric burner that retains its heat.

13 – With no thought for your safety, grab the pot and lift it off the burner, being EVER so careful not to let any spillage contaminate the gently cooking salvaged soup.

14 – Look with horror at your VERY messy stove (it is usually just generally messy)

15 – Ignore it til after supper when…

16 – You wipe it down and, to your utter amazement, discover that all the burned on grime that you were ignoring miraculously wipes clean!

I’ve not had a cleaner stove in months! And it required not a bit of elbow grease!!!

Happy New Year!

Today we woke up to a very disappointed boy announcing that "it didn't snow a lot last night!" Poor Phin. He has been hopefully predicting a massive snow storm for weeks, now. Instead of his yearned for storm, we have a light sugar dusting covering the ground. Well, he wasn't too deterred! After chores and breakfast he and his brother bundled up and have been attempting to sled for the past 2 hours. One thing I don't understand is why both of them refuse to wear their mittens. They started with them on... and quickly dropped them in the red barn where the Carpenter has turned into the Mechanic and is working on his snowblower; Andrew also is hoping for a snow storm, if only to use his magnificently jerry-rigged machine. Abigail was outside for an hour or so coaxing the chickens to eat from her hand. We have our 'old hens,' some of which are almost two years old. Then, back in September, we hatched out a bunch of old heritage mixed breeds in an incubator. The babies are now about as big as the old ones! To top it all off, one of the old girls, Zoe, went broody about 2 weeks ago. She is sitting on 6 eggs; if she's been a good sitter (and if the eggs are fertilized) the chicks should hatch out next weekend!

And so begins the second day of our new year! The kids all have colds - enough to be coughing and sneezing, but not enough to damper their play. We've been enjoying chicken soup, teas, lots of cuddling, and lots of extra rest. Abigail is reading "Understood Betsy," a fabulous book that I recommend for kids and mama's alike! I have a stack about a mile high of books I would like to read for myself, and other ones I'd like to preview for Abigail. (So many books; so little time!!) I just finished a fantastic book by Eric Mataxas called "Bonhoeffer - Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy." Not surprisingly, it is a biography about Dietrich Bonhoeffer. I can't even begin to describe all of what and who Bonhoeffer was. I highly recommend this book, as well.

Well, the fellows are finally coming in, probably in search of lunch!

Happy New Year!

Long awaited...

Well, I sent an e-mail to a friend of mine, giving her an update on our family. When she replied, she said that it would have made a good blog post. So, (a week or so later) I've decided to post it here... in case there is anyone who faithfully checks in to see if I'm still here. Sure enough! Here I am! For now, that is. And here is a little update on our family!

Lets see - Abigail just turned 7. She is an avid reader; i can't keep her supplied with enough books! This is, of course, wonderful. But it has its set backs as well: unfortunately she is like her mother in that once she is immersed in the world of a book, she is lost to this world! Ah well, we can work on that! She still adores horses and dreams of the day when she can have one for her own. Right now she has quite a toothless grin; as soon as a new one grows in, she looses another baby tooth.

Phinehas is 5 1/2. He has officially started unofficial homeschooling. When we began in the fall, he was soaring. Then he hit a plateau and refused to budge. Reading was a drag and jumping into quicksand was preferable to math. So, we set aside the 'formality' of it all and have been reading library books (somehow, he seems to be taking flight again in the reading department! Hurray!) As for math, we do a lot more 'playing' with manipulatives and working with concrete concepts: when i say, "What is 4+2?" Phin answers, "5! 7! No! 10! 8!" But as soon as I say, "What is four kids plus 2 adults" he shouts, "6!" So, math has slowed down... but I think we've time. For now he spends a lot of time outside hammering nails and building things.

Liam is 4 and totally disinterested in learning his letters. Which is fine. He is working on the normal kid foundations - kindness in action and speech, preferring others, helping mama, learning how to be diligent. He is my most imaginative child, always lost in a dream world. When he tells you something it takes him FOR-E-VER and if I'm not careful a lot that is precious in him can easily be ignored and set aside in my haste. I'm working on stoping to look into his worlds and enjoy him. Actually, I am ever seeking to learn how to enjoy all of my kiddos!

Lydia is 2 1/2. She is definitely my biggest helper, always wanting to do whatever I am doing. If only, when Abigail was little, I had known what I now know! I could have avoided some of my most sorrowed mistakes! Ah! Thank God for His ceaseless grace! In my life and in the life of my children.

Andrew and I are ever more in love. He is my hero and my favorite place. He loves and cherishes me in ways I never imagined. How wonderful to laugh with my dearest friend! I am so glad to be his!

We have 13 'big' chickens and 16 'chicks' that are just about as big as the older ones. The 'babies' we hatched in incubators. That was a lot of fun! We might be getting a piglet from Andrew's brother in a few months - that would be nice! i've gardened for two years now; learning a bit more each year. Presently I have 3 - 3 1/2 x 8 beds full of garlic! Yippee!

Well, that's about it in a nutshell.

I've been wanting...

I've been wanting to tell you about all the wonderful things going on here... but I haven't seemed to be able to find the time! You see, we've been too busy picking bouquets of wild flowers, inhaling their light sweetness.

We've been too busy eating fresh cherries, just picked from the tree in our yard. Granted, they sure aren't sweet - they are very tart! - but they are fresh! And to get them the kids have to climb! You can't beat that!

We've been too busy chasing chipmunks and butterflies and watching the little brood of bluebirds, now that they've ventured from their hidden nest. They flit from branch to ground, from ground to limb, learning how to catch bugs and delight their eager observers.

We've been too busy reading books and riding bikes, weeding the garden and harvesting it's goodness.

We've been too busy watching the fireflies and gazing at twinkling stars.

We've been too busy enjoying life!!

Hope you are enjoying yours!

The Power of a Vow

We are eating chicken tonight.

We are eating chicken because of a rash vow made in anger. By me.

You see, while I was out yesterday, the gate to the garden either blew open or was left open and some of the chickens came in and decimated my carrots and some of my lettuce/swiss chard. I was really, really mad. Probably more mad than I should have been. Anyway, I sent a message to Andrew saying, "May the fox eat your chickens. So be it." I knew as I typed that had I left it with the first sentence, it would have been merely dramatic ramblings. But as I typed in the 'so be it,' I knew in my little inner knower that I was crossing the line. Unfortunately, in my anger, I didn't care. I wanted vengeance. So much so, that last evening before I went to bed, I purposefully ignored the little voice that said, "Go shut the door to the coop" (You see, we've left if open at night for a long time... and nothing had happened).

So, this morning shortly after 5:00, we were awakened to the distressed cries of one of our young chickens. As my eyes were snapping open, I knew what it was and I knew the cause without a doubt.

We scared the fox away - probably not permanently (as in, we didn't get any lead into it); I was shaking too hard to hold a gun and Andrew's eyes and glasses weren't cooperating with the scope.

Only two of the chickens are dead. Thankfully. My only fear is that the power of my vow still holds. But, there is repentance. I am very sobered by the recognition of the power of words. I also am very thankful that I learned this lesson first hand, but that the only cost was the life of a couple replaceable and edible chickens.

There is much power in the words we speak. There is more power in vows we make.

Lord, let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be pleasing to You!

Joys of June

With the warm days of June have come many delights that have filled our waking moments, and even infiltrated our sleepy nights! First, my favorite: the Multiflora Roses! I know - they are invasive and tough as all get out to remove, but MY! the fragrance is intoxicatingly sweet! Earlier in the spring, I thought nothing was better than the lilacs. Then the honeysuckle. But now, unquestionably, the roses are my favorite. All roses should smell as sweet!

Other delights that have flown in on the wings of June are the humming birds, the oriole that sings from the top of the cottonwood tree, the flying gems or butterflies that flit too and fro across the yard. And don't forget the fireflies that silently blink in the night!

And thunderstorms! I love the earthshaking booms that rattle the windows and make everyone jump! The brilliant flashes of lightning that strobe across the sky! The torrential rains that pour from the sky! The kids are gradually beginning to enjoy them, shakily casting aside their fears to behold the wonder and the power of the Almighty!

Then, delights from our garden have started finding their way to our table - green onions, fresh lettuce, swiss chard. Yum!

And the best delights are the shining faces and goofy grins of my wondrous children as they romp and play outside, their creative imaginations running wild!

Welcome, summer!!!

We Are Alive!

Well, its been what? Two months since I’ve written anything? That and more! And it hasn’t been for lack of writing material, that is for sure! For one thing, I think some of you may be wondering how Andrew has fared since his accident: He is all healed up and back to work… for two months now. The kids cried when he started up again! Well, who am I kidding? I did too! Though we don’t recommend parking your car next to a telephone pole at 30 mph, it sure provided a wonderful season of family time.

Since that time, a lot has been going on in our neck of the woods!! Abigail lost her first two teeth, we’ve expanded and planted our garden, built fences, chased chickens, and added a trampoline for added chaos. We’ve put away the winter coats and hats and boots (well, almost! They are washed and ready for the tote – if I will ever go stuff them in!), we’ve brought out the bikes. The kids have started building a fort in the woods, there has been much digging in dirt, moving stones, jumping in mud, and splashing in our very full and bubbling brook. (For a time, I was washing 2 EXTRA loads of laundry a day, just to keep up with the wet and muddy clothes! Now that the mud is basically gone and the heat of summer is here, we let the wet things dry on the kids.) We’re plodding on with the school work – math lessons are a-l-m-o-s-t done for this year – and we’ve enjoyed our hands-on science lessons that the spring had ushered in. Fortunately, there have been enough rainy days to make it easy to keep up on reading. One day at breakfast last week, Abigail said, “I prayed to God last night that he would make today a rainy day so that I could curl up with a book all day!” Yeah – like mother, like daughter! I’ve been getting materials together and making lists of things to order for the next school year, and I’ve started preparing our final quarterly report. Hooray!

Spring has also brought the arrival of many new babies! We’ve friends and family that have either had new little ones or are impatiently waiting for the arrival overdue babes. (Waiting to hear, Lacey!!)

So, here we are! Spring is almost past, Summer is around the corner! I can’t guarantee that I’ll be any more faithful in writing, but I would LIKE to be! I have lots of lovely pictures that I’m planning on adding to our SmugMug account; I’ll post a link when I get that done (hopefully before snow flies!) Oh! And we have a budding photographer! Abigail has demonstrated a keen eye for beauty, and a steady hand for snapping photos – most of which are in focus! I’ll add an album of her masterpieces on SmugMug as well.

We hope the warm weather find you well – and drying out! And Oh! Guess what! Today is our anniversary! We’ve been married 9 years! Can you believe it? Nine years with my best friend – it has gone by in a flash… yet its hard to recall a time without the Carpenter in my life. He is so good to me! And look! Four beautiful babies as evidence of our love! Its been a good nine years!

Sourdough Bread

The delicious smell of baking bread wafted through the house, reaching my nose as I gave Lydia's hair one final rinse. Yikes! The bread! Quickly, I pulled Lilly out of the tub, wrapped her in a towel and carried her down the stairs. I tossed her to the Carpenter and bustled into the kitchen. Pulling open the oven door, my eyes beheld a sight of beauty: four golden-brown loaves of bread, their tops climbing as high as they could without flopping. I could almost see the good smell curl out of the oven in mouth-watering billows. Perfect! I pulled the loaves out, grabbed my faithful spatula and started the delicate process of removing the loaves from their pans (I use glass - never fear! A little greasing and flouring always helps!) As always a delectable piece of crust stuck in the corner of the first pan. Ahh! The privileges of being the Mama and the Chef! I pulled it off and popped it into my mouth...

... and my resolve to eat less bread was renewed with ease.

ALAS! I had forgotten the salt! Oh, woe of woes! Four lovely loaves of yeast-free sourdough bread made with fresh ground whole wheat flour and home-cultured buttermilk utterly RUINED!

*sigh*

I bet these loaves will last a l-o-n-g time.

Twitterpated!

Today, thanks to the Carpenter who noticed first, I saw my first Pileated Woodpecker! Actually, there were TWO! And they were definitely twitterpated. How exciting! I do hope they stick around this spring and summer! Oh... I am getting SO excited for warmer weather; I'm dreaming of bird watching and flower picking and gardening and herb gathering. I think spring cleaning should be done in the winter so that all of spring can be spent out of doors!!!

Blue Spring

This morning, the drab grays and browns of the long winter were broken by flashes of brilliant blue - the bluebirds are back! Oh! They are like a visual song, I love them so! I opened the door and was greeted by a chorus of chirps and twitters announcing that not only is the snow gone (again) but the air is warmer and smells distinctly springy. Oh, wait: That is mud!

But, I can deal with mud when it is accompanied by bird song and flashes of blue... how about you?

Pita, Please!

This morning, I happened across a recipe for Pitas. The Carpenter has often mentioned that he likes them, so I spontaneously decided to make some for lunch. I was shockingly pleased with the results! Here is the recipe, from the blog Joy Unspeakable

For pitas:

3 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I used whole wheat)
1 and 1/3 cups warm water (120-130 degrees)
1 Tablespoon yeast
1/4 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon oil
cornmeal for cookie sheets

- Place 1 cup of flour, 1 cup warm water, the 1/4 teaspoon sugar, and the yeast in a large bowl.

- Stir together and let sit for about 10 minutes or until it bubbles up.

- Add the rest of the pita bread ingredients except flour, and stir well.

- Now add the flour until the dough is easy to handle.

- Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead until elastic, about 10 minutes.

- Place in a greased bowl and turn to coat all sides. Cover and let rise about one hour or until double.

- Punch dough down, and divide into 6 equal parts.

- Shape into balls, cover with a towel and let rise 30 minutes.

- Sprinkle ungreased cookie sheets with cornmeal.

- Roll each ball into a 1/8-inch thick circle.

- Place on cookie sheets and let rise 30 more minutes.

- Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

- Bake about 10 minutes or until pitas are puffed and light brown.

- Cut each pita in half, then slice lengthwise down the middle to form a pocket.

- Fill with filling.

GF - Kusherie (Egyptian Lentils and Rice)

2T Olive Oil, divided

2/3 c Lentils

¾ c Brown Rice

3 c Stock

½ t salt, dash of pepper

Heat 1 T oil in heavy saucepan; add lentils and rice; brown 5 min, stirring often

Add 3 c boiling stock (quickly!), salt and pepper

Bring to boil; reduce heat to low; cover, simmer 45 min (or til rice and lentils are done)

Sauce; combine, simmer 20-30 min:

1/3 c Tomatoe Paste

1 ½ c Diced Tomatoes

½ Green Pepper, chopped

½ T Sugar

¾ t Salt

½ t Cumin

1/8 t Cayenne

Brown in skillet:

1 ½ - 3 Onions, Sliced

2-4 cloves Garlic, minced

Yogurt for Topping

Layer onions and sauce on top of rice and to with yogurt or sour cream

Serves our family of 6

GF - Santa Fe Chicken

Combine the following in your crockpot:
1 can black beans, drained
2 cups frozen corn
1/2 cup salsa

After stirring, add:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or left over chicken)
1/2 cup more salsa

Cook on low for 3 hours. Then add:
1 block of cream cheese
Cook one more hour. Serve over rice.

This recipe serves our family of 6.

GF- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Colossals

OK. I'm going to start posting yummy Gluten Free recipes. I've wanted to share them with a friend for a long time and haven't gotten around to it. Here they are! (This first one is for you, Darla, because I know how much your gang LOVES peanut butter!)

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Colossals

350* 8 min (drop cookies) 15-20 min (sheet cookies)

Mix well:

3/4 c Sucanat or Rapadura

3/4 c Raw Sugar

1/2 c Butter, at room temperature

4 Eggs

1 tsp Vanilla

2 C Peanut Butter

Add, mix well:

1 c Oats (rolled)

2 1/2 tsp Baking Soda

Add, mix as well as you can:

5 c Oats

2 c Chocolate Chips

Press onto greased cookie sheet (with edges) or make drop cookies.

If using cookies sheet, cut into bars a couple minutes after taking from oven, but before they are cool.

These freeze VERY well.

Sparkling Beauty of a Frosty Morn'

Early this morning, shortly after sunrise, I ventured outside for some morning chores. My sleepy eyes blinking in the bright sunlight, as I shivered in my less-than-adequate sweater, I was arrested by the shimmering beauty of the frosty trees, back lit by the morning sun. I just stood there, soaking in the delicate silver beauty of the morn!

"Weeping may endure for the night but joy comes in the morning"

Last night I had a dreadful dream... I'll spare you the details. Suffice it to say Andrew and I immediately went to prayer. The memory of that disturbing dream lingered on this morning, but as I stood in the radiant light I was reminded that joy comes in the morning and that His mercies are new every morning. I remembered that Jesus is Light and in Him is no darkness at all.

I am glad to be hidden in Him, glad to be one that His face shines upon, glad to be sheltered beneath His wings.

Drip, Drip, Drip!

Thats what we hear outside of our windows! Coupled with the chirrup of wee little birds, the warm air smelling of wetness, and the blue sky we had yesterday, 'twould make one think it is spring! At night, when the darkness hides the blanket of still calf-deep snow, I've found my ears straining for the sound of peepers. Speaking of calf-deep snow, I am actually quite thankful that it still lays aground, for it covers the mud for a while longer! I'm expecting that this warm hint-of-what-is-to-come isn't going to last, so I'm glad to miss an early endless stream of mud tracked through this wholly carpeted house.

We have so far enjoyed our 'surprise vacation.' Apart from Andrew's cabin fever and my broken routine, I think we have made good use of this time! School is still being done - though not at the usual times - and the boys have even had a different teacher (much to their delight!). We've continued our Underwater Theme - don't ask me why - and I think the kids have enjoyed it. Abigail now knows more about sea creatures than I do, and I'm the one who was supposed to be doing the teaching! Actually, she absorbs information from books like a sea-sponge absorbs water, and thereby she learns more than I could ever teach her in the 24 hours I'm given each day. Do any of you think that your allotted 24 hours are actually shorter than 24 hours other people get? Or am I the only one...

Lydia has started talking more. Yesterday, she kept finding random shoes and bringing them to me, asking me to put them on her little feet: "Grunt... Grunt... Grunt" with a couple of pointed jerks of her finger, was how her demand was stated. I told her to say, "Shoe on, please." Much to my delighted surprise she said, "Shshshshshooo AH!" And she hasn't stopped since! She especially likes Abigail's dress shoes, of course!

Phinehas is progressing in his reading and it has been LOW STRESS for me! I just get to listen as Andrew patiently urges him on, guiding him through his stubborn unwillingness and into peals of laughter as a story is created out of the words:

Andrew: "Phinehas is..."

Phin: "BIG!"

A: "... and riding a..."

P: "PIG!"

A: "... while wearing a..."

P: "WIG!"

A: "... and eating a..."

P: "FIG!"

A: "... and dancing a..."

P: "JIG!"

And Liam has finally had someone to spend FOCUSED time with him working on shapes and colors. I can see that Liam thrives with one-on-one time; he has just been shining with smiles and overflowing with giggles lately!

And me? I've been basking in the presence of my best friend, cherishing the glances, the smiles, and the shared laughter over the antics of our wee ones. I love my man! And he is coming along day by day. His leg's range of motion is steadily (but slowly) improving and his pain is lessening. I know he gets stir-crazy, but honestly! He is NOT the typical male! He hasn't complained a bit! Except for his crutches, you wouldn't know he is hurt. He still manages to be my hero each and every day.

Hm. By now you are all probably gagging so I'll stop! *grin!*

And now I'll be off to start on the ever rotating pile of dishes (that should have been done 4 hours ago!)

Restful and Calming

On cold wintery days, there isn't much that I can think of that is more restful and calming than sitting in a rocking chair while sipping a steaming cup of my favorite tea and watching the colorful array of birds as they flock to our feeders. Watching the downy little balls that weigh no more than a breath as they flit from tree to feeder and back again brings me such delight! Red cardinals, drab juncos, feisty chickadees, quick titmice; dull doves, chirruping nuthatches, shy woodpeckers; jumpy sparrows, darting finches. Each type so unique yet all so enjoyable! It is food for my soul!

Cabin Fever

Well, its been a week and a day since Andrew's accident. Yes, he is still in pain... especially if he moves the wrong way, but he is getting around well. Occasionally he starts doing laps from the kitchen to the living room and back again, trying to dispel his cabin fever. The big piles of snow and the temperatures in the teens hinder many outside ventures, and the fact that our Suburban is awaiting a transfer case removes any options for family outings. Fortunately, we have friends! Right now, Andrew is out with Eric, on his way to pick up some more meds; it will be a good change of routine, for sure!

Speaking of routine, we don't have much of one, these days. We are managing to accomplish the bare-bones of school. Abbi is progressing in Math, Phin tackled some reading today, and for the next couple of weeks we are going to do a unit study on oceans. For now, this involves a lot of ocean books from the library, free coloring pages off of the internet, we will make a diorama of sorts... if I get around to designing it, and we even have a handful of videos with exquisite underwater photography; one of our favorites is from Planet Earth! Phinehas has declared that he loves dolphins and Abigail has a strange fascination with eels, of all things! Other than that, the kids are delighted to have their Papa home for a long while.

Thank you all for your prayers! We are coming along, little by little.

Thankful

I have so much to be thankful for. So very much! You see, on the 2nd of the month, while on his way to work, by beloved Carpenter was in a car accident. It was the morning after a slushy snowfall and he waited a couple extra hours before going in, so that the roads were more clear. Unfortunately, as he was going around a curve, a slush pile grabbed the front of the car and spun it into a telephone pole. The impact was on the driver's side door; fortunately, Andrew saw it coming and leaned away. As it were, he came away with his hip/pelvis fractured in two places and a bunch of muscular injury.

As I said... we have so much to be thankful for! The accident could have been devastatingly worse. I am so thankful for the man that lays beside me at night, snoring! I am thankful for the volunteer EMT's and ambulance drivers that rushed to the accident. I am thankful for my in-laws that opened their home to us during the first few days of recovery - the kids had very much fun playing with their grandparents! Today, after Andrew's followup appointment, we will be going home to rest and heal.

How long will resting and healing take? I don't know. 2 weeks? 4 weeks? 6 weeks? We shall see! Andrew will likely need Physical Therapy to help regain mobility in his hip/leg. After today's appointment we will know more about when that will start. Hopefully, Andrew will be on the healing fast track - lest he go crazy with nothing to do!

Again, this could have been so much worse. I am so thankful for the Lord's hand that covered and protected my man from what could have been so much worse. God is in the business of taking less than perfect circumstances and working them for good - I'm looking forward to seeing the good that comes of this!

Well, I guess that this update isn't the most pleasant way to say hi after a long absence! I'll try and update somewhat more frequently!