{i am extremely thankful...}

this week for things that are not typically the norm such as my family, friends, health, a home....etc. but things that i have been particularly thankful for that fall outside of that box....

1. a two-week-old insurance policy that was pretty much an after thought
2. a swift and reassuring agent and adjuster
3. pain medication {all is well there, i am VERY thankful for that!}
4. friends that pray and rally
5. the fact i tend to be a night owl with my head hitting the pillow at 3:30 am and i don't even feel the effects after my coffee.  don't ask me tomorrow though ;)
6. children who seem oblivious to the stress swirling inside my brain
7. those same children who calm me down with their excitement about the upcoming week
8. a mom who is cleaning my house, doing my laundry and scrubbing my toilets for me today
9. a SIL who offers to come help me with whatever i may need 
10. a friend who offers to put up my Christmas tree when she needs and wants to get hers up
11. a puppy who seems to  finally be "getting" the whole potty training idea as that makes life so much easier 
12. my crowing rooster.  he makes me smile.  i'm sorry, it's strange, but a fact. ;)
13. friends who text and call me and don't get too terribly upset if it takes 7 days+ for me to respond.  they know me and love me anyway! 
14. and above everything, my God who loves me despite the fact i am completely insane and trusts me to handle my life as crazy as it is  

{and, the storms blew in}

This was early last week before it was closed in, wrapped and the final

trusses and top trusses put up....I didn't take any pictures of it more recently.

  On Friday, they were decking the roof in hopes to begin the shingles next week

but it started getting too windy so they had to stop.

This is what happened this morning about 5 am. 

It really was pretty difficult to see.  Just knowing how much

work {and $$} we've put into it and how excited we all were really.
I had not been excited about the studio too much; but once
I saw it closed in, my wheels started turning and I was
anticipating finally being able to separate working in the
house pretty much 24/7.  The stroll across the front yard, coffee in
hand was becoming very appealing, very quickly.  The boys
cleaned it up all day yesterday - picking up every single stray nail.


In fact, we  have worked very hard to have it in the dry before leaving

this weekend.  BUT, as with life, not every storm shows up in the forecast.

And, as disappointing as it is, it is not tragic by any means.  But, honestly,
as nice as that is and sounds, it still stinks. ;)  On most days,

we wake up with anticipation of a great day or week and before that

day even starts, we have  the storms blow through. 
Some much bigger and damaging than others.

We will clean up, pick up {as the wrap is blowing all over south
Sebastian County} and rebuild.   Although the foundation was
 strong and "it was almost there" it needed a roof to keep the winds out. 
There was just enough space to allow an exploding disaster. 

I am CERTAIN there is a lesson for me in the midst of this rubble.

{should i be worried?}

this is a "writing" i found of evan's last night...

"I'm going on a cruz.  I hope that it wote {won't} be like titantit! {Titanic}

If you've read the book you know what I mean:

the name of the book is I Sourvird.  {Survived}"

I don't even know what to say.

{kk & savannah}

trying to figure out how in the world to get up there??  

is that not the craziest picture ever?? 

and then.....there is Kit Kat..... 

KK and Savannah = not a good mix.

 The above was right before she bit him. :(  

He still loves her though! 



{these are the days i savor....}

sunday afternoons, fall and hay bales.

it doesn't get any better for these two as they spend

HOURS and HOURS out there.  it's the first place they

want to go when we pull in from school and the place i have

to call them in from at night.  simple joys.

{such a beautiful fall}

despite the heat wave of the summer

His beautiful creation is shining through....

{a little treasure}

Today, on the way home with the boys, I took an unplanned detour to "The Mountain";

my grandpa's old farm homestead.  The house has collapsed but I was so hoping

I could at least salvage a good window frame to bring to my home. 

No such luck.  I spied a door in an area that was still standing but way too 

dangerous to ever attempt to remove without the house collasping around it. 

I will admit, I was suddenly very saddened that I wouldn't get to walk away with 

a piece of this house. A huge history to most of our family. 

  A home that housed a family of 6 children  through

some very lean, very difficult and very joyous times. 

If only those walls could talk.

Then I spotted my jar.  Cast aside at the back of the house were several

old bottles and jars.  So, I claimed my prize and was immediately overwhelmed.

Such a simple, simple thing, but one that was instantly very special to me.

You could not pry it out of my hands in exchange for the prettiest vase in the world.

As it sat in the kitchen a bit ago in all of his dusty glory,  Noah asked me what

I thought had been in it.  Well, I knew my grandpa very well.  So, that jar

had housed something that sprouted from the seeds he planted in the garden plot

I stood near today.  He had weeded and watered and harvested.   Then, he or a

family member had canned whatever fruit or vegetable they had washed and prepared.

And,  at some point it was opened and prepared for dinner.  I'd like to imagine

that they ate a family meal together in that kitchen that sat on a creaky, creaky floor. 

Or, he may have eaten it alone years later.   While sitting in his chair by the door

either looking out the window or watching Andy Griffith on his fuzzy black and

white television.  And, maybe, just maybe it held something that as I little girl

I helped him with in the garden.   I like that thought.

That jar absolutely captivates me.  A treasure I didn't expect to find! 

and, then... the tears became happy.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Luke 12:34