The Adventure Begins

Well, the past few weeks have been crazy, tiring, and overwhelming at times but we pushed through and got it done with the help of many friends and family.  We have such a great community of friends here in BV who, if they were able, helped us out with packing, cleaning, moving, settling in and with kids.  Everyone and every job big or small, clean or dirty worked together get everything done and in place for us to begin our new chapter here in the little White House.  (You are wondering, why is she capitalizing White House??  Well, it's because every time I text the words to some one, that's the way it appears).  Thank you, thank you to our amazing friends!  We owe you one ~ soon!!!

Last week, I turned in our key and garage door openers to close the chapter of 104 Shaman Way.  So many sweet memories and learning experiences at that little house.  Thank you Lord for that house.  I did tear up a little leaving it for the last time.

In the midst of settling in and Wayne and JoNell (Michael's parents) being here, we decided to get an inside kitten hoping she would be a mouser.  The poor kitty!!!  She has been through so much crazy fun and torture with our kids, she will either end up being just crazy or very calm.  The kids absolutely love Izzy, Isabella, Punkin or whatever her name is.  We have never had animals since GA except for fish that eventually died, so having a cat is really something else.  You would think the kitten is a dog by the way our kids handle her, but ~ she's a cat.  Cash has given her a piggy back ride on numerous occasions, and Catie carries her everywhere like she's a baby.  It will be a miracle if she grows old with us.  But we were excited the other night, when she did indeed catch a mouse!!!  Good girl!!

While Pappy and Jo were here, we decided to have a day of fun because we had been working so hard, and we all needed some fun!!!  We decided to go see the Jungle Book which was an awesome movie.  Next we went to Home Depot to get a new oven and some things on our list.  After that we went to Walmart.  Only I went in because by that point, everyone was tired and hungry, and I was just trying to hurry to get the rest of the things we needed for the house.  Well, after that we decided to pull in the parking lot of a Wells Fargo and figure out what to do for dinner.  A scene unfolded before our eyes that at first we thought was a joke, but no, it was the real deal.  We encountered a crazy woman ~ I mean literally crazy.  The the scene involved a man, this crazy woman, a child, boxes, 2 cars, and some pants and unmentionables; it was just bizzare.  (If you want the story, you just have to hear it in person).  After that event, we then went to Wendy's to get dinner and headed home.  That was some more day.

The past couple of weeks, we've had the pleasure of seeing herds of Elk go across our pasture!!!  What an amazing sight!!!  Hunting seems more exciting this year.

I feel we are getting well adjusted here in our new home; we love having a bit more space!!  There are many more personal projects to be done as well as projects for George.  We will eventually get it all done a little at a time.  We are so excited about working for George and being here on the Ranch.  I love working with his horses, Lacey and Becca.  Yes, this will be hard work , but we are ready for the challenge.  The Lord has blessed us in this season and we are so thankful.

~ Charity

Stuck in the Mud

Today was like any other normal day, except it was my second day on the job and Cash was with me. Cash is something else.  He loves to imagine.  I'm not sure what he was thinking but he saw some water and mud.  And he did what any little boy would do, he decided to step in it.  I was busy scooping up poop with my friend, Vanessa, who had come to help me with the horses and to pack up the house.  All of a sudden we heard, "Help me.  I'm stuck."  Of course, I thought, what a great Kodak moment, videoed it and stuck my phone in my pocket.  I reached my hand out and stepped in to get him out, but he wouldn't budge.  He WAS stuck in this thick, nasty mud.  I pulled and pulled.  S-T-U-C-K.  I pulled really hard, and there he came with just one boot.  I put him to the side and got his other boot out.  I started to make my way out, I mean how hard could it be for a grown woman almost 40 years old to get out of the mud, but I too was stuck.  I couldn't move.  It was nothing but hilarious.  So, Vanessa took my hand and started pulling and laughing.  It really was quite funny.  She pulled and pulled and finally, she got me out.  Thank goodness she was there or both Cash and I would have been up the creek with out a paddle.   So a good boot spraying was in order when we got home.

Well, progress is being made on the house but not as quickly as we thought.  So we have moved our "move in" date back a week and will move in on the 23rd. We will be moving some of the furniture we don't need and some of the boxes we've packed in to a storage area on the farm this week. Vanessa and I packed a good bit today, but there is still much to do.  I'm thankful for the people who have offered to help Michael and I or to help out with our kids.  Both are needed.

On Saturday, we had the pleasure of eating a steak dinner with Mr. George and Mrs. Jajean.  What a lovely couple.  They are so sweet, hospitable, and would give you the shirt off their back.  I'm looking forward to spending more time with them and getting to know the ropes of the farm.  I'm really excited to be working with their horses Lacey and Becca and learning how to take care them.  We will also be getting cows pretty soon and also a couple of barn cats to take care of those pesky rats.

Charity

A New Adventure

I'll bet you are probably wondering why my blog is entitled "Life on the Farm."  Well, Michael and I have been given the opportunity to be ranch managers for a ranch/farm here in town.  It's all happened rather quickly, but we are so excited about the new chapter in our lives beginning to unfold.

Michael and I have talked together on many occasions about how we would love to live on some land where the kids could roam and have plenty of room to run and play.  Just the other day, I told Michael I would love to live on a farm.  Little did I know that dream would actually come true!!!  

A little over a week ago, Michael came home and spoke of the possibility of us being ranch managers for a man named George Lenz and his wife JaJean.  The wheels started turning and everything seemed to fall into place.  So, here we are getting ready to enter into a whole new life.  Michael will continue to work at Trail West Lodge.

We will  move into the farm house at the beginning of May which means packing up our things and moving from this house on Shaman Way.  It's a little overwhelming at the moment; there is much going on the next two months, then summer begins at TWL and also for us.  It will be bitter sweet leaving this house we've called home for the past 6 years.  We have so many great memories in this house.   And I can't even begin to tell you what great neighbors we've had.  Doug and Donna live right beside us, and they are like a 3rd set of grandparents; they have loved our kids as their own.   Hannah, on the other side, she will be missed.  Of course, our friendships will continue, we just won't be walking distance.  The kids have grown up here with so many great memories of family and friends, it will be hard to leave.  But good memories are waiting to be made in the farm house.  I'm looking forward to that.  

Our little farm house is currently being renovated because there was a mouse/rat problem.  Yikes!!!!  I'm not very fond of the varmints, but Michael is going to take care of the problem at our house, the barn and Mr. George's house.  Michael is so good at what he does; he knows exactly what is needed and will take care of it.  My hero!!!  So, we are waiting until the renovation is complete and the house is cleaned and then we will move in.  We have so much packing to do.  You never really know how much stuff you have until you have to move it.  But God is good!  He knows what we need, and He will take care of us and our little house.  

I pray we will be a blessing to Mr. George and Mrs. JaJean.  I pray we will be good for that little farm.  I pray we will work hard seeing the fruits of our labor.  I pray the kids would learn new skills and continue to learn to work hard and see the Lord's provision.  I pray Christ's presence would be felt when friends, family and strangers come into our house.   I pray God would be glorified in the work we do!  I pray blessings on our little house and the land that we will live on.  I pray blessings on Mr. George and Mrs. JaJean.  Thank you Lord for this opportunity to serve you and them in this way. Bless us Lord.  We love you! 

Here are some pictures we took on Easter when we went by the farm.

Charity