Just Hangin'

I love the look of little old fashioned clothes hangers but couldn't find them anywhere when I had my first daughter. The closet in her room doesn't have any doors, so everything is exposed to the world-good or bad. I painted up a bunch of pink hangers so everything looks a little more uniform and tidy.

I also made a whole pile of vintage, western hangers to take to some Ag trade shows I sold my goodies at. I have a bunch of hangers left over and are in my stash that I sell from home. If you are local and need a baby gift and a trip to the city is out of the question, come on by, there are shelves full of unique gifts.  If you are looking for old fashioned baby hangers-I'll hook you up.

Ish

I'm posting photos that have nothing to do with this post because today is the kind of day I'm letting myself surrender to a 'whatever' sort of attitude.

Frightened?! Watch me!

If you were to walk into this humble abode, you would possibly find a momma in such a relaxed  state of mind that you would want to just fall asleep in my presence. I have turned over a new leaf, ladies. I am conciously making the decision not to be too stressed over things. That wound up ball of, must get the floor vacuumed nine trillion times a day, has been chucked out the door.

I had company over last Wednesday and considered scrapping my list of to do things for the morning to prepare for these chiquitas coming over. That left me feeling a bit like a sandwhich without bread. I still made my list and when my husband saw it the night before, he laughed at my 'start cider-9:45 (ish.)'

I thought I should get a pat on the back for placing the 'ish' on the end.

The unfortunate part was the cider was prepped by 8:25 AM and I watched the clock and didn't turn the stove on until 9:46, just to be a person of calm.

I'd like to be the kind of mom who could possibly feed on demand, let their kids run willy nilly once in awhile, and for seuth not be irked when the house is run amuck. The sad side of things is for a personality like mine, you would expect things to be perfect in this home, but alas the kids are rangy tangy, things are a bit loony, and sometimes when I fold laundry there are more pairs of jammies than clothes. I'm just trying not be so worked up over it and am realizing you have to be flexible in this motherhood gig or you might be on the road to losing your marbles.

I can happily say the transition to two has been one of the smoothest and happiest times in my life. I would have enough kids to create my own sports team, if my husband and I weren't ancient of days and pregnancy wasn't just so plain nasty.

The key in it all is to be a cool cat and to just relax your bones. Somehow I am missing that key, because it wasn't labelled, organized and put away in the right spot. If you find it, let me know, otherwise you'll probably still hear my two year old following behind me scrubbing floors saying, "eew, sick," just like her momma.

Out on the Prairie

It's Kids Day in Russia around here again.

The enthusiasm from every childhood Christmas is encompassed in a  Fisher Price Kitchen that some dear friends have lent us for our little girls to play with. We chuckled over the fact that those little girls would shout out the plastic window above the sink, "whoo hoo, supper time!" Hoping this might encourage my daughter's domesitc skills and waiting for the day she might shout out the window, "come for supper," I was sadly mistaken.

Listening to this wild little prairie girl play happily at her kitchen first thing in the morning, I hear her shout out the window of that kitchen, "I SEE 'EM! I see coyotoes! Get 'em!" Biting my lip, I peaked out her window that faces directly against the wall, "I don't see anything." Seconds later she shouts out again, "It's a badger, get a gun!" Egads! Keep this kid away from fish and feathers. This little lady doesn't know a thing about a fancy zoo that has giraffes and elephants, but she'll gladly tell you about a red tailed hawk, deer, and yes ladies, a badger.

Relaying this story to my Momma, she commented how this little hungabee will be talking crazy talk on her first day of Kindergarten. I reminded her that I volunteered for a few years in our little local school's kindergarten and I had absolutely no concerns. Consistenly on the first day of school, there was some little boy who would pee out in the playpark during recess and we would have to explain that this isn't the farm and they needed to ask to go in to the bathroom.

 Oh, livin out on the prairie...

The Rainbow

The day we heard heart aching news about Auntie Patty Lou, the sky was painted with a brilliant picture. One that reminded me that He is mighty and reigns over the Heavens and Earth, but He also cares about our every whispered prayer and every cry in the night.  He loves us personally.

Today she receives a 'new set of lungs' and her Jesus is welcoming her home, in His loving arms.

Our hearts are so, so sad, but in the middle of our weeping, we continue to have hope and remember His promises.

Familia

Saturday night, all the tiniest ladies will be wearing these fine skirts made by my talented Auntie Pat. My wild hungabee will wear the one on the far right. 

Watch out! We're a family of four now and this weekend we are on the loose.

This weekend is a "celebration of rural Alberta roots" and my clan is a gatherin' in the badlands of Alberta. There will be plenty of wild, thick, curly hair, freckles and bright blue eyes. Tales will be told and "remembering big" will abound.

Cousins will fly in from as far across that big ol' blue ocean and enchant us with their Scottish accents. Folks from the West & East coast will be on hand too, to try and verify some of the stories that are told.

My heart is full to the brim to be able to arrive with my two little girls, one barely on this fine planet for two weeks.

It's going to be a blast, most likely a little crazy, but family is what makes life Beauty Full. Relationships are all we can take with us when leave this Earth and are the only thing worth investing in. When we are reminded of the fragility of life, relations are the first thing that rise to the surface of what matters.

A little bit of yeehaw is going to reign this weekend and I'll be happy to report back to ya'll to let you know how it went.

***Thank you for all the well wishes and congratulations on the birth of our second girl. The transition has been smooth and we are all doing well. Please continue to pray for a miracle in my Aunt's health; we know that our God is good.***

Country Roads Lead Me Home

Walking down this country road, seven sunsets ago I stared up at the vault of Heaven.  My heart streamed out feelings I can't put into words to God, staring at His handiwork in the sky. I didn't even know how to pray, my heart was so heavy thinking of an Auntie whose heart is beating softer, coming to a place where she will soon meet Jesus face to face.

I also knew that within hours I would be bringing another life into this world. A wee little girl who would feel the wind on her cheeks and the sun on her skin for the first time.

I was overwhelmed with the fact how I'm not in control. What was to happen in the next few days, weeks, months-my whole life-it's out of my hands. I can look up at that big lid of blue and remember that someone who loves me is in charge of it all. That our lives here are temporary and my children aren't my own.  I can rest in that, take comfort in that, and know that the little soul that has come into this world will rest in the palm of His hand and that His voice is already speaking to her spirit. I can pray that my Aunt will feel the comfort of her God rocking her to sleep tonight and that she too will rest in the same hand. A hand of eternal love.

He is the one in control when we come into this world and when we take our last breath on Earth. I am grateful for a personal faith. A faith that I'm always reminded of when I walk down that dusty path, that will lead me home.

To Quiet the Storm

I feel like life dumped a big ol bag of marbles out in front of me and gave me a push to start running. I've been running and running, getting no where. Some days I feel like I can hardly take a breath or even see where I'm trying to get to. There are the moments where I'm bankrupt of any emotions; I feel simply drained.

rest

We've had some heart achy things grasp hold of us in life; we've had surprises and challenges. There have been moments of overwhelming hilarity and happiness. This season for us is just full.

When I lay down my heart pounds in my ears and I beg for a moment of calm.  I expect too much of people-to fill my heart up with that happy feeling. I exhaust myself even more trying to fit that patience into my day, like it's an awkward piece of a puzzle that wasn't cut right.

Last night my husband was out pulling a calf, my girl was asleep in bed and I had a moment. That Moment rained down on me. It's when I realized that we don't need to chase that quietness, we just have to simply Be Still. It's right there.

Jesus drops stuff in our laps all day long and we don't have to chase it like a wild animal.

There is sweet encouragement in the kindness of strangers. 

There is tranquility in the sunset.

Laughter of a child is balm for any soul.

When I am still I'm overcome with gratitude for all these simple things. Oh, we all talk about the simple things, the simple life, but yes and amen, they are actually there. We just have to quiet the noise of life down and there they are.

If you just stop and take that breath, it's all right there, you don't have to find it. It's right there.

Hoping that in quietness you will find your strength today.