Yesterday

Where do I start?!

My mind is flashing back to life in the big blue house when my roommates and I used to do “high-low” at the end of the day. I looked forward to that time because it let you see inside their day and understand what was going on in their world. It gave you an opportunity to be excited with them, to cry with them, to laugh with them… it was all about being human and sharing LIFE with each other.

I love that about this blog… I get to share LIFE… unedited, real, meaningful LIFE with others.

Yesterday was all about HIGH.
…I can’t really think of a low at all.

Opened my email and {YOU’VE GOT MAIL} is an understatement.
Derek Munson – the author I had the opportunity to spend time with a few weeks ago – had written me an email. We’d been emailing back and forth since his visit… but this email had definite meaning. He had read my blog. He loved that my blog “opened up access to me in a whole new way.” He was so complimentary... and he wanted me to know that he had commented on my blog. I couldn't get to my blog page fast enough. {am I pathetic or what?!}
So, so, so thankful for this friendship and for his words of encouragement to continue writing. Where will this take me in my writing? Don’t know, but it’s encouraging.

Mom & dad are here for 6 whole days – YEAH!! They came to school, spent time in my world, complimented my efforts. LOVE them and am blessed with their spirits and their positive attitudes! Mason was so excited to see them as he realized there was another car in the driveway when I picked him up from daycare. He ran to the fence saying “papa, papa!” (doesn’t quite have “grammy” figured out yet… but we’re getting there) Love, love, love that he gets to sleep in for the next few days and spend quality time with Grammy & Papa!

Went to the Ione/Echo basketball game last night. Got to visit with Bryn, people from her wonderful little community, and Brenna. Picked up the painting of Mason… can’t believe how amazing it is in real life… can’t believe that Brenna painted it and “gave” it to us to treasure! “Thank You” doesn’t even cut it… Blessed – maybe, Grateful – totally!

Enjoyed dinner with my family.

Read stories to my son as he struggled to fall asleep.

Laughed with my husband.

Treasured the "moments" of the day.

High – too many to count!
Low – can’t think of a thing!

God is good – all the time!

1 Peter 3:8,9

Be agreeable, by sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. That goes for all of you, no exception. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless - that's your job, to bless. You'll be a blessing and also get a blessing.

DiFfeREnCeS - Gotta Love 'Em!

I love the fact that this 6’5 man loves his son… and his nieces... and doesn't seem to mind that he turns into a human jungle gym whenever he lays down!!

We had a great time together on Saturday night… aside from Mason’s temper tantrum at the dinner table and my evil eyes darting toward my husband who seemed oblivious to the whole situation, everything went well. I’m pretty sure that exhaustion and emotions had a huge part to play in my attitude and teariness about my son's behavior and my evil eyes shooting like darts toward my husband, but I seem to be coming “face to face” with the differences between men & women. And who said that marriage was easy?!

I appreciate the fact that we’re different.
I appreciate the fact that we’re not alone in this crazy world of marital communication scenarios/issues.
I appreciate the fact that we’re taking the Love & Respect communication class now… and not 25 years from now.

Men are different than women.
Women are different than men.
We think differently.
We see differently.
We are made to be different.
We don’t always see things the same way or view situations with the same attitude, but what would we learn from each other if we did?!

Since beginning this class our relationship has been challenged, our style of communication (our habitual routines) are changing, and I’m thankful we’re being “challenged”… because that means we’re doing the right thing or a least we’re on the right track!

What does this have to do with an evening with our nieces?

Boys are different than girls.
Boys don’t always understand girls… especially 2 year old little boys.
Boys have there own way of playing… girls don’t always understand it.
Boys are boys, and girls are girls… and there is nothing you can do to change that!
And guess what… boys grow into men and girls grow into women… and things still stay the same.

Leslie thought Mason was “busy” … and concluded that “he’s just different than a girl!”
Morgan seemed to be annoyed by Mason and didn’t understand why he had to do everything that she was doing… but loved him anyway.
I heard a lot of “Mason – no!” and “Oh, look what he did now Aunt Lindsay!”
I saw confusion in Mason’s eyes as he looked at his cousins and realized that he was in trouble for something.

My conclusion…

The differences never change... no matter what age you are.
We’re destined to be different – God created us to be that way.
Celebrate differences… and more importantly, learn how to communicate in a healthy ways with the opposite sex.
It makes a difference.

McFUN!

Tuesday, 5:30 pm.
McDonalds' Playland.
8 Toddlers.
2 Infants.
6 Moms. (2 pregnant)
1 Dad. (what a trooper)
3 Birthday Cakes.
Gift Bags Galore.
Happy Meals EVERYWHERE!
FUN. FUN. McFUN!

Working part time last year, I had the opportunity to get together with some of my favorite "moms" every so often. Most of them still get to see each other on a regular basis... but now that I'm back to full time, I make it when I can.
They're great women.
They have great kids.
They know how to have fun.

Every couple of months, they have a birthday bash honoring kids who've had birthdays recently. This last Tuesday was the December/January kids... and oh, man...

one word sums it up...

McFUN!

Is This Working

Just a test post... having blogger issues today!

More tomorrow!

Living In The Moment

Do you ever have those times in your week where you look at all the things around you and just smile?! I go through these “thankful” times every so often and try to write specific things down… usually get sidetracked… usually get interrupted… but not today… I got a few of my thoughts down… right here… to share with you.

My son is growing right before my very eyes. His vocabulary is changing quickly and he seems to chatter constantly. His eyes light up every time he sees a tractor, a cow, or his daddy. He loves his wooden train set (his choo-choo) and the book Counting Kisses. He is tough. Nothing seems to slow him down and when he falls – he usually (about 95% of the time) gets right back up without a second thought. When he’s in a large group of kids he doesn’t say much. He knows what he wants and has a hard time sharing. We're working on that. My favorite part of the day is when he gets his coat and hat and boots and is almost out the door, but then turns around and says “love you” before heading on his way. Last night as we were driving home he pointed out the window and said "Moon Mommy, Moon!" He was so excited that there was a moon in the sky!... and then the next thing out of his mouth was WHY!?! (his very, very favorite word)

Baby # 2 is growing – rapidly! I can feel it moving more now and am amazed how those tiny flutters can bring a smile to my face instantly. We are having a tough time deciding if we are going to find out what the sex is… some days I want to know… other days I don’t. Ian always says he wants to know… but then… last night said that he didn’t care if we found out or not because he KNOWS it is going to be another boy. God knows… and I’m trusting that He has a plan in how our family is supposed to grow!

My husband is one of a kind. He is so big and tough on the outside… but not so much on the inside. We are taking a class at church for the next several weeks based on Love & Respect. I’m so thankful he is making this a priority… especially during daylight hours of calving season! I am amazed at his strength, his ambition, and his work ethic. I wish that he wasn’t such a workaholic, but then again, he wouldn’t be Ian if he didn’t give everything to what he does. I love his spirit… especially when he finds a new baby curled up in the tumbleweeds!

My family and friends are amazing. When I least expect it… they’re there… right when I need them.
Thank you mom for being my blogging partner via phone conversations/updates! Your comments reflect your unconditional love and support of everything I do & say!
Thank you KayDee for the phone call just to say hi! Your words of encouragement to let me know just how much you think of me… and how much you treasure reading about our life means so much!
Thank you Jaime for the awesome card… it arrived on a day when I needed it most! Maybe someday we’ll live closer to each other and Molly & Mason can share calving stories while they swath!
Thank you to my friends & family who comment. Your words are encouraging and keep me blogging!

My life is…well… as Jaime wrote to me… “What fun would it be if you knew what to expect everyday!”
My days are filled with household chores, meetings, routine things for the most part… and even though I’m not always prepared for what is to come… I’m living in the moment and capturing those memories in photos and in words.

I’m LOVING each moment... or at least I'm trying to.

I’m TREASURING each moment.... they're all unique!

I’m ANTICIPATING moments to come... where will the future take us?!

B & B

Love these two!

Love that they have such great energy together!

Love that I got to spend some quality time with them this weekend!

May you enjoy every minute of the next few months… registering, planning, imagining, hoping, praying, and loving!!

Blessings and peace prayed for you during the next 5 months!!

Things Happen for a Reason

The past few days have been interesting.

First of all, let me just start by saying that I believe there is a purpose for everything.
I believe that things happen for a reason… even if we don’t fully understand why.
I believe that God knows what we need, when we need it, and why we need it… even when nothing makes sense to us.

My dear friend Ronda needs your prayers. Her family is dealing with so much right now and only God can give them the peace and reassurance they need right now. Her husband is in the hospital, due to a stroke he had on Wednesday morning, and seems to be doing ok, but still isn’t feeling very well. Her 4 year old son had a tooth break off at the gum line Thursday morning, which required an emergency surgery.
Their spirits are amazingly high – Praise God – even though everything seems to have happened at once! Things are happening to this sweet family for a reason!

My job as the school librarian is challenging, interesting, fun, tiresome, but definitely has its “perks.” I met an amazing author from here in the Northwest on Thursday and spent some “quality” time visiting with him about life, about books, about writing, about my future as a writer, about God working through us as we write… about everything!
It was AWESOME!
He was inspiring and encouraging, and I’m thankful I got to connect with him. He has written an awesome children’s story about peace, possibility, and friendship… and I totally recommend it to any of you who have children. Go to this link http://www.enemypie.com/ and you can hear the story online – it’s great!
I don’t know if my writing is going to amount to anything in the future, but I definitely have a different attitude and perspective on it since meeting Derek.
Things happen for a reason!

At our monthly tech meeting last night (not my favorite part of the job) we were told there is going to be a new filtering system put on our school district's internet system. It will provide more protection so that kids can’t access “bad” stuff from school… but it will also block “blogger.” I’m struggling with this because I have no internet access at home and it doesn’t look like I’ll ever have it. I can still write at home and upload from somewhere else, but I won’t be able to spend my lunch break or my spare minutes commenting, smiling, laughing, praying… as I look and read through my friends blogs. I’m not sure when this goes into affect… but if in the next few weeks you notice I’m not commenting or posting as much (or at all), there is a reason.
It’s Frustrating – but like I said… I believe things happen for a reason!

I walked in my house last night, finding dinner ready, everything vacuumed, the laundry done and put away, the bathrooms clean, the kitchen counter wiped down and clear of clutter… not the way I left it yesterday morning…
I have the best mother-in-law in America folks!! Thanks Donna for everything! You don’t know how much I needed that… and how nice it was to sit with my boys and enjoy the evening not looking at the mess around me and feeling overwhelmed!
Thank you – thank you – thank you!! We love you! Things happen for a reason…

It was Dylan's 3rd birthday yesterday!
He is such a precious little boy - full of energy, full of spunk, full of love!
He was a gift from God to his family ... and to all of us!
Things happen for a reason!

Have a great weekend!

Trust in God when unexpected things happen - they happen for a reason!

The Yummy Bunch

I’m beginning to think that my mom should have enrolled me in an animal 4-H club rather than the cooking/craft one I belonged to. Don’t get me wrong – I loved every minute of it… well, maybe not every minute of it, but almost every minute of it... I'm just thinking that an animal one would be of more help in my life at the moment.

4-H was awesome!
I loved being a part of a group that didn't judge you by the clothes you wore or the house you lived in or how much your mom could do to make your projects and presentations the best... it was about being yourself and proud of what "you" could create!
I learned so many cooking skills, I created fabulous crafts, I became a great public speaker thanks to the presentations we did at the fair each summer, and I became a reporter.
I was the club secretary and the minutes from our meetings were published in our town’s local paper every Thursday. It was such a great responsibility, and I took it very seriously.
I remember scanning the “Club News” section of the Madras Pioneer each week to see my name in print... under the title The Yummy Bunch… what a name huh?!
I’m laughing just thinking about the days at Kelly’s house preparing coffee cake (that I still make today), learning all about table settings & napkin folds, and learning the proper way to use a glue gun when making projects.

Well, the reason I’ve taken this trip down memory lane is because my mom did a birthday dinner for my dad the other night and got out my old “napkin folding” book. Inside she found this (hopefully you can read my writing):

This was a part of my presentation at the fair one year... gotta love it!
My mom said she probably could have corrected my grammer, but decided not to.
Thanks mom - I think I learned more from you not fixing it!
Anyway... if any of you ever want to borrow the book... I know you'll have a beautiful table setting!

"The Painting"

2nd post of the day ... but I had to show all of you this:

My favorite banner of all times - and Brenna transformed it into this:

I'm amazed by this girl and her talent!
I can't thank her enough for this great piece of art she created...
what a treasure!

Thank you Brenna -
for this amazing painting...
for the words & thoughts that you so freely share...
for being you!

Learning Curve

So – I’m beginning to wonder what I ever did with my time before I was married…before I lived on a farm…before I was a partner in Murdock Cattle…before I had a toddler and a baby on the way…before today.
My house is a mess, there are piles of laundry waiting for a chance to be washed, the counter is cluttered, I found two bills I forgot to pay this morning (due last week), the bathrooms need to be cleaned, the couch – which has become Ian’s bed - is covered with blankets, cell phones, an alarm clock, long underwear, & socks, and yet… I’m still smiling.
It’s freezing cold, we lost our first calf last night, and I’m still smiling.
My husband ran over to the pickup as I drove out of the driveway this morning, gave our son a great big kiss, and yelled I love you as he ran back to the barn… I’m definitely smiling!

I learned how to drive with the trailer this weekend.
I learned how to hook up the trailer by myself this weekend.
I learned how to cast a baby calf’s leg this weekend.
I learned a lot of “vet” terms this weekend.
I watched a baby calf stand for the first time on its own with a cast.
I watched my husband pull with all his might and still have no success pulling a calf.
I watched a cow have a C-Section and its 130 lb (way too big) calf come out alive.
I watched my son follow his daddy & the vet around trying to learn all he could.
I experienced things this weekend that I’m blessed to say are part of our life.
I experienced love and appreciation and respect for my husband in new ways.
I experienced life.

Thanks for all the comments & prayers concerning Mason. He’s doing very well. His eye looks 100% better, his elbow is still swollen and bruised, he still has a bit of fear when we go to the barn – won’t come in without some serious coaxing, and he still loves his cows!

Here’s to warmer temperatures, more beautiful sunsets, and love like we’ve never experienced before!

Daddy's Little Shadow

Wednesday night, I had a class in Pendleton.
Wednesday night, Ian & Mason were busy feeding, filling water troughs and checking the cows that were calving.
Wednesday night, one of the heifers calved but wasn't sure what to do with her calf.
Wednesday night was a typical night in our busy life.

Wednesday night, the heifer that just calved ran over the top of Ian and fell on top of Mason.
Wednesday night, God was watching over our red barn & angels were protecting our sweet boy.
Wednesday night was frightening.
Wednesday night was tearful.
Wednesday night was a night when prayer prevailed.

Mason has no broken bones.
Mason has no stitches.
Mason's CAT scan came back negative.
Mason has a bruised knee, a swolen elbow, a black eye, and a small gash above his eyebrow.
Mason is still as active as ever and still loves chocolate - especially M&M's! (thanks Vicki)

Life throws things at you when you least expect it.
Life teaches you things about priorities in a matter of seconds.
Life is something we really have no control of.

Mason slept well (with the help of sedation) on Wednesday night.
Mason fed cows on Thursday and "hey, hey, heyed" them as we drove along the fence.
Mason is still his daddy's little shadow.

Some things will never change!

and as Pastor Chris says on Sunday mornings:
God is good - ALL THE TIME!
... and we have proof!

The "Monmower"

Monmower....What the heck is a "monmower?"
Well, I'm not even sure I'm spelling it correctly... but the first grade teacher in me who trys to spell phonetically when translating things for kids is pretty sure this is what Mason calls anything that has a motor or turns on... especially the vacuum cleaner. He is infatuated with the thing and trys to "fix" it at least once a day. He pushes it, he rides it, he even plugs it into Ian every now and then.
We decided he needed a "monmower" of his own... and the one we found looks just like mine, so that made it even better!
He still likes mine the best (as you can see in the picture) but his really works and even has a detachable hand vac too!
I think he's going to take after my Grandma Sundberg and "rev up" the vaccuum cleaner every chance he gets!!
Ian & I just hope that his love for "cleaning" sticks with him long enough to be of use to us.

Being "Real"

A few of my friends have recently done lists of 100 random things about themselves.
They’ve shared things that are real about themselves.
Real, true, vulnerable things that give insight to who they really are.
These entries have brought lots of memories back to my mind about my life in the year 2000.
In the year 2000 I met a person who made me stop and think and live!
Trent made me laugh like I’ve never laughed before.
He made me smile.
He made me cry.
He made me vulnerable.
Trent lived life with an adventurous spirit and encouraged me to be me… the real me.
Not the “me” that people wanted to see, or the “me” that looked perfect on the outside, or the “me” who wasn’t all about truth… the “me” who God made me to be.
I learned so much from him in a short amount of time, and when I think back to those few months, I praise God for the work he did in me (with the help of of my friend Trent).
My journaling came to life in the summer of 2000.
My spiritual life reached new heights in the summer of 2000.
My view of myself changed… for the better… in the summer of 2000.
It was a necessary relationship in my life and I’m forever grateful that it happened.

My blog has become my journal.
My journal used to be private.
My journal used to be kept away in a drawer in my bedroom.
My journal used to be read by only me.
I still have a “private” one, but my blog seems to have taken priority.
My writing skills have blossomed.
My ability to share my thoughts, insights, emotions, feelings, and interests with others has gone to places I never thought it would.
The real me that Trent helped pull from behind the shadows & masks – well, that is what you see today.
Trent’s life on earth was short – but he made a difference! God used him in remarkable ways – not just in my life, but in the lives of many.
Trent didn’t know what a difference he was making in my life – I don’t know if I really did either. Years later, when I read through my old journals and reflect my life before that summer and my life after that summer… well… that’s when I thank God for the connection that made me see who I really was.
I’m still learning how to be real and share that “realness” with others.
I’m a work in progress – have been my whole life – and pray that with each new day, I learn new things, speak truthfully to others, and live life to the fullest.
My desire to share the real, unedited version of our life grows with intensity as I hear and read how it makes others feel. God is using this life that I’ve been so blessed with to connect with others.

I may never know what day will be my last.
I may never know who I will touch through my words or my actions.
I may never know – but, never knowing gives me just that many more reasons to share “me” with you.
I used to want to know who read it and what they thought of it and would get disappointed when I’d only get 2 or 3 comments.
I used to worry about what I was going to write.
But today… well, that feeling of “having to know” and “wishing for comments”… it’s gone.
It’s not about who reads this or what they think… it’s about me…and if my life... our life... somehow affects you or inspires you or challenges you or just makes you think... well… great… I guess I'm on the right track!

~Happy Tuesday ~

Yesterday vs. Today

Ever wonder why one day can be totally productive, peaceful & filled with good things and the next one absolute chaos??

I guess if all days were "perfect" there wouldn't be anything to look forward to & there would be no reason at all to trust God and his "perfect" plan... which, I'm sorry to say, does include the "not-so-great days."

Yesterday... we all woke up fresh and happy.
Today... we all woke up grumpy, tired & wishing for 30 minutes more in our warm beds.

Yesterday... I was early to my ushering assignment at church.
Today... I was 15 minutes late to work.

Yesterday... I don't remember Mason crying at all.
Today... He was crying when he woke up, he was crying when Ian put him the carseat, he was crying when I left him at the babysitter... I'm sure he'll continue the crying.

Yesterday... I made huge amounts of bran muffin mix for early mornings at the Windy M, Rice Krispie Treats (Ian's favorite), & enchiladas for dinner tonight.
Today... I'm just hoping I don't burn the enchiladas when I cook them tonight.

Yesterday... I did 6 loads of laundry... folded and put away.
Today... I couldn't find anything to wear and the pants that still fit all needed to be ironed... why didn't I iron yesterday?

Yesterday... my head was clear.

Today... my nose is running & my head is pounding.
(I know what you're saying Kirsten... "drink your water!")

Yesterday... was a good day!
Today... is getting better!

Faithful

My word for 2007 : faithful

I’ve thought long and hard about a word.
A specific word that I want others to see in what I do and say.
A word that will reflect the way I live.
I want a kind of word that makes a difference in my life, but more importantly, the lives of others.

Faithful is my word.
It doesn’t belong to me, I don’t own it… but I want it to be the word that others think of when they think of me... when they see me in action... when they read what I write.

Faithful is an adjective. An adjective is a word that describes something.
Faithful is a word that I pray does, and will continue to, describe me.
Faithful means: full of faith.
Faithful means: steadfast in affection or allegiance – loyal.
Faithful means: firm in adherence to promises or in observance of duty – conscientious.
Faithful means: given with strong assurance – binding.
Faithful means: true to the facts, to a standard, or to an original
Faithful implies unswerving adherence to a person or thing or to the oath or promise by which a tie was contracted.

Words bring feeling.

Words capture emotion.

Words are powerful… and as I live each day… the words I use define me. They not only define me, but they are a reflection of what I live for, what I stand for, what I believe in.

So… as this new year begins… I pray that my quest for faithfulness is evident, challenging, rewarding, and meaningful in my life – and in yours.

Proverbs 3:3 Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.

Romans 12:12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Proverbs 28:20 A faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.

Let the Calving Begin

Calving season is here!
... and with calving season comes LOTS of babies, some ornery mamas, bottles of iodine, milk replacer and late nights.

Our first calf was born the other night - healthy and full of spunk.
Our second calf... well... she made an entrance!
I remember Ian telling me he was going to go check cows at about 9:30.
I remember thinking that I should get up and help him.
I don't remember falling asleep.
Suddenly at 12:45 a.m. I sit straight up and realize that he never came to bed.
My first thought is that he is stuck in the mud that has engulfed our farm.
My second thought is that a mad mama has trampled him and he's yelling for help from a few miles away in the canyon.
I check all the beds, I rush downstairs, and I find my husband asleep on the couch.
I shake him gently and ask why he hasn't come to bed... he tells me to look in the mud room.
Baby #2 was born last night - healthy, but not as spunky, and very wet & cold. She made her way into our mud room with the help of Dr. Dolittle a.k.a Ian, and made herself right at home.

Mason wasn't quite sure what to think of the whole thing this morning, and couldn't figure out why the calf was in the house... but as he watched, he inched closer and closer - totally intrigued... but not quite ready to touch!

So... here's to healthy babies, and Mason's first calf in the house!

Back in the Saddle

I kept wishing that vacation could last forever.
I kept hoping that it would dump huge amounts of snow last night.
I kept praying that I would wake up and it would still be Monday... but...
life goes on... and ready or not... back in the saddle we go!

Mason is sick - coughing and sneezing like crazy!
Ian is waiting patiently (sort of) for the first calf to appear!
I am growing... still not totally noticable, but definitely growing!

It's a new year!

There will be weddings - Allison & Mike :) and Becky & Brandon :)
There will be births - looking forward to meeting the little life growing inside me.
There will be opportunities to shine.
There will be opportunities to make a difference in the lives of others.
There will be opportunities to show the love of Christ to everyone.
There will be many, many, many opportunities to trust God.
There will be opportunities to give thanks.
There will be opportunities to live life - and live it well!

Happy New Year family & friends!

Be blessed and know that God has you in the palm of His hand and nothing can separate you from His love!