What was life like...

before memory cards, card readers, mini travel drives, CD-R disks, external hard drives, flat screens, laptops, networked printers?… the list goes on and on.




I’ve learned so very, very much this year as the “tech” teacher for my school. I’m far from being an expert, but the knowledge I’ve gained by “trial and error” is amazing!
Who would have thought that I would be the one to fix a document camera, or install software, or record the student news broadcast??

My job has been challenging & rewarding. I’ve made terrific friends with the “tech department,” I’m now known as “Lindsay again,” and I’ve found that the relationships I’ve built with these great people – in person and on the phone – are priceless.

There are days when I wish, wish, wish that I didn’t have to work.
There are several moments each day that I want to be at home.
There are times when I look at the clock and wonder why time goes so very, very slow at work and so very, very fast at home.
There are many, many opportunities for me to wish I was somewhere else… but today… I’m thankful for where I am.
I have great co-workers, I’m surrounded by children who think the world of their teachers, I have the opportunity to learn new things, fail and laugh at myself, and I experience growth personally and professionally every day.

Doesn’t get much better than that.

1 week of school left.
1 week of crazy, chaos, busyness.
1 week of life with a computer that has internet access… and then… sporadic, not as up-to-date blog entries… and rather than getting sad about it… I’m focusing on the fact that I have a job that gives me a whole summer to experience change, growth, life… and opportunities to capture it, as well as time to capture it. There are going to be so many, many things to share with all of you. A new child, a loving toddler, another harvest, beautiful sunsets, family adventures... and I promise that whenever I find myself near a computer that has internet capabilities - I'll do my best to post life on the Windy M.

Gone Fishin'

North Fork of the John Day River - Ukiah.

The Umatilla River - Spring Pasture.

Truly enjoying the fact that my husband has taken some time to do something he enjoys.
We spent 2 days fishing over the weekend and Mason is definitely going to have the hang of it by the end of the summer. We've yet to give him an actual "hook," but his red rubber fish that hangs from the end of his super-duper Spiderman pole seems to be doing the trick for now!

Sicle-Pop

Everyone needs a banana "SICLE-POP" ... don't you think!?

Obie (Kirsten's dog) is thinking he needs one too!!

The Sleepover Boys

Love these sweet boys.
So thankful to be a part of their lives.

Wondering what life will be like when there will be 4 boys to entertain...

soon, very, very soon!!

Rub-A-Dub-Dub...Two Boys in a Tub!

To Do List:

Tonight:
Sleep over.
3 boys.
1 very pregnant mom.
1 loving sister.
1 worn out daddy.

should be interesting.
should be fun.
should be lots of great photos to post next week.

Sometime during the next 3 days:
* put your feet up ... even if it's only for a few minutes.
* read a book... or a quick article in a magazine.
* take a picture of your favorite shoes.... you'll see mine next week... and then think of a reason why they're your favorite.
* smile at someone you don't know and keep eye contact.... what happens?
* write a note to someone who isn't expecting to hear from you.
* make your favorite cookies... bake them... or eat the dough... either way, they'll be good.

Every day: Live Life Loud and Love It!!

Priceless.

Follow directions carefully:
Watch.
Smile.
Laugh.
Watch again.



Happy Thursday!

Resting in His Presence.

Surrounded by huge trees, a beautiful meadow, and wonderful women, my weekend was spent in a rustic hotel, enjoying food, fellowship, laughter, rest, and everything scrapbook one could possibly imagine. There was no agenda. There were no expectations, no “bed-times,” no toddlers… just time.

I don’t spend a lot of time doing things for “me.” I don’t get very many opportunities to “get away.” I usually think of others before myself and simply “know” that my time for me will come. I don’t search out ways to find that time… I just live, day to day, knowing that it will. Last weekend was one of those memorable times in my life where it was focused on me. I drove about 45 minutes away from my home, my family… the everyday things that are “routine,” and rested. I was given the best Mother’s Day gift of all – the gift of time.

Thank you girls for welcoming me… for laughing with me… for letting me watch with awe how amazingly talented each of you are. You have creativity written all over you!
Thank you Ian for making it work!!

On Sunday afternoon, wearing sweats and flip-flops, I crossed the railroad tracks and headed home. I wasn’t sad that the weekend was over, but cheerful because I was able to find the time to enjoy it. My family functioned without me. The VBS table at church stood firm without me. My house stayed clean. My life took a break… a much needed break… and I rested. There were things I missed, but taking that “time” was more important. As I drove home, I thought about all the things I find myself doing… and then I thought about all the time that I don’t seem to be able to spend with God… just reading, praying, thinking… slowing down.
Why do I find it so difficult to find time every day to “rest” in His presence? Why do day-to-day activities some how take over, and before I realize it, another week has passed? This week… life is still busy. I have several meetings I have to attend. I have teachers to interview. I have a baby shower to help with. I have students to teach. I have a son to love. I have a husband to support. I have friends to comfort. I have everything that makes my life mine. In the midst of all of those “things” that seem to consume my time, I HAVE to remember that without making a conscious effort to “rest” in His presence - my life can become a never-ending rollercoaster ride. I HAVE to remember that I’m not in control. I have to KNOW that each day goes just a little better when I make that simple choice.

This weekend was a great reminder of what “rest” really is. It is an unhurried life. It’s finding the balance. It’s watching God at work around me… not moving so quickly that I miss it all along the way.

I’m typing this in my front room. I’m looking out a dirty window, watching my hanging baskets sway in the breeze. The morning sun is shining on my face. The coffee pot is on. The birds are chirping. My life in the fast lane is about to start again for the day… but for just a few moments I’m going to let the sun shine right on me as I reflect on pieces of this verse. I am RESTING in His presence.

Numbers 6:24-26
The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.

... and can I just tell you that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this little boy more and more every day... is that possible?

Joy. He is pure JOY.

New Life... Beginning

After making a stop at the vet, running to Home Depot for sign posts needed for the school carnival (tonight), and visiting with our nearest neighbor (lives about 4 miles away) on the road... I pulled into the driveway and took a long, deep BREATH! I had only 10-15 minutes to do "little" things around the house before Ian would be home to load panels. My lawn had been mowed, the dogs were eagerly awaiting the kennel to be opened, the horses weren't out, the gates were all closed... and my hanging baskets were drooping. My heart sank.

In the midst of all the chaos this week, I'd done a horrible job of remembering to water my beautiful flowers. There was still hope - they were not crispy, just wilting. Mason and I filled the pitchers of water and head out the front door. I peeked inside the one with the nest... and look what I found:

Isn't LIFE amazing!!

My life motto - to live an "unhurried" life... hmmm... doesn't seem to be happening right now.
I'm trying dad... I am!! :)
I've tried to find "quiet" each day to reflect, to think, to pray... but it's been sparse.
Our "quality" family time has been great this week - in midst of all of the chaos - we've spent every evening together. Not necessarily at home... but we've been together.

Today... it's a new day... I'm breathing deeply... taking one thing at a time... only doing what "needs" to be done... not stressing about unnecessary things... and...
after a full day of teaching and our school carnival tonight, I'm headed up the mountains.
Ian is keeping Mason and I'm going away.
Going away to reflect.
Going away to rest.
Going away to spend time taking care of the inside and the outside of me.
Going away and hopefully coming back refreshed, renewed, and at peace.
Going away and enjoying whatever comes my way.

Happy Weekend Everyone!

May you be blessed by your surroundings - whatever they may be!

Rough Week

...is an understatement… and it’s not over yet.
There are so many words I’d use to describe the last 4 days:

Challenging
Overwhelming
Emotional
Draining
Trying
Consuming

The list goes on and on…

Dinner (aside from our evening with Angela & the boys) has been random & late every night.
The TV hasn’t been on for more than 15 minutes total.
There has been issue after issue with the cows/calves – torn up fence, cows on the tracks, a blown-down tree, horses in the coral with the calves, dead batteries in both 4 wheelers, dead calves, lack of water… again… I could go on and on and on – but won’t… I’m sure you get the general gist.

Ian, Mason & I have spent the past few days working more as a “unit” than we ever have before. We’ve fixed fence, waited on trains, played in the yard, drank Squirt out on the front porch, cried, laughed, questioned our luck – or lack of, worked, and feel extremely “beat-up” … emotionally and physically.

How can so many things happen all at once? All your energy and emotions pouring out of you until you’re absolutely “spent.” And today… well, it hasn’t been an easy one either.

This morning… as I walked into Wal-Mart carrying Mason (in his pjs with no shoes)… I was met by Ralph. I’m not a very frequent shopper at the “big store,” but when I have to go, I try to go early in the morning… and Ralph is always there. He’s attended our church a few times, and I’ve been fortunate enough to be the “greeter” or “usher” on those Sundays, and get to return the favor.
The smile, the sincere greeting, the care & concern that pours out of this man is amazing. He greeted me this morning with sanitary wipes for the cart, a sticker for Mason, and a pat on the arm for me – asking how I was doing and letting me know how happy he was to see me – because he hadn’t seen me for some time. I visited for a minute and continued on my way through the store.
I loaded our cart full of First Aid paraphernalia (I know it’s hard to believe, but our stock-pile of supplies is running low.) Mason stayed in the cart – never attempted to get out or get in the back – talked about everything he saw in the isles – and kept saying “hug mommy” as we made our way to the check-out line.
I paid for our things and then headed to the door. Ralph’s door. He was happily greeting another man and saw me from the corner of his eye. He turned toward me and walked right up, touched my arm, and said “I didn’t realize you were making a miracle.” I could feel the tears in my eyes as I smiled and said – “Yes, it’s another boy!” Did he know what kind of week we've had? Could he see my need for comfort right now? He smiled and said, “You know, it just makes me so happy to see people like you making miracles!” The tears were so close to pouring out of me. I wasn't sure what to do or say. I smiled and said thank you quietly – thanking God for this messenger today. Ralph, in his quiet, comforting voice said – “Blessings to you today sweet girl… and sweet boy.”

Thank you Ralph for your care and concern and words of comfort.
Thank you God for the messenger you sent.

I’ve struggled this week with so many things.
My job, my home, my staff.
The fact that I am pregnant with a healthy, growing baby, and our dear, dear friends have had their twins lives come to an end.
My husband’s calves made 100% choice – all of them… so amazing, so great, so rewarding… yet our current herd has calves dying, they are lacking water at one pasture, are having to be trucked back home for 10 days and then trucked to the mountain pasture, and we’re running ragged trying to keep up with them.

I needed to hear Ralph today.
I needed that assurance from God…
I needed to know...
That life is ok.
That the blisters on my son’s foot will be ok.
That his lack of toe-nail and skin on his big toe will be ok.
That my job/assignment next year is going to be ok.
That my husband, the workaholic, will be ok.
That our dear, dear friends are going to be ok.
That our cows/calves/pasture issues will be ok.
That the future is something we can’t worry about… it’s going to be ok.
That this miracle we’ve created (who is currently sideways inside me) will be ok.

I hope and pray that all of you notice the “messengers” that God puts in your life… and that you don’t ignore what they have to say… because what they’re saying is not an accident, not a mistake… it’s a reassuring God saying “I’m here.”

Mother's Day : Take 12

In my attempt to "capture" everyone looking their best... well, what you see is what you get! :)

Hope your day was as nice as mine ~

Upside Down

I'm thinking the theme song for life right now is one of Jack Johnson's greatest hits.

It's 7:15 pm and most people have eaten dinner, are getting their kids ready for bed, and are settling down for the evening. Most people... normal people... not us... we're anything but normal.
I'm holding my son on my lap watching the cows enjoy the pasture we have down at the river. How can it be that something so beautiful, and still, and lush is only about 2 miles from our house - our house that sits in the wind, surrounded by dryland and irrigation... but nothing else?
I'm waiting for a train to come around the corner, anticipating the look on my son's face as he sits with me only 10 feet from the tracks... 10 feet away from the "choo-choo" that he's so infatuated with right now.
It's still.
We can hear the train in the distance, but don't know which way it's headed. The river moves around the corner and the birds fly low. I'm hoping my husband doesn't take too long to check the water. I'm hungry. I'm emotionally drained - almost numb. I'm wondering why life seems so "upside down" sometimes. I'm thinking about the week we've just had... not just me, but my family, my friends, my school, my leadership team, my hometown. The week has been long and I'm tired.

Life comes at you without warning sometimes. Just like a train that you can hear in the distance... you know it's coming, but you don't know when. Sometimes you are far enough away that you just get to sit and watch it move right on by, intrigued by it's swiftness and strength. Other times you see it and you move as fast as you can to get out of the way. Maybe you stumble and fall and barely make it across the tracks.... or maybe you flat out just get run over. Trains come and go every day. There are some evenings where we see trains at the river pasture every 5-10 minutes. They don't slow down for anything.... seriously... they have a mission and packages to deliver... and they don't stop for anything - not cows, not deer, not people... nothing.
This week has been a train ride. I've been on the train, I've heard the train coming and jumped out of the way, and I've been hit by the train.... and I know I'm not the only one.
God is still here.
He never promised that there wouldn't be storms... His promise is that He won't leave... even in the midst of the storm.
I've seen the hand of God at work in the lives of those around me and I can only trust that there will be a day when we all get to see and hear the train in the distance and just enjoy it. That a day will come when we won't be running from it, that we won't be scrambling to get up and get moving before it comes around the corner, and that we won't be underneath it - barely surviving.

I've spent a lot of time wondering, questioning, praying, living. I know that I just have to live. I have to live each and every day doing all I can to make life meaningful and joyful. I have to show love. I have to show compassion. I have to show the "realness" of life. I have to... and want to... show others who Christ is and what He can do.

Enjoy every minute you can... enjoy the river, enjoy the pastures, enjoy the flowers, enjoy the paint, enjoy dinner with friends, enjoy looking through a picture book, enjoy your job, enjoy the unexpected, enjoy the emotions, enjoy each and every thing that makes your life yours right now... because life comes at you - with no warning. Things change, people change, circumstances change.... and you have NO control of it. Life is all about change, but...

God remains.

Time Well Spent

Spent the evening taking pictures and visiting... two of my FAVORITE things to do.

There is just something about "time well spent" with friends and the camera! The light was gorgeous and the wheat... well, what can I say... it speaks for itself.

I LOVE the fact that 50 feet off my porch is the best looking wheat I've seen in years (at least in that field). It's just starting to turn slightly yellow and it's growing taller each day - especially these nice, warm, sunny ones!

Here are a few "classics" of my silly boys... with the ultimate backdrop:

and these two... well, they're beautiful... inside and out!

Thank you Brenda & JP for your friendship, your support, your willingness to help with ANYTHING & EVERYTHING, your patience with my husband (BOSS ~ as JP likes to call him), your love for our son, and your smiles! Love you guys and are praying that the adoption process you've begun will go smoothly and quickly.

Morgan Mary...

You are treasured.
You are loved.
Happy 4th Birthday sweet, sweet girl!

New Life... Almost.

Every year I hang two hanging baskets on my porch.
Every year a bird builds a nest in one of the hanging baskets.

The first year I thought that if I watered the basket with the nest, the mama would leave the eggs, and no babies would be born. I stopped watering the basket, the flowers in the basket died and the birds lived. It was cool to see the new babies, but my poor basket looked terrible.

The second year I was so excited to see that once again a small nest was hidden beneath the leaves and flowers... but I just couldn't justify letting the flowers I had just planted die too. I continued to water the basket... and guess what... the birds and the flowers lived!

Just the other day I took my watering can out on the porch and a small bird flew from the basket. My heart fluttered. I knew there was going to be a nest... and sure enough... there it was... a small, well-made, beautiful nest.



"LIFE" is so cool.
New life happens around us each and every day.
Welcome it.
Love it.
Reflect on it.

God is SO good!

Tuckered Out

The picture says it all.
If I could take a picture of myself right now, after this {long, long, long} week, this is the "look" I'd be shootin' for.

Week OVER!

National Day of Prayer

Praying for...

my grandparents
my friends
my country
my community
my church
my marriage
my school
my doctors
my boss
my unborn child
my students
my pastors
my sister
my husband
my home
my son
my brother-in-laws
my nephew
my pastor
my co-workers
my in-laws
my job
my parents
my country's soldiers
my nieces
my school district
my my sister-in-laws
my city
my President
my family.

I'm remembering to pray today... and every day... for ALL the things in my life.

James 5:16
"Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results."

Mark 11:24
"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."

Psalm 66:18
"If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened."

Demolition Derby

... and no... Mason had nothing to do with it!

So I park in the back parking lot at school today... just like every other day... but lucky me the first spot (that's usually taken by the time I get there) was open and beckoning me.

10:13 AM *the Scholastic Book Fair Truck arrives
10:15 AM *my fifth grade class arrives
10:16 AM *book fair driver arrives bearing gifts... oh wait... I mean "BAD NEWS!"
10:17 AM *first grade students at recess inform me that "that guy hit your truck!"
10:20 AM *photo session and insurance exchange in front of 85 6 year olds.

Of all the vehicles in the parking lot to hit... the poor guy hit the librarians truck! At least now my pickup is 5 feet closer to the door on this rainy day. :)

I've had better days... but I haven't laughed quite so hard as I have today.
SERIOUSLY... WHY ME!?

Mason ~ The Little Cattleman

... and possibly a future VET!

The Porch

Spent some time on the porch yesterday.
There is just something about porches in general that I love.
Maybe it's the fact that it welcomes visitors or that the steps - up or down - lead to something I love.
I always wanted a home with a screened in sleeping porch - how cool would that be?!
...and someday, I'll have my dream home with a huge wrap-around porch that doesn't have barn swallow nests and biting flies.... someday.
What is it about a porch that makes a home so inviting, so warm, so "country?"

Back to yesterday...
Mason and I waited patiently yesterday afternoon for my parents to arrive... and when they came into view my soul sang a song! They're here! They're here!
Mason showed off with all the latest tricks, chased mom around the yard, coaxed his papa into pulling him in the wagon... and I smiled and breathed a HUGE sigh of relief, knowing that life will be easier for the next two days... and I might even get to school on time!

Here are some pictures of the porch at Farm 2.
What you see is what you get... life on the Windy M... living on the porch.


Happy May Day - May your day be blessed and bright!