Life {with cows}.

There are days when I wonder what it would be like to not have cows.

I used to live that life.

One with vacations.

One with golf courses.

One with camping trips.

One with free weekends.

One free from feeding.

One free from hay and grass in pockets, gloves, hats ... pretty much everything.

One free from a lot.

And although it was {free} of a lot, it's not necessarily one I would know what to do with anymore.

Funny how that happens.
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Now that we live where our cows are again... although most are already on spring pasture several miles away ... I've found myself truly appreciating the fact that my boys have developed a real understanding of the routines that have to happen because of the cows.

They have to eat.

Every. Single. Day.

The troughs can not be empty.

The gates must always be closed.

The twine has to be picked up.

The bottle babies must be fed twice a day.

The bulls must not be messed with.

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I'm sure that if I {interviewed} Ian or Mason ... the list would be longer, but I chose to go with my own list.

It's just easier that way.

And since I'm the one that deals with the {mess} that doesn't seem to leave itself at the door ... you get my perspective, not theirs.

So there you have it ... the {highlights} of life with cows.

Here are just a few treasures from our {staycation} last week.

Yes, he's licking the windshield. Why? I have no idea. It must taste good.

Yep.

Life with cows.

I wouldn't want it any other way.

Really.

He chose me.

I continue to learn so much about myself as I tackle motherhood.

5+ years into this adventure with my boys and I still find myself speechless at times.

Speechless because somehow, someway I was given the amazing responsibility to raise two beautiful {handsome} boys.

God chose me.

He chose me to be the book reader, teeth brusher, laundry folder, hug & kiss giver, cookie maker, tear wiper, potty trainer, prayer lifter ... and so much more ...

Some days I'm not cut out for it.

Some days I am.

But you know what ... every day I am blessed.

Blessed by the opportunity.

Blessed by the challenge.

Blessed by my boys.

And as I continue to tackle one day at a time on this roller coaster of a ride called {mom} ... I know God will give me all that I need to make their life meaningful, peaceful, honorable, and treasured.

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I've been thinking about Mary today.

Mary.

Mother of Jesus.

I pray I can be a mother like her.

A mother knowing that her son was not her own.

A mother knowing that her son would make a difference.

A mother knowing that God called her to be the mother of her son for a reason.

A mother knowing that life is short.

A mother knowing that He who began a good work would complete it.

A mother that can deal with heart-wrenching days knowing it is for a greater cause.

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I am not mother to Jesus, but I can still respond to God's calling in my life as a mother to Mason and to Mack as Mary did.

Luke 1:46-55

Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.
47 How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
48 For he took notice of his lowly servant girl,
and from now on all generations will call me blessed.
49 For the Mighty One is holy,
and he has done great things for me.
50 He shows mercy from generation to generation
to all who fear him.
51 His mighty arm has done tremendous things!
He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.
52 He has brought down princes from their thrones
and exalted the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away with empty hands.
54 He has helped his servant Israel
and remembered to be merciful.
55 For he made this promise to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his children forever.”

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Mary.

An example to follow.

and the {cowgirl} is ...

Tiffany Neighbors!!


(selected at random)

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The best part about this giveaway ... sharing the gift of scripture with the readers of Bales & Tales.

Thanks for taking the time to leave words that encourage, uplift, inspire, and bless.

Tiffany's verse was:

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plan I have for you. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

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And, for those of you that didn't win ... please, go on over to Blueberry Silver and check out their beautiful work!

mercy-filled.

5:30 a.m.

Monday, March 29th, 2010

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It’s quiet.

The fog rolled up the canyon sometime after the rain stopped during the night.

I started Ian’s coffee for him this morning.

Not a practice common to my daily routine.

Neither of us slept that well, and Mack joined us sometime around three this morning.

I should have just gotten up, but somehow his sweet little hand on my cheek made the next two hours perfect.

It’s yet the beginning of another season for us.

10 more weeks of school.

Spring.

And hopefully a lot of rain.

I don’t normally pray for an abundance of rain, but we need it ... therefore, I’ve been on my knees praying for rain.

I also don’t make it a habit to countdown how many days are left of school, but I do know that our last trimester has started, and we still have a lot to learn. Bring on the fun and bring on the next 10 weeks.

Spring is one of my favorite seasons … and I have not one bulb blooming at my new home. Go figure.
I'll be busy next fall.
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The past ten days have been sent straight from heaven.

Our {stay-cation} was filled with adventure, friendship, and even a picnic or two … or five.

The days that could have been spent rushing here and there were quiet.

The moments that made my heart smile over and over again were right here at {home}.

And although I caught myself dreaming of the beach and the zoo at least once, I knew that {home} was where we needed to be.

The past ten days were spent soaking up hugs and sunshine.

They were restful.

They were filled with books and a cookie or two.

They were filled with walks and even a lunch date too.

They were what a break should be.

Note to self: you don’t have to leave to find just what you need.

But …

They have not been days without struggle or frustration.

They have not been without tears.

They have not been without prayers for patience.

Because no matter where those days away from routine are spent or how the time is filled … life still happens.

The bills still come.

The boys still fight over the same tractor and trailer.

The cows don’t feed themselves.

There are anxious moments.

There is miscommunication.

And … there is this unfailing, powerful, mercy-filled love.

Praise God for that kind of love.

There is nothing quite like it.

Nothing at all.

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And starting with the most recent ...

Karl's branding.

Praying that your past 10 days have been blessed with an abundance of mercy-filled love that only Christ can give - even when we don't deserve it.

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** and the multitudes are too many to count ... I should have kept track, but didn't ... so ... I promise they'll continue next week.

Spring Break is GREAT! and a ... giveaway!

I can't even begin to tell you what a WONDERFUL week I've had at {home}.

In fact, I've only made my way to town twice.

Unbelievable,but not really.

There is nothing quite like the peace and quiet of {home}.

And the comfort of cuddling with my boys, cooking, walking, napping occasionally, mowing the yard, and reading.

And as I've read, I've come to treasure, love and ponder on verses from the Bible that I'm certain I've read before ... but suddenly some of them seem to have new meaning.

Amazing how that works.

I can't wait to share some of them with you next week.

... with a picture or two as well. {go figure}

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And now ... for the fun {giveaway} that I am blessed to be able to share with you!

Blueberry Silver - amazing jewelry, made by amazing friends.

For your chance to be the blessed recipient of this little piece of {country} ... leave a comment with your favorite verse from the Bible.

One verse that you love.

Maybe it's one that gives you hope.

Perhaps it offers peace.

It could be one that is encouraging.

Or maybe it just reminds you of God's faithfulness.

..........................................

Whatever it is ... leave it in a comment before 7:30 a.m. on Monday, March 29 and you'll be entered in a chance to have this Blueberry Silver beauty in your hands before Easter.

Become a fan on Facebook ... Blueberry Silver.

On a break. {and loving it}

I'm going to spend the next week loving all three of these {boys} on my Spring Break!

See you soon!

... and may God continue to show you His love ...

in real, tangible, and amazing ways during the upcoming week!

Spring is just around the corner ... and God's love is blooming!

Embrace it!

Peace.

all things green

Sometimes ... the best thing you can do at the end of a long day is capture the {colors} that surround you.

Yesterday, the freckled, Irish girl in me went with {green}.

One of my favorite colors to look at ... and to wear.

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Green represents growth.

Green is fresh.

Green is alive.

Green is bright and beautiful.

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Green.

Let it define you.

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What do you enjoy that is {green}?

give this Wordless Wednesday some words

I just can't help it.

Mason totally {faking} it ... just to make Mack {mad}.

And Mack driving away with his lower lip sticking way out ... shouting {Mack mad}.

I try not to laugh ... but sometimes, I just can't help it.

You were there ...

You were there with me at the staff meeting when the {change} was announced.

You were there with me the day after the meeting ... when people had time to process the change.

You were there with me at the assembly ... cheering ... yet looking & feeling exhausted.

You were there helping me pack a bag {or two} for the trip {home}.

You were there while the wipers were swishing back and forth.

You were there when I reached the roadside Mt. marker and saw the peaks that have welcomed me home more times than I can recall.

You were there while Mack jabbered about this and that ... but mostly about going to Papa & Mor-Mor's house.

You were there as I stopped for the fire engine to pull onto the highway in front of me.

You were there when I turned into the familiar driveway and found my way into my parent's arms.

You were there as we enjoyed dinner together and laughed over and over again at Mack's expressions and chatter.

You were there making your way through Wal-Mart with a mom and her two grown daughters. Laughing, smiling, {be}ing.

You were there in the mix of treats, balloons, pizza and punch.

You were there singing with us in celebration of Ava's life.

You were there watching me buy ties and sunglasses for my two little men.

You were there as I held new books in my hand.

You were there as I read about potty training {again}.

You were there as the clocks made their way forward one hour.

You were there in the midst of people gathered to worship You.

You were there smiling down as parents dedicated their children's lives to You.

You were there in the tears.

You were there in the message of Joy.

You were there as my vehicle compass pointed north and then east.

You were there as I unpacked the car and put everything back in its place.

You were there as my 5 year old came home and told me about {steering} his horse by himself.

You were there as my 2 year old squealed for joy when his dad's spurs clanked their way through the doorway.

You were there as our heads touched the pillows after a week {and weekend} filled with goodness.

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You were there.

And You still are.

The gifts, the blessings, the ordinary that makes life extraordinary ... they happen because of You.

And although I thank You periodically for this life I am blessed to live ...

may my life and testimony be the {thanks} that is due to you

may my attitude be a reflection of your grace and mercy

may my gifts be glorifying to you ...

because the desire of my heart is to please You.

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165. Dinner with a friend and time to {catch up}.

166. Chocolate chip cookies and an oven to bake them late in the evening.

167. MOPS. Each and every time I walk away blessed.

168. The comfort of being {home} in my hometown on a Friday night.

169. Shopping at COSTCO and sticking to my budget {almost}.

170. The sweetness that being 2 is all about.

171. The magestic mountains of Central Oregon.

172. Seeing a college friend 10+ years later and admiring his love for Jesus.

173. My sister, her husband, her sweet, sweet 2 year old, and their friends.

174. Birthdays. {my favorite}

175. A quiet drive home on a Sunday afternoon & a chance to reflect on my JOY in Him.

176. Laundry piled in the mudroom {life was good for those who stayed home}

177. A boy that is changing into a young man right before my very eyes.

178. a husband to wake me with a gentle kiss and remind me that although it's dark, it's time to get up.

179. Report cards. If I didn't have them to do, I wouldn't have the great responsibility of teaching 27 second graders. And not a day goes by without thoughts of how wonderful it is to teach. {even on the hard days}

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Pslam 35:27

But give great joy to those who came to my defense.
Let them continually say, “Great is the Lord,
who delights in blessing his servant with peace!”

relationships

I've been spending a lot of time thinking about ... pondering on ... and wondering about the word {relationship}.

It's my mother-in-law's word for 2010 ... and a GREAT one at that.

Relationship.

Defined in so many different ways.

I liked this definition the best:

Relationships are the connections people have with other people. Relationships may be between people with personal connections or those with connections based on print, media or correspondence. People absorb more knowledge when the bond is with someone they know and respect.

Some relationships are simply for pleasure.

Others are necessary.

Some are required.

And one thing I know for sure ...

if they're {right} ... they will make you a better person than you ever thought you could be.

Relationships are all around us.

It's our choice to embrace them ... to nurture them ... to {be} in them.

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Hoping and praying that the relationships you find yourself a part of in this chapter of your story are as wonderful as mine.

... for those who love Him.

There are times when neither pictures nor words do life justice.

I carried my camera with me this weekend … but I really didn’t take that many pictures.

Instead, I worked and watched and soaked life in like a sponge.

Soaking in every ounce of the goodness this past week offered.

And you know what I realized?

When you spend all your time and energy soaking in the good, there is no room left for the bad.

No room at all.

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The blessings continue.

Ordinary life changing us forever.

Moments defining our future.

Memories making our past memorable.

People offering us the gift of time.

Jesus creating a beautiful setting for us to live in and enjoy.



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146. Friends that adjust their life for you {for days} ... just because they want to.

147. Little Cesar's Pizza & a husband who is ok with the transfer of the pizza and the kids in the PGG parking lot.

148. A birthday party for Dr. Seuss.

149. Tacos. We could eat them for dinner every night. Well, maybe not every night, but close.

150. Sunshine. Lots and lots of sunshine.

151. New freckles. On me & my boys.

152. Our very own fire pit.

153. S'mores and family ... and a whole bunch of stars.

154. Juniper bushes ... ripped from the ground and then piled and burned in three seconds flat.

155. Mouthwatering steaks & all the right {sides} to go with them.

156. Popcorn.

157. Family.

158. Nails, screws, and the hardest 5 year old worker I know.

159. 40 + friends and family to make branding done in about 3 hours flat.

160. Sharing our view and our life with others.

161.Cameras, smiles, and action to capture.

162. A husband who makes hard work look easy.

163. Falling asleep smiling at the end of one of the best weekends.

164. New life. Welcome baby Jaxson! We're so happy you're here!

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No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him.
{1 Corinthians 2:9}