Mason.

I'm ready for you to stop growing up now.

But the future is calling ... and you're totally and completely ready!

Shine on sweet boy of mine. 

Shine on.

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

The last day of preschool.

Bloom.

To bloom is ...

to produce or yield blooms.

to flourish or thrive.

to be in or achieve a state of healthful beauty and vigor.

to glow with warmth or with a warm color.

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

There are days when you feel the warmth.

You know you're shining.

You know that color surrounds you.

You know that the beauty from within your soul is reaching out to the world around you.

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

But ...

Not every day is a day with {blooms}.

Not every day is filled with color or warmth.

And so ... on those days when you feel more {gloom} than {bloom} ...

Know, believe and trust that : God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.  Phil. 1:6

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

What does {bloom} mean to you?

wordless Wednesday ...

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

more like ... unbelievable ... who posts pictures of themselves {hula-hooping}??!!??

I guess I do.

Finding its way back to me.

The rain came down in sheets last week.

And when it wasn't {storming} ... the wind was blowing ... and when the wind wasn't blowing ... there still wasn't much {good} going on in the world of {me}.

Long sleeves.

Hoodies.

And grumpiness.

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

I don't like to be grumpy.

Not at all.

But last week ... until I had myself a good cry last night ... I was grumpy.

Every. Single. Day. ... Grumpy.


The pathetic part was that there was a lot of {good} about last week ... but the hard, draining, emotional, discouraging, confronting, struggles that happened every. single. day. just seemed to put a damper on my mood, as well as my tolerance level.

Life was not fun in the world of {me}.

Go figure.

{me} ... rather than {we} ... destined for disaster.

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

I don't like to struggle.

Being in a battle is even worse.

There is a reason I'm not a {fighter}.

Not because I would give up immediately ... but because I don't like the person I become when the battle is {raging}.

I like to win.

And I'm very competitive.

But battling against your soul ... also known as Jesus in my world, is down right ridiculous.

Normally, I'd dare you to try it {being the competitor I am} ... but don't.

Don't even think about it.

Save yourself some misery and just know that you can't do it on your own.

{We} is always better than {me}.

Your family, your co-workers, your friends ... they'll thank me, and I think you will too.
.................................

Despite the clouds ... God's goodness was still totally evident ... it just took me a while to see it. 

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








295.  rain and the calm it brings after the storm.

296.  a road less traveled for an inexperienced driver hauling horses.

297.  proof that the {country} I find myself surrounded by is where I'm meant to be.  I love windmills.

298.  dust to follow ... dust to lead the way.

299.  the last load of mamas and their cute baby calves ... in the mountians for the summer.  Praise God.

300.  sunglasses. 

301.  the calendar.  so much to look forward to ... so much more to come.

302.  quiet {watching} and {waiting} ... so much observed ... so much learned. 

303.  a smile ... that found its way back to {me} ... finally.

and so much more. 

I SPY ... freckles.

A face without freckles is like the sky without the stars.

freckled. blessed. and loved.

peace.

so I don't forget.

Mason:  Hey Mack ... guess what? ... guess what Mack? ... I'm in Kindergarten ... I'm going to Kindergarten.

Mack: silence.

Mason:  did you hear me Mack? ... I'm going to Kindergarten!

Mack:  silence ... but a small smile ... bye Mason.

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

and life is on the brink of change once again.

his cell phone.

Ian is never, ever, ever without his phone.

Never.

And it’s either ringing or he’s dialing.

You may think I’m exaggerating.

I’m not.

…………………………………………………………

Usually I can predict who is calling or who might answer his call.

I don’t have to be within earshot.

I don’t even have to know exactly who it is.

Even from across the pen and over the gate … about 97.4% of the time … I know what the conversation is about and who it’s with.

Again, this may seem a little far-fetched.

It’s not.

………………………………

Cows.

Cow trailers.

Hay.

Pasture.

Money.

Cows.

Weather.

Mineral.

Cows.

Fences.

Water.

Cows.

………………………………

Each and every conversation he has is about those 10 things.

Well, maybe not every single one … but … you get my drift.

And as {life} continues to happen around him … I just watch and know and wait …

And while I wait, I take pictures.

Because sometimes … when you’re totally caught up in conversation regarding life as a cattleman with another cattleman … you miss the chaos that’s happening around you.

I know … hard to believe huh?!

So just in case he forgot that his boys were in the pen filled with mama’s that aren’t always nice and that often look like this:

I took pictures to show him what {life} looks like while he talks and walks.

Because after 7 + years of watching and waiting on my cattleman … I’ve come to understand, and learn firsthand, that almost all cattlemen are professionals at walking and talking and tuning everything else out.
Professional and oblivious.

But … a whole lot of wonderful just the same.

one day ... not so long ago.

283. a multitude of panels to {watch} from

284.  feed that just seems to {grow} on it's own ... and fills the fields with {green}. 

Some may call it weeds.  I call it beautiful.

285.  Whitey.  Still with us ... and now happily grazing in Albee for the summer.

286.  Stubborn streaks.  We all have them.  Some just make them {cuter} than they really are ...

287.  The mountain pasture.  {well, one of them}

 

288.  My cattleman.  There are some things that just make a person what they're supposed to be. 

Cows are that {thing} for Ian.

289.  a portrait of my {almost one month away from 3} 2 year old.

290.  stock trailers and the magnificant way they can make life entertaining.

291. a 4-wheeler.  Just what you need when you're {tracking} down a cougar ... or finding dead calves.

292. one of our few {dark} pairs.

 

293.  life with gates and chains and twine and dirt ... definitely interesting.

294.  did I mention dirt?!

~ there you have it ... one day ... not so long ago ... where so much was learned ... and in the ordinary, we found the extraordinary.