Mega-Millions

I was noticing on Facebook a lot of posts about people buying tickets for tonight's extremely large lottery.  I didn't purchase a ticket but it still got me thinking about what I would do with the money.  That is a whole lot of money and could totally transform your life forever if you wanted it to.

I wouldn't want it to.  I enjoy living a simple life.  Growing up, I had no idea (and still have very little understanding of) how much money my parents made.  I knew we had everything we needed and occasionally we got what we wanted.  It was a wonderful way to grow up.  It taught discipline and responsibility and the value of a dollar.  We weren't given an allowance for chores done around the house, getting good grades or watching the kids when mom and dad went out.  Instead, when I wanted to go to the Friday night high school football game or a movie with friends my dad would hand me a twenty dollar bill and say bring me the change and there was always change.

I babysat a lot.  My first gig was a few times a week over the summer when I was only 9.  I can remember thinking I would make $100 that summer and that was a big thing.  As a teenager, it seemed either Friday or Saturday was spent babysitting.  I loved to play with the kids and have a good time.  The money was a bonus.  I saved it.  I have never been a spender.  I have always thought about the future and that there might be something "more" worth it down the road.

I am still a saver.  We live comfortably within our means.  We don't dress in designer fashions or drive brand new cars.  We have some nice pieces of furniture that we happened to get very lucky to buy at a deep discount from the local furniture manufacturer's annual sale, but most of our furnishings are second hand, rather worn or an accumulation of college and post college single life.  So there could be a long list of things that we could buy with several hundred million dollars, but there won't be.

If I won the jackpot, I would continue to do exactly what I do now.  That's the sign of a truly happy, fulfilled person right? 

I would continue to be Leron's wife, Nalley and Felicity's mother and a resident of Batesville.  We may farm a few more acres with some better equipment but we wouldn't get those acres by out bidding those who have farmed them for years and the equipment probably wouldn't be brand new.  I would give a lot away to charity and the church.  I would set up scholarship funds for a variety of interests I think are awesome like music, art, foreign language and travel.  I would still grow a garden, cook my own food and clean my own house (at least most of the time).  I might trade in my camry for a minivan.  We would probably have more parties, but we are going to do that once we have more space anyway so that doesn't change anything.  I would make sure that my parents and in-laws could retire comfortably although I am not sure they would want to.  I would make sure my kids could go to college and have a little fun money but I still think it is good for them to work for it.

Nothing is going to change.  I didn't buy a lottery ticket.  So I cannot win, but I am going to wake up tomorrow morning smiling as if I just won anyway.  I learned at a very early age that money does not make you happy nor can it buy happiness.  Money is so much less valuable than we have made it seem.  There are so many more important things to have ahead of money.  I am blessed to say I have many of those things.

Lenten Daily Challenge: Eat a pretzel as a reminder that Catholics used to fast from milk, butter, eggs, cheese, cream and meat.
Rosary Special Intention: For who ever does win the lottery

God Bless!
Hannah
The Farmer's Wife

Daddy and Nalley

These two have been joined at the hip since she was born.  I am sure as Felicity gets bigger it will become a trio.

Checking out the back yard from the family room of the new house

Enjoying the new carpet in Nalley's future bedroom

God Bless!

Hannah

The Farmer's Wife

That's the way I stroll

Just a little of the beauty from our walk today

My Nalley is such a good big sister!

Two happy smiling beautiful girls!

A little bit of God made beauty

We always stop just to say hi

Lenten Daily Challenge: Make a conscious effort to see everyone with loving eyes today

Rosary Special Intention: For the Troops

God Bless!

Hannah

The Farmer's Wife

Nothing new

Apart from two house showings, (I have already posted about what fun it is to get ready for one of those) this weekend and start of the week was pretty boring. 

Batesville schools are on spring break this week which results in quiet mornings of extra cuddle time with my girls.

I am anxiously waiting to hear if we get an offer on our house.  The new house is coming together so quickly.  We are finally in the "fun" stage of painting, installing flooring and cabinets and just making it look more and more like the house I have been picturing in my mind for months.

I had a wonderful morning meeting with some mom friends which is always a needed type of therapy that I really should do more often.

My life is pretty wonderful and I try to remember to thank God everyday for my blessings big and small.

I hope your week can be a little relaxing.  Hopefully I will be struck by some profound thoughts tomorrow, but if not, I am not going to complain about one more day just hanging with my girls seeing the beauty of the world from 26-31 inches from the ground.

Lenten Daily Challenge: Get up an extra 15 minutes early each day for the next two weeks and spend that time in prayer.
Rosary Special Intention: To change one politician's mind from pro-death to pro-life

God Bless!
Hannah
The Farmer's Wife

Die that you might live

As I was sitting in mass this evening (trying to pay attention despite Nalley's best attempts to distract me), I heard the Gospel Reading.  It got me thinking about getting a straight answer.  Week after week we hear these stories of parables and prophecies and cryptic future happenings.  I have to think the apostles got annoyed at least once.  I mean when is the last time some one came to you and said, "hey I wanna hang out" and you replied, "die to yourself and you can see me"??  It is almost like they played a game of telephone and Jesus' reply was to a different question.

Leron and I often have conversations about faith.   Our conversations always seem to end up figuring out the source of sin as selfishness. I am by no means the smartest person in the world and our world has changed leaps and bounds from the vineyard, seed and sheep parables used in the Bible.  These stories are confusing and complex, but the message is always the same.  Love one another.  This story in particular describes how to love one another, die to self.  If you die to self, especially for service to others, you become more Christ-like.

Jesus is love and he showed us this love by dying for us on the cross. 

Jesus = Love = Selflessness 

The opposite of selflessness would be selfishness just as the opposite of love is hate and the opposite of Jesus is the devil.

Selfishness = Hate = Devil

So if you want to be with Jesus you have to be selfless and die to yourself so that you can serve others.  And of course, what better example of a fruitful life than a seed that dies in order to produce a plant.  Being a farmer's wife definitely made this story easier to understand.  I had never full grasped the idea of the seed dying.  To me, a seed was full of life and potential.  So in a way I understood the point of using a seed to show this potential.  I was just a little off base by considering the potential and life as two separate parts. 

We have the potential for life.  We have a chance to live.  We only seize this opportunity when we choose to give our lives up for a bigger purpose than our own existence.  Now that's some heavy stuff.  In order to truly live, I must surely die.  It seems oxymoronic on the surface. 

As humans, we are so prone to sin/selfishness that we often scoff at the idea of dying to ourselves.  It is much more fun and definitely easier to live our lives for ourselves and no one else.  It is difficult to live for someone or something else.

The priest had a great line at the end of his homily tonight.  He posed a simple question, "Who could you better serve if you died to yourself?"  My human side immediately screamed I already put everyone ahead of myself, but then I thought about it some more.  Dying to yourself doesn't mean being a martyr or expecting praise for doing something for someone else.  Dying to yourself means seeing past those earthly trappings and truly rejoicing in the love of your neighbor.

We have had some rough days around our house recently.  It seems like it has been a bad month.  There is a lot of stress with building the new house and being financially strapped because of it.  The girls have been sick off and on since what feels like Christmas.  Leron's health problems have set him on the sidelines for almost two years and have added some nice medical bills to our budget.  We have yet to sell our house in town.  It seems like the list could go on and on.

I wish I could sit here and type that I have been able to take it all in stride.  That I have truly understood the idea of dying to myself in order to serve my husband and children and others.  That I haven't had days and nights of stressed out screams, frustrated fits or tears freely flowing because I had no other answer or response.  I wish I could say that I am perfect and don't need help and I can do it all by myself.  But I'm not perfect, I do need help, I can't do it all by myself.  I have cried, thrown fits and screamed.  I haven't really mastered the idea of dying to myself yet and obviously with all that above I haven't really taken it all in stride.  But I am working on it.

There have been a few good days when I seem able to just take everything on with a smile.  It really shouldn't come as a surprise, especially after examining the reading for today, that those days are when someone needs me more than I need me.  When Leron has a really bad day, I am able to be a caring, sensitive, supportive wife.  When Nalley is sick and wants to cuddle all day, I find no stress in leaving the laundry unfolded or even unwashed and the dishes in the sink.  And when Felicity seems like all she wants to do is nurse, I rejoice in the memories we are creating in these days that will be over before I know it.

I found my answer to the question.  I could better serve everyone and I do better serve everyone when I die to myself.  What's your answer?

Lenten Daily Challenge: Trim down your possessions and give what you don't need to the poor.

Rosary Special Intention: That I may get better at dying to myself

God Bless!

Hannah

The Farmer's Wife

Good Job!

In the "real world," you get praise and a pat on the back when you complete a big project, find a way to save the company money, give great customer service or do more than what is required by your job description.  When your job is mommy/wife this praise is often absent even though big projects like the dishes, laundry and grocery shopping are completed everyday, and clipping coupons or cutting back saves your family money every month and when is the last time you didn't serve your husband or kids with a smile and I don't know a single mother who doesn't do way more than her "job description" requires.  So where is our praise.  I mean really we should be employee of the month, every month.

Leron will eat anything I put in front of him.  He doesn't complain if he doesn't like he just won't eat seconds.  If it actually pretty hard to guage if he truly likes something or not.  However, this week I have actually gotten verbal affirmation that two new recipes I tried were awesome and worth making again.  He even said with one I shouldn't change a thing!

If that isn't the same thing as an employee of the month award, I don't know what is.  Since it worked so well with my family, I thought I would pass along the recipes for you to try with your family.

White Chicken Chili

2T Olive Oil
1 Rotisserie Chicken or 6 cooked chicken breasts
1 onion, chopped
2 1/2 c chicken broth
1 4oz can diced green chilies
2t garlic powder
2t ground cumin
1t dried oregano
1t dried cilantro
1/4t cayenne pepper
1 15oz can northern white beans
1c sour cream or cream cheese if you prefer it creamier
Garnish: Cheese, more sour cream, avocado, salsa

Pull all meat off the chicken or cube cooked chicken breasts, set aside.  Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat.  Saute onion 5 minutes until it is tender.  Stir in broth, chicken, chilies, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, cilantro, cayenne pepper and beans.  Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  Just prior to serving add sour cream/cream cheese.  Serve, garnish with sour cream, cheese, avocado and/or salsa

This is so super easy and quick but tastes amazing!  It is also low carb and pretty healthy!

Roasted Rubbed Chicken

4t salt
2t paprika
1/2t cayenne pepper
1/2t garlic powder
1t pepper
1t thyme
1 whole chicken
1c chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced

In a small bowl, combine spices.  Remove giblets from chicken, rinse cavity, pat dry with paper towels.  With your fingers, gently separate skin from meat to form pockets.  Fill pockets with spice rub using your fingers to get it well covered.  Sprinkle remaining spice rub on outside of chicken covering evenly.  Cover chicken and refrigerate overnight.  When ready to roast, stuff cavity with chopped onion and minced garlic (add more or less garlic as your family likes), and place in a shallow pan.  Roast uncovered at 250 for 4 hours.  After at least 2 hours (mine took almost 2 1/2 hours to produce juices) baste chicken with pan juices every 30 minutes.  Let chicken rest 30 minutes before carving.

Enjoy!

Lenten Daily Challenge: Resolve to go the entire day without judging or criticizing anyone
Rosary Special Intention: For all babies

God Bless!
Hannah
The Farmer's Wife

Thoughts

Do you ever have one of those days where you can't help but let your mind wander?

Warm, sunshine filled days like today seem to steal my train of thought.  I am not so much like the dog from "UP"...squirrel, but I am more like a rat in a maze.  I go down one path as long as it is interesting and taking me somewhere I want to go and when it no longer serves that purpose, I choose a different thought, only partially related to the first and run with it.

My thoughts today included everything from how different my two girls are, how beautiful they are, how they are already best friends and how I am not looking forward to their teenage years only slightly less than Leron is.  Oh that reminds me, I need to remind him to clean his gun!  Then they jumped to everything that still needs to get done for the new house, farming, selling the house.  Then it was on to my to do list of laundry, bills, cleaning, dinner, grocery list making and grocery shopping.  Then it was back to my girls because the thought of grocery shopping with Nalley in the front of the cart trying her best to get out and Felicity sitting in her carseat in the cart taking up most of the space that should be for groceries makes me smile.  If you need a little more insight on shopping with small children check out my sister's awesome blog.

On a day of so many varied thoughts, it is hard to pin down just one to write about.  Maybe as it cools off later in the week or clouds roll in and hide the sun for a few hours I will focus on a single stream of thought.  For now, I am going to enjoy the sunshine, warmth and wonder all around me.

Where does your mind wander when it gets the chance?  Is it to the good things, the things that worry you, the things out of your control?  I hope your thoughts, like mine, get to go full circle and continually bring you back to the things that make you smile!

Lenten Daily Challenge: Go to a private room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret
Rosary Special Intention: For all mothers of small children

God Bless!
Hannah
The Farmer's Wife

Dirt, part 2

I already had one post about dirt, but the gospel from today along with our wonderful RCIA session prompted me to write about it again.

In today's gospel (John 9:1-41), Jesus heals a blind man by spitting on dirt, rubbing the mud on his eyes and instructing him to wash.  Blindness is used often in the bible.  Sometimes the blindness is figurative and others it is literal.  In this story, there is a bit of both.  The man is cured of his physical blindness while the pharisees continue to be blind to the workings of God, trying to get God to fit into their view of Him.

In my first post about dirt, I talked about how important the dirt is to our farming.  We need to prepare ourselves for God just as farmers prepare the dirt for planting in anticipation of the harvest. 

But what about when we feel no better than dirt?  What about when we can't see any reason to make ourselves any better than we are, either out of pride or exhaustion?  And what about all those "dirty" situations we see in life?

It seems in bad situations, as humans, we want to blame God for allowing it to happen.  Hurricanes, tornadoes, a family member's cancer or other health crisis all get talked about as if God allowed these terrible events to occur.  It is hard to see how good could possibly come from entire towns wiped away, homes full of memories destroyed in seconds, or individual suffering.  It is much easier to hope and pray that nothing bad ever happens again. 

"Neither he nor his parents sinned; it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him"  The blind man's faith, the healing of his blindness, and his proclamation of Jesus as being from God are all positive outcomes of Jesus using dirt to make God's works visible.

How is God trying to use the dirt in your life to make His works visible?  Are you allowing Him to use the dirt in your life for His will or are you just hoping the dirt passes quickly?

Childbirth isn't pretty, but look at the beauty that comes from it.  Life isn't wonderful all the time, but reflect back on a hard time and see the beauty and personal growth that came from it.  Things don't always go our way but God is always on our side.  With God there is love, hope, beauty, truth and sometimes a little dirt.  God uses the dirt to open our eyes, ears, mouths and hearts to his will.  Embrace your dirt, allow it to be used for God's will.

Lenten Daily Challenge:  Celebrate the halfway point of Lent.  Do something fun after Mass today.
Rosary Special Intention: For anyone who has a lot of dirt in their life

God Bless!
Hannah
The Farmer's Wife

Friday Lent Menu Ideas

About this time in Lent I am so over not having meat on Fridays and I am out of ideas.  So here are a few for you in case you are in the same boat.

Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
Bean and Cheese Quesadillas you can add some peppers and onions in the mix too (serve with salsa, sour cream and quacamole it is sooooo good)
Fish n Chips with a dark beer of course (better than making your own, visit a local lenten fish fry and support the parish or group serving)
Cheese pizza or pizza with mushrooms, onions and peppers (a great, easy, fun menu item to make with kids)
Shrimp poppers with tater tots
Mac n Cheese

A personal favorite of mine is just a meal of appetizers and desserts (perfect for watching March Madness) you can do shrimp cocktail, spinach artichoke dip, chips and salsa and mini quesadillas for appetizers and mini cheesecakes, brownie bites, cupcakes or petite fours for dessert... with all the yummy food no one will miss the meat!

What are some of your Friday meals in Lent?

Lenten Daily Challenge: Try to find the time to read an entire Gospel in one sitting (St. Mark's is the shortest)
Rosary Special Intention: For all the cooks who work hard to come up with new, exciting, tasty and healthy menu items

God Bless!
Hannah
The Farmer's Wife

Time Out

Nalley is 19 months old.  She is a beautiful little girl with a huge personality and a bit of a temper.  I know I am biased but I have never seen someone so small make so many facial expressions before.  She is a wonderful child if she is well rested, gets exactly what she wants when she wants it and no one is stealing the attention she thinks is all for her.  Lets just say with a working from home dad and a 5 month old sister her attention gets stolen a LOT.

The past few weeks I have started implementing time out for her.  I have a big leather chair in our family room that is about the most comfortable thing you will sit in aside from the ginormous couch that everyone in my family has asked for at one point in time or another.  I set Nalley in the chair and make her sit there for about 2 minutes (I had heard you were supposed to do time out for 1 minute per year of age).  If she cries or whines or gets up, time starts over.  She usually gets in time out twice a day.  Midmorning when Felicity has taken just about enough of her attention for the whole year and around 5 when Leron steals her attention when he fills me in on his day.  By the end of two minutes, she is laughing, smiling and is totally ready to go back to playing.  (She is required to say sorry to whomever she was being disobedient and she usually throws in a hug for good measure.) 

Her complete attitude turn around got me thinking, I need a time out too!  If I could sit in a chair for 25 minutes twice a day, I would be smiling, laughing and ready to play too.  I mean that is almost a whole hour!  I could do so much introspection with a whole hour to myself where no one is allowed to bother me and I have to sit in one place the whole time.  I am normally a rule follower but in this situation I would probably whine after about 10 minutes just so time could start over.

Leron often tells me that he looks forward to spring planting for so many reasons he can't hardly count them all.  In fact, he has started developing what I affectionately term the itch.  He can't hardly sit still, his hands mime the movements needed to drive the tractors, he is jumpy and ready to go at first light.  It is spring fever full blown.  Ironically with this anxiety itch what he really enjoys about spring planting is the solitude a tractor seat offers.  To be in the middle of a field, completely disconnected (because you couldn't even hear if your phone rings let alone talk on it), with you, yourself and your thoughts.

We all need some type of solitude.  As humans we are used to being in groups and surrounded by people we love or depend on for survival but we need us time too.  I mean heck even in the garden of Eden, Eve had to get away from Adam for a little while (when she was tricked by the serpent) and Eden was a uptopia and Adam was the only other human being around.  Just think of how many situations are not heaven like or close to perfection and how many people we have to interact with on a daily basis.

So today, give yourself a time out... no dishes, no laundry, no cooking, no cleaning, no tv, no music, no reading, just sit still, think and listen.  It will do you some good, I promise!

Lenten Daily Challenge: Deal with anyone in your life who may be interfering with your relationship with God.
Rosary Special Intention: For all farmers with the "itch"

God Bless!
Hannah
The Farmer's Wife

Recipe Time

So this is a super simple recipe, perfect for an appetizer and it saves/reheats great

Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Mushrooms

1/2 c chopped green onions
1lb cream cheese softened
1lb bacon
20 fresh mushrooms, stems removed

Combine cream cheese and onions
Chop 1/2 of the bacon and fry, add to cream cheese and onions
Stuff mushrooms with mixture
Top with remaining bacon (I always take a 1/2 strip and cut it in half layering the two pieces in an X shape, I think it helps it cook evenly)

Bake in preheated oven at 350 for about 20 minutes or until bacon is as done as you like.

So yummy!

As an alternative, if you like spicy food, use same mixture but fill halved jalapeno peppers instead of mushrooms.

Lenten Daily Challenge: Look for evidence of God at work in your life today
Rosary Special Intention: My brother Matthias who turns 12 today

God Bless!
Hannah
The Farmer's Wife

Neighbors and Showing the House

So we showed the house today... I had a really good feeling about it, but it didn't work out for the best.

Anyone who has tried to sell a house while still living in it understands the "fun" of getting your home ready for a showing.  Starting at 7:30 this morning, Leron and I organized, cleaned, vacuumed, dusted, and tidied every room in the house.  We made the bed up all fancy and tried our best to make it look as much like a picture out of a magazine as possible.  Basically, making it look nothing like it looks on a daily basis with a busy life and two children.

After the whirlwind of cleaning it up in record time, we have to figure out what to do for about an hour.  I liken this to new year's eve.  On any other night you could probably stay up past midnight with no problem at all.  On new year's eve, however, it is a struggle to keep your eyes open past 10pm.  So while taking the girls out for an hour is not a big deal most days, when I have to be gone for an hour it seems much more difficult than it is.

After leaving home for an hour, we wait anxiously hoping to hear from the realtor for a positive review and possibly even an offer.  It didn't take long to hear from our realtor today.  I was excited when Leron called around 1:30 and the first thing out of his mouth was I just talked to Bob (our realtor).  My heart leapt and a thousand positive thoughts raced through my mind of how wonderful God is and how it is perfect timing.  It is amazing what you can think about in a split second.  I was in no way prepared for what he told me next.

The showing didn't go well.  Not because the client didn't like the house but because of our neighbors.  Upon arriving at our house, our neighbor flipped the realtor and client the bird and started to verbally harass them for parking in "his" spot.  Our houses face a state highway, our house has a garage and driveway, his only has street parking but it is not assigned to his house and is open to the public.  In fact, on any Monday through Friday there will be no parking available on the street because the teachers all park there.  As if that wasn't enough, he was waiting on the porch when they exited our house and continued to throw around some not so nice language telling them it was time they leave and get out of his spot.

Basically a completely crushing blow after an emotional, stressful and hectic morning of preparation.

So today I am thankful that my husband the farmer wants to live like a recluse because there are some days when humanity is more disappointing than an exhausted woman can handle.

If you know of anyone house hunting in our area... check out our house Here

Lenten Daily Challenge: At the end of the day, make an examination of conscience.  Pick one change to make.  Here is a good one examination of conscience
Rosary Special Intention: For my neighbor

God Bless!
Hannah
The Farmer's Wife

Family Time

My older sister is in town this weekend... so time will be spent with her and her adorable family... I promise a great blog post on Monday!

Color!

I thought your Friday could use a little color...

The bricks are all done!!  Aren't they pretty??

I was a little bit excited to see the first coat of paint on everything today!

Nalley enjoying her new purple room

Undecided yet if this will be Felicity's room or if the girls will share and this will be my craft/sewing/hobby room, but it is pretty and green!

Blue master bedroom

our master bath is the color chateau

A sunshine yellow for the toy room

so excited for all the yumminess to come out of this blue kitchen

Lenten Daily Challenge: Share a meatless meal with friends and tell them why you are abstaining

Rosary Special Intention: for Leah my awesome younger sister!

God Bless!

Hannah

The Farmer's Wife

Rosary

So most days I try to say my rosary when the girls are taking their naps so I can have some quiet reflection time.  Today, that didn't quite work out.  The following are excerpts from my rosary today.

I believe in God Nalley do not throw that book at your sister
the father almighty creator of I said no heaven and of earth
I believe in Jesus Christ His only oh Felicity why are you crying now son

Our Father who art in heaven hallowed be Nalley do not climb on that thy name
Thy kingdom come thy will you give Felicity back her pacifier be done

Hail Mary full of grace the lord is with you
Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus
Holy Mary pray for Nalley stop us sinners
Now and at the hour of Felicity stop crying our death

AMEN!

Lenten Daily Challenge: Read the 10 Commandments Exodus 20 and resolve to live them
Rosary Special Intention: That one politician will change from pro-death to pro-life

God Bless!
Hannah
The Farmer's Wife

See the Son Shine

It was so nice to wake up this morning to sunshine and warmer weather.  After what felt like an eternity of being sick, the sunshine has made me look forward to today.

It definitely didn't take marrying a farmer to realize the blessing in sunshine.  I have always loved waking up with those golden rays on my face.  It really illuminates the natural beauty all around.  And I personally think I look much better with a little color.  Thank you sunshine for "natural" makeup.

When I first started this blog, I asked Leron for some topic ideas.  He said I should do a comparison between sunshine and the Son shining.  I dismissed the idea at first thinking it was too obvious but have since given it some more thought.  I feel so much better when the sun is out and it is pretty hard to wipe the smile off of my face.  I am friendlier, more adventurous and definitely more Christ-like to others.  This can't really be a coincidence.

You have to make hay while the sun is shining.

I like to think of sunshine as the gleaming off of God's huge smile!  When we can see God working all around us, it is easier to be Christ for one another.  It is easy to show  love for your spouse at a wedding when the whole day is centered around love.  It is easy to snuggle real close to your baby and be thankful for the gift when you see another infant being baptized.  It is easy to be a christian on Sunday when you are full of the good news and those around you are too.

It is harder to see the Son when the sun isn't shining.  So I am going to use this sunshine today to refill my tank and use it as a reserve for the dark, stormy or cold days ahead (both literal and figurative).  The girls and I are going to go for a walk, and we are going to look at all my tulip and daffodil bulbs that are beginning to come out of the ground.  We are going to go to the store and smile and say hi to strangers just trying to give them something to smile about.  We are going to laugh and play and dance like crazy fools just for fun.  Then they are going to nap, I am going to take a deep breath and pray this nice weather continues but in case it doesn't that this feeling can continue in my heart.

Lenten Daily Challenge: Ask Jesus to heal whatever separates you from feeling God's bountiful love
Rosary Special Intention: My brother Michael, sister-in-law Jen and their son Quinn

God Bless!
Hannah
The Farmer's Wife


PS- If you have any special prayer requests (public or private) or any topics ideas let me know

Still Sick : (

So this sickness is really taking a toll on my motivation, energy and ability to get everything completed the last few days.

No whitty blog post today, but I still count it as a post and I am hoping for some inspiration tomorrow.

Lenten Daily Challenge: Forgive someone who has hurt you
Rosary Special Intention: Nalley and Felicity

God Bless!
Hannah
The Farmer's Wife

Sick

Do you every have one of those days when life is just overwhelming and you feel like giving up? 

That was today for me.  I have been battling a cold/flu/sinus/allergy something or other for almost 10 days now.  It is exhausting just being sick and even more when you can't just drop everything and lay on the couch and get rest until you feel better. 

Nalley has gotten some version of the same thing with a little vomit thrown in for good measure (unlike poop, I hate vomit!). 

Now Leron has joined the sick train and I still don't feel well enough to be loving mommy and good wife to help my two loves get to feeling better.

Today I am thankful that for 95% of the year I feel well, love to cook and have motivation to clean.  I am also thankful that for that 5% when I don't feel well, no one in my family does either so I can get away with not cooking or cleaning!

Lenten Daily Challenge: Pray an extra rosary today and every day this week
Rosary Special Intention: 1- My sister Rachael 2- My sister Leah and my mom as they have a fun filled spring break in Arizona

God Bless!
Hannah
The Farmer's Wife

The New House

Leron and I took the girls out to the site of our new home today.  It is really getting close to being finished and I am getting anxious to move in and get started making all the new memories.

We started what seems like forever ago and yesterday all at the same time.  Here is day one of excavating for the basement. 

It seems crazy to think that Felicity was still on the inside when we started this project. I know not exactly the best timing to start building a new house.  (If you need an update on my mental status check out Dreams and Insanity)

Getting the basement concrete poured was an exciting time that definitely made the whole thing start to feel very real. (and very big!)

This is what the house looks like today.  Only one more side of brick, a bit of siding and some veneer stone and the outside will be complete! (We have an excellent guy working on the brick/stone... if you need any masonry work done I totally recommend him)

This open room will be finished with two columns and will serve as the girls toy room.  Nalley got to watch the drywall finishing crew work on their stilts, she definitely wanted a pair!

This will soon be my kitchen.  It will have so much more space than I have now I get more than excited just thinking about all of the great meals and memories that I am sure will be made in this room.

And here is all the baseboard trim and window casings drying after their first coat of paint.  It is pretty crazy to think in about a month we will be in this brand new house...

Just a little paint, flooring, trim and cabinets and this house will be move in ready!!!

Consider this an open invitation to come visit us any time, we will have more than enough space for visitors every day of the year.

Lenten Daily Challenge: Choose someone who has passed away or someone who needs extra help as your Mass intention today

Rosary Special Intention:  For all those affected by the storms this weekend

God Bless!

Hannah

The Farmer's Wife

Carefree Timelessness

It is very easy for me to get weighed down by all of my wife, mother, business responsibilities.  From cooking and cleaning, to diapers and bath time, to quickbooks and spreadsheets  I am spread pretty thin most days.

Even with all this going on I try to find time for carefree timelessness with myself and with Leron.  Matthew Kelly gives a great talk about becoming the best version of you where I first heard the idea of carefree timelessness.  Kelly claims that if you give a relationship carefree timelessness it will thrive, if you starve a relationship of carefree timelessness it will wither and possibly die.

Finding alone time is hard with two young kids and a husband who doesn't really work a typical 9-5 type job.  For my alone time, carefree timelessness with myself, I get up early 2-3 times a week and go to the gym.  I also try at least once a week to relax during nap time letting the dishes, laundry, etc go.  Sometimes during this time I read or enjoy a cup of coffee, but usually I use the time to decompress, think and pray.

Carefree timelessness with Leron is a little more difficult to come by.  We used to spend hours on tractors together or fishing when I would come visit on the weekend.  Carefree timelessness doesn't really exist when you have children.  You really have to try to find it and at first it will feel like work.

We are very fortunate to have family nearby who watch the girls.  When it is just the two of us, sometimes we do dinner and a movie but usually we try to do more unique things.  Recently we have had to get kind of creative.  We have used trips to pick out paint samples or flooring as adventures.  An afternoon meeting with our tax accountant was a date.  We have taken advantage of sleeping girls in the car and try to drive to a road we haven't driven on before. 

We try very hard to find time together because we know how important it is for our relationship.  It may seem difficult now to find the time, but it is well worth the trouble.

So while I miss the endless hours on a tractor in an open field from our dating days, carefree timelessness in its "parent" form is still a lot of fun and a huge blessing.

Lenten Daily Challenge: Make a list of the ways you can support the poor and resolve to do one activity each week
Rosary Special Intention: For all couples to find time for timelessness

God Bless!
Hannah
The Farmer's Wife

Poop

So after my last post about parents, my sister-in-law, Jen told me I should be thankful that my parents taught me how to wipe my butt.  I am sure there is a back story to the comment and I can't wait to hear it, but it got me thinking about poop.

I really am thankful for poop.  I change what feels like 1000 diapers a day and I am always thankful for a poopy one because it signifies a healthy child.  As a baby Nalley would poop every time I fed her.  Felicity only poops like once every 4 days so it is almost a celebration when I change one of her poopy diapers.

Before I had Nalley, Leron got really sick with Colitis Difficile (C-Dif).  It took doctors almost 6 weeks to figure out what was wrong and it has taken 18+ months to get him back to feeling normal.  When he was really sick, poop was on my mind a lot.

And then there is animal poop.  That wonderful fertilizer that makes plants grow nice and big with a large crop.  It smells terrible but it is effective and it is a good use of a waste product so it is "green".  There are even larger farm operations who use their animal poop to power the farm.

Poop is a pretty amazing thing.  Who doesn't like poop?

Lenten Daily Challenge: Pray for the people in the world who can't afford to have meat as a regular part of their diets
Rosary Special Intention:  For all the caregivers who deal with poop every day

God Bless!
Hannah
The Farmer's Wife

Parents

I am incredibly blessed to be a member of two loving families.  Growing up as the third of eight children, my family was a tight knit group and a source of love, comfort, guidance and support for me.  As an adult, I am blessed to have a mother and father who have effortlessly transitioned from parent to friend and grandparent while still knowing when I need my mommy and daddy (like when I was holding my 4 month old Nalley in one hand and a positive pregnancy test in the other!).

They were strict yet fair teaching me responsibility, self-control and determination while helping me see my true value and self-worth.  I know for a fact if my parents had not encouraged me to reach my full potential I would not be half of what I am today.

When I became a parent, I was scared.  I knew this was the most important thing I could ever do with my life and I wanted to do it right.  I worried how I would transition into motherhood and I worried how Leron would transition into fatherhood.

When dating, rarely do you "inspect" your date's parents.  Even as Leron and I grew closer and knew marriage and a family of our own was in our future, I gave little thought to how he was raised.  I took for granted that good kids come from good parents.  After we were married and while I was pregnant with Nalley, I took a greater interest in how Leron was raised, knowing how he was raised would impact how he wanted to raise our children.

Lee and MaryLou raised six children, milked cows twice a day and farmed a few hundred acres of row crops.  They were kind and loving people.  They welcomed me from the first time they met me.  In fact, MaryLou compared me to a heifer and I knew we were going to get along just fine!  As with any family, if they pick on you it is out of love and I heard the phrase, "we are equal opportunity insulters" more than once.  Even knowing how loving they were I was still worried there was some radical difference in parenting styles until Leron told me the following story:

I (Leron) had come in from playing in the sandbox and mom was in the kitchen.  I started complaining about how we didn't have any money and how I wanted new things like a nintendo.  My mom asked me to recall the happiest time of my life.  I told her when it was and she asked, "did we have more money then or now?"  I told her I didn't know.  She then asked, "so what is the correlation between money and happiness?"

After hearing this story, I knew we were all on the same page.  That doesn't mean we haven't had our differences in parenting approaches (Leron tends to spoil the girls and they tend to feed his ego already!) and I am sure we will have many more disagreements as our children grow, but the foundation for our girls will be built from the same materials as our individual foundations.

Our parents built us on a solid foundation of love and faith.  We have built our marriage on the same foundation of love and faith.  We are raising our children on the exact same foundation of love and faith.  With that solid foundation, we cannot fail.

I was blessed with my own amazing parents and being the farmer's wife I have been blessed with an additional set and my children have 4 awesome grandparents.  Blessings like this are truly a gift from God!

 My wonderful in-laws Lee and MaryLou at our wedding

           

                      My beautiful mother, Sara, at our wedding

My dad, Mike, at our wedding











Lenten Daily Challenge: Resolve to say only positive things about yourself and others today.
Rosary Special Intention: For my parents, in-law and all parents

God Bless!
Hannah
The Farmer's Wife