Random Rambles

Besides playhouse move-in day, yesterday was also chicken moving day!

The 100 little hens that we ordered a while back were ready to join the big flock in the chicken house.  Sawyer is an incredible helper!  She carried two chickens at a time and made about 10 trips with us.  They were still exploring their new digs this morning, but I’m betting they feel right at home soon enough.

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On the playhouse front, I had to laugh/grimace/shake my head yesterday.  After breakfast, we went back out to play and I had a little mowing to finish up.  The kids played in the little house for about 20-30 minutes and then I see them scurrying off……..to the barn………where they played for over an hour.  HA!  Sweet Tredessa reminded me that the barn was just like a really big playhouse…

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I was talking to a friend last night about some of the struggles life throws at us.  She was saying she just felt like she was unequipped to deal with some of the trials that her family has been going through as of late; she felt like she had no strength to dig in and conquer.  She felt frayed and frazzled and a little scared.

As I was chatting with her, the Lord gave me a picture of childbirth.  When you get into transition phase – right before that sweet, beautiful baby that you’ve been waiting on for nine (long) months physically makes its way into the world – things get rough.  The pain is intense, it feels like it’s gonna never gonna be over and you start saying/screaming/yelling/crying “I can’t do this!  It’s too hard!  I’m not gonna be able to do it!” – the tell-tale sign of transition.  Don’t ask me how I know.  *ahem*

And lo and behold, you’re able to…you’re more than able to…and out comes this sweet little life that has been knit inside your womb by the very hands of God.  And?  Every month and day and minute of pain and discomfort was worth it. 

Isn’t that how life is sometimes, too?  When you’re being held over the refining fire…when the Lord is working things out for the better for you, even if it feels like the worst…when we finally get to the other side, there is LIFE.  I’m praying that for her and for you…and for me.

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Sweet Sawyer put on her swimsuit yesterday all by her lonesome!

I didn’t tell her it was on backwards because she was so proud of herself and I was proud of her, too.  Plus, she looks stinkin’ cute with her backwards suit!  And in these sunglasses…

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Daddy took Sawyer to the sale barn today as part of “birthday week” and I stayed home with little man to have some one-on-one time with him and to catch up on some housework.  I had just sat down with a notebook and pen to make a lit of things that ‘needed’ to be done when I came across this post from Ann Voskamp.

I get increasingly frustrated by moms that celebrate their kids going back to school, not for the sake of the kid, but out of their own selfishness.  THAT’S another post for another day…

Ann beautifully captures the order in which things should be.  She writes:

What if I want to play more games of monopoly and leave the dishes in the sink more often? What if I want to take you fishing more Saturdays and blow off cleaning up the garage? Why doesn’t someone tell all the homemakers: Cleanliness isn’t next to godliness. Love is.

Oh.  My.  Heart.  I’m crying again just reading it.  Let’s just say I haven’t done much cleaning…and I’ve loved every minute.  Please, please take the time to read her post…

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I’m off to see if I can catch a nap before WD wakes up…it’ll be all over after that!