For those reading on Facebook notes, it's easier to read on my "real" blog: http://talesfromthewaitingroom.typepad.com/
Not sure why Facebook wants each post all to itself, but one learns to accept things in life.
While on a family shopping trip the other day we came across this. I thought "Finally, my turn!"
Brett was uncooperative.
Bathroom break before leaving the store. Abigail and Mercy were offended.
Some new babies here on the farm:
Little Girl Donklet, March 12, here she is about 2 hours old. As yet un-named. Do not judge me.
New Kids on the Block:
We bottle-feed them so we can milk the mommies and make cheese. We also sell the milk, but we end up using a lot of it ourselves.
With a discussion about "When the weather warms up enough, these babies will be old enough to go back up to the barn." Gideon asked what we would keep in our garage then?
I'm stumped.
Everyone's going through a trial of one sort of another, suffice it to say we are as well. I'd like to say, perhaps more than our share, but that's not really true. It just seems like it at times.
So I will show you some things around the home that make me smile. Not in any particular date order:
Our dear friends Cathy and Minda Cox came to visit us to hear a motivational speaker with cerebral palsy. It was an encouraging evening and David Ring has a unique story that is fascinating to hear. Minda was adopted as a young child, from India.
Our son Noah was able to attend as well. Noah has arthrogryposis and came from Russia at the age of 6.
After hearing David Ring speak, Noah said he liked hearing that the only thing holding you back from your goals is yourself.
The last snow day where the schools were closed. That does not seem to affect the children's ability to find the joy in each flake. This is their form of snow-skiing. More like water-skiing, except without the water. Well I suppose it is a form of water. Frozen water skiing.
A mug I found and though it amused me, knew it had to go to my dad for his birthday. Josh made the cookies. I was lucky enough to rescue two of them to wrap up before they disappeared.
Also; a mug my dear sister gave me, knowing that I love anything that is grammatically incorrect, yet set in stone--as opposed to my children's schoolwork, which must be erased and corrected forthwith.
Coffee The? The simplicity contrasted with the audacity of this mug makes me smile at least once a day. The spoon handily slips into a hole in the handle. Really, why can't we grasp this concept here in the states? Though I take my coffee scalding hot and black as the ace of spades, I still like the concept of having a spoon at the ready.
I'm not sure why. Perhaps I like the idea of being able to change my mind if I wake up one day and want to try sweetener in my coffee. I've heard things like that can happen if you have a head injury. I'd like to be prepared, is all.
Walks with our homeschool group, on the rare (for now) nice day. There is something soothing about a walk with children and dogs around a lake that brings peace to one's soul.
The new season start-up of NTRC's lessons. Susannah can't participate again until after her appointment with the orthopedic surgeon (scoliosis issues plus a couple other questions that need answers, but we hope to have her join in again, come August). Left to right: Gideon, Isaiah, Abigail, Mercy.
Josh's team (Believers) winning 3rd place in Regional Bible Quiz. Onward and Upward to Nationals, at the end of April! Josh is on the bottom right. It's extremely competitive.
The celebration dinner. It had been a very long day. I don't know if it's more exhausting to watch the quizzers or to be one. The opinions differ, based on if one was a quizzer or an observer.
I've missed posting about two birthdays, so let's bring on the cakes. Susannah turned 12.
Why shouldn't our furred friends enjoy the festivities as well? Dundee loves a good slice of pepperoni.
Gideon had an un-birthday on February 28.
Yeah, un-birthday. Because he was born on February 29, so we make do on the off years. It doesn't seem to bother him.
And the seemingly-insignificant thing when it is compared to other things? That thing that happens--the thing that others find hard to understand so you just don't say anything because it seems petty in light of not only the world's suffering but the needs we have and see all around us every day. The thing that makes us feel silly because we feel we're taking it out of proportion.
This last picture taken of my cat, Powder. Powder, who slept all day, preferably on or near something warm. Flu season was Powder's favorite, because he could then curl up on the current feverish person and soothe them with his presence. He was an Everyone's Cat.
Most every morning when we woke Isaiah, Powder would be sleeping next to him on his top bunk. Isaiah, at times, can feel left out. He's not one of the big boys, nor is he the baby of the family. His congenital cataracts have caused or exacerbated learning disabilities, including his ability to read. After surgery and corrective lenses and patching for years, Isaiah's eyes are fine now, but he still works hard at catching up to read. Did Powder know that Isaiah needed a special friend?
Powder came to us in an unusual way. He was in a litter of one of our barn cats and the vet thought the pure white kitten might be albino, so said he should never be outside and we could sell him for a lot if we wanted to. Powder oranged up a bit on his tips (thus earning him the nickname "Rusty"), so turned out not to be a true albino but by then had worked himself into our home and lives and he would never, could never, be a barn cat.
One morning in January, we let Powder outside as usual. The next day Powder was not in Isaiah's bed. Or the next.
Powder never came back. We can only assume it was a coyote. We searched the highways, we placed ads. Powder was microchipped so if anyone had found him, he could have been traced right to us. We know he won't be back.
Then my friend Jen of Knitters-Knitters daughter Agatha had to go and make a drawing of Powder and send it to me. It was immediately framed and placed in a prominent location. Thank you again, Agatha.
Have a good weekend, all.
