I missed you.
We had/have some pretty big happenings going on right now, and to be honest, at one time it was all I could do just to get out of bed
or breath
or even function
so my blog took a really sad back burner to everything.
Here I am trying to really quick catch you up on what happened in our lives since September.
We started school really successfully. We love having neighbours who also homeschool because it sure makes our co-op classes fun! This has been a great year for school. Busy, but great.
While navigating school, we also needed to harvest our garden. We got some super yummy stuff, and even managed to save seeds off things like tomatoes (above), peppers, tomatillos, and squash.
We also had a super yummy fondue with our friends. Fried food. Really, what could be better?!
Speaking of food....
DH is the YM president here in our branch, so for an activity he had the YM come out to harvest some chickens, ducks, a goat, and a goose. All but 2 went in my freezer to feed my family this winter. Those 2 fed the YM some super yummy tacos.
Then we had another harvest of chicken. We have had 4 this year. It feels good to know what my family is eating and to know that the animals are dealt with in a humane manner, and are loved and respected.
Plus home grown meat just tastes better!
We also had the super awesome experience in October to be part of our neighbours baptism. What a special experience to go through the discussions and baptism with them! It is amazing to be with them as they learn and grow.
We also acquired a puppy. She has grown since this photo, but she used to be so little. She is still just as bad though. Eating my dresses is sport to her...they blow around so therefore are game!
And because we weren't busy enough, on October 30th we got a phone call for a new baby!!
He is a foster to adopt baby. We got to bring him home when he was only 4 days old! We are currently fostering him until he either goes back to his mom, or he is adopted by us. Obviously we love him to pieces and he is such a member of our family already. We should know more by about May of this year if we get to adopt him or not.
Then the snow blew in.
Drifts as tall as our fence happened (which our dog loved because she could bark at everything from Waaaay up high, and our goats loved because they like to climb!) and we got snowed in for two days before we were finally able to be plowed out!
Although I can't complain because I got DH for the whole time!! It's not often that you get to take a snow day at work!
I also read some amazing books for our book club.
Having the temple so close gives me ample opportunity to attend at least once a month. Reading these books has given me a new perspective and opened my mind to so many beautiful truths that previously I didn't think about. It is amazing. I love going, even when it is to do baptisms with my boys. They constantly amaze me, and their dedication to going on a regular basis is inspiring.
I started taking a wonderful herbal course called "The Taste of Herbs" from Learning Herbs. I am loving it! I have also spent quite a bit of time playing with herbals and making new things, like the muscle rub above.
The muscle rub has come in handy after a massive accident that scared and really rocked our little family. On December 11th, I was driving my 3 oldest to the city 1/2 hour away to attend a ballet. We lost control on the ice and collided head-on with another truck.
That is my poor little Explorer. I am so very thankful that I was driving a tank though, because even though we were on the highway, and we were in a head-on collision, we all are OK.
My oldest was flown to the Alberta Children's Hospital in Calgary, AB. He had fractures in his orbital bone, a brain bleed, a large laceration above his eye, and was being watched for possible brain damage.
I have spent many hours crying, praying, and thanking our Heavenly Father for our blessings.
My oldest was released after 4 days and is so much better.
The most amazing part? I could literally see the hand of the Lord as he healed right in front of my eyes. He is still struggling with his brain injury, but it is not serious. He ended up having concussion like symptoms and is fully aware of how blessed he is to be alive and well.
We all have emotional trauma, but we are all fine.
We came home and had an amazing Christmas together. It was wonderfully healing to just be together as a family and love and play together.
Also for Christmas, my BIL came down from Edmonton. Everyone who comes from Edmonton, or is going past Red Deer knows that they should buy me donuts from the Donut Mill! BFF status is secured this way!!
Not only did he remember, he brought me 2 dozen!!
I also got a necklace that gives me permission to be bossy at all times.
What? You can't see where it says that??
The little portion that says, "be wise" is a joke. One day a friend of mine told me that she would listen to what I had just said because I was "wise". Her code for "bossy"!! Since then it has become a joke to the women I know around here. A friend found this in Saskatchewan and brought it home for me for Christmas.
Aren't my friend's amazing?!
Life here is good. We have had a few bumps along the way.
We are still struggling through a pretty major bump. But we believe that Heavenly Father has a plan for us. He has something in store that he wants to teach us. We are trying really hard to learn whatever that is.
I am going to try really hard this year to make this blog something of a journal of the bumps and learning opportunities along the way. Posting recipes, book reviews, happenings, and blessings we receive this year. Please bear with me as I fumble along this year, and please feel free to come along with me!
Cheers
