Love Is....

Love Is....

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Colossians 3:12-14


"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.  Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."
~Colossians 3:12-14~

Flowers grown from seed given to us from my Daddy.  Beautiful!

Monday, September 29, 2014

My New Office









This is me in front of my new office!  They really take care of me!  They gave me a clothing allowance to spend for logo-ed clothing and they got my name put on the front and center office.  I feel very blessed as I feel a part of this team.

Sunday, September 28, 2014

~Sunday~


I went to church this morning and then had the opportunity to work in our garden and do some  cooking and baking!  I am so excited for my family to get home from the game.  I put on a nice meal so that when my boys returned we could all sit together and talk about the game and their weekend with their cousins.  Bill, Alicia, and the kids met with Barb and Garry and my boys in Lincoln for the Big Game.  My husband thinks it was the Nebraska game but in my opinion it was the ILL-INI game!  My alma mater did not win the battle, however, they put up a good fight!

This is the first time they have been away while I stayed at home.  Heath called after church and they are actually going to be home sooner than I expected because the boys wan to go to youth group tonight.  They will even be picking up a friend from Bridgeport so that he can go with them!

I also got to relax with my sick little kitty.  We lounged on the couch for a bit.


Saturday, September 27, 2014

Monument Marathon

I had a relaxing evening last night with Puddin’ and the dogs.  We just played some fetch and kept the kitty quiet and comfortable.  It was a nice morning this morning.  I got a text about 4 am from Heath stating that they had all made it all the way to Lincoln.  WOW, a 6 or 7 hour drive from Gordon/Rushville after the football game.  They had stopped at Pizza Hut for dinner and then hit the road.  The boys were asleep pretty quickly.  (That is my method for travel as the trip goes way faster!)

Hi Daddy!  We *miss* you and*love* you!

Heath had a great idea for me.  Today, is the Monument Marathon and my friends are running it.  I told Tricia that I would take her kids to see her and Tim finish.  This morning, I went over to pickup the kids from their house and head over to the finish line.  Lots of runners everywhere and an absolutely beautiful day ahead.  Quite emotional about watching the runners, we watched for Mama and Tim.  While we were waiting, we ran into Kristin’s beautiful little girl with her daddy waiting for Mommy to finish.  Such an exciting thing to watch all these kids learn how important fitness is to their mamas who are setting such a great example for them.






After the race, Tim and Tricia invited me over for the post-race breakfast.  It was wonderful to gather with them and meet some new people from 21st Century.  What a great morning!

The rest of the afternoon, I hung out around the house, in the garden, and with our animals.  I really enjoyed my day.

Friday, September 26, 2014

Football Weekend!!

After work, Heath loaded up and headed into town to meet with Andrew to head up north to Gordon/Rushville to watch Justin play football.  I stayed behind to take care of our little kitty who just got out of the hospital yesterday.  It was perfect timing that my boss told me to go home just a few minutes early.  I called Heath to see if they had left yet and he said they were at Maverick getting gas.  He asked if I would mind stopping to grab them something quick from McDonalds.  No problem, I would stop and grab some food from the drive-thru  I was so happy that I would get to see them again before they left for the Illini—Nebraska game in Lincoln!  So, through the drive-thru I went.  5 McDoubles was my order.  It felt like it took forever, just because I knew they were waiting for me.

When I arrived at the gas station, there they were, waiting for me.  I happily went to give Heath and Andrew some “dinner.”  (I don’t do fast food, but I knew that they would enjoy it on this special occasion.)  Hugs and kisses and we parted ways!

A few minutes later my phone rang.  Heath called and asked me if I had him on a diet.  WHAT?!  I was very confused until he told me they only got two small sandwiches and some fries.  Now, they have a long 2+ hour drive to Gordon/Rushville without anything between here and there.  I felt sooo bad because it hadn’t even occurred to me to double-check the order once I received it.  (Again, not a connoisseur of fast food, it wasn’t even a thought through my head!)  So, we laughed about it and he said that they would survive. 


Pretty upset about losing my money and not properly taking care of my family, I went back to McDonalds and asked for my money back.  They tried giving me sandwiches too, but I kept telling her that the boys would have liked to have the sandwiches and now they are gone.  Regardless, she insisted on giving me sandwiches I knew I would not eat.  Not wanting to waist food, I turned around and gave them to a guy in line behind me for which he was grateful.

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Answer to Prayers

For those of you who are on the edge of your seat wondering about our little friend, the glory is to God!  Please see picture below and read if you are interested in hearing the rest of the story.


Monday, I got home from work and found that Jasper was not home.  Half expecting him to be laying down on some blankets when I got there, he was not.  This meant one of two things....he was still in the vet recovering or he did not make it through the night.  Not wanting really to know the answer when Heath got home, it was the first question out of my mouth.  He told me that Little Man was still at the vet and they were not very hopeful.  They gave him drugs to ease the pain and slow his labored breathing.  He was on fluids and antibiotics and he was resting.  Knowing Dr. Robbins had him in good hands, we prayed for him.  Tiny, Heath's aunt, was a super prayer warrior like always.

Early on in the week Garry went to visit him at the clinic, Pioneer Animal Hospital.  He gave us a report after his visit:  kitty was quiet and resting.  Vets doing their best, but still told us not to get our hopes up.

Wednesday, I finally got up the nerve to go visit him.  When I got there, he was eating canned cat food off of a flat lid.  He was sitting and eating, but it was a very strange scene seeing him there because he had his IV in and was really getting messy with the food.  He was awkwardly trying to eat the food, but also grasping the edge of the lid with his teeth almost like he could not see it.  They broke the news to me as they thought he was going to be blind.  I got to hold him and talk to him and they said that was the calmest he had been with someone holding him.  I think he recognized me.

All head trauma and no broken bones, punctured lungs, or gashes.  Lucky little guy.  When I was in there, the girls finally put together the who story.  I had just had the kitten in for the last round of kitten shots a month or so before but Heath and Garry brought him into emergency Sunday night.  The girls just couldn't figure out the whole story behind this big older gentleman coming in and talking to this tiny cat.  When they found out the cat belonged to me, it all made sense.  They told me that I had a great father-in-law!  So sensitive to this little guy's life.

Today, was the day for him to go home!  After work, I stopped by to pick him up.  They sent him home on oral steroids for several days.  I prepared the house this morning to bring home this blind cat.  I set up the big dog kennel next to the dog beds.  I put in some towels, a litter box, food, and water.  I knew we would have to keep things consistent so that he could find them each time by feel not sight.

The dogs were so excited to see Puddin' again.  I told them to be very careful with him as he had gotten really frail at the vets office over the past four days.  Kitty was walking around like none other....in and out of the dogs' legs....happy to be home.

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Country Club Cross Country Meet

Another beautiful night to run!  Andrew's meet was at the Scottsbluff Country Club golf course this evening.  After work, I grabbed Heath a crunch cone from Dairy King, for a snack, and met him on the course.  He was visiting with his mom when I got there.  Barb and Garry came out to support Andrew's running too, so he had quite a crew to spread out throughout the course and yell for him!  So exciting to see him excelling with his running this year.





After the meet was over, Heath got Andrew some food and they headed home.  I headed over to the church for Tuesday Prayer Night.  It was slightly different tonight since there was also a women's group meeting to see how they could serve.  Not in a super great interactive mood, I decided to go to the prayer night as I had originally planned.  It was a small but mighty group tonight.  Pastor Wayne spoke up there and got other people to pray out loud as well.

Sunday, September 21, 2014

Accident

Heath and I went to church this morning.  After church, his folks came out and we ate a nice Sunday dinner and took a Sunday nap.  Then started working around the farm.

Early evening, just before dark, I was out on the mower in the corrals getting the grass knocked down for the last time before winter.  Before I knew it Garry was on his way out to the corrals.  I slowed the mower, shut off the blades, and turned off the engine.  I thought he was just going to say goodbye.  Turns out he was coming over to bring me very sad news.  Off of the mower I went and ran over to the pickup.  When I got there, I just kept going until I found Heath over in the tree row bent over a small almost lifeless little body.  Our little Puddin' cat had been through the fan on Heath's pickup.  When I arrived on this tragic scene, I could hear his short labored breaths as he was curled around in a tight ball.  Through a massive stream of tears, I told Heath to just put him down.  I could not stand to see him laboring for each breath and being in so much pain.  Little Man did not respond to us even being there.  Heath gently got up from our precious little kitten and walked me to the house.  He told me to go inside and wait.  Bawling by this point I sat down on the couch with my ears plugged, not wanting to hear anything.  Knowing that I didn't want him to suffer, did not make it any easier to say goodbye.  Just a part of our lives for such a short time, he found his way into all of our hearts (the dogs included)!

I sat there and waited and cried and waited and cried.  I finally went to take a look out the the window and did not see Heath or the kitten under those trees.  He must be preparing the kitten to be buried, I thought.  I walked over to my phone and I saw a missed call from Heath.  I called him back immediately.  He told me that they decided to take the kitten to the vet.  I lost it again blubbering out something like, "We cannot afford a vet bill, just please don't let him suffer."  Heath said that his dad was graciously taking care of the bill for us since he is the one that decided they needed to go to the vet.  Wow, what I mess I was.

When Heath got home, he didn't have the kitten.  Sadly, I looked at him and he said the vet had given the kitten a shot that would ease any pain he was having and they would see how he does overnight.  Garry would check back in the morning.  SO SAD!  I was an absolute mess, knowing that I couldn't handle the results given to me at work.  We decided they would not tell me anything about the kitten, either way, until I return home from work tomorrow night.

PRAYERS!

Saturday, September 20, 2014

Cross Country Meet

Garry stopped by this morning and picked up up Heath and I to head to Alliance to watch Andrew run in his cross country meet.  He has been doing so well.  I feel like he has picked up a 'new gear' this year.






It was at the golf course, so it was beautiful.  It was a really nice day too!  While we were waiting for him to run, I took a little walk to the car to get something and just continued on a little walk of my own.

On our way home, Heath showed us the Pepsi warehouse there in Alliance so now we know where he goes each day when he fills up his truck.  Then, we went to Sam and Louie's for lunch.  It was really good and gluten-free!

Friday, September 19, 2014

Lingle-Fort Laramie

Heath came and picked me up from work today.  He was a little distressed as he spent a little more time working than he expected, just to help his customers.  #1 in my heart.  I hope they know what a great hire they have!

We headed over to Lingle-Fort Laramie for the Friday night Football Game.  Heath and I stopped at Burger King in Torrington for some supper.  Heath loves Burger King, so that is usually the default when we are in the area.  Barb and Garry met us there and we all sat in the bleachers right behind our team's bench.  It was a very different experience, up close and personal.  You could just hear all the banging of helmets and the words of the players calling the plays out loud.  You could see the mosquitoes swarming the lights and feel the intensity of the game.


Once we were seated, a really fun lady came and sat by us, entertaining us the whole time!  It was fun!  By the way, she lives in an underground house, how fascinating!  She invited us to come see someday!

Andrew stayed back as he had his first team dinner for his cross country meet in Alliance tomorrow morning.

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Mitchell Day

Source:
www,geringcitizen.com

This was definitely a Mitchell day!  After work, I headed over to the Mitchell golf course.  This was my first time there.  It is absolutely a hidden treasure up there on the hill!  This was the first After Prom meeting with other parent's of junior students.  Heath ran into the coordinator as he was delivering Pepsi one day and he signed us up.  The way it works is that the junior class kids put on the prom dance and the parents take care of the prom after party.  As a group we decided to create and sell a t-shirt including all the Mitchell High School activities and start gathering donations from local businesses for the raffle.  During basketball season, we are going to hold a shooting contest where hopefully we can get a donation from Pepsi!

Surprisingly, I knew quite a few of the parents that were at this meeting.  I had to duck out of there a few minutes early as my next meeting was for the football boys.  On my way out, I got to see the sunset from up there on the hill.  I stopped by the high school on my way over to the cafeteria because I had to go to the bathroom super bad.  Luckily, I made it!  The boys were still at the school to watch their cousin play in JV football.  When I got there I got to see Justin and Andrew, both surprised to see me there.

Then, I headed over to the cafeteria to meet with my Football Moms (and Dads).  Only a few minutes past 7 pm and those girls/guys already had the snack bags assembled and everything done except for my little messages to attach to each of the bags.  AMAZING!  What a great group of parents who care, honor, and support their children in their endeavors!  Such TEAMWORK!  I am glad to be a part of this group!

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

*LIVE*LOVE*LAUGH*ALWAYS*

*LIVE*

*LOVE*

*LAUGH*

*ALWAYS!*

I just wanted to give a shout out to my Good Lord today!  It has been a wonderful day!  I got up early so that I could go swimming.  It was super foggy all the way there.  Debating whether or not to swim outside, after seeing the steam rolling off the water, I decided to go for it!  The pool is heated, can you believe that?  It was a delightful swim at 55 laps!  My most yet!  Showered and a quick devotional and I was at work a bit before 8 am.

Walking into my new office after a beautiful morning swim, I was delighted.  Greeted by the nice people I work with, greeting a new day.  Thank you for my job Lord.  Thank you for Heath's job!

We both got to meet back at our home by 5:30 pm!  It is absolutely wonderful having time together.  The kids were still at practice, so he worked on the barn and I took Miss Penney for a stroll.  (I also got my floors mopped and supper made!)

The boys just got home and they are ready for tacos!  I better go!

Monday, September 15, 2014

Surreal!


This is what took my breath away when I got home from work today!  My man had the day off from work and he chose to use his time working on our barn.  So blessed!

He had some good help today!

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Sunday Birthday Celebrations

Last night, we went over to Barb and Garry's.  Heath and the boys went to help with the cattle and I went on a bike ride to allow them some bonding time together.  I had a great ride as it was an absolutely beautiful evening.  So F~A~L~L!  I had a flat tire, but it was ok, Heath came and rescued me!

Heath had made some chili.  Well, he actually made two different pots, one HOT and one SWEET.  He used one of those crazy looking Carolina Reapers in the HOT chili.  I mixed the two and it was absolutely delicious!  Thank you honey!  After cows, bike ride, and supper, we started watching the Nebraska football game and sorting through Heath's old newspaper clippings and awards.  It was really neat taking a look into his past and what shaped him into the man he is today.

Beautiful Day!

We went to church and then had Tiny and Barb's birthday celebration at our house.  Andrew made two cakes yesterday for the occasion.  He is taking a home economics type class this year and has really taken it seriously.  He made an angel food cake and then a white cake.  He did a great job.  Heath made a roast with all fresh veggies from our bountiful harvest.

As Heath is working on the barn, I am working on gathering all the last minute details for our art display at the Harms Technology Center.  There will be a Business After Hours on Thursday, October 16th, 2014 at the Harms Center to recognize all the artists.  We would like you all to join if you can!  They will be displaying six of our pieces (below) on the walls of their college and they will also be for sale.  We are pretty excited about this opportunity!


Checking color.  Looks rustic, LIKE it!

We have canvas and metal mediums for our photography and then three pieces of horseshoe art. 

Saturday, September 13, 2014

Farmer's Market


We had a late night at the football game, so getting up this morning was honestly, a bit of a challenge.  I am so glad that we did because of two things.  One, I met another young girl in agriculture and two, a lady from the board of directors from the West Nebraska Art Center stopped and talked to us.  She encouraged us to join the artists guild and display our artwork in the Center.

You never know how each day will turn out and what God has planned for you.  Although the market was slow, we have now another great opportunity.  Never, ever give up!  Praises!



Friday, September 12, 2014

~Frosty Friday~


This is what we woke up to this morning!  A light frost lining the ground and gardens.



It turned out to be a nice day just in time for Andrew to run cross country in Kimball and for Justin to play football against Kimball at home.  I wore my coveralls to the game and brought a blanket.  I was quite toasty!

Friday Night Lights

GO #56!

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Chocolate Zucchini Bread


Andrew had practice early this morning, so the boys were off to school before the sun today.  I am so proud of them for getting up on time and getting ready.  They, then, had a dentist appointment before they went to school.  Justin had a football team dinner tonight in Mitchell in preparation for his home game tomorrow.

Tonight, I made some spaghetti and bread for the rest of us.  When we were finished eating, I got on a  short baking kick.  I had laid out some shredded zucchini to thaw and I had a recipe in mind.  I will be attending my first Friday morning meeting at 21st and I thought I would bring something to go along with the donuts.  Options are good, right?  This is made with wheat flour, reduced sugar, and home grown zucchini.  I am just so happy it came right out of the pan!  :)  Life's little miracles!

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Quick, Cover the Garden

Tonight, when Heath got home, we started gathering blankets and picking the garden.  With the freeze coming soon, we wanted to be prepared.  We rummaged through the garage and found blankets, curtains, a sleeping bag and whatever else we could find to help keep our plants warm through these next few cold nights.



Heath also picked quite a few peppers.  Among those he picked were, from left to right, the angry jalapeño, jalapeño, serrano, ghost pepper, Carolina reaper, and a garden salsa.  The ghost and Carolina should not even be touched without gloves.  I took a bunch of these to work so that other people could enjoy them too!  It was really fun sharing because they really appreciated it!  :)


Carolina Reaper on your left and Ghost Pepper on your right.