Puppy!!

We have been casually looking for a dog for about a year. We were very specific to the breed we want. We LOVE Phoebe's breed: Australian Shepherd mixed with CattleDog (we think). We want a dog with high family values, a protector of the property, heard the chickens, and be great with kids.

Then, Phoebe died. We were so sad and it was really hard to be home with our Bobby. I wanted that little protector. We began looking more aggressively. We looked at rescues with no luck.  There were many puppies available but they were not willing to let us adopt.

Then we began to look on Craigslist! And we found the perfect little guy!

1st day. He is 6 weeks old

3rd Time's A Charm

There's this little thing in your knee called the meniscus . . . it acts as a cushion and shock absorber in you knee joint. Mine has torn twice! Just before that, I had to have a surgery to remove a Plica.


During this time, we have had an incredible amount of help! A good friend set up a Google Document for people to sign up for time slots that Bobby would be working. It's been an overwhelming, humble time.

With 3 pregnancies that led to bedrests and 3 knee surgeries, I have had a great deal if "down" time. This has been a humbling and frustrating time! I love my job. I love to be a wife and mom. Not being able to fulfill my role is really difficult, and so many times.

I wish I could end this post with some great epiphany of what God has taught me each time, but I don't have that. Although, I have had a unique opportunity to be in prayer for people each day.

We are praying this is the last surgery for a while, at least!

Mommy Fail. . . Mommy Redeemed

That one time I SHOULD have gone to the ER. . .

I feel like parenting is a constant battle of, "Am I overreacting?" Kids fall ALL the time, they get bumps, bruises and scraps. How do you know when it's time to go into the ER?

I can write this night out and laugh now. . . the night of, I couldn't!!

We got home from Bible study late one night (9:30pm). I get the girls a piece of toast and send them to bed. I tell them I will be in as soon as Jeremy and I check on the baby chicks. I see a string in the chick area and tell Jeremy to grab it so none of them swallow it. Too late! He grabbed the string but it was already digesting in a chick's stomach. He runs up to get a pair of scissors.

*At this point, I hear Heidi-Rae crying in the house*

I can't pull the string out. I cute it as close to the beak as possible. Figure I need to just cut it and check on her in the morning to see what's going on with Heidi-Rae. As I turn to head back up, Heidi meets me at the coop, trips, and bites through her lip on the step of the chicken coop!

Jeremy close up the coop as I head to the house with a bloody mouthed 2 year old! We stop the bleeding and get cleaned up. I give her some Motrin and decide since the bleeding stopped quickly we didn't need to go in. I had her sleep in my bed. She was up about every 3 hours in pain.

Fast forward 2 days, she's really complaining that her lip hurts. I text a photo to our family doctor. . . I hear the answer to the question. . . YES, I should have taken her into the ER. He said anytime there is a puncture through skin, take them in! OY! We couldn't tell if there was an infection. I rinsed her mouth about 5 times a day and applied antibiotic ointment for 2 days and it was clear! Phew!!

Well, for the future. . . I know!

Show Love. . .

In my opinion, the single most important teaching of Jesus Christ was to LOVE PEOPLE! He asks us to love. To forgive, to give grace, to show more people love. I feel like this is a simple command, although sometimes it such a hard command to live out.

I had to have *another* knee surgery! 3rd surgery in 7 years! More on that later. . .
The week before we had the "unplanned" opportunity to serve quite a few families!

Bobby Aunt came to visit from Idaho, we got to go to dinner!

My grandparents came to visit from Vermont. 

We spent some good quality time with Jackie and her girls! 

The next few days, the kids had 13 friends rotate through the house for playdates and sleepovers! It was such a fun week! 

I will say, this was one of the times that living our Galatians 5:13 was easier. To cook, play and, serve spend time with friends was awesome.  It was a great way to spend the 2 weeks leading to surgery.

Update: About a week after I wrote this post FB was offering to show you the words you use most often in your posts. The larger, the more frequently used. . . The largest word is. . .

Man's Best Friend

Our first photo with Phoebe and Monica

"They" (<--- Whomever "they" is!!!) always say, "A dog is man's best friend." We are not big animal people. By that I mean, we don't enjoy animals sleeping in our bed or feel like they should be treated as a human. But, HOLY COW. . . We were not prepared for the grief that comes with losing a pet!! We have always thought Phoebe was the BEST dog! Many people in our lives felt the same way.

She blended in to our family so well. She tolerated the many, many events we hosted at our house. She house trained in a few days when we got her at 3 years old. She let kids do anything!! One evening, we were eating dinner and heard her quietly whining under the table. . . We look to see our niece, about 3 year old, with her finger in the dog's eye socket!!! A simple whine to let us know she was uncomfortable. She went on a few little vacations with us, saved us from a rattle snake this past summer! She was protective when Bobby wasn't home. She slept in the kids bedrooms, came to get me when they woke up in the middle of the night. She was just such a great companion!

We were incredibly sad to lose her. It hit Bobby and I hard the night of and many weeks following. The kids were ok the morning after she was hit by a car, but as the weeks have gone on, they noticed she wasn't there and missed playing with her.

She will be hard to replace!! We have a puppy now. Post coming soon!

Fire Family

There are different types of "family" that come into in life. Our fire family has been one of those. Our guys live life together for half of the month, it only makes sense to become friends with their wives! I have seen some pretty cool things happen when us fire wives pull together and create that family environment! We can go months without seeing each other, and pick up where we left off at a station gathering, community event, birthday celebration, holidays the station, supporting one another when theres a huge, lengthy fire assignment, or when life throws curve balls we don't know how to catch. It's be wonderful to belong this type of family.

Plus, you get so many cool photos!

2011

2013

2014

My Tribe. . .

Ya know that saying. . . "It takes a village to raise kids." How true is that statement! I have just had my 3rd knee surgery. . . With 3 pregnancy bedposts and 3 knee surgeries. . . This whole staying in bed thing is just not fun! The first few days are nice to catch up on sleep and rest my body. . . But, I'm over it but this point. We are praying this is the last surgery for a while, my knee heals properly, and no more tears occur!

Being down, means I need help with the kids when Bobby is at work. . . The tribe God has equipped me with has been incredible!! The amount of time they have given to my family is sacrificial!!! I can't explain my gratitude, nor can I thank them enough.

Next comes the praise for my husband. he has taken both parenting roles, housekeeper role, AND still works 72+ hours in shifts a week!! He is truly amazing. His heart to serve us has me choked up!

Cheers to "taking it easy," getting though the next few weeks and proper healing!