Good Afternoon!

(((Oh Dana))) I know how bittersweet it must feel for you to be closing down the businesses, but God has a purpose. You will most certainly be blessed by the additional time you'll have with your children, both physically and mentally. I know how easy it is to 'listen without listening', because you're so busy in your mind with finishing up this order for so and so, and packaging up that one that HAS to make it to the box today, and so on. I also know the frustrations and hurts that go along with the other issues. All too well, I know them. It has been a difficult road, with another flare just recently, but I can finally see the Lord using it to teach me to just 'be still', and to love! It is not my nature to keep my mouth shut when being attacked, to return kindness for evil, or to go the extra mile. But praise the Lord, through him I WILL learn! You know I'm praying for these requests.

I realized that you never told be about your New Years Eve party. You'll have to do that. We ended up with a bust here. When 10:30 rolled around and we already had the tireds and crabbies, we decided to all go to bed! LOL!

How is your mouth and face feeling today? Is the swelling going down?

Your UPS story made me smile. While there are some frustrations about 'small town living', there are most definitely more perks to it =) Did you get around to starting yesterday? I have to admit, I just haven't been able to muster up the motivation to really get myself excited about this. I did do a workout this morning and again, my legs felt wobbly for some time after. Paige just told me that she would really like to start doing it again too, so maybe she'll be the push that I need to keep more consistency with it.

Another thing I'm trying to implement is using ideas from Clean Mama, to help me stay on track with cleaning/organizing/etc. For some reason I've been having a hard time getting it all done. It seems like if we put in a good school day, and just get the basic chores done that there's no free time. If we take that free time and do things such as games, sewing, crafting, books, exercise, etc, the chores aren't getting done. And like I said, those are just the basics.....not allowing for deeper cleaning, organizing, etc. One day a week on the weekend isn't enough time to work on those deeper cleaning areas, organizing, and the hobbies or fun time with the children. I'm trying to find balance in there.

Leia was reading to me this morning during our school time and I realized that when I was telling you about her reading that I said 'trips' was a four letter word. Oh boy. See where my brain is lately? I suppose you figured it out on your own, but I meant to say that her latest book has had some four letter words, and even the FIVE letter word -trips. Bear with me sister.

Work has really slowed down for Duane again. After tomorrow he'll have worked three days in the last two weeks. I try not to worry about it, but at the same time see the bills that are due, the curriculum needs for the children, and just simple day to day needs that we have. Add in the fact that it's also time to start planning for the gardens and spring livestock, and it then makes the even 'bigger' issues (such as our desire for a larger and more reliable vehicle, farm repairs, etc) seem like impossibilities. It's reassuring to know that God promises that ALL things are possible for those of us who love him, and that he will supply our needs! He showed us his hand of provision again yesterday, when we received a call from a man who Duane had spoken to earlier in the summer about a very large job at one of the local hotels. The last we heard it had sounded like he changed his mind about doing the project, but it now sounds like he's moving forward with it after all. That job alone would keep Duane busy for a couple of months at least. We are continuing to pray that he does indeed move forward with the plan....and soon!

Paige made a huge batch of homemade oatmeal bread yesterday. Three of the loaves were a normal size, but somehow the other three became super-sized! One even raised up into the heating element of the oven and started baking around it. I had to yank it out of there and it's now got a nice black line cooked into the top. LOL!

Since I didn't get around to it yesterday, and I've chatted on about everything else today and need to get going, I'll just send you over to my bog to see the cutie squirrel pictures. Or did you cheat and peek already? You have probably seen the picture before anyway...... Oh, and as I'm typing about squirrels, guess who just crawled up to sit in the sunny spot and say hi?!

Ok, I'm off to get lunch going and then do Brianna's read aloud with her. Then I need to work on our menu plan, and finish cleaning out and organizing our file cabinets. Fun-fun!

Love you-
Cathy