A Peek At Our Life

August 30, 2008

Updates

The twins have arrived! Two new beautiful girls now make the tally six girls and three boys... everyone is thrilled!

The Buzz Around Me

Babies are sleeping on my lap, and the rest of the family is working on gutting the bus.

Kitchen Happenings

We're enjoying having all those freezer meals we stocked up on. A frozen casserole and some salad from the garden, and dinner is done. Whew.

In Our Schoolroom

The children are enjoying exploring a new Hebrew computer curriculum. I think the four-year-old knows more than anyone so far.

The Garden View

Brayden Waller planted some beets and collards and greens for me when they were here a couple of weeks ago... they will make a nice fall garden.

In The Sewing Room

I got that new bedspread and bedskirt made to welcome the babies. Now I have to alter some wool diaper covers before the case of disposables I bought runs out.

Home-keeping Agenda

Things are running pretty smoothly, but we're not doing any extra anytime soon.

Simple Joys

That smell of newborn babies. I just can't stop kissing them and breathing in that wonderful scent... none of us can.

Preparing for Twins

I add this link below only because local folks have asked. These are the things that we will be trying to buy before the babies arrive. So, while matching outfits are fun, these things are the priorities for us. (P.S. Anyone who knows me in real life knows that used items are perfectly OK... well...just not the diaper liners. *grin*) I will remove stuff that we have already gotten.

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My 2008 Goals

Well...my hopes anyway


~Deliver two healthy new babies safely and not too early.

~Switch to cloth everything...napkins, wipes, diapers, etc.
**Napkins, diapers & wipes done!

~Switch to non-electric kitchen appliances...grain mill, blender, food processor, etc.
**Got the grain mill with the money I made from selling junk stuff on eBay!**

~Learn how to make cold-process soap
**I did it! I really did it! I made Rosemary shampoo bars, Lemon-Calendula soap bars and Spearmint-Peppermint-Tea Tree soap bars. It smells so good in my closet where they are curing!**

~Keep a hand-written journal

~Begin putting our family photos into scrapbooks

~Maintain a "no backlog" policy with my sewing projects

~Purposefully put together an emergency plan and kit for our family with batteries, radio, canned food, clothes, etc. and have it packed and ready to *go*

~Begin building traditions, recipe files, scrapbooks, etc. for our family's celebrations of the Biblical feasts: Passover, Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, Pentecost, Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and Tabernacles

~Read some fiction for a change!

She Comes Back

Well, the break was refreshing. I was sorely disappointed, however, to find that being away from the computer didn’t free up gobs of time for me. My two well-worn excuses for never having enough time have failed me.

I always thought that if we kept a tighter schedule, with every moment planned, and the day running like a well-oiled machine that I could be Mrs. Efficiency and my To-Do list would melt away into checked-off items, leisurely evenings and early bedtimes for all. I also believed that if only I cut out everything above and beyond the absolute basics of life (i.e. no computer time) that it would free me to get all that I desired to accomplish completed with ease.

Ahem.

Let the record show that another of my big ideas has bitten the dust. After 30 days away from the computer, and with our new school schedule running amazingly well, I still didn’t recoup the amount of time I had expected. Life goes on ~ and things come up. We had a monstrous tree fall across the driveway and pasture fence that took a few days work, several trips to Washington D.C. to get Mr. Visionary’s passport, the cows needed to be bred, the garden needed attention, pickles and salsa to make, new curriculum to get used to, bla, bla, bla. There is always something.

It has been such a lesson for me in fighting for the important things in life, and making time for them. The World crowds it’s way in, and to maintain any sense of margin and balance, we have to be aggressively guarding our time and energy. We are given the same amount of time at the beginning of each day, and the same assignments: to love, serve, pray, worship and obey. I am reminded that it is not as important to get more things done, but to get the right things done.

It has been a good month, and a good season to remember this lesson: When life’s pace pushes you, push back.

I’m looking forward to blogging again ~ thanks to all who have prayed.

Posted: August 30th, 2007 under Profundity Abounds, Homestead Happenings.
Comments: 7

Comments

Comment from Annette
Time: August 30, 2007, 12:10 pm

Hi Julie,
Glad to have you back!
I’ve missed you. Sorry you didn’t find giving up computer time to be of much benefit…No wait, what am I saying???? :P
I appreciated what you had to say today:
“We are given the same amount of time at the beginning of each day, and the same assignments: to love, serve, pray, worship and obey. I am reminded that it is not as important to get more things done, but to get the right things done.”
I have been learning that in my own life, and seeking to put it into practice each day.
Shalom~
Annette

Comment from Sombra
Time: August 30, 2007, 4:48 pm

glad to see you back.. so what you’re saying, I don’t have to give up my computer time.. good.. (wink)

Comment from Joy
Time: August 30, 2007, 6:43 pm

Good to see you back :)
Love,
Joy

Comment from beth
Time: August 30, 2007, 7:53 pm

Shalom! I’m so glad you’re back online. I’m looking forward to hearing about how your thoughts on moving to Yisrael are working out. Yahweh bless, Beth

Comment from Lisa W
Time: August 31, 2007, 12:16 pm

It’s good to see you back. I’m glad that you were doing the exact same things we were - well, except for our going to the fairs. LOL Our garden was sorely unattended for two weeks and of course that’s when almost everything that was going to ripen did. *sigh* The bull is scheduled to be hauled out in a few weeks but this year I’m actually going to have the cows checked to ensure that they bred. If they didn’t, they’re off to the sale barn. Miriam started with an Ag Science class at the high school this week and my step-kids left yesterday so they could prepare for their school starting next week. So, our start to the ‘regular’ school year will begin on Monday. :)

And - Shabbat Shalom, a little early.

Comment from Holly
Time: September 1, 2007, 8:30 am

Ahhhh. THERE you are! :)

I have respected you so much for taking this past month, Julie. Even if you didn’t find much time, I would guess that it gave you time to clear your mind, seek the Father’s Will, and find clarity of thought.

I HAVE missed you, but I have prayed for you during this time. I look forward, very much, to learning from you again. You are on a different portion of the journey than I am, and I am enthralled with the things that you already know and are learning.

Comment from oldpathsfamilyfarm
Time: September 1, 2007, 3:07 pm

Thanks for the Welcome Back, Ladies!

Sombra ~ No, of course you don’t have to give up your computer time ~ unless it gets you in trouble…and in that case…you didn’t hear it from me.

So Beth…you’ve entered into blogdom! How fun! I’m looking forward to having something definitive to share about Israel, too. Soon, I hope.

Lisa ~ end-of-summer stuff looks the same a lot of places, doesn’t it? LOL I’ve gotta tell you…breeding cows is one of my least favorite parts of farming. So frustrating. I feel for you, as well.

Holly ~ Yep, it really was good to not have so much information floating around my head for a while. The feeling is mutual, my lady…iron sharpens iron, heh?

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