springtime is darling

Lambs, chicks, kittens and babies. Life is adorable right now. New life is so beautiful. And all of it is a sweet reminder of the new life we have in Christ Jesus every single day. Today I pulled out my Jesus Calling for the first time in years. And I want you to hear these good words:

April 11th
This is the day that I have made. Rejoice and be glad in it. Begin the day with open hands of faith, ready to receive all that I am pouring into this brief portion of your life. Be careful not to complain about anything, even the weather, since I am the Author of your circumstances. The best way to handle unwanted situations is to thank Me for them. This act of faith frees you from resentment and frees Me to work My ways into the situation, so that good emerges from it.

To find Joy in this day, you must live within its boundaries. I knew what I was doing when I divided time into twenty-four-hour segments. I understand human frailty, and I know that you can bear the weight of only one day at a time. Do not worry about tomorrow or get stuck in the past. There is abundant Life in my Presence today.  - Psalm 118:24, Philippians 3:13-14

tree tapping open house

The day before Easter we had a Tree Tapping Open House. Ironically, we had postponed this event hoping for warmer weather...but it was not in the cards. The day was freezing and windy. The punchline was when Rory had set the tap into the tree and then said, "well, it's too cold. the sap isn't running today."

But we had a great turnout and hopefully we can do another event on a more glorious day. But everyone got to meet Miracle and see the pigs. Rory had the evaporator running in the sugar shack so people could see his set up. We had the most interest from the dad's who were all very interested in all of Rory's evaporating systems from the past. I think small scale tree tapping is something everyone should at least try. Because that syrup at the end is just so, so satisfying.

We had hot chocolate and coffee for everyone and at one point I got out our Easter Eggs for kids to hide and find. Anything to keep everyone moving! Holding the three kittens was definitely a highlight for many kids. And we had a naming contest for the kittens. The winners (decided on by the kids!) are Chocolate Chip (the black one), Tiger and Ginger (the orange ones). Congrats to the winners!! Your prize is the satisfaction of knowing your name was chosen. ;)

(If you'd like to know when we host events like this, be sure you subscribe to our quarterly newsletter on the right column of The Grovestead Blog. That's the mailing list we use to send out invites to these sorts of gatherings.)

look who arrived this morning!

So now we're onto baby chicks! Rory sent me a text yesterday of a video of two cats on a large hamster wheel. When one got off, the other jumped on and the wheel never slowed down. When that one jumped out the other jumped back in. He texted below it, "you and me."

And strangely I found it totally touching and romantic. Because that is us right now. We are a complete team, totally dependent on the other.

Oh here's a story, speaking of being a team... The vet casually mentioned on that early Monday morning, "and then in a week, just take these stitches out." Sometimes things like that are said and you are left thinking, "who do you think I am?" It's a similar feeling to when they let you walk out of the hospital with your first baby. They seem to think you're going to figure it out. Same with barnyard animal stitches removal, apparently. So Rory and I went out to the barn a week later, feeling quite green. He had to hold the Ewe down so I was the one who had to remove the stitches. Or, more accurately, the shoelace that was zigzagged around her back side. I made a cut but nothing budged. I'll spare all the details, but I did have to get a pliers and in the end, we got that shoelace out. Rory let her back up and came right over to me with a huge smile, "I am so proud of my farm wife right now." And he gave me a big kiss.

Hilarious. What a moment! The two of us have been through so much in the last 2 1/2 weeks. That morning with the Ewe and the vet was bonding in a way we had not bonded yet. Like we went through a really traumatic incident together. And now we're looking ahead and have these 51 chicks hanging out in our bathroom until who knows when, a goat who will deliver any day now, a lamb who still needs to be bottle fed every 3 hours (3 hours fly by so fast!), and gallons of sap waiting to be evaporated into syrup. And we're heading to a tractor auction on Saturday, looking for a mower and a rake in time for the first cutting.

I should say that the night of the big snow fall, I dropped the middle of the night feeding. Pa Ingalls once taught me that you shouldn't go out in a windy snow storm, lest you lose your way. And as of that night we have dropped the middle of the night feeding. And we feel fine about it. Plus, my big moon disappeared, making those late night hikes fall more into the spooky category, than adventurous. Miracle is still thriving, we feed him every 3 hours now instead of 4, and everyone is happier because Mom is getting better sleep...

gary

Lisa makes the most darling cookies ever. Look at those sheep! 

To be honest our Easter Sunday morning started out a bit rocky. The kids found and opened their Easter baskets while I was up in the bathroom getting ready. And this made for a frustrated bunny, mad at her honey. 

I didn't have time to iron the dress I had picked out for Hattie so she wore a plan b outfit. And we had to fly off to church early because I was reading in the service.

One of the other readers was my friend Gary. I think Gary is 80 years old. I'm not totally sure his age, but he reminds me so much of my grandpa Phil. And I just love this guy. You would too. He is a man who says, "Good morning, how are you?" as you are passing in the hall and then he stops his feet, and listens to your answer and always has something kind and encouraging to say before he moves on. 

The first time I met him was in church during the greeting time. He asked what I did and I said, "oh, I'm just home with the kids." And he took my arm and looked me in the eyes and said, "don't you ever say "just" when you say that. There is no more important job on the planet than what a mother does day after day for her kids. And our world needs good kids being raised by good mothers..." 

I had tears rolling down both cheeks by the time he was done speaking into my life.

So on Sunday he was the reader right before me. And during the rehearsal he got to the part when the Romans put a crown of thorns on Jesus' head, and Gary started to get choked up. He had a hard time finishing his reading and kept wiping his nose and his eyes, over and over. And then during the service itself, he cried again. It was at the same part where the Romans are mocking Jesus, beating him, flogging him. Both times it felt like Gary was reading the account of someone he knows intimately well and of the terrible things done to his innocent friend. Watching him struggle through these familiar scripture wiped the cliches away and brought the enormity of the story back into my heart. 

It was the best part of my Easter. Gary raised the bar again. He loves Jesus so sincerely and with such powerful belief that I prayed to God, 'help me to love you like Gary loves you.' 

And that's a sweet part of the faith. There is always more to grow. We will never fully arrive. Until my dying breath I will be learning and feeling new things. And my goal is to spend my life pouring into this relationship so that I might know the depth and breadth of God's love, like Gary does.  

easter sunday in pictures

Look at these darling mason jars Mimi made for each grandkid. Isn't that so adorable! 

Alden and Hattie didn't actually wear these outfits on Easter Sunday. This was just the trial run day...

and of course everyone got to hold Miracle. :)