Priorities, Provision, & Planning

We're all sick. Again. I am thankful, though, that it is only a head cold when so many folks are getting the flu. Maybe this will cause us to stay in and miss all the flu germs until they pass? Hopefully?

We did a bit of barn planning last night for our second barn. We've come up with a pretty spiffy design, if I do say so myself. However, rather than building it this year, we will wait. There are other priorities and projects and we are limited by time and money, just like everyone else. While the second barn will allow us to keep David's tractor under cover and house the animals in a more comfortable manner, we can certainly make due with what we have and are thankful to have it!

It's easy when you've been looking forward to something for oh, a little over a year, to come up on the expected time of it's arrival/accomplishment and feel a little let down if it doesn't materialize as planned. That is a good time to remember a few things--all the good things that God has provided already, all the other things you will be able to accomplish instead, and that life is a journey rather than a destination. We still have the happy anticipation of barn #2!

So first of all, I am thankful for all the recent blessings we've received: both cars being fixed, new bathroom floors, new toilets (you can't possibly have any idea HOW thankful I am for those toilets!), a soon-to-be-completed renovation of our library/homeschool room (and lots of cool new tools to go with that!), a new computer, the barn that we already have, pregnant goats, and most of all, our new daughter whom I can't wait to see face to face!

I look forward to completing all of the smaller projects that we have lined up for the next few months... terracing our front flower beds, putting a french drain in behind our barn, completing our second hay loft in our current barn, finishing our library, fixing our bathroom (drywall patches, painting, and putting up the new mirror), adding another bar for hanging clothes to the kids' closets, fixing some tractor parts, putting in a garden, and then all the little things that will go into preparing our home for a baby again. Much to do!

In looking at our long term goals, it might even be wise to hold off on the next barn until we can fence in more of the property. Our animals can always sleep where they currently do, and be moved to new fenced areas during the day. The options are endless, and planning is fun!