No Catchy Title

What have we been up to lately?  Let me see...  I most felt like blogging last week, but it isn't exactly wise to tell the world that one's husband is out of town when he's actually out of town--best wait until he returns to mention it.  So, now that he's back, I can say that he spent last week in Charleston, SC.  His step-mom, Ann, passed on into Glory.  She was diagnosed with Shy-Drager Syndrome a few years back, and given just a few years to live.  She lived as long as could have been expected with this illness, and if you had asked Ann, she would have told you it was too long.  When Bill (David's dad) left this Earth about 5 years ago, she wanted to go to Heaven with him; said it wasn't fair for him to leave her as they were supposed to go together.  I have missed Ann since my last visit over a year ago.  Our farm animals have made it impossible for both David and I to leave the farm at the same time, and when it comes to David's family, he of course, is the one to go.  In the past few months, we've not been able to communicate even via telephone.  When David last visited (I want to say it was late January) I did a good share of my mourning then.  On this trip, David led the funeral service and spent some good visit time with family there in SC.  (This family is particularly private, so I won't mention names, but you know who you are, and I sure wish I could have spent the week with you, too!  I'm very envious!)  I think anyone that knows Ann will tell you that she is the sort of lady that leaves you feeling loved and encouraged, the sort of person you want to spend lots of time around.  In reflecting on her and what she meant to me, I am most inspired by her love of her husband and her desire to make the world around her a more lovely and loved place.  When it gets right down to it, those are the basic things God has called us women to be, right?  To glorify all that is within our reach.  Ann was a delightful example of that, and I wish I had had more opportunity to sit under her tutilage. 

When David returned, we celebrated Shiloh's, Solomon's and Shiphrah's birthdays.  Solomon's birthday was the 10th of June.  David was also gone for Shiloh's birthday (to D.C. on a school trip) on May 13th.  We decided it easiest and most fun to just do our family celebration all at once.  We still have much birthday cake to be eaten! 

Since it is summer, it is the time for vacations.  We don't vacation big--that requires much deeper pockets--but David isn't the only one that will get a chance to get away for a bit.  My mom is headed up to Michigan as I type.  Samuel is looking after her dogs, chickens, ducks, and guineas while she is away.  David will take over the chores around here for a couple of days next week as Samuel and I go up to Louisville to see the Alpine portion of the ADGA National Show (that's dairy goats!) next week.  My mom will be returning with my grandmother, and she'll spend about a week here before heading back to Michigan.  We are looking forward to that!  She has yet to meet our youngest two children, and she and David enjoy cheating each other at cards.  :)

Meanwhile, we're just plugging away on projects.  Exterior doors to be installed, a chicken coop to be built, and a bathroom to be mudded, sanded, painted...  and then there are the every day tasks of milking, collecting eggs, watering, feeding, cleaning the barn... And right now, dinner needs to be made.