March Already???

I know it has been a while since our last post. So many new changes have happened here on our farm as well as in our life. First, can you believe it is March already? I am so ready for spring, but it seems just like yesterday that we were celebrating Christmas. The seeds that we started in our make shift "green house" are doing wonderful. I can't wait until all of my other seeds arrive in the mail. I am getting that spring time garden itch, and I need to hurry and start scratching it!

At the end of February, Michael made a drastic job change. He has spent the last 6 years working at Nuclear Fuel Services as an Operation Specialist. At the prompting of the Lord, he closed the door on that chapter of his life, and he has started work as a contractor for a training company. This is such a big change for us. It is truly self employment which has been a desire of his every since I met him. (He would rather be a self employed farmer, but that wouldn't pay the bills at this stage of our life). With his new hours, he is able to work from home some. I am truly enjoying him being here, and he seems so much happier. (I had to call him yesterday and tell him: 1. the chicken tractor blew away, 2. the chickens were everywhere 3. the mastiff dog got a whim and ate a hole out of his side of the bed 4. the mastiff dog also ate his temperpedic special pillow 5. the mastiff dog also ate his side of the sheets and down blanket that my mom gave him for Christmas). Michael took it all with a grain of salt and said don't worry about it. We will take care of it. (That was unexpected. I was already looking for a new home for the mastiff dog that ate half our bedroom down in less than 20 minutes)!

The fence project that Michael and the boys have worked on for so long is almost completed. This will allow us to pick up our cow, and purchase a couple more calves. However after yesterday's wind, Michael will now be rethinking the chicken tractor situation. He will have to do something with the reamaining chickens because they are living in the barn to protect them for now.

I need to get school started with my children. Friday is a wonderful day of school for us. We have what we call Reading Friday. This is a day that we complete any unfinished projects or lessons from the week. Then we spend the rest of our school time reading GREAT books. We curl up on the couch, dump out the building blocks for the 2 year old, and we get lost in a good book. I read a loud to the children and then they have time to read their own books. As the weather warms up, we take our books outside. This allows the 2 year old to romp and play while we can still enjoy our reading time. I can't tell you how many times Jacob and Hope have climbed up into a tree and listened to our books from a comfortable limb! Such is the life of home school students. I have always spent time reading good books a loud to our children. Our soon to be 16 year old still curls up with me when he hears me reading out loud to the younger children. That to me is a wonderful treasure!

grace and peace,
julie