Praying More than Talking

We had a nasty virus hit our house the past two weeks, and with it came the abrupt silence on yee old blog.

I was down for the count, doing my best to just work and make meals for the table. My day to day, got up and left with my get up and go.

I've been known to nurse a cough for weeks on end, and I am hoping that my cough will soon leave me be, and that I can get back to figuring out how to do most of it all. Luckily, the hubby managed to steer clear of the bug and the kiddo, while he did get sick, seemed to bounce back pretty quickly after the doctor prescribed a few meds for an upper respiratory infection.

Beyond all the illness, I have found that with the current state of the house, I have found myself praying more than ever.

I pray for families with sick kiddos and the strength to endure those days. I pray for rain and for the farmers, for a bountiful and fruitful harvest in the fields. I pray for the garden out back, a blessing for the table. I pray for continued health for my husband and son. I pray that my own body would recover, quickly. I pray that I would do my best every day at work, and that my job, would continue to be a blessing in our home.

And then, I pray for the really heavy things.

I pray that God would remove fear from my life, that I would live to be a blessing to others. I pray for God to mold me and shape me, to help me become a better wife and mother. I pray for the seed of contentment and the ability to recognize when I am coveting someone else's home, achievements, abilities, etc. I pray that the pangs of the past would release me from my apprehensions and aversions.

But above all, I pray with thanksgiving. My eyes have been a little teary lately, as I look around at all that I have. There is a moment almost every night, when dinner is done, the house is settling down, and we all join together in the living room. There is so much laughter that the walls seem to bellow with us. We play with toys and puzzles, we cuddle and share hugs, we give piggy-back rides, and play fetch with Molly. There is a hilarity the ensues when we are altogether, an on-set of laughter as the sunsets and giggles begin. Without fail, each night, I catch myself smiling with tears in my eyes. This life is all mine. These boys love me, one man and one wee little one. This quiet country road, with our beautiful home, was all given to us by Him.

With prayerful thanksgiving, and a grateful heart, we begin anew each day.

And come sunset, we will laugh and sing and play, together.

Beginning the Catch Up

Welp, this little piece of me went neglected for longer than I anticipated.

For weeks now, I keep telling myself the second I have a moment, I will sit down and get to work on a post, and then....

The garden needs to be watered.

There are veggies to harvest.

The kiddo wants to color.

My husband is free, so we sit to catch up.

I have a job that puts food on the table, and thus, demands my time :)

There are meals to prepare.

There is laundry to fold.

There is a house to clean.

There is company to entertain from out of town.

And, thus you get my point.

So let's start with the garden. This year, I wanted to collect my hard-earned lessons from the two previous years, and make an attempt to have a bountiful harvest. While it's not always comfortable working beneath the heat of the Texas sun, there is something so satisfying about growing a plant from seed, and having that plant give off a nutritious addition to the day's meals. Thus far, I have harvested the following:

• 45 lbs of yellow summer squash
• 10 lbs of yellow onions
• multiple cuts of spinach, with another crop to come this fall
• a handful of green beans with more this week (yay!)
• 5 lbs of basil
• lettuce
• ornamental pumpkins
• lavender

The basil was turned into pesto and frozen for dishes to come in the winter. We love to use it on homemade pasta or homemade pizza. Half of the onions were also frozen for beef and chicken stock later this fall. I have never had beans grow to the point of giving off fruit, so those little ones have been treasured! And the ornamental pumpkins were a complete accident, a product of a mix up at the seed company! But we have enjoyed having them around the house. Also, the squash has been eaten, frozen, given away for a cookout, and used to barter. 

This fall, I am planning on a garlic bed, spinach, lettuce, and hopefully some cabbage.

As for the kiddo, he is growing like a weed, and turning into quite the independent little boy. He is stubborn and wild, happy and joyful, friendly and kind, and a pistol when he is upset :) 

And I absolutely adore him.

He is also my right-hand guy when it comes to watering. He already such a hardworkin' kid, he loves to help out with chores!

My husband's mom had to unexpected leave town for five weeks to take care of her mother (she is fine now :) ) but that meant that my husband was running her farm while tending to home and school. I picked up the slack here, while working for the editing company that I have been with since January. Luckily, I am able to work from home, so the little guy doesn't feel the pinch when mom and dad are exhausted from working, he just happily goes about his day at home, and never has to be shuffled to and fro. In fact, he goes to help daddy some days at the farm....

So while this may  not be the most exciting post ever, it is a journal of sorts for our family, a way to remember this time in our lives. I wouldn't change a moment of it, and find the routine to be soothing.