Wheat Field Cut For Hay

Wheat Field Cut For Hay

September 29, 2010

My Journey To Motherhood

I have a story. 

Some of you know it, some of you don't.

I have thought long and hard, and I've prayed; and I believe this is  a story that is to be shared. 

If I tell my story, and there is only one person that is helped, then I've accomplished what God has wanted me to do.

I am 28 years old and have had two miscarriages.  Both were within six months of each other, the first in August 2008 the second in February 2009.  I had lots of struggles and emotional stress.  (Who wouldn't?)  But, when I needed something to help me along, all I could find was people telling me about others they knew who had had miscarriages and still had children later; or information about all the possible causes of a miscarriage.  But, I never once found anything that would prepare me for how I would feel after having one.  Nothing ever can prepare you for an experience like that.  And I needed someone to tell me:  "It's OK to feel that way."  "You're going to have these feelings...."

After lots of consideration, I have decided to write my story.  I do want to mention first off, what I experienced was by far not the worst thing that could have happened.  I know there are lots of people who have had worse experiences than I have, when it comes to miscarriages.  I also know that there are lots of people who have tried and never been able to have children.  And that there are lots of people still trying.  I'm not trying to downplay anything anybody has gone through.  I'm just trying to do what I can by sharing my story. 

For those of you who have friends who are experiencing some of these  trials, please feel free to send them here.  And for those of you who are male, this is your warning, feel free to read, but I might talk about stuff you may not want to hear. 

I have decided to post a series of blogs titled "My Journey To Motherhood".  There will be two parts:  Part 1 - This will cover my first two miscarriages and their aftermath.  Part 2 - This will cover anything in the present (meaning as soon as I find out I'm pregnant, I'll start part 2)

I can't tell you how often I'll post under this heading, because I'm just going to write as I feel the urge, but I will post as often as I can.

My thoughts and prayers are with you who have had or are going through anything like the above. 

Your Friend Amy

September 27, 2010

Red

This is Red.  Aint she purty?

This is the one LB had the accident with.

But, we forgive her!

Amy

September 26, 2010

Fall Decorations

I love Fall!  It is my favorite season.  I love the cool weather, the colors and all the things that mean fall:  pumpkins, acorns, pine cones, leaves, etc...  I especially love decorating with all the said fall things. 

So, I thought I'd share how I decorate for fall.

My table centerpiece.

My apothecary jars.


I like to use the real thing anytime I can!

The corner of my TV cabinet.

My decorations consist of:
     Leaves - Artificial, taken off a leaf garland.
     Pumpkins & Gourds - Hobby Lobby 50% off sale.
     Pine Cones - Collected from various yards.
     Acorns - Gathered from my parents woods.
     Corn - "Borrowed" from my Friend's pig feed.
     Pumpkin Seeds - Saved from pumpkin carving.

Decorating Tips:
     Leaves:  If you want to decorate with leaves, it is usually cheaper to buy leaf garlands and pull the leaves off, than it is to buy packages of loose leaves.  Make sure that the leaves are attached so that you can easily pull them off.  I usually scatter them under the decorations.  It helps keep pine cones and other items from scratching my wood furniture.  Also use them under candles or pumpkins on top of candle holders(see the TV cabinet picture.)

     Pumpkins & Gourds:  I use real pumpkins outside, but inside, I like to use fake pumpkins.  I like the Styrofoam ones.  They are lighter and won't break easily.  I stack them.  Put them in apothecary jars.  I also like replacing candles on tall candle holders with pumpkins.

     Pumpkin Seeds:  At the end of the season when my pumpkins begin to disintegrate I usually dig the seeds out of them before I throw them away.  They need to be washed and then baked for 2 hours at 250 degrees before they can be used.  This dries them out so that you can store them and use them the next year.  The seeds can be used in many ways.  They can be strung for a garland, used in apothecary jars, or just scattered about.

     Pine Cones & Acorns:  I usually just pick these items up anytime I'm somewhere where they can be easily found.  You can gently wash them if they are excessively dirty, but usually just brush them off and they are ready to go.  Be careful with the acorns because their tops can fall off.  Use them as vase fillers or just scatter about as well.  The bigger pine cones can also be displayed on top of large candle holders.

     Corn:  I got my corn from a friend that feeds it to their pigs.  If you don't know anyone who uses it as feed, you can purchase some at your local feed store.  Can be used in the same was as the pumpkin seeds.




September 25, 2010

Riddle Answer

If you didn't read yesterday's blog do not read any farther or you will spoil it.

What do you call a cow with no legs?


A:  Ground Beef

He He!
Amy

September 23, 2010

Down On The Farm

I hope everyone has checked out the Down On The Farm page I have made.  I was wanting a place to put all of my photographs; kinda like a portfolio.  So, that's what this page is for.  The top portion are Pictures of farm life, the bottom portion is miscellaneous pictures from all over, zoos, gardens, wildlife refuges, old vehicles, etc...


All of the pictures on this tab can be purchased as prints.  Once I get everything all ironed out I'll post prices and sizing.  But, for now, I hope you enjoy.  Please check back often because I'm continually adding more pictures.

Rain

Does anybody know what rain is?

Oh, yeah!  That's right, it's that thing where water falls from the sky!


I almost forgot.

Amy

September 21, 2010

A Big Thank You

I am blown away!

I discovered a tab in my blog tools that allow me to see how many people have viewed each blog, where the location of the viewers are and the search words that caused people to find my blog.  So, I peeked.  I have had more viewers than I ever imagined!

So, THANK YOU!

Thank You to my wonderful USA!

Thank You Canada!

Thank You Russia!

Thank You Netherlands!

And

THANK YOU
to everyone to everyone else who shares my crazy life with me! 

I Love You All
Amy

September 19, 2010

Sowing Wheat

It's Time!

As soon as we get the wheat in the ground we'll finally have a LITTLE bit of free time. (emphasis on little)

This is why I don't drive the tractor.  I just ride along for company!


And everyone comes home dirty at the end of the day!

Amy


September 16, 2010

Apachee

This is Apachee.

(I know, Apachee is only supposed to have one "e", but I wanted to add another "e", because I'm weird like that!)

Anyway, my dad got Apachee for me when I was in 6th grade.  He was only a yearling then.  Well, he actually didn't get him for me, he got him to trade, and I fell in love with him.  And you know how daddy's are with their little girls....

So, Apachee became mine.

I loved him.  I broke him to ride and gave him baths and I even set in his stall and talked with him.  I miss Apachee.  We spent lots of time together.  I sold him about 2 years ago to a family with kids.  They needed a gentle horse that they could trust and I hadn't been able to ride as much, so LB and I thought he would be better off.


I miss him.

September 14, 2010

Hangin' On


I love this picture.  I took it several years ago.  I had been going out every day and picking up the pecans to give as gifts for Christmas.  When I took this picture almost all the rest of the pecans had fallen off.  There were only a few left that were still "Hangin' On".

I think it would make a great cover for a card with the inscription "Hang In There" on the corner.
Maybe I should print a few up!

Amy

Curiosity killed the.......... equipment?

These little dears aren't always as sweet and cute as they look!

Sometimes, their curiosity gets the best of them!

Especially if they happen to get around equipment containing rubber hoses or wires.  They make perfect chew toys!  Which is what happened to our wheat drills; and what we worked on all afternoon.

Those rubber tubes that look like accordions?  Those are the things we replaced.

These little rubber tube things are very important.  The wheat seeds fall down through these tubes into the furrows that were just made in the dirt.  So, in a few days when we start sowing wheat, we're gonna need these tube!

So, we worked on them this afternoon and we got them all replaced.

No one was exempt from the work. 


Yes, even I got a little dirty today!

September 12, 2010

I lost my bacon!

This story starts at 7:30 this morning when LB was called out to a fire.  Since LB went to the fire, I didn't have to cook breakfast.  Which means that I got to sleep in!

Yea!!!

Well, later this morning when LB still wasn't home, I got to thinking:  "I'm hungry.  LB is probably hungry too.  He's out there working hard without any breakfast in his stomach.  When he gets home he is going to be starved."

So, I decide, that I am going to cook dinner that way he will have a good, nutritious meal before he goes to the farm.  A chicken, bacon sandwich sounded good.  I get all the meat out and thawed, so that when LB calls to tell me he's back at the station, I can have everything ready when he walks through the door. 

This is when it starts to get crazy!

LB called me as he was leaving the station to come home instead of when he got back to the station.  So, I run to the kitchen, (well, more like hobble!) and start banging around the pans and slamming the drawers shut.  When LB walks through the front door, I am holding a package of bacon over the sink cutting it open.  I'm so excited, because by this time it's around 11:30, and he made it home safely from the fire!  I run into the living room and give his smoke stenched body a great big hug and a kiss.  He asked what was for lunch and then says he's going to take a shower, which is my cue to get back to cooking. 

 By this time the skillets are hot and ready for the bacon and chicken. I get the chicken seasoned and in the skillet and then turn around to get the bacon.  But the bacon is no where to be found.  It's not in the sink, and it's not on the cabinet.  Where did it go?  What did I do with it?

The last time I had it, I was standing at the sink and then LB walked in.  I look in the sink again, it's not there.  Maybe I subconsciously carried it into the living room and sat it down when I hugged LB.  I go back to the living room and look everywhere; it's not on the arm of the recliner, or on the table, or on the couch?  Maybe I did lay it down and Moose got a hold of it and took it under the bed.  I run to the bedroom and look under the bed, it's not there.  I go to the other bedroom, not there either. 

By this time I'm beginning to think I lost my mind.  How can someone loose a package of bacon? 

I go back to the kitchen:  It's not in the refrigerator, or the freezer, or in the cabinet where the skillet was, or in the cabinet where the cutting board was, or in the silverware drawer....

By this time, LB is beginning to think I've gone nuts!  He ask me how in the world can someone loose a package of bacon?  I tell him I have no idea!

So, I decide to retrace my steps one more time.  I go to the sink.  I put my hands on the edge of the sink; and I feel something.  I look down and a piece of plastic is sticking up over the edge of the sink.  I grab a hold of it and pull it up.  It was the package of bacon!

The package of bacon was stuck to the side of the sink.  The side of the sink that is closest to you when you are standing at it, so when I looked in the sink I had to be standing directly over the nearest edge to see the package. How crazy!

I felt like an idiot. 

I ran around for 15 minutes like a crazy lady trying to find this package of bacon!  And the whole time it was in the sink! 

I guess, I really did lose something - my marbles!

Well, once I recovered from the mass insanity of loosing a package of bacon, I finished cooking lunch and was then able to continue the rest of my day like a normal person.

Although, LB will neve let me live this down.

Your Marbleless friend!
Amy

September 10, 2010

An Experiment To Try

I want all of you to go out and find a box. 

Not a very big box, but not too small either.  maybe one of those boxes that copy paper comes in.  You know, businesses usually buy copy paper in bulk; one of those boxes. 

Then, tape the box up and cut a hole in the short side of it.

Then, insert your leg inside and fill the empty space around your leg with rocks and Styrofoam peanuts.

Then, try to sleep with it on your leg.

What's the matter?

Does this experiment not sound fun?

Well, I feel like I've been sleeping with a box filled with rocks on my leg for the past week and a half!  So, I guess I won't have to tell you that I haven't had much good sleep lately.  But, I'm halfway to my next appointment. YEA!!! Keep your fingers crossed that everything is healing right so I won't have to wear the boot anymore.

I now have a new appreciation for people who have had to wear a cast for several weeks.  I really shouldn't complain.

Well, I'm going to try and get some shut eye!
Amy

September 9, 2010

A Sleepy Puppy

I dug this picture out of my archive today for a contest.  The contest was titled "Funny", and this picture fits perfect.

You see, Moose is actually sleeping in this picture.  In LB and I's old house we had this glider rocker.  It was placed in front of our big bay window where Moose liked to hang out.  So, most any time of the day he could be found nestled comfortably on the seat.  This day however, he was extra tired and this is the position he ended up sleeping in for hours!

How he didn't get a crick in his neck I'll never know!

Love Amy

September 7, 2010

Two Black Boots


This is a picture that was taken this weekend. That is me in the pink shirt and my Aunt Nana sitting next to me.
 
If you will notice, we are both in walking cast on our right legs.
 
This is not a joke, we both ironically ended up with injured right ankles at the same time. My Aunt's, unfortunately, is a little more serious than mine. She broke her ankle when she missed a step going down the stairs.

We just felt that this was a picture opportunity hat needed to be taken. In a few years we'll look back on this and laugh.
 
I hope!

September 6, 2010

This Weekend

1.) This weekend LB and I packed up the dog and drove 180 miles east to my home town so I could attend my 10 year class reunion.


2.) The night before my reunion, we met up with our friends, who had moved to the BIG City, for super at Mexico Joe's.

3.) I went shopping with my sister.

4.) I ate good ol' southern fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, and corn. (Home cooked by my beautiful mother)

5.) I ate self serve chocolate frozen custard with Reece's peanut butter cups and strawberries.

6.) I ate self serve frozen custard again with cookie dough chunks and brownie chunks.

7.) I gained 10 pounds.

8.) I met some of my old classmates at the local park so I could see their children.

9.) I met the rest of my old classmates at our old High School for some reminiscing and a nice dinner.

10.) I got a piggy back ride, back to the pick-up, from LB, because I stood up too long and my leg was hurting.

11.) We laughed at our kindergarten pictures.

12.) We packed up the dog again and drove 30 more miles east to see my Aunt Nana.

13.) We drove 210 miles home

September 2, 2010

Treadaway Windmill


This is another one of my favorite photos.  The windmill in this photo was built by LB's Great-Grandfather and was constructed around the 1920's.  The windmill pumped water into the concrete ice house to the right, which is where they stored their milk and any various other things.