Garner

I am thankful:

(First of all, I’m so sorry I dropped the ball last week with Sunday Gratitude. May be the first Sunday I have missed in almost 10 years! The mid-week holiday threw me for a loop, and I never could quite figure out what day it was! Especially since we were preparing for the week ahead…)

This picture can only mean ONE THING!

It was vacation week! This year’s destination was a highly anticipated trip to memory lane. Josh grew up most of his childhood traveling to the Frio River at Garner State Park.

One of the most desirable state parks in Texas, Garner is a time capsule, harkening back to a simpler era. The setting is breathtakingly beautiful, with chiseled limestone cliffs towering above crystal clear icy water.

The night sky defies description. Took my breath away. (Photo via Garner FB)

White rock beaches line the river’s edge and periodically among the towering cypress trees, you can spot long, rugged ropes, beckoning you to climb up and take a flying leap into the sparkling Frio below.

After a day of baking in the Texas heat, what better way to end each evening than with country dancing! Like a scene from a movie, string lights hang from an ancient live oak over the iconic dance pavilion built in the 1930s, and country classics croon from an “old-timey” jukebox. Josh was astounded that not a thing had changed in the 28 years since he’d last visited the park.

Can you spot young Josh in this 1980s postcard photo?

The week was incredible + hot + exhilarating + exhausting.

So grateful for a lifetime of memories made. (Hated that we were missing Colton this week, but he is actually in ALASKA on a work assignment!)

Quotes from the week:

Regarding sleeping in the tent on Night 1, “It’s so hot in here…the only option…is to die!” Tatum K

When we found out someone called a dance partner by the wrong name, “Well, in my fence, it was really loud.” Gavin

As soon as a song started playing at the dance, “Well…time for my charm!” Sawyer

Thanks for giving thanks with me.

““But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”” (Jeremiah 17:7-8)

Clarence

If you’ve followed our moving-to-the-country journey, you know that getting animals has been one of the most exciting parts for all of us. We now have 2 dogs, 2 cats, 4 goats, 16 chickens, and a duck named Clarence.

Clarence was a rescue duckling. Someone had saved him from a cat attack and dropped him off at Tractor Supply, hoping he’d find a home.

There’s a sucker born every minute.

How could I resist a lone orphan duckling that arrived AT THE EXACT MOMENT I was at Tractor Supply with my kids letting them pick out their baby chicks?

The sales associate assured me: the duckling could eat the same food as our chicks; he could live in the same coop as our chicks; and he’d be fine without a pond. “He’ll think he’s a chicken!” she said.

Clarence thinks he’s a chicken.

We’ve tried numerous times to put him in a dish of water. He hates the water. Chickens don’t like to get wet.

We are considering getting a couple more ducks, so Clarence can have friends who look like him, and help him to build meaningful relationships within his species. I’m also quite taken with the idea of getting some geese. Babies of course. All these waterfowl could help teach Clarence that HE IS NOT IN FACT A CHICKEN.

My amazing husband surprised me one day this week with a giant hole in the chicken yard. A POND FOR CLARENCE!

Among the countless trash and treasure items left on the property by the previous owners was a large stock tank. Josh spent over an hour digging down roughly 4 feet through about a bazillion layers of rock solid Texas clay. In the 102° blazing heat. For a single duck who hates the water. Because he thinks he’s a chicken.

I love that man.

It took several tries to get it the right depth. Finally we filled it to the top with water. And put Clarence in it.

It went EXACTLY as expected.

The next morning, we went out to the chicken yard to find the pond completely empty and bone dry.

It had cracked.

Several layers of silicone, and it was patched up. Time to try again. I thought I’d give Clarence another little water-aversion-therapy as we refilled the tank. He actually did ok!

A few more tries, some good, some not so good. The pond is holding water well, and all the chickens enjoy drinking out of their new, large, deep water dish.

And today, my heart exploded. I watched Clarence waddle up to his pond. He literally acted nonchalant…

walking away, then back, looking to see if anyone was watching. First a little sip of water,

then a little hop! Right into the water, swimming in circles, swishing his little webbed feet.

Then he ducked his head down, and with a splash, DISAPPEARED to the bottom!

After several second, he SHOT out of the pond straight up in the air, flapping his wings, and hit the ground running franticly.

He did what he was meant to do for the very first time, and it scared him to death.

I think we are like that sometimes. We see what others are doing, and we want to be like them. We measure ourselves against others, and we wonder why OUR EFFORTS don’t match THEIR RESULTS.

BUT GOD.

God made each one of us uniquely gifted to fill the role He created us for. And sometimes, no matter how badly we want to act like a chicken and look like a chicken and surround ourselves with chickens, WE WERE MADE TO BE A DUCK and do duck things instead of chicken things.

May we find joy and purpose in what God has for us.

Thanks for giving thanks with me.

Oh, and we also are pretty sure that Clarence is a girl.

“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.”(1 Corinthians 12:4-6)

“Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” (1 Corinthians 12:15-18, 27)

Dig

I am thankful.

~ for a good week on the farm. We were gifted some mature hens from a friend, and we were thankful to welcome Dorothy, Blanche, Rose, and Sophia.

We’ve started letting all the chickens out to free range for a few hours in the evening, and it’s so fun to watch them explore and forage and then one by one, put themselves to bed in their coop.

~ our little garden is doing great, even in the unseasonably early heatwave.

~ not a bad little harvest, including OUR FIRST TWO EGGS! I wish I had captured the looks on each of the kids’ faces! Lord, help me to never forget their absolute joy and surprise. Priceless.

~ for Sam and Kora’s favorite week of the entire year: Pine Cove! For the first time ever, I’ve got 2 at the same camp. So very thankful these sweet girls get to go to camp. They are such a help to me, but they can just get away and enjoy themselves in the most beautiful setting. I pray this will be a week of fun, friendship, relaxation, and a deepening of their relationship with Jesus.

~ for more beautiful wildlife…can you spot the friend in this picture?

~ for our first summer trip to the library. Everybody came home with new books to enjoy. I love this tradition.

~ for a great day celebrating our favorite Dad. It was a peaceful day, with a few simple projects, a Texas Rangers win, and finished with a feast: chicken fried steak & taters and another hot, buttery blackberry crumble with ice cream.

It’s really summer.

Being out here on our little farm, we love the setting and the wildlife and the beauty.

Some things just seem really simple.

But man, is it ever a lot of WORK.

Like it’s a constant battle. Constant repairs. Fighting the bugs. Outsmarting the varmints. Maintaining the property. Tending to the animals. Keeping up with the onslaught of weather and weeds and blistering Texas heat and my gaggle of hungry, messy kids.

I love the story our pastor tells, how he raised his 5 sons on the saying, “We LIKE hard work!”

It’s good to get hot and sweaty from working hard. For your back to feel tired and your legs a little sore. To have dirt under your fingernails, and maybe even a blister or two.

It’s good to have to dig.

Because that’s where the good stuff is.

That’s where the good worms are for fishing. That’s where you find the good soil, once you get past the weeds.

That’s where the treasure is.

I don’t want to stay on the surface, in the shallow, exerting myself as little as possible.

I want to dig deep. Into the Word. Into Jesus. Into Life.

It’s work. But it’s so, so worth it.

Thanks for giving thanks with me.

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:7-9)

“The land yields its harvest; God, our God, blesses us.” (Psalms 67:6)

“Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you.” 1 Chronicles 28:20a

Almost Perfect

I am thankful:

~ for our annual exhausting, fun-filled week of Vacation Bible School! Big kids all had jobs, Littles had a blast in their crews, and I cooked and served the pre-VBS meal for 70ish volunteers and their families every night. It was an awesome week of fun and fellowship and Jesus, and I’m so thankful we all got to be a part!

~ for a fun double date with dear friends.

~ for such a fun night with our HERO buddies at the Little Wranglers Party. Always thankful for these amazing kids and their families to be celebrated.

~ for a delicious farm to table feast: buttery blueberry pancakes and rich, savory sausage from you-know-what!🐗

~ for an almost perfect, simple country afternoon: playing with the chickens,

sitting under the walnut tree listening to Cooper

while taking pictures of some new friends,

while kids fished in the creek for the first time.

It was ALMOST perfect because I’ve got two sick ones this weekend.

But I’m thankful. Thankful for run-of-the-mill sickness that will pass. Thankful for healthy immune systems that will bounce back stronger. Every day is a gift. I don’t take any of it for granted. Dear Lord, we DO have so much to be thankful for.

Thanks for giving thanks with me.

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

“I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” (Psalms 27:13-14)

“I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds.”” (Psalms 77:11-12)

Farmer-ish

I think this was the “most farmer-ish” week we’ve had yet. I still can’t believe this has all happened inside one week.

I’m so thankful:

~ for our first “harvest.” A bell pepper from our little garden…

first handful of blueberries from my Mother’s Day bushes…

and finally enough wild blackberries (we’ve been stockpiling in the freezer since last summer) to make the most delicious blackberry crisp, elevated to next level status by fresh-churned homemade salted vanilla ice cream.

~ for the best spot to sit and watch an afternoon shower.

Or a late night downpour.

~ for my city kids first experience shucking sweet corn. How has this never happened before? How have I failed them for so long?

~ for animal control. We have 3 less creepy crawlies on our farm (killed one myself!) And that’s 3 in 2 days!

Don’t come at me about these being non-venomous, I’ve got too many goats, chickens, dogs, and CHILDREN to be selective. If we find a snake, we are going to ELIMINATE IT. (Sawyer delighted in being the “measuring tape.”)

~ and the craziest project we’ve tackled as a family yet: crazier than a drastic move, crazier than building a barn, crazier than converting a rat hole into a casita…baiting and trapping 7 wild hogs.

AND THEN, after a crash YouTube course, butchering and processing them into fresh ground pork and pork sausage! WHAT IS HAPPENING TO MY LIFE!???

I still can’t believe we are here. Look at this place exactly one year ago.

We had plans for this place, plans for a life in the country with our kids… but OUR vision was SO SMALL.

I look out on the land and every single day I discover something new.

A new wildflower, a new tree, new bird, new terrifying varmint.

The kids love their new binoculars and all they can observe (Tatum K insists she can see better with them backwards).

It’s far from perfect and certainly not always charming and picturesque. Something’s always breaking and somebody’s usually griping, and half the people in my house are teenagers.

But it’s so so good.

Lord, let me savor the moments that will be gone in a blink.

Thanks for giving thanks with me.

“Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” (Psalms 25:4-5)

“I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.”” (Psalms 16:2)

Commencement

When we talk about “commencement,” as applied to graduation, we think “the end. The end of school, the end of an era, the closing of a chapter.

But the word commencement actually means “a beginning.”

This weekend, Cooper graduated high school, and stepped into a new beginning.

Cooper is such a bright light. He is hilarious, uniquely gifted, and is equally unwavering and outspoken in his convictions. He is not afraid to do the EXACT OPPOSITE of what is expected. He has challenged us, challenged his teachers, challenged his peers. And (usually) in a GOOD WAY. He challenges me with hard questions and challenges me to trust him when I think he’s crazy. The boy is CRAZY. Crazy smart. Crazy talented. Crazy cool. He is totally one of a kind.

Some people will look at him and not be able to see past the painted fingernails or bleached hair. If they make the egregious error of judging this book by the highly unconventional cover, MAN will they miss out on an incredible story!

Coop plans to move out soon, has a couple of job opportunities to choose from, and has big plans to work hard on his music and producing skills. He’s been a musician for years and has been honing his skills and putting himself out there as an artist.

Most importantly, Cooper trusts the Lord. He has firmly anchored his faith, and knows that God’s plan will ALWAYS be better than his. He understands, “BUT GOD…”

THAT’S why I’m so excited to see Cooper “COMMENCE.”

Even if it wrecks me to see my little Coopy grow up, and my heart can hardly stand the thought of that season coming to an end, I’m ready for this Cooper to BEGIN.

It’s gonna be GOOD, y’all. You’re gonna want to say you knew this kid. I can’t WAIT to see what God has in store for and through this amazing young man I get to call my son.

We love you, Cooper. (Give him a listen & if you’re intrigued, give him a follow. He is streaming on all platforms. @davvec)

Thanks for giving thanks with me.

“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” (Proverbs 19:21)

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2)

““Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” (Isaiah 43:18-19)

Gift

I am thankful:

~ for my handsome son turning TWENTY FOUR! Am I ACTUALLY thankful for this? Because when I say it (or type it) it just makes me feel DESPERATELY OLD!

I just really can’t believe it. Colton is a man. Grown. Fully independent and on his own. I look at him and still see the baby that I carried in a laundry basket from my apartment to the laundromat.

It feels like a million years ago, but it was yesterday. I’m thankful he still likes his old mom and dad, and that he chose to spend his birthday with the fam. Crescent chicken, sweet potato fries with homemade ranch, and fresh baked cream puffs was his menu of choice, and we had a great time celebrating him. (Even if he ended the evening getting pounded in ping pong by 9 year old Sawyer.)

~ for the sweet smell of honeysuckle after the rain.

~ for snuggles from our farm babies after a hard week.

~ for the chickies (and duck) graduating from the brooder to their coop. They are hilarious to watch, gangly awkward “tweens” with oversized feet and feathers that don’t fit. It’s fun to watch them grow and get used to their new space.

~ for my brave husband who works his tail off, even doing what he hates the MOST – anything involving heights! His latest project is closing in the gable at the end of the barn and completing the soffits all the way around. Most of this job takes place 14-20 feet in the air. We will celebrate BIG TIME when this job is completed!

~ for such a special, exciting season for Cooper. He’s such an amazing kid. He’s had the best Senior year, interning with his high school principal,

speaking in Jr. High chapel,

and has kept his social calendar FULL. Senior Prom was last weekend, and he had a blast, taking a great friend for his date and enjoying the night with a whole group of friends.

This week he and buddies did their “Senior Prank,” with permission from (and chaperoned by) the principal.

And then his very LAST day of school.

Where did my little Coopy go? So proud of the decisions he has made, the role model he is for his younger siblings (and more others than we are aware of I’m sure), and his courage to be himself no matter what others are doing. He is ready to be out on his own, working and spending time really digging into his music and producing. I can’t wait to see God’s plan unfold in Cooper’s life. I know it’s gonna be GOOD!

Last fall we seeded a rocky, hilly area of the farm with wildflower seeds, a mix of red clover, blue bonnets, black eyed Susan’s, etc. It’s awesome to see more brilliant colors pop up every day, along with all the other incredible treasures that come to visit.

One of the seeds listed among the seed mixture was the Poppy. Poppies are my absolute favorite. I loved finding them growing in my youth in Southern Minnesota, but I’ve yet to see one in Texas, so I was not overly optimistic that any would grow. This week my heart was so happy to see our very first tiny poppy!

It was followed by another little cutie, and other, and then later in the week, two gorgeous full-sized beauties burst forth in all their flamboyant glory!

I couldn’t help but just feel like they were a gift. Truly, a gift from the Lord. I think He loves to surprise us, give us what we secretly hope for, knock our socks off with His creativity and generosity. And do we notice? And if we DO notice, do we actually GIVE HIM THE CREDIT, or do we casually dismiss it all as coincidence? Happenstance? Luck? I know sometimes, far too often, I’m so focused on the pressing “needs” and the latest catastrophe that I’m fretting about that I miss the gifts right in front of me. He didn’t have to give me a poppy. But He gave me 5!

Lord, give me eyes to see Your gifts all around me, and remind me to take the time to pause and actually THANK YOU for them.

Thanks for giving thanks with me.

“Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!” Let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them! Let the trees of the forest sing, let them sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” (1 Chronicles 16:31-34)

“For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.” (Romans 11:36)

Fleeting

I am thankful:

~ for springtime on the farm. Watching the world slowly wake up and new life begin to emerge is such a beautiful reminder of the breathtaking creativity of our Lord.

~ for breakfast picnics by the goat pen.

~ for a fun outing with my girls to the Gresham Barn Sale.

~ for Samantha enjoying being a Kite Buddy with a Kindergartener. How is she finishing 8th grade????

~ for more projects getting done on the barn. We’ve been so focused on the casita, there are a few details that need to get finished up. This weekend we tackled the track for the barn doors. Now we just have to build them!

Our photographer (Gavin) yelled, “y’all should kiss!”

~ for memorable moments as Cooper draws to the end of his Senior year. Each year, the graduating seniors walk the halls of their elementary school to an audience of their parents, teachers, and the elementary students, who clap and cheer and give high fives. It was special and exciting for Sawyer and Tatum K to see their big brother coming down that hall. And to make the event even more meaningful, Cooper had been selected to speak at chapel. He boldly encouraged the young students to not worry about what others thought about them, and to find their worth and identity in Christ. We are so proud!

~ for the great honor and privilege of Gold Network of ETX being chosen by the G.I.V.E. program of the Women’s Fund of Smith County (Girls Investing in Volunteer Efforts) as their nonprofit grants award recipient. Our own HERO, Aneesa, was our champion in the group. She first notified the group of our organization, and then advocated and fought for us all through the selection process. What an incredible honor!

◦ Time feels like it is stuck on fast-forward. As another school year winds down, and we prepare to graduate another senior, it once again becomes glaringly clear that the days are long but the years are short. It’s easy to wish the days away when the maddening and the mundane seem to be stuck on repeat. But they are priceless and fleeting. Lord, give us endurance for the everyday. To love well. To lead well. To drink You in deep. To pour out to others. And to remember that there is always, always, ALWAYS something to be thankful for.

Thanks for giving thanks with me.

““Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure. “But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.” (Psalms 39:4-5, 7)

“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?” (Psalms 8:3-4)

I am thankful:

~ for an exciting milestone – our first Gold Network/Children’s Hospital/CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances collaboration! We hosted our 3rd and 4th Certified Continuing Education Class providing information and training to local ER nurses on the care of pediatric oncology patients.

Our East Texas HERO kids go through so much, and countless ER visits are almost inevitable. So anything we can do to help improve their care is a huge priority. It was so special to have 2 of Sawyer’s care team drive in from Dallas to perform the training, and a special treat to surprise them with a breakfast date with one of their favorite kiddos! Thank You Lord, for opening doors for change.

~ for a delicious Ruby’s lunch date with my boy.

~ for a special day for Zoe, as a beautiful queen at her class Medieval Feast.

~ for a fun double date that started with a tornado warning and ended with a shopping trip for ant killer at Lowe’s. And lots of great conversation and laughs in between.

~ for the sweetheart surprising me with the start of my dream garden (after telling me I couldn’t have one until next year). So excited to start FARMING! (We are SO NOT farmers!)

~ for a double decker April Fool’s Day prank for my prank-loving kids. Started with calling the kids out to “see” a surprise…they could hear the bleating of baby goats, and started squealing with joy…until they realized it was just a sound effect on my phone.

And then they opened up a box of “treat” cereal (Trix was a good choice, don’t you think?). Instead of tasty cereal, they were met with a variety of the most hideous items we could find at the grocery store: from mac and cheese and bacon flavored gummies to smoked oysters and sardines in tomato sauce. They were (mostly) great sports about it, and actually surprisingly enjoyed several new delicacies. April 1 is seriously Sawyer’s favorite day of the year!

~ for the amazing gift of watching my kids enjoy the country. This is our WHY…

Friends, with a heavy heart I ask for your prayers for our HERO friend, Trenn, and his Warrior parents, Anna and Randy. Trenn’s body is wearing out from the relentless battle, doctors are out of options, and the family is now facing the unthinkable. I have no words. Just please pray for Jesus to be near.

Sometimes it gets really hard to be thankful. Because why do I get to enjoy my healthy children and so many blessings while my friend’s world is crumbling? We just don’t understand. But no matter what, He is still good. He is still worthy.

So even when it’s dark, and even when none of us FEEL like it, thanks for giving thanks with me.

“Hear, Lord, and be merciful to me; Lord, be my help.”” (Psalms 30:10)

“The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”” (Exodus 33:14)

A Spring Break to Remember

I am thankful for a busy and blessed Spring Break!

Lord, thank You for these amazing kids that go with the flow.

Thank You for my Energizer-Bunny of a husband.

And thank You for hard work and good fun and days that we will never forget.

Thank You Father, for leading us and stretching us and for giving us the courage to do hard things, unconventional things, uncomfortable things, and embrace the unknown.

As for this week…you wouldn’t believe me if I told you…

Thanks for giving thanks with me.

“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” (Proverbs 16:3)