I promise I will take time to write in the very near future, but wanted to let everyone know things are good. Our trip to the city was wonderful – completely changed my mind about NYC (but I still don’t want to live there!). 16 loved her tour of Europe with the Kansas Ambassadors of Music. 18 can’t wait to move out and be on her own. And 11 had a very successful season of softball and loved every minute of church camp.

We know how blessed we all are to have each other, to be well-insulated from the effects of world-politics. The crops will be abundant even though the prices for them will not. We have enough. We have more than enough, and that is so much more than so many in this world can hope for.

Please know I think of you often, pray for you daily, and stop by as much as I can.

Life is good! –cindy      

Is this month about over??? It’s just crazy how many things a person can get themselves into all at once.

We finally are through with school for the year, as of 1:00 this afternoon. This makes me think I may have some time to just breathe but it never  works out that way. 18 graduated Sunday with many honors and even more scholarships. She will at least have the first year of college completely paid for – including room/board and gas for her car. Hurray! I wasn’t so sure we could pull it off when she chose a private college, but she managed to do it herself. She graduated magna cum laude. Not only is she a great student, she’s a terrific organizer. Many of her teacher’s have depended on her at times and she always manages to be there for whatever is needed. But then, so are my other daughters.  I’m so proud of all of my children!

I’m having a few  problems accepting the notion she will be leaving in a few months. In fact I’ve had to fight back the tears on several occasions. Just not something a mom has a handle on easily, I guess. sigh.

I haven’t mentioned my nephew, Danny, lately. We’ve been so encouraged with his progress. He can get around his house without using a cane most of the time and, except for grocery shopping and the like doesn’t use his wheel-chair much at all. He was able to come to 18s graduation reception (we had it outdoors at the local lake) and was visiting eagerly with everyone. The next day mom called with the news he had had a stroke. Does this bad news ever stop?!? Believe me, work or not, God and I had an intense conversation. Then Danny’s dad called and let us know it had been a very mild one. No lasting visible signs and within a few hours had been dismissed from the hospital and allowed to go home. An MRI should let us know more details. Thank you, God, for answered prayer.

Now the best for last! 16, 18, and I are leaving Monday for 5 days in New York City. We’re staying in a hotel near the airport in New Jersey and have a very busy itinerary. We’re so excited! I have, since I was very little, dreamed of seeing a Broadway musical and next week I will see two - - (dance of joy) - - I normally avoid cities, crowds at all costs and I will admit looking around where we will be on Google Earth has already got me feeling quite claustrophobic, but Broadway is calling my name, and I have answered!

Life is GOOD!  -cindy

With constant attention on the economy, Octomom, the extremes in weather, and the ever-present tragedy du jour, how are you all holding up? Personally, I find myself getting a little crabby. I know what’s going on, but do you have to keep telling me the same things over and over . . . ‘the sky is falling, the sky is falling’… I’m tired of hearing it.

So it was with great joy 16 and I noticed the first calf in the field on the way home from church Sunday. It obviously had just stood and was trying those first tentative steps. A most precious sight! Momma cow was standing proudly at its side and several other cows were nervously watching our permanent stray dog who was just as intrigued by the sight as we were. Yes, Spring has come to the farm!

My first Spring sighting had come a few nights before when I drove into Powhattan to fill the gas tank in the car. As I stepped out to the pump I was met with a cacophony of little froggy voices. This endless chirping has lulled me to sleep many a summer night. Welcome back, guys!

Dear hubby has also been busy. With the unknown’s of the economy we decided to put in a much larger garden than we have been. During the first 20 years of marriage I was fortunate enough to be a stay-at-home-mom. We always had a large garden and I spent many, many hours canning and freezing vegetables. Hot and sometimes tedious work, but oh so satisfying when I’d walk past the pantry and see shelves and shelves of jars sparkling in there. It’s going to be much harder to get things taken care of with both of us working full-time off the farm as well as still farming. But we’ll try our best. I’m thinking this year we just may need to provide for ourselves as much as possible.

I mentioned our permanent stray dog. Poor thing showed up just as the weather really got cold. He won’t come near us, but we started feeding him –moving the food slowly into the barn. He watches us and when we get far enough away he will come in and eat, but then leaves again. We’ve seen him in the wind-break out behind the in-laws and think that must be where he sleeps at night. He’s at least part black lab, is starting to look pretty healthy again. It’s frustrating he won’t let us get close to him, as he seems to be a pretty gentle dog. He doesn’t chase the cows or the cats, just watches. Makes you wonder what has happened in his lifetime.

As I’m writing this we are under some extreme weather warnings – for blizzard conditions of all things! Hopefully the snow will all be south of us. We have had two thunderstorms so far this month. Those of you who know me know these are one of my favorite events. I love to sit out on my porch and watch the lightning, hear the thunder roar across the fields, then listen to the rain. I love watching and hearing the birds prepare for storms. The complete and utter silence that happens just minutes before the storm hits. I swear you can hear a unison sigh of relief from every living thing as the storm passes. Can you believe we are so fortunate to live in a world such as this?!

Soon we will have our first litter of kittens. The men will begin spending their days in the fields preparing the soil and planting crops. There will be so many baby calves we’ll stop noticing the new ones, but be entertained by their joyful play. Seedlings will be visible in the garden and the never-ending battle of bugs and weeds will begin. And lilacs! My lilacs will be blooming, their heady fragrance adding the exclamation point to another beautiful Spring!

Life is good! -cindy

As the song goes, I've had a few.

I'm in the middle of reading the "Twilight" series of books. 17 made me promise to read them since we saw the movie together and I really wasn't all that impressed. The books are okay - definitely better than the movie (name a book that isn't . . .) but, having finished the second book, and a few things that have happened this week have left me feeling kind of out-of-sorts, melancholy, if you will.

I've wondered off and on for years whatever became of another of my friends from Wyoming. (Talk about regrets, I can't believe I didn't try harder to stay in touch with friends through the years. There just really isn't any excuse.) She finally showed up on Classmates.com so I sent her a message. She has visited my page, but not responded. There's no way of knowing, really, if she even remembers me. It's been a long, long time. She was a good friend then, I wish I could say the same about myself. sigh.

I think 17 has decided on a college. They seem to really want her there - they've certainly offered a wonderful scholarship (10,500/year). It's a very small private college and I think she will thrive in that environment. It's about 5 hours away which is a little farther than I'd like, but I know it's time to let go.

16 ended up not playing basketball this year. I miss watching her, but I don't begrudge her the decision. Girl's basketball has really become a violent sport - I can't think of any reason for it, either. It's inexcusable to me that coaches push their athletes to behave like that - and that referees put up with it. Being aggressive is one thing, but deliberately trying to injure the other team has stepped over the line. Anyway, 16 is a beautiful kid in every sense of the word. The coaches really pressured her and I'm proud that she could stand up to that and do what she thought was best for her. She'll still do either softball or track this spring.

10 is just loving middle school. She has her very own sense of style, which leaves the rest of us shaking our heads once in a while, but the other kids seem to admire her for that. We have to rein her in occasionally as she tends to talk non-stop whether she has anything to say or not. (It's also very apparent she has older sisters. Her sarcasm and flippant remarks do not always match her age . . .) 10 is also becoming a decent musician. She is gaining with piano (meaning I can enjoy it as she practices, finally) and loves playing tenor sax in band. I am amazed at her singing as well. When she's not talking she is singing and whether or not she's singing with the radio she can stay in one key quite well, and has a pretty good range and tone. Maybe I will get one kid who enjoys performing out of this mob of mine. They are all talented, but absolutely refuse to perform for others. Rotten kids!!

Hubby and I are still working on the house. I hope to at least have the kitchen and living room redone by 17s graduation, but . . . you know, cobbler's kids have no shoes and all that. We are at a sort of impasse with kitchen cabinets. I'm trying to be patient and have offered several compromises but he tends to just ignore things, hoping they go away. So it goes.

Along with the "Twilight" series of books, I've been reading several of Jodi Piccoult's books. They have such a different voice to them. I really have liked them. "Nights in Rodanthe" by Nicholas Sparks was good as well.

Have you read a book that changed who you were? I think every book I read has some effect on me, but there is one in particular where the effect was profound. This is hard to explain and I don't even think I could define how it changed me, but it did. I'm not sure how we came to have the book. I think someone gave it to my little sister. We both loved it and it changed ownership several times as we each stole it from the other. The book is a children's book, really. Probably for those about 8 to 10. I read it in high school, you know, one of those times when you didn't have a thing to read but were desperate for something. So I picked it up, read it in one sitting, then read it again and again and again. The book is called "Magic Garden" by Gene Stratton-Porter. Published in 1927 it's the story of a little girl named Amaryllis, who runs away and finds a poor boy and his father. This boy is a violinist and the way his playing is described - I can still hear him playing, though I haven't seen the book in more than 30 years. This book changed me, it changed the way I listened to music, the way I played it.

So tell me, what books have had an effect on you? and how?

Life is good! -cindy

The holiday season is by far my favorite time of the year. I love the air of expectation! Don't get me wrong - I see the stress as well. But, well, I just choose not to dwell on that.

This Thanksgiving, I am grateful for a God who promises an abundance.

• Even though we had a tough year on the farm, crops were fairly good. We, as a nation, will have enough to eat - and to share with the world.
• My sister is doing alright with her pacemaker. Still battling pain but able to be up and around. She's a tough cookie! :-)
• My brother's tests came back good, his body is responding to the iron tablets and his strength is returning.
• My cousin, Doug Edwards, was finally responding to his stem-cell transplant (from leukemia) when he suffered a massive heart-attack which left him badly brain-damaged. He passed away Saturday. His funeral is today.

Why would I count a death as an abundant blessing? Well, you had to know Doug. He was a professor in the college of religion at the University of Puget Sound. Doug was about the most interesting man you could find to talk to. He fought a valiant fight, raised a beautiful family. He's in a magnificent place, at peace, healthy, and I have no doubts he's having an amazing conversation right now with the prophets he studied and taught about, and with God, himself. Doug led a life filled with abundant fruit.

I am grateful for so many other things. We had the chance to visit mom and dad a few weeks ago and, as usual, attended church with them Sunday morning. As we stood to sing a hymn I looked at mom. Memories flooded me of the times we have stood in church together. From the days I stood and looked up at her to this day when I seemingly towered over her shrinking frame. It struck me that these days are numbered. Mom will be 85 in January. She's a picture of health and I am so thankful for that - both my parents are healthy. But I just don't want to take these precious moments for granted.

That's why I love the holidays. I am reminded that they are in celebration of a God that doesn't take us for granted. He saw our struggles and sent us help. His sacrifice for us was ultimate. Sometimes it is hard not to lose sight of what it is we are to celebrate. When that happens I try to schedule some extra "Us" time - time spent at the piano playing Christmas music, time alone in the car with my favorite CD playing, time in my bedroom reading His word. It always lifts my spirits, renews my energy, and puts joy in my smile!

Happy Thanksgiving, Life is good! -cindy