I've Gone Country A blog about a city girl learning a whole new world

I saw a picture of Mabel when she was a day or so old…..she was laying with her mother and siblings….. sprawled out just like this.

This is how she sleeps most of the time.

She is really growing,  you can see here that she is getting a lot of freckles on her tummy.

We keep putting her in the fence with Ellie and the goats, that she is supposed to be protecting.  About 20 minutes later….here comes Mabel.  She is still small enough to get through the fence.  I will be really, really glad when she can no longer do that.

A couple of weeks ago it rained the whole week.  We ended up with about 5 inches of rainfall.  It was needed, but I guess it made Mabel bored.  She couldn’t or wouldn’t get out in the rain and burn up energy running and playing.  She gravitated to the garage……

where she found my mop….part of a green poncho…and a rag she helped herself to.

This is my mop…..or what is left of it.

One of my potted plants…..I never found the plant.  But I have found a lot of treasures spread out in the front yard.  Oddly enough….none of them are the chew toys that she IS allowed to have.

I think this little butterfly may have excited her….it was on a stick, in that potted plant, the wings would move with the wind.   Needless to say she destroyed that too.

Hmmmm, Mabel again…….

When we are ready to settle down for the evening we let her come inside with us until bed time.   We have learned to NEVER…EVER…EVER….leave her alone in the house.  I mentioned before that she loves to get our shoes.  She knows right where the closet is….and out she will come with a shoe…or two, but she never hurt them.

Until recently.  The door now stays closed to the bedroom when Mabel comes in. I really liked that shoe……apparently she did too.

She has her good moments…..

Ellie is teaching her how to go get the paper in the mornings. Knowing she still gets a treat….even if Mabel does all the work!

She uses her cuteness to make up for all the destruction she does.

I have to admit…..they are sweet together.  For the most part Ellie has adapted really well to having her around.

Sometimes Ellie waits until Mabel gets to the top of the driveway with the paper…….

then she takes it from her…..and tries to get all the praise.

Mabel has gotten pretty good at retrieving the paper, so good in fact that if the paper boy is late and we don’t pick it up quickly……

then Mabel will go ahead and get it without us……

and read it herself.

Oh, you gotta laugh….or you would CRY.   Which I think I did when I saw all this mess!

Yep, I’m ready for her to stay in the fence a little bit.

Monday night we checked on the girls.  We decided to put Cupid in a contained area.  She looked as if she was just beginning labor.

Tuesday morning Billy woke me up with…are you going to check on your cow?

Of course I hopped out of bed……we loaded up a few things just in case we might have to deliver a baby calf.  You just never know….so we have learned to be prepared….or at least we are learning to be somewhat prepared.

When we pulled up in our little golf cart…..we were pleasantly surprised.

We saw Mama…..and then we saw a little baby right beside her!!!!!

Mama and baby were just fine.  We are always so happy when they can have the babies without any trouble.

We have a baby boy.  His name is Julio.  He has a white tummy, a little bit of white on his back feet and and a tip on his tail.  I love it when they have unique markings.

Isn’t that sweet.

Mom is pretty protective, but I did win  her over with a little sweet feed.  I was able to pet Julio for a few minutes….but not very long.

When enough was enough..she felt threatened…..she called her baby….

even though he was not steady on his feet…he got up and came to his Mama.

I wish you could hear the difference in her calls.  One day I will have to tape it.   Most of the time it is a low hummmmm when she is talking to him.  But if she is serious about making him come…..it is a big MOOOO.

Kinda like our parents did I guess.  You knew when to kick it in gear…..by the tone.

Everyone is content….including me and Billy.

I suppose those of you who do not know me personally have been wondering why I haven’t been blogging.

I got sick with pneumonia.  I have never had that before and was surprised to find that I had it when I went to the doctor.

I feel as if I have lost the whole month of JULY!  But the month isn’t completely over yet and I am feeling much…much better.

While I was sick, I couldn’t help but think about other people who are sick.  Some with cancer, ALS, and other ailments that are very serious.

There were also about 6 mission trips that I knew were going on during my down time.  I found that while I was “assuming position” each day from bed to couch…couch to bed, that I could at least pray for all that was still taking place.

I just kept thinking…what do people do that don’t have access to medical care.  I couldn’t wrap my mind around how it must feel to be sick or watch a loved one be sick and not be able to get them medical attention.  I felt bad….but I had medicine, a comfortable bed, air conditioning for when I was hot and blankets for when I was cold.

I suppose that is when I really started praying for any and everyone who needed God to comfort and heal them….all across the world.

Billy and I had scheduled to go to Mexico on a mission trip.  I was not able to go, but he was.  They had a large group that went and they were able to accomplish a lot.  It was a great trip.  I am also blessed to have a doctor who goes on Medical mission trips several times a year, giving of his time and skills.

I loved hearing Billy’s stories and seeing the pictures when he returned home.  I know that sometimes in the past, I have felt as if there wasn’t much one could really do to help situations around the world.  I have come to realize that some of the smallest things can make life a little easier, more comfortable and give hope.  Praying for one another is the best thing we can do.   Being willing to go and help where the needs are, here and abroad is next.

I appreciate all the prayers, cards and kind words sent my way.  A few weeks ago my son called to check on me and asked if I felt like talking to my granddaughter Layla.  He said she had been concerned and wanted to speak to me.  I told him I could listen, but I couldn’t really talk.  He explained that to her as she took the phone.  She proceeded to tell me all about some toys in her room and about a cartoon character of two….then she asked me if I was still sick.  I sounded like a bull frog….as I answered yes.  She said…O.K.  Me Me I will have to put you down for a minute….she laid the phone down on her bedroom floor.  I could hear her as she began to pray.  She asked God to make me all better.   She picked up the phone and said….are you better?  Then she said…. oh wait….Me Me I have to put you down again.  She began singing a song that she learned from Vacation Bible School.  It told about how remarkable God was and how nothing was too difficult for Him.

My heart was blessed as I heard her sweet 4 year old voice pray and sing for me.  I could honestly say that I DID feel better.

I was reminded how important it is to lift one another up in prayer.  Prayers from  4 year olds all the way to 80+year olds…. each one precious.

I suppose through time I and others have found that they have prayed for something or someone and it didn’t seem to make a difference.  Maybe the sick person still died or a certain situation in our life didn’t change like we prayed it would.  It is easy to get discouraged.  I am reminded in scripture that whenever someone was healed….they still eventually died.  Now it may have been after they grew old and died from something else but they still died.  It is a part of life.  Sometimes situations do not change…at least from our view.  But we never know what is taking place in hearts.

Prayer is not like rubbing a genie bottle where we get our every wish.

We still are to bring concerns before God, He can comfort in a way we are not capable of doing.  I think prayer is just as beneficial for the one praying as it is for the one we are praying for.  It builds our relationship with God, as we talk to Him about the things on our hearts.  We realize our limits as human beings and recognize the strength and love He offers.  Sometimes if we do not get the answer we want…we act as children do against a parent…we get mad and pout.  We rebel against God.  It has to break God’s heart…..yet He waits to have us come back to Him.

Prayer is just talking to God.  It doesn’t have to be fancy.  I think the more we do it…the more we enjoy bringing things to Him.  You will not always get the answer you want…but  you will see God move in many ways.  Sometimes we can see that the answer turns out to be better than we could have ever imagined.  It is both exciting and inspiring.

I was preparing this post yesterday afternoon.  I saved the draft for later so that I could review it.   Within 2 hours Billy and I had two people ask us to pray for friends and loved ones that were on their hearts.  This morning another prayer concern and need for my sister’s neighbor was called into me.  I think it is interesting to see the confirmation that really and truly…..prayer is important.  And if someone ask you to pray….take it seriously and remember to do it.  It only takes a minute.  I hope that as I continue to get better and get back into my normal routine….which I really missed…I will remember others.  I hope you will too.

My mother used to tell me….. when God puts someone on your heart and mind, pray for them.   You may not know why….but God does.

The scripture below helps me when I struggle with things that come up in life.

Sometimes I do not  know how to pray about a situation.  Scripture tells us that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us.  I find that very comforting.

Romans 8:26

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.

The vegetables are coming in….we do not even have a garden this year, but we are enjoying lots of other peoples!

This is as fresh as it gets.  That squash still has the bloom on it.  Billy and the neighbor picked this out of  their garden.

That’s the way it is here in the country.  They share.

He and Billy shucked a few ears of corn to go along with the other vegetables.

A man that works with us has been supplying me with cucumbers too….

and…..more okra

Billy loves okra anyway you fix it…..I’m just getting where I will eat it….. fried.

So I have been “putting up” veggies in various ways.  Or I guess I should say what doesn’t get consumed for dinner…..gets put up for another day.

This is squash, cucumbers, and onions.  I boil vinegar, and some spices and sugar and pour over the mixture.  It can stay in the refrigerator for weeks.  Billy likes it better than I….it is a little tart for my liking…but he loves to come home and open a cold jar.

So…he has a few ready for him.

The other day I kept out an ear or two of corn and put the others up.

I even pulled out my handy dandy vacuum food sealer….and there you go.

And I did all that before I went to work the other day.

I am beginning to think my name should be “SUZY”  as in SUZY HOMEMAKER……

Just saying…….

I did want to show you this cute little apron my neighbor just whipped up…..

Now you talking about SUZY….she is the little homemaker for sure.

She made this one night after we had a calf.    She said I had this CUTE material, so I just threw it together.

Isn’t that the cutest!!!!!!         Unbelievable….. huh?!?

And she sent down some strawberry preserves the other day.

Our neighbors are just that….neighbors.   We have enjoyed being here so much.  Everyone is your neighbor here.

They all share….they all like to feed you.   And well, who doesn’t like to be fed!

I believe the country is even rubbing off on Billy a little more than I thought…..

This morning he left me a love note….and surrounded it with hen eggs that the neighbors had also given him the other night…..

I must say….it was cute!

I have heard that the first man a little girl loves is her Daddy.

I really like that…..

This is ME and MY DADDY !!!!!

I only have a few pictures of me and him.  This one is priceless.  I have looked at it a million and one times.  I love it because we are both laughing, I love it because he was spending time with me.  I also love the fact that I am holding onto his big hands with my little hands.

This is a picture of my sister Charlotte and I.  We were spending time with Daddy.   You can’t even see his face in this picture….but that’s ok.  I know it is him….and I was sitting right beside him!

I think he is so handsome.   I always thought my sister Charlotte looked more like him than the rest of us.  I do have his eye and hair color.  I know that mostly because Mama told me….because most pictures are in black and white.    I remember Mom telling me a story about whenever he would grow a mustache…it would be auburn colored.  I had not thought of that in years, until one day my son grew a mustache and it looked auburn.  I then remembered where he must have gotten that from.  Interesting that things like that pass on from generation to generation.

Mama used to tell us about when they first married he wanted to start a family.   When she wasn’t expecting right away he thought she should go to the doctor.  Mama thought that was so cute.

It wasn’t very long…… and…… Tommy was born.  Back in those days, the father was not allowed in the delivery room.  When he found out that he had a son….he turned to my Mothers’ mother and said “Molly”  “I got my boy !” and cried.  He was so excited.

Tommy was named after my father.

Eleven months later……

Charlotte was born .  She looked like a little baby doll.   Mama always thought having them so close together was harder than having twins.  Tommy was learning to walk about the time Charlotte was born.  He would toddle by and bop Charlotte on the head with his bottle while Mom was trying to rock her.

Two years later….I was born.

Three years after that….my baby sister was born.

Camera’s and picture taking didn’t happen as much as they do now.  So we do not have pictures of  Daddy holding us as  babies.

These are my Daddy’s parents.  They  had come down for a visit.  I must have been about 2 1/2 here because Mom is expecting my little sister in this picture.

I’m not sure where Tommy and Charlotte are…..but I sure look comfortable in my Daddy’s arms.

It’s been a long time ago….pictures and stories of my daddy are few.  But I do have one tangible thing that I still have from my childhood.

This is a baby doll I had as a little girl.  She used to be pink.  Now she is….. well…..dingy, tan.  But I obviously loved her very much.  I’m not sure where she came from, but I love the story behind this doll.  Mama said that she used to have a music box in her, the kind you would wind up.  Somehow it broke, so my daddy took it out…….

and he sewed my baby back together!  I think this is one of the sweetest things in the whole wide world.  A grown man….took time to sew his little girls doll back together.  I can still see all his stitches and the little knots he made.  To some people this would not be important.  But to me….it tells me a whole lot about this man I call Daddy.  It tells me he loved me more than I can ever imagine.  He took care of me in a lot of different ways and wanted me to be happy.  He knew I loved my doll and it was important to me…and that made it important to him.  He took time to repair it, instead of throwing it away.   It was an act of kindness that still speaks to me today.

Sadly,  I do not remember my daddy.  But I love him dearly.  My mother was really good about sharing stories with us about him.  She is about the only person who did.  After she passed away, I  felt as if I had lost both parents.  It was then that I realized that she kept him alive for us all those years.  Wanting us to know him as best we could.

She didn’t dwell on things….but she also didn’t bottle up and just not talk about it.   I never would have known otherwise.  I am so thankful for that.  Most things I know about him are little things…but to me….they put a personality with the face I see in the few pictures I have.

When I would stand in the bathroom putting on my makeup…sometimes Mom would say as she passed by…my goodness, you have your fathers legs.  I also have his freckles, my sister Charlotte has his nose.  I have his hairline.  I think Tommy has his hands and his mechanical skills.  I think Debbie must have his toes.  We all have Mama’s toes…except Debbie.  I also think Debbie must have his people skills and humor.  Mom told the story that one day she was talking to dad on the phone and she asked him what he was doing.  It was his lunch break…and he told her that he and the guys in the office were measuring noses.  Now that sounds like something Debbie would do!  He also kept moon pies in his desk drawer.  Mom thought he liked them and put one in his lunch each day.  He liked them but got tired of eating them all the time…so, he started saving them….then he would use them to barter and trade with some of the other guys things they had in their lunch bag. Now that sounds like something my brother would do.

There was also a story about when he was in the Army and had forgotten his fork.  He had to go back and get it.  He had already sat down with his tray of food.  He knew if he left his tray….everything would get stolen off his tray.  So he took care of that by sticking his finger in his roll and acted as if he was spitting on his food.  Needless to say…nobody touched his food while he got his fork.

Tommy and my son have this same look and mannerism, like my daddy has in this picture.  I know anyone can sit like this…but there is something that makes them favor.   It is ironic.

My daddy was a hard worker.  He worked a regular job during the day.  He was a draftsman, there were times he even taught a drafting class after hours.  He provided well for his family.  He and Mama at one time even had borders that lived with them to help provide some extra income.

He had accomplished a whole lot for a man of just 29 years old.  He had a beautiful wife, a good job, a new home, and four healthy children.

From the things I know about my Father, I see that he was smart, fun, good looking and strong.  He was a good husband a good father and a good friend.  He seized opportunities to learn new things and provide for his family and he didn’t hesitate to help others in times of need.

I have great respect for my father, and I am very proud of him.

In my eyes he will always be forever young and I will always be my daddy’s little girl!

I truly do LOVE my Daddy.

Honor you Father and your Mother…..Ephesians 6:2

I am very proud of two other fathers in our family.

Garrett….Layla’s daddy.

and David….Riley and Andy’s daddy.

I am amazed at the love and patience they show for their children.

They spend quality time with them.

Building relationships that will last a life time.

showing kindness with their love…..through actions

that speak louder than words.

Typical days together

…..becoming priceless memories.

Making happy homes…happy kids…..and happy cousins.

There are so many things I could say about each one of these fathers.  I admire their dedication to their children.  I love to watch them.  Through the years I have seen both of them not even think twice about cutting up food into bite size pieces, while their own food got cold. They have helped with potty breaks, wiped noses, zipped up coats, pulled on hats and gloves, pushed swings, taken walks, given baths, read stories and shared lots of hugs and kisses.    It has been SWEET!

At first it is hard to imagine your kids being parents.  I think that is what is kind of strange and fun about all of it.  It shouldn’t surprise me….they are acting as I would expect them to toward their children….I am just amazed by it.

Garrett and David….I am so proud of  you.

I love you both very much, and hope you had a very Happy Fathers Day.

You know…it sure would have been nice if an instruction book would have come with the first baby.  But it didn’t and if the truth were to be known…we probably wouldn’t have read it anyway.

Oh….It might have been used as an emergency manual.  You know when you are all out of ideas and methods…then we might have resorted to that, being our last ditch effort to solve the crisis.

Billy had two daughters and I had one son, when we married.  It is hard enough to raise a family that started off all together and has the same gene pool.  Combining families certainly has it’s challenges.  Today there are even more families going through this same scenario.

We all had to work at it, we STILL do….everyone of us.  Relationships don’t just happen.  All families have to work at accepting one another and adapting to each others personalities.

I suppose some of the most important things that are taught….are often never said verbally.  Actions speak louder than words.  The kids have seen Billy do things right….and do things wrong.  They have seen his strengths and his weaknesses.

They now have households of their own.  Some of them already have started families and now it is their turn to be Mothers and Fathers.

I hope that they learned the important things Billy taught them.  He showed them the importance of putting Christ first in  their lives.  Without that cornerstone the house crumbles.

Interesting thing is….there really is an instruction book…it is the Bible.  God has given it to us…to help us along the way…..if…. we will read it.  And not just for a quick emergency answer.  As Billy has grown in the Lord he has become a better father.

He has demonstrated great work ethics and wise financial decisions.  He has demonstrated love, support and discipline.  Even now….he still works hard to be a good provider, a good  husband, father and grandfather.

But he also plays hard.

When the kids were younger we did a lot of things together.  He always set time aside for family getaways.  He exposed the kids to a lot of different things.  We have stayed in old rustic cabins, way up in the mountains, with no electricity or running water.   The kids adapted quickly and had a lot of fun with the new surroundings.  They even found a way to lock Billy in the outhouse for a while after taking the toilet tissue with them.   There were a lot of laughs that day as Billy peered through the half moon on the door.  The kids have hiked a million miles through the years.  He loved to spend Saturday’s hiking with the family.  There were canoe trips and white water rafting, amusement parks, and weekends at the lake.  Vacations taken to historical places like Washington, D.C., and carefree vacations that included an interesting tour to the lost sea, a Mayfield dairy tour where we all sported hair nets and a neat trip on a cruise ship.

Spending time with one another is what binds a family together.  Sure there were kinks along the way….even while we were doing all the fun things.   But that is how you get to know one another, and build a love for one another.  If you do not spend time with someone….you really can’t get to know them.

Billy has given of his time and energy to our kids.  That is a balancing act that is hard to do in the younger years.  Trying to attend school or social events and work too.

In the last few years, he has been at the hospital to welcome each grandchild into the world.  They all think Poo-pa is the greatest.

He gathers the family together as often as he can to celebrate birthday’s, holiday’s, cook a burger ……or ….you guessed it……just go for a hike!

He loves his family….and we really love him too!

Happy Fathers Day Billy!

We went to the beach a few weeks ago and Mabel got to go too.

Ellie travels well, but we didn’t know how Mabel would do.

She ended up sleeping almost the whole way.

She loved checking out the new surroundings.  Billy kept telling her….Mabel, I hope you like your trip to the beach…because you won’t be able to come back.  You are going to be protecting the goats before long.

Now….I just have to snicker at that one….because at this point…she RUNS AWAY from the goats.

Right now she is like a toddler that is in the terrible two’s .

She loves to pull stuff out and leave it all over the place….on this day…it was my shoes.  But she also loves Billy’s…..last night we let her come in for a few minutes…she pranced across the floor and disappeared into our room….then out she comes again…with one of Billy’s shoes in her mouth….it was as big as she was…she continued to prance right over to her pillow.  Billy and I looked at one another and did the same thing you do as parents when your toddler does something they shouldn’t, but they look so cute doing it.  You try not to smile….

I tell her NO ….in my “I’m Serious” voice….. then I take away the shoes.   I have given her stuff to play with, but of course she would rather have the stuff that isn’t allowed.

She is so much like a baby it isn’t even funny.  She will play and play and play…then she kinda walks around and lets out a whimper every once and in a while.  Then she finally plops down and goes straight to sleep.

The other night she was playing with the kids…Lindsay wanted to hold her….that’s when it turned into nap time.

She likes to curl up in your arms like a baby.  She is supposed to be a HUGE dog.  I suppose we are all just enjoying this time when we can still hold her.

Billy says that he thinks he can see her growing right before his eyes.  She really has grown quickly.

She is good about staying close to the house.  She has a great disposition and really isn’t a bad puppy.  She gets into some stuff…but so far it hasn’t been real bad….Maybe it’s my “I’m Serious” Voice.   I doubt that….

Mabel has several brothers and sisters…..I saw them and just had to take a picture….they seem to all be about the same size.

They moved around so quick it was hard to get them all still at one time.  Aren’t they the cutest!

It makes you want to take everyone of them home with you.   BUT DON’T WORRY THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!!!!!!

Mabel has gotten to where she likes to go pick berries with me.  She will occasionally eat one off the bush herself….

She and Ellie took a walk with me to the lake tonight. If I stopped to take a picture of a flower or something…she would stop and wait for me.

I love that…….  So of course when we got home….it was nap time…..

She was one tired puppy.

she is up now…but just for a little one on one time with Billy.  She hasn’t seen him since this morning…

she likes to cuddle up with him every night for a little while

by the smile on Billy’s face…I think he looks forward to this too.

Now…does that really look like a dog that is going to be in the goat pen?  Just Saying……

Now Ellie….on the other hand…..

She really could care less one way or the other.