PROJECT .......... BARN!!!!!!!

We have been slowly working at remodeling our barn for the last month or so. I shouldn't say slowly because we have to move the family's herd of Red Angus cows here to the Harnish farm! I am so excited to be able to look out my kitchen window and see red cows! Not that the black and white ones aren't pretty... Theres something about seeing your own herd early in the morning when the dew is still on the grass... peaceful and quiet, nursing the newborn calves. Farm life is such a blessing and I wouldn't trade it for anything! Anyway here's me rambling about the cows when I'm to be talking about the barn!! So far the barn is cleaned out, posts for head locks in and now we have to wait for the headlocks to arrive... which will be 2 weeks or so. My father and Alan are building our gates. So far I think they have at least 3 done... After the pens are done for the cows we are going to get stalls ready for the horses!!! Yeah!!! 

 Alan cutting the pipe for the posts

 Rhya making sure everything is done right!!!

Pipes layed out ready to be pounded in!

 Hit rock !!! Explosives would have been a little to much so they resorted to a hand drill...

Pounding the posts!!!

Funny story to enlighten your day!

I decided I was going to take a great adventure to BB's or Ben's Bent and Dent on Friday of last week. I didn't want to go by myself to a new place so I called my friend Sarah and asked if she and Emma would like to join me. She agreed it would be a fun adventure and it would get us and the girls (Emma and Rhya ) out of the house for some quality girl time!!!!

I picked Sarah and Emma up around 10:45 and we headed for BB's.

 

Both of the girls (Emma- 21months, Rhya-18months) were chattering for a little but soon fell fast asleep as we drove. 

DRIVING DRIVING DRIVING... and some more DRIVING!!!! My directions said it was only to take about 20 minutes to get there so we kept driving and talking not realizing how long we had been driving. Like women do! Sarah finally said " For some reason I don't recognize where we are?". We had just pasted a sign that said 4 miles to Maryland!!!! Wow! We pulled up the directions once again on my phone only to realize we were on 

rt 272! Not rt. 222!!!! So we turned around and headed back in the right direction!!! We pulled up to a stop sign and proceeded to turn left when the coast was clear! Not realizing (because it wasn't a very safe intersection and you couldn't see very far to your left) that the coast certainly wasn't clear and I had to mash on the gas pedal just barely escaping an accident! Whew! Poor Sarah (who is 7 months pregnant)! Then a car decided to turn at the last minute and I had to slam on the breaks!!! Whew! Another close call!! 

We finally made it to BB'S after getting lost, two close calls and driving right past the road we needed! 

So all this hassle just to walk around the store... (I didn't know they only took cash or check) so we didn't buy anything! 

What fun morning and I am so thankful for Gods protection!!

My Valentine

Hello everyone!
I decided that since valentines day is just around the corner I am going to write about my valentine.
I will start off with 10 facts you might not know about the love of my life!

1. He snores... period... its funny some days when hes sleeping on the couch and wakes himself up!
2. You CANNOT leave anything food oriented out on the counter because it will NOT be there when you return! I refer to him as my BIG kitchen mouse!
3. ALWAYS call or knock before you stop in... you wont be walking in on something but he does like to walk around in his boxers... I guess its more comfortable...  If I was walking around in my undergarments the reaction would not be the same!
4. Socks! This man has an obsession with socks! He will  go through at least 2 if not 3 pairs in one day!!! I find socks in places I would have never imagined!!!
5. He has a soft spot for Jerbie, our 3 year old cat. He lets her snuggle with him in the evenings and will play with her when Rhya isn't! 
6. He can cook! He is very talented in the kitchen and can make some seriously AWESOME dishes! Ask a few of his friends, they will tell you! 
7. He is very passionate about keeping his word and helping others. There isn't one person I am aware of that he would drop what he was doing to help. 
8. He ran his family's farm since he was 16. He was never a teenager... so to speak... all he knows is hard work and that is why he is where he is today. 
9. He is stronger than any man that I know. When I say stronger I mean mentally and emotionally. You can't even begin to imagine.
10. He is beginning to fall in love with photography. Much to my delight!

My husband came into my life at the right moment and has never left my side. I own everything to my rescuer, my romeo. He saved me from a hurtful and scary situation. I still have nightmares, flashbacks and nervous breakdowns since that summer. I have been healing ever since... He choose me to be his wife. He picked me... I was in love with him to, of course, but sometimes I think we, as women, forget sometimes that our husbands have picked us to be their wives. He picked a girl who had problems, scars and baggage.


I am so blessed to have him as my husband

First Date

Exhausted beyond belief...

I can't sleep... My hubby says its because I worry to much. And hes right, I do worry. I worry about how much money (if any) will be left over at the end of the month, how the cows are doing, when we are brining the horses home, am I being a good wife and mother... etc... I worry but at night I try to let it go. If I find that I start to worry, I pray. That doesn't always help. There are some nights I will fall asleep but wake up multiple times. Then there are others when I just can't fall asleep and when I finally do its like I'm forcing myself to sleep. I wake up with a "tired" head ache almost everyday...

Does anyone know what to do... I don't like to take medicine if I don't have to. Are there teas? Scents? Music???? ANYTHING????? I am desperate for a good nights sleep!!!!!!! 

Onto Rhya... We ( Alan and I ) have decided together to put her into "time-outs" when she gets beyond upset. I don't know if anybody else's children do this but if Rhya doesn't get what she wants, she will SCREAM at the top of her lungs. And her reasoning... well... She gets very upset when she doesn't get to watch a movie when she wants, if she can't turn a book page by herself or even if she thinks she needs to feed Buddy and Jerbie. It is emotionally draining for me as a mother. You might think that I'm handling it just fine and that I am patient but I am telling you there are days when i have to rely on Gods strength to get through. Rhya will throw a fit for anywhere from 5 minutes to 45 minutes... I wonder am I doing this right??? I need her to be obedient... I need her to stop when I say no... I need her to listen... I know its not going to happen overnight and I know that shes young. I was raised in a home where you listened. 

So far Alan and I have been doing these timeouts for about 3 days. Rhya's first timeout lasted 45 minutes, Today she was in a time out and I don't think it lasted more that 5 minutes!! YEAH!!! I think shes getting it!!! 

   Here is what I do for her time out

   I pat her behind, say no and set her on our living room step to sit.
   I tell her she needs to sit (all while shes crying)
   I walk away. Far enough that she can't see me but I can see her.
   I make her sit until she calms down.
When she is calm I ask her if she would like read a book, she usually nods yes and I will read a book to her.
I still want to show her that I'm not a mean mom!! lol!! So far she is learning to control her frustration and channel  it! Yeah!   

A Song To Inspire You

I have recently heard and fell in LOVE with this song by Kutless. 

"Thats what faith can do"

Everybody falls sometimes

Gotta find the strength to rise

From the ashes and make a new beginning

Anyone can feel the ache

You think it’s more than you can take

But you're stronger, stronger than you know

Don’t you give up now

The sun will soon be shining

You gotta face the clouds

To find the silver lining

 I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains

Hope that doesn’t ever end

Even when the sky is falling

I’ve seen miracles just happen

Silent prayers get answered

Broken hearts become brand new

That’s what faith can do

It doesn’t matter what you’ve heard

Impossible is not a word

It’s just a reason for someone not to try

Everybody’s scared to death

When they decide to take that step

Out on the water

It’ll be alright

Life is so much more

Than what your eyes are seeing

You will find your way

If you keep believing

I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains

Hope that doesn’t ever end

Even when the sky is falling

I’ve seen miracles just happen

Silent prayers get answered

Broken hearts become brand new

That’s what faith can do

Overcome the odds

Here piggy piggy, Here piggy piggy!!!!!!!!!

Howdy!!!
We have a pig barn, most of you know. The pigs require a lot of attention, hard work and a keen eye.
With Alan's back, we have needed help getting our hog barn ready for the little piggy's coming this month. Our church has been blessed to be working with Karen refugees from Burma/ Thailand (I think?). They are willing to help when and where they can so... They helped us get the barns ready!
It wasn't as difficult communicating as I thought it would be! I was able to point and direct enough plus I lead by example! They did what I did! I had a blast working with and listening to the Karen guys sing!

 Alan was working right along side the guys. Even though he should have been taking it easy. We (Alan and I) strongly believe that we WILL work alongside our helpers, not watch.

 Putting bubble wrap in after we drug in the mats. This helps to keep the heat in for the little pigs.

 Rhya is supervising with Grandpa Wilbur!

The guys also helped split about 2 weeks worth of wood!!! (which is a HUGE pile) They were a BIG help and a blessing!!!

We are training a new worker for the hog barn... Any guesses????

I know this picture isn't great but you get the idea!!!! My big little helper was carrying a 10-15 pound piggy!!!!! She is loving the piggy's and even helps Alan tend them once and a while when I need a break!!!