Archive for June, 2010
Tuesday: Dentist, Tractor, Pool
This morning after a long overdue visit with Auntie Helen, we finally made it to those dental appointments that we canceled 2 weeks ago due to the spur of the moment beach trip.
After a good report at the dentist we had lunch and then Abby and Bruce headed out to check on some cows. They ended up helping a friend cut some hay and Abby loved it more than any of us thought she would!
Abby spent 3 hours on a tractor with her Daddy and she had the BEST time! (She can’t stop talking about what a great time she had with him. When I asked her if she’d had a good time she had to spell it out for me: “Y-E-S, Y-E-S, Exclamation point!”)
(I *should* disclose here that the tractor was air conditioned and I am told that she spent a good portion of the time on the cell phone talking to Nana and her cousin and Krista planning sleepovers. 
Meanwhile, back in suburbia, Mama took the opportunity to take Nathan and Sarah to the pool for some swimming and a no-fuss dinner consisting of applesauce, clementines, peanut butter on crackers and cheese. (I do hate when we’re not all at the dinner table together but I sure love nights of easy picnic style dinners!)
Ahhhhhhhh…. summer!
We’ll make farm kids out of them yet!
Who knows if we’ll actually ever live on a farm of our very own but for the time being, the kids love visiting the property where Bruce has his cows. They call the cows, play in the barn, dig up worms, feed the horses, chase the goats and play ball with the farm dog.
If we ever do get a place of our own, they’ll be good and ready!
Tonight we went and delivered a meal (including the world’s best and easiest Chocolate cake!) to some friends who just had a precious baby boy. Abby and Nathan and Sarah all got some practice holding a newborn. (We also came home with a pet fish because these friends are moving soon and fist don’t always travel well!)
Then, we headed to the farm where they spent an hour raking hay in and out of the barn.
Simple. Fun. Precious. Life is good.
Let’s go to the races!
Going to the fairgrounds with Daddy remains one of their favorite things to do!
These moments make it all worthwhile
There are days when I really want to pull all of my hair out and I stop and ask myself, “Why am I pregnant again? The three that I have are driving me nuts!”
(And just so you know, those moments are short lived and are usually related to lack of sleep on my part.)
But most days, I know that this is exactly what I am supposed to be doing. I have lots of plates that I try to keep spinning and occasionally (OK, more than occasionally) some of them come crashing down and make me very keen to the fact that this working / homeschooling / wife-ing / home manager / mom gig can be pretty hard to manage sometimes and can often make me question if I’m doing a good job or if I am simply preparing these children for therapy down the road.
And then… there are days when I come across things like this:
and I am given a bit of reassurance that maybe I’m not screwing everything up after all.
Now Taking Requests
The last night that we spent in Florida, we went to a restaurant where a man was playing a guitar and singing. The place was not really crowded and it was a very laid back atmosphere. At one point while we were eating, he asked if anyone had any requests for songs that they would like to hear.
Abby and Nathan said, “What does that mean?” So we told them that he was asking if anyone had a favorite song that they would like for him to sing.
Immediately Abby said, “Oh – My favorite song is, “Come Ye Sinners” – Can you ask him to sing that one??
Nevertheless, it warmed my heart to hear my sweet girl say that that was her favorite song.
Have you ever heard it?
Here are the words:
Jesus ready stands to save you,
Full of pity, love and pow’r.
- I will arise and go to Jesus,
He will embrace me in His arms;
In the arms of my dear Savior,
Oh, there are ten thousand charms.
God’s free bounty glorify;
True belief and true repentance,
Every grace that brings you nigh.
- I will arise and go to Jesus,
- He will embrace me in His arms;
- In the arms of my dear Savior,
- Oh, there are ten thousand charms.
Lost and ruined by the fall;
If you tarry till you’re better,
You will never come at all.
- I will arise and go to Jesus,
- He will embrace me in His arms;
- In the arms of my dear Savior,
- Oh, there are ten thousand charms.
On the ground your Maker lies;
On the bloody tree behold Him;
Sinner, will this not suffice?
- I will arise and go to Jesus,
- He will embrace me in His arms;
- In the arms of my dear Savior,
- Oh, there are ten thousand charms.
Not of fitness fondly dream;
All the fitness He requireth
Is to feel your need of Him.
- I will arise and go to Jesus,
- He will embrace me in His arms;
- In the arms of my dear Savior,
- Oh, there are ten thousand charms.
I pray that today and always, my sweet girl finds the “ten thousand charms” of Jesus more inviting and more worthwhile than the charms of the world.
Edited to add: Abby sang her favorite song for some friends over the July 4th Weekend. (And Sarah did a little singing, too
Maybe…
My favorite picture of the summer so far…
The newest member of the Clark Family
Andrew Edward Clark!
Anyone wanna guess where we are??
The Farm
I don’t think that I have officially mentioned here that Bruce is “leasing” some land on a farm here in town. It’s only about 5 miles from the house and there’s no lease payment! It’s a great setup – we’re trading for a calf and keeping up the land.
Today we went to see him while he was doing some bush-hogging. It’s the nicest time of the day – when the sun is just starting to drop down – (and not so unbearably hot!) This kids used to like playing with the 2 goats that live there but the goats have become increasingly aggressive in the last few months so now we leave them in the stall.
There are also 2 horses that the kids have gotten to ride and they love to pet their noses and give them treats.
Today, we watched the cows make their way to the barn. Sarah was enthralled.
Life is good.
