Do You Know...?

Do you know what this is?

Me neither. :)

But... I have learned what it does and it's pretty cool!  I didn't grow up on a farm, so these things are new for me. 
This is what that thing does....

Can you see?  It moves the hay up to the hayloft... not much physical effort required.  Genius really because I have seen Matt unload hay and stack it before... this is much easier for everyone!  One guy stands on the truck and literally dumps it off and the conveyor belt picks it up.  The oher guy stands in the loft and stacks, but it's not as much bending or heavy lifting as it could be. 

You might think that once it's up top someone would then have to drag it back down in order to feed horses... NOPE!... look at this...

Besides that being a sick horse Matt was working on... what else do you see? Check the righthand corner where the food is?  Do you see the holes above in the ceiling?  Yep... someone just walks around up top in the hayloft and drops down whatever amount that horse is supposed to eat.  Pretty easy!  And it keeps the barns clean bc you aren't losing pieces of hay as you carry it from stall to stall.

The farm we live on grows their own hay, cuts it, bails it, stores it and uses it.  Very efficient and pretty cool to watch (though I didn't get pics of every step).  Some people may not think so, but I do because I have never seen it :)  So there you go! 

**Sidenote: This horse seems to be doing better now, thanks to the fluids Matt gave it!

Another great lesson!

Over the past few weeks I have really enjoyed the Sunday School class I have joined.  Yesterday, was no exception and she had another great lesson... this time from Lamentations of all books!

The lesson was about suffering and who we rely on during suffering and what steps to take.  

Step 1: Express your pain
Jeremiah is a great example because he writes about his suffering in Lamentations.  In 3:1-3 he talks about the feeling of being alone and feeling God is not on His side.  This continues in vs 7-9 when he feels his prayers aren't being heard and he is trapped.  This made me stop and think yesterday about all the times we might not feel God's presence... we might feel that our prayers aren't being heard.  We can beat ourselves up like Jeremiah and in frustration tell God how alone we feel.  In vs 17-18 Jeremiah goes onto say that he has no more peace, he has no more prosperity.  Sometimes we go through hard times and we lose what is most comfortable to us.  We lose our position of authority, we lose the comforts and peace of mind that we had come to know.  You might think that all of this lashing out towards God was wrong of Jeremiah, but in fact he's just expressing his frustrations to God and not letting it fester.  When something goes wrong, or doesn't go our way, or life throws us a curveball ... we can let that sink in and get so angry that our lives begin to reflect that anger.  We can shut ourselves off from the world and dwell on the suffering...  OR... we can do as Jeremiah did and let it all out... give our frustrations, our cares, our anxieties to the One who can truly handle it.

The lesson didn't end here... it ended with the most important step. 

Step 2: Remind yourself of the Lord's: faithful love, purpose and power
This step is so important, because if you just express your pain, but then don't do anything- you haven't really helped yourself.  We see in vs 22-26 that Jeremiah (after venting) makes a conscious decision to remember the Lord's goodness.  He makes a decision to pull himself up and remember that God is good no matter what else it seems we've lost.  These verses are too good not to be typed out... so here you go:

        "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.  I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore, I will wait for him."  The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord."

Jeremiah reminds us that the Lord is always good and always faithful, but sometimes pain will come.  We can grieve for while, but eventually we have to pull ourselves up and remember to wait on the Lord.  We forget sometimes that 'waiting' and 'hoping' are action words... it takes a conscious effort to 'wait' on God and to 'hope' in Him.  We need to look for His new compassions each morning.  Some days those may be small things, others may be larger.  He has bigger plans and bigger purposes that we can't see... and even in the worst situation- or what we may feel is the worst situation- God's will prevails and we must wait on that and have hope in that.

**Sidenote:  This lesson may mean nothing to you, but I encourage you to read Chapter 3 of Lamentations (or the whole book) for yourself and just give it a little more time to sink in.  We all go through suffering at some point and we all need to remember God's faithfulness through it. 

Hymn: Great is Thy Faithfulness (vs 1 and chorus)

"Great is Thy faithfulness," O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

"Great is Thy faithfulness!" "Great is Thy faithfulness!"
  Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—
    "Great is Thy faithfulness," Lord, unto me!

 

NURSERY!

Ok... we are finally done with the nursery... I think :)  You never know what else I may decide!  So.. let me preface these pictures with a few things first.
    1. Yes, I had the most adorable frog/turtle theme picked out originally.  However, when I moved up here I was bored... well, boredom led to searching the internet and local stores for other ideas.  So... instead of the super cute frog/turtles, we now have an even cuter, all girl room!
    2. Disregard the curtains.  I needed them to serve 2 purposes... make the room dark and to hide the hideous blue blinds (clearly a man must have picked these out... they are UGLY!).  The windows in this house are oddly shaped (probably bc it's so old).  Due to that, and the fact that we hope to not be here forever I did not want to waste a ton of money or time on curtains, so they aren't exactly a perfect fit.  The brown goes with the bedding anyways and they do a great job at making the room dark... nap times shouldn't be a problem! 
    3. Thanks to Matt (you can't tell from the pics of course), all the furniture is exacty where I want it.  I had him move it around about a dozen times-- literally, I had him try every wall :)  But he was a great sport about it and now it seems to flow nicely! 

Ok... so here are the pics-- again.. not easy taking pictures of a room so you aren't getting the full effect, it really is so cute!

*view from the door... that is the pack n' play in the box by the bookshelf... the pic frames on the bookshelf are waiting (just 10 more weeks!) for pics of our new family!!!  .... obviously, there is still tons of room on the bookshelves for more books and toys!! Yea!

**Sidenote: Do you see the hideous blue blinds??  I'm just saying.... :)

*we had a crib from a friend, but that style ended up being recalled (after all the hard work by friends to load it in my car too- sorry!), so once we had to start from scratch I went with white (something else I said I'd NEVER do).  In a weird way, it helps the walls not look so white themselves... plus it's very girly and will convert to a toddler bed later!  The bedding is Coco Dot Bedding from Pottery Barn Kids and has light pink, green, blue-ish/aqua and brown (thus the colors you see around the rest of the room). 

*the recliner is probably one of the best investments..the brown goes with the room, it's leather so spills and dog hair can easily be wiped clean, and it's SO comfortable (it rocks too). (I missed the picture of Matt napping in there yesterday, he loves the chair as well!)

*I had to have some color on this wall.. her name is perfect!  We spray painted the letters a light blue/aquaish color and then sprayed a light sparkle.... I hung them with fabric and it looks SO cute! 

*An up-close pic of the flower arrangement I made to sit on the bookshelf...

*Up-close view of the crib.  I have since moved the pillow with her name on it to the recliner, but this view gives you a better idea of all the colors!

Overall, I am very happy with the way things turned out! I love the simple shapes and I love that I had so many options of color to bring out.  It's the only room in the house completely finished and I am looking forward to spending lots of time in it!  

Lighthouse

I'm reading a book called Catching Fireflies by Patsy Clairmont.  It's very simple, but she is so funny!  (I have heard her speak once too and she's even better in person)  Anyways, each chapter is a short little thing about some type of light.  Today was all about lighthouses.  I have seen a lighthouse.  A few years back we went to visit family out in California and they drove us up the coast to a lighthouse.  There were about a million steps to get down to it and we had to race because it was closing soon!  I just remember those stairs being exhausting with all the wind blowing in from the coast.  We did make it and were able to see the lighthouse.  It's pretty cool that one small building (small in comparison with the entire coastline) can shine a light so bright that ships can see exactly where to go.  Lighthouses are built to keep ships safe, at night the coastline can be so hard to see.  The ships need the lighthouses so that they know exactly where to go in the darkness. 
In this chapter of Patsy's book she talked about how different people in her life have been a 'lighthouse' to her during dark times.  We all need 'lighthouses', those people that come beside you during hard times to encourage and pray for you.  The people that you can look to for Godly wisdom and advice.  The people that will just sit with you and listen because you need someone to talk to.  It was also a great reminder that we ourselves are sometimes called to be lighthouses for others.  What a huge responsibility!  You might not think so, but think about the trust someone puts in you to share their secrets- to share their darkest times.  It takes a lot of courage to share with people your dark times, but what a relief to know that someone is there... waiting along your dark coast... just for you.... just so that you can find your way out!  I definitely believe God puts people in our lives to be lighthouses for us... to guide us back to Him and the safety of the shore.  I also believe we need to be careful when people rely on us to be their lighthouse for a time...  we need to make sure to be completely worthy of that trust and we need to be walking with Christ (the ultimate lighthouse) in order to help others out of their hard times...but what a huge blessing to be there for someone else and for someone to be there for you! 
Just something that really made me think today :)  I would love one day to travel up the East Coast and see all of their lighthouses-- especially some that still shine today!

2008 CA Lighthouse

Told you they were hard to climb!

Look at the small building and the entire stretch of water beyond! 

 

Things every Vet's Wife should know:

1. Always check pockets for needles- in fact, needles and other viles of medicines can show up anywhere in your house or car, so be careful!

2. Always wash your clothes separately from your husbands or else your clothes will begin to smell like medicine too-- even if you use the best detergent!

3. Never expect dinner to be on time- if you're hungry, eat.  Then re-heat and sit and talk with him when he gets home.

4. An "off" weekend, doesn't really mean he's off... it just means "on-call until a horse gets sick"

5. If you want a true "off" weekend, go out of town- and leave early so that no one can call him in before you make your getaway!

6.  Have a strong stomach to handle dinner conversation when out with other vets- (try to sit with the spouses if you haven't developed this yet)

7. Limit the number of vet books that can be out on the coffee table at one time or else you will be overrun!

8. Don't leave the family thermometer where he can access it.  If you do, go to the store and buy another- there is a good chance he has used it on the dog once or twice.  :)

9. He is a Doctor, but your personal health issues do not always match up with animal issues- go to a real "people doctor", do not let him diagnose you.  :) Definitely let him use the ultrasound machine to see your sweet baby if you are pregnant, but nothing beyond that! :)

   Finally.....

10. If you get to go to a call with him, stand back, but be in awe that this animal that doesn't speak will soon be better because of your husband!

**I am married to the most excellent of vets (when he's not leaving needles out and stealing my thermometers)!  It's not always easy with his schedule, but he loves what he does and the challenge each case presents.  We're always adjusting to new schedules, but being flexible is key.  I wouldn't want him to do anything else, he's too smart to waste such a great gift!  Great job Matt- Love you!

5 yr Anniversary dinner date 8/12/2011

I Cross My Heart

...I cross my heart and promise to
Give all I've got to give to make all your dreams come true.
In all the world you'll never find a love as true as mine...

     This song, by George Strait, was played at our wedding 5 years ago today!  We've been through a lot in the short 5 years, but I wouldn't change anything. 
     We married the year before Matt started Vet School, thinking that vet school would be one of the most challenging times of our lives and we wanted one "easy" year before diving into all that work.  We were so wrong!  The first year definitely came with challenges.  Even though we had dated for 4 years, we still had to figure out how to make our 2 separate lives 1 life.  We still had to deal with family struggles, but this time it was magnified because there were 2 families involved!  We still had to finish up our last year of undergrad, rearrange finances (or how we spend money), and learn the quirks of living with each other.  We were both working and I remember being thrilled when we got back our tax refund.... Matt quickly reminded me that's because we technically made less than the poverty level.  Oh well!  :) That was all just in the first year... the 4 that followed proved to have challenges too, just different ones.
     I say all this because clearly we were wrong about a lot of things going into marriage- like there being such a thing as an "easy" year!  While we've moved past the poverty line (thank goodness) life has not been this easy dream I thought it would be.  However, through the past 5 years we've definitely learned to be each other's number one supporters.  This and, more importantly, our faith in Christ, has been the driving force of our marriage.  Even though each year comes with it's own set of challenges, we've managed to have plenty of fun through the years too.  I have scrapbooks full of trips we've taken, games we've been to and so many more great memories we've made over the past 5 years!!  I am so thankful Matt and I have made our 2 lives into 1 great life.  I'm thankful for the support he has been to me.  I'm thankful for the struggles so that we can grow.  I'm thankful for the fun times and happy times!  I'm thankful that these next 5 years will bring us to a completely different stage in life... parenthood...  and the growth that will come from that.  I'm thankful to have Matt by my side through anything we will face.  He is an amazing husband! 

HAPPY 5 YR ANNIVERSARY! 

*Some pics from the last 5 years*

Aug 12, 2006

April 2008

January 2010

May 12, 2011

Blessings

Ok- I told you yesterday that there were 2 songs that have really encouraged me over the past few months.  Today I'll explain the other song....

Laura Story's "Blessings": **This is not the entire song**

We pray for blessings, we pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering

All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things
Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?

What if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise?
We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough

And all the while You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

**I've bolded the parts that have really stuck out to me.**
 
     1. First of all, we are reminded by this song that God hears everything we ask of Him, every desire, every need and everything we think will make us happy.  But you can't miss those few lines that also remind us that He loves us so much that He won't give us lesser things.  Sometimes what we want is not what God wants.  We have to trust that He's got our best interest in mind and that He wants to give us the best. 
     2. Secondly, the chorus is amazing.  The entire chorus should be bolded, but I stuck with just the last part.  What if all the trials we have in life are mercies?  It doesn't seem like this can even be possible sometimes, but behind every trial something good can come of it.  My whole life I have loved the verses from James...

"Consider it pure joy my brothers, when you face trials of many kinds

because the testing of your faith develops perseverance"

James 1:2-3

The verse goes on to talk about what perseverance leads to etc....  But joy in trials?  That is SO hard to do.  But joy isn't the same as happiness is it?  Those of you who have been through hard times understand this.  Joy is deeper, it comes from within.  It doesn't mean everything is just perfect the way you planned, it means that you've accepted God's choices and through that you can find a deeper meaning... a deeper purpose. 

     3. Thirdly, this next verse ends by reminding us that all the while God just wants us to have enough faith to believe in His plans, to believe in His love for us.  Sometimes that seems like we need a lot of faith, more than I have at many times... but then wait...  didn't God say something about a mustard seed?  Yes! 

"Truly, I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain,

'Move from here to there', and it will move. 

Nothing will be impossible for you."

Matthew 17:20

A tiny mustard seed can see you through the hard times.  Isn't that cool? 

So... this song has many reminders in it for me.  I definitely feel this move has tested me in ways I did not plan on, but I'm looking forward to seeing God's mercies through these trials, and praying that I have just enough faith to believe and to find the deeper joy... God's deeper purpose...  God's blessings....