26 Weeks and Counting!

Tate is not the only little miracle we have been waiting for around here!

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You are so beautiful KK!!

Kayla will start her 26th week tomorrow, and we get more and more excited each day!

Baby K is active, and baby K’s Mama and Daddy are doing great too!

I have officially voted for a boy, but I do not have a very good track record with my guesses. Cause I thought Kayla was a boy! And Addie Mae too!

If you would like to read Kayla’s touching tribute to her little sister being home for one year, go here.

Enjoying this season of life SO very much!!

Early Mornings on the Farm

My favorite time of each day is from five to seven a.m.

Whether it is winter and I am snuggled inside in the quiet house, or summer and I am watching the farm come alive from the porch….it is just the best time of day!

Life on the farm starts very early.

Today was no exception, as one of our cows was being loaded up and will be filling our bare freezer with meat!

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Our new fence and gate system worked perfectly!

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Our cows are bucket trained. Grant stood in that trailer with a bucket of grain, shook it, and in the cow went.

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There might have been a lump in the throat of the mama of this farm crew, who was taking these photos. Cause she is still a smig of a city slicker. And our cows have names. And are so cute! Sigh.

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Chad gave him a good push, just to help him along.

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It didn’t take long for every body else to figure out there was something important going on by that gate!

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I think the horses thought they were going to get a ride somewhere too. Dyna was literally trying to nudge the door to the trailer back open with her nose!!

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The cycle of life is so real on a farm.

So glad our kiddos have the opportunity to learn it!

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Lump in my throat or not, it was another beautiful morning here on the farm!!

We are so blessed!!!!

A Beautiful Weekend

What a beautiful weekend we have had here on the farm!

It was a pretty typical weekend full of work, fun, and good food….

but also trying to tie up lots of loose ends before the guys leave for China!

The last batch of chickens were put on pasture!

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The tomatoes were mulched! We have two full rows of tomatoes! I see lots of salsa in the near future!

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The blueberry bushes were planted!

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We had a blast swimming!

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We ate lots of yummy food!

These yam fries were gobbled up fast!!

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I spent several hours in the laundry room, and survived!

While I was there, Eliza did projects! She loves projects!

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After the boys mucked all the stalls and cleaned the lower barn, they helped me mow. Thanks so much boys!

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I can’t wait to see all those flowers turn into green beans!

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And to start enjoying the five rows of kale we planted!

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The farm looks SO beautiful!

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The sun setting on another weekend just took my breath away.

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One sleepy pup says it all!!

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What a great weekend!!!

Hope you all had a great weekend too!!!

A Whirlwind

As you probably know, life here has been a whirlwind!

Tuesday morning (the morning we received the call about Travel Approval!!) I was hopping in the shower at 5 a.m. just like a normal day.

That is when my hubby came racing in to say it was time for a rodeo, cause the cows were out.

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I love chasing cows in my pjs. That’s usually how it works.

Once we got them back in, Grant and Blake walked the whole fence.

Then Blake drove to town to buy a new shock system to really fix the problem, while Chad sat in the grass by the pasture eating his pancakes and sausage to keep an eye on those beasts.

So I asked my sweet hubby, “What do I do if this happens while you guys are in China?”

He just stared at me blankly, he, he.

And then there was a tree frog hopping around my kitchen.

Ok. Moving on.

I spent most of Wednesday trying to arrange travel for the guys to get to Hohhot!

Their travel arrangements are not ideal…..and their trek to Hohhot includes two overnight hotel stays. Yikes.

Which means they actually leave this Thursday, July 23th.

But their plane tickets are bought! Praise! Praise!

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We are still getting our morning school schedule done…..most of the time!

I made this simple page for Eliza one morning, and was thrilled when she knew how to find the “E’s!!”

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I have spent some time packing for the guys! I always have the cutest helpers.

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We had a little celebration for Eliza’s day!!

With a gift, noodles for dinner, and ice cream cake for dessert!

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These guys here met their fate. That’s just 80 less things we have to keep alive while the guys are in China!

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Remember this guy?! His days start very early on our farm, and end very late on the farm he works at now!

Six more days till you head to China, Grant!!

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I was craving a bowl of fresh fruit and nuts with milk over it. So I made some almond milk! It was perfectly yummy!!

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Remember Bessie?

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We are praising the Lord that she finally sold! Just in the nick of time! Love how the Lord provides at just the right moment!!

I have to admit, I was a little sentimental about selling our big ‘ol van. We have lots and lots of memories that were made in that van!

Glad we have those memories tucked deep in our hearts, and photos, like this one, to keep the memories alive in our minds.

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Once in awhile, the stress of the financial side of adoption will sneak up on us.

But then we see this.

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Or this.

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This. Oh my.

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This.

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This, of course.

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And most certainly this.

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There are hundreds of these blessed reminders every. single. day.

I wish we would never doubt that the Lord will always provide!!

He always, always has!!!! And I just know He will again!!

So here we are, humbled again.

He heard each and every prayer for our timeline.

And He answered.

In ways that we never could have imagined.

This will never be forgotten.

The Lord has used these last weeks to mold us and shape us for what lies ahead!

We wait with excited anticipation to see what all that will be.

Did you hear???!!!

The guys are going to China!! In six days!!!!

Keep praying with us dear friends!!!!