~Four Months~ A Sweet Baby

 My little sweetie is four months already! 

She truly is a sweetie and I just love her more each day!

To all those who've seen pictures of me this age, I assure you, this is not me. :)

A Golden Opportunity to Experience the Ranch Lifestyle

It's that time of year again! Cattle work and branding season! 

We're planning our Cattle Working for May 10! We'd love to have you come for a visit and try your hand at a cowboy's work! 

Rounding up the herd?

Calf wrestling? 

Maybe roping?

There will be made-from-scratch food, featuring our home-raised beef, of course!

There will be lots of hard work. And lots and lots of fun! 

We are in the heart of South Dakota. In the case of flying, we are one hour from Pierre, two hours from Rapid City, and three hours from Sioux Falls. 

There are several excellent hotels in our community. Please contact me for my recommendations. Or, our home is available for a small group (4-5) or a few single persons. Another 10 years and my Bed & Breakfast cabins will be in full swing! :)
 
I realize this is last minute but we just decided which day to do this, yesterday. :)

Please contact me with any questions!

To my consistent readers,

I apologize for the recent frequent changes to the blog. I haven't been happy with it and now found a template where I can display my own photo as the header. :)

Thank you for reading! :)

Three Years {A Photographic Story}

Headed for the hospital.

Few hours old.

One day old.

One month.

Two months.

Three months.

Four months.

Five months.

Six months.

Seven months.

Eight months.

Nine months.

Ten months.

11 months.

11 months.

One year.

Two years.

Three years and three months.

A Critic of Myself

I'm an observer.
I watch.
I calculate.
I weigh.
I ponder.
I critic.
I criticize.

Criticize. This seems to be an ongoing theme with me. Why do I criticize? What does it matter what other people do, or how they do it, or why they do it? 

To criticize is not always negative. I will critic how I originally made a recipe, and change it.

Sometimes I like to figure out why people do things. Sometimes I'm curious if I can do the same. Sometimes I'm just plain judgmental. 

I live in a highly agriculturally rich area. Not one family business is structured the same. Some wives work in town, some work right along side their husband, others help out when needed (like me) but are involved in other aspects of the family business. Some husbands work in town, in some families both parents work in town, some families don't have children, some have a more than others, some mom's stay home. 

All these families function. All these families work - for that particular family. 

Sometimes I hear criticism from others about how another family functions. Sometimes I do it myself. 

Why does it matter? 
What of it?

Is how another family works, whether they're similar to mine or not, really something I need to even worry about?

I think not. 

My energy (and I'm talking about me specifically, this might not apply to you but you still might consider what I say :)) needs to be put into tenderly nurturing my children. How can I nurture my kids when I criticize others? 

My energy needs to be put into aiding my husband. Whether that be welcoming him with a homemade warm apple pie on a really tough day, keeping his sock drawer stocked with fresh clean ones, lending a hand in putting in a new fence, holding my tongue when we're late (and I hate being late, but I'm getting better about stressing over it).

My energy needs to be put into being an example to my children of what a Christian looks like in word, thought and deed. How can I do that when I openly criticize what someone else does, or what my husband does that I don't particularly care for at the moment?

I need to be living in such a way that if other people are observing me, what they have to criticize will be nothing that I would be ashamed of or that would dishonor my Lord.

What a load to bear. I better prepare another one for the wash.

The Truth in My Preferences

I have been so convicted of many things lately. 

The one that has hit the most between the eyes is how judgmental I am. 

 I have many preferences. However, that does not mean that all people need to have the same. I have slowly come to the conclusion that although I might strongly prefer something, it generally isn't truth for everyone. 

What is truth? 
The grass is green. 
The sky is blue. 
God is good. 
Jesus Christ is God. 
The only way to have access to God is through Christ. 
The only way my sins could be paid for is through the sacrificial shed blood of Jesus Christ. 
Truth is not relative. 
1+1=2
The termination of a pregnancy is murder.
I have the cutest baby girl. Ever.           Ok, so maybe that's stretching it. :)

What is preference? 
Apples or oranges. 
Ford or Chevy. 
Skinny jeans or bootcut. 
Public school or homeschool or private or charter or montessori. 
To train my child to be quiet in church or let him make noise. 
Traditional hymns or contemporary music for worship in church. 
Dispensationalism or Covenant Theology. 
To eat organic or non-organic. 
To drink raw milk or pasteurized. 
To eat gluten (heaven forbid! -interject sarcastic judgement) or devour that tasty friend, flour. 
One ply or two ply.  (Although this does bring up much heated debate in some circles.)
Crest or Colgate. 
Sam's Club or Costco. 
                          Ok, I'm getting a little ridiculous, but you get the point.

What influenced this discovery of myself regarding this issue was reading through Jerry Bridges book Respectable Sins. I have realized how much pride reeks from my very strong preferences. I have secretly looked down on others who have differing views. 

As I have become more and more aware of this sin in my life, I'm also realizing how some of the issues I once looked down have grown on me and I've change my mind about about them. Over the past year I've been noticing how our family is taking form and structuring; areas where my prefereces are changing.

That's the beauty of a preference. It can change. It's whether or not I'm willing to change or just force myself to stick with the "old ways" merely to satisfy my ego. How humbling this has been. My husband and I have some important decisions to make in the next few years and not everyone will prefer and understand why we've gone the route we've chosen. 

If you'd honestly and genuinely like to know why, I welcome your company. Preferably face to face. Over a cup of tea and scones. :)

Three Months Old!

My baby is three months old today and my little man turns three later this month! We had to take a few pictures to honor such an occasion. We tried to do some little cowboy photos but someone decided they'd had enough. We'll try later when it's more conducive to shoot outside. :)

I just love her inquisitive face!