Or so we thought. This past week has brought rain (yea!) but also some cold weather with it. We finally bought a tractor last weekend. It's just what I was looking for, and at a great price. I bought a Kubota L225, 24HP Diesel. Now we're just waiting on things to dry out a bit before we turn up dirt! I am so excited, can't wait to get the garden going this year.
I've hired some help around the farm, cleaning out debris left in the woods by previous homeowner, and clearing out brush/small trees. I have all the materials I need to build the chicken run, and goat pens. Hopefully we'll see that completed in the next few weeks. Got the jungle dug out of the round-about in the driveway. Nicole has a few ideas, can't wait to see how it turns out.
Sadie is on springbreak next week. We'll be leaving Fri, headed for Indiana, and then on to Grampa's in Ohio. Our good friends, Blake and Angie Stewart just had an adorable boy Max, and of course, Kirk and Danielle are due to have their 3rd girl in a few weeks. So, off work for a few days, hanging out with friends, and church in Jeff on Sunday....going to be a great week.
I'll try and keep the going again. It's hard to sit on the computer when the weather is nice and there is so much to be done.
-Don-
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011
14th Valentine's Day
Sunday, February 13, 2011
When your kid goes missing....
Have you ever "lost" your child, even for a few mins? There's the panic and fear that rips your heart out of your chest, the battle between thoughts of "worst case senerios" vs. thoughts of "their just off playing somewhere". Seems anyone who has ever raised kids or taken care of kids, has experienced this once or twice. I know I've given my parents a scare, more that once! Nicole and I had our first panic-attack a few nights ago.
By the time I got home from work, picked up the kids, made dinner, fed them, gave Lucas a bath, and did the night time routine with both kids, it was nearly 10pm. I was exhausted, and dreading the alarm @ 4:45am. It's been a 30 min ordeal getting Lucas to finally get to sleep. I knew I'd fall asleep in a matter of mins, and didn't want him getting out of bed once I'd fallen asleep. I let him go to bed with me, knowing he would more than likely just fall asleep. Nicole was working closing shift, and would be home around 12, and would put him in his own bed.
Nicole wakes me up around 1am, asking me "Where is Lucas?" It took me a few seconds to realize he wasn't in bed with me. He wasn't in his bed either. I jumped up out of bed, and we both tore through the house. Looked under our bed, his bed, in the living room, in the corners, under the tables, in Sadie's room, in both bathrooms...no where to be found! Then the fear of What If started. It was in the 30's that night, and I started thinking of him going outside, and getting locked out of the house. I was so tired I wouldn't have heard him go outside. I feeling of guilt thinking that you could have, should have prevented this is awful. As a parent you feel you should always protect your child. To know you failed, is unbearable. On the second pass through the house, I went back in his room, and the bi-fold closet door was closed. There's no way he closed it from the inside right? Wrong! He was inside the closet, asleep on a pile of books. Somehow he had managed to grab on to the louvers and close the door from the inside. We asked him the next morning "Why were you sleeping in your closet?" He said "I was reading the books!" in a tone that implied we should have known that! He's spent the last few days telling everyone he slept in the closet, we however, didn't think it was that funny at the time.
By the time I got home from work, picked up the kids, made dinner, fed them, gave Lucas a bath, and did the night time routine with both kids, it was nearly 10pm. I was exhausted, and dreading the alarm @ 4:45am. It's been a 30 min ordeal getting Lucas to finally get to sleep. I knew I'd fall asleep in a matter of mins, and didn't want him getting out of bed once I'd fallen asleep. I let him go to bed with me, knowing he would more than likely just fall asleep. Nicole was working closing shift, and would be home around 12, and would put him in his own bed.
Nicole wakes me up around 1am, asking me "Where is Lucas?" It took me a few seconds to realize he wasn't in bed with me. He wasn't in his bed either. I jumped up out of bed, and we both tore through the house. Looked under our bed, his bed, in the living room, in the corners, under the tables, in Sadie's room, in both bathrooms...no where to be found! Then the fear of What If started. It was in the 30's that night, and I started thinking of him going outside, and getting locked out of the house. I was so tired I wouldn't have heard him go outside. I feeling of guilt thinking that you could have, should have prevented this is awful. As a parent you feel you should always protect your child. To know you failed, is unbearable. On the second pass through the house, I went back in his room, and the bi-fold closet door was closed. There's no way he closed it from the inside right? Wrong! He was inside the closet, asleep on a pile of books. Somehow he had managed to grab on to the louvers and close the door from the inside. We asked him the next morning "Why were you sleeping in your closet?" He said "I was reading the books!" in a tone that implied we should have known that! He's spent the last few days telling everyone he slept in the closet, we however, didn't think it was that funny at the time.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Family reboot!
Here we go, first of hopefully many fun, exciting updates to what we call life in the Waln Family. We'll try to keep it updated regularly with stories from Dad, Mom, and Sadie, interesting quotes from Lucas, cool anecdotes, and pictures...lots of pictures! This is the beginning of a new chapter in our lives, as individuals, as a family. We're starting some new things, both spiritually and naturally. I've been doing alot of research into Homesteading. We'll be learning gardening, canning, raising chickens and goats (to go with our 5 horses). I want to teach my children the things our parents used to do as a way of life, while giving them the "farm" experience.
We've got alot going on today. Our annual checkup with Dept Family & Children Services is this evening. It's part of the arrangement with our custody of Mercedes. Thankfully, we've had the same caseworker (Tammy) for years, who has come to know us, and it's a breeze. She comes to the house, takes a casual glance around, talks to us about Sadie, and talks to Sadie herself. Some of the things in the last year or two have really floored me. For instance, last year one of the items Tammy has to check (per DFCS) is to make sure we have food in the refridgerator. At first I thought this was absurd, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized this IS an issue in some cases. I'm thankful to be blessed on so many levels.
#1, I'm thankful for parents that not only provided all my needs. You'd think this is a given, but sadly it's not for many children.
#2 I'm thankful for the opportunity to provide for my own children. The Lord has always made ends meet, no matter how short the string was! We haven't been able to give the kids all the things they've wanted, (rightfully so) but we've always been able to have the things we NEEDED.
I'm working around the house, trying to get a few things done before tonight. I have TWO special helpers today. Lucas and cousin Miles. Lucas has his hands full, trying to help me, AND teach Miles how to help. They are great "buddy-cousins".
On to the next project, Dad.
We've got alot going on today. Our annual checkup with Dept Family & Children Services is this evening. It's part of the arrangement with our custody of Mercedes. Thankfully, we've had the same caseworker (Tammy) for years, who has come to know us, and it's a breeze. She comes to the house, takes a casual glance around, talks to us about Sadie, and talks to Sadie herself. Some of the things in the last year or two have really floored me. For instance, last year one of the items Tammy has to check (per DFCS) is to make sure we have food in the refridgerator. At first I thought this was absurd, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized this IS an issue in some cases. I'm thankful to be blessed on so many levels.
#1, I'm thankful for parents that not only provided all my needs. You'd think this is a given, but sadly it's not for many children.
#2 I'm thankful for the opportunity to provide for my own children. The Lord has always made ends meet, no matter how short the string was! We haven't been able to give the kids all the things they've wanted, (rightfully so) but we've always been able to have the things we NEEDED.
I'm working around the house, trying to get a few things done before tonight. I have TWO special helpers today. Lucas and cousin Miles. Lucas has his hands full, trying to help me, AND teach Miles how to help. They are great "buddy-cousins".
On to the next project, Dad.
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