these past few days

I was going to take the easy way out and load up all the photos of the beauty from our days.  There are so many beautiful moments these days.  I thought when you saw them, not only would  you get to share in our thankfulness, but then you would also understand why I haven't been taking time to write it all out here on the blog.  But unfortunately blogger is not cooperating (again) and I can not upload photos. *sigh*

And I did want to share with you faithful few that check in with us here about our happenings.  So...

It's apple blossom time.  The petals are starting to fall now, in the heat and wind that has been these last two days the scent just fills the yard and beckons you to linger near it's branches.  It's my favorite time of the year.

We've been working almost non-stop in the vegetable garden.  We have so much more cultivated and planted this year than we ever have before.  I'm so thankful for the opportunity to grow things for our table!  The boys have been so so helpful.  Not just helping randomly for a few minutes but really helping.  Hauling things to the compost, digging up grubs, weeding, sewing seed, watering.  I'm so proud of them and so thankful for their help!  My hands are so sore from "double digging" and pulling out all the quack grass roots from under the soil.  It is so worth the work but I've been having to ice my right hand throughout the day it is so swollen and sore from overuse!

We also planted blackberry and raspberry bushes this spring.  I'm so excited to see if we get a harvest this year.  There are flowers already so I'm hoping and praying the birds won't get them before we do!

J and I, when not working in the garden, have been going through the Dave Ramsey financial peace university course.  It's been really good.  We have been always pretty good with our money, thanks to J, but this course is really fantastic.  We are learning to communicate more about how we spend what we spend and are much more conscious about where the money goes.  Good stuff.

And well, I'm not sure what else to tell you.  I've been reading alot.  I just reread the Laura Ingalls books this week. (during the boys' quiet time)  It is funny how a book can grow a person up.  If you don't know what I mean then just forget I said that.  But if you do, then I'll tell you that I admit I feel more grown up with every reading of those books.

And in general life is really really good.  I just feel like I am not sure I need to always be telling the world what I think. :) So I've been over here just taking it all in.  Listening more, talking less?  Stopping and thinking more.  Stopping and listening more.  Stopping and holding him more.  Watching more.  It's not natural to me.  But life is not an emergency.  I'm slowing down and taking it one step at a time for now.

The sun set as I wrote this.  Purple clouds settling in to night sky now.

Maybe I'll be able to share photos with you tomorrow if I find the time.
love and goodnight,
reba