Life on a Farm

DAY 1:
Well Mr. J and i have some really good friends that needed some help, and in turn we get to "play house" for a week.
i guess i should back up, just a bit. Due to my lack of blogging, many of my life details are unknown.
Back in April, Mr. J and i left our barn apartment and moved in with my parents. (many reasons)
We have our own little area that can be closed off from the rest of the house and has been quite a blessing.
In May we celebrated Enoch, and as hard as that time was, it was so nice to be where we were.
Over the last few weeks we have been all over the place: Florida for vacation with Mr. J's family, upon returning we then we got a 2 week house sitting job- so we have been vagabons this summer! =)
(i dont mind, as long as i am with my man, we make an adventure out of it!)
So... bringing you up to speed- Mr. J and i are on our second house sitting job of the summer, and this time... its a farm! i pride myself in being a country girl, but when you have animals to tend to - it stretches one beyond all comfort zones!
This morning we saw the family off, and then set to tackle the morning chores of feeding, watering, gathering eggs and milking the cow.
Yes, you read that right- MILKING the COW!!!!
i have been around my share of dogs, cats, horses and chickens, but NEVER a cow!
i resolved to leave the milking to Mr. J- but as in everything else, we are a team and so we set out together across the field to milk the little dear, not a deer, she's a cow, but oh well you know what i mean.... =)
i think she could tell we were a couple of city slickers, (is that what we would be called? i mean a person just starting out in gardening would be a green thumb, so what would we be in this case? Oh well, i shall label us city slickers for now, though Mr.J and i both prefer the country to the city rush and lights...)
The cow did cooperate enough to get on to the milking pad, and even stood still for a bit. . .
But we, not being regular milkers were not as fast. After her grain bribe was gone, the fun began. She managed to poo not twice, nor three or four times, but FIVE, yes, FIVE times during our milking process. At least one of which splattered into the milk pail before we could fully move it out of the splash zone!
So... our morning milk was lost, no since in crying over it.
i looked that ole brown cow square in the face, ankle deep in mud and manure (feeling a bit like Anne Shirley chasing her Jersey cow of Mrs. Lynn's crops) and told her, "You had better get used to us- we arent going anywhere and you are just going to make this a long week for the both of us." (i guess i should add here that we were told she likes to be sung to, but my singing must have cause pain, because i was quickly head-butted into silence!) =)
It really was not so bad, just took a while longer than we thought. Maybe by the end of the week, milking twice a day, we will be pros at it! Mr. J did let me try and i can say - i have milked a cow! not fully since Mr. J had her near drained, but got down, whacked by that whip of a tail, squeezed the udder and had milk come out. i feel accomplished! =) Haha!
At least the other animals were fairly easy to take care of!
Like all else, we shall have an adventure in playing farm, and see how well we turn out at the end of the week!
Stay tuned for more - there is bound to be something! =)

live. move. be.

This is a picture found in the Creation Museum. (If you have never been- go!)
Mr. J and i went there for our one year anniversary this past March. 
It was a wonderful trip celebrating each other and the year God had given us together. We shared many adventures - maybe i will put up more pictures in another post.
This post, however, i want to focus on that verse in the picture.
You see, a week before we left to head west, we found out we were expecting our first child. 
This trip was a huge milestone for us- not only our fist year of marriage, but realizing we would no longer be a family of two. As we chatted on the somewhat long drive =) we shared fears and exciting dreams we had for our baby, not knowing the plan GOD had for him. 
When i saw this picture, it was a momma's heart-string being pulled. 
i saw the baby- instantly wondering about ours and counting ahead the days to when i would have that first ultrasound. The verse was encouraging then- being reminded that the baby inside me was because of GOD, but it is even more so now. . .
Today marks the third month since we celebrated Enoch's life.
I am stronger now than i was- emotionally, mentally, physically and even spiritually.
GOD promises never to leave us, and through this journey, HE has been closer than ever.
My pregnancy ended too soon for me, but not for GOD. 
It was not too soon for HIS plan to be put in action.
My baby was not too small to bring glory to HIM.
In HIM, Enoch can live, and move, and be- Because GOD created, purposed and wants him to do those things!
Enoch is experiencing a life i can only look forward to.
But for now- GOD is helping me to live, and move and be. . . in HIM!