Is it Autumn YET?

The top 5 ways to tell it's autumn (at least at my house):

#5 - five permission slips for field trips to the pumpkin patch come home from school in the same week.

#4 - The pie pans call out from the cabinet... "take us out, use us".

#3 - My husband hauls up the crates with snow suites, hats, gloves and boots. I get to find gear that fits everyone, boots that are for a left and a right foot and then find a place to keep it out of the way until needed. **we are talking 7 snow suites, 14 boots, 14 gloves, 7 hats and that's just for the kids.

#2 - My fingers begin to itch and tingle telling me that I need to park my butt and work on stitching projects.

#1 - The critters start duking it out to determine who gets to sit on my lap and who just gets to sit against me. Man I love Autumn!

Clouds Birth of the Beat

This is my dad's perspective on clouds. Thanks for sharing Daddy!

The Bee Tree

"The Bee Song"

Bees, Bees, Bees, Bees

Buzzin' in bushes, buzzin' in trees

Buzzin' around, wherever they please

There's nothing so sweet, There's nothing so sweet,

There's nothing so sweet as a honey bee. Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

author unknown

Sweet Surrender

I am the parent, the adult and there I was ranting and raving like a loon. I wanted to have a big ole' fat tantrum, kick and scream and yell bad mean words. My anger welled up and I wanted to lash out. It seems that no matter how organized I am there are some mornings that we just can't get it together. Like a spoiled apple once one goes the rest are right behind. Yesterday was one of those mornings.

Once the kids were at school and I was on the road to the Bower the pain and frustration hit with the force of a freight train. I questioned my calling, my life, my God. Was this really His plan? What would make me think that I could help these children? On and on I went berating myself, beating myself up, questioning my path and my faith.


I pulled up at the Bower, cut the engine and stepped out of the truck. As I did a weight fell from my shoulders and I was able to take a deep breath for the first time all morning. I grabbed a halter and headed for the pasture. Beauty and an overwhelming feeling of peace surrounded me as I made my way thought the fields.


I found my mare grazing in a wooded area with dappled sunlight sprinkling down on her. As I neared her she looked up at me with her soft brown eyes and walked toward me. When I was close she reached her nose out and leaned her head against me. As I rested my head on hers the last few dregs of pain and frustration drained away. I rested against my beautiful grey girl and just breathed. Her name, Angel's Gift, is really a description rather than a title. Thank you Gyps, my sister, my angel.



John Denver sings in his song "Sweet Surrender" (one of my many favorites)


And I dont know what the future is holdin in store

I dont know where Im goin, Im not sure where Ive been

Theres a spirit that guides me, a light that shines for me

My life is worth the livin, I dont need to see the end



Sweet, sweet surrender



With my best friend in the round pen doing what she does so well, my beautiful "gift" trotting gracefully around me, the multitude of gifts from God assaulting my senses and a peace in my heart that comes from walking through the storm and seeing the rainbow on the other side. How could I do anything but surrender and know it's all in His hands.


Enjoy the moment, step forward in faith and know that if you stumble there is always an Angel to catch you and God to heal the wounds.

"Just Like You" a poem written by a foster dad

This peom was written by a very good friend who is a foster dad. He and and wife are amazing people who have a special way of seeing into the heart of a child... especially a hurting child. The world needs more people like them. Hurting children need more people like them.

Just like you

I hurt, I cry, I don't know why,
Just ripped out of all I knew,
You want me to act like you?

My mommy was wrong,
My daddy doesn't care,
You want me to act like you?

You don't understand,
They did what they could,
You want me to act like you?

You're not my mom,
You're not my dad,
You want me to act like you?

I am okay,
Now leave me alone,
I don't want to be like you.

I was doing fine,
I can take care of myself,
I don't want to be like you.

I don't want to hug,
Don't hold my hand,
I don't want to be like you.

Just take me back,
You don't understand,
I don't want to be like you.

Don't leave me alone,
Don't put me behind,
I just want to be like you.

Just hold me close,
Please hold me tight,
I just want to be like you.

It's just not fair,
My parents just didn't care,
I just want to be like you.

Please don't give up,
You're all that I've got,
I just want to be like you.

By:Jamie Holben (foster dad)

Swordsmanship 101

"Of all the people you will fight your biggest competitor is going to be yourself. Strive to improve each time you go out on the field. The Knight that has been training for twelve years may defeat you with the first blow. Learn from him and next time it may take him two blows to take you out. Don't try to do and what the person next to you is doing. Work to improve yourself, compete against yourself and you are winning".

Powerful words from the kind Knight that so patiently fielded my questions, explained how to make a sword, hold a shield, showed me stances and strikes. Powerful words that realized later are applicable in all aspects of life. (When I get his name next Sunday I will sure to update this as he deserves full credit for this post).

This evening I stood beside Mouse in Karate practicing kata over and over again. Sweat ran down our faces and the sleeves of our gee stuck to our arms making the movements that much more difficult. We were struggling to get our stances right, our strikes correct, wrists straight, fist tight, heels on the floor, pivot on the balls of the feet, stay low, use hips for power, and the best of all... remember to breath. As frustration filled me and my body was saying "you will never get this right" I could hear Sensei's voice in my head asking "have you done it a thousand times yet, ten thousand?". Again we went through the moves, then again and again.

On the way home from class the kind Knight's words came back to me. Tomorrow I will do kata again and tomorrow I will do better. I will remember more, I will be stronger and wiser than I was today. I WILL defeat my greatest enemy, the part of me that wants to give up, to walk away, that tells me "you can't do it, whats the use in even trying".

For sure good Sir Knight, chivalry lives on!