Life Down On The Farm

This is what I am thankful for...minus a few that didn't get in the pictures, and minus a few that couldn't come...but this is what makes my life complete...my family :)

In 1621 the Pilgrims had a good harvest and were thankful that they had made it to the New World and were actually surviving and prospering. So, in order to celebrate all of their gifts and good luck the Pilgrims decided to have a harvest festival and a day of thanks. They celebrated with venison, fowl, fresh vegetables, and maybe some pumpkin desserts. Also, the day was made up of sports, conversing with friends, and simply resting after a long harvest. The Indians were invited to also share in the festival and many of them did. The original Thanksgiving was not as much of a religious day as it was a festival of thanksgiving.

I am thankful for my many blessings 365 days a year...God, family, friends, work, housing, love...I got it all :)

Shoes designed by the band nerd :)

I love where we live, I love the farm and being in the country and I love our big old farmhouse. But this time of year, when I am having my entire family come for a meal, I see all the flaws of my house and worry everyone else will see them as well.

I see the garage door that Becky ran into and we haven't completely fixed yet. I see the walk-in garage door that doesn't quite fit right and the wood around it where the cats have sharpened their claws. I see the veneer chipping off the main door into the house and the slightly broken door threshold. I see both bathrooms that we started to remodel and haven't had time to finish. I see the walls in the living room that are cracked and could use a fresh coat of paint. I see the hardwood floor in the sewing room that is scratched and needs a rug to cover it. I see the furniture that is getting worn out and the stove that is on it's last leg. I see the tile in the office that needs to be replaced and the wall and ceiling that need to be fixed because of the leaky roof and bathroom plumbing this summer.

But then I stop and think about our old house. This house that is almost 100 years old deserves to show some age. This is the house that has been in the family since it was built, the house where Dan's great-aunt and great-uncles lived, the house where his grandparents lived, the house where his parents came as newlyweds and the house where Dan and his sister and brother came as newborns. This is the house where we all gathered for holidays and "just because" days. This is the house where we gathered to mourn the loss of Dan's dad. This house has a lot of history, good and bad, happy and sad.

This house is where we moved our children, the first time they ever had to move. These four walls, with their chipped and cracked and peeling paint is where we have celebrated birthdays, graduations, and awards. These walls hold the pictures of our families and the posters of our interests. The furniture may be worn, but it is worn from people visiting and sleeping and enjoying their time. The floors are worn and scratched from years of kid's toys scraping across them and high heels on feet that were learning to walk in them. Things weren't always repaired immediately because the money was better spent on something the family needed, not just wanted for cosmetic reasons. Things weren't always repaired because the time was better spent with the family, watching the kids in their concerts and sporting events.

Our house may be old and starting to show it, but it is a house filled with so many memories, so much love and laughter that it doesn't matter that some things aren't exactly like they should be. Our house is just like us...not perfect. But it is perfect for each of us that live, and have lived, in it. This is more than just a house, it is our home.

I am sitting here writing this in a motel in Lawrence, Kansas. I brought all Brian's furniture and stuff down to him yesterday, got him all moved into his new apartment. Now I am getting ready to go home and I keep thinking about the room I can now transform into a sewing room.

I have been thinking about this sewing room for months, pretty much ever since Brian announced he would be moving to Lawrence and working there. I had so many plans what I could do with it, once his bed and table and posters were gone. I could paint the room, put up new curtains, maybe a nice rug...the ideas were endless!

Then yesterday Dan and I loaded up all Brian's things and the room was empty. I took down all his posters and decorations, swept up the thumbtacks from underneath where his bed sat and opened up the sewing machine, which he had been using as a computer table. Suddenly it was no longer Brian's room..it was just an empty room in the house. I thought I was ready for this...heaven knows Brian is ready to move on! But it hit me pretty hard...he is gone for good now. No longer do I have a bedroom for my oldest child and that is a little strange. Of course he is always, always welcome to move back home if he needs to, but I doubt he will. I can legitimately change his room into mine and he will be okay with that...as long as I leave room for an air mattress when he comes to visit! I know he is old enough to be on his own and be responsible for himself, but it is still hard to take this final step.

I will paint the room a bright, fun color. I will add new colorful curtains. I will move in my sewing tubs and fabric. I will put in a big table so I have room to work. I will start laying out Kayla's t-shirt quilt and start sewing it. I might even put some sewing themed decorations on the walls. But no matter what I change in the room, and no matter what I do in the room, it will, in my mind, always be Brian's room :)

I refused to believe it, I didn't want to hear anything about it, everyone was wrong. I didn't rush to the store, I didn't stock up on anything, I didn't change my plans, it wasn't going to happen. But then it did...SNOW! Lots of snow. Now I have no laundry detergent and Saturday is my laundry day. I cannot go to the bridal shower, although I do have a gift ready. Luckily Brian is moving south today so should be able to get going and drive out of this nonsense. I really hate snow, although it does look pretty...for awhile anyway, until it gets dirty. Everyone complains about snow, yet we continue to live in Iowa. I have an excuse to live here though...can't very well move our farmland to somewhere else so I have no choice but to live here. What is your excuse for not moving?

On the occasion of Brian's 22nd birthday (how did that happen so fast?) I will list 22 things he has accomplished in those years...in no particular order :)

1. Learned to sit up
2. Learned to crawl
3. Learned to walk
4. Learned to talk (and hasn't stopped since)
5. Learned to read
6. Learned to write
7. Learned to use the toilet :)
8. Learned to dress himself
9. Learned to do math
10. Learned to ride a bike
11. Learned to drive
12. Graduated high school
13. Learned to fix many computer problems
14. Learned to play the trombone
15. Learned to act and do speeches
16. Learned to cook
17. Got a job
18. Got accepted into college-twice
19. Learned to climb a tree
20. Learned to build things
21. Lived in apartment on his own, paying bills and cooking for himself
22. Made it to 22 years old without causing his mother a heart attack or having her kill him for doing something stupid :)

Happy birthday to my favorite son!

In a week Brian is moving to Kansas. He has no job yet, no apartment yet...but he is still planning on moving. I am ready for him to go, he is 22 and needs to be on his own. I will enjoy having a sewing room, food in the house, and less laundry to do. But...I am going to miss the big lug :)

I am not a political person, but I do believe every person should have the same basic rights under the law. Doesn't matter if they are black or white, man or woman, religious or atheist. Every single person deserves to be treated the same.