Where I Come From

For this post I really wanted to share with you all about our weekend (this weekend), but it's just not going to happen. I have sooooo many pictures to sort through and edit and since it's already almost 9 p.m.....yea...you get the point...it's not going to happen. Besides, I have last weekend to talk about...as well as last week's update.

As you remember, last weekend was a special weekend to celebrate DADS! On Sunday afternoon Ryan and I went to spend a little time with my dad (Ryan's Grandpa Yogi) while Wade spent some time with his dad (doing some boring important tasks like mowing). My dad is a farmer. He's a hard-working honorable man, and I love my dad.

Ryan and I enjoyed spending time doing some "farming". It's harvest time around here, so we spent a few hours harvesting wheat with Grandpa. Being out in the field brought back lots of memories and a reminder of Where I Come From.

I come from a farming family. My most early, and some of the most formidable years of my life were spent, literally, on a farm. I lived in this house on our family's farm... It's pretty run down now. In fact, it's un-inhabitable and probably forever will be, but back in the very early 80's this is where I called home. I have so many memories in this house, and the funny thing is...I only lived here for about 3 years...from 3-6 years of age. I remember the leak in the roof and the sound of the rain gently tapping the buckets strategically placed around the house. I remember birthday parties with friends. I remember swimming in a stock tank every summer and coming inside with bleeding toes. I remember running in circles around the house because in this house there were no halls. All the rooms were somehow connected and you could make a complete circle by going through all the different rooms. I remember being forbidden to go out on the front porch because...well...it was just about to fall in at the time. Needless to say...the porch is gone now. I remember Christmas time. I remember family times.

"The Barn"

Dad and grandpa worked the cattle in this barn. I remember playing in the barn a lot with Dad or Grandpa around, but I don't remember exactly what "farming chore" happened here. I do remember feeding the baby calves in this barn...the bottle-fed ones. I remember finding a litter or kittens in this barn that Mom and I rescued and bottle-fed. My childhood kitty, Whiskers, was one of the litter and she became my best-kitty-friend as a kid.

"The Shed"

This is the shed that housed all of the "small" tools and equipment that Dad and Grandpa used. For me...it's where I remember all the cats liked to hang out. I also remember that this is where the cubes where kept (Cubes=cattle feed). I loved feeding the cows with Dad and/or Grandpa. They usually let me ride in the back of the pickup where I could toss the cubes out the back and "feed the cows".

Harvest time was one of my most favorite times of the year. It seemed to last forever, but I now know that it usually was only a few short (3 or 4) weeks. Dad drove the combine as well as Uncle Marvin who usually came to help and Grandpa while he was still alive and well enough to do so. Mom and us kids drove the wheat-truck. While the combines where gathering the wheat we tossed a blanket under the back of the truck and played with toys. Sometimes we would go exploring down the dirt roads (with Mom of course) to see what type of wild creatures could be found (usually lizards, turtles and the like). Our favorite thing to do was "swim" in the wheat, occasionally eating a few kernels and chewing on the straw.

Farm life...hot, never-ending, hard-working, and wonderful. I miss those days sometimes.

And...that...is Where I Come From.

I really enjoyed taking Ryan out to the field to enjoy some of the things that made the fondest memories for me. Here are the pictures...

The Combine

Riding in the combine with Grandpa Yogi. Grandpa already had about 1/2 a bin full of wheat, so we finished out that bin with him. Ryan was mesmerized by the workings of this massive piece of equipment. I think he really enjoyed it.

Driving the Wheat Truck. After the combine emptied the wheat into the wheat truck it was time to go to town to dump the truck. Ryan and I rode along and, again, Ryan thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. It was loud, bumpy, dirty and great!

Here are just a few pictures of Ryan in the field because I think wheat fields, flowing with the golden heads of wheat, are beautiful.

Here is Ryan "swimming" in the wheat. He didn't get nearly as carried away with the "wheat swimming" as we did, but I figure he'll figure it out as he gets older. (We literally went from one end of the truck to the other...in and out of the wheat.)

Have a great harvest. Be thankful for all the blessings in life.

...Until next year.

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This Past Week
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This past week was crazy!!! We were so busy, but it was a good busy. Monday night we went to a NICU graduate meeting after which we went up to the NICU to visit our nurses. We always love visiting our nurses.

Tuesday night we went to our friend's, the Rosackers, house for an evening of fellowship and fun. It was really enjoyable to watch the boys play together. They have 3 boys. Their oldest is 5. He was born the same year and same month as Brandy. He also was born with a heart defect. In fact, we met them in the hospital and have been good friends ever since. Their son is doing amazingly well. Praise Jesus for his awesome healing! They have 2 other, ornery, boys. Their middle is 3 and their youngest is just 2 months older than Ryan. All four boys played together and enjoyed each other (for the most part). It was a great evening.

Wednesday...nothing!

Thursday afternoon I had a doctor's appointment with my OB. We're still trying! I have endometriosis and it has started giving me a little trouble, and it could also be hindering our efforts. I will be having surgery (sometime soon) to remove all the extra unwanted (bad) tissue. This should help with some pain issues as well as clear everything out and offer a better chance at conceiving. It's no guarantee, but it *will* help with other problems. I'm not looking forward to surgery, but it probably needs to be done anyway. To some degree I view this as our "last ditch effort" as far as major interventions in this whole pregnancy thing. It's not being done specifically for that purpose...it just might be of benefit. I don't want to go through a bunch of "procedures" and "treatments" to have another baby. I am at the point now where if it doesn't happen after this...I'm not "working" at it anymore. If it happens okay...if not...okay. Sorry...that was a long detailed rant without much of a point. Oh well. Thursday evening I went out with some friends. We try to get together once a month. It also gives Ryan and his Daddy some much needed and enjoyed time together...just the boys!

Friday evening we left for Lawton to spend the weekend with Aunt Lizzy.

That was our week! This week...nothing...yet!