Each year I think that time just goes faster. This year is no exception . Again we have so much to be thankful for.... God's faithfulness, our family, our mom's , safe and abundant harvest, and the list goes on and on. Yet do we find ourselves truly grateful?
The North Place continues to be a wild and crazy adventure, I have a whole drawer full of "thank you's" and I am often left with little thoughtful gifts of kindness that are truly thought about and so meaningful to me. I find myself so grateful for these kind words and thoughtful gifts when I am so tired at the end of the week or question myself and my own capabilities to run what has turned into business. Facebook had a "grateful" challenge for the month of November and each day it listed a question like "what household task are you grateful for....what time of day...Bible character...talent....teacher...kindness...surprise...room and household task etc. I loved reading the responses because it brought me to truly be grateful for small things that we can so easily overlook.
So this Holiday season is fast approaching and my goal is to find something to be grateful for each day....the small things. I want to be able to give the thoughtful thank you and thoughtful gifts that have so touched my heart this past year. I want time to slow down just a bit as life just seems to fly by each week.
We took a little road trip this fall. Just Dan and I with a little pop up pick up camper. We headed west with no specific road mapped out for us. We had written down 10 big decisions that we needed to talk about as our daily life here just gets a little crazy. Our goal was to go as far as Boise ID to see a special nephew and his family. We called ahead each day to check out closed roads from the fires and smoke. Boise was not looking like an option as we wanted to head North into the mountains. We ended up in the Black Hills....rented a 4 wheeler, packed a lunch and spent one whole day on the back trails and cow paths. It was a wonderful, slow day of just nothing. We called ahead to Jackson WY and the Tetons and they suddenly had a wind change and clear skies. The ride across Wyoming was beautiful and desolate all at the same time. We camped at the base of the Tetons....it was a slow day and time stood still. We traveled up the mountains the next day.....each turn got more breathtaking and majestic. We took a small boat across a lake and hiked up to the waterfalls. The beauty had no words. The road took us thru Yellowstone and the winding mountain road to Bozeman MT. We visited life long friends there and just got to relax. Our next stop was Sheridan WY at Dan's cousin where we enjoyed the beautiful mountain view from their front porch , a drive and hike up into the mountains. An then we headed home....found beauty in the flatlands of SD and then yes IOWA! The crops looked wonderful and the fields looked beautiful to us! We commented on how we never even had the radio on once, we drove many miles quietly just enjoying not being busy!! Oh and we only made one big decision the whole week !
So we came home refreshed and ready to harvest and take on a few new projects! We made the decision to raise the big barn on The North Place and put a new foundation under it. It was getting unsafe and it had to come down or be restored. I just knew that I would regret it if we took it down with out trying to save it. Again we relied on our kids and grandkids to come for a few work days. It is all straight and wrapped with plastic for the winter. This spring we will start again and that gives us time to collect some old wood and tin from a corn crib that has to come down at Chad and Jenna's. Many have asked to rent it already for next summer. Honestly we are not sure what the plans are as far as using it as part of The North Place.
Our family gathers often and I am so thankful for that. They often come help Dan and I as we continue to think we sure can do it ourselves only to find that we too are aging a little! We love having our "littles" around if it's a gator ride, checking the calves, riding in the combine, jumping on the tramp or just being a part of our daily lives. The grandkids range in age from 1 to 12 and we are excited to add another one this spring! The big kids all help at The North Place in some way and the next three already know how to set a table! The youngest who is 18 months we just try to keep out of there haha!
Our Mom's are both aging and have some health issues but they both continue to encourage us and most importantly pray for each of us all each day!
So 2017 has come and is almost gone... I don't know what tomorrow may bring but I know who holds the future. What a great gift! I am grateful for that assurance!
May you be blessed this holiday season as you gather with your families!
