Look Up....Fear Not... I am with you

Look Up ....Psalm 121
Fear Not....Psalm 46
I am with you....Psalm 91

    Its about 3 am and I am awake. As with many of you these uncertain days we can start to think ahead and that can cause us to ponder a little.  Dan and I have been working hard at ways to  simplify our life. We recently moved to an addition we built onto The North Place..... we were in the process of selling the home place to David...we were in the process of selling Dan's moms apartment ..... we were in the process of going thru insurances  and simplifying those things....... we were in the process of making farming decisions as we are getting older and the small family farms are struggling............we were in the process of making retirement plans and what that could look like........we were in the process of helping David turn the basement of his house into an apartment. We had a plan, we were both willing to  work hard  and we were both willing to do what ever it took to carry out this plan  of OURS. And then God said STOP.
    Last Friday morning Dan came home from work shortly after he left. He had to tell me that Trans ova had lay offs and he  he was one of them  along with many others. Dan loved his job there, he loves his team there,( I love his team there,) he loved his flexibility there. He loved the way they all pitched in to help each other and work together. We depended on his paycheck to help support our family and all the ways were were trying to make positive  changes in our life, and we depend on health insurance as I continue to fight serious health issues. Friday we did not panic. I was so proud of Dan for all the ways he handled everything. We had devotions like we normally do, we prayed and we both knew that we needed to TRUST because God's plans and control are much better than our own and that he walks beside us  thru both the good times and the bad.
     Saturday the whole corona virus precautions hit pretty hard.  We realized that yes this was going to be for real and it was going to affect all of us in some way.  The devil started working pretty hard here in my little house.  We were both still in shock over the job loss, we had concerns for my Mom as her assisted living place closed the doors, Aria continues to have seizures and goes back to Mayo in a few weeks, Kycie was scheduled to have tonsils out, its a year this week that Dan's mom passed away, schools shut down, people were going crazy buying supplies and then the  fear and worry of financial implications  and bills to pay and the list went on filling my thoughts. All these thoughts and panic lasted less than five minutes and then a couple hours later they lasted another 5 minutes and that seemed to continue through the whole day. And then the phone started ringing with cancellations  or concerns for reservations at The North Place..... that's our second income. Ok.... I still believe God walks beside me and I know HIS plan is much better than my own. I am not writing this because I want a pity party. I am writing this because each one of us can just fill in their own story, their own thoughts, their own panic and concern.
     Sunday morning I needed church and Pastor Mike started the service with these three things.... Look UP......Fear Not... and ...I am with you..... from the Psalms.  I have found these three things so valuable this week ! I feel that Facebook  has been filled with positive and uplifting things, encouragement and prayers. Our  leaders are  praying and encouraging prayer. People are reaching out to each other in kindness and love.  Families are home, spending time together, sitting around the table for dinner.I have prayed for ways to simplify my life and not be so crazy busy all the time. Well God  said STOP... He said Look UP ...  He said Fear Not.... He said  I am with you. He said ....My Plans are way better than yours..... He said ...Trust Me! Tonight as  I sit in the darkness of the night, I hear the rain falling on the rooftop, its quiet and my heart feels at peace knowing I have a God who is greater than all of our circumstances. Join me in prayer for our nation, our leaders , our families , our health care providers, our teachers, our students, our small business' and those that don't have the comfort that God reigns over all of this!

PS  I'm sure that I myself along with all of you still have hard days ahead and I may have more than 5 minutes of panic and worry every couple hours. There were a couple times today that I felt close to the edge of falling apart. Pray for strength for each other, your kids and your spouse. Pray for yourself , pray that God stays close to you so others can see HIM thru you.
        

Perspective..............

No matter how old we get it seems that some days we just need our Mom. Well that was last week!
     Life has been extremely busy in our quest to downsize our life.....slow down our life and go back to what is really important. Last year at this time Dan had just turned 59.....I had been having Health issues with chronic pain....The North Place was busy...... Dans moms health was failing and we spent many hours caring for her. She passed away in March...... farming was tough and we just started talking about what was important and what we wanted the next 20 years if we were given that. We both said that growing in our faith  together was top on our list. We both agreed that family was our next priority and connections with people and finding a way to continue to serve others at The North Place with out falling exhausted into bed each night! We all have great plans right??
      With my health issues deteriorating we went to  Mayo Clinic. I was diagnosed with an aggressive form of Rheumatoid arthritis. I started giving myself shots and after a few months I found my self improving!  Our little granddaughter was also a patient at Mayo and was diagnosed with Infantile Spasms.  We made the decision to  "rebuild" the old wooded corn crib on The North Place making it a completely handicap accessible addition to the North Place where we could live.  We are looking at changing some of the ways we are farming as we are getting older and just cant do everything with just the two of us! We worked day and night and I just wasn't feeling well and ended up with bladder infection, kidney infection, sinus infection and finally had an emergency appendectomy right in the middle of harvest! (We believe this was caused by the medication I was taking and have since changed that!) I look back and we plain and simply have had a stressful year!!
        Well last week we moved into our new little addition we call  "The Owl House" ( Ill tell that story in a later post)  Last week I finished up Christmas parties at  The North Place and after moving and finishing things up here plus cleaning and getting rid of the extra stuff from the old house i was faced with the daunting task of taking down the Christmas decorations at the North Place..........Overwhelmed!!! and I just needed my Mom! My Mom can put everything into perspective for me by not even saying anything...........my view from the top of the steps caused me to pause a minute. There was my mom....she wheeled her chair to the bottom of the tree and began pulling off ornaments and winding up lights using just one hand as she lost the use of her other hand from her stroke 5 years ago. She simply did what she could .....We are each given a new day every morning...we are given the opportunity to find JOY in that day....we are given a purpose each day even if it isn't exactly our  plan. . I was truly humbled by her courage and integrity to do whatever she could to  bless me that day. What an example for me! and what perspective it gave me from the top of the stairs! I must add to the ending of this story even though it humbles me greatly....as i came down the steps carrying lights and ornaments I took and tumble down the last 3 steps landing flat out on the floor at Moms feet, Christmas lights wrapped around my head and ornaments  rolling across the floor. I thought this may be the very thing that would give way to the stress of the months of bucking thru it everyday and i was on the verge of tears.....but  then Mom laughed (once I said I wasn't hurt)............she laughed and  I laid on the floor and laughed. I picked up myself off the floor, untangled the lights around my head, picked up my pride and we laughed some more!  It was a good day and it was just what i needed.
Later she made the brave decision to see the loft of the  Owl House. Up the steps went pretty good and uneventful. She spent about 45 minutes up there checking out the details that I had been telling her about and then it was time to come down..................

My mom is a brave lady, we got her sitting on the floor and descended the steps one at a time with her completely trusting that I wasn't going to let her go for a tumble. So my new little house was filled with lots of laughter the very first day I lived there! We had a little coffee time and it was a good day filled with JOY because Mom chose to find JOY in the hard things in life.. Take time for your Mom today or show your kids what it means to find JOY by walking in faith and surrendering to God.

The Gift Of Graditude 2017

To our family and friends
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!

A women of courage......

 Courage: quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty , danger  or pain with out fear.
 The word courage has been on my mind often over the past year 2016........we are coming up on the 1 year mark of my Moms stroke , Jan 30 2016. This has been a year of changes for all of us but also a year where God once again proves His faithfulness and goodness everyday. My Dad left my mom with the instructions to go out and continue to serve others and be there for us girls and our families. She was our cornerstone and faithfully lead us and others with her servant heart and her busy hands and feet. And then her life changed.

Our lives changed, and many others life changed but for mom every single thing she did became hard work. She has improved in many ways over the last year but everyday...everything she does takes courage. I marvel at her strength....her faith....her perseverance ....her spirit. But most of all I am so blessed by her courage. It humbles me.....I become overwhelmed by it.

Just this week Aspen Heights (the wonderful assisted living place she now lives) held a Holiday open house. All the residents have been faithfully practicing the bells to perform that night. I went there (seems like I am always in a hurry) and I stopped and marveled at the tables full of Christmas goodies, hot appetizers, hot  soups and sandwhiches that were made for all the residents and their families. It seemed to hit me right in the heart...... for many years it was my moms joy to create all these fun traditions of foods and her biggest joy is to serve us yummy things and bring goodies to others. Now I saw her come walking slowly down the hallway...with her cane...her left hand hanging tightly to her side. She very proudly took her chair among the other residents, she picked up her left hand with her right hand and laid  it in her lap. They handed her 1 little bell......the music began...and she played her bell. To me it was more clear and louder than all the rest......that little bell .....that was courage.

Yes mom lost physical things and the ability to care for herself but she is the strongest person I know...she still is my cornerstone...her faith still leads me....she teaches perseverance and she still teaches us to serve others....she teaches me to love the Lord and she teaches me that God leads us thru the valleys and He never leaves us.

Finding courage can be as simple as ringing one little bell.....
Yes .....God is faithful

............

A Journey of "Hope"

 

A Journey of Hope...............Our life here on this earth is often called a "journey". Journey defined by the dictionary says "traveling from one place to another usually taking a long time or progress from one stage to another." HOPE is defined as "to look forward to...believe, desire or trust".
Well two weeks ago early on a Sunday morning my mom called....I think I need you to come ... I think I am having a stroke. Well a new journey began, a journey that yes will take a long time and yes progress from one stage to another. This journey started with not much HOPE as Mom lay in the hospital with no movement on her left side. The strong ever present person in all our lives lay quite helpless , unsure of what the future was or where this journey would take us. We transferred her to Sioux Falls where we received our first glimpse of hope thru the kindness and encouragement of the staff at Avera Rehabilitation Center. We are on day 8 of rehab...everyday we see small signs of recovery...everyday they tell us she will go back to her house. I am amazed at her hard work and attitude. I don't think I would do well in her position. Relying on others to help her with daily task that she did so easily just the day before. We all grieve in different ways for different things. I don't think I "grieved" for my Dad because he left me with such peace...I continue to be surrounded by him on this farm, in the way I work, and  how I do daily things (like fix a fence , help bring a new calf into the world or dig in the dirt to check if the corn is coming up)  Dan will sometimes call me "Willie" when I get a little pushy or when I want to work all the time. And then we have David who reminds me so much of my dad, sometime it makes me laugh and other times it makes me cry as he walks across the yard and goes and stands by the cattle fence with Dan. So for me a big part of dad is still here.
One of the first days I spent with mom up in rehab I was a great encourager and cheerleader who cheered her on in the slightest movements of her leg or foot. The staff gave me hope but on the way home I wept......I was overwhelmed with thankfulness that we did not lose mom and we were not planning a funeral but I got  a little selfish and began to think ahead about what mom did lose and thru that, what I lost. Mom is our rock....she holds us all together. She gives parenting advice and spiritual advice....she helps me plan food and finds recipes for me to try.... she gathers us as often as possible and encourages in our daily lives.....she somehow makes each one of us feel like we are the favorite child or grandchild......she is a great example for all of us to be  of service  to those around us. She is a great example of living with hope and courage and that it is worth it to live a life of faith.  As I drove home that snowy night God showed me that even if mom does not fully recover physically
she can still be the hands and feet of Jesus.....all the things I need her for aren't really physical, her heart wasn't affected and neither was her faith...the faith that gives HOPE....the faith that calls us to TRUST.
We don't know what the future holds but we know who holds the future..... My.mom taught me that.

The "Gathering Place".......

 

 

It is March......winter seems to have been long and I am very ready for warm temperatures and long sunshiny days. The North Place has kept us busy this winter. We have met many people.....celebrated Christmas with families,  birthdays, anniversaries, rehearsal suppers, scrapbook week-ends, card party groups, ladies week-ends, a Moms group, Red Hat ladies, bridal and baby showers, church groups and of course our friends! We had 2 open houses and Tour of homes coming up next week.

 

Our goal for The North Place was to have a place where family and friends could gather, slow down and find some peacefulness among the cow pasture and the corn fields. We wanted to  some how bless others and in return we have met so many awesome people and have been blessed far beyond what we ever dreamed. So thank you  to all of you who have come to "gather" there.

 

This week we gathered there with extended family on Friday night........we got to host the family of my Aunt  after the funeral of her husband. The North Place was bursting at the seams in celebration of his life as all his brothers, kids , grandkids, great grandkids, nephews  and nieces gathered. We live in Northwest Iowa you know and many neighbors and friends had brought food so we set up a grand buffet. The house was filled with the noise , laughter and many little children running and playing with  cousins. What a blessing!

 

Saturday morning for  brunch we got to share in the 89th birthday of a spy "young" gentleman with is 4 children and their spouses. They had a whole day planned of celebrating with kids , grandkids and great grandkids. What fun to be a part of their celebration!

 

Saturday night we celebrated with our own family as we gathered for our sweet little Juddson William's 1st birthday! We had a complete Dr Suess dinner including "Green Eggs and Ham" and Moose Juice and Goose Juice" ! Sunday morning we all gathered again at our church for our newest family member Klaire Marie's baptism . A few tears fell as I looked down the row and we were all gathered there to share in this blessing. The other grandkids watched so attentively as little Klaire lay perfectly still and got baptized. Kwynlee watched carefully and took her  "big sister" role very seriously. Olivia wiped my tears away..."Grandma why are you crying?"..."because my heart is "full" of Joy today" I replied. My goal in life is to love and serve the Lord.... gather my family and watch them grow in their faith....grow in their marriages and raise their children to love and serve the Lord. So is my life always perfect?...no....is it always easy?...no.....but God is ALWAYS faithful. May your heart be full of JOY  and may you be blessed this week.

Christmas 2014

Christmas 2014

We went to the movie Saving Christmas last week......we were the only ones there. It was a slow movie with mostly narration but I found the message something I have thought about all week. The Christmas season can become a little crazy with all the worldly and  materialistic things that go with it but really it all comes down to how we choose to look at life.....we can chose to make Christmas crazy , materialistic, worldly and  thoughtless or we can choose to find JOY in all of it. December has been crazy for us....well all of 2014 has been a little crazy! We took a little step of faith and decided to build a little cabin type house on our "North Place". We built it with the intention to  have a place for families and friends to gather. We want to somehow in some way bless others while sharing with them the beautiful sunrise and sunsets that give that place a special sense of peacefulness. We started preparing the building site in June...dug a basement the end of July and started building in August. Our first official guests arrived the week of Thanksgiving. We have been overwhelmed by the response that we have had and all the gatherings that have been there and are booked in the next year.  Our whole family helped to make this dream a reality....the grandma's brought love and support and also a few meals as we went thru harvest and kept things going there. Our kids all stepped up and helped in many different ways...our grandkids were all an active part of the cleaning up and building . They even dug up a "hidden treasure" the day we dug the basement!

So Christmas has kinda snuck up on me... I am usually quite organized. Well I am not this year but it's ok. I love the season... I love buying gifts ... I love giving gifts.... I love gathering with family and friends. I love Christmas music and baking goodies.........I am blessed with a family that gathers.... my family will all be home for Christmas.....we number 33 and anxiously await a new baby yet this week! We will gather with Dan's family and there too most of them come....we have grown to over 40 with 2 new babies coming soon. So in the hustle and bustle of the season my wish for you this Christmas is to "gather".......put your differences aside.....choose to find joy.....live life fully, finding that JOY in living a life of faith and service to our Savior whose birth we celebrate this Christmas season.

The North Place.....Iowa Barn Tour

IOWA Barn Tour is including our barn on the North Place next week on it’s annual tour of barns across Iowa. I thought I would write a short history of the place but found out I don’t really know much history but simply just have a love for the place. I asked my Dad many questions over the years but I find myself often now thinking “ I should ask Dad that” but some of those things will just remain unknown. I often find my self telling stories to my kids and grandkids about the “old” days of what I remember…… I hope they remember those things. So from my heart….the story of the North Place.

　

　

　

The North Place

An Iowa breeze …shady trees and riding my pony round and around in the grove…..watching thunderstorms and dancing in a much needed rain are just some of my fondest memories of growing up on the North place. Of all the years I lived there it was never called home … It was always the North place but still it has always been my favorite place to live.

In 1965 my parents William J and Joyce Heynen packed up their little family and moved ¼ mile North to the farm they had just purchased from Henry and Betty Rikkers. They had lived in a small tenant house (still a structure at the Country home Motel) on the “home “ place with my Grandpa and Grandma . After the move We spent many hours outside there…..even when inside the windows were thrown open…the smell of lilacs and the chirp of crickets filled the house at night. The big barn was a favorite place to play…build forts….. Or search for a new batch of baby kittens. It seems like yesterday that my little hands gripped tight to the haymow ladder bringing me to my own playground. We still often laugh at the stories of my older sister stepping on my hands so I couldn’t get up…….the password was reciting a memory verse that she had picked out for me to learn that day! The barn had a big wooded slide out the back that ended up in a wooden hay manger…..I often helped my Dad haul bales to the little door…cut the ropes and slide the hay pieces down to feed the calves….there were times when us kids would do that with bales NOT during chores and position ourselves on the top of them and slide into the manger…. ( I look back at this now and it is kind of dangerous!). I think most of my childhood memories come from this place and I could write many pages of them. Catching baby raccoons when my dad was grinding or schelling corn from the corncrib and feeding them marshmellows……doing tricks on my pony and braiding her mane…..helping give pigs shots and feeding the calves hay in the wooden manger that still stands there today. I feel close to my grandpa and my Dad whenever I go there. It is a place where I find peace .

The History of the barn to me is quite unknown. It is said to be over 100 years old…..it is not original because I remember redoing the inside ….adding the white gates and swing doors on the front.

I lived there until I was maybe 10. Our family then moved back to the “home place” a ¼ mile south to the old house on that farm. We rented the house to many different families but still spent much time there as we still had livestock there and continued to use the corncrib….hog house and big barns as well as farm the land. When I was in my teens we built a new house on the home place directly in front of the old one. In 1981 I was married to Dan Buyert (a neighbor boy from down the road) and we began our life together in the little white house with green trim that I loved so much as a child on the North Place! The North place was again my “playground” and we lived there 7 years and had 2 of our 4 children there. In 1987 we had the opportunity to purchase the farm ½ east of here….”Sam’s Place” (which we still call it today) The house was burned by the fire department and the acreage was still used by us and we continued to have chores there. We lived on Sam’s Place for over 25 years raising our 4 kids and making many trips back and forth to both the north place and the home place where we farrow to finished hogs for many years. Just 3 years ago when my dad’s health started to fail we moved to the home place. Our daughter and her husband moved to “”Sam’s Place”. Since his death 1 year ago we purchased the North place…. We have redone most of the fences….took down the hog shed and machine shed…..saved the tin …lumber and doors. Our plans here are to rebuild the hog house with the lumber and tin we saved……we plan to save the corncrib……turn it into a garage….shed for tools and a place for feed. I have always wanted to put a house there again so we are in the process of that as well. It will be a small cabin type structure using old wood…..farm items and repurposed doors ,beams and give whoever lives there a view everyday of the beautiful sunrise and sunset that I have been able to enjoy for so many years. The future of the big barn is a tough one…..It has been let go for so long and would require a large amount of money to keep and use in some way.

Many say we should just bulldoze the whole place and plants crops……I just can’t do that…..it has to many memories…..it still always calls to me….I go there when things in my life are hard…..I love the smell of the dirt after a rain….the breeze that always blows there….. It seems like yesterday that my pigtails blew in the wind as my pony raced back around the corncrib or I read a book sitting in the haymow door…..and when I danced in the rain with my Dad. Some days I just want that feeling so I walk over there……yes it is still the North place but it still just always feels like home.


Stay tuned for a progress report on the Guest "Cabin" being built there......

A Christmas gift of Peace....2013

As I sit hidden in my backroom behind a locked door  wrapping carefully chosen gifts for my family I have found my self struggling a bit with the Christmas spirit. As many of may know my Dad was taken from his earthly home this summer after a long illness. I miss him.... I missed his presence this fall as we harvested with out him for the first time.... I miss his advice on daily issues and the list goes on and on. The funny thing is I miss him telling me what to do !  But I want to share with you the last gift that he left me.... it is a great gift...it is the best gift any dad can give....it is the gift of PEACE.
  I have had three big moments in my life....times when God put me in a place that took my breath away and taught me to trust Him. That first GIFT was the gift of SURRENDER.......it is one of the first stories in my blog. A time when God asked me to  surrender my child to Him...tough stuff but it is when God reminded me to "be still and know that I am God"....It taught me to Trust.
   The second gift  is the gift of GRACE......now I have been taught about Grace my whole life but Grace is kind of  hard to understand. I don't think I really understood Grace until a few years ago when I could visibly  SEE it with my eyes and feel it just fill the whole room. Kate and I walked into the Sandfords Childrens hospital to see a little boy named Noah....Noah and his family had touched my heart many times but this was a big one . Noah is an awesome little boy that has had a ton of health issues his whole life and had him hospitalized many times........restricted by tubes.....numerous surgeries.....many complications and the list goes on and on. His mom and dad held his very life in her hands everyday for years. I remember walking in there and feeling surrounded by something....it was warm and made me feel like I was kinda someplace else. As Noah showed us his tubes and as we watched his mom so lovingly care for him and comfort him .....my heart tugged at my chest...it has been such a journey for this family. We made it to the parking lot and we both stuggled with tears...."Mom how do they get through that everyday?" Through my tears I took a hold of her and looked into her eyes and told her "That was GRACE !" I could see it... I could feel it.....it filled the room and it filled our hearts. What a gift ...all we have to do is ask for it ...wow.
    This last gift that I received was just this  year. It is the gift of PEACE. It was as physical and real as be handed a big boxed all beautifully wrapped for Christmas. The last months of my dads life here were mixed with difficult days as his physical health declined but it was also a time of such good things......He had wonderful conversations with all of us..... I am quite sure the Hospice room has never had so much laughter, tears and noise as we all gathered there everyday.  In those last days....dad never complained...he accepted help from us all...he cherished each day....he told me to take good care of mom... he told me over and over that mom was a good wife....he told me he was ready to die and he wasn't afraid......One time after all the kids and grandkids had been there he told me "nothing else is really important ya know"...what do you mean Dad?..." having your faith.....thats what is important...and having all your family right here". We were all gathered by his bedside as he took his last breath.... it was difficult....prolli the hardest moment in my life BUT then a PEACE consumed me... it was like dad had handed it over as he left this life. Dad had taught me how to live but then it didn't stop....he taught me how to die. He died peacefully because he SURRENDERED   .......  He was given GRACE just because he asked .......PEACE comes to those with FAITH....what a great gift....What a great gift to leave to your family...pass it on.

The Last Harvest

 In Memory Of William J Heynen.

This was written 2 years ago. Last night my Dad  breathed his last breath here on this earth……. I hadn’t published this in my blog and today it just seemed fitting to do so.  I love you Dad and thank you for teaching us all these life lessons.

The Last Harvest……………………………

I have walked beside my Dad for almost 50years………I followed him when ever he would let me. I begged to go along…to do chores… to check  sows and count new little baby pigs just born in the straw…..to feed hay to the cattle with a pitchfork piece by piece……..to go to the sale barn, lean on the fence and listen to all the men talk about prices and good western calves…to go help  the neighbors or stop along the road by a field just to check on them…..to go for a ride in the pick-up and  and hold my arm out the opened window as I made patterns  against the wind. We would check the corn or see if the alfalfa was ready to cut or bale or if the oats was ripe enough to combine. I would ask questions …. And then I would listen.

I followed him in the tool shed… I handed him tools  or brought something back to the bench…….I would bring him the grease gun and he would let me pump the handle….. he would let me drive the  tractor thru the gate teaching me just how fast to shove the clutch  ahead…… or let me ride in the back of the feeder wagon as the feed would inch towards the front ……He would put me  in the loader bucket  and lift me high in the air. I would ask questions and then I would listen.

…….. Dad and Grandpa  would sometimes just  talk about life……. They would talk about church and politics .  They  would talk about markets and how to do things or what to do next. I would kick on the dirt just like they did and then I would listen.

I would  help load hogs…eventually he would let me mark some or at least point to the ones I thought would make the weight. …. I would stand and  wave my arms  saying “whoa calves…whoa calves” as I was given a spot to stop some big steers from getting out. I would ride along with truckers in the straight truck and get to pick up the check.  Sometimes he would take me to the Canton sale barn…..he would bid on calves…. I would watch and try  to figure out who was bidding… I would ask questions and then I  would listen.

Over the years we have worked side by side……….

I chased pigs……….always keep your legs together…be smarter than the pig

I sorted cattle………….just don’t be scared of them they won’t run you over…??

I drove the tractor thru the gate…….always go slow

I drove the baler………don’t hit a hole and don’t plug it

I scooped manure………….don’t throw it into the wind

I threw bales……use your legs

I unloaded ear corn……don’t open the back gate to soon

I unloaded corn……don’t run the auger to fast

I hauled corn to town……..always make sure you can stop

I helped fix machinery……don’t get your fingers between two pieces of metal

I drove beside the silage cutter as I tried to figure out just where to be next. ……………..don’t stop suddenly

I drove beside the combine……..just don’t get to close and give me plenty of room.

 I ran the stock chopper ………..don’t turn to sharp

I backed up the  hog trailer……….just watch your mirrors…take your time

 I tried for years to back up a wagon…..I still can’t . Wait…..never say that you can’t do something.

I learned all the hand motions that go with farming….go ahead…back up….run the PTO faster……stop………go around the piece on the west side and end up between those rows over there and then I will dump….that one  I still don’t always get!

I learned about  God by watching a pig being born or digging in the newly planted cornfield and seeing  the tiny seed we planted turn in to a small sprout.  I learned about morals and values by how my dad did business and how he treated others. I learned about compassion as we would help a neighbor or a friend.

I learned about trust and and faith when he would plant the seeds in the ground. ….I have seen him look to the sky when we prayed for rain…. I have seen him dance  in the rain when God answered that prayer….. I asked questions about God….. and then I would listen.

I learned how to work…. I learned how to farm…. I learned how to value life…. I learned how to raise my family.. ….I learned to care for others…….. I learned how  to think of others and not be selfish………..I learned to trust God…….I learned to ask questions………..Most importantly I learned to listen.

I learned about loving your Dad as I watched my Dad work every day with his Dad…….. I watched their roles change and then reverse…….I saw how love isn’t always spoken out loud but how deep a love for a father is……. I saw Grandpa get weak and my dad get stronger……….. I saw my grandpa be proud of  my Dad as he took over the farm………I watched my Dad help  grandpa in to the tractor as he grew older……..I watched my dad respect grandpa ……… I watched my Dad put grandpa in a  nursing home……….I watched my Dad  bury him…………..I watched my Dad love him and then carry on the love for the land and the farm.

Dad  always led and I have always followed…………… things start to change as we all get older……..When I was little my Dad carried me,  as I got older I walked behind him…. I followed just trying to keep up……….. I watched….listened and learned.  As the years added up I have found myself walking beside my Dad…. I still watch and I still listen. I still ask why and I still learn.

It is harvest again on the farm………..Dad has aged suddenly. I feel like my role has changed some.  I feel like dad is now handing me the tools…..after all these years he is saying “take over….. I know you can do it. You have listened well”

He came down from the combine today……he checked things over. “I think this is my last harvest” he said……”you just run it a while.” I hopped up the steps of the combine……started things up. Dad gave me the wave of the hand that means “get going”…..next was the motion of  ……….“go around the corner…….followed up with “dump when you get to the back”. And then he walked away. It took me about a half a round to realize what he had just said……”I think this is my last harvest”…………NO …wait I am not sure I know how to do this… I am not ready……….I wept.

Later tonight as the guys were finishing up outside I had gotten Christian, Olivia and Danika ready for bed……..we got in the pick up and went for a little “adventure”. It was dark…..the moon was huge and the stars were all out…..we talked about God as we parked out in the field waiting for the combine to come over the hill. We opened the window to hear the sounds of the night and of harvest. “Grandma” Christian asked “ are YOU a farmer?” I got tears in my eyes………….” Yes I am” I replied. “Who teached you to be a farmer Grandma?” said Olivia

“It was my Dad”

A Valentines day.............

Grow Old with me the best it yet to be........................these words were embroidered and framed and hung in my parents home for as long as I can remember. My Mom would often use these words for different occasions. Today started as any normal day at our house.....yes it is valentines day but we are planning on going on a trip next week so decided to skip any gifts  or out for supper until next week when we are gone.
   Well Valentines Day is about "LOVE" and there is alot of hype and advertisment about gifts...relationships and finding the perfect thing for that perfect someone (usually a size 6 little chick sporting cleavage and rose or a tan buff guy wearing nothing but his boxer shorts).  I have tried  so hard to  talk to my kids about real love ,  real relationships and  life long marriage. I try to talk to them about alot of things ...sometimes they listen ....sometimes they pretend to listen and well sometimes they don't listen at all . I so want them to know what  it is to truely love someone and also to walk in the faith that their grandparents set before them. SO I didn't get roses today but I got a lesson in what love is really all about.
      Well my inner voice somehow wants to  convey to you today some real TRUE things about TRUE love. You really don't even have to listen with your ears.... you need to listen with your eyes. My kids would tell me that when they were talking and I was distracted by doing to many things as once. My eyes have told me the answer to  a real love story......as many of you know my Dad has cirrhosis of  the liver  . He got this as a side affect of a mediction he was taking. It  has slowly weakened his body...his mind  and ability to care for himself. He  rarely leaves the house and is more bed ridden every week. Sometimes he is good and gets around the house with a cane and other days he is unable to get out of bed.
      If you know my Dad you will know that HE took care of mom. He wasn't romantic (that we ever saw) He didn't send flowers or write fancy words....he didn't lavish her with fancy gifts or big trips. But there was never one second that I ever thought he didn't love her...... He was strong and tough.....he was honest and held on to strong morals and values and I never doubted his love and faith in God.....I heard it with my eyes.
     In the last few years I have seen my parents move to town....I watched my Dad hand over the everyday responsibilty of the farm to us so graciously. I watched him go from spending 12 hours a day in teh combine to riding out to the field to watch. I have watched him go from drivng his pick-up to riding along......I have watched him sit back and enjoy the grandkids discuss politics, church and wars. I have seen his heart grow soft for grandkids that aren't perfect and need to learn things the hard way. I have heard him ask about each one of us over and over and encourage eash of us in our own journey. But on this Valentines day I want to remind you what true love is.
   All You have to do is watch my mom care for my Dad.  Mom makes his favorite things to eat..sometimes she has to feed him. She helps him with his daily needs.....sometimes she has to clean up after him. She gently holds his hand or touches his leg. She walks beside him as they shufflle from bed to the table. They still can joke about things and he still teases her . Her schedule revolves around him...he knows she will be there if he calls for her. I have watched them switch roles...she now cares for him.
    Today was not a good day for them...mom called for me to help her. I did things I never thought I would or even could do for my Dad. I told him he  had to listen to me as I was helping get him into bed but we decided that he was still the "Boss". We laughed as I lifted his feet and tied his buttons. I cried with my mom as we talked of getting outside care for him or the next step of a nursing home.As I left and drove away I got that feeling where your heart gets big and goes into your throat.....you kinda figure out what real love is all about. Oliva asked me this week as I held our new little grand daughter Kwynlee in one arm and she sat on the other side..."Grandma do you still love us?'... "Grandma would never love you less...my heart just gets bigger and I love you All even more" I replied....that is true love.
    Real Love is around us everyday.....sometimes we need to look past the roses and chocolates and listen with our eyes. I don't know what tomorrow will bring but I know that God walks beside us everyday promising us that the best is yet to be.

A John Deere Tractor for my Dad......

July 11,2012...My Dads Birthday. He turned 75 today!
       If you have ever heard the sound of a 1955 60 John Deere tractor  you can maybe relate to my story. I would say that it has a combination between a "putter " and a "pop". To me it is a soothing sound that brings me back to a whole different time in my life.......that happened to me today.

Today is my Dad's birthday....a hot summer day and what ever family could come was coming to the farm for pizza. I was fine with my Dad turning 74 but my mom informed me it was 75.....that kinda hit the spot in my heart that makes a lump form in the back of your throat. I have worked beside my Dad my whole life and I miss having him here on the farm everyday. I was busy outside all day today and all of the sudden I thought of something I wanted to do for my Dad's birthday.....of course I need just a little help from Dan who is always so willing to help me when he sees somethings is tugging at my heart. I wanted to get dad's old 1955 JD 60 out and have it setting on the yard when he came tonight... I even thought he could take it for a ride.... he would put it in 6th gear...ride down the road wide open ...turn around on the North Place and come back again!!
    Since the tractor hadn't been started for  a few years we would have to pull it started....this meant that we would hook a chain to the 60 (Dan would drive  the 60) and I would pull it with another tractor till it would start. After 30 some years of farming I asked him to remind me of how this was going to go and what the "hand" signals for this little "jumpstart" were going to be. Well I pulled the chain tight....pulled the 60 only 25 feet and it started right up.....the "putter" -"popping" sound purred in to the quiet summer evening.The force that hit me was unexpected....my heart just filled  with memories of being a little girl and being with my Dad  and Grandpa on the farm.

     As my eyes filled with tears I climbed up the back of the tractor....I slide the handle in gear just like my Dad taught me....a little more gas....push the clutch ahead real slow. Pop pop pop. My life seriously went back to being 10 years old.... I went north....memories of my Grandpa dressed in his bib overalls drivng the baler in that field... I could even smell it. I drove south....memories of my Dad showing me how to use my leg to help push that handle to the next gear....how to pull a load of hay from the field driveway....how to drive the feeder wagon thru the gate to feed the cattle....seriously I felt 10....I felt like I had pig-tails blowing in the wind...hot sun on my face and a deep love for two very special people in my life. I inhaled and  I had one of those moments where as a  woman we cry and laugh at the same time. I just drove that  old tractor up and down the road till my dad came. He got up on the tractor...gave me a few instructions to adjust the sparkplugs to make it run even smoother and off we went...in sixth gear.....wide open...to the north place...turn around and come back. "Do you think we should sell this thing sometime?" he asked............" No Dad... " I said "Let's just keep it". .... I think I might want that feeling again sometime..... it makes me feel close to them. Funny how a sound can instantly bring you back 40 years......Dad got in the car to head for home.... "thanks for everything" he said...."it was a good day".  Yeap Dad it was a good day.

Miss Danika

Are you watching Danika…….?????


Having our grandkids around is one of our greatest joys! Our very quiet …sweet little Danika has turned 2! Now she is still very sweet but when she is very quiet you really need to know just where she is and what she is doing !! I “thought” she was downstairs with dan the other night when I heard a noise in the kitchen……ummm yes there she sat….in front of the fridge eating peppermint stick ice cream right out of the box with no spoon. Her bright eyes were shinning and when she saw me she just smiled her sneaky little smile…..”I got ice cream grandma!” My heart melts with So much love and compassion for that special little girl. “Who is watching you?” I said……….she shrugged her shoulders ….”Grandpa watching me!” Guess what I did? I let her eat ice cream from the box…with no spoon …..on the floor in front of the fridge!! It is so great being a grandma!

You called my name…………….


This mild Iowa winter has turned cold……..I struggle a bit when the days are dark , the winds blow and the snow whirls around the house. I fight the urge to pull the blinds, put the fire on and hibernate with some project in the back room or curl up and read a book! Ahh but we are almost done with January the end of the week is supposed to back in the forty’s!

A very dear friend invited me last week-end to a womens conference in Sioux city……….I had been to Women of faith once many years ago and it was a smaller version of that. Being brought up very conservative I knew that it may be a little out of my comfort zone but I think that over the years my children have taught me to step out of that “box” and I have found many wonderful people of faith that reside “outside” the box. We can all worship in different ways…..it may not always follow all the same “religion” rules but it follows many of the same “faith rules. Wait….faith maybe doesn’t have as many rules!

The theme of the conference was “You called my name.” The speakers were powerful…..The message was….. God is faithful….open your heart…..follow His call and Trust. God called you by name…..HE has a purpose and Plan for us even when it may not seem like it. In all our trails we are so blessed because God does not leave us, maybe we won’t realize that until many years down the road.

The kids are all grown and my life is in the middle of a big change. I have been a fulltime “MOM” for the past 28 years….my role as a mom is changing. It is a good thing right? I sometimes question what is next in my life because I have been consumed with “mothering”. BUT…God has called my name……..He has been so faithful….. How simple right?

I am so often brought back to my favorite verse in the Bible……….Be still and know that I am God. Put your worries aside today and trust Him.

May you and yours be blessed this Christmas

Twas the night of thanksgiving and all through the house .Not a creature was stirring except this Grandma’s “mouse…………


It came upon a midnight clear…..hmm, I have being seeing “midnight” quite often lately.

Hark the Harold “angels” sing…..yes the “angels” (our grandkids) woke up at 6:00 am this morning “singing?”

Silent night…….ahh …..an emty nest….lock the doors…..turn out the lights

Oh Come all ye Faithful…….our nest may be emty but many still gather at the “home” place quite faithfully.
It is not unusual for me to be up late at night. I love the quiet…….the time when all is on place and I can putter around the house….catch up on things….chat with a friend …… read a book or answer a phone call from one of the kids who is just checking in.

Tonight as I was thinking about the annual Christmas letter and what changes we have had in the year 2011 I realized that in one years time our whole family has moved. One year ago this week we moved my parents to town ……. we moved to the home place…Chad and Jenna followed 2 days later and moved to our farm. They are wonderful neighbors….. Justin and Kate got married June 4….…We moved Kate to Monticello to be with Justin………….at the end of the summer we moved Kate back to their home near Hospers so she could finish up at Northwestern. (Yes Justin still lives in Monticello…..they see each other about every 3 weeks )The next week we moved David to Northwestern to go to college. Last week we moved Daniel and Brianne and their family to a house in Boyden. What a lot of work…. Dan and I told everyone to stay put for a while!! When you move you realize just how much “stuff” you actually have…it made me question about our values and goals in this earthly life………

It also made me think about the Holidays…all the gimmicks to buy “stuff”…..people frantically running around in the midnight hours to get “stuff” ….or trying to come up with a gift for someone who already has everything.

I love Christmas….. I love buying special gifts for the people I love… I love baking and decorating and all the hoopla that can go with Christmas .But this year I am getting rid of “stuff”….. I have been cleaning…making piles for each kid (they have their own house now!) and what a wonderful feeling . This year I want Christmas to be about giving instead of receiving and focusing on what God gave . I wonder how God felt when He Gave the gift of His Son. Giving a gift is a wonderful feeling……I love it much more than receiving . So instead of giving “stuff” I want to do something different this year. I want to give something that comes from the heart and keeps on giving…hmmm I don’t have it all figured out yet. I challenged my kids a few years ago to do a random act of kindness each week of December and then tell me about it. I did it too and it was SO rewarding. An old man that I helped at Walmart will still thank me every time he sees me.

If only we could give our family and friends the peace…peace …peace …. that comes with a Silent Night. If only we could give them the TIME it takes to sit and read a book to a child ….watch a sunset or capture fireflies on a warm summer night…..that is the kind of gift I am shopping for this year…. One that touches the heart and keeps on giving! One that makes you grab your faith and look to God who has been so faithful another year.

May you and your family be blessed in the year to come!

Fa la la la la…. la la…la….la………………may your year be filled with laughter.

What child is this….??? Hmmm I think it is David…..we very rarely see him!!

Grandma got run over by the John Deere…….well that too is a possibility.

I’ll be home for Christmas……………..our door is always open and you are always welcome.

From a MOM's heart...............

After 12 years of following Kate across the state of Iowa playing volleyball....tonight may have been her last season....As I went down the bleachers to be there if she needed me I had mixed emotions. As I saw the big eyes fill with tears, I blinked and  I saw the tall skinny 5th grader get her first all tournament medal ......the tears were the same because her team had lost the championship game......she has always put team first.... I saw the girls hugging her and I remembered all the friendships she has made all over the state of Iowa. Parents came to her and thanked her for taking care of their own daughters...that reminded me of some of the wonderful friendships we have made over the last 12 years. We traveled to conference games.....AAU games.....Club ball games and now college games. We have met wonderful people.

I think back to all the accomplishments and honors that Kate has recieved.....the papers filled with photos and interviews....the all tournament teams she has been apart  of.....the State tournament championships that she has been a part of....the club ball sucess that came from a few girls ...a devoted  coach and a couple of practices. The Jr Olympic team that put together a few Iowa girls and played teams from countries all over the world. These things were all wonderful and fun and I am proud of her for all the accomplishments BUT I am even more proud of her for having such a love and compassion for all the people that were with her on this journey..... To see her help her injured teammate off the floor...to see her cry with a teammate who  has tough things going on in her life..... to see her celebrate with and for those around her....... I love to watch all the little girls from camps come and find her after  a game  knowing that she will take time for them......I am proud that she kept her love and passion for the game even though things were sometimes very difficult........ I saw her reach for every ounce of courage and strength with in her  to stand on the sidelines for the first time in her life and cheer for her team after she  she tore her ACL... ...the long hard rehab it took to come back and fight for a position on the team...... I am proud of her for putting others ahead of herself......and  having a servant heart. At  Kate's wedding her husband gave a wonderful speech that thanked all of those people at the wedding that were a part of kate's life that made her in to the person she was today....... I too want to thank  all the volleyball people that supported and encouraged her  on this journey.

  So...all the hardware is on a shelf....all .her medals are all in a box..... volleyball is now over....... but who she has become because of it all is just beginning........  I wasn't ready to shut the chapter of this book but tonight I realized that the book is actually just beginning and I can't wait to see what is next for Kate Buyert Boersma.!

A Wedding Day..........June 4,2011

Justin a nd Kate........the hot June day started very early, it began at Justin and Kate's new home by Hospers. We planned for months and I took a deep breath that morning trying to slow down the day. I wanted time to just slow down ....I tried to take in all the sounds , the laughter and excitement. I wanted to capture the moments , I wanted to just say stop! (no not stop the wedding) I think I just wanted it all to last a little longer!
No matter how hard I tried too slow things down it went to fast but it was a wonderful fun day. I found myself stepping back and just watching........it so fills a mom's heart to see her daughter so happy on her wedding day....to help her into the dress of her dreams and tie up the back just perfectly is just a moment that a mom will always cherish. It is part of the process of letting go I think.

I also wanted to freeze the moment before I had to walk down the aisle with Justin......It was Dan standing in the back with Kate....he was holding her flowers. He was talking quietly to her . He was once again the calm behind the "storm". (for some reason Kate and I are considered the "storm" at our house). The moms always get all the credit for pulling off a beautiful wedding but as always he is the calm before...during and after all of our "storms"!
The next moment for me was having the grandkids come down the aisle......first Christian and Patience...so proud to be a part of the wedding! Christian actually had the "real" rings in his pocket and was very proud of this fact and took his job very seriously! Next came our Olivia and Danika....Danika took a little coaxing and then decided to run...the flowers petals were thrown up in to the air and caused a pretty fluttering to the ground even after the wedding started. At the end of the aisle each one fo them stopped to hug Justin....he bent down and hugged each one....I think my love for him grew that moment....he knew the moment he met Kate how much she loved those little kids and he too gathered them in his arms. I think it showed me just how much he loved Kate!!
Kate asked Daniel to do a reading during the ceremony...... The words were beautiful but having him read them touched my heart.
Yes the day still all went on to fast no matter what I did!! It was fun to see Justin and kate have so much fun a the reception and dance....to see Kate and all her girlfriends and teammates dancing and having fun...and yes even Justin cut loose on the dance floor!! So we gained another wonderful son in law ... It was a good day.... God continues to answer prayers. He is faithful!

A Boy.....his dog....and a "Uncle" David.........

Have you ever had a moment in life that just grabs your heart? Today I watched out the window as this story unfolded. It was a very cold Iowa winter day......I bundled up my little 5 year old grandson in layers of clothes...goggles and a helmet. His eyes shone with expectation as he headed out the back door. He has been talking about his moment ever since his Uncle David bought the bright

yellow snowmobile a few weeks ago. They began the cold and slippery walk to the barn as I watched out the window. Christian followed closely behind looking like a small shadow, following each footstep of the older boy he loves so much.I watched as David gave him instructions to wait right there....keep the dog outside the barn and stand back. I watched as Christian leaned over and peeked inside to catch a glimpse of the the snowmobile as the engine started. I saw Christian pat the dogs head talking to him and motioning for him to stay. As the sled came out the door Christian jumped up and down in his excitment and the dog ran in circles around them all.
I watched as my son reached down and helped the little boy step up and swing his leg over and onto the seat.... I saw him give instruction of where to put his feet and then sternly instruct him to not touch anything. As they came close to the house I saw only the beaming little eyes through the yellow goggles of the little boy. They stopped and posed for a picture and then I could see David give him a few more instructions. I couldn't hear the words but I could tell from the actions that David was saying..." if you want me to stop or if you need me just pat my leg... just like this" and he proceded to show him. Christian nodded his head and patted David's leg.. they both nodded....yeap... got it! Off they went with Christian having complete trust in every move David made. I watched them take off through the ditch going up and over the snow banks created by last weeks storms.
Later I saw a little boy going bumpity bump across the yard on the little plastic sled tied behind the snowmobile. The dog followed and ran happily around the duo. It was just those little things that grabbed my heart. Somehow your heart just expands just o see your own "little" boy grown up and have such a passionate love for another little boy. It tugs at my heart to see the huge responsibilty it is for David to have this little boy love him so much and look up to him and try to follow each of his footsteps so carefully. It was just a "moment" that God puts in your life to bring you where you need to be.
Later tonight Christian sat by me on the sofa in front of the fire... I could see his little mind coming up with something. "Grandma" he asked, "is there 2 Gods?" "nope " I said , "only one... why?". "Well.... how can He be up in heaven and be in my heart at the same time?" "Well Christian... that is how big God is... He can be everywhere and take care of everyone that loves Him... He always hears you and you can always talk to Him."
I could tell he was still thinking and he was quiet for a while...." is God going to take care of Uncle David tonight?" "yes" I said, "yes He is".
"well how about Derek cuz he is fighting in the war far far away... you know with the "flags"? ... "Yes Christian.. he is taking care of Derek" I replied. "well that is good cuz I don't want Derek to be afraid of the dark".......... He snuggled up against me..."I love you Grandma" he said with those big brown eyes dancing in the firelight. " I love you too Christian" I replied thru teary eyes... what a "gift" God sent at Christmas time if He loves us even more than I love those two "little" boys on the snowmobile today.

The Buyert Christmas Blog

Family and Friends.........
Tonight I sit by the fireplace in our "new" home.....it is strange for me because it is the house I grew up in, so it is like moving back home only I added my family , my stuff and my mom isn't here to cook and clean!. It began this fall when Dan and Mom purchased a new home in Sioux Center.....we made plans to move to the "home" place. Chad and Jenna made plans to purchase our farm by putting their house on the market. To make a long story short....Chad and Jenna sold their house in town and we all moved with in 8 days................ So yes life has had some big changes here!! We have all had mixed emotions but it has been good and we feel very blessed.
Daniel and Brianne live in Doon and we see them often. Patience and Christian started school this year, Olivia turns four this week and Danika turned one in August. They helped with harvest and we got to enjoy having family around.
Chad and Jenna celebrated their first anniversary in Oct. They are getting settled in "our " house...... we are so glad to keep good neighbors! She already came to borrow sour cream this morning!
Justin and Kate got engaged this fall and have set June 4, 2011 as their wedding date! Justin is working at the NRCS office in Anamosa Ia and Kate is at Northwestern............The volleyball team plays at the National tournament this week in Sioux City so we are planning a fun week in Sioux City.
David is taking some classes at NCC in the morning and then Western in the afternoon. He continues to work at the Hardware store after school andweek-ends. He spends time with friends hunting, fishing and boating. ....He is not sure what next year will hold for him and doesn't really want to decide right now!
Dan and I continue to farm and enjoy our family. We love spending time with the grandkids and following NW sports. We find ourselves home a lone more often and are starting to have time again for time with friends and doing things together.
We think of all our family and Friends this Holiday Season and we wish you your families a wonderful holiday season.