Mini Van Momma

I swore I would never own one and today we bought one. There is a point in life when you give up on doing things based on looks and ego and you do what is right based on practicality and comfort.
We didn't plan on buying another vehicle until later in the year but the opportunity arouse and the price was right. The vehicle came from a friend of a friend. It was his wife Linda's van but sadly she passed at the young age of 45 from cancer. I was a little reluctant to buy it at first given the circumstance but I knew that he had planned on selling so I thought I might as well be the one to buy it if it is going to be sold. When we were at the house we chatted a bit while 2 of their 3 young boys busied around. Just before we left as we were talking about Linda the 4 year old looked up at me and said, "I really miss my Momma." My heart sank! Shortly thereafter we headed out the door and I got into the van and I suddenly was overwhelmed with emotion. I held it together and drove out of the driveway as Dean and his oldest boy watched me. The moment was surreal. By the time I arrived home just a few miles away the tears were flowing.
It is amazing how many people are affected by the death an individual, even those that do not know you.

Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. This is the interrelated structure of reality. -Martin Luther King Jr.

On a lighter note the kids bought their first four wheeler. Mom fronted them some money so they will being doing lots of chores throughout the Spring and Summer to get caught up. They are still in the negative twenty something from the goats. For the last year or so since they started their chore board I have always owed them money now the tides have turned! I am excited that they have this because they will be able to come out back with me now when I go jogging. Last summer Luke joined me some but really was not able to keep up the pace. This year his sister can give him a ride back if he gets tired and Mom will have no excuses to not get a good work out in.
Below is a picture of a chicken pen that John is creating. I cannot wait to get them all out into the fresh air! We have sold all 200 of our last shipment of chicks except for the 8 I kept, we are still getting tons of calls. Someone drove 1 1/2 hours today to pick up our last 20 chicks.

Some of our Rhode Island Red girls

We did lots of yard work this afternoon. Luke was helping me by moving some rocks. He said "does this count as a chore?"













This is the duck pond, not too long before the ice is out. Bam Bam & Pebbles should be out here before the week is out. Horray for them and us!















They are already catching critters!






















The back pond has a ways to go until ice is out!