Yesterday we laid to rest the staple of my small Van Cleave community! A powerful and mighty woman, who was small but so strong in her Faith, her Family and most importantly her love of Farming!! She was a kind, giving, and faithful servant. I remember my husband calling one day and saying "when you get off work, it is time for us to visit with Charles and Bobbi." Who, what, where I asked..............
Needless to say they became one of the pushers in our lives, the pusher who generously sold us our first 2 acres to put a house, and then the farm next to us. The pusher who backed our thoughts when my husband wanted to farm! We were young and poor, but rich in spirit from the 2 of them!!! They lost their only child when he was young............and trouble pained their lives for years. But God moved mountains in their lives with so many that he sent to help fill the void they painfully missed. And that fall day, we became one of them.
My oldest child was born on the day that years and years ago their son passed away...........tragic to their heart..............I feel God birthed that baby on that day to put back a piece of joy where it was gone. She was the child that they watched out their window when she played in the yard............and the one that they never cleaned the glass on the door window so Ms. Bobbi could look at her hand prints. Ms. Bobbi would say you can still see thru the glass, but the hand print is the reminder that she was there!!! Oh how true, we always are first to clean away the smudges but when left alone they are reminders that make us better and see how far we have come.
She became frail with time, but always wanted to know what was going on in the fields!!! Her faith was strong, her family even stronger by those she called children that filled her void, and her love of the farm never changed!! Bless is the woman that could do so much, as she laid her hands in the dirt yesterday.....I truly know "her heart is still at work"!
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
learning where you are, is where you are meant to be
I started running over a year ago for exercise.............and to gain my sanity back on long days. But since the first of the year I have trudged along with great passion. Passion that has pushed me to run during the week building muscles that I never thought would be possible and running distances without stopping I would have bet you I could have never done. Long story short, I have gotten OCD in trying to get it in along with working and being a mother. But today I got up and ran at 6:15 am which is a HUGE accomplishment because that meant getting up 30 minutes before normal (I am NOT a morning person). But 5.5 miles later I was ready to take on the day. My runs allow me to think thru my day and plans..........not all go as I direct out but it is MY time that no one needs to be fed, mommy isn't said a million times, and the Farmer hasn't sent me on a wild goose chase. As I literally get to the driveway, the Farmer has gotten the girls almost ready and given medicine. WOW, what a help.........
So I drop one at school, come home to feed 2 cattle farms, check the tobacco already in the ground for frost damage, write out and then head to pay bills, come home fix lunch for 3..........and then spend the afternoon running the 1st grade field day for my daughters school.
Whew, and the day wasn't over.......snacks delivered to the farmer and a short trip for the girls to say "hi daddy".........led to planting the garden and making sure our winter food was all set for hopefully another great summer harvest.
Back home to finish dinner that was put together at lunch and showers for the girls so we can make early bedtime for 2 more days of school. The farmer is still in the field but he has a hot dinner to keep him moving and his girls are bathed and in the bed. I know sit and view the daily facebook posts and plan for tomorrows long day in the tobacco field. BUT I LOVE IT...............years it took to find this is where GOD had planned me to be. Really a farmers wife and farmer/mother................??? Some would say it wasn't for them, and guess what I am glad!!! Glad that I can sit back and see the foods produced my hands have touched........ the clothes worn were grew by my friends............and most products used everyday started out with in the glimmer of a farmers eye. It is where I am meant to be.............waking up and going to bed knowing that when my Hands are in the dirt, My heart is at work!!!
So I drop one at school, come home to feed 2 cattle farms, check the tobacco already in the ground for frost damage, write out and then head to pay bills, come home fix lunch for 3..........and then spend the afternoon running the 1st grade field day for my daughters school.
Whew, and the day wasn't over.......snacks delivered to the farmer and a short trip for the girls to say "hi daddy".........led to planting the garden and making sure our winter food was all set for hopefully another great summer harvest.
Back home to finish dinner that was put together at lunch and showers for the girls so we can make early bedtime for 2 more days of school. The farmer is still in the field but he has a hot dinner to keep him moving and his girls are bathed and in the bed. I know sit and view the daily facebook posts and plan for tomorrows long day in the tobacco field. BUT I LOVE IT...............years it took to find this is where GOD had planned me to be. Really a farmers wife and farmer/mother................??? Some would say it wasn't for them, and guess what I am glad!!! Glad that I can sit back and see the foods produced my hands have touched........ the clothes worn were grew by my friends............and most products used everyday started out with in the glimmer of a farmers eye. It is where I am meant to be.............waking up and going to bed knowing that when my Hands are in the dirt, My heart is at work!!!
Corn proud..............finally
After many weeks of wet weather, the planted was finally able to shake off the dust and hit the fields!! A very exciting day for the farm families in Western KY. And the day my husband, bless his heart finally had a little hitch in his gitty up!Farm wives will know what I mean with that phrase. ha ha
Momma bear (myself) worked on a project for school as I watched the guys do some clean up work around the farm. So nice to get phone calls back from my husband today that started off with "what are you doing". Normally during this time the corn in planted and the beans are shaking their bags ready to be planted, as well as the fields already stripped tilled and patiently awaiting arrival of me and the guys with the setter. Instead the planter just hit the field LATE........but there to say the least. And 2 meals were delivered to the field, dinner especially so the girls could see their daddy for 10 minutes today. Long days for a farm wife.............but it is what I live for. Yes I am crazy, but its just another day in the life of the farmers wife.
Momma bear (myself) worked on a project for school as I watched the guys do some clean up work around the farm. So nice to get phone calls back from my husband today that started off with "what are you doing". Normally during this time the corn in planted and the beans are shaking their bags ready to be planted, as well as the fields already stripped tilled and patiently awaiting arrival of me and the guys with the setter. Instead the planter just hit the field LATE........but there to say the least. And 2 meals were delivered to the field, dinner especially so the girls could see their daddy for 10 minutes today. Long days for a farm wife.............but it is what I live for. Yes I am crazy, but its just another day in the life of the farmers wife.
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
to the Moms in my life
Its been a while since I blogged................but I am back in the saddle again. These past 6 weeks have been wet and you would have thought I would have designated some time to the blog because we can't work. Instead it was boring and I tended to other areas in my life, but today is the day. The day I shall return. And what better return I have than to devote today's blog to the moms of today because OUR DAY is around the corner. As a farmers wife and mother to two lively girls, my head and heart collide in how blessed and grateful I am to the moms that have led me to where I am today!
To my Grandma (yes she reads this because she is a hi-tech Grandma), the one that always says GO!! And is proud in whatever we do and wherever we go. The one that raised her family to be faithful, grateful, and powerful!!
To my mother......the one that gave me wings even though I know she had doubts that us marrying at such a young age life would be hard. But she clinched our dream as she learned our occupations, I did too. That how my love for the country became hers too.
To the mothers/wives/friends that I follow thru facebook....................you are my motivators and teachers!! I have learned how to be a better mother, try new recipes, get out stains, and most importantly how to live and love! As a wife, farm or no farm we all struggle, at times feel unappreciated, and I know stress when we can't get that one thing right. But you responded when I need advice and Pray when I need prayers!
To the Farm Mom/Wife.........the one that showed me the way and was willing and able to reach out and push me/us to further our dream. She is a motivator and doer (yes that is a word).........yet always stops when her family is in need. She processes GREAT Faith in this world and her occupation!! She has allowed me to see I can be it all and do it all!! We are the Katies of the world that raise a flock of kids, educates her community and world on agriculture, yet still finds time to work and do what she loves. I know you too sit around the shop and follow your husband from one side of the tractor to the next just to watch him work. There are long days and nights..............many trips to town to get supplies and parts, many trips to the grocery to prepare 3 meals a day even though you could have eaten cereal you still cook for the kids and take dinner to the fields, and the stresses of paying the millions of bills that come daily in the mail. Still I grasp OUR dream, and I am thankful that GOD chose me to be that wife and mother!!!!
To my husband that works so hard..............I never take one second for granted in how and where we are today. God gave me a good one I do say..............and then allowed me to mother to his 2 beautiful and healthy girls. Yes I will still complain when I am tired, scream when the kids are crazy, but I am always there when the field calls me to work............because when my hands is in the dirt, my heart is at work. Just another day in the life of the farmers wife................
To my Grandma (yes she reads this because she is a hi-tech Grandma), the one that always says GO!! And is proud in whatever we do and wherever we go. The one that raised her family to be faithful, grateful, and powerful!!
To my mother......the one that gave me wings even though I know she had doubts that us marrying at such a young age life would be hard. But she clinched our dream as she learned our occupations, I did too. That how my love for the country became hers too.
To the mothers/wives/friends that I follow thru facebook....................you are my motivators and teachers!! I have learned how to be a better mother, try new recipes, get out stains, and most importantly how to live and love! As a wife, farm or no farm we all struggle, at times feel unappreciated, and I know stress when we can't get that one thing right. But you responded when I need advice and Pray when I need prayers!
To the Farm Mom/Wife.........the one that showed me the way and was willing and able to reach out and push me/us to further our dream. She is a motivator and doer (yes that is a word).........yet always stops when her family is in need. She processes GREAT Faith in this world and her occupation!! She has allowed me to see I can be it all and do it all!! We are the Katies of the world that raise a flock of kids, educates her community and world on agriculture, yet still finds time to work and do what she loves. I know you too sit around the shop and follow your husband from one side of the tractor to the next just to watch him work. There are long days and nights..............many trips to town to get supplies and parts, many trips to the grocery to prepare 3 meals a day even though you could have eaten cereal you still cook for the kids and take dinner to the fields, and the stresses of paying the millions of bills that come daily in the mail. Still I grasp OUR dream, and I am thankful that GOD chose me to be that wife and mother!!!!
To my husband that works so hard..............I never take one second for granted in how and where we are today. God gave me a good one I do say..............and then allowed me to mother to his 2 beautiful and healthy girls. Yes I will still complain when I am tired, scream when the kids are crazy, but I am always there when the field calls me to work............because when my hands is in the dirt, my heart is at work. Just another day in the life of the farmers wife................
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