The Eye of Tabby - The Big Batch part 2

Here is the next group of photos from Tabby's latest batch of pictures.  I'll call this the "strictly animal themed" batch.  I'm so glad that she has some pictures of her Silkie's and one of their new chicks because she is selling the whole flock this Saturday.  It's sort of sad - like the end of a chapter of her life.  But she said she just has so much going on now, she doesn't feel she can give her flock of chickens the attention they should have.  The good thing, is that a woman with a young daughter who LOVES chickens is going to buy them.  That is sweet.

The Eye of Tabby - The Big Batch part 1

Now that school is out for the summer, Tabby is enjoying more time to draw, play piano, and take pictures.  I got a big batch of photos from her and will post them in smaller groups every other day or so.

Tabby likes to tease her brothers about how much they like collecting and identifying wildflowers.  However she obviously likes them too, judging by the many beautiful flower pictures she takes. 

In this batch, it was hard for me to choose my favorite. I like them all!  But I finally settled on the very last photo, of the angel that is on a plaque in Lilly's garden.  I never would have thought to take a picture of it at that angle.

A rant and a rambling

Let's get my rant out of the way first.  This morning, I was very disgusted and angry when I learned, from some of my online Trisomy parent friends, that someone had created a seemingly informational website on Trisomy, and posted pictures of my Lilly and many other Trisomy children I know.  That was annoying but not the bad part.  The bad part was that if you clicked on the pictures for any of the children, to "get more information," you would be re-directed to a porn site.  YUCK!  I can not stand the thought of Lilly, or any of these innocent children, being linked to porn.  That makes me sick.

The internet has so many good uses but porn is NOT one of them.  The number of porn addicts is staggering and so sad.  People that repeatedly view porn are literally re-wiring their brains.  And countless lives being destroyed.  Whoever cooked up the idea to link these special needs kids to porn - well I haven't decided what punishment they deserve yet. 

We're working to get the photos off that site asap by writing letters of copyright claims.

OK. 

Yesterday Lilly's garden finally had a lily bloom - the first in over a year.  :)

Calla Lily

 

I mentioned recently that I had thought about trying to run some and had taken a few little runs to the mailbox and back.  My Dad (who is in his late 60s and is still running marathons and triathlons) encouraged me by saying to just try running "a little farther" each time.  I thought, "well I guess I could do that." 

I can't really explain it - I just have been feeling I need to do something hard.  Really hard for me.  I need a personal challenge to prove some things to myself.  I've never been a runner.  I used to play soccer when I was younger, and that of course required some running.  But not for distance. 

So I started running from the top of our driveway, to the road, and back up the driveway.  Two times the first night.  Since then I've added one or two laps each time.  Last night I made it 11 and a half laps.  And that equaled 1.09 miles.  I think that is the first time in my life I've ever run a mile!  And Tabby informed me that yesterday was Global Running Day.  Ha.

the slope coming up the driveway looks deceitfully easy

For the past month or so, the boys have been sleeping in a tent set up in their room.  A few days ago, Hunter finally was ready to sleep in his bed again.  And just a few minutes ago, Solomon told me he ready to go back to his own bed too.  Pretty nice camping though - inside the house means air conditioning and a lack of bugs!

Hunter likes to read before going to sleep now.  Here is his current book:

He raved that the chapter on induction motors was incredibly interesting.  I couldn't help but snicker.  On the inside. ;) I am impressed though, that he is reading books like this and understanding much of it as the reading level is way higher than a 7 year old level.  Motors are Hunter's current obsession and he has been collecting as many as he can.  He does all kinds of experiments with the ones that work.  I called him "Motorhead" but he didn't appreciate it.  I told him I once saw an old heavy metal band called Motorhead in concert.  He didn't understand what I meant at all.  ;)

The baby goats are doing well.  They nap a lot during the day and then are very playful in the late afternoon and evening.  They love to jump and bounce around.

In the second picture down, you can see new mama Sundrop in the back.  (The light golden brown goat behind the tree stump.)  I had intended to start milking her earlier this week.  However, she would have none of it.  We've never had a goat that wasn't willing to jump up on the milking stand and eat their breakfast while we milked.  Oh my. Sundrop would not jump all the way up on the milking stand and wouldn't stay up if we got her up there.  She finally got so upset she started butting with her head.  Ouch.

So I watched a few YouTube videos on how to milk goats that aren't interested in being milked.  Of course all those videos ended in success.  I have yet to have success yet.  I made some progress today though in that Sundrop allowed me to pet her back while she ate the first part of her breakfast.  But then she started headbutting.  Honestly I don't know how much patience I have for this.  On the one hand, I like the challenge.  But on the other, I've got enough other stuff to do like training, teaching, and helping my human kids. 

This "teenaged" chick cracked Tabby and I up the other day.  She was sitting on Lucia's bed, just chillin', like she owned it.

A number of our hens prefer to lay their eggs in a crate of hay in our woodshed.  The couple that owned the house before us warned us to be careful in their in the summer, because the snakes liked it.  Such as copperheads.  So once the weather is hot, I proceed very very carefully into the woodshed.  And I often pray "God please don't let there be any snakes in here but if there are, let me see where they are!"  Yesterday I took a cautious step inside, was surprised to see that there were not any eggs in the crate, and then saw the reason why. Very close to the crate was a long rat snake.  Yikes!  I just know that snake must have eaten the days worth of eggs that were laid there.  I halfheartedly though I needed to be the one to kill the snake but then saw that even if I were feeling gung-ho about it, it would be very difficult to do because of how the snake was weaved in and out of the logs.  Thankfully I didn't see it today, and the pile of eggs were back.  Ick ick ick.

How to express your condolences

Earlier this week, I was contacted by someone from ObituariesHelp.org.  She shared with me her new advice page on how to write a message of condolence to someone that had lost a loved one.  I looked at her page, and it is really, really good!

When someone dies, people can feel awkward and not really know what to say, or they may not say anything for fear of saying the wrong thing.  I know - I've felt that way myself.  But after experiencing the loss of Lilly, I know that it hurts the most when people don't say anything.

So for some very helpful ideas, go to http://obituarieshelp.org/words_of_condolences_hub.html

Condolence Definition

noun: con·do·lence pronounced [kənˆdou ləns]
plural: con·do·lences pronounced [kənˆdou ləns iz]
- See more at: http://obituarieshelp.org/words_of_condolences_hub.html#sthash.ceSo1oog.dpuf

The webpage has ideas on how to begin your card/letter, what to put in the body of the card/letter, and quotes and Bible verses to use.  It also discusses using social media to express sympathy.  I printed the page out and am going to keep it in my box of sympathy cards.

I know social media is the norm for what seems like everything now, but I personally feel that sending a card in the mail (or delivering it personally) means the very most.  Simply because a person has to put more effort into it so it means more.  To me anyway.  I know we're all different.  I have two HUGE boxes of sympathy cards in the attic from when Lilly died.  I don't know if I'll ever be able to read through them all again, but it gives me comfort in just having them.

Our kitchen table covered with flowers sent right after Lilly's death

Lillies in memory of Lilly

A dear friend drew this Lilly and wrote out Matthew 6:25-28 (verses mentioning lilies) - such a meaningful gift!

Never forget - EVERY life is valuable:

photo credit: Steve Rubin Photography

Choosing the Perfect Words of Condolences

 

Choosing the Perfect Words of Condolences

Choosing the Perfect Words of Condolences

Library Donation & Salves for Sale

Last year, we donated FIVE books to our local library in honor of Lilly's 5th birthday.  (See my post about it here.)  Yesterday the boys and I were at the library and I had my camera with me.  So we pulled the books they picked for donation and I took their picture:

My favorite part is the inside of the book cover:

July 4th will be our angel Lilly's 6th birthday.  Wow.  I have several ideas, but haven't settled on anything for sure yet, to do in her memory.  It will most likely be some sort of donation though.

Herbal salves are great for your skin.  Herbs are some of God's natural medicine for us and I really enjoy learning different ways to use them.


"Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine.” - Ezekiel 47:12

Green Salve

There are two herbal salves I make from kits, which I purchase from Bulk Herb Store.  I buy the premixed herbs, mix them into quart jars with sweet almond oil, heat on low in my crock pot for 3 days, then strain.  Next I melt beeswax in a pot, add in the oil from the strained herbs, a few drops of Vitamin E oil (as a natural preservative), then pour it all into tins.  Leave out overnight to harden.  Put on lid and label.  Easy!

However - if  "easy" sounds like too much work - then I have two types of herbal salves to sell.  (I made way more than I needed to try and sell at the recent Hand of Hope event.)

The first is our favorite called "Green Salve."  (I know - it really needs a more catchy name.)  This stuff is great for just about everything:  scrapes, bites, burns, cuts, blisters, stings, rashes, dry and cracked skin, cold sores, psoriasis, eczema, poison ivy, etc.  And pets!  I've used it successfully to treat several skin issues on both our dogs and goats.

We try to put the salve on bites and stings as soon as possible.  That is the most helpful.  A few more applications and that's usually all you need to take out the itch and heal it.  I've been super impressed in how fast the salve can heal wasp stings.  You can use it as often as you want.

Green salve ingredients:  Plantain Leaf, Calendula Flower, Comfrey Leaf, Yarrow Flower, Rosemary Leaf, Echinacea Root, Echinacea Leaf, beeswax, vitamin E oil.

I also make "Muscle Salve" which we use occasionally.  I sell a lot of that one to others though, who say it really helps with sore muscles.  (One woman ordered 2 quarts of the stuff!)  My mom says it even helps bring relief to soreness from clenched jaws.  The salve penetrates the skin and soothes damaged muscles, while reducing inflammation.  Rub onto sore muscles as often as needed.

Muscle Salve

 Muscle salve ingredients:  St. John's Wort, Arnica Flowers, Lobelia Leaf, Comfrey Leaf, Peppermint Leaf, Cayenne, beeswax, vitamin E oil.

I have two tins of Green Salve (2 oz.) for $4.00 each.  Green Salve in 4 oz. tins is $6.00 each.  (Plus shipping, if applicable.)

Muscle Salve in 4 oz. tins is $6.00 each.  (Plus shipping, if applicable.)

If you are interested in buying any, just let me know!  I am willing to ship anywhere within the U.S.

Our goat Pippi has been enjoying the benefits of Green Salve for the past few days.  She quickly developed mastitis in one teat after her kid was born last week.  It seems Odysseus only likes to nurse on one side.  So unfortunately, I have to keep her other side milked out.  I was going out every other hour to milk her, then massage Green Salve onto her teat - especially the lumps.  Now she is doing quite well and her lumps are almost gone.  Thankfully as of today, I'm not having to milk her quite as much. 

Here's a few baby goat pictures from yesterday:

Baby goats are too cute!

Lilly's Garden

Last Friday, during our weekly Walmart shopping trip, we stopped in the garden department.  I told both boys that they could each pick out one (cheap!) flower and then we would plant them.  Then it was their job to water their flowers and watch them grow this summer.

It was interesting to me, just how interested they both were in looking at the flowers, and asking me the names.  I don't know many flower names so I showed them where to read the names for each plant.  Solomon finally chose a purple Petunia.  (He said he liked the name "petunia" because it was like a character on Veggie Tales.)  Hunter choose a white Impatiens.  We thought the name could help him remember to be less "impatient" at times.  ;)

I helped them plant their flowers in pots that afternoon:

Hunter has such a problem of looking at the camera for pictures.  Solomon loves giving silly grins for the camera.

Last spring, NONE of the lilies I had planted in Lilly's memorial garden from the previous years grew.  It was so upsetting.  This year I waited awhile just to see if anything would happen but nothing did.  I planted a couple calla lilies that I had been given several weeks ago, and those are both growing.  Then while buying the boys flowers, I bought two Asiatic lilies for Lilly's garden.  These worked out great because each had three bulbs in their pot them so when I broke them apart, I ended up with six lily plants. 

And, even though they aren't lilies, I bought three Lilly-colored plants.  I thought would add some nice color around the lilies.  Red, white, and blue.

After shopping, we load up our purchases into our car.  Then Solomon likes to help me return the cart.  We give it a push into the cart return then he "uses the force" to push it in all the way.  It's so funny:

On a completely different note, if you or someone you know has struggled with infertility, you may find comfort in a guest blogpost that my friend Megan did.  Click the title to read "Infertility Is Not A Curse." Megan and her husband went through so much pain, and five miscarriages, in the six years they tried to have children.  (They have no living children.)  But the Lord finally redeemed and healed them from that dark time, in an amazing way.

Now, by popular demand, here are some baby goat pictures!  (Christa still hasn't given birth to her kids.  Yet.)

Sundrop and baby Dandelion

Christa checks on her daughter (Sundrop) and granddaughter

Pippi's baby Odysseus

Solomon petting Odysseus

Pepper says "Hello!  Just what is going on around here?!"

Pepper - I am pretty sure she is NOT pregnant!

Happy Pentecost!