The Hayloft

I close my eyes and I can still see the way the tiny particles of dust
danced within sunlight streams, spilling through gaps of old in the loft of that hip roof barn.
Where many hours of childhood bliss were passed
amongst the sweet scent of dried grass, warm and tickling against our skin.

In the quiet of this memory I can still hear the soft coo of pigeons
perched way up high in the rafters overhead
the quick, sudden flutter of wings as they flit from one beam to another.
I feel the comforting vibration of kitten warmth in lap of legs crossed Indian style.

I feel the wonderful sense of belonging amongst the voices of my brothers, sisters... family.
These companions that call back and forth to one another
through tunnels of bales, dark and dusky, we'd built for each other
...our play homes.

I remember, too, some days when the sun would not shine
and the rain would pour down, pitter-patter on roof of tin
and the only light shone dimly
from single bulb above.

Then we would fly on rope secured way up overhead.
Soar from top of stack to dusty boards below and back up again,
clinging desperately, but with delight,
to that length of braided string.

Within the sanctuary of this place, these moments ran deep.
I was free. Safe to be myself...Complete.
Is not this what we all long for?
Why memories such as these are so sweet?

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This poem was written by me in response to another challenge going on over at Seedlings in Stone. L.L. gave us the phrase, "I close my eyes and I can still see"... and asked us to write.

I have done so, and I hope you have enjoyed. (smile)

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Above photo taken of a painting I own by Jim Daly. I pray that memories such as these will be instilled within my own three precious boys.

This is exciting!

So it turns out that all who participated in the great poem caper over at L.L.'s blog this week are now featured on "The High Calling Blogs" today! Check it out... Just my name appears so if you wanna check out the poem I wrote... click here.

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And I just wanted to send out a warm, heartfelt thank you to all of you who have really encouraged me in this with your words of kindness in my comment box to this poem and my other recent one entitled "In the Stillness"....

You have been so generous.

With Love...

Just a small gift I made today...

...a box made with scrapbook paper...

...and 5 tea bags wrapped individually for placing inside.

If Memories were Sparrows...

If memories were sparrows
I'd capture them,
finally.
Those who,
wild and unexpected,
flit in and out of my mind.

They need to be sorted
gone over, studied.
They need to be separated,
those good from those bad.

It's time,
though hard,
to destroy.
To once and for all
remove forever,
those whose presence
deadens the heart.

The good, then,
may come and go
with a will of their own.
They may be looked upon
with a sweet expression,
may be touched and caressed.

Those sparrows may alight upon me
without fear
of my cringing in horror.
Alas, if memories were sparrows
life would be...good.
For we, then, would decide
what could not remain
and what could.

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Thanks to L.L. Barkat for her inspiration. She posted a challenge here to finish a poem from which she had written the first line... hence "If memories were sparrows..."

I am new to writing poems.... haven't written them since high school English class, and now this is my second one in just a few days! You can read my other one entitled "In the Stillness" here.

L.L. has a wonderful post here on the process of writing a poem. She has been such an encouragement to me. If you have any desire whatsoever to write something like this go check out her blog for more information.


Google image of sparrow found here.

a great-grandmothers joy...

... holding her great-grandson. My youngest son Allan sitting on my Oma's lap during my sister, Elizabeth's 30th birthday celebration in October of 2007. He is almost 2 in this picture.

And this is the same picture, but cropped in close... I am so thankful to have a picture of my Oma that shows exactly the way I think of her... she is always so happy and cheerful when I go to visit her and always so delighted to see my boys... even though she has over 80 grandchildren and, I don't know how many, great-grandchildren. She truly is a wonderful and beautiful woman. And I love her so much.

brotherly joy

... my boys really do get a lot of joy out of being brothers to each other.
They are the best of friends and like all healthy, thriving friendships, their relationship is sprinkled with both good and bad, laughter and tears.

In the Stillness...

The tears were close that winter evening
as we gathered round for dinner warm.

When Words were read and prayers were said
I slipped into the night,
an escape into cold dark, desperate for silence
from chattering boys and child songs,
a walk to the fields of open prairie.

Sparkling snow, icy crunch under feet,
mind in turmoil, questioning...

"Where are You? In the messy chaos of my fallen life?"

Then...
a still small voice within depths of soul
as I gaze into the starry expanse,
"Be still...
and know."

Silence...
mind clears, beauty surrounds, heart aches,
and I surrender.

I still... and know.
He is God.
He loves me, even me.

In this space of busy young ones,
whirling household ...life,
I must take time to still, to rest...
in Him.

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This poem was written by me. Please do not copy without permission.

10 Things I Love...

My friend Alicia @ Confessions of a Snowflake gave me the letter "L" for this fun game of "10 things I love". I'm gonna do what she did and add them to my list of things that I'm thankful for, for Thankful Thursday.

1. Light~ especially sunlight as it plays across the faces of my children, candle light, moon light, fire light, and lamp light.

2. Learning~ new ways to do things through books or through watching or listening to others.




3. The Light and Life of the Word of God.

4. Lilacs blooming in the spring... the scent of them is one of my favorites when it comes to flowers.

5. New Life and My Life~ life growing within me and growing without. (*Blush*...Updated to say, "No, I am NOT expecting...
I just love it WHEN I am")



6. Landscapes of every kind. The beauty and majesty of the Rockie mountains and the rolling expanse of the Prairies both take my breath away. Lake Louise, in Banff, Alberta and Leaves budding in the spring and changing to brilliance in the fall.




7. Laundry and my laundry room~ I love the fresh feel and scent of clean laundry as I'm folding it and I love the brightness and size of my laundry room...small and simple.



8. The Love that my beloved gives to me~ this was taken on our 10th wedding anniversary. Now it's already 11 1/2 years since we pledged our love on the 18th of July.



9. Lovely, Little Lads~ so precious to me.



10. Laughter~ especially the kind where your cheeks start to hurt from smiling so much! This happens a lot when all of us sisters are together. Here we are trying to get a good picture on Elizabeth's 30th Birthday (she's the one in the middle) amongst all our laughing and goofing around.

(I'll have you know that I have one more sister as well, who's 9, and was in school during this picture!)

And how could I not mention the absolutely delightful sound of the laughter of a baby?... Love, Love, Love it!

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If you would like to do this yourself, let me know as you leave a comment. I'll go check out your blog and give you a letter of my choice!

(1000's gift list # 96-106)

It was five years ago today...

It was 5 years ago today, in the midnight hour of 12:12 am, that he slipped into the world in the comfort of our home.
A little over 25 months after older brother.
I'll never forget his birth and how secure and warm I felt laboring in the soft glow of the candlelight and the warmth of the water.
Just my beloved with me... and the two midwives.
He came quietly, the pain not nearly as intense as I had remembered.
Him not screaming, but with wide open eyes of wonder at the new world around him.

They placed him on my chest, all slippery and wet.
Wrapped a warm towel, straight out of the dryer, around us... and I gazed in awe at this little miracle within my arms.
"It's a boy", they said, and I smiled up at my love through glittering tears of happiness.
Not much later I was tucked in bed, snug, with my little one nursing contentedly.
Absolute bliss, being with him this way, my second born son, Marcus Nathan.

As he grew, he loved to cuddle, he was such a calm baby, sucking his thumb.
He had a blanket, too, that he would hold to his nose.

These things passed well before the age of 4.
Now he's growing up, doing big boy things, playing with big boy toys, swords, bikes, legos, climbing trees.

Doesn't have much time for cuddles anymore but every once in a while?... he does.
He comes to me on his own and I love it.
He'll always have a special place in my heart for all the precious memories he has, and is, giving me.

Happy birthday, sweet boy.

"May the Lord bless you and keep you,
may He make His face to shine upon you
and give you peace."

Just before his first Haircut...

I was tagged on Saturday by Rebekah @ Rebekah's Beautiful Day and I'm excited to play 'cause this is a fun one! I had to go to the 4th folder where I store my pictures and post the 4th picture from that folder. Well... here it is!

I must admit I was glad it wasn't a picture that I didn't like!

I love this one... I captured this just before my middle child Marcus got his first haircut at 11 months old.

So now I tag:

The 160 Acre Woods
Fireflies in the Garden
White Oak Lane
Our Journey

Simple Saturday

I had the most delightful day today! Spent a lot of time with my dear hubby in the house that we're renovating on our place. Just the two of us, chatting while we worked. It was so special being together like that...


while the boys played outside on a makeshift slide down one of the snow drifts in our front yard.


I was even invited out for lunch by my dear sister, Tracy, and we spent a peaceful 1 1/2 hours, catching up on our lives. I am so thankful for days like today, everything runs so smoothly and peace and contentment abound.

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I also received 2 more blog awards today from my new friend Deborah... Thank you so much!
If you've never stopped by A Different Drum, you should! I have given her two awards recently because I enjoy her blog so much.

So here's what she gave me:

I would like to pass this one on to another hot blog which I enjoy and that would be:
Alicia @ Confessions of a Snowflake.

And this... Marie Antoinette: A Real Person Award.


I would like to pass this award on to Aimee @ Living, Learning, and Loving Simply... I love reading her blog for the realness that she displays there.

Feel free to pass these awards on to whomever you choose, Aimee and Alicia! :o)

Hope you all are having a wonderful weekend.

Prairie Cactus...

...while on a walk down into the coulee this past summer.
Just a bit of sunshine to brighten your day!

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For more fphoto Friday pictures visit Natalie @ Married to the Preacher.

There's a birthday coming up...

he's gonna be five soon, you know.
It's pretty serious business...

picking out a gift.

The boys spent a good deal of time dreaming their way through this catalog yesterday. When I asked Marcus what he would like if he could have any toy he wanted in the whole world, he said,

"I wan' a little gun for shooting!... and a light saber that has lights, AND... a real motorcycle!"

Hmmm...we'll see.

(Does it get any more BOY than that???)

Gratituesday

I am thankful:

1. for warmer weather yesterday so that the boys were able to go play outside together.

2. for sunshine on my shoulders as I tidied up the front porch.

3. for the sound of wind chimes through my bedroom window.

4. for the sparkle of snow when the sunlight gleams on it.

5. for seeing the beauty of the full moon casting it's glow upon drifts of white.

6. for unexpected meals brought over from friends.

7. for warm hugs from my beloved just when I need them most.

8. and for his compliment of "you look nice" as I'm putting dinner on the table yesterday evening.

9. for the happy sounds of Marcus whistling while he plays.

10 for my dear loving friend, a cup of tea, and warm conversation.

11. that Jayden is such a willing little worker... eager to keep his room neat and organized.

12. that Allan says "I love you, too, Momma" to me so many times a day, whether I say it to him first, or not!

13. for the cuteness of his little boy talk... especially that he says, "Huh, Mom?", after almost everything he says to me.

14. And for this wonderful award, given to me by my sweet friend Rebekah. If you have never stopped by her blog, please do so! It is called Rebekah's Beautiful Day... and it's just that, BEAUTIFUL!

So, this award is called the Lemonade Award and it is for blogs which have great attitude and/or gratitude.

Thank you so much for this and I'll try my best to live up to it as much as possible! : )

I would like to pass on this award to some of my favorite blogs that have these qualities...

1. White Oak Lane
2. Momma Bug's Blog
3. A different Drum
4. Such Things
5. Useful or Beautiful

Be sure to pass these on to whomever you wish (up to 10 people) and let them know you've done so! Enjoy your day!

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Heavenly Homemakers is hosting gratituesday and its the first time I've joined. If you want to read more, just check out their blog! : )

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1000 gifts list #'s 81-95

Winter on the Pond

The weather was so much warmer today than it has been in a long time and so I took Jayden and Marcus down to the pond while DH stayed with napping Allan.

Here they are going out to check the ice.

After a few tentative steps Marcus joined Jayden in a game of "hockey" with a puck that they found. And when they were through with that, we all had a grand ol' time doing this!

Then they wanted to go see if they could find the Canada geese that are normally so crowded around here but nary a one was seen...

Marcus found this massive stick, though, and decided that that would be a great one to carry all the way home in order to "show Dad". Why is it, I wonder, that they need to find the biggest one?!

I'm not really asking... I know it's 'cause they're boys and that's what boys do! :o)

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This has been my inspiration for this winter adventure. Have any of you read this?

I am so thrilled to have received my first award!


This award acknowledges the values that EVERY Blogger displays in their effort to transmit cultural, ethical, literary and personal values with each message they write.

So generously given to me by Toia at Designer's Original.
Thank you sweet blogging friend!

Now here are the blogs to which I pass this award on to:

Simple Beauty
A Different Drum
Homegrown life
Domestic Serenity
A Simple Road
Prairie Prologue
Sonflower
Going deeper, getting better, growing stronger

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The rules associated with this reward are as follows:

1. Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person that has granted the award and his/her blog link.

2. Pass the award to 15 other blogs that are worthy of this acknowledgment. Remember to contact each of them to let them know they have been chosen as recipients.

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I know, I didn't follow all the rules...tsk,tsk. :o)

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And also, does it get any better than this?

This little piggy...

The darling little toes of my newest nephew whom I cuddled for hours while home for Christmas.

See his interesting little quirk? His piggy that "had none" is trying to hide behind the piggy that "had roast beef".

So sweet... I love it.

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For more fPhoto Friday check out Natalie's blog, married to the preacher.

Mother - Golden Glow of the Home

The man is the brace and ceiling of his house,
He is the straight walls rising from the earth,
The woman is the golden glow of lamps,
The firelight on a hearth. ~Emery Petho

I am not feeling this AT ALL right now... but I've posted it here to remind me that this is where I want to be.

I found this quote in my magazine from Above Rubies.... a magazine that sometimes I really dislike because I feel like I will never measure up... and sometimes I love because it can be very uplifting.

Have you ever read the magazine... what do you think?

Word Filled Wednesday

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge him
and he will direct your paths.
Proverbs 3: 5&6

I'm clinging to this... because I must... there's just no other way through this time in our lives... and it's really the only way... isn't it...

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For more WFW go to the 160 acre woods

Mistake or Miracle?

A few of you dear friends have been asking about my hand and wishing me a quick recovery.
Thank you so much... and so, here are the results...

When I went to get my X-rays done yesterday, the doctors actually let me see them (they didn't offer to show me the first time and I didn't think to ask) and it appears that I only have a break in my pinky finger! No... not a shattered bone in my hand like the other Doctor told me so convincingly.

I had been walking around for 9 days with this awful contraption on my left limb...

...when it appears that I only needed this!


So it seems that either the doctors made a big mistake... OR... I've had a miracle.

I'd love to say it was a miracle but I guess I'll never know! : )

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Have you ever broken any bones? Which was the worst?

(And I've posted here as well.)