chillin' with my peeps

We got two new baby chicks this past week.Bazinga the Rhode Island Red, and Penny the Buff OrpingtonThe "big girls" are now 11 weeks old and love roaming the yard.

They LOVE cauliflower

In their new favorite hiding spot, behind our shed

This one, Mary the Black Australorpe, is my favorite. She runs up to me and will eat out of my hand.

around the yard

Indeed we've had beautiful weather here.

bandaids for the heart

A couple horses on my side of the bridge

It definitely feels like fall here in western Washington. I love breathing in the clean crisp air and watching the leaves change to their new blazing colors. To me, this time of year has always held a magical feeling of change and new beginnings. I’m not too anxious for that feeling this year. I don’t imagine much will change in our lives, at least nothing of much consequence... My hens should start laying in a couple months…. I will have a reason to cozy up in a blanket with a cup of hot tea... I may teach myself to crochet again… Nick and I will celebrate our 6th wedding anniversary… but still, we will be a meager family of two for another fall and holiday season.

We are both still trying to move on from loosing Macsyn. My heart has felt so hard and cold ever since the day we found out he’d never come home. I admit, shamefully, that my relationship with God isn’t where it should be. I hold so much anger, bitterness and resentment in my heart. This is very bad. I know I need to get right with Him.

We don’t have a church we call home, though we’ve been searching for this for years. It’s been nearly 5 years since we were hurt to our cores by a church whose members we loved and cared so much for. We have since spoken with the senior pastor of that church and made amends. It’s nice to be able to drive past it and not feel total revulsion, but rather a happiness that we were able show him how we were hurt and for him to understand where we came from. When my feelings before were of anger and hurt, they are now of peace over the entire situation.

This time, though, there is no one to go to talk to about this hurt. No one except for God. And at this point I don’t know what to say, or how my heart can fully heal from this. I KNOW only in Him can I overcome this, but when it hurts so badly, you start to doubt whether or not a full recovery is possible.

homemade furniture polish

This weekend I discovered a simple recipe for homemade furniture polish that works.

In a spray bottle, combine equal parts vegetable oil and lime or lemon juice. Give it a good shake before each use. Use it as you would a store bought polish.

I tried this on my antique Majestic radio and, two days later, it is still glowing.

friends and thai food

My great friend Tori is co-owner of the restaurant Jasmin Thai Cuisine & Sushi in town and is competing for a spot in "The Best of Western Washington". They won 4th place last year, but are aiming for #1 this year. Help them achieve this by casting a vote for them HERE!Nick and I truly believe that it was a God thing by us meeting Tori and Luke. When we asked our adoption agency for the address of the family who was traveling to Liberia next - so we could have them take our photo album to Macsyn - the address of the family was in the same tiny town we are in. I thought it was a typo. I searched the local phone book and couldn't believe it... There was another family adopting from the same orphanage as us living just down the road 4 miles!

We are so thankful and feel blessed that Luke and Tori (and their ADORABLE son Miah) are a part of our lives now. We couldn't ask for better friends. :)