Family

One of the bazillian things that I love about my husband is his absolute devotion to his family and his children. Today, happens to be a grading day (no students) but tonight he has an away football game so he will be gone (he was last night, too). As he was pulling out of the driveway (I was outside with him), we looked over to see two little pajammed bodies and sleepy faces staring through the door. Daddy stopped the car, whisked them up and into their carseats, and off they went to get breakfast out, and then to Daddy's work to play. Spontaneous, fun, memories in the making. And I get a little breather as well. Caring for 3 little ones and our home when Phil is working so many hours can be a real test of patience for me especially on those days where he doesn't come home until after everyone is in bed. I appreciate so much when I have a some time to get my brain back in focus and rest a little. Especially recently when I am more fatigued.

I am 5 weeks along and definitely out of steam by 8:00. If I sit on the couch with Phil, I am asleep within minutes (he usually is too!). As I recall, I started to get sick in the 6th week with Sawyer, about that with Jubilee, and in the 5th with Evangeline. I am glad that I am getting a little more time than I was anticipating of feeling functional!! I have made the most of it by gardening. I completely rearranged the front bed, getting rid of plants that aren't my favorites (most everything I have are starts from my mom). We went to One Green World yesterday and I got two gooseberries, a red current, and a black one. I am adding as many edible plants into my decorative gardens as I can.

My new plan for life (hehe) is to become an urban farmer! I have my gardens up and rolling and I am pondering what animals I can get. According to the city of Silverton, we can have two rabbits, and two poultry. I am thinking angora rabbits and do yarn making (when the kids are older, why or why did my mom get rid of her spinning wheel and loom) and Indian runner ducks because they are just so cute and they lay better than chickens. We are also turning our hillside (eventually) into a pasture. I plan to petition the city council and see if we can get miniature goats. If not, we can keep a miniature horse, donkey, or potbelly pig with the same restrictions as a dogs. Miniature horses can pull carts so that would be kind of fun (again, when the kids are much much older). You know what drives me crazy!! The next door neighbor has at least two acres behind us that he does nothing with except dump lawn clippings. I would lOVE LOVE LOVE to have that land to garden and we could have regular big animals! His plan (or so we heard) is to sell off the land into two long skinny parcels and let developers have them. Lovely, instead of secluded woods, we would have houses on a hill looking down into our backyard.

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