This new year has started out great--Yesterday here in my part of the world we had record breaking temps--77 degrees!!!--This broke the record from 2004 when the temp was 74--today is 40!!--We actually took the opprotunity to drive over to our Oklahoma 'soon to be farm' and look around and make the final decisions as to where we will be putting critters--with the leaves off the trees and underbrush gone it makes the task easier since more is visiable--We both are just itching to get over there and begin the hard task of clearing, working and planning--we both feel such a sense of peace when we are there--we have pondered many names to name our farm and we are still undecided--one keeps coming to mind, but we shall see--we found the perfect spot for a home--off the beaten path a ways but also close enough to the road that you don't feel totally isolated(which I like, but hubby does not)--I could live 25 miles from a road and be content--LOL--I am not much of a people person anymore--I like my solitude and peace and the less attention I can draw to myself the better off I feel--Not much longer now until the temps will warm up and life will begin to pop up everywhere--I just get all excited thinking about it!--New land, new home, new critters being born, new plant life abundant everywhere--I just feel happy when I think about it--Winter is just not my 'cup o' tea--Its depressing to me and I have such a hard time health wise in the winter--Spring to me means so many things--new beginnings for one--and this year will be a new beginning in the rest of our lives on a wonderful peice of land that the Lord blessed us with and I hope to establish memories for my grandchildren there that they can pass on for years to come--The work will be much--but so very worth it--

~Kris

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I do not make New Year Resolutions, rather I like to reflect on the previous year and count my blessings--we are not to look back with regret on our lives, but rather take from it, learn from it, and be blessed by it--2008 was in so many ways a great year for us, but also a troublesome one in many ways--even in the trials though I can see the Lord working, shaping and molding us for this next season in our lives--early in '08 DH's business fell to an all time low in income,it was a very scarey time for us--BUT the Lord never waivered and was there for us and saw a through a very trying time--Spring of '08 was a very blessed time here on the homestead--new life was everywhere here--baby goats were born, chicks were hatched and tiny little baby ducks were hatched, life was abundant here--Our garden did not do as well as I hoped, but nonetheless we had more than some and less than others, but it was all from the Lord and we were grateful--DH's business began to pick up and once again we thanked the Lord for seeing us through a huge trial--Summer was great as well--we havested what the garden produced--I canned and froze what I could--we blessed others by selling what goat kids we did not need and met some really awesome people in the process--We were also looking for land to purchase during this time--we were only looking for an acre or 2--we looked a few tracks of land, but it just didn't work out--early fall we found 18 acres, way more than our original plan--but notice I said "our"--the Lord seemed to have other plans for us--after much prayer, negotiations, and more prayer we signed papers on an awesome 18 acres of land, this was more than we ever imagined we would own--God surely blessed us many times over--We are still praising him today for his goodness--Late fall my vehicle basically quit so it was time for another one--i was apprehensive since I a huge fan of debt free living--we purchased an 01 Ford explorer--well just this past week, I regret to say that the rear-end went out of it--BUT the Lord was faithful and we were able to purchase a Mini-van--a 2000 Oldsmobile Silhouette Luxury edition--Very low miles--leather interior--VCR for the kiddos to enjoy movies while driving--looks brand new inside and out and its cheaper than the explorer--Just another blessing to count!--Christmas Eve this year I was informed I will be a grandma again( 3rd time) in late August!--Yes my oldest is expecting--she is about 5 weeks--DH's job also slowed way down this year, but the Lord blessed him with a temporary job to see us thru these next few months--not an ideal job, but nonetheless its a job in a time many are losing theirs--All and all 2008 was a good year--Yes, we had many trials, but trials keep us close to the Lord--don't ya think?--Its those trials that test and stretch our Faith--its in those trials we grow--with 2009 only a few hours away I look forward to new trials and I feel there will be many--I feel Christians will be faced with challenges we have not ever had to deal with, but I know for those of us truly trying to serve the Lord He will not fail us--We must keep our faith and focus on the Lord--we need to be out there supporting other Christians, sharing the gospel and creating a safety net ready to share whatever we have with other believers if need be--Times are going to get rough--BUT I know the Lord will see us all through--We need to be speaking the truth now more than ever--there are going to be those that do not want to hear it, or will not believe it, but NOW is the time--I pray you are blessed beyond measure in 2009--I pray for courage and strength for all believers in 2009--Look back to your blessings in 2008 and look forward to be a blessing to someone in 2009--

~Kris

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The weather is taking its toll on our homestead this year--with temps in the single digits, freezing rain and a bit of snow our critters are not fairing well--I have lost 15 chicks even though they are in a brood box outside they have 2 heat lamps on them--but we figured it was just not enough and added one more and begin medicating them, something we rarely do--My 4 year old buttercup rooster died--our buckling(not real sure what happened to him--he was doing so well--Many of our critters have not experienced temps like this--I am not fairing well in these temps--LOL--for those of you up north--I honestly do not know how you do it--I told hubby I am seriously considering moving to the 'very deep south'--LOL--my old body just does not do well with single digit temps!--

On a better note--all my Christmas shopping is done--it is a very simple Christmas this year with several homemade gifts--we will celebrate with our children and grandchildren christmas morning and enjoy our traditional breakfast--then open gifts and listen to christmas carols--I have enjoyed this season so much more than in past years and I truly think its because we did not buy into the commercialism of it all--we have tried very hard to keep our focus on Christ and HIS gift to us--Salvation--

We are still very busy with the critters and making preparations to move in the early spring--we are still keeping odd hours with hubbys 2nd job--but we are blessed beyond measure so complain we will not!

Take care--Stay warm--and bless someone this Christmas season!

~Kris

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Right now it is almost 70 degrees here in Arkansas--BUT by morning it will be in the 20's with light freezing rain--or so they say--we shall see--the weather here is just crazy--has been for the past several years--the wind is awful--we are having wind gust to 45 mph--you can tell its blowing in something--Such is winter time in my neck of the woods--hopefully we really do not get the ice they are forecasting--will update later!

~Kris

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This year I seem to be running a bit behind in getting my 'Christmas" stuff out--But finally yesterday we pulled out the artificial tree--I really wanted a real one, but we just decided that at least one more year we will do the artificial one--we are not doing outside lights this year--time is just really an issue this year--We did spend the afternoon yesterday decorating the tree--sipping homemade hot cocoa--and listening to Christmas music--how blessed we were--Our tree is nothing fancy--but we do have a theme for our tree--I have done this for several years--Our tree is decorated with white, gold, purple and red--each color has a meaning--Below it is explained--

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There is one tree in our home representing that we have 1 God who stands firm, upright and sovereign

The Purple represents the royality of Christ

The white reminds us of his virgin birth and his pure and sinless life

Gold is the color of kings--He is the king of king and Lord of Lords

The red represents the blood shed on calvary

I also add little candles to my tree they are representive of the light Jesus brought into a dark world and also a reminder that we are to be a light in this old world.

Our decorating is at a minimum this year--again the theme of simplicity--Will try to share a picture later--

~Kris

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Sometimes we get so busy and out of sorts with our circumstances we have trouble finding the blessings in our life--Hubby's job slows alot in the winter and it becomes difficult at times to make ends meet, but the Lord has ALWAYS provided in so many ways for us--this year proved no different--My oldest daughter got a job as a newspaper courier--and within a week another route came open and hubby was able to get it--The hours are hard--the money is good--I have been helping him when I can--we go in at 2 a.m.--roll our papers--head out for the route at 3a.m.--the route is usually done by 6a.m--this is 7 days a week--rain, sleet, snow or shine.--This time of year the tips are great--Not just money--the other morning at 5:30 a.m. an elderly lady came out in the cold just to give my husband and I warm, fresh from the oven, homemade peanut butter cookies!!!--Yum,yum--Some people choose to tip with cash--we didn't even know newspaper couriers got tips--LOL--we don't subscribe to the paper--anyway while not ideal--and not a job I would want all the time--God provided us with an extra income in a time when many are losing their jobs--If that isn't a blessing I don't know what is!!--When I am dragging my rear-end outta bed at 1 a.m.--dealing with a grumpy special needs 12 year old, trapsing out in the 19 degree temps and losing sleep it becomes hard to remember the blessings but I am trying hard to remember thiese things daily-- its not bad money, we homeschool so the lost sleep for dd isn't something we can't work around(she sleeps as we deliver), we have a job and an income, we are contract labor so we can do our route however works for us, tips are great, especially the homemade cookies--lol--we have a job in a time many are losing theirs--we are better off financially this year than we were last year--its only a temporary job for us--But most of all I am grateful that the Lord see's fit to provide for our family, even if its not ideal--God is good and if we look around we can see blessings all around us--even in times of trial and tribulations!!

~Kris

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