weekly curiosities no.6

so crazy that i can't keep up with a weekly update! blah! i wonder if there is a word that means 'every ten days' update??

best happenings}

me & the world's best pretzel

APPLEFEST! was last weekend and man oh man was it fun and scrumptious. fall is my favorite time of year anyway, but then-- four years ago-- we discovered applefest and that upped the favorite season status exponentially! we got there just when it began and walked around the packed streets of downtown lebanon for the next two hours, eating cider donuts and fresh baked pretzels and sweet tea and BBQ. it was grand!

also! last friday was C's last day at his 9-5 job-- and unbeknownst to him, i had planned a supersecret man night at MadTree! so he and all his man-friends stayed out SO LATE (2:30am!) talking and enjoying each other's company. and then when MadTree closed, i'm told they went to jackinthebox? crazy boys. it reminded me of how college is-- when you stay out late and eat weird food because it's the only thing that's open! but yes. it made me so happy to know that C was being celebrated and encouraged by his friends. i celebrated with a piece of pie and going to bed at midnight!


most thankful for}

that autumn is finally here! it's my favorite time of year. and yesterday there was rain rain rain and thunder and i got to stay inside for all of it. so nice!

and i am thankful for my husband and for Christ especially this week-- who both show me grace and are constantly a safe place for me to run to when so much in my life right now feels unstable and unreliable. it is just so good to be home and safe in their arms. no rugs being pulled out from under me. no pointing fingers. no must do lists. just rest and love and grace.

God is teaching me a lot about giving Him all my fears (of which there are so many). in our sunday night group we are learning about how to combat fear, rejection, and (this sunday) bitterness-- and it's been such an amazing journey. i can see God working in me to teach me to have faith in Him. not in my husband's job. not in insurance. not even in our friends. but just in Him. that no matter what happens, He loves me and wants the best life for me and that He will provide. sometimes He will provide literally for our physical needs, and sometimes He will provide the grace and courage and strength to get through the hard times of doing without. either way He provides. and oh i'm trying so hard to have faith when life keeps throwing me curveballs! fear rises up in me like a rushing flood tide-- and before i know it, i'm drowning in it. all the what ifs? all the shame and rejection i feel for trying my best and still failing. when life is hard and there is no grace anywhere. except in His arms-- which ohmy i absolutely must run to or else everything is hopeless and my spirit grows dull.

speaking of learning! i am reading the book traveling mercies by anne lammot and it is so good! each chapter really prepares my mind to think on God and his mercy and grace and how He works in us even when we are so messed up. i will read a chapter in this book, then a passage or two out of the jesus storybook bible (because that's what works right now!) and then journal a bit. anne lammot is a hilarious writer and i just appreciate how she can learn to laugh and have joy in all these things that make most people feel hopeless.


at the farm}

C and sheila-the-cow

because the weather is so much nicer, the work doesn't seem as hard. every so often a breeze will blow through the gardens and the air smells so sweet and it is hard to remember anything bad happening at all. we didn't milk sheila last tuesday because she had pinkeye and was on antibiotics (poor lady!). you can't drink the milk of cows when they are on antibiotics, so we had to wait 10 days. but we milked her this week and she did well. though C got her so close to the milking pen and then she was just like nope, not doing this! and trotted away to be with the other cows. so C had to go back to get her. but we still milked her pretty fast once she was in the pen. i made butter again from her milk and got about twice as much this time! crazy how the cream content can vary from week to week!

new things}

on my way back from lowes on monday there was a lady putting stuff out on the curb from her attic! and i scored a sweet victorian chair, two huge window panes and a little vintage drawer. hurrah!

cats.

also, i got new glasses! they are a bit cat-eyed and i like them a lot! here's a photo of me with cat-eyes and ogden with his cat-eyes.

i've been gradually (see, as we can afford it) redecorating our master bedroom. i will put some photos up soon of a few little changes we've made. we sold the bedroom suite that we had in favor of desiring mismatched furniture. so far we have two bedside tables that look fun (one that is vintage and one that is made from log slices from our backyard). i'm wanting to paint soon, but that has to wait till i find a duvet cover or a quilt i like and possibly curtains. waiting is so hard! but i know that when we are done it will fee more like us. the red room was nice for a while but i've changed so much in the last 5 years-- so it's time for a new room!


news from liquid}

C has finished out his first week of working from home! well, he actually only worked from home for two days, because he was at meetings downtown for the other three. but! he is working from home today so we're both clacking away at the computer keys. i hope he gets to keep working this way-- otherwise i'm getting so spoiled and will have to get used to giving him up again!