Life As I Know It

It’s been a bit since I’ve said hello over here. I feel like so much is happening all at once and I just can’t tell which day it is sometimes! Our two middle boys went to camp this week in Montana and with our oldest working it’s actually really quiet around here. I’m not gonna lie, it’s been nice. Nice to have a couple less mouths to feed, nice for less noise and less mess. I can actually clean and it stays clean for the day. Amazing. I know it’s a taste of what’s to come as my boys grow up and leave the nest, but I’m not going to rush it any sooner that need be. I’ve spent some time organizing, filtering through clothes outgrown and folding a basket full of socks that have been hidden under some blankets in a corner. Most of them were winter wool socks that missed the shuffle into storage bins. Seriously, how does so much get hidden in our tiny place?! I filled up a whole trash bag full of winter socks (not for trash, I just ran out of bins).

I’ve also been working on real printed out labels for my sourdough breads I’ve been selling at our little farmers market up here. It sort of started out on a whim after a conversation I had with complete strangers in the grocery store about me making my own sourdough bread. It’s become a staple in our home and part of a rhythm I really enjoy. Why not see if I could share a little so-do love with the community? So far it’s done well and I’ve had fun experimenting with different flavors and bread types. I’m also really really glad I have my big girl oven to make stuff like this happen!

Josh has been busy healing up from his broken leg. It takes a lot of work for him not to work! Seriously, people are telling him how impressive it is that he’s digging a hole with a broken leg when they can’t even find anyone to show up to actually DO work these days. (The guy didn’t know that he’s the boss and he doesn’t get to not work).

He had his stitches removed from where the plate was put in his leg and he was able to be put in a boot, instead of a cast, that he can take off to shower or just stretch his foot out a bit. It’s such a huge blessing!

He also upgraded his crutches to a peg leg crutch. I know, everyone says he needs an eye patch now! It’s quite the conversation piece since not many people have seen something like this before. It’s similar to the leg scooter but minus the wheel. It’s too bad our terrain is so rough where we live and he’s always on job sites, otherwise it probably would’ve been pretty nice.

Overall the crutch is working great and allowing him to be hands free without the awful pain and sore pits from the standard crutches. He’s learned to drive with his left foot and been getting around on his own as much as he can. I’m pretty proud of the way he’s adapted and pushed through all of the obstacles he faces on the daily, all with a good attitude.

I’m other news, the garden has been a little sad this year. I didn’t get to planting everything I wanted to. I lost most of my tomato plants to a late frost in May and I just sort of lost steam. Life became so busy and then the hubbs broke his leg. I did manage to get a bunch of cabbage, onions and broccoli in though. I bought a few tomato plants, planted my greens, some snap peas, and have lots of garlic to harvest soon. On the upside, I have a ton of tomatillo volunteers that popped up like crazy. You know what that means…. salsa for days! No one’s ever gotten sick of chips and salsa. Ever. Crazy to think of it but it’s about time to start planting for fall crops. So I “may” throw some seeds down and see what happens.

Part of the reason our busy life right now is because we’re having a little fun in the sun. The hubbs is enjoying the lake the only way he can right now- in a boat! And we’re all enjoying it with him.

We were so blessed to come across an opportunity to get a ski boat. What better time than now, while our kids are still home with us to enjoy it too. We’re out on the lake a couple times a week towing these guys around on the tube and letting them learn to water ski.

It’s been so nice to have some reprieve from our unusually hot summer here. We’ve been comparing our heat to a warm spring day in Palm Springs right now haha. Except no one up here has AC…except in our vehicles. So we just drive around when it gets too hot or go jump in the lake. That’s the life right there.

I know this season will come to an end soon and life will change but again. I remember before our move to Idaho how I was always waiting for something to change. I was even a bit bored at my life’s predictability. The day in and day out always being the same. I am now wise enough and humbled enough to say be careful what you wish for! I had no idea I’d be on this kind of a roller coaster ride for four years. I find it hilarious, now that we’re finally past the most difficult stages of that huge transition, how things are never predictable anymore. I was telling Josh this morning that we are becoming really good at being adaptable. Maybe that’s our calling haha. Or, just keeping grounded in the One who anchors our souls while the world around us spins out of control. I’ll always need to lean into that a bit more.

All in all, I’m just so grateful. For this crazy adventurous life. For learning to let go of what I can’t control and riding the waves as they come. Embracing what’s right in front of me while the moment is still here. Laughing in the face of danger- no, that’s not really my style, but having peace that everything does and will work for good. I still don’t know when we will actually build our house, everything keeps getting pushed back later and later. But maybe that’s ok. Maybe it will happen exactly when it’s best for us?! Not when I think it’s best for us. There’s so much we can’t see happening, what God is orchestrating behind the scenes, what He’s protecting us from or providing for us in His perfect timing. And I’m finally learning to be ok with not having all the answers, not knowing the whole plan and enjoying life as I know it.