Down Mulberry Lane

Funny!

My 3yo likes to sing along with the older girls.  They like the song Emmanuel... the refrain goes like this... Rejoice, rejoice, emmanuel, shall come to .....

My little one starts the refrain... Be Joyed!  Be Joyed! 

Too cute!

Warmly, ~Melissa

Guess what dropped in to visit?

We have a new kitten on the farm.  It wasn't by choice.  Dh brought home some rams from another pasture and later that morning we found a tiny kitten in the chicken barn, about 50 feet from where the trailer was parked. 

I estimate the kitten to be between 3-5 weeks.  The kitten is so small.  He also has such gooped up eyes.  We called the guy who has the pasture and he says it is likely their kitten, and said we could bring him back or keep him.  We were all very willing to take him back to the farm, but my daughter with such a heart for sick animals wanted to keep him... at least until he gets well. 

After cleaning his eyes, it is apparent there is an infection of some sort.  His inner eyelids are red and swollen.  His left eye may be blind...it is really hard to tell at this point, because the inner eyelid on this eye is SOOOO swollen.  But Today it appears rather gray and cloudy compared to the other eye. 

We are giving him a round of pennicilin.  The shots are soo small, it seems rather a waste of the effort, but he is so tiny.  We also got a bottle and some milk yesterday as he wasn't eating regular cat food very well.  I also picked up a bag of kitten food that was much smaller in size so he could try to eat.  Well, last night we gave him his first bottle and the kitten was sooo happy.  He purred for the first time (we had had him a day by then).  Since then, he continues to eat from the bottle at 3-4 hour intervals.   He eats a whopping 2 teaspoons of milk.  Once he had about three feedings in his tummy, he finally felt ready to discover the kitten food and ate about a teaspoon of that as well. 

We are washing his face about every 2 hours.  I know I should have some eye drops of a sort, but have no idea what to put into his eyes.  I also will be looking at buying another nipple to get us through another week.  He's about chewed this first one to pieces.  But he isn't very good at lapping milk just yet... he loses his balance and falls in... which then gave him a runny nose as well.   One thing I am happy about is that he is using the litter box.  His little wets make up a nickel sized spot.  If he stayed this small forever and made these small messes , I might consider an indoor cat!  LOL 

My daughter with the loving heart went a traveling for a couple days with her older sister to see some friends and to bring a friend home to visit during her home leave from academy.   I will be glad when she returns home to do the nursing of this poor little kitten. 

Any ideas for the kittens eyes?

Warmly, ~Melissa

Kathleen...our dear Kate~

Today is Kate's 19th birthday.  It is a quiet day.  Quite warm, expected to get to near 90 degrees.  I think probably the hottest birthday for her yet.  The girls are enjoying a lazy day. 

It is a hard thing to do something special for this one.  She is happy with whatever.  She doesn't put up much fuss, but likes being fussed over.  I asked her what she wanted to eat for breakfast... whatever is easiest for you, Mom.  This is a common reply.  We do have a family dinner planned next week (I think... it is running into other plans so hopefully won't have to be changed) that will celebrate her and her sister, Megan's birthday as well.  (they are  two weeks apart and it is hard to get family out twice in two weeks and HARD for me to get two big meals together in TWO weeks!  LOL. 

As for birthday breakfast, I asked if she'd like to go out for breakfast (cuz that would be easiest for me! LOL)... and she actually decided that No, she wanted to eat at home.  I think it had something to do with her hair-do!  We had pancakes, fried potatoes and fried eggs. 

She had a friendly celebration of her birthday a couple days before.  Her friends John, Joe, and Allison had come up to visit on Sabbath just to see her for her birthday.  John and Joe are sons from one of our previous pastors.  Allison has been a childhood friend, they grew up together and she recently moved away for college.  It was especially sweet of them, because she was terribly bummed about her coming year.  She is enjoying college, but at church the friendship situation is null.  Two girls went to Academy and will only be back for home leaves.  All the kids her age have moved on and gone to college and basically moved away.  My next two children have no one in their age level as well.  So they are all a lonely bunch of girls.  This was to be their first week home after everyone had "left".  They were just not looking forward to church being so empty.  We started SS and did song service for the little ones... of which no one had come by then.  (It was just my three girls).  We started our nature lesson and 5 kids showed up.  They visit periodically and we hadn't seen them for a long time... a few months anyways... so that was a nice surprise.  Then one by one her friends Joe, Allison and John came down and wish her a happy birthday.  She was shocked and overjoyed.  She also found out that Leah, an old school friend had moved back and would be home at church more regularly.  We had a nice potluck picnic after church and ended the Sabbath with a campfire at our home with friends.  She said that was  better than any present... getting to see her friends, especially when she was feeling so down.  She knew God knew how she was feeling and gave her this special gift! 

As for Kate~ we can't leave her birthday without saying what a beautiful person she has grown to be.  While she has had these lonely moments in her life, she is able to put herself into the moment and work as needed, instead of letting these low spots run her life.  She keeps going and waits patiently for days that she can enjoy her friendships once again.  This weekend was no exception.  She awoke and arose getting ready for church and I heard no grumbling.  She was ready to get to church to start her part of the class (she is helping with the nature time and song service).  It was later in the afternoon that she confided to me that she was so happy because of how down she was feeling.  She is quite considerate of those around her and often will not let them know when she is down and will just keep on going.  Kate is a kind girl who is generous with her time.  She is a hard worker.  She is also a gentle encourager, often the quiet girl, but her smile will bring others out of their shells.  Most of all I am proud to see her witness and how natural that is becoming for her.  Going to a community college has brought her to a place that isn't the most comfortable place to be, but she is making the best of it and decided that she wasn't going to shrink to peer pressure, but rather to just be her and not be afraid to share her faith.  And so far, this hasn't lost her any points, but is gaining her more attentions than she is quite used to.  Over the past summer she began to feel comfortable being her and found that others like her for her.  It is a good thing to see confidence in the quiet girl she has been that she can step out and not be afraid of what others think and to see her stand up for right as well.  I guess I can say she is all "grown up". 

She said to me last night that she cannot imagine leaving home.  She just loves it here.  I said when the time is right, she will be ready, happy and excited to leave.  She just can't fathom it at the moment.  But life is not ready for her to do that just yet.  She is STILL a big part of our family and she BELONGS here.  One day that will change, but until then, I got such warmth knowing that she is so content and happy being home. 

Love you Kate~

Warmly, Mom (~Melissa)

First Fire in the fire pit...May 18th

This was a picture of our first fire of the season.  Here we are about done for the night.  At least I was.  Kate and her boyfriend stayed out later just talking around the fire.  This photo was taken in her honor.  She loves to take pictures of people's feet.  So, here are our feet.  From the left you have Kate, Meg, Paige, Me, Chelsea, and Mark.  Aren't we a handsome looking group?  *grin*

We had hot dogs over the fire. 

Warmly, ~Melissa

You're a good Mother!

In the training of our kids, I try to encourage them by letting them know when they make good choices.  My little 3yo has been caring for her sick dollies.  She dresses them warmly, wraps them up in a blanket, then places them in bed.  Checks on them several times and proclaims them well again.  I watch her and as she wraps the dollies up so carefully in their blankets, I tell her... You are a good Mommy! 

She is picking up on this encouragement.  Tonight her sister made supper and Dh and I were out making our strawberry bed in the dark (OK not so good of timing for eating, but we were visiting relatives this afternoon for a birthday dinner and didn't get home until late).  Anyways, Chelsea our 16yo makes supper.  She fixed Paige a plate and set it before her.  Paige tastes it and decides it is good and says to Chelsea... "You are a good Mother, Chelsea!"  Chelsea just beamed when she told me... she thought it was cute, but also enjoyed the compliment. 

Her other sister Megan had gotten the same compliment the day before when she played with her, stating to her that she was being like a good Mother.  

My heart smiles in that a 3yo can recognize good character traits and even compliment her sisters.  I enjoy watching her play.  Sometimes she is not so good and needs redirection, but the times when she has good play... I just smile that something good has made it inside and she is able to process it and make it her own.   

Watching your child play may seem like a waste of time... I mean you could get laundry done, or the garden planted, or something accomplished!  But there are times that watching a child play is so important.  It is so important to help them understand in their play that they are making good choices.  There are days that I love to do this.  There are days that I avoid doing it, because the chores seem so huge and mounting.  But it is an important part of mothering our kids.  Things may not get done as quickly, but they eventually do get done.  I had big plans for planting ALL the onions on Friday, but that didn't happen.  But I did get some planted and some roses as well (which my 3yo did help plant as well).  I loved it when we finished planting the roses, she surveyed the plants now in the ground and turns to me and says... "Good Job, Mom, you did a good job." 

Encouragement... it doesn't happen naturally, it has to be taught.  What a blessing to see little ones conquer the very things that we as parents may struggle with.  God continues to teach me each day, as I am teaching my own kids... my amazement never ceases as I look to these children he has blessed our family with.  No, they are not perfect.  In fact, they have been a lot of work at times, but when we are diligent to do the work we've been given... oh what a blessing to behold!   Makes it worth every minute that I had tossed aside from my own personal ambition and traded it in for Mothering. 

Warmly, ~Melissa

Just had to share...

You know quirks your kids have.  Well, this little one of ours... she is quite the bold little one.  She just turned two a couple weeks ago and she is a little spitfire!  She reminds me in different ways of my other girls, but she sure is her own personality. 

Her current couple of quirks that I hadn't seen in my other girls are: 

When she doesn't like what we are telling her, she listens, nods her head yes, like I heard you, then Shhhhh's you.  Like, that's enough, I get it.  She was climbing up onto the coffee table, she then climbed on a stack of drawers that hold her toys and I told her... Momma doesn't like it when you climb up so high... she nods yes then looks at me and says SHHHhhhhh.  It is sooo cute that I am doing all I can to keep from laughing.  The rest of the family is unable to control themselves... they bite their lips or turn away so that she hopefully will catch on that it is impolite to Shhh, someone.  She even holds her little finger up to her lips as she does it... and it doesn't sound rude, but I feel it can grow into a rude statement, so we are watching this closely and letting her know that this is not acceptable to do.

The second is that she is soooo honest.  If she does something wrong... she says... Baby did it.  I will find something and she will say... Baby did it.  I say, you did it?  She says, Uh huh, baby did it.  Tonight she brought me an aquadisk (a frisbee for water) and she says... Oh my, color (it had marker marks on the back), uh huh, baby did it.   I pray that this honesty will not be curbed... what an asset to develop this at such a young age.  I just pray that I do not react in such a way that would encourage her to be dishonest at some future time. 

Anyways, just sharing...

Warmly, ~Melissa

Happy Birthday to Chelsea!

Happy Birthday to my Dearest Chelsea... my now 15yo! 

Chelsea is a wonderful young lady.  She is growing more and more everyday.  There are so many neat things about her that add loveliness to our home.  Chelsea is warm, loving and tenderhearted.  She is very sensitive to others pains and is very willing to make amends.  When she sees someone hurting, she wants to comfort them.  Chelsea also adores little Paige and loves to be her tv buddy!  Watching Little Bear with Paige just brings her joy...and Paige loves it as well.  Chelsea also will sit and play computer CD's just for little ones and play with Paige.  Since Paige cannot run the mouse, she really enjoys this interaction... she loves learning new words, so it is fun to her to play games that identify objects...luckily for her Chelsea is very willing to do this for her.   Chelsea is our fashion girl.  She loves clothes and loves looking nice.  She fusses over her hair and her clothing, sometimes to our disdain, but that spills over to others as she enjoys shopping with anyone and will gleefully help them pick out clothes... I guess if they can't go on her body, she's glad to have them go one someone else's.  

Chelsea is in the 9th grade.  Her chores are taking care of the barn cats and the indoor cats.  To which she does a wonderful job.  She seems to keep a good eye on their needs and is attentive to things that need to change.  She also helps with the farm when needed.  I love to watch her catch sheep... she is one of our thinner girls and when she catches a sheep, she usually goes for a ride.  She's gotten better at keeping her footing the last year or so.   Chelsea does well in school.  She tends to excel in math.  But overall, I am pleased at her progress this year.  We are relaxed homeschoolers, but in high school, we hit the books hard and it tends to be a harder transition... She seems to be adapting quite well to the change. 

Well, that's my 15yo girl.  It's hard to believe how big and independent she is getting.  Although, she still is my little girl... always will be.   Love to you, baby.

Warmly,  ~Mom