from year to year

I'm not sure late at night is the right time to be reflective, but WOW-  so many good gifts have been given to us in the last year.

Last Thanksgiving, my health was at an all-time low, with newly discovered (but long overlooked) adrenal problems, unresolved thyroid deficiencies, and a host of other smaller things that left me wondering if I would ever function well again. We had moved in to a new house several months before, but not much attention had been given to making it "ours" because I was just surviving. We'd miscarried several times, and had begun to think we were done with our childbearing years (which in hindsight, was sort of a rash thought, but we were preparing ourselves to walk a different path if that's what the Lord had for us). We were trying to scale back in order to make sure I got back on my feet. I had just learned that all of my health problems were made worse by eating gluten and any kind of preservative or additive, so I was learning how to cook in a totally different way. Not easy for someone who used to try at least one new recipe a week! My cookbooks and beloved copies of Gourmet magazine were all of a sudden useless. I had much to be thankful for last year, but it was a very rough patch for our family. My husband was amazing, and he truly loved me in spite of myself many times.

A year later, I am almost 6 months pregnant with my best pregnancy yet. Not without its troubles (hope to eventually get some pregnancy posts out there) but so much better this time around than ever before. It took until about April before I was functioning at mostly normal, and it wasn't until the end of May that I was able to get off some of my prescriptions, thanks to hours of reading and learning of comparable herbal and natural treatments. I am still amazed sometimes that we are expecting- it seems too good to be true (and I have to remind myself of that when my hips are aching and I'm ready for bed at 8pm).

A year later, I am no longer struggling to have enough energy to get through one reading lesson with my kids, but we have full school mornings! We are loving school (and loving the time off this week) and my thought that I needed the discipline of school to really spend the time I wanted/needed with the kids has proven very true. I am thankful for the energy to teach these kids, and that this first year has been a smooth transition from preschool to "real" school.

A year later, we have officially started a small farm. Who'd have thought? After hours of reading, and researching, and dreaming, and trying to get it all figured out in his head, my husband has completed his first year as a farmer. We are still doing this on a small scale, which is exactly how you should start these sort of ventures. That way, when you make a mistake that causes you to lose 10% of your flock, it's not a huge loss. :) We have made mistakes, learned a lot, continue to learn, and look forward to growing this business next year. Warren even bought us a pastured turkey (I was just planning on having a chicken breast this Thanksgiving just like last year...I can't eat all the preservatives they put in mass-produced packaged turkeys), partly so I could enjoy it with the rest of the family, and also because next year we hope to raise turkeys and pigs to sell. We've been enjoying our pig/pork for the last month! I'm so thankful for a husband who is a steady plodder (Proverbs 21:5) and who is quick to explain where he is going with his dreams and where he wants to be; it helps me get excited about supporting him.

The year has brought many other changes- new friendships, old friendships deepened, a better understanding of those who are sick and suffering, gardening and canning experiences, lots of failures and confession (it hasn't all been rosy), books read, and new mercies every day. One thing I didn't get around to was making my list of One Thousand Gifts (or at least sticking with it). But Thanksgiving seems to be a great time to start that again, and my friend Lauren sent me a beautiful Vera Bradley notebook today that is begging for an equally beautiful purpose. She also sent me a replacement bag since my other one was rendered useless. What a thoughtful friend!

Blessings to you, this Thanksgiving! May the Lord bring to mind all of His bountiful graces to you this Thanksgiving.

I'm already out of town at my in-laws and we don't store pictures on the laptop- this is from last year. It's always fun to look back and realize how much these little people change from year to year!