Six Month Recap

   Well, it's been awhile since I've posted, so here is a recap of what I've been doing since a made my last appearance here.

1.  Construction.  In August and September, I worked for a friend who is a carpenter.  We were building a new house for someone, so I got to learn about quite a few from different aspects of construction!  I'm thankful for what I was able to learn, and also for being able to work with a Godly friend, but I still like farming better!

2.  Manure Hauling.  (WARNING- If you get grossed out easily, you may not want to  read the following section- at least not during dinner!)  I know this sounds gross to a lot of people, but be thankful someone does the dirty jobs, or else you wouldn't be eating bacon and ham and sausage!  Basically, for about two months I spent nearly ever day (as long as the fields weren't too wet) in a tractor, injecting hog manure in the fertile fields of Iowa.  In case you are interested (and even if you aren't), here is the rundown of a typical autumn week for me-

   I would awake between 1 and 5 Monday morning, get in our farm truck with my brother Carson, and head to the job.  Some of our jobs were within fifteen or twenty minutes of our house; others were much farther away, in which case we would just pack a bunch of food and get a motel for the week.  (Actually, it would be more accurate to say that our dear mother and sisters packed most of the food!)  Cutting to the chase, a good week was 90 to 95 hours, but that was only if we didn't get rain and the equipment didn't break down!  Simply put, I love this job- that is, until I roll out of bed at five o-clock on Saturday morning after getting about five and a half hours of sleep for the sixth night in a row, eating a hurried breakfast, and arriving on the job site to set up in the dark, with the temperature below freezing and the wind howling..... then after getting everything set up, climbing in the tractor cab, only to realize, about the time the cab is actually warm and cozy, that something on the tank has broken, or that one of the lines that the manure flows through is plugged!  Working with cold metal in  cold temperatures (while exposed to the wind), is not my first love!  Neither is unplugging manure hoses!  (Sigh)  Anyone want to trade jobs?!

3.  Christmas play.  Our church puts on a Live Animal Christmas Play every December.  There are six showings over a three day period, but many, many hours of rehearsels, set-building, and preperation leading up to the weekend of the play.  But it was definitely worth every minute and every dollar, as many souls were saved, and many lives were blessed!

4.  Family life.  Our family made many great memories together over the past six months, capped off with the Christmas season.  I love Christmas, and I love spending time with family and friends!

       So there is a recap of the last while!  And here are some pictures to go along with it-

Monopoly and home-made donuts!

Take-one

We had the privilege of baby-sitting for thirteen children one day!  It was great!

Christmas Eve

Nothing like driving tractor at night!  I mean, what's better than driving a tractor with really, really powerful lights, eating snacks (technically to stay awake, but also because I love eating!), listening to music or radio, and getting paid to do it!  Well, it's fun until the clock strikes one, then two, then three, then four...  anyway, it makes for good memories!

Manure hauling

Christmas Play

    "Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest."  John 4:35