I knew this would be hard. I didn't expect it to be easy. It's the coming home. . .after a loss. Things have changed. We knew when we walked in the door there wouldn't be a floppy, wiggling mop to greet us. At what point had we come to expect this? 3 years ago there was no such thing as this floppy, white (sometimes) mop. But there it was, something we had grown to expect. Something that made the coming home what it should be. We had grown used to the greeting. Expecting it. There was a lot of coming home this year. With me travelling to take care of mom, I came home quite a few times. . ... View Post

Sisters. I've never had one. I've had a cousin that's been probably about as close as a sister can be. . .but I am sure it's not the same. I have never stayed up late sharing secrets; (whose kidding who, I don't stay up late for anything!) or shared a room (except with my poor college roommates and now my beloved husband)  But I have watched my 4 daughters. And I love it. The way they giggle and snuggle; tease and play. It is a gift. One I have been privileged to watch. There are 10 years between Clarissa and Chelsea, yet when Chelsea got married it was Clarissa she wanted by her ... View Post

Sometimes, when things are hard.  The best place to go, is right out side your door. Change the perspective a little, and you'll see things in ways you've never seen before. Counting blessings. ~Family photos that include our beloved Pemmie ~Trips to see Chelsea, Adam and soon to be. . .  ~Grace for the moment ~Promise of things to come ~No matter how hard things become there is always Hope ~Even when it rains, and rains, and rains, and rains. . .no one can steal our joy ~My mom, who was the forever optimist ~And coffee, so thankful for my cup of ... View Post

Our little corner of the world was rocked yesterday when our dear Pemberly Longbourn Netherfield Davis was struck by a car and killed. Our bodies are wracked with sobs over the loss of our dear pet. We are a family that is no stranger to death. It is part of the job of a dairy farmer. The cycle of life. . .if you will. But does it prepare us any more than anyone else for loss? In some ways maybe so. Discussions of life and death begin at an early age around here. We do not take anything for granted. We are appreciative of all that God has given and taken. The sudden loss of Gary's ... View Post

This morning as I struggled to wake up. . .and I don't even get up at 3 like the boys! I remembered, I wanted to sit out and look at the mountain whether it was raining or not. (We're desperate here folks). So, I grabbed my coffee, bible, journal and phone (do we go anywhere without those anymore?) and headed to the porch. . .and then the back yard. And everything is so peaceful and serene. And the sun is really trying to win the battle over the clouds. . . and I think maybe we'll see it today! And I head back to sit on my porch. . . And I notice how the girls are ... View Post

One day I walked into the kitchen and my son had taken out every pot, pan and lid. He was sitting on the floor banging the heck out of them. . .The floor was a mess, it was loud and I sighed, just as I prepared to yell. But, my son turned to me and said, " Mom, it's all how you look at it." This is how Memorial Day weekend began this year. We woke to our road completely washed out on both ends. No way in, or out. Culverts to driveways, most of the way up the hill destroyed. Our friends, Dobie and Sandy, at the horse stable were flooded once again (in 2011 during Spring flooding the water ... View Post