Monday, January 19, 2015

Glass


Splat.

Just like that Monday morning gets underway with cow manure in my hair at 8am.
I love interesting weeks.
On the bright side I have ordered new purple Muck boots, sure to distract in the event of poop in hair or no makeup kind of days.

As we have entered the third full week of the new year, I am sad to report that I came pretty close to abandoning any glimpse of a new years resolution that I might have made.

But...
Don't worry.
Let me start at the beginning.

You see, I have never celebrated New Years the way I did this past one. 
I had always felt a twinge of nostalgia at the events that had taken place and felt an air of excitement for the new year to come.

This year I just prayed it wouldn't be as hard.
Please don't get me wrong, I had more blessings poured on me in the past year than I could have ever imagined and I am beyond grateful for every one of them.

But somewhere in the other 26 I had celebrated I didn't feel so...well...umm...tired.
Even though I felt a little different than usual I vowed to press on with bigger goals than ever, with more love, more tough, more everything.

It was last week after the 5th cow had surgery for a reason we couldn't find, and after that cutest white calf got sick, my husband got a stitch in his hand, and Bandit ripped his toe nail off and the wee tiniest cute calf accidentally bloodied my nose with her enthusiasm...

That I cracked.

Like a glass that remains to stay in one piece, just barely.







So it was no irony that as I pulled the Christmas ornaments off with a little less care than usual, this happened.



The funny thing is, I always thought this one was plastic. 
Until it shattered all over the living room floor.

What I realized just as I was caving in under the pressure of being the better, tougher me was clear as glass as I crawled around the floor looking for the tiny pieces.

Life isn't made out of plastic.
Neither are we.

So I'm restarting my resolutions, this time remembering that I'm human, an so is everyone else.
Maybe then I can see the beauty in being fragile and I think that is where I'll find the kind of tough I want to be.




The week in review:

Baby sis gets her drivers license this week.
I made her take me for another drive while I can still tell her what to do :)


Bandit's toe is just fine, so is Scott's hand...and my nose.


The calves are feeling better.


Lola and I enjoyed the sunny rays for a few minutes over the weekend.


We have a very cute new calf who has lots of personality.


She likes to get out of her pen and play hide and seek.


The cows are feeling much better too, which gives me more time to love on these little cuties!


Here's to another week of adventure! 













Confetti

Busy blogger disclaimer: I wrote this post two weeks ago and forgot to publish it. Oops. Hope you can still enjoy the New Years theme.


I was in a big hurry to get ready for the new years party I was planning to attend. 
A new year, I was ready for it. 
The one we were saying goodbye to didn't even have a clear feeling I would remember.
It left my heart a lot more full, a little more worn.

I was determined to just get one more box unpacked before I jumped in the shower.
This years Christmas present will probably be put to good use for quite some time.
We moved into our new home on December 13! 
It even came with a barn!
My family didn't worry until I started talking about mini donkeys...
I'll have to break them in slowly.



Now you know what I have been up to all these weeks I forgot to write a post :)


As I hurriedly emptied the contents of the box, I was feeling so proud of myself that I had so much time left to get ready. I think I will wear that....

Crash!

That card game in my hand had slipped out of my grip and hundreds of cards now lay spread all over the floor like confetti. 

I almost smiled at how much this mess felt like a reflection of the past year of my life.
So many beautiful colors so mixed up I couldn't focus on where each one belonged.
Much like the memories of the success and failure, triumph and tribulations, however small they might have been.

As I picked them up one by one, I started to realize that just because sometimes life deals us challenges along with the gifts, doesn't mean I shouldn't be grateful for having been dealt them.

So this year I'm going to try a different tune, more about living, less about counting.

As Kenny put it...

"You've got to know when to hold 'em
Know when to fold 'em

Know when to walk away
Know when to run
You never count your money
When you're sittin' at the table
There'll be time enough for countin'
When the dealin's done"



I hope your new year is off to a great start!
Here's what's been going on at Hillside Farm over the holidays.


Cold robots


Spoiled kitties


Princess of the Barn


Silly sisters

Silly Pumpkin

The manger is admired by all

I can't get out of bed kind of day

Mountain ice

Long line at the drive thru again
Christmas spirit

Sunrise sights

Sunset lights

Christmas hugs

Good conversations

Baby Rudolph

Twins sisters Jingle and Bell

Techno dog

Cozy Sunday

Happy times