Spring comes and so does the snow!

Spring is tough. So hopeful and encouraging and then the snow hits again but we need the moisture.
Last weekend, we attended the Salt Lake City Marathon and visited with Gary's eldest daughter, Camille, and her family. Jerel, her husband, was running in the marathon with his sister, Shannon's, widower. Shannon died of Cystic Fibrosis last year. They were running to bring attention to the disease and raise money for the CF Foundation. It was also absolutely wonderful to see their 4 children, beautiful, handsome and sweet.

When I got home, it was to find Big Mama, an Icelandic Sheep, had given birth to triplets right before we got home. Paige, Millie and Lambchop (future meal). Lots of ewes waiting to have theirs too.

David begins the Crucible on Monday night. The is a 54 hour, very tough test. No sleep, 3 MRE's, 33 tasks in the hills and back terrain of Pendelton. On Thursday, when they come off the mountain, sweaty and dirty, they will receive the honor of being given the Eagle, Globe and Anchor and be fed the Warrior's breakfast.

We leave the evening of the 5th and travel to San Diego to participate in his graduation. I can hardly wait!

Here is a beautiful poem. Enjoy your day!
If I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain.
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.

(Emily Dickinson

Butchering sheep!

We butchered two Icelandic bucks today, not a fun job. I always feel bad when it is time to butcher but that is the deal, it has to be eaten, at some point. Cute lambs turn into dinner, fluffy chicks grow into roasts, chubby piglets into hams and ornery geese into Roast goose.

I wish I was French and enjoyed horse. My dad had me rolling with laughter the other evening. We took him and my mom out to dinner, it was Daddy's birthday. We were eating dessert, when we started to discuss the farm's finances. It costs a small fortune to feed the critters, and so I had been tallying for the taxes. My dad reminded me of what he thinks of horses. He said: "I look out the window and watch Silver eat the hay, but that is not hay I see him eating. Dollar Bills, I see him eating up dollar bills, disappearing into his mouth." The look of disgust on his face cracked me up.

I do have three foals for sale this year. They will be born this spring and will be ready to leave this fall. Each mare was bred to a homozygous stud, that means that the foals will be paints, their color that of their mothers. Rose is a sorrel paint, Zoe is a light chestnut dun and Malley is a palomino dun. The babies will be beautiful and I will post photos when they are born.

Our Almost Marine

We always seem to receive David's letters on a Thursday or Friday. They are such a treat, all on their own, but this week we got a wonderful surprise. A missionary couple serving in David's ward, took a photo of him, and a number of other recruits, folding the garrison flag. My heart soared!

I have not written much about him and his experiences because I know the DI's search for the recruits online and give them additional garbage. But, if any of you would like to read his letters, let me know and I will email them to you. I have transcribed them all, because sometimes his handwriting is hard to read. This way friends and family have been able to enjoy them too.

I have reveled in watching him grow. The first couple of weeks were heartbreakingly tough. Then he excelled. He has lost a total of 45 pounds, has become extremely fit, become a Fire team Leader and now earned Expert in Markmanship and gets to wear the crossed rifles. We are so proud of him. The most wonderful part of this experience for us, is that David has become active again, in our church. He has learned for himself, his worth in the Savior's eyes. As a mother, I am so grateful that he has discovered that his own peace comes through his personal relationship with the Savior and his Heavenly Father, through prayer and the scriptures.

David is becoming a greater man. I am so proud to be the mother of an Almost Marine!