Keep It Small, Keep It Simple, Give It Time

On Sunday, while driving to church, we were listening to BYU Radio. A daughter of the Hinkley's, Virginia Pierce (I think that's right), was speaking. She told that she has a post-it note on her computer that says, Keep It Small, Keep It Simple, Give It Time. This is my new motto for life. I know that this is the best formula for me to keep my soul happiest. Once upon a time, I used to like to be really busy and have lots going on. It made me feel important. Now it just makes me feel stressed and crazy. So, with a new abundance of things we could fill our days with, this motto will be especially important to keep in mind. We must choose carefully.

One of the new things we have decided to do is to join a homeschool group that meets in Fort Collins. We went for the first time this past Thursday and are all so anxious to go back! It's run by a bunch of homeschooling moms and there are probably 75 or more children of all ages. There are classes for everyone and in the afternoon, there is a two hour class for the moms. I felt like I had my first big drink of water in years. This group, I expect, is going to be an enormous blessing for our family. They were so uplifting and welcoming! We are all so like minded in our priorities for schooling, family and health. I was positively tickled as I saw people open their lunches! So nutritious! I couldn't stop smiling the whole day. Lexi is in the Scholars group and they did an activity in pairs right off. Normally this would be a dreaded experience for the new kid but a sweet young women immediately pointed to Lexi from across the room and back at herself saying, "you'll be my partner, right?" Seriously, where else does that happen?! I am so excited to be a part of this group and this has helped increase my own enthusiasm towards homeschooling. I am so very grateful to be back in Colorado which provides so many opportunities for our growth.

We have a contract on our house in North Dakota. Hopefully by April it will be sold and we can close that chapter of our lives.

Josh is still hauling crude oil. He has been around a little more and that has been good for all of us. He is making changes to his business which we hope will lead to a much better situation. We have decided against having employees. It just hasn't been worth the hassle.

We love living out in the country. Right now I can hear meadowlarks singing and it is so good for my soul! The kids and I have taken a couple walks recently, enjoying the nearly 60 degree weather, down a county road and not one car passed by! I need the quiet and privacy. The lack of had all but made me insane. We even found onions to bring home which had fallen out of trucks. And the brilliant Colorado sun is amazing! Oh, how I love being back home!!!

I have decided after a few weeks of living in this home and checking out our other housing options that I love the house we are in. We plan to stay here a long time. Like for real. No more moving for jobs. Other people manage to find work close to home. We should be able to too, right? There are a few things I want to change, (like the tile flooring which is excruciatingly painful to spend much time on,) but if they have to wait it's ok. My new home is bright, open and quiet and we have room to breath. I am still a very lacking housekeeper but I figure, someday when they have grown, all I will have is a clean house. I think I will enjoy it being full of creative messy children now. But as soon as I started doing normal things again, like cooking, cleaning and school, I began to love the house. We have been researching the animals we hope to get as time goes on and making a master plan of the layout for gardens, animal housing, and fencing. It will take years to get like we want it but we are looking forward to beginning the process. It is strange to realize that the place we had hoped for, dreamed about and prayed for came without fanfare. Almost without our notice and seemingly without any real work on our parts to bring it about.

I am happy again! I don't believe that places or things make us happy but the whole situation here has provided a very fertile soil for growth and opportunity. We are getting to know extended family again! We fit in here! That alone has been so healing for me as I had gotten so tired of being the freak. All of this adds to my happiness and joy! Life isn't perfect (far from it) but it is sooo very good!

I can't wait to meet up with my dear Colorado friends! We have a few outings planned and we are looking forward to planning (or replanning due to sickness) many more. But as I started this post -- we will be keeping it small, simple and giving it time.

I love you! Thank you for being in our lives. You are a blessing!