This is a hodgepodge of what’s been running through my head lately. Brace yourself 🙂 Or you may choose to exit the blog 🙂 Here goes….

So everyone has been doing New Year’s Resolutions, or one word for 2015. That’s fine and all, but I’m not always good with stuff like that. There is one thing I decided that I’d really like to do, and that’s to start my day with prayer. I do not always remember to do that, and I think my day would go much better if I would do that. I’m not talking about a huge amount of time. Just some time to pause before my Father, and ask for his help to get me through the day. Sometimes that may be kneeling beside my bed, other times that may be when I’m milking cows, or snuggling a child. God doesn’t care. He hears us whenever, wherever. Maybe that is sort of a resolution? 🙂

Next topic. What is it about the morning routine, that leaves me feeling frazzled and short-tempered? I wish I could figure out a way to magically make my children crawl out of bed with a smile on their faces, and hit the ground running. No fighting, no talking back, just calm, cool, and collected. Let me know if you have tips. My problem is not really with the 2 youngest. They are generally happy when they get up. The others, well, they need to work on it 🙂 God often hears me begging Him for patience. I need it in high quantities 🙂

So I wrote the above paragraphs last evening. Now I have a few moments before they are all awake. The calm before the storm 🙂 This morning happened to be a morning I went out to milk. The first stall I entered, the cow plastered me in the face with the tail she had been soaking in the gutter. All I could think as I wiped the urine and manure off my face, was that it was good I remembered to pray this morning. It helped me remain strangely calm 🙂 And I also thought that cow must not have read my letter 🙂

Since when is a 9 yr. old smarter than a 32 yr. old?!? My 9 yr. old thinks he is 🙂 The road we travel to school was closed yesterday, so I needed to take a different route. As I’m driving, Devan told me I should have went the other way. And he said it in his IThinkIknowEverything voice. I asked him exactly what way I should have gone, and he proceeded to tell me the most out around way to go 🙂 I told him that way would have been 5 minutes longer than the way I was taking. What did I get? An eye roll. My children have perfected the art of them 🙂 I tell him what my mom used to tell me. Someday, your eyes might stay that way. And I get another eye roll. Sigh. What do I know anyway?? I’m only the mom.

I’m starting to count down the days till I head down to Haiti to see my sis and her family! I know me, I’ll be all stressed out next week trying to pack and organize and schedule. This will be my first time in the air, folks. This farm gal didn’t get out much 😉 It’s also the first time I’m leaving my hubby and children for 4 days. That doesn’t come easy for me. I definitely like when I get to take a break from the needs of my family, but usually it’s a shorter break. Yes, I know they’ll survive 🙂 Hopefully I do 🙂 Ok, I may be a wee bit scared of flying. If you think of it, say a little prayer for me 🙂 I am very excited to experience Haiti and see my sis. You can expect picture overload when I return. If I return 😉

After seeing a sky like this, how can you not believe there is a God?

I took both of these pictures last winter, and I was playing around with making a watermark. So what are your thoughts on watermarking your pictures? I’ve heard one professional say it’s not necessary, but then a lot of people say you should. You’ll notice so far I wasn’t using a watermark. Part of me says, if someone wants to steal my work, that goes with them. The other part might be that I’m too lazy to do it 🙂  I know if I ever do use one, it won’t be the above one. Too noticeable 🙂 But please give me your input, if you are a photographer that reads my blog.

Have a great day!