Back

Our internet is finally back.  It wasn’t working all weekend.  For an addict like me it was good.  Knut’s iPad has some connection so I still had some access, but I hate blogging from that.  It’s tedious.

Have no worries, though, I’ve been busy while I have been offline.  Mostly filling out insurance papers, medical papers, etc.

So here are some updates.

We got a “new” van.  It’s a 2007 Dodge Grand Caravan to replace our old 2002.  We’ve been saving to buy a van for a few years, but we planned to drive our old one until it died.  We were sad to say goodbye to our old faithful van, but we feel so blessed by our new one as well.  I’m very glad we’re settled in that department.

I’m still hurting…a lot.  My chiropractor has given me a slip of disability and the insurance company is paying weekly for me to hire some help until I am recovered.  I was actually pleasantly surprised that the insurance had a homemaker’s allowance, and it has brought much relief.  Of course I do more work than I can hire to help, but I can at least reserve the heavy lifting until someone is here.  I am grateful they are paying for help, but I’m having trouble finding help willing to drive way out to us.  We can’t get pizza deliveries out to our place, let alone cleaning ladies.  So I’ve been on the phone a lot, and pulling every contact I have.  Not to mention the paper work, which is virtually a part time job.  6 people in an accident = 6 copies of every insurance form.

I’ve spent a few evenings just crying.  I feel so useless, and every molehill feels like a mountain.  One day Knut and David picked about 4 gallons of strawberries from the garden.  We’re having a huge harvest of strawberries this year.  After my kids went to sleep, I just sat at the kitchen table and cried.  I was so blessed with such beautiful berries, and I should have been canning them all.  I can’t.  The very idea of it brought me to tears.  I was overcome with worry about how everything would get put away for winter. For now I’m getting it all in the freezer, but our meat chickens are nearing butchering and I was reserving that space for them.  I don’t have room for them both, thus the need for canning.

I was worried about seeing my garden get overgrown, my various crops destroyed by weeds, and my kids who love vegetables, have to get used to the store kind that taste totally different.  Constant fights this winter at the table, etc.  Most of all, I hated having to accept help.  It’s so humbling.

A song came on the stereo, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” and the line struck me, “Jesus knows our every weakness, take it to the Lord in prayer.”  I spent some time praying about it.  I called my mom and asked her to pray about it.  2 mornings later, another homeschooling mom called me up and said, “I’ve been praying for you, and I can’t help but feel a burden for you with your garden and putting away for the winter.  Do you think I can come and we can work on canning together this year?  Maybe you could cut and pack, and I can do the heavy lifting?  We’ll keep our produce separate, but just pull our resources for the work.”  I nearly cried all over again.  OK, not nearly.  I did cry.  He does indeed know every detail.

So while all of this was going on, the coyotes didn’t get the memo about our family being in crisis.  They could care less if I’m in pain.  They’ve been getting more bold, and it’s been worrisome.  We’ve been working for a few weeks behind the scenes searching for a solution, and in the mean time, keeping our hens cooped up.

We think we have found it.
Well, her to be exact.

We have been talking about getting a livestock dog for over a year, but have never moved on it.  We found a family in need of a new home for one of their Great Pyrenees dogs.  She’s 3 years old, has livestock, children, and other dog experience.  Their reasons for rehoming are satisfactory to us, and they have gone the extra mile to insure that their dog will get a good home.  We are 1 of 3 families that wanted this sweet, livestock dog, and after looking into all 3 of us for the last few weeks, and after several emails back and forth, they decided that we would be the best fit for their dog.

So Friday we’re all off to go visit her, and if we mesh well, she’ll be coming home with us.

It’s funny some of our friends worry about us getting a new animal when I’m having physical difficulty now, and other friends feel relieved we are getting her, as I do.  If you are one of my friends that worry about added burden now, let me assure you we have a plan.

This dog is well trained, and is coming to work.  I completely view her as a burden-lifter.  She loves her job of guarding livestock, and I’ve been emailing back and forth with people who specialize in rehoming this large breed, and I’ve also been hanging out in a Great Pyrenees forum of fanatics who know all about this breed.  I think this will be very doable.  She will be an outside dog, and roam quite a bit, as her breed does.

While we love our Lena, and Lena loves us, she hides under the porch whenever predators come around.  We need a fearless dog that will protect our flock.  Lena isn’t going anywhere.  She’s just gaining a sister.

Also, off subject, but Ingrid is nearly crawling.  Seriously.  I have pictures.  I’ll upload them soon.

Sigh, it’s good to have internet back.