Just another part of farm life

The other morning our son was waking up (in our bed of course!) and his first question of the day was,

‘Harry is a baby?’ – ‘yes Harry is a baby’ – we have good friends with a nearly one year old Harry who C absolutely dotes on but that wasn’t the Harry he was talking about…

‘Harry is dead?’ ahhh ‘yes our Harry is dead.’

‘Roo is dead?’ – ‘yes Roo is dead’ and then he got up to watch cartoons.

These questions just come from nowhere. His big sister had mentioned Harry the other day at our local park where we donated a fundraising brick with all three of their names on it, but other than that we hadn’t been talking about our Harry. And Roo? Well he was an old much-loved farm dog who sadly passed away earlier this year.

Death is everywhere. Just yesterday my father in law had to shoot one of our younger dogs who had yet again been chasing the rams. Three had already been killed this year by the dogs and they are not cheap. My husband explained to me that FIL had chained him up in front of the other dogs and shot him, he was still lying there when he left work for the day. It sounds awful, it IS awful, I feel horrible for my FIL as I know it would not have been a nice job. But the farm is a business, our rams provide our income and the dogs I guess are workers, they need to listen and learn and this dog had continued repeating his mistakes.

My husband last night at tea explained to our daughter that this incident was the worst part of his day. I commented after his brief description to her of what had happened, that we don’t shoot humans.

We also had a pet lamb die recently and C continues to comment regularly ‘Lamby died 😦 ‘

Death tends to be a part of life for farm kids, in addition my children have experienced my grandparents, an aunt and their brothers passing. Fortunately as christians we can also talk to them about the promise of eternal life through Jesus, about heaven. I appreciate that my children are introduced to death early in their lives, that it is not taboo for them. Their comments and questions sure pull at the heart strings though.

 

GJ

 

ps Sorry to the animal lovers, I hope you don’t read into this post cruelty against animals, if you do I don’t think you understand the realitites of farming but I am more than happy to discuss further

pps At 29 death has been following me too closely recently, the anniversary of my friends death through cancer passed recently and I have again lost loved ones this year – is that what happens when we grow up?

pps I have had the time to write this post thanks to hubby driving past on a tractor and picking up C for a ride, both my children and I are so blessed to experience life on a farm

God bless

Getting the Car Serviced

Am I the only mother who finds this an absolute struggle!!

It was Wiggle concert day today – woohoo! I seriously love this band – they’ve come to our country area the last four years and I’ve been there with my kiddos each year.

But first I had to drop my car off at  the mechanics, I was running late as usual, my wonderful friend picking me up though didn’t blink an eyelid and we headed off to the concert town with a full car blasting Wiggles tunes (the teens in the back LOVED it!)

Ten or so minutes down the road I got a phone call to check where my keys were…in my pocket of course! I’m very lucky that one of the workers was happy to come pick them up – no way was I turning around and missing the concert. Needed to workout a place to leave them though… My hairdresser has opened up a dress shop in the neighbouring town – problem solved.

Until we got to the shop and it was close til 10am, ok I know some people at the christian bookshop too, nope closed for this one day (naturally). So finally I decided to trust the local toy shop, they would understand a Mum desperate to get a Wiggles concert, surely?!? Thank you toy shop owner and thank you car shop, I didn’t hear from you again so I assume it all worked out!

We missed the last bell call but got into our seats in time.

The concert of course ROCKED!! My girl danced in the aisles with all her friends and my boy sat absolutely mesmorised. Me? Best seat dancer in the crowd! As a concert die-hard I’ve learnt to bring a few presents for the band so Anthony Wiggle was less than 2m from me 🙂 🙂

Home again with my friend who eventually dropped us and our car seats at my parents. I rang to check if the car was finished and headed off down the street for a few groceries before picking it up, boy in tow.

And there we were ready to pick up the car, no car seats. Fortunately I had a ‘phone a friend’ up my sleeve to dear Dad who kindly packed up our stuff and brought daughter and carseats to the car shop. So many favours from so many friends (and strangers!) A typically day for this famously forgetful Mum.

How do you handle car service days? I hate HATE car seat juggles, thankfully my daughter at 5 now doesn’t need hers bolted so thats something. Also both kids slept in the car and went straight to sleep tonight – hurrah.

 

Just a normal today

Today was just a normal day in as much as each different day can be…

I was home mostly which was lovely and pretty well up to date with study. Dishes were done and the sky started out too cloudy for washing. It was just me and my son. Plus I didn’t check facebook until this evening (big achievement).

Tidied up this morning especially the kitchen table. Made a to-do list, although didn’t check it so more things to do tomorrow.

Tried really hard to make time just to play with my boy. Managed to clean the lounge room while playing cowboys. Got distracted about sun finally peeking through while playing cricket outside but came back after putting on a load. Had cuddles and read a book.

I seem to remember spending more time on the floor with my older daughter but while I would like to make more time for my son I also appreciate that I have more direction now and it makes me feel good to get housework-y stuff done (i.e. I swept the floor!). Now to find the balance. Struggle to spend more than 5 minutes playing though.

Finished off some work notes, planned my calendar and realised I’d need to do more work.

Had a counselling session as part of my counselling study. We are looking at Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and working on my values. It’s been a bit hard as I don’t feel I need counselling right now, life is mostly good but it’s part of my course. Feel for my counsellor who has to work with me and add skype and bad connections to that….well enough said! Today’s session was pretty ok though. Felt I got to tell more about myself, the counsellor commented on a theme of people in my values (career, education, recreation, fun, spirituality, community). Next week we’ll look at relationships I feel I may be putting thinking about that off.

Washing out and into town. Was hoping to catch up with a friend which didn’t work out but for me a good thing as did some more of my college readings. Picked up my daughter from school. Dropped into the bank. Hearing appointment for daughter – it actually made me quite proud, she was answering the audiologists questions and being quite independent. We will be getting a FM system for her to use at school. Errands down the street, including walking and somewhat minimal complaining!

Home, unpacked groceries, brought in washing, cooked tea, ate tea, reader and piano practise with daughter (first time I’d sat with her at piano, she’s obviously taking things in well) bedtime.

Finished my readings, did the quiz (100%!). Really up to date with study now and another home day tomorrow. Think I’ll start a novel tonight.

Just a normal day….

 

ps Just to add that last totally normal parenting moment – my son peed at the dinner table – ahh the joys!

Those Moments

I want to write about two things today – both are moments that make you stop and take stock, one more positive than the other, and we’ll start with that.

I’ve been extra in love with my kids this week – do you ever have times like that where they just seem extra cute and you have the energy to really appreciate them? Could quite likely be a little boys birthday coming up making me especially sentimental but I’ve found myself this week just wishing at numerous times to stop and take a photo, find some way to capture and remember their joy for life, their love for me and each other and their uniqueness. I love these moments!

Unfortunately I’ve experienced other moments which I have no fear of forgetting – they will always remain, the experience of answering those dreaded phone calls

There was a funeral last week of a fun and cheerful man, a loving husband and a fantastic father. He was my cousins husband. I was doing work at Mum and Dads when my uncle rang – I chatted to him easily, giving him his sisters mobile number and then he told me the reason for his call – this man had died whilst on a bucks show…utter devastation.

 

And it took me back to 2011 when in the early hours of the morning I received  a phone call from my husbands brother’s father in law. I was standing at our phone with speaker on, unable to find the cordless when he asked me to sit down. I thought immediately of the baby that had just been born, but no this man’s daughter had died, was gone – how could this be…

Two things in life nothing can every prepare you for – the love you feel for your children and the overwhelming sadness of loss.

‘Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.’

Alfred Lord Tennyson

related post – https://wordpress.com/read/post/feed/22410977/933132246

Sleeptime Battles

Not the best start to the morning folks. While my children are now (practically) 3 and 5 – sleep time issues are still a common issue. It is particularly hard on my husband who is NOT a morning person.

On New Year’s Eve we put them together in the same room, I can’t say for sure it’s been worse sine then but it certainly hasn’t been easier!

I do think the issues come in dips and troughs (is that even the saying?! *edit peaks and troughs maybe?) but once you are in the midst of them they feel never-ending.

I wish I could remind my dear hubby what it was like when they were younger and literally waking up throughout the night, as it is for sure better than that but we still have constant visitors and battles at both bed time and in the morning.

My 5yo daughter goes to bed reasonably well – after an hour or so (probably increased since having a playmate in her room), she’s just so tired. Our son however…….I believe he would try and stay awake all night.

We put our kids to bed at 7 mostly rain, hail or shine because by then I just need SPACE. When they were in their own rooms we would just shut our sons door and eventually 1.5 hours or so later he would fall asleep (I know it seems cruel to have him in their awake so long but this is parenthood I’m trying to survive). Closing the door is not so easy a solution now as the screaming would wake child no.1 so late nights are common – he often only goes to sleep when one of us decide to call it a night and cuddle with him.

So that’s night time, but wait it’s not over, next we are woken up before the crack of dawn….

This morning Dancing Girl (yep just came up with a new name) came in at 2am – I’m starting to think I really need to take her back but at 2-4am I tend to just roll over. Then Farmer Boy came in so I snuck over DG and cuddled up with him in his bed, then she came back to their room 5.45ish, I asked her to go back to bed with Dad until 6am and then she could go watch tv. Dad however said she needed to stay til 6.30 and thats when all hell broke loose. Lots of tears and bed swapping later I was up with both kids in the lounge by 6.30.

I get frustrated with Hubby as he always wants them to have more sleep, well so do I but I know that once their ‘awake’ there’s not much chance of that happening so I’m more willing to let them up, particularly if there’s a chance the other will stay asleep without them around. Sigh.

On the plus side we did get to sleep in til just before 7 this morning as finally they were that worn out – takes three or so bad days to get to that stage though!!

 

How did/do you survive sleeptime battles?

 

I’m a School Mum!

This week my daughter started school,  I was a complete mixed bag of emotions. Excited, proud (so very proud), nervous, sad and incredibly nostalgic.

Her new teacher sent home an activity when we collected school book- 10 Things I Want you to Know About Me and one for the parents too, 10 Things My Parents Want you to Know About Me – here is my list:

1. My daughter is sooo happy and excited to be starting school, I too am excited to begin my journey as a school mum
2. My daughter can be a great leader and organiser
3. She is soo eager to learn (most of the time!)
4. The development of her christian faith is important to us
5. She loves her brother (3), her grandparents and cousins
6. We live on a farm with sheep, pigs and crops
7. My daughter loves performing
8. She takes her hearing aids off to use a phone, wear earphones and play with a stethoscope
9. We can’t believe our little girl has grown up – we are so proud of her and love her beyond words
10. We pray that this is a wonderful year for all of us

Her list

1. I like doing paintings
2. My favourite colours are green and purple
3. Sometimes at home I like to do exercising with Mum and Dad
4. I like gardening
5. I love dancing!
6. I like swimming at Grandma’s pool and sometimes at the beach
7. I got a bike for Christmas and a Pocahontas dress
8. I have been learning the piano and trying hard
9. I like putting decorations on the Christmas tree and playing Christmas games
10. I really really want to go to school!

Highlights of the week:

Turns out I love readers, makes me so excited that my girl ‘can’ read, learning is seriously fun.

Hearing about my girl playing with her new friends, telling me what her teacher has been teaching them – hope she continues to share with me about her days.

There is finally a positive to having early rising children! No rushes in the morning – everything has gone so smoothly, in fact I’m kinda loving the routine school is bringing to our lives. Early days yet I know.

Lowlight: My son is toilet training, (need I say more!) and wet his jocks and shorts at first after school pick up of the week 😦

 

ps I’m still undecided how anonymous I want this blog to be – think I better learn some photo editing skills though!!

That Wonderful Time of Year

Life has been pretty good to me the last few weeks. I’ve been experiencing that wonderful feeling when you come out from a depression and everything just feels so amazingly better. I’ve got more energy, motivation and feel happy and content. I’ve also again realised just how crappy depression is for making you feel so awful.

I feel very fortunate to have made it out of the hole in time for Christmas – I’ve been able to get organised even writing my annual Christmas letters.

Big achievements for my family this year were

• my daughter completed her year of kindy – where she truly thrived and matured. She is a clever, friendly, even helpful (!) young lady and has made us so proud. Throughout the year she participated in Preschool Games (mini Olympics), Grandparents day and visits with police, fire and ambulance personnel to name just a few highlights. She also caught the bus, and is so very ready for school
• my son at 2 started family day care once a week . He loves babies especially his new cousins – when he gets to see them. He has a big love of all things farm and machinery, loving going with Grandpa to check sheep or rides in trucks/tractors/headers. He attended two concerts this year Wiggles and Fairies, he sat so still and engrossed at both it was hard to know if he enjoyed , but constant requests to go back for more got the message across.
• my husband played in two grand finals for cricket and football, sadly coming second in both. He still came home with several more trophies. He also continued his gardening passion. The kids particularly love picking peas with him and we have flowers too. Harvest went well.
• A few achievements for myself were organising a movie night to raise money for White Ribbon (domestic violence) and successfully applying for a grant to get funding for a play area at our local sporting ground

My Pa passed away earlier this month, he was my last remaining grandparent. While I will miss him I am so very happy that he is now in heaven, his long awaited destination after a life dedicated to Jesus. His funeral was a special occasion with 11/13 of his grandchildren present and all 15 great-grandchildren, we went to a park together to catch up.

Last week I returned to work, I m doing an extra day, two days a week and so far it’s gone well. Amazing how much easier life is when you have confidence in your self. I hope you too are feeling well and have some lovely plans for over the next few days

God bless