What's Next?

I have been ask, "What's next?" along the adoption front.   We had a wonderful time this weekend.   On talking to our guest case worker she also had a great time.   Our plans at this point are to continue visits.  We are planning on next visit being Thanksgiving.  This will either scare her or she will just go with the flow.   I am thinking she will flow.  

I do have some specific prayer request.  

One that she get out of school on Tue for Thanksgiving, so we can get her that day instead of pie day.   :)   I am highly blessed with daughters and daughter in love that can do the pies, but I would love for her to get to help.

Two that dealing with our local cps will be positive.  I am not sure how much dealing we will have to do, but we will have some.   Pray for a spirit of corporation between all of us. 

Three is personal in that I am really struggling with that little voice on my shoulder that is filled with negativism.  It doesn't have to do with adopting, that I feel very at peace about.  It is dealing with our new cps worker. I have been battling this ever since she seemed to take a dislike to everything about us.   I need to continue to take every thought captive, reply with power from the Word.  Sunday morning God gave me a verse I keep holding to:  Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret-it only causes harm  Ps 37:8 NKJV  I do well with the ceasing from anger and forsaking wrath.  The part that was convicting for me was the do not fret-it only causes harm.   I really have to work to not fret in some areas.  I do know fretting is counter productive, a waste of energy and just generally not healthy.   I do I do I REALLY do!   Yet it is a struggle and a battle.   Pray for me that I will stand and the little voice can't be heard over the praises I sing to God.

Four is that doors open or shut as His will.  We hear His will.  Most of all no hearts, especially children's hearts will be hurt.  

 

Ful Weekend in Review

No real order to thise pictures, just random pics and thoughts.

 

MN and Guest getting hay for the sheep.  She really did well and according to her case worker she had a great time.   She said she did, but I do know that sometimes that changes after they are out of ear shot.

Yesterday DIL made tortillas over here.  Grand daughter helped.  I loved these pictures I took as she cleaned out the bowl.

We were blessed with a couple of grocery sacks of green chilies that were pulled because of the freeze that was forcast.   We roasted them and T is working on peeling them. 

 Big dog loves the little girl. Little girl might love big dog.   She crawled over by him. 

Once he discovered her he turned around for her.

Put his head down to her level and allowed her to attack!  

All went well as long as she was attacking but once she lost interest he streached out his massive paw and patted her trying to get her attention to pet him more.   She didn't like that.

 

Tiny lamb is doing well.  She is still bucketed in the house at night, and has to be supervised outside as she goes through 4x4 like it wasn't there.   For those that don't know that is fencing that the holes are 4 inch squares.  Yes she is THAT tiny.

The full grown cat is sorta confused by this strange critter.  Is it a cat or a rat?   Does he pounce on it or avoid it.

Three year old grand even looks big by this baby.

My baby chicks I got a few weeks ago are growing and doing well.   They have a light and live in the barn.  They are about 1/2 feathered out and to the cute/ugly stage.

Just a few pictures ...

Life is good, prayers are so appreciated and peace reigns here.  Lots of first for our guest.  :)

First time to cook eggs.  She had never scrambled eggs.  She did great!   :) 

 

 

 Then while DIL and I roasted green chilies the girls drew at the table.  

After we migrated to the living room girls migrated also.  They then drew some more on the floor in the living room.   Just normal hanging out at our house. 

 

 

Big boys are busy helping dad work on the new bathroom/changing room, while D10 is working at catching up with school he doesn't want to do. On that subject D10 drags school out all day every day. Can he pass his lessons? Yes, if he reads them. The problem is he doesn't want to read them. He finally got caught up sorta Monday. He had failed two test, but when I looked at his average I just shook my head, his highest was a 93 his lowest was an 88, this failing two test. So I told him he could have it as long has he continued to work. Tue he promptly rushed through and was done with school, failing half of it. I didn't catch it until Wed. Back to the battle! He knows what to do, but he wants to do it HIS way. Including at times wanting the computer to have different answers to suit him. It is called Oppositional Defiant Disorder, or better known as ODD. Which is why he is setting at his computer today instead of helping build bathroom, or bake or even just play with the grands.

Once we were done with green chilies and dil was done baking her dh some brownies the girls started Cinnamon rolls.   Our guest has never cooked before so this is all new.  She is doing great.   She was so serious and focused on making it right.  I kept trying to get her to relax.  I finally got a sweet picture of her looking up laughing at me.   I can't share it, but she will have it to take home. 

Rolling the rolls up!  

They are now rising in the oven.  It won't be long until we have fresh hot coffee and warm Cinnamon rolls to eat.

They turned out well!   I think the Cinnamon rolls were a huge hit. 

Life is interesting...

I have a feeling I have blog post titled a blog this before.  It does seem life is highly interesting around here more often than not.  This morning we drove a little over 2 hours to pick up a weekend house guest.  She is a 16 yo who is looking for a home.   This is very muchly a weekend for her to just have fun.  No pressure on any part.

 

We got home and made a circle to check stock.  No suprises!  Then when it came time to check stock and hay we found this.....

 

 

It is a TINY lamb.  It had a big full size brother.  So we scooped it up.  MN tucked it in her coat.  Yes, it was wet and gooy.  She is my daughter. 

 

Our sweet guest is amazed at the tiny creature.   She has never saw a baby lamb.

Feeding the baby!  Yes, it is in a tub in the living room.  First feeding was with a dropper in it's mouth.  In about an hour it was crying and wanting a bottle.  That was provided with lots of help, or at least lots of eager eyes.  

MN of course is in heaven.  She has a 'baby'.  She has said she will take it upstairs and feed it during the night.   I did point out that she was NOT to put it in her bed.  Yes, I can see her doing that.   She assured me she won't. 

As always baby animals bring talking of babies, and then attachment and how it happens.  I do marvel at how amazing my 15 yo dd explained to our guest how this baby will only remember us as her mama.  Then how even babies if they are removed don't remember the bios, or not well and how new memories are made with new families.  I was touched and in awe.  What I found interesting is how guest got it, even beforeshe finished she was filling in how she doesn't remember her bios much.....  :) 

I will post more weekend pictures as life goes on.  I will be posting non face pictures of our guest.  Please pray as we feel out the weekend that God shows us what direction we should go, and most of all pray for hearts to be protected. 

Freezer Pie Crust Mix

Here is my pie crust recipe. I have adapted it from a make ahead cookbook. We make double the amount and just ball and toss in a ziplock to freeze.

Freezer Pie Crust Mix
6 cups WW flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 ½ cups coconut oil (not hard, not liquid)
1 ¼ to 1 ½ cups cold water

In a bowl combine flour and salt, with Pastry blender or heavy duty mixer cut shortening until mixture resembles corn meal in texture. Add 1 1.4 cups water all at once. Mix lightly with a fork until water is absorbed and mixture forms a ball. If necessary add additional water. Divide dough into 7 portions. Shape into balls. Flatten each ball slightly, Wrap each flattened ball in a piece of plastic wrap. Place wrapped ball on piece of foil, fold foil tightly against ball making an airtight seal. Store in freezer. Use within 10 months

My New Grain Mill

Several people have ask what brand grain mill I bought.  It is a  Nutrimill.  I bought it from Pleasant Hills Grain.  I really like this company.  I bought my Bosch there.  When the base started cracking 2 years later I emailed and ask them about it.  They gave me the number and the name to call to get it fixed.   It is also where I bought my first mill, which is the Family Grain mill.  I just don't think it is up to the task of grinding the amounts we grind, and does require double grinding.  

So for the new mill has been used twice.  First to make snicker doodle cookies by 16 yo son. They turned out yummy.  Then fresh hot melt in your mouth cinnamon rolls yesterday morning.  They were also yummy. 

I have bought a couple of cook books from them also. This time I bought

It has some interesting recipes.  De'Etta I thought of you and your journey in eating.  It uses beans as a flour, and also to thicken soups and other things.  I can't wait to try some of the recipes.

Another favorite book I bought from them is

  This has some really good bread recipes.  

First Lambs

My calender said that my ewes could start lambing on the 15th.  We have checked them twice a day.  Not because we expect problems, but because we run races to see who can see the first babies.  Today MN saw the ewe by herself so we stopped to check on her.  This is what we found. 

 

Sweet!  As MN said, "I love lambing season!"   I agree!   They are so cute and cuddly.  

In other news, 16 yo son made brown gravy to go with a roast he had cooked.  He did an awesome job.  I did laugh when I suggested he do it.  First words out of his mouth were, "I don't know how."  followed by, "I have never done it before."   I assured him he could and would some day teach his wife.  He made mash potatoes to go with it.   It was a huge hit!

Today I got my new grain mill.  I have had a cheaper one that would do flax seed, but it has again worn down and needed the burrs replaced.   We might grind a lot of wheat.   So after talking to dh about it.  He has wanted a better one for a long time. I ordered Sunday night, it shipped from NE early Monday morning.  It came today!  It grinds really fine!  MJ made snicker doodle cookies.