Stories from the Farm

It’s Friday! And what a week it has been. I am so tired. There is so much going on around here in springtime. It’s all good, it’s all fulfilling, but it is a lot. The good news is that we are picking the projects off at a nice clip. Which feels encouraging…and exhausting. The other good news is that we take a day to rest each week, and today is the day!

Actually, one reason I’m tired this week is that on Tuesday I started my day at 4:07. I didn’t mean to. I thought it was 5:07, but Alden likes to play with my watch and he had changed the hour, apparently. By the time I realized it, I decided to just stay up. And it was wonderful. To be in my house when it is quiet is rare and amazing. In fact, Rory and I got up this morning at 5 and have made a deal that we’ll both get up at 5 for seven days in a row (today was the first!). But that two hours makes enough of a difference in how the day unfolds. If I wake up with the kids, the train has left the station and I am chasing it all day long. But if I can drink my coffee, switch the laundry, read my Bible, eat my eggs, put my contacts in, make a plan for supper, get the goat milking equipment prepped, and decide on the kid’s breakfast the day is smooth sailing. It’s totally worth getting up for that. Minute for minute, sleep isn’t actually as helpful if I am missing out on that time to get my day lined up. 

Anyhoo, I thought today I’d check in and leave a story or two about each kid. 

First, Elias. Come to think of it, I actually think this kid, right here, is why I am tuckered out. Elias is on the move. And he is FAST. He makes sure everything small ends up in his mouth…a little human vacuum. It means that I have become equally fast at giving a good finger swipe. Yesterday I found an ear bud cover in his mouth. Often it’s a wad of paper or scrap of fabric or a small rock. We utilize the pack-n-play and stroller and high chair so he can watch our projects in progress and we can get things done. He is happy and content, just curious about how everything tastes.

Alden is growing up every day. Ivar said the other day, “tell me the minute Alden wakes up from his nap. I want to play with him in my treehouse.” I thought that was a sweet milestone… He is growing into a fun playmate and not just the toddler. He is a very gracious kid, saying thank you for every single thing. “Thank you for saying I can come milk the goat with you. Thank you for giving me more chicken salad. Thank you for reading me Mr. McGee.”

Hattie tells me all about “when she be a mama” and all the super fun and awesome things she’ll do. “When I be a mama, I will make sprinkle, brown sugar, maple syrup, strawberry cake and it will be yummy!” She also says multiple times a day, “I love you, Mom. Do you love me?” And we stop whatever we’re doing and hug and snuggle and laugh about just how I love her forever and ever and ever.

Elsie is writing a script for a show called Little Farm on the Field. She will not play with plastic toys, and wants everything to look like “back then.” “Mom, I love this basket, because it looks like something they would have used back then!” Yesterday she sewed her own night cap, just like back then.

Ivar is growing up so fast. I can’t believe he’ll already be 10 this year! Rory suggested that we should make a memory, just the two of us. And it was so great. We had a glorious morning bike ride and found some great trails in our town. After biking we went back to the truck and ate trail mix and had so many conversations. Like how moms make food to get their kids to come back home when they are all grown up. He told me he’ll come back whenever I make banana bread, monster cookies, grandma’s chicken salad or italian pasta bake. NOTED. 

Ivar is a great first born, wanting good order but so much of his life sounds like, “oh, just a minute, I need to change Elias’ diaper. Oh, hang on, Alden just woke up. I’ll be there in a minute, Hattie needs help in the bathroom. Give me five minutes, I need to feed the baby…” So it was so fun to be just the two of us, with 100% of the focus on him. 

Also, biking is great exercise. I haven’t been on my bike in years (as Ivar pointed out, “Mom! You’ve been pregnant for so many summers!”) and it was just a mile or two into our ride that I remembered, “oh, this might be hard work…” But it felt great. Good to work my muscles. Good to be outside. Good to delight in my son.

Just like all the projects we’re getting done. I’m tired, but it’s good to work my muscles. Good to be outside. Good to delight in my family.