Autumn

Around here, one can tell it is Fall because the Ferguson's have started storing away firewood for the winter. Like old times (pre-Ruby and Roman), we have finally gotten back to "normalcy" and have been able to either start new projects or finish them...as well as cut one Alder tree down in our pasture (Limbed, cut and stacked the whole tree! Now just the leaves and small branches need to be burned. There are three nice piles ready for a fall bonfire! I can almost smell it now!) Yesterday was simply gorgeous here in the Pacific NW and perfect weather for doing physical labor outside. Since I'm the type of person who would rather do anything outside (mowing the lawn, chopping & stacking wood, weeding, etc.) than anything inside (laundry, mopping, washing dishes), it was a wonderful day! I was reflecting on this yesterday, about how we weren't able to fill our woodshed last fall...there were two main reasons. One, we were still getting used to our new lives with two babies. They had only been walking a short while and were not very steady. Taking them outdoors in the rain was not easy because half the time we were picking them up from falling over. They had to be watched continuously and Roman was still putting everything in his mouth. The second reason was because we had SO MUCH rain! Buying a couple chords of wood just seemed easier, even though we broke the bank just to have enough to get through our cold, drizzly downpour of a season. Bleck!!!!
19 months later after bringing Ruby and Roman home, we are happily back to full blown "normal" and do everything pretty much the way we used to when we were just a family of four. We all have our role, our routine and it's wonderful that there really are no surprises. Because everything is routine, I have to stop and make myself acknowledge how perfect our family is. Please don't think I am being boastful...that's not my intention whatsoever. Merely, I am just in awe at how our God brought this family together in such a magnificent way. His timing, planning and love for us shows in the very children he brought into our lives (all four of them)...Timing truly can be everything!


I also want to talk specifically about my beautiful 14 year old. Our Chloe is a freshman this year! So hard to think about sometimes. Already in her three short weeks of school, she has a full schedule. She plays on the JV Volleyball team with practices every night after school, not to mention when she has games...her day is at least 10 hours long! We drop her off at 8am and pick her up at 6pm. Whew...She plays percussion in the school band and just attended her first Girls Club camp out in central Oregon. Every day she tells me delightful stories about school that day...her group of friends are uplifting, supportive and they all love being together. She has a healthy view about dating and boys and although she tells me that she 'thinks' one boy has a crush on her, she is not ready to date. I love that she has a healthy environment in which to thrive in high school! Attending the same school, 21 years ago (yikes...but it only feels like 5!), I always hoped that my children would find the same encouragement and 'fit'. In a nutshell, this year is off to a fabulous start for this new high schooler!
Knowing how fast the next four years will fly makes me quite melancholy. I am a very upbeat person, usually looking at things positively, even when they seem bleak. But seriously, thinking about my children growing up, making life changing choices and being safe really makes that little gray cloud of doom hover just a bit over my head. I want them to grow up, be happy and make good choices. But that little doom cloud reminds me that this won't always be the case. There will be times they mess up, make choices that I cannot fix and sometimes won't even be able to relate to whatsoever. Ugh. This has weighed on my mind a lot lately. Not because anything has happened to indicate so, but because I know it's inevitable because I've been there. All the nurturing, love and healthy support my mom gave me still did not 'save' me from making my own naive choices. Don't get me wrong, I didn't do drugs whatsoever, have only been flat out drunk once in my whole life and was actually a 'good' kid. But I had no clue how to handle my finances and there were many times I was completely broke, or worse...negative balance. My mom was there to talk to, but she also was a firm believer of not giving handouts. I had made my bed so to speak, so I needed to sleep in it. It always seemed so easy for her to be hard nosed, but now, being a similar type of mom, I know she was doing me a favor and not enabling me...and it was probably very difficult for her to stand by and let me fall. Lessons are hard to learn sometimes, but I am grateful. In 4 years, I will have an 18 year old and I am just a bit blue over that. So much can happen in four years. Weird to think that I was 20 years old when I got married and that is only 5 1/2 years older than Chloe is now. OK!!! With that, it's time to sign off now! Ruby and Roman are napping and there are more chores to do outside...or should I nap, too?!