A Lot Of Updates!~

So it has been since May this last year since I have written anything on any one of my blogs!  Wow, I guess I have been busy.  So here are some of my updates:

I continued from May until fall, dealing with the legal battles in the county.  They are extremely slow in this county (that was said by other county's actually, not just me) and I was also told that they were hanging onto my case because of the other midwife.  So there I sat, waiting for a number of years for them to just 'let it go'. 

Finally-they did.  The case was dismissed.  It is done. There is so much more to all of this too, but nothing I will put into writing at this time. sorry.. 
in time...
maybe I will write a book...

So by the fall, it was all done. FINALLY!

    My husband and I are trying to get the house ready for sale.  We want to move.  Getting the house ready is taking more time than we like, just because we are a bit older...we have a roof to replace,  new garage doors, new doors for our walk out basement area, a front garden that is a mess of weeds to untangle, new front steps and walkway to finish.  Its tough when you're older!  Just a word of warning to everyone-get your work done before you age!

We also bought a camper this past late winter/early spring. Rented a permanent spot at a local campground, and enjoyed relaxing times there.  Below are a few photos.  

The other new stuff in my life-I had a mild heart attack(?) issue last december.  Thankfully nothing was 'clogged' it was all stress related (go figure why I had stress in MY life!) 

Well, enjoy the photos below! 

the camp fire...a work in progress,  it will be larger next year! 

Working on the deck

enjoying the family hammock 

enjoying the pool, with out the work of maintaining the pool!  :)

Now, this photo has a story:  (see below)

Depression: Despair: and How to Help Someone, and NOT Make it Worse!

Ugg.
Yes that is what I say-Ugg.  This society judges people when they are depressed, or at the end of their 'rope'.  I have seen it and over the past 2 and 1/2 years personally having experienced it more often than a human being should.
Then there are those who make it worse because of their judgement which is often just awful!
No one knows how hard a person tries, no one knows what is going thru a persons mind as they struggle with life's ups and downs.  And remember, no one knows when their comments and their attitude or disrespect or lies will be the thing that pushes a person over the edge.  Have you ever 'heard' a person who has cried out for help? When they do-- what do you do?  How do you act? What do you do?  What do you say? Becoming angry with them for having a weak moment and wanting to give up, does not do them any good.  Telling them to get over it does not do any good.  Telling them that others have it worse off than they do does not do any good.  Telling them that it will eventually get better  does not do them any good.    You can always compare their life and someone elses trying to make them feel better, but why? Does that serve a positive purpose?  Does that build up the person who is struggling or does it just pile more guilt onto them?  Ya maybe there is someone going thru something much worse, most likely there is-- at least somewhere in this world.  But comparing that persons troubles to what the person you are talking with -trying to help-that comparing does NOT help them it actually causes more damage.
Here is how to really help a person in trouble:
GO over to their home, talk to them, do their dishes, sweep their floors, help with a payment on a bill, take a casserole, fill their autos gas tank, wash their car, weed their garden, mow their lawn, take them out for dinner.....all things to help them, not create more stress.

Then we have the person who wants to quote scriptures- ones that only pile on the guilt.  Ok, as a believer I do know that YHWH has scripture enough to help with everything in life, but sometimes, you need to leave this job to the HOLY SPIRIT-and not try to be the persons holy spirit-- GOD/YHWH is a big god and can handle HIS job just fine!

Are you someone who is telling this person they are in sin, as you sit there smoking, or eating too much, or are overweight, or cuss all the time, or look at half dressed women on line or in magazines, or watch shows or movies that are not GODLY or uplifting, watch 'cut them up' horror movies, or speed when driving....I can go on and but basically I am saying: pull the beam out of your own eye first folks. Don't tell the person that they are in sin to be depressed or feel like they want to give up on life, when you are doing any of the above listed, or other things.
Ok, I am done 'preaching".

They Will Know Us By Our Fruit.....

Well I had an interesting week.  Something happened this week that allowed GOD to show me how sad some HIS people really are acting and how messed up the "church" really is.  I knew it was, but still it is always sad to 'see' evidence of it again.

Two different things took place, yet they were alike in many ways.  Both took place on the web-on facebook.

 Social media-it has become a tool that we use daily; most of us do-to communicate with others.  I use it to communicate with my children, relatives, friends in this area and other states and even some clients.

I almost never post anything about my 'job' on there, but I do post things from others about birth.  I post scriptures, I post photos, I comment and share things that I find interesting, and I use it to do research-only because it is so widely used now.

So the beginning of the week, a birthy friend posted something related to abortion-a question and then her opinion.  This friend -I do consider to be a friend, her views are not the same as mine when it comes to religion and abortion.  But I still consider her to be a friend.  We have gone to a midwifery conference and shared the expense of a room.  I am not like some christians who refuse to even speak with those who do not share the same views.   (how can we show them the true love of YHWH when we do not even speak with those who do not share our belief?)

So I posted on her page after her post about abortion, that I could not agree and I posted why-sharing a scripture that says:
11 Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to death; don't stand back and let them die. 12Don't try to avoid responsibility by saying you didn't know about it. For God knows all hearts, and he sees you. He keeps watch over your soul, and he knows you knew! And he will judge all people according to what they have done.  Proverbs 24:11-12

Out of all the commenters on this thread, only one was very rude-saying that we needed to "be real" and went on to complain about those of us who do not want women to have the freedom of choice are not real and yada yada yada.  So I did point out what I would do, and also what I have done, and what I do for mission work (I began a not-for-profit ministry that serves in the U.S. to many, and I have done mission work since 1992, from 1 to 5 trips a year) so basically I was not trying to toot my own horn, but say hey! I DO work for many, and the lower income, poor, homeless, etc-is what I work with! I also said (and many believers will feel I am wrong) but the government and myself do not have the right to tell you that you can  not have an abortion.  I think the government has too much control, and even though I feel to my deepest inner being, how wrong abortion is, I can not restrict a person's choice.  So how do i rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to death?  (I will address that on another blog soon!)

             The freedom to post our opinions, even if opposing-is one thing this country is about.

                                                                 Freedom.

So later in the week, someone else, totally different page-different poster---posted something that I found to be very rude.

  I waited 3 hours before posting my thoughts, because I wanted to pray about what I posted, (not that I did not pray before I posted before on the other site too) --but since this person claimed to be a believer-I knew I would be handling this person differently, as this person should know the scriptures

-here is what was originally posted:
"someone that flips hamburgers and drops fries into grease does need to have their pay changed............. to 50 cents and hour "  (typos are the poster)

Others responded at first, and then I posted this:
"Are you meaning that the employees do not deserve to be paid more than 50 cents an hour?"  
(because at first I read it wrong, and thought the poster was referring to the corporate level, not the 'little' workers- and I was not the only person who read the original post wrong, one of my sons who had posted before me -had read his post incorrectly too, thinking the same thing.)

This person responded again, saying  unskilled workers=unskilled pay.  (and said more too)

I responded:  "So underpaying them at 50 cents an hour like you said above is ok to do?  Im sorry, but I have a different opinion. I believe we are to pay a fare wage.  They can protest, they can ask for more, and just because they do-I do not believe that as a believer of YHWH it is ok to reduce their pay to 50 cents.  my opinion. " (typos mine)

The original poster then said: "The 50 cents was obviously sarcasm but anything over 5 dollars an hour that a trained monkey can do for free is too much. Yes monkeys can be trained to flip burgers for free..."

All I could say at that time was wow.  This person professes to be a believer, and was acting like this on facebook?  Again, freedom of speech allows this -but as a believer, I think we have to try to do better.

 I am not perfect, by no means, we all fail, I have many times, but when it is pointed out  to you how you are behaving, would you change, apologize? I would think so, but no-this person did not.

Proverbs 25:12 says: Valid criticism is as treasured by the one who heeds it as jewelry made from finest gold. 

A number of people tried to discuss this, telling this poster that they (using "they" so you do not know if the poster was male or female as to avoid identifying the person)  --were being rude and unreasonable but this person would not hear it.  I thought, really?  YHWH has a plan for how we are to treat others, including so called unskilled workers.  We are to pay a fair wage,  (GODs word says so) and HE has guidelines as to how we are to treat the workers!

1 Timothy 5:18

English Standard Version (ESV)

18 For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.”

I put up the following scriptures to try to show the person what YHWH says:

Deuteronomy 15:7

“If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother.”

Psalm 82:3-4

"Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked."

Proverbs 31:8-9

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”

Jeremiah 22:13

“Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness, his upper rooms by injustice, making his countrymen work for nothing, not paying them for their labor.?"

Proverbs 14:31

“He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.”

 I did not put up as many scriptures that there are out there, but tried to put a number of them up so I hopefully could show this person what YHWH/GOD had to say about it.  

 The posts were then all removed, so I thought, yes, this person has thought about the whole thing and removed it.  Maybe the LORD GOD YHWH has spoken to this person's heart. 

No, the next post was put up saying offensive things too, and when this person was questioned again by my daughter--because she was offended by this persons posts, her posts were removed.  She then posted the same thing, but again-removed.  Anything that was not lining up with how this person felt was removed.  Scripture was removed.  But by other posts, I noticed that the one scripture that this person seems to like is -how to judge others.  That tells the heart of the person.  Only judgement is ok.  

We can only judge when we judge thru YHWH/YAHWEH's eyes and HIS word as a guide to judge.  ALL of HIS word, not just here and there pieces!

 Well the story that YHWH brought to my mind when seeing all of this happening was the one about the money changers and how angry YESHUA became when HE went into the outer courts and saw how the poor were being treated by those selling to them---HE overturned the money changers tables.  Wow! that is when I see our LORD becoming angry, with those who were taking advantage of the poor-HE was not angry with the poor, but those who were taking advantage of them.  Not paying a fair wage is also taking advantage of the poor.  So why does this person not see that in the scriptures?  

Because many people who claim to be a believer, pick and choose what they want to believe in the scriptures.  Confusing.  

But YHWH /GOD says we will know them by their fruits-that means your actions will speak loudly to others.  

Fast forward to after several posts by others, and the scriptures I posted, and my daughter trying to talk with this person privately, since she was so hurt/offended-she reached out to this person privately---although scripture says this: 

23 So if when you are offering your gift at the altar you there remember that your brother has any [grievance] against you,

24 Leave your gift at the altar and go. First make peace with your brother, and then come back and present your gift.

25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way traveling with him, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison.

26 Truly I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last fraction of a penny.  

Who do you think the judge is that the person will hand the other person over to? 

But my daughter took the higher road and reached out to this person right away -- not because this other person was offended, but because my daughter was and wanted to make things right.

I want to explain why my daughter was offended: 

My daughter works in a bakery at a grocery store, she works hard.  She is often lifting boxes that weigh 50# or more over her head, as well as working around a hot oven all day-winter or summer!  My son-in-law, her husband works at McDonalds, he has for years-and is now moving up in management.  He works hard too-long hours.  I am thankful that they both have a job, and they are both providing for each other in their life, working to pay off their home and pay for things and needs themselves and not taking handouts.  They are eligible for some, but don't take them (AND I am NOT saying that it is wrong to take help from the government-no, not at all-it is fine to do so if you need the help). They do not have a college education, so would be considered not a skilled worker.

Why put them -as well as other non skilled workers, workers who serve us-down? This is soo very wrong of a christian to do.  We have to be better folks!

And my daughter and her husband have provided a place for our other daughter to live for almost 4 years, as she attended school.  That too is sacrifice.  

 But this person, continued to be rude to my daughter.  

It reminds me of one time when my other daughter -who was at a former job she use to work at, a coffee place along the toll road, was told by a customer-

                            "you will never amount to anything if you keep working here..." 

My daughter was not allowed to respond back at all, but what she wanted to say was this:  "I sir, am working my way thru college, paying my own way-doing this as well as another job while I attend school full time.  I am using this money, how little I make- to pay my way so you -as a taxpayer, do not have to pay my way on grants etc." 

See, you never know about a person!  This daughter is now a teacher by the way!  

Here is what I think about 'unskilled labor' as this person called them:

The person is AT LEAST working

providing income for their family

and I remember that they are made in GODs image and are one of HIS children (we are all HIS children, just some have turned away from HIM and those folks -if you who are a believer-you need to be more loving and kind -representing the SAVIOR to them)  ---SO be KIND!

What I learned from all of this is sometimes believers are the worse to work with.  And that folks---is WRONG.  

I am saddened this week by all of this. The first time this happened this week, I worked with someone online with a different opinion, they were willing to allow the different opinions to be posted on their page, allow scripture that I shared to back my view to remain on their page, and they were very respectful.  That person is not a believer (as I believe).

  The other-who claims to be a believer-was rude, kept taking down the scriptures -censoring things others were saying- including scripture! 

This is one reason why some who do not believe about YHWH do not want to hear about HIM from us or the good news we have to share about YHWH and what HIS SON has done for us!  With social media, they see it this type of behavior more often and it really turns them off!

We as believers need to be better than this, if in fact we are spouting off on a social media site, yes on your own page-but still public---and you do throw up all over everyone in the process ---then be willing to help clean it up and not become a hard hearted person.

Oh I am sure now that this person will 'de-friend me' and really, I do not care.  

My daughter was offended.  

My daughter (as well as a few other people) were hurt and offended.  

As a believer this person has a responsibility, but has failed. 

I do not share this to point out one person, or persons, but to show and compare the reaction of non-believers and believers and to show that it is sad that the non-believer in the first post (original post about abortion) did far better than the believer.  We believers need to do better folks. 

And for the record:  I believe like scripture shows us: we are to pay a fair wage to workers for a day of work.  AND we are to pay enough to allow them to make a living with the cost of living around here. (that means different mcdonalds may pay different wages depending on which area of the country they are in)

Tipping is important too-I tip at 10% for average service, and at 15-20 or even 30% or more for better to wonderful service.  Why?  Not because I am made of money, or because I want to say: hey look at me! How wonderful I am and I can pay and tip a lot! I tip because I want to show respect and appreciation for those who do a good job.  It is the right thing to do.
So is paying a person a fair wage, and that folks-includes McDonald workers.  

 Proverbs 14:31
“No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

“He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.”
Matthew 6:24

Vacation?

having dinner at our favorite restaurant...

Taking a vacation is a difficult thing for me. I set my vacation time a year in advance, commit to being off no matter who might be due, and then someone that I have served before-comes back as a repeat client and there the vacation goes.  I try, each year, to stay firm....but how can I say no to someone I have served before? But we as humans, all need time away from our regular lives, time to relax, time with our spouse, just time.....

So this year, Scott and I decided to 'camp'- in the local area, on a permanent site-this way I will be able to 'get away' yet I am still in the area.  The other advantage is we will not have to put up our pool at home and maintain that this year, the campground has a wonderful inground pool.  I plan to be found sitting at that pool as much as possible this summer. We also have access to the lake for enjoyment, fishing....
The savings on our pool at home, chemicals, cost of filters, cost of electric running the stuff---helps to pay for the lot rent at the campground.

Were also strongly considering selling our home and moving, so this is a step in that direction.  We would like to prepare our home for sale by this fall, and if it would sell, we could use the camper to stay in until we decide what we want to do and where we want to go.  We are so ready for a change...

So we spent some time shopping around looking for a inexpensive as possible deal on a camper-found a 5th wheel, and pulled it into the campground of our choice.

Then we had to start working on the campsite. But this work was fun, relaxing for us.   We had a lot of the wood for a deck already as well as many other supplies for camping, so we did not have to buy too much to get started.  But it would take some time to get things fixed up.

I also had to get a new mattress as the mattresses that come with a camper (used even) is something I just can not have...(gross-as well as very uncomfortable) .  So mattress shopping I went.
At one store, I called before I went to ask some questions on their advertised prices.  Was told yes, they sell the mattress without the box springs.  When I arrived, found out they marked the price way up if you do that-sort of like insurances and health care-fraud in my opinion.  So I had sort of given up, but stopped at some small store, just to look.  Figured the prices would be way too much (actually most are).  I asked the salesman for a deal.  Just spoke up front, honest with him.  Told him I did not want to spend a 2000 on a mattress for a camper...(the cost of a set that would work for us).  I asked him if he had any display mattresses available.  Yes actually he did!  He showed me one -a thick memory foam, asking over 600 dollars for it originally.  Now it was marked down to about 400.  (no box springs).  He said well...I can go down to--300  and he looked at my 'poker face' and then said maybe 250.  I said, ummm -no, but if he would take 225 AND carry it to the truck for me- I would take it.  He said yes.  There ya go, bargain hunters -you got to work with the price and thankfully have a sales man wanting to make a sale...

So for the camp ground, we spent a day building the deck, I spent a few days there staining and waterproofing it.  I also spent a day working on the fire pit, adding bricks around it for safety.  Everything was coming together just fine.  We have spent some time down there, it has been relaxing.  We are planning to enjoy the summer!

working on the deck

almost finished

fire pit

Nathan helping (doing most of it-as Scott 'watches, supervising' the hand railing at the steps

Nathan enjoying the hammock with his sons (the one he bought for me when he was in mexico as a teen!) 

Amish Birth and the Little Midwife

a pile of hay-that is hand harvested at an old order Amish home

some of the animals that often greet the midwife upon her arrival

The little Midwives phone rings, it is another momma ready to have her baby.  The woman’s husband gives the little midwife the information about when his wife’s labor began, and how she is doing.  The little midwife says she will be right over.

Upon arrival she sees the father helping the 2 and a 4 year old into their coats.  The little midwife smiles at the children as they look at her with big eyes.  They are not interested in what their father is doing as he struggles to put their coats on, but instead they are interested in this woman who just came into their home.  The little midwife leans down and asks them:  “Are you going to grandma’s house?”  She knows that they cannot understand her, since young Amish children do not speak any English, so she knows she is really directing the question to the father.  Amish children in this community do not learn the English language until they begin to attend school.

The father answers saying: “Yes, it is always fun to get to go to grandmas…”

Soon the father is walking out of the house holding a hand of each child as they begin the long walk to grandma’s house.  Although it is just across the road, this family lives down a very long lane, so it will be a long walk for a small child.

The little midwife set her bags down as she looks again at the laboring mother who is sitting in a rocking chair.  She sips on homemade grape juice, and rocks slowly.  She looks up at the little midwife and smiles.  She is happy to be in labor.

The little midwife goes into the bedroom and begins to set up her birthing supplies.  The young Amish couple has removed all of their items from on top of their dresser to give the midwife a place for her supplies.

Once she has set up her supplies, she goes out to the momma in labor and watches her.  The mother is smiling…quietly rocking.  One cannot tell how an Amish woman is doing, or how far along she is by just watching her in labor.  Most Amish women are very calm and often very quiet when in labor.  Amish woman accept labor as a perfectly normal function and they often just greet it happily.

The little midwife asks the woman to come into the room so she can see how she and her baby are doing.  The midwife places her hands onto the mother’s tummy and feels the baby respond with a kick, the baby is moving well.  The midwife then listens to the heart beat of the baby and its heart beat is strong.  She smiles at the woman.  She then tells her she will need to check her to see how she is doing, and she finds that the woman is 7 centimeters.  This means it will not be long now.  The little midwife wonders if the husband will make it back in time.   She tells her she should be back up walking or rocking and the woman moves out to the table.

She sits at the table by the window, watching for her husband to come back home.  Her contractions are now slow, and very short….this means the husband will make it back in time.  A cool summer breeze blows in the window, moving the curtains ever so slightly….the little midwife sits at the table with the laboring woman, waiting for her contractions to become stronger.

The woman waits.  She watches for her husband.

The midwife waits.  She watches the woman in labor.

The little midwife thinks about how simple the life is here in this community.  There is no TV, no electronics as in the 'English community'.  There are no gas powered appliances as many other Amish communities have.  This community does not have indoor plumbing-they may have a hand pump for water in the summer kitchen, but nothing else.  They all have outhouses, and a few have Ice houses for the refrigeration, or they may use coolers.  They garden and they will can the produce they raise.  They raise their own beef, pork, chickens, goats and sheep. They all have chickens for both meat and for the eggs. They often have fruit trees, and a few have ponds stocked with fish. They use a buggy pulled by horses and farm their fields with work horses.  Even the equipment that helps with the haying is pulled by draft horses.  They will walk or use a buggy to go places, but will take a ride in an auto to the main towns.  Their buggies are not allowed to have a cover on them even in the winter, rain, hail or sleet-they are uncovered.  Laundry day is hard work; they do laundry with an old wringer washer and always hang it on the line, even in the winter. There are no phone shacks, as with other Amish communities, so when they need to place a call, such as calling the midwife, they will have to walk or drive the buggy to a neighbor- who is home.  Often they may have to go 1-2 miles or even up to 5 or more to find a neighbor who is home-so they can use a phone.  Bicycles are not allowed in this community.

This young Amish woman sits waiting for the return of her husband so she can birth their baby.  The midwife sits with her, feeling the heat from the kitchens wood stove at her back, it is a stark contrast to the cool breeze from the window.  Many in the community have summer kitchens so the larger wood/kitchen stove does not have to be used during the summer, or they will use camp stoves in the summer months.  But in preparation for the birth and to keep the home warm for the new infant, the kitchen stove is fired up.

 The little midwife notices the woman’s posture change when the woman sees her husband from afar.  He is coming back home.  Within a minute of her noticing her husband walking back, her breathing becomes labored and her contractions become harder and longer.  The little Midwife is always in awe of how the bond between a husband and wife is so important for the labor process.

Upon his return the contractions are very difficult, and much longer, and soon the Amish woman moves into the bedroom and she climbs into bed.  Within minutes she pushes out her baby boy.

The 8# 12 ounce boy cries as he accepts this new world.  The Little midwife hands the baby to the mother and she pulls him close to her own face, so her cheek is up against his soft face.  The father leans over both his new son and his wife as he stares into the eyes of this newest child.  The little midwife remains vigilant at the birth, guarding its normalcy, but not disturbing the interaction she is blessed to witness ---no reason to disturb this moment with pointless words.

Soon the mother is nursing her son.  The little midwife begins to clean up the birth site.  Once done, she takes her supplies and quietly leaves the room. The mother has fed her baby and the baby is now tucked in beside the mother, sleeping.  The mother has had some warm soup, and now, she too will rest.  The little midwife sits her things down by the kitchen table, the same one this woman sat at not too many minutes before as she waited for her husband to come home.  The midwife sits at the same spot looking out the same window, feeling the gentle breeze as she finishes her notes.

The father walks outside to smoke (yes some Amish do smoke) he stands in the yard, and the little midwife hears him talking.  She leans to the window to see who he is speaking with and she sees an old mangy dog sitting on the ground beside the man.  The man continues to talk quietly, and the dog- as if he really is listening and understanding, looks up at his master –fixed onto his face as he continues to talk to the dog. 

The little midwife listens as she hears him call the dog’s name.  “Skid-boy,” He says to the dog

 “we have a boy……”

Snow Storm 2014

some of our chairs and a table covered in snow

The big storm was to arrive.  On Saturday Scott had to work 6 hours, and once home, cleaned up as I finished the preparations for church.  We climbed into the truck and off for a time of fellowship with our service.

Half way to the town of sturgis we came up onto a semi truck that was stopping in the road, unsure what he was doing, we went around him.  As we approached the stop sign, and prepared to turn, we saw 3 autos in the road ahead-stuck.  One was a small car that was stuck and the other two were moving but not much.  Scott had just traveled on these roads just 90 minutes before and they were clearer than this, now they were wind blown drifts about 2 feet high in some places across the road.  

So we turned around and headed south for the highway.  We took the long way to sturgis.  Once we got into town, we thought-if roads were this bad now, how might they be by 8 pm tonight?  We decided to not go to service after all, and instead we decided to go to lunch then to the store for a few things, and home.  

on the dirt road going to our home.  This is always such a beautiful area

I had a crock pot full of BBQ chicken legs to dish out to someone!  (home made BBQ sauce too!)
Nathan was the closest of our children-- so he got them.

 The next day --the storm would begin...

Up early in the morning, we decided to venture out.  (we are storm chasers at heart).  We were going to go to Kendaville  and do some grocery shopping, but our daughter Anastasia said that the scott grocery store was very picked over in the produce section.  So we   decided to go to our son Dustins home.  We had not seen him for some time (a few weeks).

his home as we approached it from the highway

a beautiful tree in his yard -covered in winter wonderness

their home

We were greeted by their cat

Scott had just got a new tablet (almost a week ago now) and still had not used it because we are technically challenged.  So Dustin helped us get it going.

Dustin and his bride, Samantha-they are just so cute! 

 His driveway was a bit of a challenge, but even worse  by the time we left.  We still wanted to go to town, and decided on going into sturgis.  The stores were picked over well, but we still got the supplies we needed.  Then home.  We took the long way home, avoiding back roads until the very last couple of miles.  Here are some photos as we drove...

the visibility was not good, but even worse over fields.  Here is a field as we drove, you can see the trees up close, but anything further than that, cant see them!

By the evening that night (Sunday) word was out that the county was declaring an emergency and anyone caught on the roads  would be given a ticket.  I guess we were officially snowed in!

Scott tried to plow in the evening, he would plow for about an hour, then come in and let the tractor rest, then go back.  It took about 3 trips of this to get anywhere.  During this time, we saw the fire truck and rescue truck, a few cops and a plow truck go past, down to the neighbors home.  Not sure what is up with that, praying for safety for all.

We enjoyed our time out driving, no one on the roads but a few stupid people like us.  But we did not go anywhere today while the 'ban' to drive is on.  People have been posting on face book about not wanting to be snowed in, being bored, how they can not wait until they can get out.  I love this.  I love being home, safe, warm, we have food, water, (although I did fill a number of containers with water-just in case) -we are blessed.
I especially love the time with my husband-this is great!

this is an older photo because it was too dark to go out to take his photo

here is the pile of snow from the driveway (I went out and took photos Monday morning)

His factory closed down for monday and tuesday.  Smart.  It is way too cold out there.
Enjoy some photos of our land in winter rest...

I was in the truck waiting for scott to clean off the roof.  He was going to be on the ladder and eventually on the roof, so I was out of the wind...this is my view...

huge pile of snow that was in the driveway, and now pushed away to the fence

our small path up to the back door

taken from inside the truck -what was covering the windshield

snow is half way high to the fence

frozen mustache 

winter chores

snow half way up the steps and covering the steps