What a fascinating modern world we live in...

I like to take a step back once in a while and think about how my grandmothers did things. If they had something to say, they would make a phone call if it was local. If it was really important they would pay the long distance fee and call long distance. Otherwise, they would sit and their desk and write (in cursive) or type (with a typewriter) a letter. They would probable hand it to their mailman (NOT letter carrier) who they knew on a first name basis, and send it off to share their news.

The other night I checked my FB account one last time before I went to bed. Just to see if any of my 200 best friends had anything really important to tell me. Then I checked my blog list to see if any of the 100 people who I read about daily had important news for me. There wasn't anything really new, and I went to bed.

How silly really!

I am grateful for technology. It makes it easy to keep in touch with people we have lost, those far away, and those we meet out there in cyberworld who have similar views and interests.

But think of this... I announced my baby expectations to my family over the phone (they live 600 miles away), and to everyone else on FB and this blog. I didn't tell a single person (except my husband and children who don't read this blog) face to face. Soon, my entire social network knew (either firsthand, secondhand, or thirdhand...) my exciting news. This has it's pluses, don't get me wrong, but really? How weird!!

Just thinking about this makes me shudder a little inside. To be honest, I know more about certain avid and very public quilters than my neighbor who just had her first baby. I know more about a very bored and FB active old classmate than the family across the street. I don't even know who it is that collects and delivers my mail. In fact, I don't even send much mail! I've never even seen my garbage man!

I need to work on that. Do these facts creep anyone else out? Because they creep me out. So, I thought I would blog about them, and ask all my cyber friends what they do about it? Ironic.

Being a Mother

Sometimes my girls talk to me about our cats. They think it's the saddest thing in the world that our cats will never be mothers. Their tender little hearts also ache for their unmarried aunts.

They ask me about once a week if our cats are sad that they will never be mothers. Am I sure they will never be mothers? Yes. Does that make them so sad? I am not sure. They think it a tragedy.

That has gotten me thinking about the summer 8 years ago. Joe and I were dating, and most of our conversations and plans centered around having children. How many, what they would look like, the benefits of our gene combination... When I went home one weekend, I told my parents about one such conversation, and my Dad looked a little worried. He said, "you have to promise me that you will marry this young man before any of these children come into being." I just laughed. We were so in love, and we wanted to have a family.

We were married in September, and for a year, no children came. At the end of that year, I began to feel sorrow. I prayed and prayed for the Lord to fill that empty aching space in my heart that can only be filled by children. I shed many tears, and felt a lot of pain. I realize now that that time was very short, and many wait much longer. I was young, and impatient, but my pain was real.

After we had been married 18 months, my prayers were answered. A baby was on its way, and we were thrilled! My heart stopped aching for a baby, but ached with all the tumult and worry of new motherhood. It ached because it was full. Every time a new life is put in my hands, my heart aches even more with joy and fullness. Now, more than 7 years later, every time that prayer is answered, I am honored and grateful.

Father's Day

I was so glad when we got a phone call Saturday night that They would be able to manage without Joe on Sunday morning. The crew was going out at 3 a.m. to start cutting asparagus. Joe would be able to leave the field at 10, come home, get ready, and rush off to church to practice the organ for meetings at 11.

They did just fine without him there, and so he got to rest on Father's Day. We tried to make him feel like a king. We made blueberry pancakes and bacon for breakfast, showered with gifts and love, and let him take naps.

Isn't this what Father's day is all about? Napping with your kids!

The poor man took 4 naps on Sunday. He's been working way too much.

One more week...

Until the asparagus harvest is over in Washington. At least in the field we are working in. Well, we really means Joe, the one who really works.

I haven't posted in a long time for two reasons: I keep misplacing my USB connector for the camera, and I have been in a brain fog.

Since the middle of February, Joe has been working about 70 hours a week, give or take a little. 12-15 hours a day, 6 days a week. Starting in April, he even had to put some time in every Sunday (usually only about 4 hours or so). To be fair, he got 2 whole days off in April, and it May he was able to come home for a few hours in the afternoon on a few occasions. It has been long. Really long. To be honest, for a while I'd wake up in the middle of the night startled that there was a man in my bed. Then I remembered that yes, I do have a husband (hence the 4.5 children...).

In that time, Joe and his dad have created this:
With three other guys.

It cuts asparagus like this:

Yum!

The only parts they didn't make are the driving tractor, the hydraulics, and the tires. Thousands of parts that came from Kim's head to Joe's computer, to the machinists programs, and out of the CNC milling machine and lathe. I know that was a really technical explanation, but that's really all that I understand about it. :)

It's an amazing feat. And though some of the skeletal elements are the same as last years model, the majority of the machine was made in 4 months at the beginning of this year. They have been harvesting in the field since April, and this is the best machine yet! They have had lots of chances for field testing, and made lots of progress in perfecting the mechanism. It's been a big year for the harvester!

But I am so SICK of the harvester. It is a long and hard road here at home. This is the longest that we've ever had this crazy time, and I am so excited for it to be over!!! Being without Joe so much really puts me in a fog. He is my mainstay.

So, since I couldn't really write anything without whining about being lonely and sick and tired, I have avoided blogging. But, I have lots of things I want to say... When I am out of whiny mode, I'll say it. :)