5 things I'm thankful for

Have you seen this on facebook?  Every day people post 5 things they are thankful for.  There are a few people in my feed doing it and I always love seeing the things they find extraordinary in the ordinary days.  I love the attitude of gratefulness for the smallest of things.  So I was inspired yesterday when I was driving down the road (NOT looking at facebook), to chronical these small victories that are consequential to my life.  Here they are in no particular order.  And if you've been around here long, you'll know how big these really are.

1. My freedom.  I live in America.  People fight to keep me safe.  They don't even know me!  And they do it anyway.  Man I'm lucky.  And so are you, American readers.  I'm thankful I can speak my mind without dying for my words.

2. The results are in.  "No genetic mutations were found"  I had to read it outloud about 12 times to let it sink in.  It was bitter sweet.  Because I am THANKFUL that I do not have the BRCA1 gene, like one of my sisters.  But then again, solidarity, man.  I would have been happy to walk along side her in her struggles.  So now, I walk alongside her and listen.... to anything she has to say.  And I love her and pray for her and thank God every day that my sister won't have these two types of cancer to deal with in the future. I'm thankful for my sister.  And I'm thankful for not carrying the "breast cancer gene".

3. My "accidental" new business.  See, the beauty here is that God knows my heart.  He knows that I love to create and share it with other people.  So He orchestrated this amazing thing called the Farm Girl Fair and now He has inspired us girls to start a new dream... called Gatherings.  We will mostly "gather" on the farm and for now, we will "gather" for short classes.  But in the big dream, we will host weekend-long "Gatherings" complete with many handmade crafts, meals over campfires, and even live music.  It's a big dream!  But I believe it can happen.  Because who knew how big Farm Girl Fair would be and yet..... it was awesome!  Do you want to attend our inaugural class?  Here are the deets.  I'm thankful for Gatherings by the creators of Farm Girl Fair.

4. I'm thankful for my husband.  He's this goofy, sports-loving, family man who loves me and our family with a love we don't even deserve.  He's committed, passionate, hard working, and occasionally funny.  ;)  He works really hard at his business and he's blessed the socks off our family with a new home this year.  He is a good man.  And he loves Jesus!  What more could I ask for?  I'm thankful for the Mister.

5. And last but not at all least, yesterday we visited the pediatric spine surgeon.  He is this great guy who is so unassuming and gentle in nature.  We have loved working with him.  In the way that you love having to go have someone tell you that your child has an abnormality in their back.  Anyway, we've been with him for 4 years now and for the last 9 months we've been stepping up our prayers in a mighty way.  We've been on our knees asking God to STOP the growth of her curvature.  She has two curves and they cause her a good amount of pain daily.  But if they didn't stop growing, she was close to surgery.  You know, no big deal, the kind of surgery where they slice open your back from top to bottom, RIP the muscles off your spine and fuse a metal rod to your spine.  Bleh, I threw up in my mouth a little telling you this.  Anyway, yesterday he told us the MOST AMAZING news.  Her curvature has STOPPED GROWING!  ThankyouJesus!!  Such great news.  She's still and never has been a candidate for a brace based on the placement of her curves.  And she's grown now as tall as she'll ever be.  But she's grown!  According to their measurement, she's 5' 8" now!  Woohoo!  I'm thankful for a daughter who will not be having surgery this year.

Yes, I'm thankful.  Very thankful.

my heart in a jar.

I love Christmas.  I love decorating and making goodies and having parties and decorating some more and going to parties.  I love the music and the smells and the gifts.  And mostly I love Jesus, for giving us such a fun time of year to celebrate his birth.  I love winter.

This year we're headed out to ski for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I'm going to get in all my love of snow in 6 weeks time.  It will be epic.  ;)

And speaking of snow, I have been busy making snow globes.  They are so cute, I admitted to my Mister yesterday that I am having a hard time considering parting with a single globe.  Each one holds a piece of my heart!  But alas, they will be for sale at the Holidays at the Farm private event on November 22nd!  Here are a few I've been working on this weekend, along with some personal goodies that I just simply can't sell.  But hey!  If you want a snowglobe, I will make you a custom jar!  Just let me know what you want inside and comment here or buy a ticket to Holidays and place your order then!  :)

 See that deer?  It was love at first sight.  I think I need to keep him.

 I recently became obsessed with vintage Tonka trucks as Christmas decor.  I scored this little guy at the Vintage Market Days sale in OKC last weekend.  Then I threw on some trees, a miniature vintage santa and a bumper wreath and voila'!   {{swoon}}

And this globe?  Well, it too, can be yours.... very soon.  Follow me on insta to see the next great thing coming from the creators of Farm Girl Fair!!  {hint, hint}

 This sweet gal was the last one standing after Farm Girl Fair this fall.  You can still snag her!

 And this one?  It's all slightly off, just like me.  He'll be sold "as is" for a discount at Holidays on the Farm later this month!  Vintage Santa, glittery deer and all.

 This miniature is one of my favorites.  It's all tiny.  Like super tiny.  And the perfect piece for that little cranny you have looking for a Christmas decoration.

And last, but certainly not least, is this miniature vintage snowman snow globe.  It's got sparkle galore and a snowflake hanging from the ceiling.  It's really too cute to pass up.

SO.  Have I convinced you to purchase a ticket to Holidays on the Farm yet??  If not, consider the other AMAZING vendors who will be back with their wares to share their immense talent with YOU, one last time before Christmas.  Tickets are $20 each and all the proceeds go to the CCFI Holiday Wishes program!  Tickets are being PRE-SOLD and will NOT be available at the door.   Spread the love and buy local for Christmas!  Happy Holidays y'all!

the future is in my hand

You've heard the term "holding the future in your hands", right?  Well have you ever?  Like literally HELD the future in your hands?  I did.  Recently.  And it looks like this...

That little box.  What does it hold?  Well, specifically... my spit.  It holds mama's saliva.  And it got mailed off over 7 weeks ago to a genetic testing company.  I'm waiting patiently for results.  6-12 weeks, to be precise.

How do you wait patiently for genetic testing results?  By the grace of God.  And a lot of ignoring that it's possible you could carry the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene or any of the other 19 genes they are currently testing me for.

It all began earlier this year when my sister sent in her "sample" and was identified as carrying the BRCA1 gene.  Life can get really simple when faced with this kind of information.  Life matters.

You see there isn't a single life that exists that wasn't breathed into existence without God.  He is never surprised by unexpected pregnancies or deaths or cancer.  He is never surprised when we find out we carry a gene that all but guarantees what we've assumed our whole lives.  And so... I trust Him.  I trust that He knows what I don't.  That He sees what I can't.  And that His plan for my life includes any obstacle that brings me closer to Him.

Soon I'll get the call.  The one where I'll sit down on speaker phone with my Mister and a genetic counselor.  And although I have no idea if my call will sound like my sister's call did (well, I do have a 50/50 chance of it being the same), I know, like she does, that all is well.  I don't have to be in control.  Jesus is at the wheel.

This is in no way an advertisement for or endorsement of the genetic testing company we chose, but if you're curious, I'm happy to share that we used color.  Genetic testing has become significantly more affordable and available.  My test cost $249 but this month (October 2015) they are offering their testing for $199.   Just so you know.

mama's new office

I mean y'all.  You wouldn't believe the lengths I would go to for a good craft.

Over the weekend Mr. Mister told me that he wants to kick me out of the office in our house.  He "needs more room to spread out" he says.  And let's be honest, he really didn't want me there to begin with, but mama's gotta have her cute desk somewhere, so.... the office seemed like a logical place in our new house.

Although I am a purger by nature, I have accumulated a RIDICULOUS amount of craft supplies over my time as a maker.  And that "stuff" has to go somewhere, so when we moved in here, it got dispersed to nooks and crannies where it fit.  Which means I've got crap in the office, guest room, and master bedroom.  No bueno.

So on Sunday, the Mister gave me marching orders to head to Ikea (alone!  gasp!) and get a desk/table/whatevertheheckIwant to set up my "office space" in the guest room.  Have fun he said.

Has this EVER happened to you?  It's a rarity around here.  So I did the logical thing: I ran around like a crazy woman, threw on a hat, grabbed my toothbrush and jammies, and RAN out the door (before he could change his mind, of course, and because who knows when Ikea closes.  I was coming from Oklahoma, you know.)

Now I'll spare you the details of my hours-long trip to mecca and tell you that I was working on the fly.  I was using many numbers in my head for measurements.  And I was trying my darndest to keep it all straight.  And yet....  when you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

I came home with this awesome, long tabletop, and two trellis legs.  Hmmmmm.  Anything sound off here to you?  It didn't to my mind that was swimming with all the possibilities.  Apparently when you buy a "build your own desk" deal at Ikea, you need to LOOK AT THE TABLETOP before leaving to see HOW MANY LEGS IT NEEDS.  Turns out, this looooooong top needed an extra support in the middle.  Snap.

And yet, this Macguyver managed to assemble the table without needing that extra leg.  But not before she ordered one online and tried to cancel it minutes later, only to be told by Ikea that they couldn't cancel it twelve hours later.  Whose fault is that??  Check your email sooner, Ikea.

Anyway, I digress.  So now there's a bonafide office space being erected in my guest room and last night I had a cussy moment.  You know, I have a problem with that.  So, I had been inspired by youknowwho to make a pegboard to go above my new office space.  And of course, I jumped in my car and ran over to Lowes (which is because they are the closest store to my house).  I went inside and had a precious time dreaming about cross stitching my new peg board.  Let me share some inspiration here with you.  These are all from Pinterest.  Who I hate, by the way, but she's a necessary evil in the inspiration business.

WHA??  Paint a cross stitch?  I was just planning to hang some crap on my wall.  Now you're speaking my language!

Is this for real??  A cross stitched RUG on a PEGBOARD??  GET IN MY HOUSE!

And this, folks, was the original inspiration.  But when I went searching I found so much more than I imagined possible.  I'm leaning now between simple and roses.

So anywho... Last night I check out at Lowes with my new 4x4 pegboard and went out to my car.  That mother scratcher wouldn't fit into my stupid little car.  (This is one of those time that I actually miss my minivan.)  I sat there, on the edge of my back bumper for a solid 15 minutes, watching the sun set in the freaking Lowes parking lot, silently cussing.  I called Mister for some practical help (like should I go inside and buy a saw and cut up that board right here in the %@^*& parking lot?) because of course, once I was inspired, Lowes was unprepared for me.  Their saw was out of order.  No cutting on their end.

Alas, I had to return that stupid board and go home empty handed.  Well, technically not.  I kept all the gadgets I bought to put on the pegboard that I WILL OWN VERY SOON, FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS GOOD.

Stay tuned.  Office reno is coming soon...... 

this is my story.

Man I love fall.  I love when the wind turns to a chill, the leaves fall, the pumpkin candles burn, and the football is on tv ALL DAY LONG.  I know that's surprising, me, loving football of all kinds.  But I think it's just the sound of fall as background noise.  It's comforting.

As fall settles in, we all start coming indoors.  We look around, fluff our nests, and ready for the winter ahead.  Oklahoma falls don't last that long.  We sort of go from hot to cold.  But that's fine by me.  I love this "little" town in our little state.  I love the community I feel here, the friendly people, and the shared value systems around me.

Speaking of value systems, lately I've been a leetle convicted.  I've started back in BSF and this week one of the questions basically asked about a sin you struggle with.  I wasn't in my normal group where I should feel safe sharing the answer.  Nooooo, my leader is out of town so I was in with another group, where luckily two of my friends normally meet.  So I felt "safe enough".  And as is customary while you're in my company, I just laid it out there to these precious and God-fearing women.

"Welllll, I love Jesus, but I cuss a little.  Because if you're honest, you know that sometimes a well placed cuss word is FUNNY."  Yep.   There it is.  I actually said that outloud to strangers in my bible study.  But seriously: Jacka$$.  That's a GOOD word.  And it has all kinds of uses.  So I use it.

The problem with all my cussing is that I worry that people see the words and miss the message.  I cuss a little (and don't worry: only in appropriate places and around adults) but I LOVE JESUS.

Y'all.  You don't even know the road I've walked in my lifetime.  You don't even know the crap that lies beneath.  But you'll know my heart if you spend any time around me.  You'll know that for being a conservative Christian, I am surprisingly non-judgmental.  (Well, it's no surprise to me, but liberals might find this hard to understand.)

I know pain.  I know loss.  I know struggle.  And I know the feeling that God is far far away and not really interested in my heartache.

But I also now know that God loves me and every intimate detail of my life.  He loves me in spite of my awful mistakes.  He has pulled me out of the pits of despair and redeemed me.  He has made my story beautiful when I gave Him a mess to contend with.  I have seen redemption and forgiveness first hand.

Do you have a story like this?  Well let me tell you now, that SHAME is removed from your life when you are able to have victory over it.  Telling your story is the only way to really remove the shame from your mistakes.   You don't have to hide in fear anymore when you say hey, here's who I am.  I'm not perfect, just forgiven.  And God has the final say on the chapters ahead for me.  That pain has no dominion over my life.

Listen to this little diddy.

I love this song.  Because lately I've been convicted to share my story.  It's not a story that I will write here, so don't get your hopes up too high.  ;)  But know that if I get that feeling while I'm with you, and God tells me to share, I will do it.  And you should consider doing the same thing.

Do you know why it's important to your own story to share it with others?  It's this little word called HOPE.  Because your story may be the one that gives someone hope to someone who is desperately seeking it.  It tells them that they, too, are worth the cost of the cross.  Their life matters.  And didn't you need to hear that at some point in your story?

So don't hold it in.  Share your story of defeat in victory, explaining how God used your brokenness to make you completely whole.  Don't be afraid, friend.  You were meant for this.

dreams realized

Me, in my Farm Girl glory.  Ha! 

photography by Shar Rother

I'm not a dreamer.  I'm the daughter of a man who held the same job at a desk until he retired and a woman who held stable jobs along the way to her retirement.  We are do-ers, not dreamers.

So when I married Mr. Mister, I was thrown for a loop.  What are all these dreams you talk of?  Please! Put them away!  Just go do your job, make your money, and let us be stable folk like I know how to be!

And yet.... God had a few things to teach me about the dreams He WANTS us to have.

I rode along for 16 years on the coat-tails of my dreamy (er...) DREAMER husband.  He took our family all over town to new houses.  He led us to own rent houses, sell them, and make money.  He dreamed about starting businesses.  And he taught me a lot along the way to let go of my NEED to control.  Because dreams are really just letting go of control!  I can't be in control and dream big!  I like to say that I'm a Type A personality in remission.  God has healed my need to be the one who always had the wheel.

So back in February, seven short months ago, I was doin' my thang.  Working at my job, homeschooling my son, remodeling a new home, and plugging along like I know how to do.  And that's when the dream began.

I was texting Carol about this Little Craft Show in NW Arkansas.  We were both obsessed with it.  We both wanted to drive out and attend.  We loved the idea.  We loved the vendors we saw online.  We loved.

She said to me: Let's do our own little craft show!  MY reply?  Yah!  Let's do it!
The difference here was that she was serious and I was half kidding.

The more we talked about where and what we would do, the more we realized together that this really was an actual possibility.  We can't do it alone, she said.  Let's bring in our mutual friend Lindsi!  YES.  This would be good.

photo courtesy of the amazing Shar Rother

And so Farm Girl Fair began.... in a bar, at a table with salads and wine and hearts full of anticipation.  Carol brought us each a little notebook and Lindsi brought us cute pens.  We needed to plan with style, you know!

We asked questions.  We took notes.  We found areas of common ground on the important stuff.  And our dream was small.  We were afraid to ask for much more!  We brainstormed names for our little event.  We chose a price for admission.  Carol suggested we give our admission money to a charity.   She was involved intimately with the Center for Children and Families in Norman.  Let's give it to them!  YES! we all agreed.

And our dream took root.  We began meeting every few weeks, working through details and inventing the wheel.  We didn't need a handbook on how to throw a fair because our vision was unique.  Let's plan the whole thing around the Charlotte's Web fair we always had in our minds as kids.  Bunting strung everywhere.  Pigs to pet.  Horse rides.  A blue-ribbon pie contest.  Entertainment.  The list went on and on.  And as our excitement grew, so did our vision.  We poured our hearts and souls into the details.

When we began looking for vendors, we called our crafty friends.  We created a website.  And we promoted on facebook and insta.  We sat back and waited.  And God showed us just how BIG He could make our little dream.

Our dream began with 20 vendors and a pasture with a hayride.  But this weekend?  50 vendors, activities for kids, kettle corn, Italian Ice, a bustling marketplace, and 3 women overcome with JOY.

Let me tell the story in pictures.

Wilbur, of course.

Charlotte, who showed up, like a gift from God that morning in Lindsi's booth.

AND THEN... just like in the Field of Dreams movie... IF you build it, THEY WILL COME.

And did they come!  The cars stretched for a MILE down the road.  {TEARS, PEOPLE}

The one and only Caryn Ross!  Sassy Mama herself!

These sweet girls made cookies and brownies to die for! 

 My little booth... not much, but something!

Our pie judges!  Caryn Ross, Terri Owens, Rob Standridge, and Bill Niebur

The winner was a Salted Caramel Drowned Turtle Pie.  Hmmmmm, with a name like that, can you imagine how they won?? Haha!

The Three Farmgirls... Carol, Kim, and Lindsi

And now, folks, for the FUN part.  

That night, after all the vendors had packed up and left, precious friends came over with food and drinks.  They fed us, made yummy club specials, and counted the money that was made at the gate.  This picture was right before we made guesses on how much we could donate to CCFI.  Right before we all cried tears of JOY.  Right before we realized, fully, how BIG our dream had become.  What we had ACTUALLY accomplished. 

I guessed $3,000.

Carol guessed $2,000.

Lindsi guessed $4,000.

But we were all LOW.

Seven thousand seven hundred twenty four dollars.

$7,724!  WHA WHA?????

Yes.  That.

Dream big, y'all.  DREAM BIG.

Farm Girl Fair

Warning!  This is my shameless plug for the Farm Girl Fair.

We are less than a month out now for the Farm Girl Fair, people!  Less than 30 days until over 50 vendors of handmade things come to the Sandy River Ranch and set up shop!  I can not tell you how excited and stressed and nervous I am.  My two girls and I text all day long, every day.  The artistically talented Lindsi Niebur, The Unlikely Farmgirl Carol Bauman and I are working our tails off to remember EVERY. LAST. DETAIL.

There's nothing like inventing a wheel.  Which is really what we're doing.

There's no handbook for how to throw a fair.  But that's good!  Because we get to invent it ourselves!  And we have so many cute details to pull off.  It's going to be awesome.

What IS the Farm Girl Fair, you ask?  It's an old fashioned "County Fair" feel (think Charlotte's Web) with vendors that lean more towards artsy than craftsy, live entertainment, a Pie Tasting Contest (wanna enter?  There's still room!  But time is running out.  Click here to enter!), a petting zoo, hay rides, and a Farm Girl Fair Photo Booth.  There will be a make and take area for kids and food vendors for the hungry.  Yes, this is a BIG DEAL.  A lot of details to be pulled off.  But we are well on our way!  And we're super excited.

My guest room has turned into my personal Farm Girl Fair headquarters.  I told hubby to expect a mess for the next month.  "Just look away" I say.  ;)

So here it is, my beautiful mess:

That produced these, among other goodies...

Y'ALL.  We are having fun preparing.  Check out this cutie from The Unlikely Farmgirl!  She'll kill me for posting it, but HELLO??  HOW CUTE IS IT???

AND WHAT THE WHA?  How cute are these cake toppers from our very own Lindsi Niebur??

See you at the Fair!