Don't say it, I'm posting once a year, what's with that?! Life my friends, life (nods head in a mysterious and knowing way). Okay, seriously. I'm not wrapping up last years vacation, you'll just have to live with it .

Last year in farm news, we had one doeling born to our Barbara. God knew that's all we were up for this year. June 9th, my Lanie had a grande mal seizure while taking care of our goats (which turned out to be a good thing, as she landed in soft straw on the floor of the milk house instead of on a hard surface). A trip to the ER and an appointment with the partner of Lizzy's neurologist had us thinking it might be a one off. Some kids have one and never do again. But, in July, she had another seizure, again in the goat house (God is good). They bumped up her EEG and after she had it, she was officially diagnosed with Epilepsy. Krikey Moses! as Hoppy would say.  We are so thankful for really good neurologists and for ambulance drivers and firemen. I think this has solidified Elena's wish to marry a cowboy-firefighter-electrician. .  She's on a good medication and a vitamin supplement and hasn't had another seizure! We thank God every morning and night for His care for her. Well, all of us really. The biggest struggle for her has been me .

I have been a nut. It's so hard to let her be a kid when I'm worried she's going to have one and be alone or something. We did make the rule that no one is to be alone, especially when working on the farm, but that's a good rule all around anyway. Really I have to daily remind myself that freak accidents can happen to any one of us at any moment and just thank God every day for His provision and care. Sometimes she threatens to run away to an island just for her and our family friend Mrs. C, who also has epilepsy and whose husband is also a nut. Mr. C and I usually commiserate with each other.

I have to say, I have great neighbors and friends and especially my deacon, Tim and his family, they have all been there right when we needed it most. That's God's way though. Whenever He's called us to walk through difficult providence, He's sent friends to walk with us or strangers who hop in and out with crazy good blessings! 

Life has been good though. We did get to go to a wedding in Fl and on to my brothers for Christmas. The only downside was the flu, and another sickness and ear infections and.....well, vacation was extended a week due to illness! Imagine, being in New Orleans and too sick to eat?!!! We got home, just in time for post viral coughs and when we were done with that, Lizzy and I got food poisoning after our "yay we're all better again" celebratory meal at Golden Corral. Beware the Beef, that's all I'm sayin'! .

We're better now, obviously, and on the road again in Indiana for a cousin's wedding.  We'll be off again mid-April to AL to visit family for a week, and then we do plan to settle in for a good bit at home, unless God has other ideas again.  

Between Dec. and now, we've been working around the farm house. I found an awesome handyman. I handed him 2 pages of fix-its and he was off and running. Next projects are outside. I've called a man about stump removal and grading our logged yard to get that cleaned up some ready for planting and an area for the horse. Busy busy, like the rest of you people!  

In Animal related news: We only managed to have Nyssa bred, it's her first time, so we expect one or two goatlings in May. Barbara has managed to still be in milk though, so hopefully we can increase her production and begin milking her despite her not having a kid this year. Cool huh? We did manage to make goat milk soap last fall, vanilla -peppermint scented. We hope to do cheese this year, we didn't get to it with the crazy we had going on last year. Hoppy also got 10 new laying hens, golden comet breed. They're very pretty. Also, Baxter has gotten more poodle in his behavior, less lab. He's now attacked every animal on the farm at least once, he's turned on the cats he used to be fine with and he also began running off so he's been relegated to an electric enclosure outside. Next dog will be a herding breed of some sort, something that works well on a farm at any rate.

Well, that's all for now, and probably for a quite a while. I don't have a decent enough internet connection at the farm to be able to do this much. But it's been fun. Hope you're well. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In Him we live and move and have our being!

Blessings,

Kate