June 2, 2011...Happy Birthday to Johnathon !

Dear Johnathon,

I vividly remember the morning of your birth and the joy and relief that came when the labor of love was complete.

Our week had been very busy, and the days leading up to your birth included helping out with a rehearsal dinner by feeding and hosting approximately fifty children belonging to those who were members of the wedding party. We prayed that your birth would come either well in advance of the scheduled evening, or after the happy event. I was very late, as usual, and you didn't make your grand entrance until after the wedding. We helped host on Friday night, attended the wedding on Saturday, and we attended church on Sunday. I hardly had time to think of my *lateness*... you were born early on Monday morning:)

You were another home birthed baby, and I was a bit puzzled as to why I labored longer than was usual for me...I was very eager to finally meet and hold in my arms this little blessing for whom I had long awaited.

Our wonderful midwife and your father decided not to tell me when they saw what was delaying your birth... you had one hand resting on your cheek. They guessed that you were trying to get your thumb to your mouth, and they also realized that your entry into the world might take a bit longer because of it! You were, of course, finally ushered into the world, and you weighed close to ten pounds. Needless to say, you didn't wear the newborn clothes:)

We rejoiced, your brothers and sisters rejoiced, and your father offered up a prayer of thanks.

We love you very much, Johnathon. I thank God for your life, and I'm blessed to be your mother. May God bless you all the days of your life, and may you serve Him with gladness.

Blessings,

Mom

In Celebration

Hey!

( This is actually not Sherry writing, but one of her daughters ~ I hope it's not confusing )

Mom doesn't know about this post, but . . . . I just wanted y'all to know what a wonderful couple my parents were, and what a wonderful marriage they had. Today would've been their 31st wedding anniversary. And even though dad is no longer on earth to celebrate it with mom, it seemed like this day was still one to be remembered. It is still the anniversary of the day that God began a new family, through the marriage of a man named Tom and a girl named Sherry; none of my siblings or I would be here except for that day and that wedding. So today's still an important date for us to remember.

I am so grateful for the years God gave me to witness my parent's marriage. What a privilage to grow up watching such a godly couple in action! To see their steadfastness, their faithfulness, their commitment to one another -- their love and honor for one another. Quietly, contentedly, steadily they walked through life together. I couldn't ask for better parents.

And so this post is meant to honor my dad and mom for the last 30 -plus years of love and devotion to one another. To celebrate what God has done through them. Praise the Lord for this marriage, this couple, these parents.

Because of Him,
Emily
for all of the Lee children

Happy Birthday !

God Bless Jordan and Joshua !

Today we celebrated the birth of Jordan and Joshua. They were born on the same date, but Josh was born eight years later and was Jordan's first brother.

We stuck Jordan with three names because we thought he would be our last child and our only son...hehehe! There's definitely a story behind that statement, but we'll save it for another time:)

Joshua was born eight years later on Jordan's eighth birthday, and Jordan was absolutely thrilled to have his first brother, and he considered him to be his very own special birthday present. Also, Joshua was born at home, and I remember seeing a picture of Jordan trying to look through the key hole to see whether he had a new brother or sister. My dear friend who helped us when we birthed at home caught on camera his look of excitement after hearing the good news. His expression was priceless.

We went out for lunch today and then did a little shopping at the bookstore and at Academy. They wanted to replace their exercise equipment, and they did. Tom always met us for lunch on each child's birthday, and we're going to try and continue family traditions as much as possible. Later in the evening, we had a special meal with the family. The birthday person chooses the meal on his/her special day.

They are definitely their father's sons and are such a blessing to me and to the rest of the family.

Jordan and Joshua, God bless you today and always. I'm a very blessed woman, and I am grateful to the Lord for giving me such fine sons. May you walk with Him all the days of your lives, by His grace, and for His glory. Amen.

Blessings,

Mom

"On mine arm shall they trust." ~ Isaiah 51:5

It's early morning here, and the blanket of dew still rests on the freshly mowed field in front of our temporary home. And dear friends, we want you to know that just as God sends the dew to refresh the earth, He gives peace and rest to his children during seasons of uncertainty and difficulty. Though we cannot explain His peace that is beyond our understanding, we have truly experienced it.

How can we fear or have doubts when underneath us are the everlasting arms? Our full confidence is in Him, and we give glory to Him. "On mine arm shall they trust." Isaiah 51:5. When the world as we know it crumbles about us, we truly find that our God is worth tens of thousands of worlds to us, and our souls are driven to Him and Him alone! I'm paraphrasing some of what I read in a devotional by Charles Spurgeon.

"Be strong and very courageous, and the Lord thy God shall certainly, as surely as He built the heavens and the earth, glorify Himself in thy weakness, and magnify His might in the midst of thy distress." by Charles Spurgeon.
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The above was written in the early morning hours, and we just wanted to share some of our thoughts, and we wanted to give you an update. It's now Sunday evening, and this is really the first opportunity we've had, alone as a family, to share our thoughts and memories of the evening of the storm and its aftermath. We hope to record our perspectives of that evening and write a post very soon. I know that many of you might not wish to hear it, but I hope you will be patient with us. This blog will be sort of like a journal for us by the end of the year, and we thought it might be a good thing to put our memories of this time in writing. We do hope to eventually get back to farming, but this is also a part of our past, present, and it influences our future.

Tears were shed tonight, but the tears were not bitter tears. Our memories were of happy times, and we all felt keenly aware of how blessed we are to have had such a faithful and loving husband/father who pointed us to the Savior he loved so dearly. I think the suddenness of it all does leave us wishing we could have said our goodbyes, but someday goodbyes will not be necessary at all! And I'd love to be able to tell him again how much I loved and respected him, but I can't. I guess that's why I'm telling you...maybe you can tell your husband, your child, your parent, your father or mother-in-law, or your friend...again...and again...and again. And he wouldn't want me to portray him as a perfect man; he was very aware of his need of a Savior, of His grace, and of His mercies which are new every morning. And lastly, I realize his life wasn't *cut short*. I believe he lived the exact number of days appointed him, and I rejoice in that. It doesn't make me/us miss him less, but I/we do rejoice for him. "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Philippians 1:21

On a different note, Tiffiny, Emily, and Jacob are improving! Emily is walking some without her walker:) She mainly needs it in case her knees buckle. They are working on strengthening the muscles above her knees. Tiffiny went back to physical therapy on Thursday, and they had her walk around the room twice. Her blood work has also been good each week. Jacob can now lift his eye brows, completely close one eye, and half way close the other eye!

Thank you for your continued prayers, acts of kindness, and concern. We appreciate each and every one of you, and many of you we've never even met!

Good night, and God bless you all:)


"On mine arm shall they trust." Isaiah 51:5 --- May it be so. Amen.

Blessings,

Sherry
for the family

A Prayer Request

Dear Friends,

The phone company provided internet service for us today, and I wanted to post a quick update. I haven't had time or access in recent days, but I have a few minutes to post before doing the next thing!

Tiffiny was admitted to the hospital again this past Tuesday. I took her to her physical therapy session that afternoon, and they immediately suspected that things weren't as they should be. Her leg was very swollen. They contacted her doctor at the hospital, and he ordered an x-ray. A broken bone or blood clot was suspected, and they were right. She has a very large blood clot and is still in the hospital. She might come home tomorrow, and she will be on medication for six months. She is receiving excellent care, is in very good spirits, and wishes to thank everyone for their prayers.

Emily is also receiving physical therapy, and she's progressing VERY nicely. She uses a walker now instead of the wheelchair! She also thanks you for your prayers.

A friend who is a doctor and his family brought us a meal the other night, and God used him to provide me with some very important information concerning my son Jacob. Jacob was pinned face down between the piano and a large beam for hours after the storm. He was carried to the triage center and the hospital that night and received excellent care, but we noticed days after his release that he only smiles with one half of his mouth. I asked our doctor friend what he thought and he asked if Jacob could close his eyes. I never would have even thought of that. He checked Jacob and found that he could not close both eyes completely. He recommended that I take him back to see the neurologist, and I am so grateful. My step brother is also a medical professional and recommended the same thing. The neurologist saw him immediately and gave him a prescription and eye drops. My prayer request is that Jacob's nerve damage will heal nicely and that his eyes will be protected. Because he can't completely close them, his eyes might be very dry as he sleeps, and dust particles or whatever might scratch and damage the cornea. He will also need to wear protective glasses while working because the natural reflexive response to particles approaching his eyes will not work to completely shut the eye lids. We appreciate your prayers for him, and we thank God for all the caring people, friends, and professionals who are ministering to them and to our entire family!

Again, we truly thank you all for the outpouring of love and prayers directed our way. The Lord is meeting our needs and blessing us in ways we never imagined. People are SO creative in how they show love and concern. His grace and peace is sufficient AND amazing.

Psalm 46
God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear,
Even though the earth be removed,
And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;
Though its waters roar and be troubled,
Though the mountains shake with its swelling.
There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God.
The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her, just at the break of dawn.
The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved;
He uttered His voice, the earth melted.
The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge.
Come, behold the works of the Lord,
Who has made desolations in the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
He burns the chariot in the fire.
Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!
The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our refuge.

We enjoyed reading from the book of Psalms this morning. His mercies are new every morning....

Blessings,

Sherry

Thank You Dear Friends !

Dear Friends,

Words simply cannot express how full of gratitude our hearts are right now. We have been sustained by our loving Heavenly Father's mighty hand and overwhelmed by the outpouring of love, prayers, and acts of kindness directed our way.

Yes, I have lost my dear husband and best friend of over thirty years, but I know where he is, and I thank God for the wonderful life we had together. I miss him terribly, but I know I will see him again.

Yes, my children have lost their father, but he died as he lived....putting the needs of his wife and children ahead of those of his own and interceding for us.

I want you all to know that we feel our loss, and we grieve, but not as those who have no hope. Tom reminded us often that we all eventually meet our Maker and not at the time of our own choosing. We are at peace, and we trust in God's sovereign and merciful plan for our lives. Our lips shall praise HIM!

Our son and daughters are out of the hospital now and are healing nicely. Two daughters require physical therapy and are using a wheelchair and a walker, but full recovery is expected.

If you are one of the many who have helped us, left a kind comment, or prayed for us....we THANK YOU. We've never in our entire lives seen so many expressions of love and concern for those in our community, our state, and other states affected by the storm. Your continued prayers for our family and the many others affected by the storm are deeply appreciated.

Our lives are forever changed , but our Lord is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Our trust is in Him. May His name be glorified.

Blessings,

Sherry
for the entire Tom Lee family

Barnhouse Farm Tour !

From our house to your house...blessings to you and yours. Today's post is about a little of what's been going on at the barnhouse this past weekend and this spring. We had a glorious long weekend with my husband home for an extra day, and we also celebrated the resurrection of our Savior! The weather couldn't have been more beautiful, and we really enjoyed making special memories together. Aren't weekends a great time for making memories? That special meal, extra time for reading books while sipping tea, morning coffee or tea and devotions on the front porch, productive projects that leave you with a good feeling at the end of the day when you look back and see the fruit of your labor....and shared experiences. I'm so thankful for the opportunities to make home the most special place on earth; a cozy nest where we all can be nurtured, accepted and loved...in spite of our blemishes:)
We had planned on having a family picture snapped this weekend, but it didn't happen:( One of our daughters did snap this picture just before we left for church Sunday morning. It's a picture of me and my sweetheart/hubby of thirty years.
The poor little muskrat in the picture above had a run-in with our dog, Tank. Tank won. The little ones will want to place him in their little animal cemetery. Funny thing happened while I was posting these pictures. I didn't intend to post this one...I was trying to retrieve the one of me and hubby, but I pulled the number from the wrong picture file. Imagine my surprise when the picture downloaded...I'm expecting a picture of the happy couple and instead I see the above little fella! I decided to leave it anyway.
The farrier came this weekend to trim the Percheron horses' hooves. They are very gentle and good dependable workers. This weekend was a good time for plowing. The earth was damp in some areas, but we got a good bit done. We have five garden areas this year, and the boys used the horses for plowing where the corn and beans will be planted.

One son found a store last week that sells Lodge cast iron cookware at a very good price, and we love cooking with cast iron. The pieces didn't pass inspection because of a little nick or some sort of imperfection, but they look GREAT to us. No holes or anything. He brought home all that you see on the table, the books you see there, and several others. One of the books he gave to me because I love eighteenth century history and such. I can't wait until I have little snippets of time for reading.
Weekends around here definitely include special treats. These were made recently by Bethany. I think she got the recipe from a MaryJanesFarm magazine?? They were yummy and beautiful. Emily made a delicious whole wheat Mandarin Orange cake for our Sunday dinner. It disappeared before I could get a picture:(
Our new bull calf was born this spring. He's growing very nicely, and we enjoy watching his playful antics in the pasture.
A gift from my little ones. They bring frequent *offerings* each day...at least until the flowers are all gone. Speaking of flowers being all gone... I've had thirteen two year olds in my lifetime and they've all enjoyed bringing me flowers. I'd always ooh and ah and make a happy fuss over their gifts, so they'd bring me more...and more... and.....pretty soon I had NO flowers left. They weren't picking just the wildflowers but the ones I had bought and planted as well. I purchased several bouquets of silk flowers and made a special garden for whomever the two year old happened to be. They'd *pick* their flowers and bring them to me almost every hour. When they were napping I'd go out and *re-plant* their flowers to be picked again the next day!

Two daughters doing the dishes together and sharing a laugh. Children are SUCH a blessing!
Johnathon and Hannah Joy are painting the new window boxes. These are the ones made from the free pallets of wood we get from the mattress company. Our old ones were rotting, so they made new ones for all the windows! We have a cat who thinks one of the boxes is her home, and we've also had a hen lay eggs in the one on the right. I really enjoyed watching her through my kitchen window.
The strawberries are looking really good. I know we'll need a lot more boxes for our family, but we wanted to practice before planting to many! We'll have to mix up some of our raw milk and strawberries very soon and make homemade ice cream:)

Sorry for the fuzzy picture. We have new chicks and some others coming along in the incubator. They should be hatching in a few more days.
The cows and bull are very happy to have the new spring grass. Certainly helps with their milk production:)
Saturdays are big baking days around here. The bread above ended up strangely shaped, but that sometimes happens around here when the humidity is bad.
More bread rising.

Melanie has a seat with a view:)
Love the springtime beauty. God THE Artist!

Our chocolate peppermint tea is looking very nice. We'll be sipping some very soon.
Painting of the window boxes is done.
Parsley...we love making parsley pesto to be served with vegetable sticks, pasta, or pita chips. We mix 1 cup olive oil, 1 or 2 garlic cloves, 3 bunches of parsley, and 2 cups parmesan cheese together and blend until smooth. Very addictive.
Sage has flowered.
Lemon Balm.

The kiwi bushes are loaded this year!


We have some raised beds just outside the kitchen door for easy access. Most of our gardening is done using traditional rows and away from the house. We're trying to learn a little bit more each year, and we're so thankful to live in a community and among friends who are so encouraging and willing to share their knowledge.
More free wood just waiting to be taken apart and re-purposed!!
Jacob completing the last of the window boxes.
Jordan working at the bee hives.


Finished up some plowing on the hill. Emily is taking some tasty vegetable scraps to *The Chicken Concern*!
A good days work is done.

Blessings,

Sherry

This post is linked to Barn Hop #10. Hosted by Amy at Homestead Revival, Jill at The Prairie Homestead, Kendra at New Life on a Homestead, and Megan at A Blossoming Homestead.