HAPPY BIRTHDAY IAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

24 years ago today the Lord God in his infinite wisdom and love blessed my husband and I with the answer to many prayers.  The sweetest little boy that was ever made.  Now, I know that every mother says that about her baby, but it is true about this baby.

From the moment of his birth this little boy was perfect.  Perfect in form and face and most surprisingly, perfect in disposition.  He slept through the night from birth.  He cried only when hungry and he smiled at all who came into his sight. 

When he was a toddler he was always healthy and compliant.  We joke that I could put him down with his toys in the middle of the livingroom floor and clean the whole house and he would still be there, contentedly playing when I got done.

He was potty trained at 18 months.  (scouts honor!!!!)   He has always been a loving and caring brother to his brothers and sister.  Never a moment of jealousy when each of them came along. 

Here's the famous smile that is always on his lips.  We used to call him "Mr. Perfect" not with a little truth.   He wasn't the greatest student but he offset that by being clever with his hands.  (he could rebuild an engine when he was 12)  He is always willing to help others.  He has helped here on the farm since he could walk. 

In 2005 when his foster sister died he managed to get a hardship leave and come home to support me and to help here on the farm so that his father could spend some extra attention on me.  Every leave he has ever taken has been spent working on the farm making things so that less work had to be done by his father and brothers who were left at home.  One leave he spent the whole time cutting and stacking wood so that we would be warm enough for the coming winter.  We had more than enough wood that winter thanks to Ian.

He served two tours of duty in Iraq without complaint.  While on tour both times he was always sensitive to his family and our concerns and called as often as he could to make sure that we knew that he was alive and well and as safe as he could be.

This is Ian in his favorite place, outdoors.  He has the heart of a farmer.  A hardworking man who cares about people and is not ashamed to let it show and to act on that caring.  He is devoted to God and country and family.

Your father and I are proud of the man that you are becoming and pray daily that you continue to "grow in wisdom, age and grace before the Lord"

Today we packed up the car with lots of food and went to Cobleskill to visit with Jason.  When we got there his idea of a good time was for all of us to go snowboarding.  It didn't matter that his mother has a bad back and a bad leg. 

"You can do it, Mom!!!"  "You'll be fine." 

So here I go on the snowboard.  The instructor is telling me how it's done.

Here I am in the snow and done with the snowboard.  My back and leg are going to let me know tomorrow that I am not an athlete or a young child anymore.  But it sure was fun and Jason seemed to enjoy watching me try it out.  I guess it is worth the pain.

My husband, on the other hand seemed to take to it like he was born to it.  He even got off the kiddie hill and went on to a harder slope. 

Mary-Kate did very well.  She was very careful and didn't fall all that often.  We watched her and her back was never in any jeopardy.  There weren't that many people on the easy hill that we were on.  I think she liked it.

Matthew is a natural at anything that he tries.  He got on the board and was instantly an expert.  He only stayed on the baby hill because the rest of us were there.  As soon as I turned in my board and boots he was ready for the more difficult slope.

Jason snowboards like he does everything else, with as much "cool" as he can muster.  You would never know that he was exerting himself at all. (maybe he wasn't)  Although judging by all the food that he ate afterward I think he exerted himself plenty.

I hope he enjoyed the visit as much as we did.

Mary-Kate is in the musical at school this year.  They are doing Seussical the Musical.  It is based on the characters of Dr. Seuss.

Everyday she is listening to the music and dancing around the house.  This thing is taking over her whole life.  But she seems to be having a great time and it doesn't seem to be interfering with her school work.

My daughter is a who from whoville.  What do you think of that.

Matthew outgrew this tee shirt so we tried it on Lupus.  She looks pretty good.  She looks like she is doesn't mind wearing people clothes at all.  After all she has always thought that she is a member of the family.

Last week Doug let me order a Mantis Tiller for the garden this spring.  When it came Matthew volunteered to put it together for me.  First he looked at the directions that came with it.

Then he started to put it together.  This takes much concentration.

Wait, you didn't tell me that you also got the kickstand and the wheels to it.  That's a whole 'nuther set of directions.

Don't worry, I've got the whole thing under control.  Just get the cameral out of my face and I will get this together.  Thank God that spring is a few weeks away.  I should have it done by then.

Last Thursday night two of my sows gave birth to 23 piglets between them.  But before anyone starts to cheer, it became a very disappointing event.  By the next morning we were down to 19 and then by that next evening we were down to 7.  I finally had to make the decision to butcher one of the sows.  The birthing process was uneventful but the red sow ended up turning mean toward me and she refused to take care of her babies and just laid on them and killed them.  The remaining piglets are well and growing and the spotted sow that is left is taking good care of them.  You win some and you lose some.  That was my second try with that breed of pig.  That is the second time that I have had the same trouble.  No more red pigs on this farm.