Our Aweful Beautiful Life

 Well, as I alluded to in my last post, summer 2020 was anything from normal. No pictures of the kids walking calves in their baseball/softball uniforms after a game or practice. No chasing kids from diamond to diamond and eating more popcorn/nachos for dinner than we care to admit. Instead, we were gardening (still in awe that we were mildly successful in that venture) and focusing our time in the barn. We also had planned, after much begging to let Emmalyn try her hand at pigs this year. When the world went haywire and the deadlines were pushed back, we opted to have both kids show pigs......afterall, heck, why not. #2020 So, we were walking pigs and cows each evening, spending time getting to know them all. We tested out swine in an open show in June. At this point, it was just Emmalyn who had a pig to show - so it was Em and the Wiese boys, with the assistance of Colton & Keaton. She got her hair done up by Zoey, who was visiting with Jac, and was set and ready to go. She g...

I was so shocked by these events, that I had to email Stac, Nat & Linds. I just copied and pasted the email here....because, well, it's the best way to tell the story. I still feel like this has to have been a dream, but we ate some of the burgers the other night and all in all, didn't turn out too bad after all! ____________________________________ Amish. Spring morning. My whole family and our sweet pup in the truck for a much needed “retreat”. Holy crap did our day go SOUTH in a hurry! HA So, back it up – we had offered Jacob a half a beef last fall as helpful as he was building fence, etc – except, our calves weren’t really growing that fast, but one of Robinson’s was, so we did a little swapperoo. New problem….Corona shuts down processing plants and all butchers in the area are now booked out to January……well shit. So Jason calls his buddy Jacob (say it like Ya-cob…..way more fun) at Back 40 Butchering in Rockville where he’s had some deer stuff done in ...

 I couldn't print a blog book for 2021 without highlighting one of the best things to happen in 2020 -- David Kurt Hall!  We were to have a shower for you in March -- postponed.  We were supposed to get to come to the hospital and meet you and fall all over you -- and well, Covid.  David came "on time" but I think early on May 2nd, 2020. We weighed in at 8lbs and was a good sized baby, but his lungs were just a smidge under developed. And, in the early heat of Covid -- there were restrictions. Lots of them. Thankfully, Trent got to be with Stef at the hospital, but once he left -- he was gone. For good. David spent about 3 days in the NICU, trying to bring those lungs up to speed -- and Trent and Stef stayed for the first two...but then were discharged from the hospital. Trent was able to take Stef back to be with David on the 3rd day -- but Trent could not go in. When they wound up discharging him that day, Trent could go back, but could not go in. BUT -- they got t...

So, I'm reading an author who's written a book about storytelling. About how a story and emotion can help you make a connection with the listener, and hopefully - in this use case - a buyer. However, on her blog today - she mentioned something interesting. Write it down. So, that's what I'm going to - as I am home for what feels like the 90millionth day -- because of a sickness that started in Wuhan China, in December, and has slowly crept around the globe, landing here in the US in the last month or so. Coronavirus -- a name that in December was comical and worth "cheers"-ing too. However, things changed quite quickly. What is Coronavirus? The CDC says:  The virus that causes COVID-19 is thought to spread mainly from person to person, mainly through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. Spread is more likely when pe...

 So, I'll be honest. This year, the blog is all over the place. I'm actually writing this post with 41 days left in 2020.......so writing a post to cover January through March is strictly from Memory and icloud photos. But before we dive into April (Read: when all hell broke loose.......) I felt it was appropriate to cover the first half of the year.  I mean, some great things happened in that time frame. We found 2020 -- realized it's been 20 years since I graduated High School, 15 years of marriage, 40 years of birth for Jason. It's kind of a big one.....but isn't it cute that we think those are going to be the milestones we look back on ....yowzers. I've been doing this blog for 12 years.....our baby was about to be born when we started and now he's nearing the teen years faster than I care to admit.  January - March were busy months. Basketball games, school, preparing for spring baseball, AGR Cattle Show, Colton's 12th birthday.... there were some g...

It's never easy to blog about someone you love, and especially so after they are gone. When we visited with Grandma Pat on Halloween, we knew things with her health weren't right, but I don't know that any of us believed that'd be one of the last times we'd get to visit with her. A good visit it was, with tight hugs - a good memory to end on. While I'm not officially one of her grandchildren, and she's only been in my life for the last 15ish years, I know well enough to know that Grandma Pat was the leader of this family. A strong woman with a faith that would move mountains, she commanded us well. She gained our respect early and often, something I wish I'd learned to do with you kids far sooner. Through the month of November, we watched Grandma decline, and eventually, move from life on earth, to life in Heaven. We started December off celebrating her life. Bittersweet to say goodbye in the holiday season, but how we are blessed with memories and stori...