Miracles

All of the waiting for parts and wondering how long the repair and replacement would take was vey stressful. This was coupled with constant monitoring of blood sugar and weekly long appointments monitoring the baby's health. Not to mention hoping we would finish before the buyer stopped taking corn and Mark needed to leave. Along with normal daily life requirements. 

In the middle of our harvest was also general conference for our church. The leader of the twelve apostles spoke about the power of families and the goodness of working and struggling together towards a common goal. I felt good in the midst of our struggle knowing we all were playing a part to make it happen. This year was one that started out focused on our gardening efforts. Summer and fall are made more rich and full enjoying the harvest from the plants we started. I splurged on raspberry canes this year and have had a few handfuls of harvest. As have some of the kids who know they are there. This brightened a very worrisome day. The fruit of our labor. I have pulled so many weeds to try to give these plants a strong beginning. That is the work of my life. Trying to give each of these kids a strong start a healthy foundation and what they need to have productive eternal lives. It is tiring and slow work. 

As this kid prepares to leave he was thrilled that his experiments with cover crops yielded so well. Our poorest soil known for half size cobs to no cobs at all, generally a weed patch. This year the corn was over his head and the ears were full and as big as his hand. In this desert water is the key ingredient to growing anything. Holding water and keeping the plants especially thirsty ones like corn is critical. We are working to increase our natural predator population to combat the pest problems. While the guys team cleaned the combine andrea enjoyed harvesting the hundreds of lady bugs off the machine. That is a good sign. Lady bugs eat aphids. This is yet another benefit of 1-2 applications of spray early in the season it allows for nature to get to work. We are striving to create a year round food supply for our soil to keep microbes working there are many predators that will attack the bad things we don't want we just have to provide the right conditions. So even though farm prices are lousy we are investing in cover crops for next year and look forward to increased fertility in our poor soils.  

One more story.  I lost my cell phone in a quartermile stretch that mostly looks like this. My case is cream colored so not gonna stand out in this dry leaves jumble. We tried locate my phone available through apple company. Nothing. Calling it went straight to voice mail. It was out of service or smashed by some of the equipment that had also driven this path. I know I can get a replacement phone but the data that is part of my day not to mention the ability to call and be called is pretty important. 

I made Mark who was the earlier driver retrace our path and see if maybe we might find it. Bumpity bumping over tracks we passed the halfway point and no phone. We got to a small portion of the field that looks like this. It was another science experiement spot with different remaining forage. 

And there it was screen up black in the yellow/brown completely intact just out of service on the ground. When it was in my hand it picked up service and all was well. This was a miracle to me. 

This has been a long year of wrestling with God asking Why again and again and being upset at the situations happening out of my control. Yet there have been so many blessings. A very temperate summer, kids much more capable and less problems than I remember on the farm. Extra help I hadn't counted on in harvest from Anna and many other things I'm not remembering right now. I'm thankful and touched at how patient and generous Heavenly Father is with me and my lack of trusting Him. I'm thankful he cares about me in spite of my weakness and complaining. I'm thankful he forgives and continues showing me how much He loves me. I've had indescribable peace since Mark got his mission call and that has come in the last week about this pregnancy too. That is very reassuring, especially as this is traditionally the time when anxiety and worry seem to take over my emotional state. Life is good and we are very blessed.