Hello 2016!

Isaiah 43:19

For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.

This verse was on my Bible app this morning, and I thought it was a nice pick for the first day of the new year.  As we look back on 2015, many people (including us) remember good times along with many challenges.  This verse reminds us that God is always working, always providing.  He might not work when, how or where you want Him too, but He is always at work.  Faith is not about everything turning out okay. Faith is about being okay no matter how things work out.  Nice dose of reality, for sure.

Over the holiday season we had a nice little surprise. The day after Christmas Betty had a lamb. We were surprised that she only had one, but he's pretty cute.  He will be just the right size and age for the surrounding county fairs this summer (hint, hint 4-hers....).  We have two more ewes that are expecting this year.

The end of a calendar year is also a great time to evaluate how you did on the previous year's goals, and set new ones for the upcoming year.  Let it be said, however, that God offers a new start every day that you wake up here on earth. If you have not made your goals yet, there is still time.  Any day can be the first day.  Last year I didn't make many personal goals.  One major goal was to run 500 miles in '15. I'm grateful to report that I stayed healthy enough to log 573.53!

I have been much more intentional about goal planning this year.  It is suggested, for success, that goals be measurable, specific, and written down.  Over the past month I have thought about some areas that I want to focus on in terms of personal development.  One thing I did differently this year is write them down-with spots to fill in the accomplishment and milestones along the way.  I hung the goal sheet right behind my computer, where I can see it everyday.

I am working on educational goals, financial goals, fitness goals, family goals...I tried to cover all the areas.  While my spiritual goals are not on this sheet, I have made it a habit to read a proverb and a psalm per day, and work on an additional book of the Bible.  Spiritual growth is hard to measure. One doesn't really know what God is planning on teaching you, or how He plans to improve upon his creation.

This morning I kicked off 2016 with a 5k!  Today I ran the Resolution 5k, hosted by Our Saviour Lutheran.  While it was very slippery, windy, and cold, I managed a 25:37.  The time isn't anything close to a PR, but I was pleased to just be able to finish without falling!

As you write down your goals for this year, remember this one thing:

Go Get 'Em!

Wishing you the best for 2016...your best effort, your best foot forward, your best work.  Your "best" may not be another's "best"....but it's yours!

Farmer's Day Off

Last week, Rick and Kid #1 took a day off.  What do farmers do on their day off?  Most likely something related to farming.  This time it was the Ft. Wayne Farm Show.  For many years now Rick has made this annual trip with some other seasoned farmers.

A day off constitutes not having to work during daylight hours, so Kid #1 helped with morning chores before they left.  He did an extra day of school during Christmas break to make up for being gone.

This year I sent the camera with them.  Along with oodles of pencils, notepads, and little gadgets, they brought home a couple of snapshots.

While they did this....

I did this.

One of our team members and I did afternoon chores.  I had a sitter for the other kids, and we all enjoyed the change in pace from our regular afternoon schedule. 

Saturday night we had a great time at the Friends of 4-H dinner.  This annual fundraiser is planned, organized, and hosted by volunteers (read :4-H parents) and is always a lot of fun. Along with a excellent meal there is entertainment, games, and a silent auction.  It is so much fun to see your former fellow 4-Hers compete against each other in silly competitions...it takes you right back to fair. So take heart current 4-Hers: if you can't beat them now, there's still time!

We went home with some neat items from the auction including some movie tickets, a food stand gift certificate, local honey, and some tools.  All very useful items-and none of them will clutter up the house! Win!

These next couple of weeks will be spent doing normal chores outside, prepping for dry-up, and finishing up all the business related tasks involved with self employment.  I'm happy to say we've got our balance sheet, cash flow projection, 2014 inventory, CSP records, and W-2s done!  Now onto 1099s, our tax appointment worksheets/summary, and finally getting a year end summary to the bank. If there was one month I would trade Employer for Employee....it would be January!

Happy Tax Season!
I think I'll start planning MY day off! :)
-Terri

Running Times

If you have been following me or the farm facebook page at all, you already know that my brother and I (and some others) have taken on a little running challenge this year.  In February we joined the Borgess Run Camp.  Each week my brother ran with our "team" of like-pace runners, while I followed the scheduled workouts at home on the treadmill.  I live about 1.5 hours from the actual camp.  The Finale of the camp was the Borgess Run For The Health Of It 5k.  Since then we've been running about one 5k per month to stay motivated.

It has been about 17 years since I ran regularly.  My freshman through Junior year of high school I was on the cross country team.  I was never one of the top runners, but I worked hard. My freshman year I had two coaches.  One of them said to me, "you'll probably never be a fantastic runner."  Ouch.  Now was he being mean? Not really-it was a truthful statement.  I will never run for living, and Nike won't be sponsoring me in any events.  But 17 years later I still remember him saying that.  The assistant coach, who became head coach after that year, had a different style.  He focused on training each team member to reach their absolute best-even if that wasn't considered fantastic in the running world.  He would give you tips on how to run better, faster, and smarter.  He didn't focus on what you weren't-he focused on what you could be.

One of my favorite meets was the Eastern Invitational.  Both my mom and my dad were there, which was special. Dad didn't always make it to the meets.  I remember my dad saying to me, "If you run a 24:00 or less, I'll milk for you this afternoon."  That was a tall order.  At the time I was running between a 25:00 and 26:00 5k.  It was worth a shot.

Dad and me-do you see the deal in the making?

I had a fast start-my fastest mile time ever, a 7:06.  I remember focusing on trying to pass people, one at a time.  I come up to another team member, Kelly, and together we passed about three girls.  Then I went on.  I was feeling great.  In my head I could hear Coach Sackrider yelling, "lengthen your stride!" "get your breathing under control!" "attack the hill!" and other phrases he said regularly.  The best part though was when I came around one of the last curves.  He started jumping up and down, yelling really loudly, "Go, Terri Go! You want to run a 23????? You want a 23???" That was what he said, but his face said "Holy crap girl where did you come from?"  To say he looked surprised is an understatement.

I didn't run a 23:00-but I was close. I ran a 24:01.  My best time ever.  And guess who milked that afternoon? I did.

When I run, I have a choice. I can listen to my first coach, or I can listen to my second coach.  I can focus on what I will never be, or I can focus on doing my best.

Who will you listen to?  Better yet, which type of person will you be?

Our county fair is coming up shortly.  I have spent hours upon hours with the boys and their prospect beef calves.  I have given them tips,  suggestions, demonstrations, and shared with them every thing I know.  We took them to the practice night so they could hear everything the leaders know.  No matter how much coaching they receive, they may never be the top showman.  They could go their whole 4-H career without a trophy.  But I will not say that to them.  I will always leave that door open in their mind, with encouraging words to help them reach their potential.  I told them all I wanted them to do was their best.  No matter what happens on show day, they won't have to milk in the afternoon (ha ha ha- I had to throw that in there, Dad).

Like the old saying about a horse and water....you can take them to the county fair, but you can't make them win.

Good luck to all the 4-Hers this week.  No matter what you do in life, listen to the people who believe in you and lift you up with encouraging words and helpful hints.  I am 34 years old, and running again.  I'm running a 26:18 5k and as soon as Rick says he'll milk for me, I just might run a little faster!

I'm second from the left.  My last year of showing I won Grand Champion Senior Showman for Prospect Beef. Sometimes, when the kids don't want to listen to you, the photos come out. :)

4-H: "To Make the Best Better"

We just wrapped up the 2013 Clinton County 4-H & Youth Fair.  I think I can speak for a lot of people when I say it's always bittersweet.  As tired as everyone is,  it's a little sad when it's over...  Just ask my oldest son.

I reminded him that it had been 15 years since I have been actively involved in the fair, and yet here I was again. I told him he can be involved for as long as he wants....his lifetime, possibly.  I think that helped...a little.

Our oldest, now a regular 4-Her, did well at the fair this year.  There were no trophies or rosettes, but he did get all "A" rankings on his model, diorama, fudge, and performing arts.

More importantly than that, we learned (and demonstrated) a huge lesson on not giving up, and finishing the job, no matter what.

Clover, the 4-H calf, created quite the spectacle at the fair.  At home our oldest practiced leading him around, setting up his legs (lining his feet up square or staggered, as if showing in the show ring), and holding his head up high.  He practiced almost every day. 

Clover must have been a bit nervous at the fair.  When it came time for novice showmanship, They entered the ring. The first 30 seconds went great.  Then it all went downhill from there. Clover pranced around and jumped...on our son! More than once, he would practically get his front legs on his shoulders. At 442 lbs., he was no longer a little calf, and it took a lot of arm strength to get him under control. Each time Clover would jump, the crowd would gasp, our son would stagger or stumble, and then regain control and continue to show him, staring down the judge, holding the calf's head high, and giving it all he had.  He never quit. Clover jumped and jumped, many times, and our son continued on.  In fact, he made it into the final round of showmanship.

As he  came out of the ring the first time, we consoled  him. We encouraged him. We gave him pep talks.  We told him he had to go in the ring again. The look on his face...

It got worse, and he continued.  I offered him an out. As he passed by me, I told him he could quit.  He said no, and kept going.  At the end of the show, he placed last in the final round, but what he learned and what we learned from him was just as important as winning. The judge pointed out how he never quit.  He said he knew when he first walked into the ring that he was going to be in the final.  When the animal acted up, he never quit. He kept showing Clover the best that he could, until the show was done. The crowd clapped.  We cried.

If all our son learns from 4-H is to never quit until the job is done, even when it's hard, then its been worth it. 

Pictures from the show:

Before Showmanship

Staring that judge down....

Zach, the show ring helper (black sweatshirt), stays close to help out when needed.

Zach, now making the rounds with our son & Clover....

Our second son with a borrowed calf for Cloverbud showmanship

So proud of our boys!

Thanks to all the volunteers this past week.  Your efforts help kids like our boys learn life-long skills and lessons in character, work ethic, integrity, and responsibility, just to name a few.  You make a difference!

-Terri

4-H: 30 years down, 20 to go!

 This past week our oldest took his first prospect beef to the spring weigh in. "Weigh-in" is like a registration event for all the prospect beef that will attend the Clinton County 4-H and Youth Fair the last week of July.  At the event the department leadership tag the calf, vaccinate them for shipping fever, check to make sure they are castrated, and weigh them, of course.  The weight helps the 4-H member judge how the animal is growing, and how much more growth the animal needs to meet the weight requirements for the fair.  "Clover" came in at 225 lbs.  Off to a good start!

 Many people do not realize how many volunteers it takes to run the county 4-H program. There are organizational leaders, project leaders, department chairs, superintendents, fair board members, committee members, fair council members, and it goes on and on.  Very few people involved in 4-H get paid for their time and investment into helping our neighborhood youth become better people.  These volunteers live out the 4-H pledge with their creative minds, loyalty to the program,  and continued service all in an effort to make this a better community, country and world.

 My siblings and I have been involved in 4-H for over 30 years now.  Its not surprising since my parents were also involved in 4-H. My mom often recalls entering her projects at the fair, and how much fun she had. She once said that she couldn't even remember how well she did on them, just how much fun it was.  I recon that was probably because the projects were not the most important thing at the fair. Turns out my dad was!  When my mom worked her "fair job" (remember-the fair is mostly ALL volunteers, including the youth!) She sold milk at the milk stand at the Ingham county fair in Mason.  My dad, noticing her, drank a lot of milk that day.  A LOT.  The rest is history. They've been married over 40 years now.  4-H does that to people. 
     This was the first weigh in for me in 15 years, although it may as well have been yesterday.  In some ways a lot has changed, but in others, not so much.  The tack box is in the basement, ready to go (never unpacked from 1998...).  Later this summer we'll pull out the clippers, shine up the halters, and go to the fair.  For the next 20 years.

-Terri