I really want to post something... I actually have a lot to say... but I'm too tired tonight.

A New Start...

So, I've had this wonderful plan in my head that involves me going back through all of my face book posts over the past year and completely rewriting everything about our lives until this point. Sadly my dreams are far bigger than my life allows time for. So I have reconciled with the fact that most of a year is lost in story telling (with a few exceptions that I will share as I feel necessary) and that it is best to begin now with the current "goings on" in the Leschorn household.

I will warn you that one of the most recent life-altering events in our lives was extremely hard to live through and I will have to add some pretty graphic photographs in order to tell the entire story. Our youngest was flown to the Burn Unit at Riley Hospital in Indianapolis on Monday February 27th after her boots caught on fire, burning 5% of her body. After a month of healing. no one would know what she's been through to look at her, for the most part.

We were truly blessed during our time of need and I will share the story in it's entirety when I have had the time to completely think about all I want to say.

Another amazing blessing was the extra land that we have been able to purchase for the use of pasture for our horse (and more horses as well)! I'm sure that Rose and Sarah will be snapping pics of all of our extended family members as soon as I give them the go ahead.

There is so much more to get caught up on that I am sure I will not be able to write about everything... birthdays, happy moments, hard ones, life and love. It all seems to flow together when you're looking in hindsight. Like each story leads to another.

So here it goes... another shot at a new beginning. Here's to keeping my blog updated, family members happy, and making better use of my spare time!

Come, Come, Ye Saints (All Is Well)

I have never heard this song sung with so much passion. So, I stole it from cassi !
I love this guy!!!

What we've been up to...

So it's been a long time since I've posted. But I'm finally up on line!!! I hooked the computer up all by myself! Yay me! So anyway, here are some of the things our family has been up to since we went off line...

As you know we have pretty much moved completely. The house is no where near finished but I do plan to put up before and after pictures of each room as we go... All except for the bathroom. For, while I did THINK about taking pictures, I was so icked out by the condition of the "before" state I REFUSED to take any!

I didn't think to take any pictures of us unpacking (who would?) but here's a picture of what happens to the boxes as we unpack them.

Ammon spent some time "cow sitting" for a brown and white Holstein bull calf named Hershey. He did such a great job that we bought him a little Jersey bull calf to care fr over the next year. His name is Reese's... Fitting since the other calf looks like he might end up becoming a permanent fixture around here.

The really funny thing is that he and Larry have become pretty good buddies!

All of the rabbits that we bred began producing abundant litters! I think we ended up with around 40 babies! Anyway, we have picked out the cream of the crop and are selling off the rest! The same neighbor that we're cow-sitting for plowed our garden for us!

Then Abbie helped Daddy plant tomatoes and peppers!!!!
This is from breakfast this morning. The day was so beautiful that I couldn't stay inside! Rose and Sarah were THRILLED to have me take pictures of them early in the morning pre-shower mode!

Malachi spends most of his free time practicing his golf swing with the real golf set that Papa got him for his birthday!

While I spend most of MY time admiring my Horses...

Hannah seems to have inherited Rose's love of horses...

She spends most of her time begging for a ride...

and Rose spends most of her time on the big horses...

and helping her sisters torture the little one!

Update

Ok, I officially think my phone is AWESOME! We have wireless internet here at the new house but we haven't set up any of the computers yet... So I am typing this from my phone!
I can't wait to give you ton of updates! (With pictures now that my phone also has an camera on it too!
Isn't technology wonderful?

Think Positive...

When it's dinner time and you realize the oven is still on from lunch... at least you don't have to wait for it to preheat! ;P

Imagine...

the sun is shining and warm. The wind is blowing steadily and cool. You are on the back a of stunning black horse. You are riding through fields as eagles fly over head. Imagine the peace as you walk into the woods and the wind stops rushing and is quiet. The only sound is the soft patter of hooves on the leaf covered ground. Ahead, a fallen log. The horse in front of you, clears it with no problem. You brace yourself, fearing the jolt of a jump, afraid of falling. Suddenly you're over it. You barely even felt the jump! To the left, in the clearing, is a herd of deer grazing and showing no interest in you. Your heart flutters a little as you look to your right a see a very steep cliff. But you're not afraid for long because you're taken back by the creek at the bottom and how smoothly it curves and curls through the trees. You hear very little except for the rustling of trees and the occasional sound of birds over head. That's when you look up to see the light shining through the tree tops. It shimmers as each breeze changes direction of the shadows and light. You take in a deep breath and enjoy the fresh air as it fills your lungs. Your horse gives a quiet whiny of her own. This is peace. This is the closest you have been to God in a long time. For four hours you wander through the forest following deer trails. You find yourself wondering if this could be real. The answer? Yes! There is nothing more real then the sound of hooves padding the soft undergrowth. The high lasts you an entire week and you wish you could do it over again... Then you realize that you CAN!

Dear Meanlooklady,

You have no idea what kind of day I had. Yes, yes, I know. I went grocery shopping at 11:00 at night, in filthy jeans, a nasty sweatshirt, hair that was so grimy it might have stayed in a ponytail even if I had taken the scrunchy out, and I'm sure the smell of horse manure still lingered in the air around me.
I know you saw that I had a cart full of convenience foods and I know it took forever for me to load everything on the conveyor belt. The price check annoyed me almost as much as it did you. I would have just had the checkout boy put the waffles back but I had promised them to my daughter.
I saw you roll your eyes and it made me squirm a little, but I wasn't about to let my baby girl go without her waffles. I heard your sigh as you tapped your toe trying to make it obvious that you were annoyed. But when you glared at me... and then refused to make eye contact with me as you began texting, I became a little angry myself.
I was tired. My head hurt and I was aching from the physical labor I had been doing all day. I had spent the day dealing with horses, tiling a bathroom with a grouchy husband, and watching my daughter bury her pet bird of nearly seven years. (By the way, this is the same daughter that I promised the waffles to.) I hadn't showered because I still hadn't been home yet. My kids were out in the van with with my grouchy (and now exhausted) husband.
So I took a breath, and squared my shoulders, and I decided I wasn't angry with you any more.
You see, I've been you, Girlie. I know what it's like to be dressed to the hilt and in a hurry. I know what it's like to be impatient and angry at the world. It's so easy to get ticked off when the checkout boy moves a little to slowly for your pace. Its so easy to feel superior to the white trash with the cartful of frozen pizzas and sugar based cereals.
But Sweety, there is something you need to know. One day it will happen to you. You will be caught unaware. Someone will be there to knock you down. When it happens for the first time, you will most likely return to your car; fighting tears the entire way. You will rehash, over and over, what you did wrong, and and how unjustly you were treated. You will cry because you allowed someone to stomp on you. You will be angry and hurt and, hopefully, you will seek out a friend that has a shoulder to cry on. I hope you have one that will comfort you and get angry for you because that is so hard to deal with.
But tonight? Tonight there are no tears from me. I have seen both sides and, while you almost got to me, I will not be pulled down. I am a mother... and a wife and... most importantly... a daughter of God. I went back to my van full of snoring children, loaded up my groceries, kissed my husband, and came home to write you a little note.
Yours Truly,
Erica

Nesting boxes done!

With 6 pregnant bunnies there is a lot to do to get ready. Today, Ammon, Chi, Gabie, and Hannah helped me with that process...
I don't have a working camera right now so I can only TELL you about the wonderful nesting boxes that the kids made today. I stepped in from time to time to help them with a crooked nail or cut, other than that, they did it all on their own. (Right down to putting straw in the boxes and placing them into the cages!)
I could just see how good they felt when they were done! Gabriel practically beamed!!! Ammon keeps going out to check for baby bunnies and Hannah is very proud to point out which nails she hammered!
It was a good day... it was just a good day... (happy sigh)

Blogs worth "following"...

To me, it seems... interesting... that I would have "followers". It makes me smile, but I must admit that I don't know why anyone would "follow" me. Allow me to explain...

In all honesty, the whole reason I got started on my blog in the first place was because I was hoping that one day I would be the insightful, humorous, mother of 8, that knew all the answers. I envisioned women (and men) flocking to me for wisdom and parenting advise.

Alas, after blogging for four years, it seems I am still far from that woman. Being a mother of 8 children doesn't make you the all knowing giver of wisdom that others might assume you are. I seek advise more often than I give it. I delight in sharing my mishaps and mess ups as an ever learning mother.

So, where does such a woman go when seeking inspiration, advise, or entertainment? There is no way that I could possibly put all of my fantastic favorites up at the same time! I hope to share more sites with you as time goes on, but I thought you might enjoy seeing where I head when I am searching for...

humor: themotherloadhome

beauty: Andrew

inspiration: Ranee , fromsilencetosong

just plain fun: formerlyphread, maddoxmayhem

homeschooling: chocolateonmycranium

Parenting: oldfashionedmotherhood, beingamotherwhoknows

farming/homesteading: kellesneverdonefarm, selfsustainedliving

These are the blogs that I like to visit when I am at a loss and need to be uplifted... blogs that I feel are worthy of "following"...