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Father’s Day & Rain

Happy Father’s Day!!

What did the Z Crew do to celebrate? NOTHING! This just about drove Taylor and Callie completely bonkers. I, however, LOVED it. I needed this day to get caught up on book work and get a few things better organized.

It rained early this morning. There’s nothing better than rain on the roof of the trailer house. I know it’s early in the season and we’re already behind on acres but I needed a good down day. A day that meant nothing more would get done than what I allowed. It started at 9:30 am. Yep…I slept til then and it felt great! I’m not going to apologize for one second of it.

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On Your Mark, Get Set…GO!

The transition from “home, home” to the harvest world has always been a hard one for me. It takes everything I have to push through it year after year after year. This time, though, it was the worst!

When we began this way of life as a family in 1990, we had a young family. I was young, Jim was young and we only had two of our four daughters at that time. Jamie would have been 4 and Jenna only 2. Taylor and Callie came along way after this lifelong adventure began for us. Funny how at the time my children were growing up (and I was getting older), I never really thought about them growing up – and not being with us.

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Feeling a Little Blue Tonight (Video)

I should have more pictures to share but I don’t. But what I do have is a video that Taylor put together for the All Aboard Wheat Harvest. She and Jim had an uneventful trip (a good thing) to Shattuck, OK and back again.

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Harvest 2013…Patience and Faith Required!

“Our worries and fears of the unknown, however, do not in any way diminish or deter our sovereign, omniscient Lord. Instead, He desires that each of us step forward in faith. He has promised that when we do so, He will provide us with the guidance we long for (Isa. 30:21).”

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When Are You Leaving?

Answer…I don’t know.

That’s the question – and the answer – that seems to be fairly common for us these days. Everyone in our world knows that we should be getting ready to leave – and wondering why we’re still here. We have the “extreme weather” to thank for our sudden stop in action. Remember that “extreme” cold weather we had about three weeks ago? We had snow in May, Texas had a severe freeze.  The freeze put a halt on the pre-harvest work. Jim made the phone call to the fellow harvester we help. When Delaine saw that it was Jim calling, he didn’t even say hello – he answered the phone with, “I don’t know”.  The “I don’t know” was later changed to, “we’re not needed”. The insurance adjuster visited the wheat fields only to find the wheat crop MIGHT yield 4 bushels to the acre.  Not enough to justify the help of a custom harvester. It had to be a disappointment to our farmer but an even greater disappointment for us. No wheat…no income.

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This is Nebraska Football (video)

“This is Nebraska football!  A tradition filled with passion…loyalty…excellence…accountability…most importantly – family. It’s game day at Nebraska!”

IMG_3293Entering Memorial Stadium

Another field trip. This time with preschoolers. And where do we go? Memorial Stadium in Lincoln – home of the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Another good day to be a bus driver!

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The Wait Was Oh So Worth It!

Let me introduce you to the newest member of the Z Crew:

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Eli James was born at 5:58 this morning. He weighs 7 lbs 6 oz and is 20″ long with LOTS of dark hair! Jamie said, “no wonder I had so much heartburn”!

Jamie is doing VERY well and I’m so proud of her! She worked long and hard for that little guy. My only concern is…will we know how to take care of a boy? He missed sharing his birthday with Grandpa by 6 hours. Darn!

Soon – Very Soon!

I never thought sitting in the maternity waiting room would be so emotional. Maybe it’s the time of day (1:55 am) or maybe it’s just the emotions of the moment. Whatever it is, I never expected it! The tears just won’t quit.

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I’m sitting here by myself concerned for my daughter’s well being! It’s the mother’s heart yearning to be with her child when she’s hurting. Something that was placed in my heart the moment I laid eyes on her 27 years ago.

I know Jamie and Curt were right in making the decision to do this as a couple but just so hard, as a mom, to sit here and know that always before when she was hurt and in pain, I was there for her.

So, I sit and I wait knowing that the next time I see my oldest daughter she, too, will be a mom. Maybe one day she will be sitting where I am and understand the uneasy feeling deep in my soul. The only way to ease that motherly desire to be there holding her hand and telling her its going to be ok is knowing that Curt is there doing that very thing. Still doesn’t ease that anxiousness that I’ve felt most of today.

I tried to stay away. And I did until about 3:30 this afternoon. The anxious feeling in my heart just wouldn’t give up till I was sitting in the room with her. Or walking the halls with her. Or helping through the contractions. Doing ANYTHING to help with her hurt.

I am truly anxious to meet my first grandchild! But right now, what I’m most anxious for is to get in that room and see for myself that Jamie is ok, give her a hug and tell her how proud I am of her!

After that…I will introduce myself to the newest member of our family!