The Big White Farmhouse

We’ve run into a hard couple of weeks for various reasons and it’s so easy to get frustrated or discouraged or sad.  I recently heard the term “magnify the good” on another blog and it was like a lightbulb went on: I need to refocus.  Five things I’m grateful for right now:

1 // I’m grateful that our hens survived multiple hawk attacks and that we found a solution to keep them safe.
We’ve had a string of really bad luck with our sweet ladies.  After months and months of safely enjoying a fairly large yard (fenced off, but not covered), we had three hawk attacks that killed two and wounded two.  It was fairly traumatic for the little kids and hugely frustrating for me.  After the third attack, we kept the wounded ones in our garage and the rest shut up in their tiny coop enclosure, but it wasn’t ideal.  Thankfully, we had a little money set aside for farm needs and found a covered run, which will be arriving soon.  In the meantime, we created a temporary solution with a tighter fence and netting on top.  It’s not charming or even remotely pretty, but it will keep the flock safe.

2 // I’m grateful for the opportunity to homeschool my children.
There’s a host of reasons why we homeschool our children and while it’s a huge responsibility, I’m growing in confidence and starting to see the fruit of this labor of love.

3 // I’m grateful for my home.
Years ago, I spent much too long comparing my home to the pretty pictures I saw on the Internet.  All that caused was discontent, a laundry list of home improvement projects, and a wishlist full of new things to buy.  How I wish I had known that a decluttered space, furnished simply but with the right pieces (thought through and intentionally chosen) would make all the difference!  Now the small, easy home improvements bring me so much joy.  I recently bought a few more new door knobs for my master bedroom and bathroom.  (I’m slowly replacing the ones that came with the house with a round, matte black option.)  Inexpensive and I love the change.  I still have a list of projects, but am quite content with my home in the meantime.

4 // I’m grateful for my daughter’s love of reading.
We are a family working with dyslexia and learning delays, but even though reading is a big struggle, we’re not quitters!  My daughter is the latest child to push through that barrier until it suddenly clicks.  And now she’s reading everything!  Her nose is almost always in a book these days.

5 // I’m grateful for our generator and the work we’ve put into self-sufficiency.
We lost power right after midnight early in the week after a tree knocked out a power line.  It took ten hours for them to fix the problem.  A few years ago, that would have thrown me into anxiety and fear: Where are the flashlights?  Do we even have batteries?  Will we lose all the food in our fridge and deep freezer?  How will we water the animals?  I’m so thankful that we’ve prioritized self-sufficiency out here in the country and these issues, while annoying, are just a blip and we can continue on with our day.

Honorable mentions: warm sun and cool temperatures following days upon days of rain, sunflowers finally blooming, an “unputdownable” book, watching little friendships emerge between siblings, a good night’s sleep