Well, this has been an incredibly busy week! I had a few special orders to finish, including the little sleeping possum. He looks about the same way I felt by Shabbat. I'm so thankful to have this set aside time to relax, rest, and meditate on my life.

I had to take my foster son to his second visit to the behavioral specialists at WVU this week. It is such a long drive, but it always leaves me feeling hopeful and rejuvinated in our long struggle we've had with his problems. We've had him over 2 years now (I can hardly believe it) and although there have OFTEN been times we were on the verge of calling our foster care agency and putting in a 30 day notice (for them to find him a new home) there are other times I'm so thankful we didn't follow through with this. Going to the behavioral specialists has shown me, once again, that although because of his Autistic tendencies, it seems at times he could care less about us, deep down I'm his mommy, and I think he'd just be "lost at sea" without us. We are what keeps him centered, as insufficiently as we do that, in his crazy, mixed up existence.

Chuck supervised the kids this week, in their free time, to get the fallen trees cut up, split, and stacked. With CJ's help, they got the carport cleaned out, and probably enough wood for next year stored up neatly in one corner. The back hill is now ready to be divided up, mapped out, and made into a large garden plot. I am also eyeing the spot just outside our bedroom window, another small fenced in yard, to put together a raised bed plot, complete with covers to begin growing soon in the year, and to extend our growing season in the fall.

Many seeds and supplies have been gathered, and we hope first day of the week (Sun.) to begin planting indoors, something we should have done already.

While cleaning this week, I noticed that Raegan (my granddaughter) and R. got extremely quiet on the porch (one of our blessed warm days last week!)...I peeked out the door and there they were, contentedly sitting in the lamb's cage, happy as clams. I snapped the pic at the top of the page...(note that the cage door IS OPEN...I did not put them in there so I could get more work done...)