Keeping Faith In The Chaos

There are times when life is going well, great... it's as smooth as a calm lake. 

Everything is perfect. It couldn't get any better, and then there are times like these... 

We had been trying to adopt a baby and found out that the young lady that was pregnant decided she didn't want to be pregnant anymore so she got an abortion.  We were all heart broken. We prayed for this young lady and her child and they were like family in our hearts.  The abortion went badly and the girl had to be rushed to the hospital for surgery.  They said she would never have children again.  Our hearts broke for her and the baby.

Weeks later a friend called us with another woman that was pregnant and needing a loving family for the baby.  Needless to say, it was a bad situation and she was forced into an abortion.

Mr. and Mrs. Cottage was driving to take Grandma Cottage to a doctor's appointment and we were hit by a lady as we sat at a red light. She never even slowed down.  We had decided at the last minute not to go with them and if we would have gone we would have been hurt very badly. Grandma broke her back and Mrs. Cottage hurt her hip, shoulder and got really bad whiplash. Months of physical therapy and pain. 

We were expecting a lot of company, so we decided to buy new furniture for our livingroom.  The next night we woke up to the sound of water dripping. With further investigations, we found that one of the upstairs toilets had overflown in the night and water was pouring out of the fan/light fixture in the living room ceiling all over the brand new coffee table.  The end result was the bathroom, shower, and spare bathroom flooring, the ceiling in the living room ceiling and flooring all had to be replaced. 

A couple days later we also had to rip the drywall out on one wall in the living room because a pipe burst. 

The house sounded like a massive plane was parked in the living room which kind of looked like a lab from a SciFi movie or a crime scene. Big sheets of plastic cover every entrance and in the center of the room, huge dehumidifiers hummed like engines on a plane. It was miserable!!! especially when the AC went out leaving us in the heat of sweltering southern summer.  It was over 100 degrees F. by day and the machines put off more heat.  Becuase of the AC and the noise we were all piled into one room all day for a week... 7 days have never stretched longer than that week. 

Five out of seven days a week Mrs. Cottage and Grandma had to go to physical therapy. The only nice part of this was the building (and car) had AC. 

There were days I just laid on the pallet on the floor and cried begging for it please stop as I listened to worship music. And like a wave, it finally let us come up for a breath. And I found my faith had never been stronger.  

It was so hard on my faith. We were walking with God and living for him and things just kept going wrong. Mom (Mrs. Cottage) knew how important it was that we hang onto our faith and she had us write messages of faith and bible verses on the 2x4s that made up our home. Our walls and ceiling were covered in words of faith and protection.  If nothing more than to remind us of our faith and reinforce that in our own hearts. 

Cottage Charm Part 8 - Table Manners

Ok, the next installment on our manners post is short and sweet.  Table manners.

I had a friend that made a point to remove all of the food from her plate that she disliked and literally tossed it across the table. We would dine out, and across the table would go the tomato slices followed by the lettuce and the pickles and anything else she didn't like as she disgustedly announced how much she hated these food items. I was shocked, this was a grown woman! And well, I was embarrassed.

Related Post: Cottage Charm 9 - How To Treat Other's Homes - 

 If we are in a situation where we don't like what is served to us just let it sit to the side on your plate. If you are ordering a meal it is fine to ask for no lettuce or tomatoes, etc. If the meal is burned, too salty or cold that you ordered it is ok to tell someone. But. If you are at someone else's home it is not ok to tell them the food is bad.  And please! Do not throw your food on the table! Act your age, not your shoe size (wink).

Ladies, do not put your purse on the table.  It can go on the next chair, hang on your chair or on the floor by your feet but keep it out of the way of the waiter or waitress.








Please, no elbows on the table and no electronics.  Enjoy your dinner and your family and be present in the moment.  Unless it is a life and death emergency, keep your electronics stowed away.

When you are finished eating put your silverware across your plate diagonally telling the waitstaff that you are finished with your meal.

Lessons From The Farm | Weeds

Over the years, we have struggled with keeping crabgrass and wild blackberries out of our flower beds and garden (we try not to use poison on them because of the animals). These two plants grow like a wildfire, turning the best-started gardens into a weedy mess after a good rain.

Let it go for one day and they have popped their nasty little heads above the soil and through the shade cloth and mulch (sorry Elsa but letting it go won't help this time). It's annoying on the best days heartbreaking on the worst, and pretty much impossible to get rid of.  Try to pull it out and you quickly find it's easier said than done. If you aren't careful to get the root out too, its back poking through the mulch again with a vengeance after only a few days. Grab a handful of wild blackberries and the thorns will tear your hands up (trust me it hurts) and leave you picking thorns out of your skin.

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The blackberries and crabgrass remind me of the sin in our lives, left unchecked it will ruin our lives. We have to make an effort to weed it out to weed it out the sin in our lives. It's not easy- just like pulling blackberries out of the garden it's going to hurt. As you weed out the "crabgrass" and "blackberries" in our lives it's going to be uncomfortable, it's going to hurt. It's going to take work every single day. But when it's out you can again enjoy the beauty of the garden.

A Day At The Cottage - After The Ice Melts

 We finally got out to do some much needed yard work today.  The ice was so bad! We had several ice storms and our big cedar tree really took a beating. This is one of the big limbs that fell during the last storm.  It was sure beautiful, but deadly. I am glad no one was under the branches when it fell.

We put up some arbors up for the climbing roses that we transplanted last fall. This is the area that we are putting together in memory of grandma. Man, it is so strange having her gone.  

A beautiful bowl of eggs from our girls sits on the table.  The girls are starting to lay a bit more now that the days are getting longer and warmer and that all the ice has melted.  

Beautiful pear trees are all in bloom.  I hope the weather holds up and these don't experience anymore ice or freezing weather. 

 The chickens before the storm.  They are enjoying the sunshine.

 Mr. Cottage starting up the chainsaw playing with his toy. Our poor tree died in the ice storm so it is going to have to go. 

Sun going down... Brrrrrr It is getting cold.

Gathering Eggs for the day. 

A few left over cherry blossoms. 

 What better way to end a day? Some family time. 

Bonfire time!

Easter Traditions

Easter has always been a special time at the cottage.  From earliest memories it was a day full of  happiness.  

It is a day that always has a special place in our hearts. 

  

There was church and and pretty baskets Mrs. Cottage made us full of Christian books and music, lacy socks for church and things for our hair.  Yummy organic snacks and pretty stickers.

Around Easter the year we turned 3 mom said we were in a debate over the movie we were watching.  

We had on 'The Prince of Egypt' and were watching the burning bush scene.  Mrs. Cottage was alone in the kitchen and just tuned in to listen. Here is the dialog. 

B: So, is a burnin bush a Jesus or God? 

C: A burning bush is Jesus.

B: But Jesus is God, so a burning bush is Jesus.

C: No I fink a burnin bush is a Fodder (Father). 

B&C: Mama!

Momma tries to explain...

B&C: Momma, will you a call gampa Bob? (our pastor friend.)

Mom: Yes grabs the phone and dials.

B&C with ears together listening on the phone while Grandpa Bob explains theology to two - two-year-olds.  Then

B: Oh, ok Gampa Bob bye, we love you.

LOL! It still makes us laugh.

Mrs. Cottage and Grandpa Bob were stunned at the conversation of children so young. He said we asked questions 30 year olds don't ask. But it was what it was.  

I know some don't like Easter.  They don't approve of baskets and eggs. But this is a precious post about family and tradition.  Let us be kind. 

Grandma Cottage came from a family of all girls. There she is, the wee one.  They were a poor family that moved often because of financial woes but oh, they were close. They raised chickens when they could to help provide food on the table. Their mom made loaves of fresh bread for them and to sell as well as hot doughnuts that the girls sold door to door to help make ends meet. The girls could smell the bread as they came home from school wafting down the street.  It was magic.  

One of the treats she would make was Hot Cross Buns for Easter.

She would crochet them dresses or make over older dresses for the younger ones to wear to church.

She held little bible studies for children at her home. They didn't have much, but what she did have was love and that she shared with open hands.

 The girls loved to color their chicken's eggs for Easter.  Their mother taught them to blow out the eggs to save them for the special day and would teach the girls about how Jesus came to bring new life, just like the life in the egg. 

Grandma's sweet mother died when she turned 8 years old. This is not long before that.  I can't imagine saying goodbye to my mother so soon.  

Grandma's sister raised the girls too young to not be on their own and they started their own traditions. As Grandma grew up she joined the choir at church and that was a big part of her life.  She had a beautiful voice.

When she grew up and married my handsome grandpa Easter week

they had their own traditions with Easter dinner with his family and precious memories of family.

With the adding of children the traditions changed.  

There was church on Sunday and dyed eggs. 

There was a juicy ham dinner and mashed potatoes and gravy.  

There were moist dinner rolls and children around the table.  

There were heads bowed in prayer and little titters of laughter around the room.  

There were egg hunts and great big hugs. And best of all there was the making of memories that would last for a life time.

The Newest Cottager - Patten

Well everyone, meet Patten. The newest member of the Cottage family. 

Mr. Cottage and Brianna were on their way home Saturday from helping a pastor friend and his wife serve a community meal in Parsons Tennessee. They happened to stop at a gas station- can you guess the rest of the story? Free puppies... 

 And of course, Mr. Cottage couldn't say no to that face- either of them. LOL! And well you can guess the rest. Brianna comes walking into the house with a little (ahem) bundle of fur. Isn't he cute?

Sorry about the pink harness Patten...

Daffodils And A Chicken Photo-shoot

It such a beautiful day today I thought I would hang outside with the camera for a bit...

I love daffodils! They are so pretty, they remind me of little fairy skirts. Yellow is such a happy color too, don't you think?

                                                                                                                                                                   They grow wild near us and we would always go on nature walks and pick arm loads of them and bring them back home. The sweetness filled our house.  Mrs. Cottage and Grandma Cottage always loved this time of year because of it. 

Here we are as little girls picking them to bring home.  It was so wonderful to see the snow melt away and see the green shoots peeking up.  A sure promise of sunshine again.

Spring is always a wonderful time here at the cottage.  We love going on walks in the country and loading ourselves with the beautiful blooms that grow wild there.  We loved to fill grandmas arms with the wild daffodils when we got home and see her eyes light up with joy. 

When company would come we would take them with us and let them enjoy the picking of wildflowers.

Here we are again in our front yard surrounded in purple blooms. It is a sign of the coming of spring. The grass turns green and the sunshine grows stronger and our yard erupts into a riot of color.

After a long winter I thought I would do a chicken photo-shoot as they were enjoying the late afternoon sunshine. I'm so happy that it is getting dark later now, I hate how short winter days are.

This one looks like it has not had it's coffee yet. Maybe we will come back to them later.

Peeking in to say "Hi"

Girl Gone Broody. This is my girl Misty. She is a silkie and silkies make great setters. They will sit on anyones eggs.  She is best friends of my 50# Turkey named Winter. She will sit on Winter's eggs too. 

Enjoying sweet sunshine.