Boys Update

Thank you for your prayers everyone!  The boys have bounced right back to life and are already heading back to school this morning!  Please pray that they medicine they are on doesn't affect them in a negative way (it's miserable, dislike it when that happens). 

Nothing much else going on here.  I'm am heading off to a hog show tomorrow, so if I don't post before then, be ready for a good picture update of a hog show!  It's going to be a blast. 

Have a great day everyone!

~Bethany~

Prayer Request!

I'm putting out a prayer request for our two little foster boys.  Josh and Jon are having a surgery to extract several rotten teeth this morning and should be coming home this afternoon.  Please pray that the surgery goes well without any complications!

In Christ,

~Bethany~

Teens for Orphans

I just wanted to help announce the release the new website of Teens 4 Orphans International!!!  Head on over to teens4orphans.org to learn more about this wonderful challenge presented by a fellow teen. 

In Christ,
~Bethany~

P.S.  Have any of you had any problems reading my posts?  I've had some say that my posts won't load up.  Anyone else having problems with this?

Why Sunshine?

"Hope that's not a sign of the way the rest of the season's gonna go Coach"

- Facing the Giants

These words were twirling through my head last night when our favorite doe kid (U R My Sunshine) from 2009 aborted at about 3 1/2 months along.  We were so looking forward to Sunshine freshening as she looks to be about one of our best yearlings!  Why this happened, we don't really know, as we haven't changed feed, given any medication/antibiotics/wormer/etc, moved in new goats to her pen, etc.  It's rather puzzling and very disappointing.  As far as we know, she only aborted one and who knows, could keep some alive.  Perhaps she had so many she was getting squished in there.  That is best case scenerio.  Last night I could still feel one up in there, so who knows what will happen. 

On the positive side.....it was pretty intreaging.  The fetus was so perfect, 4 perfect little hooves, 2 tiny litte ears, 2 little nubs on top of the head.  There was no hair and the skin was somewhat see-through, so you could see each little bone in the legs and that tiny little rib cage.  Oh, and just so everyone knows....it was a buck. :D

This got me thinking about human abortion.  Life is so precious!  I was thinking about how most pro-choice people are all for the saving of animals and animal rights, etc, etc.  I'm sure they would fight HARD if you gave an animal an abortion.  Yet they don't care a whit about the way more precious humans.  Anyway, just a random though from Bethany.

Hope all is going well with each of you!  Have a great begining of a new week!

God's blessings to you all,

~Bethany~

Winter Farm Tour

Today was very eventful. :)  That's the way we want things as long as they are eventful in a positive way (which today was).  Anyway.....first things first.....we got all of our weekly cleaning done in the house which is always a great thing to have done.  Then Dad and I went to go pick up a farrowing crate that a dear friend so kindly set up for us to check out.  Needless to say, I now have a farrowing crate!  That's Dad's newest job....getting that all set up before February 14th which is when my gilt is due. 

Around noon Dad, Abigail, Rachel and I headed out to the barns on a mission.....those barns were gonna get cleaned out. :D  They are now all quite clean and the animals are all set and happy.  We have nearly all of our does now out in the dairy barn, so we should be all set for kidding.  Now I'm am fully exhausted, but it's great to know I've accomplished something today. 

I went through the barn and took a few pictures this evening.  Can't wait 'till all those babies get here!!!!

 

This is where we bring the babies when they are first born.  We dry them off and get them warmed up before bringing them to the kid pens.  Notice the bag of rags....we are all ready!!!  lol

 

These girls are our first ones ready to go!  This is Tea' and Honey.

 

Hannah is getting HUGE!  Some are saying quads, but I'm sticking with triplets.

Alithia!  I'm thinking trips.  What do you all think?  Keep in mind, she is just a 2nd freshener.

 

 Tea's cute little udder!  I'd like to see a little better teat placement but I'm really excited about that udder.  Looks like she's coming in with some beautiful fore udder attachment which is exactly what I was hoping for out of this cross.

 

Just relaxing and waiting for those babies to come. 

 This is one of our prettiest cats.  She's kinda wild, but we can catch her every once in a while.

 

 Abigail doing chores. :)

This has been the project of the last few weeks, filling up our woodshed.  They have about 7 cords of wood right now.  This should last us about 2 years.

Hope you enjoyed the little farm tour!  

God bless!

~Bethany~

News

Well folks, so here's the story. :)  Last Monday night I woke up with a TERRIBLE earache.  I was just writhing in pain and I'm usually pretty pain tolerant.  After my parents put a whole bunch of drugs into me, I finally fell asleep but woke up in the morning still in pain.  So, my mom brought me into the doctor to get everything checked out.  However, by this time all those drugs were working beautifully and I fell asleep everywhere....in the car on the way to the doctor, in the doctor's office, on the way home from the doctor, on the couch all afternoon and in bed early again. :)  My eardrum had ruptured and I was getting a bunch of drainage (blood and puss type stuff) out of my ear.  Now over a week later, my ear is still pretty plugged up and I still get lots of drainage and I can barely hear out of my right ear.  :P  Anyway, so then I was given a shot (1 gram is one big shot, let me tell ya) and put me on some beautiful antibiotics which made me sick all week.  So yeah, that was kinda miserable.  I'd take in the morning, get really nauseated, and then by that evening I'd be fine. 

Well, I was pretty much better by Friday, so we headed out of town on Saturday to visit our wonderful friends! :)  What a blast we had, playing games, eating food, talking, doing our regular sit ups/push ups/weird exercises like we usually do, and just enjoyed being together!  I'm so thankful for that family! :)  It was also my mom's birthday, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!  I love you!


This week has been busy already.  Monday there was no school, so Abigail, a friend and I went into town to the BACC (where I take classes) and worked on our FFA leadership contest: Ag Issues.  Our ag issue is the use of antibiotic use in livestock.  There is a bill that is trying to ban the use of subtheriputic antibiotic use in livestock and many farmers are against it.  However, many people want this bill passed.  We are supposed to show both sides of the story.  Anyway, so after working on that all morning, we came home and I cleaned a few pens out in the barn and went through all of our kidding equipment in the licenced kitchen.  This time of year, that kitchen becomes the "milk room" and I spend tons of time in there. :P  Everyone else went out and cut wood.  We are getting a whole bunch of wood in right now and it's great to see our woodshed filling up. 


Yesterday we had school, I had an orthodontist appointment and we went and worked on ag issues again!  We are about halfway with the script!!!  Today: School and there is a mock contest for the leadership contests.  A few of us are going to go and just watch since we are quite ready to be presenting ours in a contest yet. So that's kinda what's up for that area.


Farm stuff:
Okay, we have about 4 weeks before our babies really begin arriving.  My gilt is due the 14th of February and we are going to start having kids right around the same time.  So, we are starting to get everything around for all of that.  I made a list of all the stuff I need in the "milk room" for now.  I'll post that so you can get idea of what I'm talking about. :)


Stuff to get done before kidding
1. Get all pulsators in good working order. (we have 3 that aren't working and 1 that kinda works)
2. Put in hangers for new inflations.
3. Purchase new hose for all milk equipment.
4. Change thermostat on one of the pasteurizers.
5. Drill holes for a new nipple bucket feeder.
6. Weld together new bucket holder.


I am drying of Violet and our last goat (Mandie) so the milking season is over for a short time. This gives me more time to work on getting ready for babies.  I do need to get a farrowing crate yet for my gilt, so that's what I'm focusing on right now. 


Hope I didn't just bore you to death. :)  Just keeping you all updated!


~Bethany~

Giveaways!

Okay, it's been quite a week!  I will try and get a post up soon with all the gorey (and wonderful!) details soon, but for now I just wanted to announce a few giveaways! 

Over at our blog Beyond the Cover, Josh, Jenna and I are giving away the next book we are going through........"Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends" by Sarah, Stephen and Grace Mally.  Head on over there to find out all the ways to enter!

A new blog I just found......On Just A Couple Acres is hosting a giveaway of a skirt!  Head on over there and check it out!

Have a wonderful evening!

~Bethany~

300th post!

Well folks, here is my 300th post!  Hope you can learn a little bit more about me through it!

Question from The Myers Family:

"Where do you see yourself five years from now?"

Answer from Bethany:

This is a tough question to start out with but a great one nonetheless.  I know little of my future (for God holds it all in His hands) and I have left it up to Him.  In my dreams, I can see myself married, with a job in agriculture or already doing the wonderful job of being a mother.  Yet, if that is not God's will for me, then these dreams will change as he unveils His plans for me in my life.

Question from Kelsey Anne Hoppman:

"I've always wondered how many of your siblings are foster. Are any of them adopted?"

Answer from Bethany:

I currently have a total of seven siblings.  :)  Three of them are biological, two are adopted from Ukraine, and two are foster siblings.  The foster boys have been in our home since September.  We really have no idea as to how long they will be here.  We have had 4 foster girls previous to these two boys.

Question from Emily

"When did you first get goats? What made you like goats?"

Answer from Bethany:

My parents got our first goats about five months before I was born.  Since then, there has only been one year that we didn't have goats.  I guess being raised with them made me enjoy them so much, but really, showing is what makes me love them!  I love the challenge of breeding to get the quality that is needed or just getting them all ready for a show. 

Question from Bethany's Dad (which would be my Dad!)

"Most people quote Ephesians 6:1 which says "Children obey your parents in the Lord". What do you think "Children, obey your parents in all things"(Col 3:20) means for a 16-20+ year old single person?"

Answer from Bethany:

 For a young single person, this verse means exactly what it says......"Children obey your parents in all things".  The only time this wouldn't apply is if the parents are instructing something clearly against God's will.  Then the individual should follow God's leading.

Question from Katrina:

"What's your preference--cows milk or goats milk?  Which is your favorite goat breed?"

Answer from Bethany:

I actually am not a big milk drinker (can you imagine?  you would think with all the milk we have.....) but goat milk is way easier on my stomach.  I've had several bouts lately where I get stomach cramps after a milk shake or a bowl of cold cereal. 

As for my favorite goat breed?  I'll have to go with Alpines.  I love their personality (which is energetic and yet so sweet) and they are great milk producers!  So pretty too. :)

Question from C. Nottingham

 "What do you think is God's eternal purpose for your life?"

Answer from Bethany:

God's eternal purpose for my life is to follow and serve Him all the days of my life and to spread the good news of salvation to those around me.  This is the same for each and every child of God.

Question from the Music Maiden:

"I want to know your answer about women in the political realm."

Answer from Bethany:

For the most part, women remain in the home caring for their family and loved ones.  God has ingrained this instinct into them.  Yet, if God calls them into the political realm, then by all means that is where they belong.  Look at Deborah, Huldah or Anna in the Bible?  They were given "political" positions by God.   Yet, if a woman who is not called by God to go into that field, they are sinning.

Question from Living4Jesus:
"How many acres do you live on and what kinds of animals do you have other then goats and cows?"

Answer from Bethany:

We live on 30 acres, but we also rent two six acre fields that we make hay on.  Besides goats and cows (both dairy and beef steers), we have egg layers, 3 horses (a POA, a quarter horse, and an appaloosa), Labrador Retrievers, and barn cats.

Question from Rachel M:
"What is your favorite meal?  What is your favorite activity?"

Answer from Bethany:

Hmmm, tough choice!  I love pretty much any type of meat, so something like BBQ ribs or some steak would probably hit the top of the list.  As for my favorite activity......showing and judging!  I love the show ring and learning how to present animals to their best and judging is just the greatest!  Learning about quality animals and what to see in them is really really neat. 

Question from Ashley:

"What are your biggest 3 dreams in life? If you could go anywhere, where would you go? Do you like snakes?"

Answer from Bethany:

Three biggest dreams in my life:  #1. To love and serve God to the best of my ability.  #2. Get married and have a huge family. :)  #3. Be a farm manager.  Career-wise, that's the route I'd like to take.  If I could go anywhere....I would probably head west right now.  I'd like to see the wide open fields that I only hear about, and see the beauty of God's creation.  I do hope to get out there someday!  Snakes?  I LOVE snakes!  I think they are some of the coolest critters.  At work once, I saw a garter snake eat a little frog.  It was pretty neat. :D  And yes, I love teasing guys who hate snakes.  

Puppies & a Tag

The big news around here......Sophie had her puppies!  This is her first litter and she started out with a beautiful batch of eight adorable lab puppies.  She has one yellow girl, two chocolate girls, two yellow boys, and three chocolate boys.  All of them are doing great and Sophie is learning how to be a great mother.  We still have to help out a little bit, but she's getting the hang of it pretty quick. 

 Sophie was just exhausted all day yesterday.  She's perking up now though. 

 

 One of the beautiful chocolate babies!

 

The cutie again!

 I was tagged by Rachel and Jenna!  Thank you so much girls!

Here are the rules:
1, Do quick post about the person that tagged you saying thanks
2, Answer the 10 questions
3, Follow 3 new blogs and list them.
4, Tag 6 people
5, Challenge one person to do something fun or crazy

Rachel blogs over at HopeJourney.  Her blog is such an encouragement and I love reading all the quotes there on her blog!
Jenna blogs over at Feminine Farmgirl.  Not only is she my bestest friend, she is one amazing young lady with a wonderfuly encouraging blog.  She keeps me thinking on the right track and is such an encouragement to me.  I love you Jenna!

The three most recent blogs that I started following are:

Amy Wegners Blog '

Katie Wegners Blog


Where the Heart Remains


Here are the 10 questions:

1: Have you ever been to a rodeo? Most certainly!  I absolutely love rodeos and was really disappointed when a nearby county fair changed their schedule and kicked the rodeo out.  How sad!  I'd love to go to a really big rodeo someday! 

2: Have you ever tried to ride a cow?  Yeah I have, but you know old milkers.  All they are worried about is eating and getting milked.  They days are endless for them.  It was a long slow ride up to the barn. :D

3: Have you ever milked a cow or goat? By the age of 5 or 6 years old I was milking occasionally, at 12, I was in charge of milking 9 goats by hand and just last spring I was milking 1 cow, and 17 goats at one point.  :D  Yeah, guess I can say I've milked both. 

4: Have you ever been to a Demolition Derby? Yes yes yes!  That is one of the nights I DO NOT miss at the county fair.  Other than the fact that I pretty much missed last years.  I was helping with wrist bands and we didn't get out of there 'till about 15 minutes before the the Demo Derby was over.  So sad.....

5: What is your favorite Country song?  Right now I really like "Temporary Home" by Carrie Underwood.  It has some to do with foster care, and a dying man talking about his "temporary home" here on earth.  A really beautiful song. 

6: Do you like to hunt?Yes yes yes yes yes yes yes.  Got the idea?  I LOVE hunting!  I'm really hoping to go bow hunting this year.  Woooohoooo!

7: Have you ever cooked your breakfast over an open fire in your backyard? So my sister and I were talking about this and while we think we have, can't remember an exact time.  I know I've cooked meals over an open fire, but I don't know about breakfast. 

8: Have you ever thought that the muck was shallow and when you stepped in it, you sank knee deep? I don't know about knee deep, but I've gotten my boot stuck in deep muck and kept walking leaving my boot behind.  That was a mess.  lol!

9: What is the hardest thing you have ever done? Preparing a speech in only 14 days and giving it in front of judges (and I'd never given a speech before in my life!).

10: (The question is optional) What's one of your most embarrassing moments?

This is tough.  If you ask people about me....they'll tell you I'm like impossible to embarrass.  I'm a pro at embarressing others.  It's like a hobby of mine.  The stores are the greatest.  Go grab something off the shelf that's a rather personal item and go crazy over it.  "Oh my goodness girls, you have to check this out!  This is amazing!"  I've been told I'm difficult to shop with.  I wonder why.  :D

The six people that I tag, will be:

Sandy @ americanwayfarm.blogspot.com 

Kevin @ kevinweg.blogspot.com

Adam @ aintperfectjustforgiven.blogspot.com

And the first 3 people that comment on this post and say that they will do it:)


The thing that I challenge Sandy to do: Go give one of your favorite animals a big hug and kiss for me. :D

Hope you all had a great weekend and that your week goes wonderfully,

~Bethany~

NOTE:  DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE QUESTION POST!  THIS IS POST # 299!!!!!

While I'm Waiting

 This morning, a dear friend of mine and I were discussing God's plans for us in our life.  The discussion involved college and political leadership and if that could be in God's plan for any young lady.  (If you want to know my answer to that question, ask me in my question post below).  As young teens, we really know little about our future.  It can be a tough time for us, as we want to know RIGHT NOW what our future holds.  This is learning time, while we wait.   Hopefully, this song "While I'm Waiting" encourages you to serve and worship our Lord as we simply wait for His direction.

I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait

I will move ahead, bold and confident
  Taking every step in obedience

 While I'm waiting
I will serve You
While I'm waiting
I will worship
While I'm waiting
I will not faint
I'll be running the race
Even while I wait

I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am peaceful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it's not easy
But faithfully, I will wait
Yes, I will wait

I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve You while I'm waiting
I will worship while I'm waiting
I will serve you while I'm waiting

I will worship while I'm waiting on You, Lord

 A servant of the Lord,

~Bethany~

Question Time!

To all of my followers, lurkers, friends and whoever comes at a regular basis:

I am nearly at 300 posts right now (297 to be exact) and I am going to allow all of you to ask me questions about myself.  Don't be shy!  I will be posting the answers as my 300th post (as long as everything goes right).  Oh, and I want to know how many of you check out my blog regularly.  So let's see those comments! :D

~Bethany~

Fresh Squeesed Award

 Thank you Rachel for awarding me!  :)

The Lemonade Stand Award is awarded for being a blogger who shows great attitude and gratitude. 

There are just a few rules for accepting this wonderful award:

- Put the Lemonade logo on your blog or within your post.
- Nominate at least 10 blogs with great attitude or gratitude.

- Link the nominees within your post.
- Let the nominees know they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
- Share the love and link to the person from whom you received this award.

And the prestigious Lemonade Stand Award goes to:

(I'm only doing 7)

Ashley

Rebecca

 Eldarwen

Kelsey

Ria

Audrey

Maggie

Many thanks to each one of you for making blogging so enjoyable!  You are all such wonderful blessings to me.

~Bethany~

P.S. I apologize for the mix-up in the awarding.   I think I've got you all now. :)

Take Time to be Holy

As we look at the New Year, we wonder how best to use our time.  Maybe we schedule in more time for our family, or more time for God.  Here's a hymn I wanted to share with you all telling us to take more time to be holy, and spend more time with God. 

Take Time to be Holy

Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord;
Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word.
Make friends of God’s children, help those who are weak,
Forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek.

Take time to be holy, the world rushes on;
Spend much time in secret, with Jesus alone.
By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be;
Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.

Take time to be holy, let Him be thy Guide;
And run not before Him, whatever betide.
In joy or in sorrow, still follow the Lord,
And, looking to Jesus, still trust in His Word.

Take time to be holy, be calm in thy soul,
Each thought and each motive beneath His control.
Thus led by His Spirit to fountains of love,

Thou soon shalt be fitted for service above.

 

(Note: Spending time with God is not just in prayer and reading His word.  It is reaching out to the lost, helping those in need, comforting the weary.  We are God's hands to reach out to the lost.)

In Christ Alone,
~Bethany~

!!!!!!2010!!!!!!

To all my blogger friends:
Ahh, what a year 2009 was!  This may be a decent sized blog post here....but I have lots to say!  First, let's have a picture recap of this amazing year.

Our foster girls.  They left our home in February.  We still pray for them and ask for your prayers as well.

 

 In February, our kids began arriving.  Our last one hit the ground on March 30th.

Little Ellie joined the farm in early March.

Spring came with all of it's beauty and urge to get outside!

We made 3 cuttings of hay, beginning in May and baled the last in August.

Abigail and I worked at Harvey's Farm from April - August.  We are so blessed to have such awesome employers!

We attended 4 shows this year, 2 in Michigan, 1 in Ohio and 1 in Indiana.  We were really excited on how well our goats did.

 

 Rachel had an open heart surgery in late July.  We were so thankful that she did great through the surgery and bounced right back to her ol' normal self.

 

 I had a great time getting my hog ready for fair this year.  He was so much fun!

 

 Fair was a great week for us.  Here Elizabeth and Ben show in Showmanship.

Abigail did quite well with her steer "Zeb".  Now she is having fun working with her new steer for 2010, Charlie.

 We were blessed to host a fall fest at our home in October.  Over 160 people attended.

 

 In September, we go two new little boys added to our family.  They still live with us. 

 

 October was a way cool month where I got to compete with my Livestock Judging team at FFA Nationals in Indianapolis.  What an amazing experience, and how much I have learned!

 

 Cutting down our Christmas tree for 2009.

Those are just a few pictures of our life through the year of 2009.  As I look back, I realize it had it's ups and downs like usual but it was an amazing year.  I learned so much, from my family, from God, about life, about agriculture, the list goes on and on.

2010!  Wow, it's amazing that its come on so fast.  2009 just flew by and it has made me realize that time is fleeting, it doesn't stay around forever.  You gotta live each day to it's fullest.  That means, serve my family, serve God, learn all I can, and enjoy life.

My Dad encouraged us to write down some goals for 2010.  I'm looking forward to this year and all it may hold for me and I want to share a few goals of mine.

1. Learn to serve God and my family to my best ability.

2. Learn to play my guitar
3. Bow Hunt
4. Get to American Dairy Goat Association Nationals
5. Place at least second with my homebred hogs
6. Place in top 6 in hog showmanship.
7. Show dairy cattle
8. Become an FFA officer
9. Win the State 4-H livestock Judging Contest with my awesome team
10. Go camping with the family.




Okay, last but not least.  My New Year's Eve story.  :)  Okay, so the morning of New Year's Eve, we invited like over 20 teens to come to our home for a party.  Only 2 showed up.  It was still a great time of playing games, eating some awesome food and talking and talking and did I mention talking?  We played "Life on the Farm" from 9:30 'till 11:45 ( we talked most of the time, so sometimes it was like minutes between turns!) and then just hung out playing "Truth or Dare".  We ended up doing that until mom came out around 1:00 to tell us that our pony Daisy was in her herb garden.  Well that is totally not where that pony is supposed to be, so we all pull on coats, boots, hats and gloves and head out into the cold.  We found that not only was Daisy out, but so where the other two horses, Hoss and Angel.  So we started after them but they decided to make it a little more tough and head out onto the road.  I hoped they had headed to our neighbor's house (they have horses as well) but wasn't sure.  So a two took the truck down the road and two of us went to their house out by their barns.  We found all 3 of them safe and sound getting reacquainted with their friends (even though they see them like every day over the fence).  It took a little bit to catch them, but we managed (with a scoop of grain someone had thought to take along). Of course they were all quite jittery and the roads just had to be slippery, so it was a slow, "take-it-easy" walk home.  :)  We finally got to bed around 2:00 and slept in until a blessed 8:00.  (side note; I haven't slept in that late since I was sick a few months back).  What an amusing way to begin the new year with!


Well, I guess I will close here.  I hope that you have had a wonderful 2009 and are welcoming 2010 with great joy!  Hopefully you have made a few resolutions and will keep them all.


In Christ,
~Bethany~