Thankful Thursday: April 21

Another work week is almost gone. I can't believe how cram packed it has been and how fast it has flown! To those who were excited to visit my etsy shop, I'm sorry that I'm so slow in delivering the goods. This week has been too full to add one more thing. I promise to have it up and running by next Tuesday - perhaps Monday, so be watching.

This week has been a good one for me and there is much to be grateful for.

I'm thankful for:

- Steve. For his generous helping to get the chicken coop up; for buying & setting up my domain name (I bought MerrieMelody.com - it is still in the works); for being patient when I am grouchy; for encouraging me to be my best. He is an excellent cheerleader! So glad that he sticks with me.

- That the mama goat, Ellie, had her babies and that all three of them are safe and healthy.

- That we got a totally enclosed chicken coop finished last weekend!!



(pay no attention to the IFA sign and pallet resting against the fence post - it was used as a door to keep them penned in at night - they aren't smart enough to realize where they are supposed to go, so I make'em. Also, the green 5 gallon bucket is the make-shift nesting box where they lay their eggs for now. I am planning on building some nesting boxes and adding a trap door on the side to gather the eggs so that Matt & I don't actually have to get into the coop to gather eggs.) It is made with 5 pallets, two 8' length tin roof panels, rust-proof screws for all assembly; for the tin roof, we used rubber washers and regular washers along with the rust proof screws; for now, we are using plastic sheeting to keep the weather out of the building, but it will be replaced; the run has 6' t-posts on the sides with a 7' t-post as a cross piece. They are lashed together with wire. Then we used 1"x4" x 5' field fencing, cutting, wrapping, and attaching the top with wire. I'm sure that there will be some adjustments made as time wears on, but it is holding all of the chickens in and they seem pleased with their new home.

With Easter Sunday coming up this weekend, I'll add that I am very thankful for the atonement and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I'm thankful for the life that he lived, to show me how to treat others. I fall short of that type of love & kindness very often, but because of the atonement, I can be forgiven of my shortcomings as I keep trying to get it right. I'm so thankful to know that things don't just end for me when I die. That I will keep on learning and progressing forever, and because of the resurrection, I will be able to have my body and spirit reunited after death, never to be separated again, after Christ comes again.

For Easter, we are planning on having a nice dinner on Sunday with Josh, Karen and Aiden, but because Josh has to be to work at 1:30 and our church doesn't get out until 2... I'm trying to figure out all of the details. Amber & Tino's plans are to come by on Saturday. That means that they will be here for the party stuff like the scavenger hunt and coloring Easter eggs. Steve & I had an agreement that we would focus on the resurrection on Easter Sunday instead of having the Easter bunny come, so consequently, we do the Easter candy on Saturday and the dinner on Sunday. It works for us. :)

What about you? Any fun plans and traditions at your home?