I am afraid it was inevitable.

When I woke up this morning, I heard something. The howls of the wind were back. This week, besides having crazy weather complete with snow and hail, has been a very still week. There was a gentle breeze yesterday afternoon, but the true winds have returned this morning.

75 mph winds are ripping across our fields and howling through the fireplace vent. My parents were up before me and were sitting at the bar eating breakfast. My dad's first words to me were, "I have never seen anything like this." Sustained winds of 45mph with gusts to 75mph. I would like to say this is unusual, but this is about the fifth day like this in our 6 weeks here.

I sat down with a cup of coffee to watch the recap of the royal wedding, and I heard another sound---a squeak and a shuffle. You got it...a mouse. He was trapped in a sticky trap behind the couch. I ALMOST made it through the week without a single mouse. Harland comes home tonight.

I gloved up and got my long pliers. I had my dad as door opener so the wind wouldn't blow the door away. I picked up the trap with the pliers, and the mouse continued to struggle and pull to get off of the sticky mat as I headed toward the door. I put the trap and mouse on the ground and grabbed the hoe. I hesitated a time or two, then plunged the hoe right into his neck--gross. There is nothing more endearing, I am sure, than watching your baby girl break a mouse's neck with a hoe. I bagged up the dead, and we walked him to the garbage dumpster in the 75mph wind. To say we walked is a stretch-- it was more like a stagger.

I pray that the image of the mouse kill will be erased from my dad's memory when I take him after lunch to get his daily ICEE.

I suppose the thankfulness should come in right about now that the wind has not been blowing like this all week and that this is the only mouse I have had to destroy. I also have had no plumbing issues or water leaks this visit. I have had no other wildlife issues to deal with. What's a little hail, snow, hurricane force winds, and one measly mouse? It pales in comparison with the devastation others are facing. I remain very humbled and very thankful.

Psalm 104:1,4-5 "Praise the Lord, O my soul. He makes the winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants. He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved."

White Shoes

Our first family visitors arrived this past Saturday. My native Floridian parents (who wear spotless white tennis shoes) arrived to Colorado to find clouds and rain and absolutely NO visible mountains. Pike's Peak is just minutes from the airport in Colorado Springs-- a 14,000 foot mountain-- and we they could not see it at all. The winds were howling, and they were both shivering as we headed to the car.

Next came the snow. It snowed enough to cover the ground while we ate a Chic-Fil-A sandwich. They were a little alarmed. It is the end of April. They graciously agreed to come earlier than they had planned to stay with me and the kids while Harland is out of town on business. (I feel sure we would have been fine by ourselves, but what a relief to have them here!)

We drove home and saw ZERO mountains all the way home. My dad kept saying, "This looks just like Texas." I was hoping for some sunshine on Sunday.

Sunday came and was cloudy and cold outside, but I woke up burning up-- with fever. Easter morning was truly weird and not at all as I had envisioned it. I had strep and was out of commission all day Sunday. Harland took me to the doctor and the kids had PJ day with Nana and Papaw. There were still no mountains in sight.

Monday Harland left for Texas. We took kids to school and saw a few peeks of sunshine and a glimpse or two of the mountains. My dad asked me if we ever have hail here. I told him I didn't know, but I didn't think so. Only moments later, our car was being pelted with hail-- unbelievable. I guess that was the answer to his question! Next the ice started, then we had thunder and lightning.

The mountains appeared on Tuesday for a few hours. YAY!! They got to see a little of the scenery in a beautiful sunrise. We saw some deer, antelope, hawks, and wild turkeys. I took them to the big city of Pueblo and to my favorite new store-- The Big R. It is a farm and garden and western wear store where you can find everything from real baby chicks and turkeys to boots and hats and guns and horse supplies. We came out to find.... more hail. (We had a total of three episodes of hail in less than 24 hours-- haha)

Today we ate an amazing breakfast at the local diner, got an ICEE to-go from the Diamond Shamrock, drove up San Isabel mountain, and walked around the lake. Dad scoured the edge of the lake looking for arrowheads. It was breathtakingly beautiful and breathtakingly cold. The whole place looked like a postcard.

I think my folks have been pleasantly surprised with our living conditions--- I think their minds are a little more at ease.

I am hopeful for more sunshine. I am hopeful for more beautiful spots for my folks to see and enjoy. I am REALLY hopeful for a continued run of no mice in our house.

While Harland is away I am the designated mouse killer. I have my needed equipment handy-- a pair of gloves, a long handled pair of pliers, and the hoe. I feel confident I could snap a neck if I had to, but I would rather not have to experience it this week. It has been five days since our last mouse catch. I am hopeful for at least three more days.

The company has been wonderful for the kids and especially for me. I love showing them my day to day loony life, and I love seeing those white tennis shoes lined up beside our row of dusty and muddy boots.

Exodus 9:19 "Give an order now to bring your livestock and everything you have in the field to a place of shelter, because the hail will fall on every man and animal that has not been brought in.."

A Coloradan Field Trip

Last Thursday I was able to go on my first Colorado field trip. I have been on too many Texas ones to count. What's the big deal? Is there any difference?-- Oh yes.

Our trip was to the nearby State Park and was lead by real Park Rangers. The trip was divided into three sections-- a grass seed and drought portion, a geological hike, and a wildlife safety check-up. I learned just as much if not more than the second graders.

There is nothing like having the Park Ranger pulling out live snakes and asking the kids, "What do you do when (not if) you see a snake? What do you do when (not if) you get bitten?" She had everyone pass around a shed snake skin and also had them touch her live snake's skin so they wouldn't have the curiosity to pick up a snake they might find in the wild. Nathanael said very quickly that he had enough sense not to touch one if he found one, so he refused to touch her snake or the shed skin.

In the grass seed section, Nathanael's teacher asked our group, "When an elk walks through your yard it helps spread seeds-- name some ways it does that." I can honestly say I have never heard a sentence begin with "when an elk walks through your yard".

The hiking section was LONG and up a bluff. I thought I was getting adjusted to the altitude, but I may not be--- I was quite winded but of course the seven and eight year olds were not.

That night as I was recovering from my day, I checked my emails, and I got one from the church secretary. It was entitled, "IMPORTANT!!!". I opened it and found it to be a warning about a litter of baby foxes living in the culvert by the west entrance to the church. They tend to roam out in the evenings and have been seen crossing the street. We were being warned to drive carefully so we don't disturb or hit the foxes.

We are not in Kansas anymore, Toto. The "normal" day to day things here are not what I have ever known as "normal". I love that the schools take advantage of the beauty and resources around us for field trips. I love that baby foxes are important news. I love that we get to experience this crazy adventure and figure out the new "normal" one day at a time.

Psalm 104:24 "How many are your works, O Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures."

Submission and Empowerment

Well, we took our new puppy to the local vet on Wednesday afternoon. He does not love a leash, but he does love the sight and smell of other dogs so much that he will literally choke himself on that leash. He was dragging my giant husband.

We came into the waiting room as obvious novices, and Ranger barked and barked and was so excited that he wet himself. Thank goodness for the vet who came out and distracted him for the other dog to sneak out. They put him on the scale in the waiting room, and he had gained almost 10 pounds in the one week we have had him. Yikes. He is now 47 big pounds.

The vet has Pyrenees dogs of her own so she has a special place in her heart for these big white fluffs. She did say after she and her assistant wrestled him around for a few minutes that he might the liveliest Pyr she has ever seen. "Pushy" was the word the animal shelter used. I agree. He is sweet as can be and obeys great when he wants to but not so great when he doesn't want to. Those two women took him down and had him in a sort of wrestling pin with a Vulcan grip-like headlock. They said we need to do the same thing when he gets crazy.

Did I mention that I am afraid of dogs? I have been doing what I think is a fine job feeding and playing with and petting him--- even making him sit before a treat or a meal--- but to physically wrestle him to the ground--- I don't know about that. These gals are big and are equipped with man-hands. Ranger settled down for them quickly and became a doll.

The moment of truth came later in that same day. I went out to walk him, and he was so excited to see me that he jumped on me (paws are on my shoulders) and then started biting at my legs when he got down. I did the yelps and gave the commands that I was supposed to and he did not stop. I decided to channel my inner man-hands, and I took him down. I laid him out on his side on the back porch with me over him, and I used the Spock grip the vet taught me to put pressure on his backbone while holding his mouth (like his momma would). It lasted a few minutes and required a few more take downs, but at last he went limp and started licking my hand. I let him up and he sat beside me and I praised and praised him. Inside I praised and praised myself, and I panted as I hurried to tell someone what I had done.

I went inside empowered and unafraid. I could not believe what I had just done. I felt sure I would have to do it many more times, but at least I knew and he knew I could do it. I think I can sense that he knows something changed....something changed the day I met the ladies with the man-hands. Maybe we will survive the giant puppy days and will have the reward of a well behaved companion on the other side.

Hebrews 12:11 "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."

Up a Tree

At 5ish this morning our new dog, Ranger, began barking and barking. I looked out to see if I saw anything, and I didn't. He stopped shortly, and I slept a few more minutes.

I walked out to feed Ranger at about 6:15 and saw a giant brown ball in a tree close to the backyard. I thought it was a cat at first, but realized quickly it was no cat. I got my binoculars and called for the rest of the crew to come check it out with me. All the while, my sweet little watchdog looked at me as if to say, "Duh. That is what I was barking at!"

It was a big porcupine. We went on with our morning routine, and Harland called one of the men we met here (who goes by the nickname "Grizz") who has a little side business of animal removal.

He stopped by to see us and check out the critter. He said they travel this time of the year from the plains to our east to the mountains to our west, and he was just passing through. He said he is scared of the dog and would like to get down and head for the hills, literally. He is clinging to the branches in a way that his face is turned toward the mountain. Grizz said he is longing to be headed that direction.

We had to take Ranger to the vet this afternoon (a story for tomorrow), so we were hoping while we had him out the porcupine would take the opportunity and get out of the tree. Grizz seemed to think he would. If only he could see the fence around the dog. If he came down from the tree, Ranger would certainly bark, but he couldn't get to him. Grizz said to give it a chance then shoot it if it doesn't come down.

Often we are kind of like that porcupine--trying to get from point a to point b and being scared up a tree by a perceived threat, longing for our destination but too scared to get out of the tree. We are just holding on for dear life, trying not to move or draw attention to ourselves. I would venture a guess we have all felt "treed" and frozen at different times in our lives.

May we get out of the tree and run like the wind to the mountains. I kind of feel like in a weird way that is what I am learning to do day by day out here in the land of new and sometimes frightening things.

Here's where this beautiful analogy breaks down: the critter did NOT come down today even with us removing Ranger for about 3 hours. Tonight, just before dusk, the porcupine was eliminated. Harland shot him and put an end to his day of fear and misery. In the midst of the chaos a very small country girl was born. Isabel watched the shooting from inside and became Daddy's helper for the burial. She drove the tractor with Harland out into the field and even helped him dig a hole to bury him in. She had a ball.

As I was saying... we are learning day by day about new and frightening things. Today was no exception.

Isaiah 41:10 - "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

A Wagging Tail

I am not a dog person. Anyone who knows me knows that. In fourth grade I was hurt by my friend's Siberian Husky. I have tried not to pass along my fear of dogs to my kids, but it was to no avail. If we have ever visited your home, you have had my youngest child ask you if you have any dogs before he will exit my vehicle.

My family consists of one person who has no issue with dogs and four of us who do. We have added a dog of our own to our crazy life. Dogs in rural Colorado are found lying around on porches and roaming free on their owner's land.

We researched dog breeds because that is the kind of people we are. We came to the conclusion that a Great Pyrenees would be a good fit for us. They are loyal and watchful and gentle with their "herd". They are big dogs-- males are 120-160 pounds as adults. There is no chance that one would be bothered by the hawks and eagles.

We found a Pyrenees at the local animal shelter two weeks ago, and he was not claimed by his owners in the five day limit so we had first dibs on him. He is a beautiful, big puppy. He is about four months old and weighs 40 pounds. After a bout of kennel cough and a neutering surgery, we finally brought him home Friday night.

He cried all the way home from the shelter in the car, and my kids began to feel a little glimmer of love for him. They have all done amazingly well. Ben even went outside today and played with him alone in the backyard. That may not sound like a big deal---- believe me it is. He has found a new friend.

If you had asked me a year ago where I would see myself now, I would NOT have answered with, "living in the country on acreage, mowing grass with a riding lawnmower, and owning a big dog." I have never had a dog love me. I have never even had a dog like me. Ranger loves me--- I feed him, and I scratch his itches under that horrible cone. He sits on my feet and leans back and looks up at me. I am beginning to understand what all of my dog-loving friends see in their furry companions. Seeing a tail wagging when I am coming is a new thing for me, and it is pretty cool.

Proverbs 19:21 "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails."

I'm in the club.

I spent almost an hour this afternoon scraping one more remnant of our Texan existence off of our vehicles. The registration sticker and inspection sticker that were literally baked onto the inside of our front windows took a straight-edge, goo-gone, Windex, a half of a roll of paper towels, and some muscle to remove. I took off the Baylor employee stickers and our Southwestern campus stickers. Our vehicles were naked. They were void of all identifiers for a moment. Then we put on our Colorado plates, and voila!-- we are Coloradan.

I drove to pick up the kids with my new shiny Colorado plates and came to a realization. I have been giving oncoming drivers a quick wave since we got here. Only about 1/3 of the drivers waved back....until today. Now that I am an official "insider", EVERY single driver I saw initiated the wave. I am in the club.

It was a long afternoon of getting our cars inspected by the sheriff (yes..the sheriff) to verify our VIN numbers and check our records. Next we had to go to the courthouse to get our cars registered and get those beautiful green and white tags. The courthouse was complete with a metal detector manned by a guard--- I beeped as I went through three times. I took off metal each time like my watch and jacket. The third time, the officer said,"Do your boots have metal on them?" I told him yes there is a buckle on the side, and I started to take them off. He stopped me and said I didn't need to take them off. We were free to go in. If I ever need to smuggle in a weapon, I will remember to put it in my boot-- haha.

This afternoon I took a spin around the yard on my John Deere. I hauled rocks, lawn clippings, and trash with the trailer I pulled behind the mower. It was really nice. The dirt was nice. The rocks were beautiful- pink, white, and silver. The work in the yard was nice. I think I really AM in the club.

Psalm 18:2 "The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."

Do you have all the equipment you need to do your job?

When I worked at the hospital in Fort Worth, my coworkers and I would be asked routinely by management if we had all the tools we needed to do our job. My equipment included stethoscopes, scales, oxygen, suction, needles, medications, isolettes, cribs, blankets, feeding tubes, etc. My job has changed and so has the necessary equipment.

Today I received a new tool for my new job--- a John Deere riding lawnmower. I have never operated a mower of any kind-- not even a push mower.

A dear older woman that I knew in Fort Worth loves to mow. Every time I would see Mrs. Allene on her riding mower she would be glowing. I saw her not long ago, and I told her that I would be learning to mow on a riding mower after we moved. She said that it was the time that she thinks the clearest and can really talk to God from her heart. She described her opportunity to do the yard as a precious gift.

It has been a bit of a tough week thinking through my new identity. I am not working as a nurse right now. I don't have that as a part of my picture of who I am. I am a mother. I am a wife. I am a daughter. I am a friend. Who I am has not changed because of my job.

I am counting it a "precious gift" to be able to be home with my family for this season and to be able to ride that new John Deere. I am looking forward to the clear thinking as I mow. I am so thankful for Mrs. Allene and her wonderful perspective on a mundane job like mowing.

Isaiah 40:8 "The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever."

One Month in the Valley

It has been four long weeks today since we pulled in the driveway of our new home with all of earthly possessions. What has changed in this month?

* We are now eating at home almost every meal of every day. We LOVED to eat out when we lived in Fort Worth. We have a couple of small diners and a Subway in the small town by us, otherwise all the restaurants and fast food joints are about 40 minutes away. Our desire to eat out is not strong enough to make us want to travel 40 minutes. We are enjoying eating at home, and I am cooking and loving it--- the clean up is what I don't love. Cleaning up with clean water, however, is not so bad.

* When we do eat out we bring home leftovers- all the leftovers-- and we eat them. Side note-- we have lost a combination of almost 30 pounds in this first month just from eating at home---not too shabby.

* I only flush when necessary and make the others in the house do the same. I used to ask the kids if they flushed and send them back in if they didn't. Now I tell them not to flush unless absolutely necessary.

* I time showers- literally.

* I really only wear jeans and boots.

* I have been wearing my hair in a ponytail or bun all the time, and I only wash it every 2-3 days. This was unheard of in the city. I showered and washed my hair at least daily. Humidity is low here thankfully, and the wind is so strong that tied up long hair is the only way to go.

* Speaking of low humidity, my skin had become almost lizard-like. I have to slather on lotion at least twice a day to try to keep my skin from cracking.

* I check my shoes before putting my feet in them.

* I wake up with the sun at 6am without an alarm.

* I prefer driving on the dirt and gravel roads to the paved ones.

* We end our days (most days) with some time on the back porch watching the sunset over the mountains.

* I look at the stars from our bedroom window.

* I am disappointed if I don't see at least some sort of wildlife each day.

All changes are difficult in life. The new things we are facing here are individually nothing exciting. It is the combination of the changes that has brought me to my knees. I have hated some of the challenges and am loving some of the benefits at the same time. I have had many anxious moments and also many of the most peaceful moments.

Our changes and adjustments are far from over, but I am loving the adventure. The changes I am seeing in myself and my family are life-altering, and my prayer is that it is for the better. Most of the things we are doing we could've done in Fort Worth, but we didn't. It took a radical change to shake us up. I am thankful for the change-- greasy hair in a bun, dry cracked skin, mice, bad water, and all.

James 1:17 "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."

One step forward...

We were feeling pretty confident. The pliers, gloves, and shovel had been put to the side. Then, I heard a little voice yell, "MOM!!!! THERE IS A MOUSE IN MY ROOM!!!"

Harland was out in his office working on his paper, and I was folding laundry. This mouse was a bold one. He kept coming out and running from room to room and then seemed to look right at me as if to say, "watch me walk right around this trap.". Isabel helped me with the laundry and we watched together as we hoped the mouse would accidentally get into one of the sticky traps.

I woke up this morning to find the pliers and gloves by the front door. Harland had found two mice in the traps when he came in last night. He did some swift killing and they are gone, and we are glad.

Harland headed to the restroom for a much needed shower last night after an evening of filling in our trenches in the yard with dirt and a night of executing mice. He got into the shower and turned on the faucet and got water for about two seconds... then it stopped. Our water tank is empty. I guess our first week of conservation has not really worked. Our 2000 gallons are gone. Thankfully, the water man is coming today to deliver more.

Well.... he was scheduled to come today. He just called to tell us that his truck broke down and is being towed to a mechanic. It could be fixed today and the water delivered late in the day, or it could be a few days or even into next week. We are back to water bottles. Thankfully one of our only friends here has a water tank and truck that we are hoping to be able to borrow tonight if the water man has not come. We can try our hand at hauling our own water.

When things are creepy or frustrating, there always seems to be something to help me put things into perspective or at least to distract me. On the drive to school this morning, I had to interrupt my usual circle route because Nathanael forgot his glasses at home. We came home after dropping Ben off and took the other road to the elementary school.

We turned the corner and saw on top of the cliff what I think was three eagles. One was standing on a big leafless tree branch right on top of the cliff with wings outstretched. The other two were flying around the still one. He would rotate his head and move his wings to catch the wind and be able to stand on that little branch. It looked like a totem pole. Dark rain clouds were behind him over the mountain. It almost didn't look real, but I have two small witnesses and a fuzzy picture taken with my phone. We pulled off the road to watch until we eventually had to go to get to school on time.

I didn't think at all about the water cistern being empty or the mice scurrying in the house as we watched those birds. What an amazing sight that we would have missed if we had been on our usual route to school. They were gone when I drove back home. I think we were the only people to see it up on that cliff. What a beautiful distraction from the day to day trails in the valley.

Isaiah 40:30-31 "Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will run and not be faint."

Adrenaline

Adrenaline is a funny thing. I have felt the surge often lately.

There are two roads to town from our house-- one goes to Rye and the other to Colorado City. For my school drop-off and pick up routine, I make the loop. So coming home from the elementary school, I travel down the road from Rye. It is a dirt road with several twists and turns and rolling hills along with some cliffs complete with old mines. About 3/4 of the way down that road, just past the alpaca farm, there is a small house set back from the road. This is the home of the dog I call Kujo.

He is a big dog-- looks like a St. Bernard mixed with something smaller and faster. He has a spot by the road, hidden by grass and a little hill where he hides. When a car drives past, he jumps out and runs behind the back tires. I know he is there, and I know he is going to jump out. Why is it then, that even though I know what is going to happen, I still jump and shriek and hold on to the steering wheel with all I have got? I always look behind me to make sure I haven't hit him. He is always behind me running, and then he stops and heads back to his spot to wait for the next car to come by.

The eleven inches of snow melted into some very wet dirt and gravel roads. My SUV is silver, but it is now brown with mud. I am one of those people that you see that you wonder why in the world they don't wash their vehicle. I can tell you there is no point. While the roads are moist, the mud will cake, the four wheel drive will be a must, and my adrenaline will be flowing.

Today, I was cleaning bathrooms when I flushed the toilet, and the water began to come back at me. The toilet began overflowing in slow motion, and I became a ninja. I threw the rug out of the bathroom, grabbed the plunger, plunged the toilet, and began mopping up water with a nearby towel all at once. The plunging did not work, so I leaped into my room and moved the dining room table leaf which was propped beside the dresser adjacent to the bathroom, and stuffed a towel in the path of the water to slow it while I plunged again. It finally worked, and the water headed back down. I started the clean up and began to breathe.

I am thankful for the ability to move fast and have the "fight or flight" mechanism working well in my body. I feel sure I will be using it more times than I can imagine. For now, I am headed out to do the school run, and I know Kujo will be waiting. I will be surprised again.

Psalm 73:26 "My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."

Refreshed

This weekend was filled with wonderful surprises. Beauty in nature and in friendship were just the encouragement we needed out here on the prairie.

We woke up to lots of snow this morning. The snow looked like a blanket of diamonds as the sunrise hit it with pink and yellow. Isabel needed to know the exact measurement, so she headed out with the yardstick-- 11 inches. Nathanael said, "Well, I love a snow day. Let's go play in it." Well.... I told him to go get dressed for school. He was horrified and said, "Are these people crazy?"

We don't have a snow plow or blower yet. We also don't have a snow shovel. These are things that are our long list of things we need to purchase. We saw this morning that the county road we live on is only plowed to the road most people turn on. There are only about three or four houses down past that road. Evidently our portion is not priority-- I am loving the four wheel drive on my suv.

This weekend we had our first guests. Some dear friends from Iowa had already planned a vacation to Colorado Springs, and then they found out we had just moved here, so they re-routed their trip and fit us into their plans. Unfortunately, they had to experience the 85 mph winds and the dust storms, but we and they didn't mind. There is nothing like being with friends that you can pick right up where you left off and be yourselves. You would never have known it has been eight years since we last saw each other. We all told stories and looked at pictures and laughed and laughed.

What a perfectly timed encouragement for us. I have been missing my sweet Fort Worth friends and feeling blatantly "new" and vulnerable. It was very comforting to have accepting, loving friends with whom we have a history to encourage us toward making new friends in this new place.

By the way, I had what may have been the best shower of my life on Friday night. Clean water is fabulous. Hot clean water is even better. Laundry in my own washer and dryer is also fabulous. Water and ice from the door of the fridge- divine. Things are looking up.

Clean water, eleven inches of snow, and a visit from old friends-- I am feeling refreshed and ready for whatever this week might hold.

Proverbs 11:25 "A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed."

The winds of change are blowing.

Today marks three weeks since we arrived in "the valley" (as we have recently found out our area is called). I am sitting on the couch watching the snow fall and chuckling inwardly as I watch my winter-loving husband getting geared up in his shorts, fleece jacket, warm hat, and cowboy boots to head outside to walk around. He is going to the dumpster to check to make sure the big rocks he put on the lid have stayed put, but I know he really just can't stand to have snow and not be out in it.

Today was a wacky weather day all around. The winds of the laundromat day returned last night with a vengeance after an unusually hot day. We were lying in bed listening as the winds howled up to 85 mph. When I say howled, I am not just using a usual desciptor for wind--- it literally HOWLED for hours. We thought the trees would have had to come down and that the big dirt pile left behind from the water pump man would surely be in Kansas. Amazingly, there was no damage, and only about half of our fill dirt for the hole was gone.

The wind had died down to a mere 40-ish mph when we woke up, but the mountains were gone. The winds had blown up so much dust in the air that the air was heavy with dark grays and browns. It was a little eerie.

The entire day was filled with wind and dirt and darkness with an occasional burst of mud-rain. There were literally raindrops of water and dirt which left their marks on every window of the house. Our beautiful views held sights of seemingly flat land with brown/gray dust clouds hanging over it as we looked through the now brown speckled glass.

Tonight, we have beautiful white snow falling as a cold front has blown in. The wind is still around, in a little calmer fashion, but the whirling snow looks peaceful and quiet. It is covering all of the dirt and the mess from last night and earlier today. What a difference 24 hours can make.

Isaiah 1:18a "Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow."

Clean water-- no fooling.

April fool's day around here always lends itself to our fair share of pranks. I had a rubber snake in my bed--- truly not funny.

There are a couple of things we do not joke about--- clean water and baseball. We are Texas Rangers fans, but I would say that our oldest is a Texas Rangers fanatic. The absence of Rangers games was one of his biggest issues with our moving. We checked all the radio stations to see if he could hear the game--nope. Then we tried the Fox SW channel again (we have checked it everyday since arriving to Colorado and it has not been a part of our channel line-up), and the game was on!!!!! I found out later it was on ESPN too, but we didn't know that at the time. That little face lit up and he started jumping for joy... literally. Then he got to see his favorite player hit a lead off home run. No matter the outcome of the game, the season has started with a bang and their number one fan was pumped up.

Speaking of pumps, another serious thing in this house is water. Clean water is still in the works, but we are getting close. The water man is still working on pipes and pumps, but the cistern is repaired and filled with city water. It has no color. It has no odor. It is beautiful. Our hot water heater is so corroded that the hot water still stinks, but we have a new one in the basement waiting for the plumber to come tomorrow or Monday to install now that the water is clean. We are almost there.

I have been calling our repairman the "water man", but he is actually more of a "water pump system specialist". Now, the man who brought us 2000 gallons of city water to put in our cistern this morning is really the water man. His business card actually says, "The Water Man"-very funny. No matter their titles, I am very thankful for both of them.

It has been a long 19 days of using bottled water, and I plan to get a long and hot shower and to shave my legs and condition my hair...twice. I plan to use more than one gallon--- but I hope I use less than 2000.

Ezekiel 36:25a "I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean."