Cherish These Memories

Last night I went to my brother and sis-in-law's house for supper and the evening.  I'm just loving these times that I have to be with my nieces while they're little.  They're just fun.  I won't be living at my parents house forever (hopefully, anyway) where I can just zip on into town and see them.  Or maybe I will be living at my parents for forever and they'll be the ones to eventually move on:)  That's a scary thought!  So while the opportunity is here I want to soak it up.  I just kinda like them a lot!

Overnight Visitors

This morning, like any other morning, I got in my car and began driving to work.  About 1/2 way to the office, I looked over and thought something along the lines of "what in the world??? are those mouse terds???"  Upon further observances I noticed the same thing on my floormat as well.  I wasn't quite conviced because I thought there could be no way!  But....

When I reached for my library book I saw that that it had apparently been a midnight snack for a little critter.  Along with even more evidence laying on my seat.

Then I remembered how my poor car is falling apart and how sometimes this piece comes unnatached underneath my dash.  I thought perhaps that could be how they got in, crawling up under the hood and into the car?  I'm not expert when it comes to what's underneath the hood of my car but that's just one theory I had.

SO???

 

There is currently a mousetrap sitting on the floor of my passenger side.  I'm hoping little critter left the same way he came in or gets caught tonight.  Otherwise I'm just waiting for the day when he comes out from underneath my seat and crawls up my leg while I'm driving!

Road trip anyone?  I'll drive!!!

Goooood Music!

This weekend I got to go to two different concerts.  Two very different groups but two of my favoirites, nonetheless.  Friday night I went to see Selah.  Last night I saw The Isaacs.  They were right here in Rooanoke:)  THe nursing home put on a benefit concert and I was pretty eexcited to see they had invited The Isaacs.  My computer is being really slow tonight so I'm not taking the time to go back and fix all tne typos that I know are on here.  And I couldn't figure out how to put two videos from youtube on the same post so I put the Selah song on a separate post, right below this one.  One of my favorites from each of the groups.  I would recommend both groups!

Tis So Sweet to Trust In Jesus - Selah

Loading Out

Ever see a truck filled with birds driving along the highway?  Being raised on a turkey farm, I am pretty accustomed to such a sight.  Tonight was one of our load out nights and so I thought I'd do a little documentation.  The poor quality of pictures is due to all the dust this job entails.

The first picture is the finished product.  I just wasn't thinking when I loaded that picture first.  Semi trucks with these open and empty cages come rolling into our yard a couple hours before load out time.

When it's time to start loading, the pull up along side the loader.  First, we (meaning my dad and brother) prepare by setting up boards to section off small groups of turkeys at a time.  They shake sticks with garbage bags tied to the end at the turkeys to get them to go where they need to go.  Eventually, they get the turkeys to walk onto the loader which has a conveyer belt that takes them to the end where other guys are waiting to put them onto the trucks.

There's usually 3 or 4 guys inside moving the turkeys along and then there's 3 guys outside loading them.  One guy runs the loader which goes up and down to match the height of the cages on the truck and the other two wrestle the birds into the cages.  Personally, I've helped out on the inside, but the outside?  No thanks.  Those guys usually come away with cuts and bruises from 40 pound birds flapping their wings in their faces.  Not my idea of a good time.  Not to mention I would probably get worn out after about 3 turkeys.

I think "Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe" could do a taping here.  I mean, especially the morning after.  You wake up with boogers in your eyes, nose and lungs and spend the next couple days hacking up all the dust you have inhaled.  I act like I'm a pro, but really I haven't helped out in years. 


Erin D, the next pictures are just for you since I know how much you love birds:)  The first: all the turkeys in the back of the building, waiting their turn.

Fluffing their feathers is how they keep themselves cool.  It's supposed to freeze tonight so I'm not sure why they're hot.  But then again, if I'd probably be sweating too if I was on the way to get butchered and processed into lunch meat!

And let me just mention- you should buy Sara Lee brand turkey from the deli or wherever you may buy turkey from.  There's always that chance that it could have come straight from Hodel Turkey Farm.

Love Those Christian Friendships:)

I met Diana last winter at an invite weekend in Taylor, where she has been living for awhile now.  But it wasn't anything more than exchanging names and moving on with our lives.  Then this summer she was in Ixtlan for VBS, just as I was, and we established a true friendship.  We spent our days that week riding in the back of a truck overflowing with kids, walking the streets of Ixtlan, eating yummy food, eating food that was much too spicy for our poor weak mouths, taking bucket showers, getting to know some of the people there, doing Bible studies, staying up late solving the worlds problems, getting to know each others hearts, and swatting flies.  Lots and lots of flies.

I'm really not sure what was going on here but apparently it was something that caused both of us to have the same reaction.  It just makes me smile.

Anyway, since she lives in Taylor and since I enjoy visiting Taylor, we decided it was only appropriate for me to go down there for a weekend.  We've been trying since November to find a weekend that works.  The fact that she got engaged at Christmas time added to the business of life but it finally happened this weekend.  It was nothing spectacular, mind you.  Just two friends catching up on life.  Going to a jr. high productions of Aladdin, going out for ice cream...  But it was so refreshing for me and I came home feeling so blessed to have had the weekend with her.