The Loves Of My Life: March 2025

What a difference the warmer temperatures make. I’m thrilled we are coming out of winter soon and into Springtime. Having temps like lottery numbers 36 77 22 64 11 is not like hitting the jackpot. It’s more like a combo to a lock that takes you to the thermostat on the wall in your home bouncing between Heat, AC, wait Heat, now AC, oh dang Heat again, on unrelenting repeat. And how about these storms we've gotten lately? I am learning many new things about my new house when the big storms hit with the hard wind and driving rains.

But first.....

Lauren and her family are enjoying their new home in Gunter, as is Brooks.

I love the green they picked 💚

Look at that sweet boy who loves to help,
and loves cows for neighbors

The thing about building on land means there's sidewalks to make, sod to put down and a gravel road to be made so that your cars don't get stuck in the mud/dirt. They've been busy doing those things - and many more things.

And inside the house....

Brooks' Room

View out the front of their living room window

Dining Room

Living room (a portion of it)

What I love about moving into a new place is getting all your belongings in there....then living with it for awhile. Then, once that has happened, it's then time to review the choices that have been made (couch, beds, etc) and then all the movement begins. So as Lauren has placed her furniture and things about her house, when I was there on Sunday morning (to get the kiddos) it was then time for her and Ryan to move things about, get rid of things and hone in on what it is they want and desire in their home.

I think this is one of the most exciting and fun things about moving to a new home - making it your own.

The excitement of a new house to-be, as they would be
closing soon

Lauren was most excited about her kitchen cabinets!
(Before pic)

All she needs now is her fridge in there
(Almost-after pic)

So as Lauren and her family settle in, it's fun to watch what she picks for her home. It's such a privilege to be able to get the things you love and want in the place in which you live. Love this for them.

Wolfe City Update

I, too am picking the things I love and want in my new home. And let's visit the dog-things first, shall we? After all, they are my roommates and need to have what they love and want, too.

Char loves her new 'spot' by the front door
to watch the outside world go by

I've never done this before, but it has changed my life for
the better. I made a Dog Room. This is where I prepare the
dog's meals - and feed The Littles in there.

Each of these 3 compartments are where The Littles eat.
Char, Theo and Sugar do well eating in their 'spots'.
This way, Maybe and Mia can't eat their food which has
been a huge positive change in my life,
making feeding time easy peasy now.

Theo loves all the dogs, any and all excitement,
and is in the middle of any activity at any time.

He sleeps with whoever he feels like at any given time

And he enjoys his ramp at the doggie door
out back.

I'm going to see how many dog pics in can put in this blog post 😉

I made an outside area for the dogs out back so when
I'm at work, they can lounge and enjoy the outside, too.
This area is fenced so that they are safe when I'm at work.

The Front Porch is where the big white dogs
rest and hang out, esp when it's raining. It makes
feeding them so easy, too. They are close by.

Levi, Penny and Dutch are all doing a fabulous job guarding the farm animals. They stay busy guarding in the night, and have adjusted so well to the new farm. Unfortunately, Whisper did not, and once she disappeared that fateful Wednesday, she's not come back. I've had her on Facebook and had many, many calls about people seeing her or that she had been sighted in a particular area. Yet, when I race out to go see about the sighting, it's not been her. I've driven miles and miles looking for her, put up Lost signs, and Facebook has been my biggest help to get the word out about her. Yet, I've "found" many a dog while out looking, but not my Whisper.

On one particular tip I got, I went to look and sure enough, there was a Great Pyrenees there who was lost and insisted that she wanted to get in my truck and go with me. And that she did. I got her posted on Facebook, and her owner (who also had been driving around looking for her) came and picked her up from me. I've met many new people in the area while looking for Whisper. And have reunited owners and dogs through my own search for Whisper. But no luck finding her. It's hard to go home empty handed after going out to see about a report of a "lost" dog who looks like her. Luckily, Whisper has a red collar on with her name and my phone number embroidered on it and I hold out hope that we will be reunited. I'll never give up looking for her. It's a big wide world out here.

So how's everybody else doing?

I'm happy to report that all the farm animals are doing great! And as odd as this sounds, the chickens seem to be laying more eggs than they were at my previous farm. I haven't been able to make the egg business work out here yet due to my location and proximity to a road, so instead, all eggs go up to my work - and the demand for them there is wonderful.

There is good news in the cat arena, and it's that I was able to get July to my farm to be with his sister, JuneBug. Kitty has adapted well here, too. I'm so grateful to have been able to capture all 3 of my cats and give them their own place in the barn, too. All three cats are doing well!

I finally got him, this elusive July

Kitty loves her little cubby in the barn
with a heat pad under it

June Bug also loves her bed with a
heat pad under it, amongst the
chickens...

As everyone continues to settle in, so do I. I actually had my appliances delivered - so I now have a store/oven and fridge which has been awesome.

There's something about having a stove/oven and fridge that
makes me feel normal again.

Yet, it's not just about the things for me

I've leaned towards focusing on the material things since I've moved, and getting my materal things sorted out in my new space. But yet, I've also noted things about my own emotional well being during this time, as well. Mainly, one of my biggest take-aways is that it's taken me this past year (and therapy) to learn that every version of me that I have been in my life, and every version that will be : is a good version. Because everything I was has lead me to everything I am now. This realization has been one of my greatest gifts. It's been a profound concept for me as I settle in a new space and new area. Truly knowing that everything I am is leading me to everything I will continue to become. I think about this a lot as I settle in my new place. It comes to the surface of my mind as I settle in physically, and more importantly, as I settle in emotionally. Both things are equally important to me, and having a safe mental and emotional state is something I've been seeking, along with healing, peace and calm.

Because truthfully, I don't think I've believed that there had been a version of me that I thought was 'good' while I was in it. It was only after it was gone that I realized how wonderful that version was and that all the versions of me were and are wonderful and good. This work-in-process version of me is exciting that I can actually understand I'm in the midst of it - constantly ebbing and flowing. It's a blessing to think I might actually have the self-awareness to understand that I've had so many versions of myself (ourselves), and then to literally know it's what has made us who we are today........so profound for me.

Ugh. Shouldn't there be a class in high school for this?

Alright, I'll get out of the depths of my mind now. And I will say that as I make my way in this new world, I have the most gorgeous views of pasture and skies that contribute of the beauty and peace that is Wolfe City.