Grandma's hands...I received a touching email this week about the changes in our hands over the years from tiny hands of a baby to the frail weathered hands of the elderly, and how our hands serve us and others in so many ways.

This reminded me of my dear grandmother Freida who came over to this country so many years ago. She left her family in Germany to stay with relatives here in Iowa and while working as a maid she met my grandpa and never returned.

I cannot even imagine the courage she must have had to leave her family over seas while she was only 19 years old. She had to learn to adjust to speaking English, I still remember her broken dialect over the years. She was always busy gardening, canning, baking, mending, cleaning and raising her children. We can learn so much from our grandparent's lives. She and grandpa had a strong faith in God and believed in hard work. They lived through some very bleak times during the Great Depression, survived through times of wars, illness and hardships. Today we are faced with some of the similar challenges that they may have faced years ago. The economy is affecting many of our loved ones and some of us are wondering...why? We can look back at our grandparents and learn from their struggles. They perservered when times were tough they didn't quit.

Our hands have their own story to tell...a lifetime of serving us. Hands for holding, working, serving...what story will your hands tell over time? I hope I can use mine to help, hold and heal.

Happy 21st Birthday to my son Seth!

There it was rolled up in a plain paper bag with a handwritten message to her grandson...

To be opened by Seth Joel Moser on his 21st Birthday (February 27, 2009)~ The daily newspaper from the day he was born is neatly wrapped inside...waiting 21 years to be opened by the birthday boy!

As I was looking for this little "time capsule" to give to my son for his 21st birthday it reminded me of how quickly time goes by...February 27, 1988 just seems like a few short years ago! The newspaper gift was a tradition that great grandma Moser began years ago with her grandchildren. On the day they were born she would wrap up a daily newspaper to give them on their 21st birthday...and so Grandma Glenda did this to our two children...it's been tucked away for all these years. I so wish she was here to give this present to him today.

We want to wish you birthday blessings of health and happiness in the year ahead. I hope you know how much we love you and here are a few things we wish for you~

~that you find a purpose and a passion in your life and go for it!

~that you remember where you came from and all those people who've helped you along the way!

~that you will find ways to serve others and how that can give you great satisfaction in your life!

~remember to be thankful for all that you have!

~remember to keep God number one in your life...makes it really hard to mess up!

~say your prayers!

~and call your mom!

With lots of love~

Mom and Dad

Green Acres is the place to be...you may remember the old TV series about this couple with mismatched ambitions. Those that know me and my husband well have probably thought many times...how did these two get paired together? I have learned over the years about the reality of farm life. If you were not raised on a farm or exposed to farm life you won't understand what I'm writing about...but those of you who are the wife of a farmer or were raised in the farming lifestyle you will understand this post today.

Most of you know that I am not a "hands on kind of farm wife" and in the twenty years we've lived here I have been in the barn MAYBE three times...not a big deal but luckily my husband would rather see me in fashion boots than in work boots! He is okay with my "hands off" approach to his farming...in fact he reassured me years ago that if he married a "wife" not a "farmhand"...so "whew"I am off the hook! I can do this and live here...I mean really can it be that different than living in the small town I grew up in? My town was surrounded by corn fields...most of my girlfriends lived on farms so what's the big deal? Right? Wrong...

Well here is a little check list of how you know you "might be a....FARM WIFE"...

1.You know there are two seasons...planting and harvest...oh and calving season (three).

2.You know how to bring a lunch out to the field in the pickup...and which field driveway to meet him at.

3. You know that there are Numbers to tractors and Numbers to corn seed and bean seed and whether they were a good number last year...

4. You have presided over several funeral services for the family pets buried in your grove...rest in peace Franz and Blacky!

5. You think it is perfectly normal when you live on a gravel road...to look out the window and ask "whose car just drove by" because you know the mailman already has driven by your place.

6. You have probably sat on your front porch steps with your husband in the rainstorm in mid July after 3 weeks have gone by without rain...

7. You have sat on your front porch swing watching fireflies and shooting off fireworks with your kids on July 4th!

8. You know that when your husband sends you to town for "parts" he is not going to be in a good mood that day...

9. You know the difference between Hay and Straw (this took me several years)

10. You have watched your son or daughter "show" animals at the County Fair...you also know the 4~H pledge by heart!

11. You know when your husband says the "fence is hot" that means don't go near the fence and if it's not hot he is upset that he needs to find out why?

12. You have been delayed for some appointments or family outings due to the cows being out.

13. You are not alarmed when mowing the front lawn to see that the dog has drug a dried "placenta" to your lawn...calving season!

14. You have pushed your kids on a tire swing or jumped with them on a trampoline in the front yard...

15. You have rode the 4 wheeler around the pasture or down the gravel road...for business and pleasure.

16. You know how to work a stick shift but don't claim to know well as this gets you involved in doing things you may not want to...just for emergency purposes!

17. You know what the rendering truck is for...and if it pulls in the yard don't ask what happened?!

18. You know what the "waterway" is and where to find it...

19. You have probably made out with your husband in a hayloft or in a pasture at some point in your relationship...go ahead admit it...

20.You know your husband's fantasy is for you to greet him at the door wearing nothing but a smile and to say..."honey did you hear the grains and cattle markets are up the limit today?"

February 14, 1919~ February 14,2009...

This is what celebrating 90 years looks like! Happy 90th Birthday to our grandma and great grandma Gertie! Many family and friends gathered together to celebrate her special day!

So many memories and good lessons to learn from listening to Grandma Gertie. She tells of growing up in a large family while working on the farm as a young woman, losing her first husband in World War II leaving her to raise a two year old daughter alone, living through hard times and good times with two more daughters from her second marriage, grandchildren and great grandchildren would come along, losing her son in law and daughter, moving to California and back to Iowa as a young teen...and now in her twilight years she has so much to share and to be thankful for. Health has been a blessing to her. She has been a gift to us. Gertie Feller is 90 years young today! We wish you many more happy years to come! God bless you always!

Lots of Love from all of us!

A night of fun with my friends at the Jeremy Camp concert!

We met a few new friends and ran into an old friend from years ago...Carmen. I actually sold Cameo clothing with her over a decade ago...amazing who you bump into at a concert. It was a time to laugh and cry together and mostly to be inspired by a Christian artist who takes time to stop and remember what is most important in his life...the reason he sings and writes music is to glorify God. He also spoke of the Compassion International children that he sponsors (and I do too!). A year ago I took the opportunity to sponsor a child from India name Anitha! It is only about a dollar a day to provide all the food, clothing and schooling needs for one child while being taught in Christian schools. It is a small way to reach out and give to those who need it most...I feel so blessed to sponsor a little child in a small way. She has given far more to me than I could ever give to her! Go to Compassion International on the web for more info if you'd like to sponsor a child today!

The Bucket List...We watched the movie "The Bucket List" a few weeks ago about the two strangers that share a hospital room then become friends and begin to discuss what sort of things they would like to accomplish or experience before the die or "kick the bucket". They are both terminally ill and have a few months to complete their goals of "things I want to do before I die".

We might have our own "bucket list" of things we want to do or places we want to go before we pass away...and I know there are times I think "that would be a cool place to visit someday" or "I really hope I can do that someday"...and we wait until we are older or have the time...maybe we've been diagnosed with a terminal illness. Then maybe we'll take the time to do what we've been wishing we could do for all these years.

I hope we can live each day with purpose and intentions of living today to the fullest. Spending time with those we love, saying "I love you" to our family and friends, visiting places we'd like to see, or making memories with those we love...what's on your "bucket list"? I hope you can take the time to evaluate and prioritize your life today as we never know how many days we have to share with those we love. Live, Laugh and Love for today! We are never guaranteed a tomorrow...

"Confessions of a shopaholic"...keeping my shopping obsession under control...

Yesterday I spent the day with my three sisters and my mom as we went on a shopping excursion with the main purpose of finding a "mother of the groom" dress for my sister and a "grandmother of the groom" dress for my mom. This was one of the few times we've all had the opportunity to shop together as a group as with our busy schedules it doesn't allow much time for this sort of thing not to mention that my sisters aren't exactly "keen" on shopping at least for themselves.

Which leads me to wonder if I in fact am adopted? Has my mother been lying to me all of these years? How could I possible be cut from the same gene pool as my sisters? Let's face it we all have such different personalities but our shopping styles are worlds apart!! If fact spending the day with my sisters shopping at the mall is like taking your Weight Watchers counselor along to your favorite Buffet Restaurant...as they calculate the exact fat grams and calories of each item you put into your mouth...how can anyone enjoy shopping with someone who is always looking at price tags and finding reasons NOT to buy things?? Come on ladies...you are here to buy a dress how hard can this be? Granted there was not a lot of dresses what they would find appropriate to wear for themselves but it became very clear how different we are in our shopping personalities...we laugh about it as my sister Holly tells me she has 7 pairs of shoes in her closet? Yes I said SEVEN! Is that possible? Does she not realize there are 4 seasons? There are boots(tall and mid calf), sandals, open toed heels, wedges, spikes, flats, casual, dressy, black, brown and other colors...athletic etc...why do I have 50 pairs in my closet and she has 7? What about belts, skinny, wide, dress casual...black /brown etc...jewelry chunky, casual, dressy....silver/gold? Handbags/purses...many styles and colors...functional and flirty...fashion is always changing...that's not even clothes and coats! I am at a loss...haven't we all felt the rush as we step into our favorite Department Store or Boutique and soak it in...the feel of a cashmere scarf...the smell of a designer bag...how does the line go? "That feeling you get when you see a cute puppy or it's like warm butter as it slides over toast"...that's what you feel when you step into the "Shoe Diva" boutique or your favorite store...that's what I'm talkin' bout sista! I love my dear sisters even with their lack of shopping abilities...as a wealthy man once told me about how to live well on your income...Tithe 10%, Save 10% and as I say spend the rest on purses, shoes, and clothes!! Oh, by the way...I was the only one that bought a dress yesterday...but I am sure that doesn't surprise you!