my long appreciative exhale

Last week, I wrote a post on missing chicken eggs. This week, I am writing on the found eggs. Except they are not really eggs anymore, but...chicks! After a crazy long weekend with two trips to Minneapolis for two separate farmer's markets, we came home to see twelve little chicks following their protective mama around the farm. It gave us an immediate long, appreciative exhale (especially coming from the bustle of the city) and a gentle, but very sweet reminder, on why we love our life here on the farm. From the morning fog hovering right below the ridges in our valley, to the moo-ing cows saying goodmorning (or maybe they are just in...eh...heat again), from the enldess sky filled with stars at night to the quietness only a countryside can offer.

But sometimes this gets lost in all of the work that needs to be done on a farm. I chose farming and the Blue Egg Farm business as my 'job', my only source of income. Between this and homeschooling my kids, it keeps me busy. There is animal care, hay, fencing (always fencing), sometimes milking, always mucking the barn, gardening, watering, canning, cooking and schooling to be done...most often daily, this time of year. And then the business, developing products, testing recipes, labeling (don't get me started on the labeling), marketing, and selling the finished products. And kids. Well, I don't need to list what all of that entails. It is easy to get lost in all of the work that these three jobs demand. To be honest, it is easy to get lost in all of the work that just one of these jobs demands. In these moments, seeing twelve little chicks running around on this farm that I created, all on my own, reminds me of the gratitude I feel for this somewhat blissfully 'busy' life that I have chosen. It grounds me and slows me down to watch my 6 year old carefully be a second 'mama' to these fragile little creatures. It makes me breathe a bit more easier to know this is her life...not one of busy schedules and numerous summer activities, but one of spending as much time as she wants watching baby chicks follow thier mama around the farm.

And for me, too...but not so much chick watching, but 6 year old watching. Watching this amazing little girl turn even more amazing as she finds her way into this world. These moments will be gone soon, I know this. If I ever doubt it, I can look to my sweet 14 year old as he navigates his teen years, when just yesterday (I swear, it was just yesterday) he fit in the crook of my arm as he fell asleep every night.

So, today, my gratitude...my long, appreciative exhale... comes in the form of little chicks. Because right now, everything is just perfect.

What will be your long, appreciative exhale today? What will make you pause and slightly smile, knowing that this...this is the good stuff. This is what makes everything you do, so worth it....