The Chickens and Their Coop

You guys. You guys.

My husband is the studliest stud of all time!!  He rocked this chicken coop business like nothing I've ever seen.  We bought the basic structure from a friend and Ryan decided to add insulation, siding, trim, a new roof, more structural enforcements, and construct an entire run for them.

It looks so cute (that red and white!) and the chickens love it.  We brought home 12 week old chicken on May 4th.  We named them Huevos, Ham, Bacon, Sausage, and Chorizo.  YUM! ;)

They will lay eggs around the age of 20 weeks so we have a bit until we get in on that action.  Until then it's fun to spy on them through the coop windows, let them run around the coop, and tame Harpo's undying desire to eat play with them.

Good job husband!  You rocked it.

The outside of the coop and the inside.  Nesting boxes to the left, roost in the center and feeder hanging up.  

Their water isn't pictured here but that's the only thing missing.  This is where the magic happens!

The ladies.  From back going clockwise:  Huevos, Chorizo, Bacon, Sausage, and Ham.

They were poking around and loving their simple chicken life.  Chickens are cray cray!

Back!

I'm baaaccckkk!

The blogging break was much needed.  It was a very refreshing sabbatical from having my eyes glued to a screen.  I soaked up time outside, enjoyed the amazing Ryan Decker, time with friends, family events, and all activities that are life giving.

The entire month of May feels a bit like a sabbatical of sorts.  School doesn't restart until early June and until then I am working while still soaking up more rest than anything else.  I am grateful to have the time and resources for such a slow, meaningful season.  It is a gift.  But I'm also excited to be back blogging now and filling you in on our lives.

So this is a peek into our life the past few weeks...

We got chickens and prepared their beautiful coop (posts coming on that tomorrow!)

We kept our niece, Rilyn 2, and nephew, Ryder 9 months, for a weekend.  We are obsessed with them!  They kept us busy and cracked us up the entire time.  We learned that we COULD be parents now if God so chose, but don't truly have the heart for that calling yet ;)  Though we pray our kids are half as cool as these two.

It was Mother's Day last Sunday and we celebrated!  Our moms are incredible gifts and we spent the entire day with them.  We had breakfast and played putt-putt gold with my mom and then had the Deckers over for a late lunch on the back porch.

Family picture with all the ladies and Georgie! 

I planted a garden--we have blackberry and raspberry bushes, peppermint, lavender, sage, basil, tulips, (my most favorite flowers!) and lots of vegetables like kale, tomato, lettuce, zucchini, onions, beets, and more.

Ry got a colonoscopy earlier this month.  It was encouraged by his surgeon and GI doctor to see his progression and get an internal update.  Although Ryan was apprehensive, he was brave and went through with it.  Any type of medical procedure flooded him with negative memories from 2012 but he seriously was so persevering and didn't let that hold him back.  I'm encouraged to give very positive reports!  The Remicade is rocking it for him and his intestines look so healthy and clear right now.  Praise the Lord!!

When he got out of his colonoscopy he was so out of it because of the anesthetic.  I asked him where he wanted to go to lunch and he said so groggily, "I just don't want to go to the Chick-fil-a play place!"  Ha ha ha!  So silly husband.  I didn't force him to go to the play place but we did get him some delicious food from there instead.

Last but not least, I coffee-ed it up on this break!  Is that even a word?  In my blogging break I enjoyed cups of coffee on the back porch, in our local library, and in my favorite coffee shop.  Nothing is more restoring and life giving than to sneak away with my Bible, my journal, my latest Bible study and a big latte for a morning of refreshment.  

We are so much enjoying that spring FINALLY arrived in Colorado.  We spend evenings on the back porch, weekends bike riding or spending time with friends, and loving every minute of health.  This summer is looking to be MUCH better than the last.

Praise Jesus for that!

This is a verse my mother-in-law gave to us and it's something we're mulling over and processing lately.  I'll leave you with it for now...

Come back to the place of safety, all your prisoners who still have hope!  I promise this very day that I will repay you two blessings for each of your troubles.

Zechariah 9:12

A Blogging Sabbatical

I had big, fat, juicy plans to make up for my last few weeks of blog neglect.  I had every intent to fill you in on our lives and what's swirling around in our hearts and minds.  There were drafted posts about Burmese baby showers, how to seek justice, my increasing love of wearing old clothes, chickens, healthy recipes, and weekly happenings.

And then just a few hours after my last final on Friday...I felt an unmistakable tug to take an Internet break. 

 Just a wee one.

My eyes have been glued to a screen 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, for 15 weeks for on-line classes.  Although I love the flexibility and independence of that type of classroom setting it feels equally draining and physically tiring. 

And so I am declaring a blogging sabbatical to refresh and live up real life outside of cyber space. 

But I'll be back around mid-May.  Until then you can find me...

 gardening

 painting

enjoying my husband

 reading

chicken raising

neighboring

 coffee-drinking

 park walking

pondering

healthy cooking

 library-ing

friend-ing

 hanging with family

coffee shop basking

church-ing

enjoying quiet times

back porch lounging

and

 soaking up spring

Basically anything to get away from a screen.

P.S. Reaching For Fringe will have posts as those are scheduled way in advance and self-publish so check that out if you are interested!

Done with Finals!

You guys.

I. am. done.

Hallelujah!

I feel kind of like this...does he look high?  Ha!  He isn't.

Well I am done with finals for this semester and will have 1 summer class, but for 31 glorious days I am study/test/quiz/homework free.

Was there ever a more beautiful sentence written?  I thinketh not.

Praise the Lord on high I was able to get A's in both Micro and A & P I.  Good night these classes were challenging and it is only by the grace of Jesus I could see that result.  Seriously.  

My brain is naturally hardwired for arts, writing, language and psychology (hence my degree).  This science stuff takes me a lot of extra work to comprehend and excel at.  But I love it!

Some random chocolate pecan pie I ate this week from my FAVORITE coffee shop

So anywho!  A very successful semester overall.  

I should also hear back from the first nursing school I applied to by mid-May. So in about 2-ish weeks or so I suppose.  Updates to come on that.

Studying stole my life and soul this week.  So now I have errands to run, laundry to do, a house to clean, and chickens to prepare for.  Oh and we have the adorable Rilyn and her chunky accomplice Ryder staying with us this weekend.  Pictures to come for SURE!

The quickest thing you can make when you have a busy week is veggie stir fry.  Yum.

4 (Easy!) Ways to Share the Gospel on Your Blog

Join me over at Missional Women where I'm talking about using your blog for BIG purposes...

Sister Graduation!

It's been a very busy week of studying, working, and road tripping!

My younger sister graduated from college this week!  Her degree is in Nutritional Science because she is a smarty pants.  Plus she is so legit that she already a full time job doing research/writing/other complicated things at an essentials oils company.  She loves it!

  We drove to Utah attend the graduation ceremony and shower her with congratulations gifts!  College graduation in 4 years with a job already lined up is definitely worth celebrating.

We are proud of you Linny--Congratulations!

Here are some pictures of the quick trip:

 I love this picture!  The bright blue sky contrasted with the brown desert.  Pretty scenery the whole drive

Two Nelsons, two Thunells, and one Decker.  I missed my husband!

Sister shot.  So proud of you Linny!!

Graduation makes one sassy

It was blossoming and SO gorgeous in Utah.  Beautiful flowers everywhere we looked

Av's Game and A Professor's Mercy

We wound down our weekend at the Av's game on Sunday night.  They won!  I know nothing about hockey but it was still fun all the same.  Joe Coors (yes, of the beer) donated his suite to Healing Waters so we enjoyed stellar seats and a great game.  Thanks Joe!

Also, let me just say that there are still merciful, kind professors out there in case you were concerned.  I've only had the best of professors, but my Anatomy prof blew me away.

  I was rechecking my grades yesterday as I do every week to make sure things were recorded correctly (you would be shocked how many times there are unhelpful errors).  I saw two fairly big assignments with 0's and immediately e-mailed my professor asking what was up and if there was an error on her end.  

Um, prideful much me?

Turns out I forgot them.  I didn't do them.  I overlooked the assignments.  My horrid mistake. GAHH!!!! Cue the last 10 days of school anxiety and I broke down.  I wept to Ryan on the phone how this would break my grade and I would never get into nursing school and my career was over before it started.  I might have been slightly (ahem) irrational, though it's true missing these points would have left my grade bumming.

I called my professor and she immediately assured me that she would re-open the assignments. WHAT?! Can you even believe that!!  She was so kind and told me that due to my work ethic and high dedication to her class, she knew it must have been nothing more than an error and would make an exception this once to help me.

I must have said thank you like 10,000 times.  I was so grateful that my pride and mistake were met with generosity and help.  So undeserved and it really ministered to my heart (and overworked brain) as this semester closes.  I'm still in awe of her understanding and flexibility.  Dang.

I am grateful today for grace and Av's games.

Us enjoying the game

The snazzy suite!

Look at that view.  Seriously ridiculous.

Not sure what's going on but I knew when they scored and when a fight broke out

Driving to the Pepsi Center through Downtown

 

Pepsi Center!

 

Have a great week!  I hope you get an opportunity this week to extend some unexpected kindness and grace to someone else.  I'll have my eyes and heart wide open looking for a chance!  And that you get to enjoy the Spring after our snowstorm passes ;)

“This is what the Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.

Zechariah 7:9