For a few months now we have been working on getting our stimulus check...we had had plans of saving it for a down payment towards land and we should have had it 2 months ago..but it got messed up....I had been dealing with them for awhile,thought on 2 other occassions we had the mistake straightend out only to find an empty mail box when they said it would be here...I had all but given up...Since were able to already get land and the deep freeze we had also discussed purchasing with it, this meant it was 'extra' money to us...our bills were all payed and low and behold yesteday what awaited me in my mail box...my stimulus check!! Again this was unexpected....DH and I were discussing Sunday how we would afford to buy fencing for the goats before we got moved over there...The Lord came thru AGAIN! We were able to purchase fencing and get DD a new pair of cowboy boots('nuther story) she had been wanting and had money left...I can't tell you how awesome it is to see God working all of this out....In all my years I have never seen anything fall into place like this has...It has been to say the least amazing...I get up everyday wondering what God will do next in our life...

Believe me it has not always been like this...we have had so many battles on so many fronts that many times I did not think we were going to survive...It seemed like when one thing went wrong EVERYTHING went wrong...18 or so months ago we were battling DD's behavior which was horrendous she was in and out of hospitals constantly... in a year she had been in 4 times, we were dealing with financial issues, my mom was having serious battles and taking them out on me...our banker was a liar and thief, I was dealing with other personal issues(loss of a friend), my inlaws were giving us grief and we lost everything except personal effects...home, vehicles and all the money we had payed on them, DH and I separated for a time(mainly I think due to stress)...We were feeling pretty whipped...and honestly I think for a time I felt that God had just abandoned us...But somehow DH and I found the strength(thru God) to pick up and move on...we have still had a few battles to continue fighting and believe me when I say we have battle scars!...Depression set in last winter and many times I just wanted to give up...I would litterally cry out to God and ask what he wanted from me...I felt like he didn't hear...then one day as I was crying out to Him he quietly said "Its over now just be obedient" I could hear the Hallujah choir in the back gound..LOL..I have tried very hard to be obedient to the Lords voice...yes, I mess up and have to backup and God reminds me with a smile on his face...Follow me...Sometimes I see myself like a toddler running ahead of her father and stumbling on every little rock and pebble in the road...falling and bumbling around like I don't know what, and my father back there saying...Kris, get back here and I will hold your hand and you won't fall...but in all my human-ness I still think I don't need His hand so off  I go bumbling down the path he has set before me... falling all over the place...but when I finally get tired He picks me up, brusies, bloody knees and all, dust me off, gives me a big hug, takes me firmly by the hand and says now see how much easier this is....that is until I decide to run off again... God is so good to us, even in our trials He is good! I can't thank him enough for allowing us to own again, and providing all we need...Many out there have more money, more land, bigger homes, nicer vehicles, but they do not know MY GOD! All the money and possessions in the world cannot compare to truly knowing GOD and all my treasures in heaven!

~Kris

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Well, hubby and I sat down today and had a serious talk about our future and what our goals and plans to reach those goals are...Over the next few months we will be working on even more ways to cut expenses..Since we have no credit cards, bank loans or anything we are doing better than most...we do owe for the land we just bought and it is privately financed at a very low interest rate with a very low payment and will payed for in 10 years, but we hope to pay it off in 5 or less. Our goal over the next year or so is to be almost totally self sufficient...we want to be able to live and support ourselves using our land. Our long term goals are:

• To have a herd of at least 60 dairy goats--(50 does and 10 bucks)
• Have at least 5 head of cattle(butcher)
• Have 20 pigs or more for breeding/selling and also for butcher
• Have 20 or more rabbits for breeding/selling and butcher
• We would also love to have ducks for selling..around here they sell high.
• Have at least 100 chickens(90 for laying 10 roosters)
• We want to plant fruit trees, berry plants, and have about a 1/2 acre garden

Of the critters we could sell the alot of the offspring from the pigs, sell eggs from the hens and that would most likely pay for all our feed...rabbits around here also sell good so thats income along with the ducks...goats would also be sold(bucks)....we could also sell produce in the summer months ....At some point we really want to start our own auction barn, but we want to do it and remain debt free(except for our land)...which would mean building a little at a time...we are so not rich people, but we work hard...our goals may seem unreachable to some, but with God's help we can do all things...We never thought we would own again much less own 18 acres, which to some out there that isn't much, but to us its a litteral God send...so we want to be good stewards and use it all to help others and glorify the Lord...So many plans, and so much to do to reach the goals, but I we have such faith that these things will come to pass...I am anxious to see how the Lord works it all out...

~Kris

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We spent a couple hours over at the 'soon to be farm' in Oklahoma today, we walked the entire 18 acres and I tell you I have never seen such beautiful land. I am now even more excited about it than I was before...Most of the land is flat with lots of White Oak trees and huckleberries. There is one place that has some gorgeous natural stone that was just heavenly...3 sides of the land is already fenced which is great cause we will only need to fence 1 side...God has really blessed us! We saw lots of signs of wild life including deer tracks, that thrilled hubby and DD...Now we are undecided once again about where to  build a home...the back of the land is so gorgeous that its unbelievable I could have sit out there for hours and just listened to the sounds of nature...however hubby says that will mess up his deer hunting...all sides of the property are surrounded by thick woods...and since I love solitude and am such and introvert the back '18' is perfect for me...however dh wants to build toward the front...decisions, decisions...maybe we will toss a coin...LOL...Now we are back home and going to enjoy carry out pizza...a rare treat for us and I thrilled that I do not have to cook!

~Kris

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Unfortunatly I only have one of the 13 baby ducks that hatched left..we have a hawk that found them a good meal...took a few days to figure out what was happening but seems the hawk flies over the pond and plucks them off one by one and of course it is illegal to shoot them...that is one law I find absurd and needing to be changed...(my opinion)

The baby deer is doing awesome...seems my neighbors liked him too, and while he was out browsing they decided to transplant him to their home...Hubby saw him in the pen and went and talked to the guy and they gave him back...their children were sad, but they should have at least tried to find out who he belonged too...they admitted they knew he was a pet because he was so 'people friendly'...I know he(the deer) will be glad to get out on 18 acres and feel at home...

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..I have since deleted under my last homeschooling post...I have changed my settings to those who can comment to friends only, so if you are not a friend and comment on my blog, please add me...I do have the information on the anonymous poster and will be sending it to their ISP..if any one else gets these comments you are free to email me and I can give you their information...including the IP number used to post these nasty comments...The information I have shows they are in Flanders New Jersey, however sometimes this information is simply just where the main ISP they are connected to is at...but this is a good starting point...Sorry for any inconvience.

~Kris

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We signed the papers on the land, so we now have a very nice and wooded 18 acres in which to live, hunt, garden, keep critters and praise the Lord on! Its been such a hard 18 months for dh and I and we have had so many valleys to pass through, but there were also many lessons learned...while I know there will be more valleys in our lives this is one time I am shouting victory from the mountain top! I told dh I really wanted to call the banker that lied to us and took everything and tell her thank you, she did us a huge favor cause we have went from 3.5 acres to 18! LOL... God really does take the bad and make it good if we serve him!

~Kris

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