How cold does it have to be....

I will have to say that the past 2 days have been the coldest I have experienced in a long time. Friday was bad, but let me tell you Saturday was...well...miserable. We, and when I say that I mean Luke and I, have started a LARGE project at the farm. It was decided about 2 weekends ago that a barn on the property that was literally falling down should be torn down and removed. Great idea....unless you are the one doing the work. We have moved junk out of the rubble, taken off old siding and saved what we could for another project, made a trailer load of metal to be recycled, and burned old hay. That was just the first two weekends we worked on this "project". This past weekend we had a bobcat and a mini-excavator to help with this. It was SO COLD and honestly I wasn't in the best frame of attitude to work on this this weekend. I found other things to do inside the house as I watched my kids and husband tear down the barn. In all honesty...what was I going to do with heavy equipment. I don't know how to operate those things and I would be willing to learn if it didn't require hypothermia to do it. The wind was bitter and it started snowing mid-afternoon. Didn't last long because, of course, this is Georgia and we never see snow...not on the ground anyway. Then it changed to windy, cold, and rainy. Typical for this time of year. Cold, but not cold enough to make snow. YUCK!!! Well, after I had run out of things to do at the house I had to finally go out to see if I could do something. Well, I got to go get diesel fuel for the equipment. YEA!!FUN!! Then I got to sit in the truck and watch. I was trying to be supportive in this endeavor. Finally, I was told that we were going to take the wood that was left from the barn and place it on a pile to be burned. So I HAD to start helping. Man was it cold. In case you can't tell at this point, I hate cold weather. I don't mind some cold, but the past few days have been literal misery for me. Anyway, it took 3 full 16 foot flatbed trailer loads to remove all of the wood that was left from destruction. Talk about a lot of wood. And none of it was good to use for anything else. The property looks WAY better and our "project" is about 1/3 done. This project actually still involves siding one side a now small storage room that was left from the barn. It was the only part that was worth saving. Then siding/closing in Glory's stand alone stall and building and closing in a stand alone stall for Pilgrim and Thunder. Eventually, we will either have a barn for the mares or they will have a stand alone too. Which ever we can get first. I am so tired today. This weekend has not been restful at all and all 4 of us are walking around like zombies. The one good thing that happened was that I did learn how to operate the pieces of equipment that we had at the farm. I have a general knowledge of how to dig holes with a mini-x and how to work a bobcat. Not sure when that information will come in handy again, but at least I have it. Knowledge is power so I have been told.

For those of you who are reading this please say a prayer for my friend Ashley and her husband Keith. They are leaving tonight for Bangladore, India to pick up the newest member of their family. They have adopted a little girl named Ambika and have finally gotten clearance to bring her home. They will return on January 27. I can't wait to meet her and see them home. I have been talking with Ashley for over 5 years now about adoption, since I am adopted, and we have gone over lots of aspects from an adoptee's point of view. I have always said that they should just include that information from the beginning. It was never something that I remember was a shock to me. It was just something that was and nobody made a big deal about. I was never upset about it and it wasn't a secret. Ambika is a very special little girl and I can't wait to meet her. Prayers for safe travel and a smooth transition for Ambika. I know coming to America is a great thing for her, but it will be hard since she has been in an orphanage for almost a year now. Her story can be found here at Our Indian Angel. It is an amazing story of love and God's timing. I hope you all have a great week.