Magnanimously homeschooling, worshiping, creating.......

Join us on a journey of faith, healing, learning to live with part of our hearts missing, and recovery, as our family rebuilds our lives, after our son's long battle with cancer....and his eventual rise on eagle's wings into Heaven...victory is his...he is serving the King!!!

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

my harvest

Isn't this pretty? I bought this as a seedling at the coop and is growing so nicely.

Loose Lettuce.
Cut and use. I have already eaten many a salad with these cuties.

getting bigger
Kale, getting bigger!

Hyacinths
No longer blooming today 


Thursday, May 22, 2014

memorial garden bird feeder


The very next day after we built the patio, the Man wanted to go get a new bird feeder for our Braveheart Memorial Garden. We love it. Here is my first White Breasted Nuthatch at the feeder. It didn't take them long to feel at ease coming to the new feeder. We are so thankful for these birds that remind us of our boy and his love of them.

Monday, May 19, 2014

the bravest little memorial garden

Braveheart's Memorial Garden

Last summer, I came up with a fabulous idea for a memorial garden to honor our dearly missed brave boy. I drew out some rough plans, which included removing tons of rock from its location outside of our back door. It was hot, humid and we were all still so mentally and emotionally exhausted from our loss, that it wasn't long before we realized we would be unable to finish the project this year. 

I resisted discouragement. Good friends pledged that they would come down in the Spring and help us to get it done. Well, we finally did it! That day was Saturday! We are not done, but the hardest part, the laying of the patio, has been accomplished by the work, sweat and love poured out by those of us that loved our boy....some dear family friends. 12 hours! I know we could not have accomplished this without them.
We are feeling so blessed right now. My hubs had to run out and get a new bird house that fit into our plan right away. Braveheart LOVED birds, as I am sure you already have heard. What a blessing this is for our family!
Here is some of the pictures from the project. My mother is going to help me with planning and planting the flowers and edging. I can't wait to get to that.


2013
This area has not had much attention of the last few years. We've been a little busy. 


May 2014
 The guys are starting to dig in. It's a big job.


Loading up the truck with the old rocks.


Hi Sweetie! 
Thanks for working so hard. 
We woman kept the guys watered, fed them with delicious, energy sustaining food, and  ran errands as needed.


The hardest part is done. Now we beautify it in memory of our sweet boy. 
I will update again as we make progress.

So thankful and excited for this project.




Friday, May 16, 2014

2012/ 2013 read aloud book list

I am not sure if I read much if anything to my kids with the situation we were in at this time. My blogging was very limited. My boy needed all of our attention. I will add more if I think of it. Miss you my dear Braveheart.

      • The Young Carthaginian A Story of The Times of Hannibal (audio)

2013 my personal reads

My books of 2013

      • towers of midnight  (hard to believe I finally ventured into a fiction book, just couldn't do it                                     until near the end of the year)
      • 90 minutes in Heaven
      • a glimpse of glory (audio series) fabulous
      • one minute after you die
      • the plan
      • wheat belly
      • I am not sure if this all exclusive. Life without B has been a blur, but because of him I wanted and still want to get my physical health back on track.

Thursday, May 15, 2014

wordfew wednesday

RETURNING IN THE YARD

The rhubarb is coming in nicely this year. I think it was last year that was bad, can't remember for sure. This is a special plant, because my Braveheart LOVED my home made rhubarb cake. It was his and Grandpa Gene's favorite, requested regularly.  I will make this for you and remember you forever my son.

 

 This is sorrel. An herb. Not used much. Plan to learn more. It came back nicely this year.





Monday, May 12, 2014

spring, birthdays, mother's day

What a busy, fantastic, amazing, bittersweet weekend filled with many milestones.  
Our Braveheart's 17th birthday was amazing. I spent all day making his favorite cakes..that would be strawberry butter cream cake and rhubarb cake. (fresh cut from the garden and fresh ground berries)

That same evening we held an event to celebrate our boy's birthday  at a Trivia Night for his fellow Boy Scouter who is raising money for his Eagle Scout project. We held it at our church and we had a great turn out! 

 This project will be dedicated to Braveheart as a memorial!!  This project just oozes our boy. It will be a bird observation deck. Many of you know how much he loved birds and bird watching. How can I express the blessing it is to our family to have so many people show up to support this project and remember our boy's special day and then to know he will have a special memorial in our city?

Next, it was Mother's Day. I was loved on by my kiddos left here on earth, but oh do we miss our dear one.  We fancied up his grave site for Spring, personalizing it just for him. That is pleasing to the soul.
It is bittersweet........



Just a taste of the beautiful blooms popping up around me, reminding me of my precious one until I see him again in Heaven.

Friday, May 9, 2014

Braveheart's 17th Birthday

Happy 17th birthday to our precious Braveheart in Heaven. 
We love and miss you so much. 
Hugs and kisses all the way to Heaven.
See you when we get there.


Oh man, I love those blue eyes.

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Why MAGNANIMOUS?

Noah Webster's 1828 Dictionary of the American Language defines Magnanimity as such:
MAGNANIM'ITY, n. [L. magnanimitas; magnus, great, and animus, mind.] Greatness of mind; that elevation or dignity of soul, which encounters danger and trouble with tranquillity and firmness, which raises the possessor above revenge, and makes him delight in acts of benevolence, which makes him disdain injustice and meanness, and prompts him to sacrifice personal ease, interest and safety for the accomplishment of useful and noble objects.