Waiting On The Lord : Family Life

Family updates began with the intention to post one every month, but obviously, those well-intentioned plans have not come to fruition as once planned. =)

This update captures highlights, or at least those a camera captured, of life in the Smith home and farm from January through March. The last few months have been marked with sweet memories and I am grateful for cameras that help retain those for years to come. We were blessed with such mild February temperatures that it was a little scary to wonder what March's weather held for us. Still, for the most part, March has cooperated as well, especially with spring calving beginning.

So...here's to January to March!

Whenever Caden is home for a break from college, we like to take
some "sibling time" which usually includes ice cream! This was
taken during his Christmas break.

Belle calved January 10th. It's a bull, much to my disappointment,
but I call him "Peanut" and we are working to keep Belle in
condition to prepare for another calf early next year.

My favorite little guy! He's getting too big!

Our family are big SEC football fans and this year's National
Championship was no exception.

Peaches had surgery in January to repair her hip after
her accident in December. As we were headed up to the vet,
she crawled over and put her head down on Dad's lap. So sweet!

Spending a few days with Grandma and while there, I made
chocolate chip cookies that fit the guidelines of all the
dietary requirements! Success!

Mom, Dad, Hope, Ella, and Leah made a historical field trip
down to Ft. Campbell to see their 101st Airborne exhibits
which included numerous planes and artifacts!

Ella turned 16 on January 23rd and the kids and I
worked to create a surprise WW2-themed party for her! I was
so pleased with how it all turned out. We purchased a women's
uniform for her, hung flags, drank coca-cola in glass bottles,
listened to music from the 40s, and had a sweet family dinner together.

Ella loves this period in history and has worked hard to
study and retain knowledge about that incredible part of
the world's past.

Valentine's Day 2023! Mom puts in sweet effort every year
to make Valentine's Day special and for each one of us to know
how loved we are. This year, things were different as Mom had
to be out of town with Grandma who had a procedure scheduled for that
day, but Mom worked hard to prepare what she could before she left,
and I had the joy of finishing the final details.

Emma, Stephen, and James sent a Valentine's package to
our family as well! Such sweet family love we have!

Mom snapped this picture of her "peeps" (and Peaches) before
heading to Grandma's.

Joel and I had fun taking Peaches to the vet for a check-up after
her surgery. She does great at car trips.

Hope and Ella went with a group from our church to College Day
at Caden's school which happens to be only 1 1/2 hours from where
Emma and her family live. Olivia went along to spend some sister/aunt
time with them while the other girls enjoyed College Day.