This isnât my typical blog, but many of you thoroughly enjoy reading my year-end letter to my family, so I am posting it here. đ Enjoy!!
Dear Family & Friends!
Itâs a dreary, chilly morning, and my mind wants to jump ahead to when blue skies, sunshine, & pretty flowers are everywhere⊠but my heart tells me, these winter days are needed too. Important even, maybe⊠đ„č
Days where we slow down, reflect on where we are in life, what weâve learned, where we might be headed, and remember who we are & why we are here at such a time as this.
Many days, I just want to rush ahead and do the next âgreatâ thing. I often forget to appreciate the beauty of ânowâ.
Last night, I was asked to share a bit of a testimony on the Goodness of God to me this past year⊠it was a great exercise for me to look back & see my many blessings & how Heâs carried me over the many ups & downs of life the past 12 months.
Hereâs a sneak peak into our lives this past yearâŠ
In January, Loyd & I made a sweet little trip to KC to pick up a ânew to usâ ice cream machine for our processing room. We made an overnight trip out of it & stayed at this cute little cabin off the main road a bit. It was cold & snowy⊠so snowy, in fact, we had to park our van at the end of the drive & walk â mile in with our overnight bags. But it was cozy & beautiful on the inside! We ventured on to KC the next morning & took in a Farmerâs Market & went to a cute little restaurant for lunch before heading home. Overnight trips with my favorite person is like a breath of fresh air⊠away from the many Farm duties.
I spent quite a bit of my January in the processing room as one of our employees was in Indonesia for a couple weeks. So in between homeschooling, playing in the snowdrifts, & keeping the Farm Store supplied the usual cold dreary month flew by in a hurry!
It was colder for longer periods of time & we had a bit more snow than we often do. The children got to experience several ice skating parties for the first time.
The beginning of February, Loyd & I ran away to a lodge in eastern KS for a long weekend. We stopped at a Farm Store in Pleasonton, KS; it is always so fun to connect with people who are in a similar business. We had an amazing time. Coming back we took back roads home & stopped several times on walking trails & did some geocaching. It was a beautiful time.
The processing room got several updates during this time. We are now able to fill jugs & separate cream via pipeline! So much easier! Unfortunately, my arm muscles are dwindling now. đ€Ł
March came in a hurry & with it many baby calves⊠which is always a delight until we are 3 weeks in and a bit tired & overwhelmed with all the babies to take care of (plus all the milk to process). Sometime during that time, Loyd took the 4 youngest for an overnight trip to TX to pick up a trailer, leaving Melissa & I to take care of the animals. The next morning we went out to the pasture to bring in a new baby calf & found a⊠coyote running circles inside the electrified chicken netting. He must have jumped over the fence & got shocked. After seeing us, he tried to jump out and got shocked which flipped him on his back. Heâd jump up & frantically try again only to be thrown back as the shock hit him again. This went on for a few minutes.
Of course, Iâm standing there bewildered & wondering what to; so I do what all good wives do⊠I call my husband with the weird question, âHow do I get a coyote out of the chicken pen?â đł
In the midst of talking to Loyd, the coyote made a desperate dash, broke a few posts, & got tangled in the netting but eventually dove under the fence and high-tailed it east⊠actually, I distinctly remember his tail was between his hind legs because I thought âyes! you should be reprimanded for trying to steal my chickens!â
Whew! Melissa & I went to investigate the damage. Quite shockingly, his breakfast didnât happen that morning. đ Iâm guessing he went to his den & soberly rethought his hunting abilities⊠at least one can hope he did.
Meanwhile, Loyd & the children had a fantastic time at a little cabin with a pond. They went kayaking & had an enjoyable evening & a short morning before heading to pick up the trailer. The girls cooked for them; the boys thought they did an amazing job. I love giving them the opportunity to manage a meal or 2 by themselves.
March also brought a first for us⊠Melissa bought her very own car. Seeing her step out a bit on her own leaves me both excited for her & a bit wistful of bygone days.
March & April were spent enjoying the beautiful outdoors as much as possible. School was done on the balcony & Sunday evenings often consisted of hiking or disc-golfing.. to the boys delight. With Melissa & Rosalyn both in youth group we try to do family nights on Friday nights now in place of Sunday.
In April, we made a heartbreaking trip to Indiana to be with our dear friends as they laid 3 of their children to rest after an accident occurred on the way to school. My heart hasnât been the same since. I look at my family around the table & grapple with the thought that they have 3 empty chairs. So grateful for the promise of seeing them again one sweet day!
At the end of April, we celebrated Loydâs birthday by going to Lindsborg. We took our bikes along & enjoyed the cute little Swiss town. We got to try the delightful âIndigo Mooâ Ice Cream Shop. Family day trips are our fav right now.
May brought a much-look-forward-to day⊠May 3rd, Melissa graduated from high school. We had a ceremony in Hutch with 20+ other homeschoolers. It was such a beautiful day of honoring lots of years of hardwork, joys, & accomplishments. We did a picture wall and it brought back many great memories of her childhood. Itâs incredibly hard to believe that itâs been 13 years since homeschool life started for us! I remember a friend once said, âAll our growing up years we are excited to be mothers to babes & toddlers, but we donât mentally prepare ourselves for when our children are 18.â đ
In the midst of being wistful of bygone days we thoroughly embrace this stage of our family⊠So much action and laughter and fun! Loyd & I love it!
At the end of May, we celebrated my birthday by going kayaking at Wilson Lake. It was a perfect day! Lakes & sunshine are my happy place. We saw some beautiful rock formations & the water was gorgeous. The girls baked me a beautiful cake. The perfect way to celebrate getting older. đ„°
June was dubbed âThe painting month.â School was out & the girls wanted to switch things up a bit upstairs. So we emptied the storage room & painted it. We found some really nice bedroom furniture on Facebook marketplace & some soft pink curtains & rugs on Amazon and now Rosalyn has a beautiful space to rest her head each night.
We then painted her old roomâs bright pink walls into a beautiful white and updated a few things for Breanna. Another indicator my girlies are growing up⊠sigh.
The dining room & kitchen also got a much-needed face lift this summer. Paint does wonders! We did some outside painting as well. The fence around our Red Barn got stained & it really improved the patio area although I donât know whether our Airbnb guests noticed⊠it does feel good to us to provide a beautiful space for others to enjoy!
In June, we had our first Farm-to-Table dinner for our employees in our Barn loft. My friend, JoAnna, made pork tacos & served it. It was so yummy. We hope to do many more in the loft as time allows.
July was a very special month⊠we got to go see the CO mountains! It was everything we thought it would be and more! Breathtaking views. Beautiful waterfalls. The racing river outside our house. Moose sighting. Lots of elk, mule deer, & antelope.
We had a grand time. The first night was spent in Pagosa Springs in several dome Airbnbâs which was such a fun experience. And the Hot Springs that first day were a huge favorite as well. We traveled on to Durango the next day & spent most of our time in the Durango area.
One highlight was going to the James Ranch for dinner one night. They had the best burgers & fries! They have a dairy/cheesemaking/restaurant/market all on their farm. So neat!
We also got to travel on the Million Dollar Highway & drove up to Silverton. Beautiful little mountain town! We did a bunch of hiking as well.
It was a wonderful family trip. We made memories for a lifetime. We were all sad to leave our cabin in the woods and to leave the mountains behind. We look forward to going again sometime!
We were so incredibly grateful with employees who took on the extra work so we could go!
August consisted of hot weather & getting ready for Yoder Days. Loyd was on the planning committee again so that always takes lots of evenings of preparation. It was a wonderful day again. I always enjoy seeing lots of people I donât see otherwise during the year. The boys did great in the pedal tractor pull & went on to the state fair where Wendall placed third. His dresser keeps getting more crowded with pedal pull trophies. He doesnât think thatâs a problem. âșïž
The other amazing thing that happened in August was the opening of a coffee shop right here in Yoder! From meeting with friends, doing schoolwork, having business meetings, or grabbing a fun drink before or after a delivery route, our family has found a new favorite place. Yes, my kiddos might have started a coffee fund⊠đ„č
In September, we got school into a routine. And Fall calving started. We did leave the farm for an overnight in southeast KS with some of our friends. Our family camped in their back yard & enjoyed church at their house the next day. Something so beautiful about sitting on a hillside & listening to scripture being read & taught while the little boys are digging with little sticks & the girls are sitting pretty on picnic blankets. We were so blessed to be included in their worship time.
October we enjoyed having my sisters from Ohio visiting! It was a fun-filled week that went way too quickly! The highlight was going to P&M pumpkin patch with my whole family! So fun to spend time with cousins & make memories!
In late October, a certain young man was out feeding the calves. After finishing with the calves, he poured the rest of his milk into the cat pan when suddenly he heard a hissing from the cats.
He glanced around & saw a very fluffy âcatâ. It was different than any of our cats, for it had stripes going a certain way & a very large fluffy tail.
The little man froze realizing he was only mere feet away from this ânewâ cat and it was hissing. In the midst of his frozen state, he recalled he should probably not be this close; but as what often happens when you are frozen, youâre feet donât work together with your mind.
As if in slow motion, he saw the âcatâ stop hissing, turn around, & throw her tail up.
A few seconds later, Mom hears screams from the driveway, the door is pushed open & 2 big-eyed kiddos in the midst of my kitchen with one of them having a very distinct smell.
Lots of jumbled messages were bombarded at me, my first thought was pushing everyone outside so as not to contaminate my kitchen.
After herding everyone to the back steps, I got the full story.
And then, of course, the question, âWhat do we do now?â
The girls suggested the age-old âtomato bathâ remedy & immediately Iâm thinking of my tomato juice stash & knowing thatâs not what I want to use it for.
Grinning mischievously, older brother not-so-helpfully said, âHave a nice life living outside.â đđ
Mom resorted to trustworthy Google. âWhat to do to get skunk smell off of human skin?â
(This would fall under the category of: âthe things you never thought youâd have to researchâ.)
Google said: Mix 1 qt of hydrogen peroxide, Πcup of baking soda, & 2 tsp. Dish soap. Apply the mixture generously to your skin, lathering well. Allow it to sit for a few minutes to work. Rinse thoroughly with clean water. Repeat if needed. Shower.
So we did that. And Iâm happy to report it did the trick! It did dry out his skin a bit but thankfully, we had Aunt Lauraâs trustworthy Whipped Tallow Balm nearby. It is amazing on dry skin!
We did discard his clothes so as not to forever ruin my washing machine.
And big brother did decide little man could live inside again. And of course, they lived happily ever after. âșïž
In November, Melissa & I had the chance to go to Kentucky to my aunt Sarahâs wedding. Was such an enjoyable day seeing so many of my aunts, uncles, & cousins. Reminiscing of by-gone days & making new memories was exactly what my heart needed. It had been 6 years since I was in Kentucky & so it was so fun to catch up with family & see where Grandpas used to live again. So grateful we got to be there for Aunt Sarahâs special day!
December has been filled with all the usual Holiday fun! We are looking forward to seeing family over Christmas & New Yearâs!
A peek into our childrenâs livesâŠ
Melissa, our oldest, turned 18 in September. Sheâs our sweet, funny, big sister whoâs always looking for adventure. She took many adventures with her friends this year, heading to Galveston for a post graduation party, going to many concerts, and several short trips to OK to one of her best friendâs home.
When sheâs at home, sheâs busy with milking cows, doing loads of deskwork, filling jugs, & running her delivery route each week. Starting in January sheâll be taking over all 3 of our weekly delivery routes for a few months while another employee has off. Sheâs everyoneâs go-to when we need an extra person to fill in or when we have a question that needs answered. So grateful we get to work alongside her and for everything she brings to our family & business!
Rosalyn, 15, is in her first year of high school. She is our calm in the midst of our âchaosâ often quietly doing her things and keeping us on schedule.
She enjoys youth group, hanging out at the coffee shop, & creating things. Her fun quiet personality blesses us greatly. She works in our business as well. She milks several times a week & is the main girl in charge of the chickens. She also does quite a bit of packing orders for delivery &is quickly becoming our go-to person as Melissaâs schedule gets filled with daily duties. Rosalyn also has her chocolate milk business, which keeps providing for her very well.
This year, sheâs also been learning how to drive. Itâs been great watching her confidence build the longer she does it. We love & appreciate Rosalyn so much.
Breanna, 13, became a teenager this year. A feat long looked forward to. Birthdays & Christmas are her favorite days of the year. This year her birthday fell on a Sunday and her worst nightmare came true⊠her friendâs dad (the worship leader) had her stand in front of everyone in church as we sang, Happy Birthday. She had all kinds of escape routes planned but alas the floor didnât open up & swallow her as would have been preferred.đ
Breanna loves a good party & will create all kinds of fun tea parties & spa days for anyone whoâs available. Sheâs in 8th grade & looking forward to being in highschool & youth group next year. She helps the boys a lot with their school which I am very grateful for.
On the farm, she helps with the calves & chickens and has dozens of cats that will follow her everywhere. Her lemonade sales this year have taken off, and sheâs also making eggnog thru the Holiday season. We are so grateful for our lively Breanna girl.
Wendall is our mischievous, smiley, & funny guy. We laugh at his remarks constantly⊠and his sisters roll their eyes quite a bit.đ
June was a special time for Wendall as he got baptized. He did a great job sharing his testimony.
On the farm, Wendall helps with milking cows & also filled many, many milk jugs this summer & fall. He enjoys raising rabbits & is excited to get breeding stock & grow his rabbit business.
He turned 11 this year & is a huge help in many areas. He raised potatoes & watermelon by himself this year & is hoping to produce a whole garden full of them next year.
He enjoys going on delivery routes with Melissa & has helped pack orders.
Our âacres & acresâ of lawn mowing are most often done by him & Josiah. We had lots & lots of amazing rain this year, so that meant lots & lots of mowing. They take on the challenge of seeing if they can get the mowing by the barn done between Airbnb guests. The guests leave at 11:00 & the next often come in at 3:00, so the window isnât very large. So grateful we have boys to take care of the lawn mowing!
Josiah is 8 going on 15. It often feels like heâs growing up in an adult world. He works hard to keep up with his siblings. Loves math but wishes reading books would disappear. Enjoys playing anything ball related but esp. loves football. He often does the girlsâ chores in a bribe to get them to play football with him & Wendall.
You can also find him playing any card or board game. The Farming game is a fav right now. Or Yahtzee. If you have any spare minute, you can be instantly occupied with him beside you with a game.
His chores consist of helping feed the calves, and feeding the chickens & gathering eggs. He also helped label & fill many 100âs of milk bottles this summer & fall. We recently passed that job on to several employees & he is not disappointed.
Loyd & I stay busy with running the farm business, managing our employees, & keeping the children fed, clothed, & happy.
Some days are hard, some days are perfect, & some are ânormalâ. Through it all, we are learning more about who we are in God & what He has created us for. We long to be more like Jesus and to let our lights shine brightly.
âI always pray with joy,... being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion⊠Philippians 1: 4-6, paraphrased
Wishing you a Season full of peace, light, & love!
Much love, Arlene⊠For the Borntrager Family
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