Harvest Reflections

As most of you know, we can celebrate that harvest is complete! This is definitely a bitter-sweet time for our family to know that harvest is finished.  A lot of emotions were felt as we were working hard to get the crops in.  I can't help but think back on the unusual weather and the changes that has taken place this growing and harvest season. God's provisions and grace for us as we finish this chapter in our life is worth reflection. 

There were a lot of good memories as John, Bernie, Anson, Doyle worked with the goal in sight. They really burned the candle at both ends.  Bernie enjoyed Rosa, Brandon, Rianne, Jesse, and Joshua riding along in the combine (some of them for the first time) keeping him company.  Anson even dared take the combine out while Bernie and John were at their day jobs.   I will always be full of smiles thinking of me being a "temporary farmer's wife" running for parts, testing the corn, and trying my best to have supper ready when they found a moment to eat.  Anson felt complete satisfaction when John and Bernie left him the next morning alone to fix the auger and it worked!  The weather was just perfect for harvest compared to all the delays in planting, the early summer storms, the wet and relatively cool weather we had this summer and the rains in October that delayed harvest.  We were definitely appreciating and soaking in the fall sunshine and great temperatures that God gave us for a whole week to take out the corn.  There were a lot of good times and memories and I'm going to miss not bothering the guys everyday now that harvest is over.

This year there was no more wondering if Heit was ever going to retire from farming.  I'm so glad that John and Bernie stepped in to take care of the details of getting the bins, combine and wagons ready.  The "Big Gray Dog" was getting tired too, but oh the sounds that would come from under the combine as John wiggled his way into places that no man should go and weld a piece shut forever. John has permanent marks on his chest to remind him of his last days under the combine.  Doyle would love to get him a Gleaner N5 tattoo (f/y/i it's the name of the combine) for old time sake. You will have to ask him about the time he called us from under the combine to get the hose to put the fire out.  What would we do without cell phones?  I'm sure our mechanic is ready to let the dog rest and find comfort in not having to wonder or worry if the combine will hold out another harvest.  I'm so thankful that no one was injured.  

November 1st was a beginning date for Mem & Heit.  They would have celebrated their 54th anniversary.  Instead, we celebrated the ending of 2008 Harvest with gladness and sadness.  We will have a lot of time in the next few weeks to reminisce and reflect this past growing and harvest season and thank God for this chapter in our life.

Life In California

Hi!! Can you believe that I am honestly adding something to this blog?!! I must have a little bit of my father in me after all. Since I see Liz and her family, I thought I would add some of there pictures. First Picture is of Cade. Second Picture is Jaci, Anne, and Cade. Third Picture is Olivia and Riley at the Pumpkin Patch. I have over 200 pictures, but since this is my first time I thought I wouldn't go crazy! FYI I will be flying to Iowa December 7th and leave December 15th.  See you all soon. .................... Anne 

Therapy Anyone?

It is Tuesday, October 28 around 10:30 p.m. and the sound of harvest is filling the night air. I can hear the combine humming which is such a sweet sound especially after a couple of break downs and replaced belts. The noise of the combine moving and the tractor going back and forth with wagons of corn to fill the bins makes me pause and praise God for giving them 5 hours where nothing broke down.  What therapy!

Stop the presses....as I am writing this, the music of the tractors stopped! The sound of the harvest became quiet. Could it be? Please say it isn't so? My heart is sinking of the thought that there is something wrong. Oh, man, Doyle just came in and reported that the belts broke again.  

Harvest is supposed to be a form of healing and therapy for the boys, but the belt breaking all the time will send them to a real therapist. Harvest was a joy when Heit was around because he would work on fixing the combine while they were at their day jobs and they could just come after work and do the fun part.

Well, tomorrow we will start our therapy session again. I will go and chat with the Krueseman's boys and see if they have the belts we need. John will come after work and try to fix the problem which will probably take and hour and half. (I really think he is getting faster at taking the combine apart and fixing it!) Then Bernie, John and Doyle will see if they can get further on Harvest. We hope this therapy session last longer than 5 hours!

Drew fun!

We had a great time last weekend with Drew. The last time we spent time with him was a few hours Sept 21- so we were ready for a Drew fix! Kyle & Sasha came as well on Sat. so we took Drew & Bentley to the park - So as you can see we had lots of fun! On Sunday we meet Alyssa at Beppe's so Beppe could see him for a bit as well. So fun to see him crawling, pulling self up, walking a little by the furniture, etc. He was so good!! Did I say being a grandparent is the best!! What a wonderful gift God has given us.

by Arlys

Working on the corn

Okay folks, I'm calling for prayer for the crops and getting the corn in. Bernie and John worked on it yesterday. The corn is not as dry as they would like, but need to get started. So the first request is that it dries so that we don't have to worry about the corn in the bins getting yucky-it will probably be okay, it's just better if it is drier. Also, pray for the equipment. You know how it goes, a broken belt here, a run out of gas there (a leak), and frustration mounts and then it isn't fun. The boys are persistent and want to do this themselves - one last time - but it would be nice if they could "enjoy it".

Also, pray for them, it can be emotional and hard to go through this. Please just pray for them as you see others picking corn - I'm sure it will help.

Bernie's birthday coming up!

We are hoping to get evites out to everyone - but my email at home doesn't have addresses in it yet - so first I must do one thing so I can do the next...Much of my life is like that, so much so, that I forget what I started to do.....

Bernie is turning 50 and we are celebrating with a Open House on his birthday, November 8 from 6 til 9. We will be out at Shady Acres, a barn by Reasnor. I will get directions out later. We want everyone to come wearing the ugliest sweater you can find.

I am bummed that Anson and Syl have to miss - but I am happy for Rachelle to be in the play. I know how much my kids enjoyed that. I hope everyone else can make it.

If you are coming and would like to bring something along for food, Bernie loves pumpkin anything. So I thought some pumpkin desserts, breads, cookies, etc would be a fun surprise for him. The meal is being catered, so it would help if I could get an approximate count.

The beans are harvested!!!!

Combines arrive at 11:00 AM and by 12:30 all the beans (2000+ bushels) were harvested.  It sure helps when there are 4 combines running at the same time.   What a privilege to be in a community that helps out as much as it does here.