The FarmHouse Kids - Adventures on the Farm

Exploring the Farm: The boys ran and chased the little rabbit that hopped across the yard. Sam and Jay couldn't run as fast as the Rabbit, and soon it was out of their sight....

These pictures are a part of a story. A story about The FarmHouse Kids, who are triplets, and live on a farm. They'll explore the wonder of farm living, and learn about the different animals that live on their farm. They'll feed a baby cow, and take care of newborn kittens. They will play in a barn in the hay, and swing from a rope. They'll milk a cow and give a mama cat milk for her babies. They'll learn about tractors and combines, and they'll learn about growing food to eat. They'll get a new puppy, and they will ride a pony. A Goat will chase them, and they will run through the pastures, and they'll find a creek and see a fish. Mainly .... they'll have fun learning. .... and so will you. Every day will be a new adventure on the farm, staring The FarmHouse Kids.
Growing Food on the Farm: "Can I eat this?" Jay asked as he pulled a grape from the vine. "Yes," said his Mommy as she helped him pick the purple grapes. "We'll take them in the house and wash them first. Then we'll make a pie." "Can I help you?" Jay said. "Of course you can Jay, we'll make a pie together." Jay and his Mother carried the grapes into the house ....

Growing food on the Farm: "Pick one for me Sammy" Jay said to Sam as they ran up and down the row of grape vines. The purple grapes were ripe and ready to be picked. The grapes were shining in the sun, and the little boys couldn't resist them. They ate the grapes and filled their pockets ....
Animals on the Farm: "There's a Rabbit." Meg said as she began to run towards it. "Can I have it?" she asked her Mommy. "No Megan" her Mother said, "the Bunny needs to be free, but we can follow him and see where he lives." Megan took her Mother's hand and together they followed the Rabbit ....

Harvest on the Farm: "Can I drive the tractor?" Jay asked his Daddy. "You're a little boy Jay, and the tractor is very big. Let's pretend, and you can sit up high in the seat and I'll show you how it works. Then someday, when you're bigger and older, you can drive a tractor too ....
Recently, I was notified that my stories about The FarmHouse Kids - Adventures on the Farm were accepted by a publishing company. The illustrations will be my own pictures, and my very own FarmHouse Kids will be featured.
I'm very excited about this new venture. Although the stories are intended to be educational, they will be humorous and inspirational about a set of triplets that live on a farm. You'll never know what these kids are up to, or what they'll do next.

You'll see actual machines working during harvest, and you'll see the kids in all the pages. They're curious, and they want to help!
At the end of the day ... they'll always go home with their Daddy.

I've been writing stories about The FarmHouse Kids since they were born. Stories that I would whisper to them when I would hold them and rock them, and stories that their Daddy told me about when he was growing up on this farm. I knew I was destined to come to this farm to live my life, and I know I was destined to become the Mother of The FarmHouse Kids. The stories are mainly fiction, with lots of reality in them.

I have no guarantee's yet that my book will be published, and I don't know all the "in's and out's" yet. But for now, it's looking good that I'm headed towards becoming the author of a children's book. I'm praying for just one book, but who knows where it will lead. We'll see. I tend to think big ....

Be Blessed Everyone.

Ralph's Place (Part Three)

Start from the beginning by clicking here for part one.

Over a year had come and gone, and the old barn had been forgotten. The pictures that she had taken that day were tucked inside an album with many others. Just another reminder of the long days and winding roads, and hours and miles spent thinking of her future. It was just another place that she had been. No where special. Tucked back in the country on a dusty country road .... somewhere that she would never see again.


Several weeks had gone by since she had met the man at the gas station, and she knew that he would always be in her life. It was love, and they both knew it.

She sat at his house one Sunday afternoon and had brought him pictures of her kids to see. As she flipped the pages of the album, she showed him pictures of her life. He turned a page and ask her where the picture was taken of the semi with logs on it .... and she told the story of that day.

The day she decided that her marriage was over. Twenty-three long years washed down the drain. She told him about the old barn that was abandoned deep in the country, down a curvy narrow road. She told him how each mile suffocated her, and how she rode with him day after day, so she would know in her mind that he would stay faithful if she was there. She told him how she had laid in the grass that sunny day, and made a decision to leave.

He ask again .... "where was the picture taken?" She didn't know. Only deep in the country, about forty-five minutes from the Kentucky border. A long way from here.

He looked at her and said, "that's my grain bin in that picture." She assured him that he was wrong. It couldn't be. It was a long way from here, no where close. He was wrong, and it was a blurry picture. There had to be many grain bins just like that .... he was wrong. Simply wrong.

Not being an argumentative man, he took her hand and said, "I want to show you something. Let's go." She quietly followed him out the door to his truck.

The road didn't look familiar, and she didn't know where she was going. She didn't know what he was going to show her, but was willing to go anywhere with him.

As he made the final turn, .... on the left, an old barn came into sight. He pulled up the driveway, turned off his truck and turned to her. He pointed and said, "That's my grain bin. I own this farm. We're only a couple miles from my house." He held up the picture in his hand and said to her, "A year ago, or more, you were here. You are the one that hung those flowers on that tree." I always wondered who was here .... and he knew, it was destiny.

She was speechless. She turned to look behind her, and the twigs that she had used to wind the flowers in that she had braided, still hung from the nail on the tree. It had been a year, but the sticks were still there, hanging where she'd placed them. The old car sat in the same place, and the apple trees were blooming in the late spring. The barn loomed in the distance and she heard the squeak of the rusty hinge in the silence as he stared at her. She couldn't talk, but tears streamed down her face ..... and she knew, it was destiny.


Ralph's Place ..... just a old barn that is falling down back along a curvy country road that really takes you no where. No where special, no where at all.

Ralph's Place .... with a beat up old rusty Chevelle, just sitting there with sharp briar's growing in, and around it. With no windows and the cruel weather, it's just sitting there growing older by the minute. No seats to sit in, and no one to love this old car. It's day of beauty was over.

Ralph's Place .... just a left over old home place that is neglected and unkempt these days. Nothing there but a grain bin and a barn full of junk. No one visits there these days, and no one calls this home. It is pretty meaningless to anyone passing by. No memories, no love and only a place of the past.

But to a heartsick woman and a lonely man, it was about to become a special beautiful place. It holds the very beginning of their destiny. The very beginning of a country dream .... one that began long before they ever met. Long before they knew that Ralph's Place would be forever be in their hearts.

It was Destiny ....

Be Blessed Everyone.

Ralph's Place (Part Two)

Start from the beginning by clicking here for part one.

Off in the distance, just across the old fence row was a barn. It was beyond repair and was grown up with weeds. Yellow flowers were bloomed, and they bordered the side of the barn. She could see an old green car that had been abandoned there, and a big stone well sat in the middle of the property. Off to the side, several old apple trees hung heavy with fruit, and she could see a mail box along the road that was rusted and broken. To her, the overall picture was intriguing, and she had to see what was inside that barn.

Slowly, she climbed the fence and headed towards the old barn. Alone, she had time to kill, and a lot of thinking to do.


She adjusted her camera over her shoulder as she walked towards the barn. She was deep in thought. Twenty-three years she was about to walk away from. A life time. Her whole adult life and a choice that would impact her entire family, mainly her children.

What was left of a door hung from one rusty hinge and squeaked ever so gently. The wind blew through the barn and kicked up dust from the floor. It swirled around an old broken wagon that sat in the center, and skited out through the back of the barn. She completely circled the old barn and came back to the doorway. She peered inside, not knowing whether to trespass or not. No one was around except a man on a tractor, in another field behind the barn, and he was too far away to see her.

She stepped into the darkness and looked up. The sun shined oddly through the holes in the barn, and left light trails of dusty twinkles in the air. She explored each room. It was obvious that this barn had not been used for many years. Old pieces of farm machinery sat rusted where they'd been parked, and were covered in dirty cobwebs. It was like stepping back in time, to another life style of many years ago.

She left the barn and headed across the yard to a patch of yellow flowers that grew around a big tree, by the old green Chevelle. She sat there on the ground watching the man on the bucksaw load the semi, and watched the man that she soon would leave. She took a few pictures and laid the camera down in the grass, and began to pick the yellow flowers.

As she braided a wreath out of the flowers, she thought about her future and wondered if she had the strength to change her life. This would be the hardest thing she'd ever do. Her kids were all but grown, and would choose who they would live with. Would they go with her or stay with him? Could she live with that if they choose to stay? How could she live without them, but how could she continue to live this way.

He yelled at her across the field and waved his arms in the air. It was time to go. Again. She hurriedly hung the flowers on a nail she saw on the tree, and grabbed her camera. As she walked towards the truck, she knew she'd made the right decision, and the time would soon come to make that change.




Click here to read part three of Ralph's Place.

Ralph's Place (Part One)

Ralph's Place ..... just a old barn that is falling down back along a curvy country road that really takes you no where. No where special, no where at all.

Ralph's Place .... with a beat up old rusty Chevelle, just sitting there with sharp briar's growing in, and around it. With no windows and the cruel weather, it's just sitting there growing older by the minute. No seats to sit in, and no one to love this old car. It's day of beauty was over.

Ralph's Place .... just a left over old home place that is neglected and unkempt these days. Nothing there but a grain bin and a barn full of junk. No one visits there these days, and no one calls this home. It is pretty meaningless to anyone passing by. No memories, no love and only a place of the past.

But to a heartsick woman and a lonely man, it was about to become a special beautiful place. It holds the very beginning of their destiny. The very beginning of a country dream .... one that began long before they ever met. Long before they knew that Ralph's Place would be forever be in their hearts.


She rode along in silence as the semi bumped slowly along the narrow gravel road. What was she doing here? Mile after mile she rode, wrapped deep in her thoughts, until the air in the semi started to suffocate her. She could feel the nausea rise up from her stomach. She could feel her head spinning, and she had to lean back and take a deep breath. She had to get away from him.

This had to stop. Day after day she rode with him. No more, she vowed to herself. She was finished. She would no longer waste her life in this truck, going with him to make sure he didn't cheat. No more. She was over it and today was the beginning of the end for her.

As the brakes squealed, he rolled the big truck to a stop deep into the country, on a curvy country road. He slowly backed the rig into a small woods. They would sit here again for a hour and wait. Wait until the man on the bucksaw would pile the logs high on the trailer of the semi-truck. Then they would leave. But they would return. Again.

She couldn't stand the noise and the movement as the loader dumped the big logs, one by one, onto the truck. It shook the truck and jolted her to reality with every bang. She felt like running away.

Off in the distance, just across the old fence row was a barn. It was beyond repair and was grown up with weeds. Yellow flowers were bloomed, and they bordered the side of the barn. She could see an old green car that had been abandoned there, and a big stone well sat in the middle of the property. Off to the side, several old apple trees hung heavy with fruit, and she could see a mail box along the road that was rusted and broken. To her, the overall picture was intriguing, and she had to see what was inside that barn.

Slowly, she climbed the fence and headed towards the old barn. Alone, she had time to kill, and a lot of thinking to do.

To Be Continued .....

Be Blessed Everyone! Another short story is unfolding! Click here to read Part Two of Ralph's Place.

A Dream Comes True (Conclusion)

Click here to read from the beginning.

It was a long night, and Sam struggled, but held his own. They both sat by his side and touched his hand. He looked so tiny and so sick. She hummed a song, and he prayed for their baby. They had never held him. They could only touch him ever so lightly, and she couldn't even stroke his head. They wanted no stimulation. He needed to conserve his energy. He was fighting for his life, as she had done just a few short weeks before. So she hummed, and told him she loved him.... and she always would.

Miraculously, Sam held on. He was a fighter ... and he fought the fight of survival .. and he won. Over the next few days, he improved and came off the ventilator. He had never been held in his short life, and he was blessed with a loving nurse that night. She stayed over after her shift and held Sam for a long time. She talked to him and she hummed to him and she told him that he was loved.

Very early the next morning, they received a phone call from the hospital, and their hearts stopped in their chest. But this time, it was good news telling them that Sam was no longer on a ventilator and he was doing good. He was on C-Pap and they could hold him. Together they praised God and let the tears flow as they hurried to the hospital to hold him.

It would be three more weeks before they would bring their babies home. They had to learn how to suck, swallow and breath at the same time, and had to grow.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

(November 30, 2004)

Dear Von,

Today Jay came home from the hospital. It was hard to leave Sam and Meggie behind, but it's exciting to finally be bringing them home, even if it is one at a time. I wonder what it's going to be like from now on .... are you scared? I am.

Love,

Tan

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

(December 4, 2004)

Dear Von,

Today Megan made it home. I couldn't hardly stand to walk out that door and leave Sam there, but I know he is just a few days away from joining us. I am so tired of running back and forth to the hospital. I am just looking forward being home with you and our babies.

I love you Von,

Tan

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

(December 7, 2004)

Dear Von,

Sam is home. We are all together again. I never thought I would see this day. We are truly blessed.

Love,

Tan

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

All within seven days, their babies had come home. Jay first, then Meg, and finally Sam. All three were on monitors and Sam on Oxygen. The Doctors had told them that Sam would probably be on oxygen for life, or for a very long time. But he proved them wrong. After only two months, he no longer needed it, and the miracle is, that Sam never got sick.

Through the months, they grew and were so healthy. The little boy that the Doctor's said wouldn't live, was the healthiest of them all. He led the pack in all aspects ... and the little boy that they said wouldn't have a normal life walked in the intensive care unit on his first birthday with his little bare feet... and they all cheered for him with tears in their eyes. A perfect little miracle named Sam. She knows in her heart that Sam knows that God held him when she couldn't.

Their three little miracles have grown and are the joys of their lives. God had a plan, and their dream came true .... he became a Father, and she became their Mother.

Be Blessed Everyone ~

A new story is brewing ... one of laughter, one of love and one of tales over the past three years of raising triplets!

A Dream Comes True (Part Two)

This is continued from the beginning story of Modern Day Woman ... Old Time Man. You can click here to start at the beginning of our life story, or you can click here to start at the beginning, part one, A Dream Comes True.

Without speaking, and in stunned silence, they left the office. She turned her face away from his and the tears poured down her face .....

They had just discovered that they were having triplets. Three babies. The chill of fear ran down her spine. She knew that it would take a miracle of God for her to pull this off. Little did she know, a miracle had already happened, and God would touch her and keep all four of them safe.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

(May 3, 2004)

Dear Tan,

I always wanted to know what it is like to be in a NHRA dragster and go from 0 - 330 mph in about 4.5 seconds. Now I think I know. It's kind of like finding out you have three babies growing. In 4.5 seconds, the G-force makes your face go white for a few seconds.

Seriously, I know if anyone can do it, you can . You are a wonderful person, and will be and are, a wonderful Mother. I will be here by your side and I will never leave you.

I guess we might both get what we wanted. You wanted two babies. I wanted one. That makes three.

Love,

Von

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

She lived in constant fear of losing the babies. As each week went by, the visits to the Doctor became harder and harder. She quickly grew uncomfortable and was very sick. With each visit to the Doctor, she was reminded of her age and the consequences of prematurity and told this might cost her, her life. They were told to reduce the pregnancy to one baby. They were told that they could not and would not be successful in this venture. She was told that this was the most selfish thing she could do to another human being ..... to bring children into the world with probable disabilities from prematurity, that related to her age, she would not live long enough to take care of them. They simply could not take the lives of what was given to them. No matter the cost.

He bought her a gift. A pregnant angel. A willow tree angel ..... Cherish. The one that symbolized the other half to the three she had given the woman long before she knew that she would have three babies. A reminder for her to keep. A reminder of the woman she didn't know, but would know in her heart, for all of her life. A reminder that she would cherish.

They soon found out that they were having two boys and a girl. He named their babies. He chose simple names. Three letter names. Sam, Jay and Meg. She chose their middle names .... and they made plans for the future.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

(August 5, 2004)

Dear Tan,

Yesterday we found out our baby girl Meg, more than likely is a baby boy. Three boys. My three sons. How will I do it? How will we do it?

I know you are so sick, and so crowded, and I know you are headed for trouble soon if you don't get better, and gain weight. Our babies have taken all that you have to give, and I wish I could do something to help you. I feel so helpless. We've come so far and have so far to go, and we might not get there. I shouldn't say that, I have to have the faith that you have, but I'm so scared right now. I never knew it would be this hard on you. I never knew that they would be in jeopardy as well. I just never knew, now I don't know what to do. I can only pray that God will make things easier and better and you and them will be okay. They can't be born yet, they won't make it ... they're too small.

I love you Tan,

Von

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

She was sick. In a hospital bed in their living room on complete bed rest with monitors and IV's, and unable to get up without help. She couldn't eat. She couldn't stop vomiting, and she knew that she was in big trouble. In a blur, she lay in the bed, uncomfortable and waited for him to come home. She knew she could no longer stay home.

He came into the house, exhausted and worried, and knew that something was wrong. She was having contractions. Too many and too painful, and she was still throwing up.

At the hospital, they discussed the options with him. They would start vein feedings to nourish her and their babies. They would stop her labor. She would have to stay there. He didn't think she was aware of what a dangerous situation they were in. He was worried.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

(August 18, 2004)

Dear Tan,

The ultrasound yesterday shows that Meggie is still with us. She's still a girl! I'm happy about that. We got the first face picture of Sam in 4D. He looks great. Jay wouldn't cooperate. They are still far too little, and just not ready to be born yet.

I can remember the first few ultrasounds and all the ones we've had as we've watched them grow. It's hard to believe that we can actually see them now.

I miss you being here with me. I know it's in the best interest of the babies, and you.

I love you all,

Von

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

She knew that something was seriously wrong. She'd been a nurse for years. Even though she was the patient, she still was somewhat aware of her surrounding. She felt chilled from the fevers, and too swollen. Her toes didn't touch the floor when they helped her up to the bathroom. But the fevers were the worst. She was so cold, and shaking so badly. ... and dreaming so much, or was she? She heard voices, and saw faces, and didn't recognize some of the people in her room. She saw her Mother, and her sister, and she saw her husband standing by her side, and she saw the tears streaming down his face. She felt his hands. She was in a daze, and the lights came and went. She couldn't breathe. She was swollen. She couldn't pee. She couldn't move, and she inhaled the words she heard, and heard them echo through her.

She was septic, in renal failure and in congestive heart failure. She had gained seventy pounds of fluid in three days, and her kidneys weren't working. Her fevers were high and she was in trouble. Her life was swinging in the balance and no one knew which way she would go. She was spiraling downward into multi-organ failure .... and going fast.

But he had promised her .... they would not take her babies. No matter what. He would keep his promise to her. He would give her up, to give them a chance. The plan was that they would intubate her, (they didn't have to) and keep her alive as long as they could, to give them the chance they needed. He was losing her. How would he handle three babies without her.

She heard her Doctors' words floating some where in the room, and she felt her cold hands holding her face to hers. Some where in the world that she was in, she heard her words, "Tanya, do you hear me? You have to tell me it's okay to take the babies. We have to take them now. Von won't give his permission. I know he promised you, but we have to take them now. You're very sick, and to save them, we have to take them now."

She heard herself whisper, "No." She knew she wasn't going to die. Somewhere in all the voices she heard, she heard her own, "you think I'm going to die, but I'm not." They said it wasn't possible that she heard them, but she did. She heard them all .

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He had ask to be alone with her. He sat in a recliner at her bedside. He wrote to her one last time with tears streaming down his face.

(September 21, 2004)

Dear Tan,

I love you yesterday, today, tomorrow and forever. This may be the last letter I ever write to you. I read every word we've ever written to each other. I read your words, and I can almost hear your voice. I wish I could.

Love,

Von

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Alone in the room, he snapped their book closed one last time, and leaned over onto her bed. He closed his eyes and began to pray ... and he begged God to spare her life. She knew he was there.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Be Blessed Everyone ....



To my friends that read my blog ... this is very hard for me to write. I get chills when I think of how close I came to dying before my babies were born. I know how lucky I am to have survived. I give all thanks to God that I lived.

Click here to read part three.

A Dream Comes True (Part One)

February 2004

On a bitter cold night, just a short week after his Mother passed away, they lay in bed and made a pact. Before they fell asleep, holding hands a decision had been made. They would do whatever it took to have a child together. He desperately wanted to become a Father. She desperately wanted him to. Defying all odds, and against medical advice, they did .....

They sought help. Help that came in the form of a talented Doctor and a beautiful young woman's gift. With all odds against them, and a warning that they wouldn't succeed, they took a chance. They knew that God was with them, and they knew in their hearts this was their last chance. God is good.

She wrote a letter. A letter to a young woman that she didn't know. A woman that she would always think about, and a woman that she would always pray for. She knew that the young woman would get her letter and her gift. She didn't sign the letter .... for she couldn't.

(March 29, 2004)

We want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for giving us a chance to have a child together. Even though we don’t know you, we know that you have a big heart, and that you are a very caring and compassionate person or you would not have done this for someone you don’t know. We know that you will probably always wonder if we were fortunate enough to have a child, so we wanted you to know that if we are blessed, our child will have a very good life and will be very loved.

We want you to know a little about us also. We’ve been married for almost three years ago. My husband is a farmer and I am a Nurse. His family has farmed here for almost 200 years. We live in the country in a big old farmhouse. It’s an awesome place to live. I feel like we live in a small piece of Heaven. My husband is the kindest person I’ve ever met in my life. I know if we do have a child, he will teach him or her something very worthy every day.

We would like you to have these Willow Tree Angels as a remembrance of what you’ve given us. Heart, Hope, and Thanks.

Again, Thank you and remember in life to always be a giver and you will have peace in your heart. I will always keep you in my prayers and thank God you came into our lives this way. You are a beautiful person!

Three days later, life would begin.

(April 2, 2004)

Dear Von,

Today was a special day. It was the day we were given a gift. A gift from heaven. The gift of life.

I watched your face the whole time. I felt your hand in mine, and I felt the connection we share. What are the odds? We don't know. But I have faith .... and that faith will get us through this.

You're loved Von!

Tan

p.s. Please always pray for her, this woman. She has to be a good person to have given us this. Never forget that in life you always give more than you take, and how do we repay her? With prayers and good wishes ....

The week wore on .... and time stood still, and only time would tell. .... and it did.


(April 10, 2004)

Dear Von,

Congratulations! It looks like we've done it. We've done it good. Twins! I'll pray that they are beautiful boys for you, but if we're having girls .... I know you'll be just as happy. You are going to be the best Dad in the world.

I guess it will take a while to soak in. It's funny .... all we ever thought about was having just one baby, now we're getting two!

My head is reeling ... I'm in shock! How will I do it? My girls are having babies at the same time. I'm going to be a Grandmother, twice, just a couple of months before these guys get here. What have we done? I'm so excited, yet so scared.

I guess "real" will come soon enough. We are going to have our hands full! Can we do it? How?

Love,

Tan


The state of shock was overwhelming. It was like a blast of reality in their face. Surreal, but not real, yet it was true. Two babies were coming, and all would be good.

She wanted to buy something for them. For in the back of her mind, she needed something to tell her they were here ... and something for them in case it didn't last. Together they went, and bought their babies a gift. Each a little bunny that said a prayer. One yellow and one green, and she hugged them. As they left the aisle in the store, she felt an overwhelming feeling to reach back and grab another one. A third little green bunny found a home with the others.

Quickly, the days flew by and it was time to see the little ones growing inside of her. They were so excited to see two heartbeats. To see that their dream had come true.

As she lay on the table at the Doctor's office, she kept her eyes closed tightly and she prayed. He stood beside her. One hand on her shoulder, and the other intertwined with hers. He too prayed. ... that they would see the heartbeats, and all would be well. The heartbeats were there, and were strong .... and there were three.

He turned pale, and he felt weak. He had to sit down. She closed her eyes and felt the tears roll down her cheeks with the reality of what they had done. She was almost forty-eight years old and he was all but fifty. Being a nurse, she knew what was ahead, and it wouldn't be good.

Without speaking, and in stunned silence, they left the office. She turned her face away from his and the tears poured down her face .....

Be Blessed Everyone!



Click here to read Part Two!

Country Dreams (part two)

Read Part I first. Click here.

All was well. The baby was growing, and together, they prayed and thanked God for the gift of life he was giving them.

(November 21, 2002)

Dear Von,

Yesterday was really the best day of my life with you. I feel like we moved up another notch on that 'ladder of life' we live on. Even though everything in our life is good, it just got better.

Mainly, what I gained yesterday was a deeper respect for you and our relationship. I realized the value of your friendship and love for me. I know without any doubt that I am loved by you, and with all your heart.

Thanks for the date last night ... it was fun!

Love,

Tan

Thanksgiving came and they celebrated family, love and a new life that is coming. Their baby was growing and had a strong heartbeat. All was well and fall would turn to winter quickly.

(November 28, 2002)

Dear Tan,

Happy Thanksgiving! It was good to have dinner here with your kids. This evening was the first time I really felt like we were a family together. Next Thanksgiving we will have another family member with us, our child. We will be complete.

I love you Tan!

Von

It turned cold quickly and he lit a fire in the old wood burning stove on the back porch. Together they huddled around the stove and felt the warmth of the fire. They laid out a lifetime of plans for the child they would have. They named him. They decided who he would look like. They decided his future. Then they chuckled. He might be a she, and they started all over again.

That night as they slept, she awoke to sudden sharp pain. Pain that wouldn't go away. She woke him up and he called her Doctor. As he helped her out of the bed, she doubled over and her knees would no longer hold her. As he helped ease her to the floor, she felt the wet gush and warmth of blood trickle from her, and she felt the baby that they loved so much pass from her.

He held her close and they together they cried. Telling each other that they would not do this again. It was too hard. Too emotional and it hurt too much.

(December 4, 2002)

Dear Von,

It's been a bad week hasn't it? My whole world turned upside down when we miscarried again. Even though I'm sad, I know I will be okay and I thank God I have you. You have the kindest spirit and are always there for me. When I think of you, I always first think of my best friend, then my love, and how you have changed my life.

Love,

Tan

He wrote back to her and told her that everything would be okay. They had each other. That was all that mattered. He wouldn't put her through that again. He would be content without a child. He never considered being a Father until he met her, and he didn't need to have a child to live his life with her. They would have each other, her children, and grandchildren would surely come one day.

(December 4, 2002)

Dear Tan,

We had a very sad day. We will have other sad days, but we will have a lot more happy ones, than sad ones. I know it is harder on you and I'm so sorry for what you've been through trying to have our child. We still have a lot to be thankful for. We still have each other.

We just had our first snow of the season. I hope it's the last!

Your love for life,

Von

Christmas came. It was white and it was beautiful to her. Her kids were there and they too were settling into the new of a changed family.

(December 25, 2002)

Dear Tan,

Merry Christmas! I love you with all my heart! You got your wish, it was a white one and a very cold one! I'm still hoping that we won't get anymore snow!

Love,

Von

She looked for their journal. She wanted to write to him first... but he had beat her to it!

(December 25, 2002)

Merry Christmas! I love you with all my heart too. This was a great Christmas for me. I have you, and my kids, and I'm so happy with my life. Thank you for my camera. I love it!

All is well in the Siekman house .... isn't it wonderful?

Love,

Tan

New Year came and they were so busy. The cold is hard on the cows and the cold would chill him to the bone. He was back and forth from the barns to the house constantly trying to keep everything thawed and running. It seemed that they had no time for each other. She worked and he had too much to do. A dairy farm is a busy place to be, especially in the cold of the winter.

(January 1, 2003)

Dear Tan,

You are the love of my life and I am lucky to have you. I can see you and hear your voice even when we're apart. If you listen closely, you will always be able to hear my voice say, "I love you Tan." Always.

Happy New Year ... and may it be better than ever for you.

Love,

Von

The snow had melted and the days were slowly getting warmer. Easter was right around the corner. His parents were elderly. They were failing and they needed him more. They had so much pride and they would never ask for help. His Father was fading before his eyes. The thought of losing him was more than he could bear. He had worked with his Dad, hand in hand, since he was a little boy on this farm.

He had always looked up to his Father as the man he wanted to be like some day. He patterned his life after him and worked hard to be like him. To have his morals and his integrity. To work the same land that he had, and to have his wisdom. His Father had taught him so much. He loved his Dad. He would be there for this man, to help him and take care of him as long as they needed him. He knew these days would some day come, but he didn't know how heavy his heart would feel once these days got here.

She was a nurse. She could see that his Father was failing fast. She would stand beside him and take care of him along with her husband, and his family. He was a good man. The man that molded her husband into the man that he is. She loved him too. She would miss him when he was gone. She knew that it would be soon.

She spent a lot of time at his parents house. She got to know his Father well. He talked to her, and he confided in her the two regrets that he had in his long life, and he gave her advice. She would take his advice and hold it true to her heart all of her days, and she would always thank this old man for his wisdom.

Spring was here. It came in gently, and she had a plan. A simple plan to help the older man that she had grown to love, to have no regrets, before he left this world. She knew just how to make that happen.

(March 13, 2003)

Dear Tan,

One of the greatest gifts of love is helping some one to grow. You have helped me to be a better person. You have helped me to see that I have been wrong for a lot of years in something that I thought I was right about. Too many years went by, and I lost track of what is important in life.

First being .... family. I thank you for the gift of my brother. The brother that is so important to me. The brother that lives right down the road from me, that I love. I'm so ashamed that I let so many wasted years go by and caused Mom and Dad such heartache. It must have hurt their hearts, for their sons to not speak for ten years. Thank you for showing me how important family is. I can't imagine not having my brother in my life again. I truly missed him. I only hope that he will forgive me. A simple foolish quarrel .... and so many years wasted.

I hope Mom likes the memory letters she will get for her birthday from all of her family. I hope she likes them as much as we do. I (like you) have enjoyed reading each letter we have gotten so far. How did you convince Dad to write Mom a letter? I still can't believe that he wrote to her. She will love reading the letters over and over again. The album they are in, is beautiful. Mom will love it.

Love,

Von

Little did he know, she was helping an old man that loved his old wife very much. The old man just didn't know how to say the words anymore. The old woman wouldn't remember hearing them anymore. She would however, read those words over and over again.

(March 26, 2003)

Dear Von,

I am so glad that you and your brother will soon walk down the same path again. I know that you will get there. This was your Dad's wish, and one of the regrets in his life, that years ago he never stopped this feud between his sons.

Yes, Mom will love the book of letters from all of us. She might not be able to remember the day to day things now, but she will remember all that we've written about and she will read it again and again. That was the other regret your Dad had, that he didn't tell her often that he loved her. He said he was too busy working and all the years slipped away. But, he wrote it in a letter to her .... a letter that she'll read after he's gone, and she'll know. He loved her.

I love you Von. I know these days are hard for you ... and I'll always be here to help you.

Love,

Tan

Early in June, on a quiet night in his home .... his Father passed away. He had wished for two things. His sons were right with each other, and he found a way for his wife of many years to know that he loved her. She read his words often, and he had died with no regrets.

Thanks for reading .. and be blessed!



Click here for part three and the conclusion to 'Country Dreams'.

Country Dreams (part one)

A continuation of the story, 'Modern Day Woman ... Old Time Man.' Click here to read it first!

Even though she had been in his house many times before, it felt different now that they were married. This was her home too. Her house to make a home. To make changes and turn this old farmhouse into a home for the both of them. Together they would blend hers and his, and twine their lives together.

He could see the changes coming. Nothing would be the same. This old house was no longer just a house to sleep in. It would become warm, inviting and full of love. He could see that changes were coming. Good changes. He prayed for changes that would bring this farmhouse to life again.

She divided her time between him and her kids. Not wanting her youngest to change schools his senior year in high school, she lived between two houses. Spending some nights with her kids, and some nights with him, and working in the daytime .... the school year flew by. After her son's graduation, they moved to Indiana for good. Jared moved with her and started college near by. They moved Joey into a small apartment and he started college locally. Only 30 minutes from home, but so far away. Josh and Juli were living their lives and on their own.

He was ready for her to live in their home full time. He missed her, but knew that she had a commitment to her kids. He wanted her with them as much as she needed to be. He wanted the best for them too. As they embarked upon a new path in college, she came home to him.

She was home.

Living here came as easy as if she'd been here all her life. she could hear the quiet of the night and sounds of the country, as she would just walk a circle around the house and through the yard. She had dreams. Dreams of spending her life here and raising another child here with him.
She was home. Home where he wanted her to be. His home. Now their home. His life was falling into place with her. Maybe they would have a child. Life would be good and she would be here beside him for the rest of his life.

(June 10, 2002)

Dear Von,

I was afraid to write in our book when we found out that we were pregnant again. I was so afraid that if something happened, I wouldn't want to be reminded. Then yesterday when I started bleeding I knew that no matter what happens, this is a part of our lives together and we'll get through it.

I want to remember this time and how happy we were about having a baby. I want to keep my thoughts about how you smiled and how happy this was making you and how much this would change our life. I want to remember the look on your face when you saw the beginning of the baby on the ultrasound screen, and I want to keep all my hopes and dreams and keep praying everything will be okay.

I am so scared and I can't do anything except wait to see what happens. I just want to go back to yesterday morning before this all started. But no matter what, I am still thankful I got to experience being pregnant with you, and that we created a miracle that can change our lives forever.

Yesterday, you summed it up pretty good ... no matter what happens, we still have each other.

I love you.

Tan

The little baby they'd created was not meant to be. Another dream was shattered, and two hearts were broken.

(June 23, 2002)

Dear Von,

This has been a difficult two weeks. Everyday I think about losing our baby, but everyday gets better for me. I am trying so hard to be positive about why it happened. As a nurse, I understand ... but as a woman and Mother, it's the hardest thing I've ever been through.

I'm so glad you have been here every step of the way. I know it was difficult for you too and still is at times. I am so glad we named our baby. I know that the name we chose is just for us to know, but it makes me feel better. The necklace you bought me to wear in memory of our little one is beautiful and when I touch it, I am reminded of how much you love me.

I'll never forget how it felt to be pregnant with you, and from the moment we found out, that baby was loved very much. I know God has a place for baby's that weren't able to be born, and he'll keep him in his loving arms.

I love you Von with all my heart, and there is no where else in the world I'd ever want to be, except with you.

Love,

Tan

His heart was broke beyond words. He was quiet and he too was hurting. In their old journal, he wrote to her.

(June 23, 2002)

Dear Tan,

I love you more today than ever. I know what kind of Mother, wife and friend you are, and I am sure what kind of Mom you would have been to our child had he been born. I know that he would not have had a better Mother.

Maybe someday we will know why he did not make it into our earthly home, but for now we will have to be content to know God is watching over him or her for us.

I love you.

Von

Fall was coming and her heartache was easing. The heartbreak and pain didn't hurt as much, but the twinges were there when a memory came her way. She was content with her family and decided that a child was not in their future. After all, she was forty-five years old and had raised four children. She'd done a good job and she loved them with all her heart. She would wait for grandchildren to come along, and all would be well.

Their first year together being married was coming to an end. She reflected back on how happy she'd been. She loved her home, her husband, her children and her life. She thanked God for all that he had given her and all that was yet to come.

He couldn't believe that a year had gone by so quickly. It was November and the crops were in. He was looking forward to a warm winter with her. He had always worked so hard and had been alone. But this year, his love was with him, and it would be good.

(November 20, 2002)

Dear Tan,

I want you to know that you are the best wife that I could ever hope for, and you are my best friend. You bring joy and happiness into my life. Happy Anniversary.

I love you with all my heart.

Von

She read his letter that he had written in the old journal that lay out on a table in their room. She had something to say to him too. She wrote her words under the letter he had written to her that morning.

(November 20, 2002)

Dear Von,

You too are my best friend.... the best of everything I've ever had in my life, I've had with you this past year. I love you so much and I know I am loved by you just as much.

On top of this being our first anniversary ... we also have the joy of having our child growing inside of me. Hopefully, next year at this time, he or she will be with us.

Happy anniversary and I love you with all my heart too!

Tan


All was well. The baby was growing, and together, they prayed and thanked God for the gift of life he was giving them.

... as always, be blessed.



Part two has been written ... Click HERE!