I need your HELP please..a title? a word?

this post has been a hard one to nail down y’all.

I need your help!  All you quick witted.. word wizards…Leave me your suggestions in comments

a title ?or a word to sum up this year end post?

Here’s the recap from our neck of the woods..

with a BOOM and a BANG

January 2, 2013

We unlocked the doors on a completely new territory.  The world of retail at Fort Payne Feed and Garden.

The farrier (one who shoes horses) and his former public school teacher wife learned lots and lots ! Yet have exactly that much more plus a smidgen still to learn.  We’ve met some AMAZING new people, heard hilarious and super sad stories.  We’ve sold feed, seed, bug killer, antiques, eggs, flowers, ferns, CHRISTMAS TREES, wreathes AND more galore.  I was introduced to Quickbooks.  We’re not friends.   We’ve seen the Lord move in mighty ways.  I will gladly testify from the mountain tops-little is MUCH when God is in it.

FEBRUARY  love month.  We cut wood & soaked up as much sun as we could.

Loved each other and did our best to stay warm.  It was cold. Cold.

MARCH– Cowboy Dan (the love of my life turned 38) and began to feel his age more than ever before.  He rode horses a little but not near enough.  We sold LOTS of seed and plants at the store.  I taught the boys.  Mostly about life with enough academics to keep us moving forward.  We prayed daily for the Lord to enlarge our territory, to keep His hand upon us and keep us from evil.

The city officials came and held a ribbon cutting at our first OPEN HOUSE .  We sang, and snacked and had a record day in spite of the cold. Aunt Donna took me to my first writing seminar.  Hosted so graciously by Jerry Ellis and his wife.  I left inspired with new direction for the blog and writing.  Met and made friends with some fabulous people.  It was a delightful day.

APRIL– TUCK turned 7.  My heart can’t believe it. If you think 7 sounds old you should hear the little old soul talk.  His farming and building philosophies could stump most old men. We went to the Tennessee Aquarium.  We fished. In our pond that is- not the aquarium.  We welcomed a new litter of piglets.

Sold our old sow, Oreo.  Watered flowers and traded pocket knives at the store.

MAY–  FLOWER MONTH.  I turned my momma’s Isuzu Trooper into a flower wagon.  We sold out -flat after flat.  Keeping me on the road again-just can’t wait to get on the road again…Mother’s Day was wonderful.  My littles and J love me well.  My cousins had babies.  Tristan and Pedro joined the Goggans clan.The boys caught spring fever for sure..We hosted a “see you soon” party for our childhood friends turned missionary family.

Jeff and April and the kids left for Costa Rica to learn Espanol to prepare for life in The Dominican Republic.  We prepared our garden.

JUNE –MIGHTY MOUSE aka Jake our BABY turned 5!!!!!!!! Shut.up. can y’all believe he is 5?! me either.  Cute as e.v.e.r.  Super hero always.  Mine for sure.  I need one since I turned 36.  I mean 29, again on the 17th.   We celebrated my favorite cowboy on Father’s Day.  We adore him. I couldn’t dream up a better daddy for my boys. Amen. We hosted FARM CAMP for a couple groups and started readying the hay equipment. Tuck went to Ponderosa Bible Camp for the first time.  A WHOLE WEEK away from his momma.  I cried.  He didn’t.  He wants to live there.  Seriously. We swam.  The boys learned to whittle.  Isn’t that a super idea since they are 5 & 7! Shouldn’t all 5 & 7 year olds know how to whittle a stick with a POCKET KNIFE.  Yea, good talk.  Oh, and J shod -oh I don’t know at least a bazillion horses in June and like to wore himself slap-out.

I cheered him on and nursed him back to health as best I knew how.  Amen.

JULY  We swam. It was HOT! Celebrated our FREEDOM.

Moved the counter at the store.  That threw everybody for a loop..   It was hot.  Like crazeee Alabama hot.  The boys caught lots of frogs.  I went junkin’, painted a lot and wrote some. Did I mention it was hot.

AUGUST- our TUCKER surrendered his little heart to Christ.. He cried.  I cried.  We all cried tears of joy.  We called all the grandparents and aunts and uncles at a quarter til 10pm.  He couldn’t wait to share his news.  I missed old teacher friends as they all returned to work.  I picked flowers.  And took a ROAD TRIP!!! The whole herd to Panama City beach.

7 kids (9years old and under), my 2 sisters, our precious momma and me.  It was a trip of a lifetime <3 A week later sister banker and I hit the road again! BACK TO THE BEACH with a couple forever friends.  Unfortunately, I’m a dork and didn’t use my map app (what?!? WHY?) Great question.  and YES! we got lost F-O-R-E-V-E-R on the way- for a whole day.  No, that is not a joke.  I wish it were.  The trip home was better because the BOCEPHUS bus was hot on our trail.

My sister was thrilled when the driver hollered out the widow “WANNA GO EAT?”  We politely declined via notebook to the window running about 80mph..SEE YA! I was thrilled because we made it home sweet home in record time using my MAP APP.  Amen.

The third beach trip a charm.  We (mostly I-because J didn’t go on the other two trips because have I mentioned how much he loves the beach? Right?. Yea, he doesn’t.) yet WE went back two weeks later with the in-laws. Quiet+ quality time with the littles and J=my favorite forever and always.  Thanks Mawmaw and pop for the invite. So yes, I was at the beach most of August.  Yes, you can not like me because of it.  I understand.

SEPTEMBER My love affair with Quickbooks continued.  I still hate numbers and they would have killed me if it weren’t for my persistent, praying, precious friend Jeanne.  I LOVE YOU JEANNE.  We harvested de-lish okra,squash, TOMATOES and potatoes from our garden all summer. BACK TO SCHOOL for my littles at home. Because -there’s no place like home.  We bought and SOLD pumpkins a plenty.  We went to the circus.  My youngest wants to join them.  Yes, I mean he wants to join the circus. #everymothersdream

I was given the privilege to meet and lead a WONDERFUL group of women through a 12 week study on the book  Calm My Anxious Heart.  Thank you!  my new friends for encouraging my heart by your weekly presence–it meant more to me than you’ll ever know.Hosted a couple more groups on the farm.  I spoke to 200+ teens about JESUS at FCA .  Encouraged some of my former students..God’s up to something y’all.  We harvested and hauled hay to glory.  Saw more snakes than I care to remember.I almost touched one that was bound up in one of my bales.  I think my heart stopped.  I almost died.  We hosted FALL OPEN HOUSE at the store with a sea of pansies and mums.  And had another litter of piglets born at the farm.  Cute little critters. My farm fav.  Went with some fabulous ladies to DotMOM Conference.  Inspired! Awed! and all of the above.  Jen Hatmaker.  Duck Dynasty mom and MORE.

A week later I flew SOLO on a jet plane to Indiana. Attended my first-NOT LAST blogging conference. INFLUENCE CONFERENCE 2014-I’M IN!  Crazy talented women, in love with Jesus doing what they do best FOR HIM.

I went not knowing what to expect-hoping for the best -expecting anything.  Came home ready-set -GO to write my story FOR HIS glory.  And I’m going to MAKE IT HAPPEN #laracasey #influenceconf

OCTOBER ‘like two sparrows in a hurricane trying to find their way’ we celebrated 17 YEARS of happily ever after.

I’m more in love with the man than ever.  For true. He said “ditto”.  We had a GREAT Fall at the store thanks to y’all.  We put the last of the hay in the barn.  Filled it to the brim!  Picked the last flowers from the garden.

Had a HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY Halloween with friends and family.  My precious niece Kate and I went on a mother-daughter retreat to Ponderosa Bible Camp. I get why my son wants to live there.  It’s WONDERFUL. Oh, except for the zipline and the SKY SWING!!!! I almost died. Again.  no joke.  Could you hear me screaming?!?!?!?!?  Hands down most scared I’ve e.v.er.ev.er.ever.been in my whole entire l-i-f-e.  #faceyourfears! I did.

NOVEMBER Already? this year’s in overdrive.  I still hate numbers but love Elaine our CPA friend who has been relentless in her efforts to teach me that Quickbooks is my friend.   THANK YOU ELAINE.  We set up CHRISTMAS TREES to glory.  They were beautiful.. Really. Really beautiful and thanks to y’all we sold every single one.  Thanksgiving barely made it this year.  We managed to squeeze it in and share our love and gratitude with those we hold near and dear.  We hosted the annual gathering of Pilgrims and Indians, again.

I love my crazy, loud -LARGE family.  My husband likes them too.  He’s just not one to go on about something, you know?..

DECEMBER whew! sold the last tree the 9th day of the month.  Wrapped up wreaths by the 14th.  Give. slap. out. by the 1st.  The 1st of December that is.  Slowed down mid month just in time to savor the birth and reason for the season with all of our nears and dears. Christmas was magical as I believe it should be.  I was able to share with my heart and love for Jesus with a couple different women’s groups.  Thank you Lord for new opening doors.  And yes, my Christmas tree is still up.  Mostly because I like the lights.  The End.

So, there it is.  A recap.  I assure you there’s more.  But that’s enough for now.

New Year resolutions and goals??  I haven’t wrapped my heart and head around it all yet. How about you??

What I do know…I love this.  Writing and speaking. Sharing my heart with you.  Hoping believing, praying you will be inspired, exhorted and encouraged by the real stories told here at Blessings Beyond the Barnyard.

I’m His.  A daughter of The King.

I’m willing to go whenever, whenever this year!

Boldly.  Brave.  His.

g’night y’all, sweet dreams,

:O)K