I have felt so "in over my head" for the past two months that I have not been able to muster the enthusiasm to sit down and write. I have certainly bitten off more than I can chew this spring. We have dealt with chicks that didn't survive, seeds that didn't sprout, and an ever-tightening budget that, quite frankly, is now scaring the hell out of me like never before. I have felt overwhelmed to the point of tears and I have felt hopeless and desperate more than I have felt hopeful.

But tonight I caught a glimpse of what I hope my children will remember from this time in their life, and I realized that I truly couldn't wish for more.

Tonight we grilled grass-fed burgers and ate them in the back yard with strawberries and black raspberries that John and Sissy had picked from the garden just an hour before dinner. For dessert we had homemade banana cake made by Minna, and we're still fortunate enough to have been able to enjoy our cake with fresh milk from farmers we know and trust.

We watched the chickens forage around the yard while we ate, entertaining us with their silly chicken antics. Then Snacks went off to ride his bike with the neighbor boy, and Sissy and her dad rocked in the hammock with the dog nearby while she sang made-up songs about everything she loves.

A perfect summer evening...

It's times like these that I know we'll be okay.