Little and big blessings

Hey Everyone,

It's late Saturday evening and we just got off the road from our unbelievable stay in Allendale Michigan, more about that in a moment.

Since we were only home three days last week, I was unable to correct the huge boo-boo on my last two posts, so here goes,

On our way to beautiful but oh so cold Iowa, we encountered a snow storm worthy of Chicago standards as pictured below

Couldn't see 10 feet in front of the truck and trailer in the middle of ABSOLUTELY nowhere. pitch black Iowa.

We finally check in at the hotel to get our much needed rest, thinking this is a freak thing and will be a distant memory in the morning when we see

Yes, everything coated in snow. So we head to breakfast to see these fine folks

who had driven over 400 miles for the tulip festival in the next town over (Iowa speak for 23 miles away)! Tulip festival cancelled due to the fact the tulips refused to show up, didn't blame them one bit.

So we head off to the flea market we had driven all night to get to and it was the worse disaster we have done in a long time. I am sure under different weather conditions this would have be fabulous but we encountered a snow covered, already soggy county fair ground. This ends up in the worse mud I have ever tried to navigate. Tractors are everywhere pulling huge trucks and SUV's out of the mud, me and a whole lot of other folks are covered up to our knees from trying to get between the buildings and praying out loud that you didn't fall on your behind and did I mention that it is now POURING down rain? 

After 2 hours, I was so cold, wet and sore from trying to walk in the muck I take my cold, drowned self back to the warm truck and trailer where you know who is waiting, ("go ahead honey, I'll wait here with the trailer) and we now head to the market in Indianapolis for the show the following day.

7 hours later of driving in RAIN, we arrive in Indy and collapse. The next day it is cold and overcast but never did rain. I figure there wasn't any water left because it had all fallen on us the day before.

We were home 3 days before we headed out again to the Shop the Barn Boutique Sale at our friends the Grzybowski's in Allendale Michigan.

This was so worth all the effort. We had seen bits and pieces of this fabulous new/old barn that they were building and it was so great to be part of the first boutique sale there. Wednesday and Thursday were so hot and humid during setup, I foolishly said,"Gee I wouldn't mind if it did rain a bit to cool things down, we'll still be fine"

Open mouth, insert foot.

Overnite it dropped about 45 degrees or so and we froze our backsides off. Oh and yes, it RAINED, both days! And then the sun came out an hour before we closed. Figures.

Customers still flocked in, enjoyed some of the hundreds of fresh homemade cookies and a cup of lemonade (should have been hot chocolate!) that Michelle and her fabulous kids whipped up, and that was on top of the 40 or so loaves of fresh all natural, hand ground wheat bread they made for sale. And did I mention, Karis, my favorite cat was a new mother to four kittens? So we had baby kittens to love as well. The perfect event.

Business was good but nothing topped getting to spend quality time with all 8 of those incredible young people of theirs. We were privileged to share several meals with them and just interact on a daily basis. Each and everyone is so uniquely individual, have wonderful talents and the best manners I have ever experienced. Just a cool group to be with and this is coming from a person who is not fond of misbehaving children. (Mildly stated)

They even have a built in entertainment.

And he is only 5.

If you remember correctly, I tried to steal him away back in October last year and I tried again this year. This little one is pure gold.

One of the great thing about Brian and Michelle's parenting is that they have raised these young people with a great sense of responsibility. You need to do something, there no shortage of young folk asking if they can help, we never had to ask, they just instinctively show up, willing to do anything and never a cross word and disapproval. And if it happens that you are not needed at that particular moment, well, you find a seat in the middle of the chaos and have yourself a snack.

This is Elijah.

We never knew what great one-liner was coming from him and he kept all of us in stitches all weekend long. He has perfect comedic timing and he's only 5.

When we were packing to go, he had to be included with the big boys helping load, so the very last thing was my purse. He was positive he could carry it, heck I have trouble carrying it!  I handed my very heavy bag and told him to put it in the front seat of the truck. Off he went, up the hill with my bag.

We had to laugh at him, so determined to make it up the steep hill and after a couple of minutes, he succeeded and couldn't have been more proud of himself. We congratulated him and his reply was that great grin, like he knew all along he would make it.

So to Brian and Michelle, we were honored and thrilled to have had such a great weekend christening that gorgeous new barn and participating in your fabulous event. Thank you from the bottom of of tired and cold hearts for all your hospitality!

To Luke, Joshua, Isaiah(Bill), Josiah, Victoria, Sarah Grace(Mary Clare), Isabella and Elijah, Thank you to each and everyone of you for all of your hard word and kindnesses you showed us this weekend. We think all of you are just the best and can't wait to see in you in Allegan in a couple of weeks. Help Mom as much as possible because she sold almost ALL of her furniture! and will need new pieces to show. 

We are home for a couple of days to get ready for the NA DA Farm Event this coming Friday. It is the only Illinois show we will be doing for the rest of the year, so come on out if you can.

Here's the rest of the schedule:

May  17 -18  2013  -   NA DA Farm Event  2423 South Woodlawn Road, Esmond IL 

May  24 - 25  2013  - The Vintage Farmhouse Spring Market  9180 Hunt Club Road Zionsville IN

May 26  2013  -  Allegan Antiques Market, Allegan County Fairgrounds, Allegan MI

June 1- 2 2013 - The Shabby Experience @ Michigan Antique and Collectibles Festival, Midland MI

June 30  2013  -  Allegan Antiques Market, Allegan County Fairgrounds, Allegan MI

July  6  2013  -  Indie Arts and Vintage Market,  Glendale Shopping Center Parking Lot, Indianapolis IN 

off to bed, I am really tired!

Suz
the Muze