Stayin' alive, stayin' alive....

Ok, really, I can't believe I used that as a title as I absolutely hate that song... done by the Beegees (or however you spell their group name). However, it does fit. Folks, I AM alive still! I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. I realize it has been a looooong time since I've really posted... and I'm truly ashamed of it. Life has just been such that things like blogging fall by the wayside.

In any case, yes, I am here. Life has been going on as usual, but it just feels slightly busier than normal. Don't know why that is... Perhaps it's because it IS busier... My brother, Josh, just graduated and got himself a full time job, so perhaps having 5 adults in the house now with different schedules makes it much busier. I don't know. =)

So what's been going on over here at the ranch? Well, let's see. We've gotten quite a bit of rain, so the pastures are looking green (which is just fabulous.) In fact, as I type, it looks like rain clouds are rolling in! =) Yay!  Green grass makes for happy cows, which makes for happy ranchers. =)

On more personal news, I'm very excited to announce that I was able to get another nanny position! As some of you know, I have a one day a week nanny job with a fabulous family that only lives about 30 minutes from me. This job has been a huge blessing in more ways than one. For thing, they are a Christian/homeschool family, so it's great that our values line up already there. Secondly, the kids are just a blast. I always come home with funny stories to tell my family. And secondly, it helps me put some money away into savings. =) However, I really wanted another one day a week (or two days a week) job someplace. I wasn't really wanting to work 5 days a week because I do have other things going on (drama, fiddle lessons, writing, ranch stuff, etc). Well, I was recently convicted that I haven't been very good about sharing prayer requests. If people ask I tend to just say everything's going well.. not because I don't want to share, but usually because I have a hard time remembering them off the top of my head. So in any case, I decided I would share the prayer request on Face Book for my friends to pray for me. Well, about 2 minutes after I posted, a mother friend of mine messaged me saying they were looking for a nanny one day a week! I was so excited. Once again, a wonderful Christian family that homeschools and who has a bunch of wonderful kids! =) So naturally, I was just THRILLED! =D
Of course, the best thing was how God totally orchestrated it.

Needless to say, it's good to share your prayer requests.

On a second note, we've been having a lot of fun on Tuesday nights attending a swing dancing group in ABQ. It has been a blast to learn swing better. We know the basic steps and a few moves, so it's been fun to learn more and swing with other people. =) Usually a group from our area goes in, which makes it a lot more enjoyable (having friends in strange places is always awesome!). Met some new people, reconnected with old friends. It's been a blast!

One of Caleb's ducks hatched out a little duckling this week. It's SO cute! Course, I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. I want to name it Jemimah, but we haven't agreed yet.. not to mention we don't know if it's female or not.. lol

And now, just a few random pictures to show what else has been going on. =)

 We just have awesome clouds out here. Don't know what it is.. but we do. And the bottom pic turned out super cool!!!

 Muh dog. Ain't she purdy??

 This little fella came all the way from Tucumcari.. Was Caleb's pet for a bit until he ran away (or slowly crawled away) when we were busy with some stuff...

 My latest embroidery project... taped up to our window so I could trace the pattern onto my cloth. This window is awesome for tracing! =D

 Working on figuring out our volleyball court that we are putting in...

 Muh sister's dog.. who is adorbs!

Playing monopoly with Caleb on his birthday. 

Escapades of Josh and Sarah ~Ep. 1

Josh and I are siblings, yes.. but we like to call each other P.I.C (Partners In Crime). Ever since we were little, we got into a lot of scrapes together. Or, as we both say to one another, "... and most of it was your fault..." lol.

Well, I figured it would be kind of fun to share a few of those as they happen. I have my other 'series' called "Just Your Typical Day on the Ranch" but this won't always have to do with ranch stuff.

So, today I got to do something super scary and super exciting. I had my first 'solo' drive in Albuquerque. If you know the area, it's a pretty busy town. Not like L.A. or Denver or anything, but still busy for a New Mexico girl. Especially when you've only driven through it once (staying on the freeway the entire time). This time I actually had to get *into* town... Driving with a bunch of other crazy drivers.. yeah. Josh and I needed to go to voice lessons. Usually Becca drives us (as she's taking too) but this week she was gone. Anyway, point is, I had to drive into town without any other experienced driver in the car...


Josh is, however, really good at remembering streets. In fact, he's often times guided my sis around town (one a few, rare occasions when she needed it). He's got awesome memory. Well, I knew where we needed to go. Had the directions. Really simple. We needed to go to voice lessons, then go get lunch at Panda Express, then head home. Simple, right?

Wrong. We got to voice lessons, da da da da, finished up, and began to head back. First thing to go wrong? I turned left when I should have turned right. So we ended up going the wrong way on a main road. No prob. Just turn around. We turned around and got to the next street we needed to go to. I turned left again and Josh began saying, "Oh wait, we're going the wrong way. We need to turn around again." We laughed about it, and I turned around. Then, we got confused which way I would turn next so we called mom and found out that we were actually going the wrong way. The first way I had turned was correct. Of course, I teased Josh about that (and said, "That was your fault, I'll have you know!"), turned around, and headed back South again... We were laughing about it and all that, finally got to our destination, got lunch, and began to head home.

When we got back on the road again, this car decided to merge into my lane... unfortunately, the nose of my car was past it's bumper... another car on my other side was right next to me, so I was sandwiched in the middle.. Thankfully, nothing happened (Praise the Lord), but it was *very* scary. However, as we passed, we noticed it was two teenaged girls just chatting away... *sigh*.... People! Pay attention on the road! =P

So we made it back on the freeway to head back home. As we were driving along, I glanced back in my rear view and noticed the trunk was sort of... flapping or something. So I was able to pull off the highway and, as soon as I stopped, it popped open all the way. Josh hopped out and shut it.

As soon as he hopped back into the car he just looked at me. Then, with a very serious face he said, "By the way, that was your fault.." lol! Ah, gotta love brothers with a sense of humor. So we laughed about it again. I mean, it was quite a hilarious day. What else could have happened? Thankfully those were not 'famous last words' and we got back safely.

But, we both decided that, even though we were older, our escapades are far from over. :-)

Will You Build a Life With Me?

I don't do a lot of topics about marriage because, quite frankly, I have zero experience when it comes to it. However, today the topic was brought up while we sipped on coffee with a friend. The boys were wrestling in the background and having nerf-gun wars in the midst of us as we talked on this serious subject. Must have made for an interesting picture.

This friend, mother of two boys, was talking about how the standard of living for her boys when they grew up and got married would be much more different than that of her and her husband's at the current time. We were all agreeing and it got me to thinking about it.

Quite honestly, I think that many young ladies in general are a bit spoiled. MYSELF INCLUDED! I'm most certainly not pointing fingers (or if I am, it's at myself). :-) See, we've grown up in homes where we each have our own sewing machine, or computer, or car, or whatever. Now, maybe your parents didn't buy those things for you, and in that case, then I commend you for making those sorts of purchases on your own. However, there are several things that we can allow ourselves to be spoiled in. We can buy clothing, makeup, hobby supplies, etc with our own money because we have no other purpose for it (except to put some by into savings, but we're not talking about that). The point is, we don't have to care for a family. We're not feeding six children, clothing them, and buying their school books. We're not making house, car, or insurance payments.

So, what is our expectation going into marriage? Quite honestly, if I were a young man, I would be rather intimidated by girls who 'had it all' because I would wonder if they expected those things on my low-income after we were married (I honestly have no idea if that's how guys feel, I'm just saying it from my perspective)

Now, before I go further, I want to share a bit of a story. Most of y'all may not know, but 9 years ago, our family moved from a 4 bedroom, 3 bath house into a 2 bedroom, 1 bath house. Quite a difference. Now, 9 years ago, I was a pretty bratty kid. Maybe not terrible, but let's face it, none of us are perfect, especially at a young age. Needless to say, I didn't have much of a relationship with my siblings, and moving into a tiny house where there was no space to 'get away' just about drove me crazy. That's where my lilac bushes came in (as most of y'all probably know about). In any case, it really stretched me. I had to learn to love those around me even more than I had before, to accept them for who they were and love them still. It was tough, but it certainly grew and matured me in a way that nothing else could.

Then, not long after buying the ranch, the mortgage business plummeted. My dad was a mortgage lender and, naturally, we felt the brunt of the economy's down slide pretty hard. We came very close to the bank foreclosing on us (as it was rather difficult making loan payments for the ranch when there was no money coming in). Living off of beans and rice taught us a lot. We had to live with the bare minimum. No 'pleasure' buying. No ice cream. No 'fun food'. Literally, the bare minimum.

But ya know what? I'm so very glad we went through that time. Not only was it an awesome testament of God's amazing power and love for us, but we, as a family, bonded together in an amazing way. We had nothing except God and each other to lean on. Our spiritual lives were strengthened as we learned to trust in God completely to provide for us.

However, one of the things that I look back on now, as a young woman, is that it taught me how to live with nothing. To be content with very little, and to make do with what I had. I honestly was so very thankful for that time because I feel that it has maybe prepared me a bit for the future.

If God sends me a husband, I don't know what our financial situation will be. I know that my husband will provide for me, but 'provide' doesn't mean that I'll get to buy lots of fun gadgets or clothes any time I want. Providing means that there is food on the table, clothes on our backs, and a roof over our heads (whether it be a small or large roof!). What more do you really need?

So, as we were having this conversation with our friend, I was thinking about how our family grew together during that hard time with the ranch and I wondered how young, newly married couples grew together. No doubt, what strengthens them together is the fact that they stick together through thick and thin, that they trust one another and grow over the tough things, the rough parts in life.

"House Hunters" is a TV program I like to watch when I get the chance to. I find it extremely interesting to watch the different couples finding houses. The ones that drive me nuts the most are these young, newly married, or 'pregnant-with-their-first-child' couples. They can be the pickiest people alive! They are looking for houses in a budget of several hundred thousand, and that means they are going big and grand. One couple I remember in particular was looking at one house and didn't like the paint color. They were complaining about how they didn't think they could live in a house with that particular color on the walls.

I was flabbergasted. Really? You would be so discontent with a paint color, something so easily changed, that you don't want to consider that house to buy?? Really?

As Americans we are fed this lie that we deserve the best, when in reality we don't "deserve" anything. We can work and save for luxuries, but we most certainly do not deserve them. Yet so many young couples go into marriage thinking that they deserve the best. 

When I think about "building a life" with someone someday, I don't want to expect that I will have everything that my parents do now. I want to 'build up', starting with the foundation. Although I wouldn't say that you 'can't' build a relationship when you have everything right off the bat, I will say that I have seen stronger relationships forged on very little.

Now, I won't lie and say I don't have a 'dream house' with the perfect kitchen and porch, or that I don't enjoy buying a cute shirt every now and then, because I do. However, I don't want to set up this expectation of my future husband to provide those things for me in our first year, or first half, even, or our marriage. In fact, I may never get those things, but ya know what? I could live with that. So long as we were happy, following Christ, and growing stronger together each day, then what more can I really ask for? And right now, I can be practicing that sort of thing by being content with my life right now. As it is that this very present moment.

And that, my friends, are just a few randomly put thoughts that went through my head today. What are you thoughts on the subject?

With The New Year Comes New Things

Hello readers! Happy New Year! It seems so very odd that 2013 is already gone. It went by rather quickly, it seems. 

A lot has happened this past year and so I thought I'd give a basic highlight of the more major things in my life. 

1.) I have been teaching fiddle to several students. Although I've had a couple students in the past, this year was when it really became more serious. I took on more students and am quite excited about it. I'm planning on doing a couple of recitals this year. 

2.) Drama. Play drama, that is, not the real drama. I have been extremely blessed to be part of ABC drama since it first began. I have always been interested in acting, and having this group has really helped me to develop my skills while still being in a family friendly, God-honoring environment. This fall semester I was blessed to get the role of Elizabeth Bennet in the play Pride and Prejudice. This is a role I have wanted for a rather long time. It was a lot of work, but definitely worth it (300 lines anyone?)

3.) Got my drivers license. This was definitely great for me. Because I'm starting to branch out and beginning to do my own things apart from the family, it has really helped. Not to mention that mom and older sister love it that I can run to the store for last minute shopping instead of them. ;-) I'm still getting used to it and haven't gotten comfortable enough to drive in big towns yet, but I'm getting there. 

4.) I got a job. Yup! This was quite exciting. I've learnt, over the years, that money really doesn't grow on trees. And when you are trying to save up or need cash for gifts and whatnot, it really is quite a bother that it doesn't. So, the Lord blessed me with a job. I am now a Nanny. Sounds kind of odd to say it, but there it is. :-) I go once a week for a wonderful, godly family. It truly was amazing how the Lord orchestrated this, but that is a story for another time. :-) 

5.) I got a book published. Seriously. A lot of you have already seen it, maybe even read it. It is a children's book and the Lord gets all the credit for it actually coming about. If you want to learn more about it and that, you should check out my author blog at sarahelizabeth-author.blogspot.com. I'm currently in the process of writing another children's book (sort of the 'second' in the 'series'). 

6.) We are filming a movie. Yup. That's right. Though it isn't professional grade or anything, we are filming nonetheless. It has been quite an experience. It is a 'medieval' sort of movie. A friend and I wrote the script (took about a year and half) and it has now almost been a half a year since we have been filming. Still not finished, but almost. I did all the costumes (which was quite the fun undertaking!). I am also co-director, cameraman, actor, and stuntsman. ;-) lol! 

That is probably it, although I'm sure I'm forgetting something. When you get old, it happens. (yes, apparently 20 years of age is very old, according to some of my friends... I've already been dubbed a 'senior' and 'ancient'). ;-) 

So, now that the old is out and the new is in, what am I going to do? Well, here are just a few goals I'm hoping/planning to accomplish. 

1.) Music. I really want to incorperate more music into my life. I've recently been learning more guitar stuff (finger style and adding new chords to my 'library'). I know the fiddle, but you can always learn something new. So I want to continue growing in that area. 

2.) Sewing. I actually did a lot of sewing due to the movie we are making with some friends, but I'd like to do more sewing this year on a more casual basis. Such as clothes for myself or crafty items. I'd also love to try my hand at refashioning. 

3.) Read more. Yup. It is very difficult for me to read a lot. Mostly because I read very slowly, and I have a hard time finding books that can really hold my attention that are still good literature. So, my resolve is to read more this year. For real. 

4.) Do better at keeping up with friends. This last year was so crazy, I feel like I really lost connections with friends near and far. I really want to make sure that doesn't happen this year! 

5.) Blog more. Blogging is something I enjoy, actually. It gives me a chance to write out thoughts (which is a good exercise for writers!). And I get to meet new people! That's always awesome. 

6.) Make it a healthy year. I have not always been so health conscience in my daily habits, but this year I'm determined to do better at that. Eat better, exercise more, etc. Trying to remember that my body is a temple of the Lord and I need to treat it as such. 

7.) Audio drama. Although I love movie/film making, I kinda feel as if I weren't cut out for it, really. It's been rather difficult for me to get a lot done in that area. One thing I have had a lot of 'luck' with is audio dramas. I have done several radio dramas with some friends (short ones, granted) and this year I plan on doing a big project. Can't reveal anything about that yet, but you'll get to hear about it eventually. :-) 

8.) *Really* dedicate time to the Lord. A lot of people make this sort of resolution (me included) and I want to make sure I really do keep it this year. I'm not a perfect Christian, and, therefor, I have failed in this area many times. However, a new year brings new beginnings, and "His mercies are new every morning". So, I shall begin anew. Mom gave me a great daily devotional that I'm determined to go through EVERY DAY. My brothers and dad also got one and my brother challenged the other two to get up early enough each morning to read the devotional and spend time in God's word before work/chores/school/play. I'm rather proud of him for that and I'm taking on my own challenge as well. :-) 

I think that is about it. I know I've got a lot of others, but these are a few of the main ones I want to focus on. 

What are some of your New Year's Resolutions?

In Which I Finally Get To Share!

I've been wanting to post about this for a couple months now, but haven't really gotten a chance to. Life has been pretty busy. In any case, I finally get to post about something pretty exciting going on right now (and pictures!).

About 1 1/2 years ago, a friend and I got to talking and decided that it would be really cool if we could do a movie together. We have both been interested in that, so we thought, what the hay. Off we went on our adventure! Two months ago we finalized the script, I finished the costumes (which took about 4-5 mo.), and we've had about 3 film days since. 

As our script grew, we realized we needed a few extra actors- in comes our drama group! Not all of them, obviously, but we asked two other guys from the group if they would be willing to come and act. We got them all fitted up with costumes and swords and everything else. 

The story? A young man gets transported into another world, following the legacy of his grandfather. The other world? A medieval type world. It's all fictional, of course, so we don't have any historical sights or anything like that. However, we really wanted the medieval costumes and sword fights (as we aren't so big we can spend millions of dollars on vintage or modern fighting devices.. hehe.) That being said, here are a few pictures that my sis (who is our film lady, organizer, driver, etc) took while we were filming today. We spent the day up our my friends house- he lives up in the mountains, and there is just tons and tons of open space (well, enclosed in trees, but open as in no houses). So, that was pretty awesome... the best part though?? An old Mine Shaft. Yup! It had been purposefully caved in, but there is a really large cave where the miners cut through a HUGE boulder in the ground... so, we did a bit of filming and hanging out in there. ;-) Alright, enough talking- on to pictures! 

(Photo Bomb!!)

(He is our Boom Mic man, but he wanted to pose with the sword, too. :-)

("If I could just string this arrow....")

(I didn't realize it until I saw the pictures, but my belt kept slipping.. no doubt because the bag that was on it -just seen on the right side under the sleeve- was bulging with stuff!) 

Here is the entrance to the mine. You had to walk down, go under here, then bend over to get inside the actual cave. There were two entrances, one was too dangerous to go in- having a dirt roof and all- the other was all rock- which is where we were

Extremely blurry, but I wanted to show a pic of what it looked like when we were in the cave and had the candle light... the shots on film were awesome. :-) 

Later on, I'm hoping to get more pictures of each character and give a sort of character bio and whatnot. So, be on the look out for those! 

*** ALL PHOTOS ARE PROPERTY OF "MASTER'S HANDIWORK PHOTOGRAPHY" AND CAN NOT BE TAKEN OR REPRODUCED IN ANY WAY***