August 4th, 2011

Dear Sofia,

I haven't written in a while.. I'm sorry. I've been busy planning parts of your first birthday party! I'll post some preliminary photos soon.

We've also been enjoying the fruits of the garden. Rainbow chard, spinach, purple beans and tomatoes like crazy (or, they're green right now but we will soon have an explosion of ripe ones in three varieties). Not to mention the free raspberries from the overgrown bush of our garden neighbor (who doesn't mind that we sample them).

Next year I will plan better and hopefully be able to provide more food for you. But I'm learning! There are no limits to the garden, only my time and ability to get out there.

I wanted to mention.. we've had a lot of rain here lately. A LOT. It's one of the reasons our garden has grown so well. We are blessed here in the midwest to have pretty good soil - not too silty, sandy, loamy or acidic. We don't have too many bugs - even the Japanese beetles (I hate them!) don't like anything I've planted, thank goodness. The sun is nice and hot for long

But the rain is what has been the catalyst for our garden's success. Without it, plants would wither up. The rain is a great blessing to us.

It's not like this everywhere - God doesn't give the perfect amount of rain everywhere. Some places have too much and it destroys crops (plants in large amounts). Other places have too little, and plants dry out. Not to mention many locations that have a lot or a little rain, but the water gathered in pools to drink is dirty and unsafe to drink.

I've been thinking a lot about how blessed we are. I know I complain a lot about bad drivers (sorry you have to hear that; I am trying to curb it for your sake) and how money is tight (not enough to do much with) and other things. But we are richly given everything we need.. the car manages to survive day after day.. my job provides a lot of income for us.. the garden gives good food..

We do give some of what we have to charity. But I'd like it to be more. Here is something I'm considering right now, since I've been thinking about rain and water:

Donate to World Vision's clean water program and your donation triples

I'd like to encourage everyone who stops by this blog to contribute also. Water... such a simple and necessary element. What a wonderful thing to be able to give that gift to someone who doesn't have it.

Love,
Mom