Mouth agape, looking up, I exclaimed to my husband, “Listen to that!” One day early spring, we were working at buttoning up our sap season then and spending one of the last afternoons in the woods — the sun winking between sparse clouds, promising warmer days ahead. Breezeless, the woods was tranquil yet the birds in the trees were going crazy — singing up a storm like they were holding a concert just for us.

Farmers and country neighbors pitch in, noticing when there’s something amiss — sometimes without even asking, stop and offer help. It’s heartwarming and appreciated beyond words. Mowing lawn, I glanced down at my cell and noticed a call from my husband, who was chisel plowing in a field about a mile from the farm. My heart sunk.

Nothing on our farm beats our skidder. This little piece of equipment is versatile enough to handle a multitude of various chores, such as picking stones, plowing snow, clearing brush, hauling newborn calves (back in the day) as well as cleaning and feeding cows and heifers. Also, as far as I’m concerned, our side-by-side UTV complete with a winch, is right up there at the top of the list of versatile equipment.

(Editor’s note: This is the second in a two-part series.) After a whirlwind weekend spent with my newly engaged daughter as she said “yes to the dress,” she and my future son-in-law drove me to the Dallas/Fort Worth airport to catch my plane back to Wisconsin. Packed full of a cornucopia of sights and sounds and after experiencing French, Thai and Japanese cuisine, it was time to go home. Flying solo was formidable to me.

(Editor’s Note: This is the first part in a two-part series.) Enjoying the experience, we’ve been on a sweet journey that holds much promise as the path unfolds. A couple years ago, our daughter met a tender-hearted young man who purely and respectfully pursued her.

If you’ve followed me for any length of time, you’re well aware of how our family was formed, but in case you don’t know, I’ll fill you in with an abbreviated story. We’d tried for seven years to start a family. Because we’d always known we wanted to have a family, our journey led us to pursue adoption.