December Recap

Now that I am safely at home...reflecting on the past few weeks...its a blur...December seemed to rush in and rush out...just in time for me to catch my bearings and return home for one of my favorite times of year.

Looking back, I was picked up from the plane at Thanksgiving by Jamie and Alex to find much had occurred at the farm while I was gone. Also, Luke, would be staying with us. A day later, Wright State arrived and brought a sense of normalcy to the farm. They were great and helped us get our footing again...reminding us or me rather why I am here....
Although we had a week "off'" after the group...it was one of the the most weeks "on" I have ever had at the farm. We had many cookies to bake and homemade cards to distribute...we decided to make enough to not only distribute to our friends but also those from the pantry...what a task! We re stocked the clothing pantry and sent many hours in there cleaning and sorting etc etc etc...we prepped for Project Merry Christmas...and delivered many truck loads of firewood
Then, a group of young adults came to the farm for the weekend, they actually were friends with Alex and helped ringing the Salvation army bell, at the pantry and baking a few hundred cookies...It was nice to see young adults getting together to do some good and share their faith...pretty cool!
Before that group left, the project Merry Christmas volunteers began trickling in...and from then on until the end of Project..things did not stop...Project Merry Christmas is an event put on by the ministerial association in the county...They provide food vouchers to families and gifts for all who qualify. So, we spent days sorting gifts, buying gifts and setting up gifts in store-like displays....it was a wonderful event and went so smooth! It was so fun to be able to help made people's Christmas's great! During these crazy days, we also rotated people ringing the Salvation army bell, as well as at the food pantry and delivering/ chopping firewood...Again, they were such a great group of people...it was really great to meet and serve with them and learn from them.... we couldn't have done it all without them! On the groups last day ,they stayed to help us pack about 360 food boxes at the pantry...whew what a task! As they left...we had some volunteers staying with us...so the dream of sleep was pushed a few more days away... More days at the pantry, and some cleanup around the farm...it was great to have the extra helpers around because the farm managers were wiped. Past farm managers, past volunteers, and first time volunteers...it was great to meet and serve with them all...thanks for helping us this month!
The month concluded with the Christmas pantry handout...which although is one of my favorite things...I found myself a little less patient, less friendly and more tired...and looking back I think I was spent...emotionally and physically tired...so it is good to get a rest....after saying goodbye to our last volunteers we had to rush and pack our bags and pack the farm because a storm was headed our way...we then went caroling with the church and then headed to bossman's house to sleep before our journey to the airport...Goodbye farm...thanks for all you taught me this month!