June 18, 2008, 2:49 PM We have moved our blog over to the following address: www.alexanderadventuresfamilyblog.blogspot.com or just click on the side link that says, "The NEW Blog".

Sunday, June 1, 2008 As we recently celebrated our one year anniversary of Timmy joining us at home full time, I've been thinking about the many things God has taught us while on this new journey. As one might imagine, some of the hardest lessons have been regarding our finances. Although we've always claimed that our finances were in God's hands, not until now have we really had to put our trust fully in God's provision. One year ago we would never have guessed that our primary source of income would be from milking cows and cutting grass. Yet, though meager, this is God's provision for this family. Although the quickly depleting bank account, the cows in need of more pasture, and our very tired tractor might seem to be ours to worry over, they are really God's. Lately, we've become increasingly aware of the arrogance of our attitudes when we become frustrated with the way God chooses to spend what appears to us as a very limited amount of money. We have challenged one another to truly see the figure tallied in the checkbook as God's - not ours. We have had excellent opportunities just within this last week to exercise our new outlook on God's spending practices of the money He has entrusted to our care. Imagine the delight of the Dodge dealership when our milk delivery truck broke down en route and needed a new part to revive it. I've always favored Ford but could God possibly prefer to support the success of our local Dodge dealership? And oh the joy the John Deere tractor company has experienced this week in their increased parts sales! Our (God's) very tired tractor had a record number of break downs last week requiring a variety of new parts. One costly, $500, non-returnable part in particular was replaced only to find that it wasn't the cause for the breakdown after all. It was a different part that had to be purchased later. During a very depressed economy, God surely blessed a small tractor rental company that collected the equivalent of a mortgage payment so that we could use their tractor this week. Can you imagine how freeing it was for me to take Oliver to Patient First last week because of mono-like symptoms and not even have to worry about how much God would spend on the visit? And then there's the two remaining mortgage payments that roll around about this time each month. For the longest while, I've been quite upset that "our" money was being thrown away on payments for properties that we surrendered to the Lord over two years ago. With our new outlook on Who really is in charge of the Alexander checkbook, I can only marvel at God's generosity in supporting Wells-Fargo during their reported very lean season, when all the while He allows us to live in His two very comfortable homes in Virginia and North Carolina. These are just a few ways in which God has chosen to bless other companies, both large and small, during the past few days. One might wonder if we secretly resent His spending. How could we?! I'm almost embarrassed to tell of all the incredible gifts He's lavished on us during this very same week. Oliver is in good health once again. My house is wonderfully clean as my mother spent an entire day last week making it sparkle. We had a delicious meal of pork spare ribs today that were given to us and enjoyed an abundance of fresh, real milk throughout the day from our cows. Although the power went out due to a storm this evening, and we had to quickly buy ice and transfer all the milk from two fridges to coolers to keep it properly chilled, the electricity was restored in time for us to all get a shower. There are beautiful hand-cut, garden roses on my kitchen island. We enjoyed a wonderful DVD message today by Jim Sammons that encouraged and challenged us all greatly in our walks with the Lord. There is a crisp, clean breeze blowing through our windows tonight. These are all gifts from the Lord and are of immeasurable worth. How can we be upset with the way God blesses others with what once appeared to be "our" finances when we're as rich as we've ever been?!

May 19, 2008, 9:38 PM To read about what we've been up to during the last week, head over to my (Meredith's) blog: www.strivingtoserveathome.blogspot.com There are so many pictures; it would take me forever to post them all here! :)

May 11, 2008, 8:59 PM Something sad occurred to me (Joy) recently...at some time every one of our children stops giving impromptu hugs, sitting on my lap to be read to, and saying they love me without me saying it first to them. One day, without any notice, it will be the last time Harrison takes a running start to jump into my arms and give me a big hug. If someone came to me at that moment and told me this was the very last time, I'd hug him so hard and never let him go. Yet the last hug comes and goes without any grand announcement. One day, Elliott held my hand for the last time as we walked through a parking lot. One day Oliver sat on my lap for the last time to hear a story. It's gone, never to be experienced again. I wonder what might happen for the very last time tomorrow? Will it be the last time Sullivan brings me a Lego creation and explains the intricate details of his design? Will I be inwardly frustrated to be pulled away from my long list of things to do while looking at his creation with dutiful interest? As I came to this sad realization and shared it recently with Timmy, I concluded that I wouldn't let the "lasts" slip away without my consent. I jokingly announced that I would have Oliver, our 14 year old, 6' 2", son sit on my lap that very evening while I read a story so that I could say, "Alright, I'm okay to call this the last time!!" The fact that my children are growing up and growing out of the precious stages I now enjoy causes me to beg God for wisdom to manage my days so that I don't regret the subtle passing of each wonderful part of mothering them. I so thoroughly enjoy the children God has placed in our home. From Meredith's exuberant, never-ending business ideas, to Elliott's strong opinions about the dangers of insect killers; from Oliver's always joyful attitude and willingness to help out, to Sullivan's disdain for the "Yanks" of the Civil War; from Harrison's pursuit of a stand-in role for Indiana Jones to Sheridan's everything! These are the precious lives God has so graciously allowed me to mother. What an indescribable gift these children are to this undeserving woman. May I submit to the small voice of the Holy Spirit as He instructs me in how to best mother them. How blessed I am to have been given this life with Timmy and my dear children. How blessed I am to be a wife and mother!

May 6, 2008, 12:47 PM Last night we took a walk around the farm while our house was being shown by a real estate agent. Sheridan just loves being outdoors!

On Sunday night, our very first goat kid was born! He is very small, but he is slowly learning how to nurse. We didn't even know for certain that the mama was pregnant so he was quite a surprise!

Also, over the last month, we have added 3 more cows to our herd. Gertrude (pictured on right) was purchased from a nearby farm, and Daisy and Lolita (not pictured) were bought from our grandfather's friend in Chesapeake, VA. Gertrude recently had a calf, so we are milking her, and Daisy and Lolita are both pregnant and due in the fall.

May 3, 2008, 7:10 PM We love strawberry season! Earlier this week, Sullivan, Harrison, and I picked almost 50 pounds of berries! We are enjoying eating them in strawberry shortcake, on our cereal, and tomorrow I hope to bake strawberry pies. ~Meredith

April 20, 2008, 7:03 PM Last night we went to our friends' home, the McKinney's, to partake in a Messianic Jewish Passover Seder. It was a very interesting and educational experience!

April 17, 2008, 9:48 PM Today, Sullivan, Harrison, and I (Meredith) went on a field trip to the library and a Civil War monument at our town's courthouse square! Sullivan and Harrison received several comments from onlookers about their soldier and cowboy costumes.

We went to the library and got library cards. Sullivan and Harrison enjoyed looking at all of the many books.

Last of all, we went to the courthouse square to see the Civil War monument. Sullivan loves the Civil War and he had been looking forward to seeing the monument. We had a lot of fun on our field trip!

April 13, 2008, 6:52 P.M. A sweet little farm girl...

April 7, 2008, 10:18 AM Sheridan loves getting into our decorative lemons.

She's not really allowed to climb on chairs...

Mama had the idea to put real lemons in with the decorative ones so Sheridan would possibly be deterred from trying to eat them (she has already bitten into the fake ones).

Unfortunately, she enjoys eating the real lemons too!

April 6, 2008, 9:07 PM Our friends, the Donahues, came over for a visit this afternoon and guess what they brought?!? Cheese salsa to replace mine from Friday night's episode... It was a very thoughtful gift and we all enjoyed it very much. Thank you Donahue family!

April 5, 2008, 5:49 P.M. Friday Night, Cheese Salsa, Glass Shards & A Sweet Brother Oliver hates being "blogged", but this is worth sharing. Last night was shaping up to be a pretty bad Friday night... Daddy and Mama had just left to deliver milk in Raleigh and all four of the boys were at the barn for the evening milking. As I (Meredith) was feeding Sheridan a bowl of soup, I decided I would heat up some of my very favorite cheese salsa (it is an expensive and rare treat... Daddy bought a jar of it last weekend and I was looking forward to enjoying some for supper with tortilla chips). I handed Sheridan her milk cup and quickly got the salsa out of the fridge. As I prepared to heat it in the microwave, it somehow slipped out of my hand and fell on to the tile floor! The glass shattered and my beloved cheese salsa was all over the floor. I quickly began cleaning up the shards of glass, hoping that Sheridan wouldn't become too impatient and that the boys wouldn't return home and realize that our prized jar of cheese salsa was wasted! As I searched for the glass shards, I noticed that some shards were all the way on the other side of the kitchen... Eventually, I cleaned up the mess and salvaged a little bit of the cheese salsa off of one of the larger shards of glass that didn't seem to be contaminated. I went back to the table to feed Sheridan the rest of her soup and cautiously eat my chips and salsa, constantly searching for any glass shards hidden in the salsa. I immediately noticed that, while I had been cleaning up the broken jar, she had been spitting out her milk and letting it run all down the front of her outfit and her undershirt was soaking with milk. I took her milk cup away from her and set it on the table, along with her bowl of soup, and went back to the kitchen to get the wash cloth so I could clean her up. As I came back toward the table, she began pulling on the table cloth and pulled it until her bowl of soup came tumbling onto the dining room floor! I was sooo discouraged... I thought I might cry! As I began cleaning up the soup on the floor, I noticed even more glass shards from when I broke the salsa jar. Finally everything and everyone was cleaned up and I got back to feeding Sheridan what was left of her soup. Then my cell phone rang... It was Elliott calling to tell me that they'd be home from milking in 15 minutes. He never calls to tell me the time frame of their return, so I rather sarcastically asked, "Why are you telling me this?" He replied, "Well, just so you can have supper ready..." I never make supper when Mama and Daddy aren't home (we just have a "snacky supper" of whatever we want or can find). I felt bad for being rude to him since he was obviously trying to help me to give me a heads up for when they would get home, so I quickly threw together some kind of Mexican burrito concoction for them and hid the evidence of the broken salsa jar in the trash!!! Luckily, the worst of the evening was over. As the boys came home and began eating their supper, I took Sheridan upstairs to change her clothes and prepare her for bed. I laid her down and began to tackle the huge mess in my room (I was in the middle of a big project). After a while I went back downstairs to begin cleaning up the kitchen from the boys' supper. Immediately I noticed that Oliver had cleaned off the table and the kitchen island, wiped the table and counter top, loaded the dishes, and directed Sullivan to take out the trash! Oliver has such a sweet servant's heart. He didn't even know about all of the bad things that happened while he was gone milking the cows; he just wanted to bless me!!!

April 5, 2008, 12:29 PM Daddy has been renting an excavator over the last month to get rid of some of the many dead trees on our property and to clear land for additional pasture.

One of the big projects that Daddy and the boys worked on while renting the excavator was installing the septic tank at the garage apartment. They had never done that before, but they were able to figure it out! It's exciting how Elliott and Oliver are able to learn all of these many different trades and will be well prepared to financially provide for families of their own one day.

Another project they worked on was rerouting the driveway to run parallel to the property line. Daddy also dug a pond toward the front of the property. It's still filling up, but I think it will be pretty once it fills and the water isn't so murky. There is still a lot of work to be done, but they've accomplished a lot in the last month! ~Meredith

April 3, 2008, 6:24 PM Today Oliver got braces! He will be wearing them for the next year and a half.

March 31, 2008, 5:04 P.M. Our family on Easter Sunday

After church we went over to our grandparents' house for a delicious lunch and Sheridan's first Easter Egg Hunt.

March 22, 2008, 5:31 P.M. Happy Easter!

March 19, 2008, 10:16 AM Last Thursday-Sunday, Daddy and I (Meredith) were in Charlotte at the 2008 ACC Basketball Tournament. It was so much fun!!! To see many more pictures from our trip, visit my blog: www.strivingtoserveathome.blogspot.com

March 9, 2008, 10:10 PM Happy 17th Birthday Elliott! Yesterday was Elliott's 17th birthday! Unfortunately, it was a pretty sad birthday because our electricity was out for most of the day and we couldn't make his birthday cake or birthday meal. Luckily, our electricity was restored last night and today we "re-celebrated" his birthday. He got a chain saw, cell phone, cow alarm clock, new watch, and several books. I took this picture the Friday night before last when our parents were out of town. I came downstairs and found Elliott using the laptop to study the Hebrew meanings of several verses in the Bible. When most nearly 17 year olds are interested in anything but spending their Friday night studying the Bible, it is a blessing to have a younger brother that is interested in obeying God's Word. Lately, it has been especially exciting to watch how Elliott is growing in the Lord and learning to discern for himself what he sees as the biblical solution when conflicting views arise. Thank you for being a sweet brother, Elliott! I know I don't always show it, but I love you very much and I'm so proud to have you as my brother! ~Meredith

March 6, 2008, 12:48 P.M. On Tuesday, Harrison and I (Sulli) went to Colonial Williamsburg with Mama and Oma! We found an old coffee shop that was dug out from underground. We also met a herb person and found out that chocolate helps to clear your throat. We met a baker that gave us gingerbread cookies that were almost just gingerbread cooked.

We went to Bruton church where there was an unusual bell and a some tablets to the Civil War and the Revolutionary War heroes. There was an unusual loft for the preacher to sit in.

We went to a garden also and I (Harrison) looked at some gardening tools. We saw some little vases that you're supposed to put on top of your plants in the winter so they could still grow.

We found a powder magazine with several guns. It was very interesting. The guns had spikes at the ends.

We met a blacksmith who was making a hinge. He was putting steel under coals with a fire inside to bend it. We had a very fun day!

March 5, 2008, 9:52 p.m. A Day in the Life of an At-Home-Daughter Obviously, attending college or pursuing a career is generally expected of someone that has completed their high school education. Since I (Meredith) am currently neither attending college or pursuing a career, I am fairly often asked (with good reason), "So what do you do all day?!?" I previously wrote why I've chosen to live at home in an entry on my blog- www.strivingtoserveathome.blogspot.com, but I can certainly understand why someone would wonder what exactly fills my day. To answer that question, I have decided to record my daily activities every few weeks and post them here on my blog to give a better idea of what a normal day for me is like. I began on Monday... Monday, March 3, 2008 6:04 a.m. Wake up/ Read a few chapters of my Bible & Living the Cross Centered Life/ Elliott & Oliver leave to begin morning milking 7:30 a.m. Feed Sheridan her breakfast/ Help Sullivan and Harrison get their breakfast/ Mama leaves to deliver milk in Richmond/ Daddy gets started with his excavator work on our property 8:00 a.m. Take Sheridan to her "Learning Center" (time she spends alone playing in her playpen)/ Go upstairs, make bed, and get dressed and ready for the day 8:30 a.m. Get Sullivan and Harrison started on their morning chores/ Straighten foyer, family room, and dining area/ Sort laundry and start first load/ Get Sheridan out of "Learning Center"/ Attempt to clean kitchen and load breakfast dishes with sweet Sheridan's "help" :) 9:00 a.m. Get milk out of fridge for 1st "farm pick-up" milk customer/ Sweep kitchen/ Check farm's email/ Respond to a customer's email/ Check tractor service's email/ Respond to new client/ Write new client's information down to be transferred to laptop computer's bookkeeping program/ Check real estate company's email/ Check my own email/ Check my blog for any comments :)/ Post "Memorizing Scripture: Week 10" entry on my blog 9:30 a.m. 2nd "farm pick-up" milk customer comes to pick up milk/ Answer his questions and explain procedures related to owning a "share" in our cows/ Put Sheridan down for morning nap/ Switch clothes from washer to dryer/ Start second load/ Daddy comes in from working and needs telephone numbers for two businesses and the weather forecast/ Look up phone numbers and weather forecast online 10 a.m. Make sure Sullivan and Harrison did their chores/ Get them started on their school work/ Oversee their work/ Respond to a friends' email 10:30 a.m. Call community college to register for annual mandatory real estate Continuing Education class/ Explain difference in short and long vowels to Harrison/ Answer Sullivan's school work question/ Listen to Sullivan read his school journal entry/ Grind wheat for bread for lunch/ Prepare yeast to rise/ Wash the calf bottles that Elliott and Oliver brought in when they returned from the morning milking/ Check laundry/ Switch load/ Have Sullivan and Harrison take break from school to hang wet jeans outdoors 11:00 a.m. Sheridan wakes up/ Get Sheridan/ Change her diaper/ Organize stuff in my room left out from the night before/ Prepare bread/ Decide to make it into pizza crust instead 11:30 a.m. Feed Sheridan lunch/ Check Harrison's school work/ Put pizza crusts in oven to rise faster/ Admire Harrison's Lego creation ;) 12:00 p.m. Check Sullivan's school work/ Take Sheridan outdoors to feed leftover salad to pigs 12:10 p.m. Swing together on swing set for a few minutes 12:20 p.m. Check on laundry situation/ Finish preparing pizzas/ Put them in oven 12:45 p.m. Mama comes home from milk deliveries/ Unload her groceries and the returned milk jars/ Set table for lunch 1:30 p.m. Daddy and boys come in for lunch/ Eat lunch 2:00 p.m. Clean up kitchen and dining area from lunch/ Sort through the milk jars that Mama brought home/ Look over and smell each one to make sure they are thoroughly clean/ Wash all of the jars that are dirty or sour smelling 3:00 p.m. Help Sullivan and Harrison begin their school project of creating "crowns"/ Explain how to glue diamond "jewels" (aluminum foil) and write synonyms of "humble" on the points of the crown. (They were learning about King Nebuchadnezzar and how he was a prideful king until God humbled him). 3:20 p.m. Begin afternoon project of baking lots and lots of cookies and preparing a "snack box" for our cousins in Florida consisting of cookies, peanuts, and "microwave s'mores fixin's" (marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate chips) and a "care package" with more cookies for our cousin at college in California. 5:00 p.m. Run milk out to 4th milk customer (Mama helped the 3rd customer earlier) 5:30 p.m. Clean kitchen from big cookie baking day 6:30 p.m. New milk customer comes to discuss getting milk from our farm with Mama/ Take Sheridan upstairs/ Continue organizing my room with more of Sheridan's "help" 7:00 p.m. Quickly throw together a salad to go along with our supper (Mama prepared the main dish and garlic bread)/ Run upstairs to wash Harrison's hair 7:30 p.m. Set the table for supper 8:00 p.m. Elliott and Oliver come in from evening milking/ Eat supper 8:30 p.m. Get shower 9:00 p.m. Clean kitchen/ Wash supper dishes 10:00 p.m. Help Mama draft and send an email to farm customers regarding cowshare program details/ Check my email/ Check my blog for any comments / Check my blog's Site Meter/ Check my favorite basketball teams' rankings and scores/ Check the properties listed on the MLS system/ Turn off computer 10:30 p.m. Go to bed! As you can see, you have to do some serious multi-tasking to keep your head above water in this household! Of course I don't prepare "snack boxes" and "care packages" for relatives every afternoon. My afternoons are usually spent working on a business-related item. Some afternoons I'm a marketing manager mailing out hundreds of postcards or letters to potential clients. Some afternoons I'm a webmaster creating a new website or making changes to an old one. Some afternoons I'm a secretary responding to the many emails sent to us each day regarding the farm's products or tractor businesses' services. Some afternoons I'm a real estate agent faxing documents to other agents, or just answering my phone and responding to inquiries about properties. Many summer afternoons are spent driving a tractor bush hogging clients' lots. Some afternoons are spent baking cheesecakes for the restaurant, or just baking treats for my family. :) Still other afternoons are spent washing milk jars, cooking dinner, folding laundry, tending to Sheridan's needs, or updating my blog or the family's blog. I love being productive and can't imagine life any other way! Most of the daily tasks could be considered fairly menial and repetitive, but so are the tasks associated with many full-time careers. It is so much more exciting to have the opportunity to do such a variety of productive activities on your own time schedule and to be furthering your family's endeavors instead of working for a boss you hardly know.   ~Meredith

February 29, 2008, 4:41 P.M. Sullivan and Harrison have been given their first "real job"! They are so excited about it. Elliott and Oliver are paying Sullivan to bring in the chickens' eggs every day.

Sullivan has sub-contracted out the egg washing job to Harrison, who excitedly washes each egg carefully so that he is certain that he doesn't crack any. They are both diligent workers and seldom forget to check the eggs!

February 19, 2008, 12:11 P.M. Sheridan turns one today!

One year ago today God blessed our family with the sweetest little girl. We all love her so very much!

February 16, 2008, 10:14 P.M.

A Busy, Busy Weekend This weekend has been so very busy and it isn't even over yet! Valentine's Day 2008 will be a day Oliver and I (Meredith) will remember for a long time... Thursday afternoon we went to NC to run errands, as well as deliver cheesecakes to the restaurant for which I bake. A potential buyer for our VA house was scheduled to see the house on Saturday morning, so we knew we needed to hurry back Friday morning to help with the cleaning. Unfortunately, our Durango broke down on the side of the road Thursday night when we were on our way to get supper. Even though it was not a good experience, we are amazed that after having driven for 4 hours, we broke down within a few miles of our NC house. We called Daddy (who was 3 hours away in VA) and he told us to keep trying to restart the Durango. Eventually we were successful and were able to drive a few miles to get back to our NC neighborhood, but then we had to PUSH the Durango the last 1/2 mile (and I was wearing heels!). Friday morning Daddy left our VA house at 4 a.m. and arrived at our NC house shortly after 7 a.m. to diagnose the problem with the Durango because we needed it Saturday morning for another commitment. Fortunately, he figured out fairly quickly that there was a hole in the radiator, but the nearest dealership was all the way in VA Beach (1 1/2 hours away). We hurried to VA Beach to buy the radiator, but had to leave the Durango at our NC house and go straight to our VA house to pick up the rest of the family for the Steve Green concert we had purchased tickets for a month earlier. After arriving at our VA house, the boys quickly milked the cows while we prepared to leave for the concert in Yorktown, VA (two hours back toward VA Beach). We greatly enjoyed the concert, but at the conclusion we immediately headed to our NC house so Daddy could work on the Durango since it was critical that it be fixed by Saturday morning. We got to our NC house at midnight and while the rest of the family got a few hours of sleep, Daddy got straight to work. God has given us a very smart and hard working dad and he didn't even get to go to bed until 4 a.m. (and he had been up since 3:30 a.m. the previous morning). Mama and I had set our alarm for 5 a.m. because a potential buyer might be looking at the NC house also this week and we had to immediately begin scrubbing toilets and vacuuming floors before quickly heading back to our VA house so the boys could milk the cows. Since this is our first week supplying the Raleigh, NC area with milk from our farm, Daddy and Mama had to leave our VA house at 11 a.m. this morning to ensure they would arrive in Raleigh by 2 p.m. when people were scheduled to begin picking up their milk. While checking the Durango's gauges constantly, they set out for the 5 hour round trip. They made it safely home and we enjoyed pizzas for supper at 8 p.m. We have never looked so forward to our "day of rest" Sunday!

February 16, 2008, 9:03 P.M. Last night we went to see Steve Green in concert in Yorktown, VA. Mama has listened to Steve Green's music since before I (Meredith) was born and over the years our entire family has grown to love the deep, rich lyrics present in his music. Even if you are not a contemporary Christian music fan, you may be familiar with the popular song from the mid-90's, "People Need the Lord", which was originally recorded by Steve Green. When Steve Green came out to the lobby after the concert to sign CD's, we were able to get our picture taken with him and his wife! Mama was able to tell Steve Green how his music has ministered to our family through the years and that now her kids listen to it on their MP3 players.  It was a really great concert and we're so glad Daddy took us!

February 7, 2008, 9:53 P.M. I (Meredith) love the name Sadie. I have wanted to name my first daughter Sadie for like 3 or 4 years. I just think it's so cool sounding and so unique. Unfortunately, my family adamantly does not like that name, so they have decided to name our latest calf Sadie in hopes of deterring me from naming their future grandchild/niece the name they dislike so much... Sadie was born to her mama, Sunshine, this afternoon and joins Angel and Katrina (a calf we bought from another farmer) as the third calf to join our farm since Christmas. I still love the name though!

January 30, 2008, 9:42 AM Sickness has been making its way through our home for almost the last 3 weeks, but we are now rejoicing that everyone is slowly recovering. We hope to get back to normal blogging soon!

January 14, 2008, 2:20 p.m. This morning, Oliver came back from the morning milking with a fat, busted lip. He said that Apple, our newest mother, accidentally kicked him in the mouth to which Harrison quickly replied, "Maybe she wanted you to mooooove over!"

January 14, 2008, 10:22 A.M. Another testimony of God's provision... On Saturday, Timmy, Sheridan, and I (Joy) drove to the Raleigh area to determine the feasibility of beginning to deliver milk there. We have been having so much interest from the Triangle (Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill), receiving requests every day for milk. Since cowshare programs are not permissible in NC, we have been researching and have been in contact with their Department of Agriculture's Food and Drug Division so that we might have a clear understanding of their rules and regulations. Among our greatest concerns in allowing North Carolinians to own a share of our herd in Virginia, which is completely allowable, is that of transporting the milk to them. Time, expense, and possible legal issues involved in delivering the milk directly to the state, have kept us on high alert, asking the Lord for unmistakable confirmation if this would be something He would have us pursue.  As we drove, all our conversations centered around the delivery dilemma. Could we possibly hire a college student to drive the milk, or maybe an older couple? How many hours would it take from our already busy farm schedule? We are learning that time and money are the major factors to guard closely in running a cowshare program. In the past when we worked with real estate, we didn't sweat over several thousand dollars lost in the negotiations, and after the work is done in preparing a house for the market, you just sit back and wait for a buyer. Whereas with farming, it's all about the nickels and dimes and the never-ending hours it takes to make them. How could we efficiently factor in this new avenue of supplying milk to NC?  In the midst of our lengthy, in depth, brain-storming session, my cell phone rang. I noticed the area code was from Raleigh, so I was confused when the gentleman began his conversation by saying he was calling from Ellwood Thompson's, our whole foods, nutrition store drop site in Richmond, VA where we meet many of our shareholders each week for milk pick-up. He went on to say that he saw our flyer (that I just put there 3 days earlier) about raw milk on the bulletin board. He said he knew someone in the Chapel Hill, NC area that needed milk and that he would be interested in delivering our milk on his back haul. He added that he comes to Ellwood Thompson's regularly in his 14' refrigerated truck to bring all natural cheeses to Richmond. I was so completely amazed that I could barely speak, but told him I needed to put my husband on the phone to discuss the details.  Although still looking for the Lord to open doors, we are overwhelmed by this most amazing solution to our delivery dilemma that was orchestrated by none other than God Himself! "We will not hide these truths from our children but will tell the next gerneration about the glorious deeds of the Lord. We will tell of His power and the mighty miracles He did. ...So the next generation might know them-- even the children not yet born--that they in turn might teach their children. So each generation can set its hope anew on God, remembering His glorious miracles and obeying His commands. " Psalm 78:4,6,7

January 11, 2008, 9:06 a.m. God is so graciously supplying our every need! We just have to share testimony of His faithfulness. Since we had one cow due to calve and another needing to be dried off to prepare for her calving, we have been preparing for a major milk shortage for several months. We stopped selling shares and began a waiting list as well as warned our shareholders that they may not have milk for a period of time. We must have discussed the upcoming shortage a hundred times as we hated having to make our shareholders go without milk. Well, we're happy to report that God performed one miracle after another and although a couple of our most understanding shareholders volunteered to join our family and go without milk for several weeks, God has met all our needs and we once again have an abundance! We continue to be amazed at the evidences of God's provision as we walk with Him on this new path of farming. Another concern has been that we don't have enough cleared acreage for the cows come spring. Again, we've taken the concern to our Father who owns "a thousand hills". Would you believe that our neighbor came over Monday and told us we'd be welcome to pasture our cows on her spacious, cleared pasture if we ever needed to?! Another neighbor came last week to give Oliver a pig feeding trough for his pigs. He said, "I like what's going on back here and I want to be a part of it." God is visiting us in the abundance of the milk, the widow neighbor with plenty of pasture, and even the farmer down the road with an old feeding trough. We are so humbled by the goodness of our God! ~Joy

January 10, 2008, 3:02 PM Garage Apartment Update... Daddy, Elliott, and Oliver have worked so hard on the garage apartment on our property. As it is nearing completion, it is so exciting to see the way it is shaping into such a cute little home! The floors were all done by Elliott and Oliver. They are going to be great providers for their families one day because they are skilled in so many different areas. If they ever have to pull in a little extra money to make ends meet, they will be able to take on side work tiling floors, laying hardwood floors, and a host of other jobs. I hope I marry someone like my brothers!! It's turning out to be such a cute little place... ~Meredith

A tour of the garage apartment...

January 1, 2008, 11:56 A.M. On Saturday evening our very first calf was born! Thankfully, her birth was very uneventful. Elliott had just gone up to the barn to prepare for the evening milking when he noticed the calf was there in the stall with its mama. Also it was a blessing that the weather wasn't too cold.

As we were driving up to the pasture, Harrison commented that he was as excited about going to see the new calf as he was when we went to the hospital to see Sheridan after she was born!

It is a heifer, which is also a blessing, because that means that she will eventually be another dairy cow to add to the farm. We haven't decided on a name for her yet. Her mother's name is Apple, so we are trying to find a name that starts with an 'A'. We want to keep it short, preferably no more than two syllables.

Any ideas?

December 29, 2007, 6:39 P.M. Since it takes much longer to upload pictures to the family website than to my (Meredith's) blog, and because we have so many, all Christmas pictures are there: www.strivingtoserveathome.blogspot.com Merry Christmas!!!

December 22, 2007, 1:32 p.m. Mama's good friend, Mrs. Marcella Butler, recommended the excellent book "Jotham's Journey" several years ago. Mama begins reading it to Sullivan and Harrison in early December, covering a chapter each day, to prepare their hearts for the true reason for Christmas- the celebration of Jesus' birth.

December 21, 2007, 4:51 p.m. This past week in the Alexander home... I (Meredith) turned 20 and had a wonderful birthday!

Sullivan and Harrison worked on their very first gingerbread houses...

Sheridan turned 10 months old and learned how to rock herself in her rocking chair...

This upcoming week is going to be filled with Christmas events and get-togethers, so hopefully we will have a lot of pictures to post!

And the winner is... The Donahue family! Congratulations Donahues!

OUR FIRST GIVEAWAY! We are very excited to announce the very first GIVEAWAY on our blog! We hope that everyone will enter their names!  We look forward to drawing a winner on Sunday evening (December 16) at 9 p.m. ET. The grand prize is a Dillards Mill Peanut Company Classic Gift Box (retail $14.95) featuring our four popular treats- Chocolate Clusters, Peanut Brittle, Sugar Coated Peanuts, and Salted Peanuts.  To enter, head over to Mere's blog strivingtoserveathome.blogspot.com and leave your name under the "Comments" on the Giveaway entry. Good luck!!!, The Alexander Family P.S. Due to the cost of shipping, this giveaway is only open to U.S. Residents. I (Meredith) would be thrilled to be of service to you as you consider your Christmas gift needs!  To place an order for Dillards Mill Peanut Company Classic Gift Boxes, please email dillardsmillpeanuts@yahoo.com. :-)

December 12, 2007, 1:16 p.m. Happy Birthday Mama! Proverbs 31:10-31 A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls. She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers. She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet. She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple. Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes. She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all." Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. I (Meredith) am so thankful for Mama. Many young moms often question Mama for her advice on parenting, homeschooling, saving money, etc. and I am so blessed to have been raised under the tutelage of the very person so many others admire. Mama is such a hardworker. She subscribes to several magazines, but rarely actually gets a moment to sit down and read the current issue before the following month's issue arrives. She is so selfless and is always working hard to keep up with the demands of being a wife, a homeschooling mother to six kids, and handling the intense bookkeeping associated with the farm. Even when she talks on the phone she is always doing something productive the whole time she talks. With her cheerful, hardworking attitude is a very entrepreneurial spirit, much like that of the woman noted in Proverbs 31. She is always encouraging my entreprenuerial endeavors and brainstorming with me about how to overcome a hurdle, market a business, sell a house, and use my resources frugally. Another great attribute I am thankful for in Mama is that she is so very thrifty. She has always said that it is Daddy's job to bring home the money and her job to save it. When I was younger, I resented this because I was often corrected for using too much water to get a shower, too much dish soap to wash the dishes, too much laundry detergent when washing clothes, too much electricity, etc., but now I am so grateful that she is so conservative because I'm confident that this attribute being instilled in me will also help me greatly in the future. These are just two of the characteristics I admire in Mama. I can't begin to express how grateful I am that I have been given the mother I have. I love you so much Mama! Thank you for pouring out your life in to ours... Happy Birthday!!!

December 11, 2007, 9:46 p.m. Today, Sullivan, Harrison, and I (Meredith) made some Christmas treats together...

Although peanut butter Ritz crackers dipped in chocolate surely isn't the most creative Christmas treat, the boys enjoyed decorating them with sprinkles and the whole family has enjoyed eating them!

Oliver has been keeping busy with his pigs lately. Today he and Daddy got two more pigs. In this picture though, he is working on his school work. Oliver's latest adventure was a few days ago when he and Mama ran the trash to the dump.  While dumping the trash, he spotted a wheel barrow toward the bottom (like 10 ft. down) that looked like it was in pretty good condition. Mama didn't want him to climb in the dumpster, so he was creative enough to lasso the wheel barrow and pull it out! He figured that even if it didn't work as a wheel barrow he could use it for a feed trough for his pigs.

In this picture, Elliott is working on his school work while Sheridan tries to "help" him. A few days ago, we were commenting about how we wished we could hear all of our favorite Christmas c.d.'s instead of the endless same 10 Christmas songs by every singer that ever recorded a Christmas album played over and over again on the local radio station. Our c.d. player is broken and won't shuffle our c.d.'s, and we get kind of tired of changing to a different c.d. every hour (or listening to the same one again and again all day long).  Elliott volunteered to upload all of the songs on our Christmas c.d.'s to the computer and we have been enjoying hearing our variety of Christmas c.d.'s since he did that for us.  It is such a blessing to have a computer whiz in the family, and especially that he is not only a "computer geek", but also mostly a hard worker outside around the farm!

December 3, 2007, 5:15 p.m. This weekend our grandparents', Pa-Pa and Pat-Pat, spent some time with us at our house. Last night we had a lot of fun playing Balderdash together. ~Meredith

December 2, 2007, 4:55 p.m. Happy 14th Birthday Oliver!

His birthday gift may seem unusual for most 14 year old boys, but he had really been wanting some pigs for a while! When Mama told me they were getting him some "piglets" I (Meredith) was expecting them to be like, well, the size of Wilbur at the beginning of Charlotte's Web! I was very wrong!! They're only 9 weeks old and they're already so big. He's thinking he'll raise them to breed them. Happy Birthday Oliver!

November 29, 2007, 5:48 p.m. Daddy, Mama, and Sheridan spent some of the past week at our house in NC working on the landscaping. Soon after we built the house 3 1/2 years ago, Daddy's job moved us to Amelia for the next year and we rented the house to another family, so we were never able to do much in the way of landscaping. In this picture, Daddy is directing the dump truck driver as Sheridan looks on from her play pen in the background.

Sheridan loves being outdoors!

Oma gave us tons of great plants from her yard to put in our new flower beds. Next week, Elliott, Oliver, and I will bring lots of pine straw to build up the flower beds.

Already the house is beginning to look more established and not just like it was set down in the middle of a field. There's still a lot of work to do, but it's encouraging to see the work that has been accomplished this week! ~Meredith

November 23, 2007, 6:24 p.m. A comment from a customer... "Everyone at the table yesterday said our turkey was the very best we have ever had!!! They kept saying it over and over, and we had hardly any meat left, just the carcass for stock!! It was so delicious. Thanks for making our Thanksgiving special. It was great to meet you all and see your farm."

November 20, 2007, 2:22 P.M. On Monday we slaughtered our turkeys for our customers. In this picture, Oliver is at the "killing station" with Eric, a friend from church who came to help out.

About 18 of the 21 turkeys were sold to our customers. We'll freeze the remaining turkeys and eat them.

November 18, 2007, 9:57 P.M. Earlier this month, as Oliver and I finished weed eating and bushhogging the last lot for the last time in 2007, I excitedly called home to tell Mama that the tractor had made it through another season!! At the beginning of each year for the past several years, we are always expecting to have to purchase a newer tractor, since our old, rickety one is on its last leg. We are so thankful that God has blessed us by causing our tractor to hold out for one more year! ~Meredith

November 14, 2:18 P.M. Snapshots Of Fall Around The Alexander Home...

Harrison hiking down the path...

Sullivan speeding down the driveway...

Sheridan all bundled up...

A cow snuggled beneath a tree...

A few turkeys enjoying their last few days before Thanksgiving...

November 10, 2007, 7:24 P.M. Our New License Plates!

November 4, 2007, 6:56 p.m. We were excited to be interviewed and photographed for an article in Richmond Magazine about our farm's cow share program and raw milk. Not knowing much about the magazine, we didn't know what to expect. We were very surprised to hear that the magazine sells for almost $4 and has approximately 100,000 subscribers. We have already had some positive feedback and inquiries about the cow share program due to the article. :)

October 27, 2007, 6:20 p.m. Happiness Is... Are you old enough to remember the comic strip series called "Love Is..."? Each week it featured a smiling cartoon girl and boy who would share what makes one feel truly loved. I had all but completely forgotten about the long lost series until late this evening when I came downstairs and spied a scene that brought the comic strip to the front of my thoughts. Since beginning the cow share business, I have been busier than I can ever recall in my adult life. At times I've found myself actually running through the house to accomplish my tasks only to end the day with many, many things left unchecked on my "To Do" list. Defeated once again by not finding time to order some necessary supplemental materials for the boys' homeschooling, I decided I'd have to pull an "all-nighter" and work after everyone else went to bed. After saying my "good nights" to those still awake, I wearily approached the computer station that seemed to elude me all day. But before I could even plant myself for an evening of hunting for school book bargains, I was struck by a "Love Is..." moment. There, on the edge of the computer desk, was a freshly baked, generously-sized brownie with a tall glass of chocolate milk. It was accompanied by a note from a young lady and dear friend who knows all too well what it's like to work hard and late into the night to accomplish the day's tasks. Love is... a 19 year old daughter who is thoughtful and encourages her mama with specially prepared treats. What a blessing Meredith is to me! ----JOY

October 21, 2007, 10:08 p.m. See my blog strivingtoserveathome.blogspot.com for pictures from our church's Harvest Day!    ~Meredith

October 21, 2007, 10:10 p.m. Puppies!