(During Lent) Christmas In The Country

Christmas has been over for six weeks. Lent begins today. But I don’t think Jesus minds my house still is celebrating his birth?

I promised myself I would have my decorated house done with Christmas by today. But it’s still very Christmas cheery around here. Computer glitches, blog changes and the overflowing winter calendar with kids and work commitments, blogging took a backseat this winter and so has house decorating. Oh and laundry too. This beautiful tree still has a home in my office.Today it hit me again that beside not taking down Christmas decor at our house, I never shared about my Christmas In The Country secret gifts I received. My first reveal pictures are on my not-working-so-well computer. So these are phone pictures from January but Kaitlyn, originally from South Dakota turned Texan surprised me through this fun project. You sign up through a group of fellow bloggers and are paired up with a fellow Christmas in the Country participate. But it’s a surprise who you have. You do a little social media stalking to learn about them and send them a gift. Kaitlyn and I met in real life for the first time in November. She knew more than usual about me.

She is tall like me, a farm girl, agriculture professional woman and newlywed. I wish Kaitlyn lived closer. She is a kindred spirit as Anne of Green Gables would say. Follow her on her blog, Becoming Texan and on Facebook. 

Kaitlyn sent Texas cotton from right outside her house in my gift box which Miss E immediately brought for show and tell to school. Also was a coffee mug “Love A Latte” with a Bible verse I use daily. Plus her favorite beef jerky, Clint & Sons, right from her town, White Deer, Texas, Sweet Potato Pecan Butter, Pecans which I used in a few holiday baking items, Texas canned green chiles and a touching story-telling book, Woman of the Plains by Nellie Perry. Kaitlyn wrote a thoughtful note inside the book comparing our modern-day prairie lives in both North Dakota and Texas to that of Perry’s in the Texas panhandle a century ago. It filled me with Christmas cheer and love. Thank you, Kaitlyn and to all the organizers of Christmas in the Country for this project and effort. Despite my tardy Lenten season thanks, I am grateful for a network of women across social media and in real life that share common values, loves and spread that cheer to one another throughout the year but especially during Christmas. 

I sent a gift to Julie in northwest Missouri. Read her post on her blog Dirt Under My Fingernails about what she received from me and follow along to her farm and greenhouse work. 

On another note, I have been writing again and have new posts to share in the coming weeks. Plus I have a new opportunity this year to blog monthly on Midwest Living. I get to share about any and all loves of North Dakota. It’s a dream blogging gig for me. Thanks for your notes of inquiry why I’m not blogging as often and for your patience and encouragement. I’m still here, just not on my blog as often.We are definitely in a season of living in the now with our kids, work and schedules. Follow along to daily happenings on Instagram and Facebook and I’ll hop over as often as I can to keep sharing thoughts here.