Today I. . .

Today I went to Defiance with my mom. It was really cold, but it was a good day for taking pictures.

I got to see the ponies! This is Scooter (left) and Cricket (right).

I couldn't get Cricket to look at the camera, so I had to get creative. I took this one through a peephole.

Around the side of the barn, I was able to get a full body shot of Cricket! But the next one I tried to take, she hid her head behind the wall.

Can you see my dog in this one? She's running at me.

I tried to take one closer up, but she was too fast for me!

Bear never gets bored when we're here.

She likes to bother Cupid, a much older girl. But Cupid reprimands her when necessary.

 This is where the ponies live.

I really like this old log cabin.

Bear and Cupid sniff around by the pond.

A relaxing day--exactly what I needed before going back to school!

A Note of Encouragement: The Struggles of a Jalapeno Plant

When I was away at school, my mom did a lot of rearranging. One of the new things I noticed was a plant in my bedroom--a scruffy-looking jalapeno pepper plant. It came from the garden I planted last summer, which was mostly destroyed by our puppy Bear in early September.

Just in case you've never met her before. She's a sweetheart most of the time, but in the past when she's gotten bored or frustrated she's been a bit naughty and done things like. . . well, tear up my garden.

Anyway, this jalapeno plant went through some rough stuff. When I got home, it looked beat up and dying. But I've been caring for it and watching it. Slowly, it is coming back to life.

Watching this plant grow has been an unexpected source of encouragement for me. At first, I was skeptical that it could be saved. But day after day, I've been amazed as it continues to recover. If plants can survive such trauma, perhaps we as humans are more durable than we might think. Maybe a little bit of patience and time could do wonders for our seemingly never-ending struggles.

I'd love to hear your thoughts. Comment below!