a muppet kinda christmas

Sis picked up the John Denver & the Muppets: A Christmas Together CD last week. We've been listening to it constantly. The girls favorite is Miss Piggy singing "Christmas is Coming," and my favorite is Dr. Bunsen Honeydew & Beaker singing the 9th day of Christmas during "The 12 Days of Christmas." I found the 12 days here on youtube, but, alas, it's different from the album. No Beaker!

I'm a little snowflake...

I know that I should absolutely be doing Christmas stuff right now instead of blogging, but I just need to process, and for some crazy reason, this helps me do it, so...

Yesterday was a BAD day. Really super YUCK-O, the kind you just want a do-over on. I won't go into gory details, but it ended up with me being incredibly (maddeningly, almost out of my mind) frustrated because 1) I have years and years of (what really feels like) "useless" education that can't be put to practical use (read, WHY O WHY didn't I study nursing/ architecture/ business/or anything other than these degrees that end in the word "studies"?) and 2) my youngest daughter and I are butting heads like I never imagined we could.

So I was feeling lonely, isolated, and icky. Generally abandoned (although theologically I know that's nonsense, it still creeps into my practical outlook). I'm still in recovery from my attitude from yesterday. It was THAT bad - one of those attitudes that just stays with you for a while...

Anyway, in an attempt to bring some sanity back to life, I sat down to read the paper...on the front page of the entertainment section, there's a write up about coffee table books, and the first book they review, with amazing pictures provided, is The Art of the Snowflake: A Photographic Album, by Kenneth Libbrecht (website here with more info about Libbrecht, and the book, and it's where these amazing images came from). So right there I have an amazing display of the creativity and amazing attention to detail of the Father, and I'm immediately reminded that He's still in control. For whatever reason, each and every snowflake that falls is unique, and yet I dare to think that my life has escaped His notice, that He no longer loves me as His own? Sheesh.... Thank you, Father, that in my forgetfulness and stubbornness you don't disown me. Your patience and kindness with me absolutely blow my mind...I long to be that way with my children (and with everyone around me), but I fall so very short. Help me to be a better learner, and to trust You.

like mother....

It amazes me how much my girls are like me sometimes (btw, that's us at the Children's parade last weekend in downtown Dallas - so fun!). I probably shouldn't be amazed, considering how much time we spend together, but still...

We went to McDonald's today after a fun trip with some sweet friends to our very favorite library, the main Dallas library downtown (amazing children's section, with the best librarians ever! I absolutely adore the head children's librarian - you can ask about ANYTHING, and she can walk you right to her favorite choices on the topic...). Anyhow, we're in McDonald's. Susan and I are visiting while our 4 girlies are playing. In walks Ronald McDonald himself, and while all the other children in the building get giddy, my two start screaming. One hides behind the shoe holder, the other is frozen in fear inside the play-tube thing. I go rescue little (hidden, screaming, behind the shoes), and Susan climbs inside the play thing to rescue big, who is now sobbing. I've always disliked Ronald McDonald. Maybe that's genetic?

At bedtime K always likes to ask the really deep questions. I know asking questions is definitely a stall tactic, but WHY the gut-wrenching questions at that precise moment? Tonight it was of the "I'll miss you when I don't live with you anymore" variety. Her final question: "Will I be with a man who looks just like daddy?" Very concerned that she won't marry a man that looks like her daddy. That's daddy's girl! We assured her that we don't know the answers to those questions, but we know Who does, so she doesn't need to worry about it.

I know I need to post some pics of our tree, Jada! I promise I'm working on it. You all know the busy excuse, and I think our camera might be getting a little tired, so it's not taking the best pics ever... Maybe when the cold weather comes back? It's hard to convince myself that it's actually Christmastime with 80 degree weather outside...but we sure do love it!

gettin' christmas-y

so it's time to start gettin' christmas-y here at the ol' homestead, so I thought the blog should reflect it as well. Get on my case if it still looks like this in February....

We've decided to go with a train theme for the tree this year, because honey and the girlies are wild about trains, so I'm trying to come up with a way to make/find garland that looks like train tracks, but am hitting a creativity wall...any suggestions? While I'm on the subject...what are some fun traditions y'all have at Christmas, decorating-wise, or even other-wise?

those crazy kiwis...

So my sis introduced us to "Flight of the Conchords" last week...in case you've not heard of it, it's an HBO show that follows 2 guys from New Zealand, who are trying to make it as a band in New York. I wouldn't recommend any of it at all for family viewing, but I've cried laughing over some of their lyrics (the show breaks into "music videos" frequently). If you're a David Bowie fan, you need to check out their David Bowie episode... Anyhow, here's their song "part-time model" from episode 1: Sally.

sweet reminder

Yesterday my sweet friend Angela, mom to 3 sweet angels 3 & under, shared this sweet story with a group of us girls...

Almost 2 months ago, she took the kiddos to visit her mom in Georgia. In the process of packing, her oldest daughter's bunny wound up missing. Sophie (her oldest) was a very brave 3 1/2 year old for the last 2 months, not complaining about the missing bunny, and all the while Angela kept searching diligently. Monday night Sophie broke down: "I miss my bunny! I need my bunny!" etc.., accompanied by many tears and loads of sobbing. Angela and her hubby gathered the kiddos on the bed, and said a prayer for bunny (isn't it interesting, the things we find ourselves praying for as parents?). So mom & the girls stayed on the bed while dad went about his business...about 2 minutes later, dad came in with bunny: "Look what I found in your other backpack!" Bunny was found. Dad assumed mom had already looked in there, but "something" just told him to check again.

Angela was sharing how overwhelmed she was at the thought that the God of the universe cared enough about her, and about her sweet girl, to let that bunny be found. Right then. One of our other friends remarked, "Angela, she'll never forget that." Angela replied that she wouldn't ever forget it either.

How great a love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! I John 3:1.

So there's a reminder. He is the great and awesome God of the universe, but He is also Abba, our dear Father. And he loves us so very much that He'll even bring our bunnies back right when we need them. Thank you, Father, for the great love you shower on us...I know I'm so very undeserving, but You have provided a way for us to be Yours through Christ. Draw our precious children, who You love, to Yourself by the work of the Spirit, I pray.

pumpkin bread recipes?

It's almost Thanksgiving, and I'm looking for a wonderful pumpkin bread recipe! Gammy used to make the best pumpkin bread (and I'm sure she still does, but being here I haven't had the chance in way too long to find out!), and I used to have the recipe, but like most important stuff written down in this house, I have no idea where it might be...

So I'm looking for a few good recipes. Anyone?

Don't have any mommy wisdom yet...wanted to have the luncheon this week, but honey was sick, and now the girls are sick, and so I just don't know when it's going to happen! Maybe before January 1st?

We made these turkeys Wednesday. I love that the girlies love being crafty!!

thriller night

Oh the wonders of modern technology! I'm sitting here on our front sidewalk blogging, while handing out candy and listening to Thriller on youtube...gotta love it! Our little bats are at our church's trunk or treat with their grandma-mumsie while their daddy works our CG's booth, or trunk, or whatever you call it.

So here are a few pics of our little bats (yes, bats! K was all about being "spooky" this year, and this was about as spooky as we could muster). Their costumes were fun and easy to make, thanks to Family Fun magazine (which our MOPS group is selling subscriptions to for $10 - it's a wonderful resource! Let me know if you want any more info!).

So it's later now, and our Halloween is over for this year! We have a field trip with K's class to the zoo tomorrow bright & early, so I'm off for now... Hope you all had a fun & safe evening!

plodding along!

OK, I've decided that I want to learn to run, so in an effort to build some accountability toward that goal, I'm posting about it. My sweet friend Julie told me (at the beginning of the summer) about the Runners World website, where they have lots of stuff for running folks. She directed me toward the 10 week training plan, and loads of other good resources there. So I started yesterday...since I already work out at the gym, I'm skipping the walking days, but I started slow this week with 1 minute of running, and 4 minutes of walking, repeated 5 times for a total of 30 minutes. I've just got to lose some weight, and the stuff I'm doing at the gym isn't cutting it...I read last week that you have to be willing to sweat in order to drop pounds, so here we go. I'm at least going to give it a try....and if I finish the 10 weeks, I'm going to reward myself with actual good running shoes! I should probably also try to not drink any more fountain cokes, but that's another struggle altogether....

OH, and I almost forgot - it's October, that means in addition to fall, and Halloween, it's breast cancer awareness month, so girls, make sure you're doing all you need to be doing to take care of your ta-tas! Komen has excellent resources in case you need any.

walking in wisdom

That's a picture of MA pretending to be a bull that honey took a few months ago. It's just one of my favorite images of her these days...

2 Sundays ago, our pastors finished up a series titled "Uncommon Sense," where we took a good long hard look at wisdom, and what it means to be wise, biblically speaking. Wonderful messages all, followed by amazing discussion at our CG (small group) about how to apply wisdom in our lives. The entire time, though, a question kept coming to me: "How in the world do we teach our children wisdom, even now, so that they maybe don't have to learn as much stuff as we did 'the hard way'? Is it even possible?"

In an effort to work toward some answers to that question, I think I'm going to start hosting a pot-luck type lunch once every 2 months or so for moms with little ones, where I invite an "experienced" mom with kiddos who are admirable, and pick her brain for help! After all, part of wise living is getting loads of counsel from godly people, right? I'm already regretting that my favorite blogger Heather Jamison is back in Africa, because she'd be my first invite were she still here in the states....however, I do believe she's got some amazing things to say here about protecting our children's innocence, part of the whole wisdom thing, so maybe we can work something out via email. Anyhoo, I need to come up with a list of questions for our experienced mom. I know that I want to ask how practically she's helped her kids learn fear of the Lord, and what fun tips she has for (ahem) keeping her marriage fresh (after all, a HUGE part of raising admirable kids is having an admirable marriage, right?)! So, what questions should I ask our experienced mom, ladies?

our lil' miss k

Has eye surgery tomorrow (Wednesday) morning, bright & early, to correct those ol' crossed eyes she inherited from yours truly. So, if you read this, say a prayer for our sweet baby, that this won't be unduly traumatic, that it will go well, and that she'll get better quickly. Say a prayer for her momma & daddy, too, that we will continue to "be anxious for nothing, but in everything with prayer & supplication, with thanksgiving, let [our] requests be made known to God..."

best goals EVER for pre-k

full moon again...

So that means crazy lunatic girl can't sleep again, so she's been surfing the net, catching up on all her sweet girlfriends' doings! BTW, this is probably the last thing I should be doing right now. I think you're supposed to read books, because the computer gets you all jazzied up even more than you already are....

So Heather is back blogging, so if you haven't checked her out in a while, get to it. She's got some amazing things to say about beauty... I love Lauren's classroom, Lindsey's joke make me laugh, Rach has the most beautiful children ever, and everybody loves pregnant pics!

I've got some thoughts brewing about wisdom, and how in the world do we try to impart it to our kiddos so that they don't have to learn the hard way like we did, but that'll have to wait till later, cause I think that I might be getting tired? Love to all!

school's in!!

This has been a big week for our family! Miss K had her very first ever day of school today! What fun. She's going to preschool 2 days a week, from 9 until 2. We've been gearing up for it, and today the drive to school was very exciting....until we pulled into the parking lot: "Mommy, I'm a little nervous and scared," she said. Inside my head, I was saying, "Me too, pumpkin. I can't believe it's time for you to spend a day away from me!" But my voice was saying, "That's OK, precious. It's OK and normal to be nervous and scared about new things. Let's pray that God would help you with that today!" We bravely approached her classroom, and her first words to Ms. Sheli were, "I'm a little scared right now." To which Ms. Sheli replied, "That's OK, baby! I am, too! The first day of school is always tricky." Indeed!

But a lovely day was had by all. After Miss MA got over the shock of "sissy" being gone, she was content to hang out with me all by her little self, or as Miss K put it, "go to school with mommy." Miss K was very impressed with scissor safety, and playing with boys on the playground (oh, dear?).

So time marches on! My big girl is in school. I actually didn't shed tears, but almost thought about it yesterday when she said, "Mommy, when I am a grown-up lady, will I still live with you?" SIGH. Launching....we approach it so often with these dear little ones entrusted to our care, don't we? Thank you, Father, for the time we've had, and will continue to have, cocooning our precious little ones. Help us to do that well, and when it's time to approach these inevitable launches, help us to also do that well, and rejoice as we watch our children fly.

a princess tea party

K's birthday party was Saturday, and while these pictures don't really capture the cuteness of all our little princesses (I wish you all could have been here!), it's a start!

depth perception

About every 6 months, we take K to the Retina Foundation in Dallas, something her opthamologist recommends we do to help her little eyes develop the best they can. 2 visits ago, honey took her, and was surprised to learn through some tests they gave her, that she has no depth perception. That's defined by wikipedia as "the visual ability to perceive the world in three dimensions...Depth perception allows the beholder to accurately gauge the distance to an object." I took her again last week, and they again administered these tests. I laughed and said that I probably didn't have any either, so the guy working there let me take the tests as well. Guess what? I was absolutely right. No depth perception whatsoever. So many things fell into place at that moment: my inability to play basketball explained, my inability to see those "magic" pictures that were so popular when I was in high school, all the running into corners and walls that I do... I can't accurately gauge distance to objects! I'm not denying my natural clumsiness, but this at least explains part of it!

Made me think. Several weeks ago, our pastor was talking about biblical authority, one of the core values of our church. He stated that having knowledge of Scripture is a bit like having a full can of paint in the garage - it doesn't do much good until you get it out and apply it! Jesus' teaching at the end of His Sermon on the Mount emphasizes this: Everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts upon them, may be compared to a wise man, who built his house upon the rock, and the rains descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst upon that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded upon the rock. And everyone who hears these words of Mine, and does not act upon them, will be like a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and it fell, and great was its fall (Matt. 7:23-27). Do you see it there? Both of these guys had the same information: the difference in their outcomes was the application of that information.

This idea has been really good for me to ponder. I come from a background where knowledge is highly valued. Many places I've been highly emphasize what one knows about the Bible. And that's great: there's nothing wrong with biblical knowledge. But when I don't apply what I know about the Bible, I'm in danger of being wiped out by the storms that life will inevitably bring.

So depth perception...I might think that I'm safe and sound on the rock, with a firm, really deep foundation, but I wonder if, in reality, lots of the time I'm just a few inches deep in the sand. Father, help me to apply those things that I know of your Word, and of those things that I'm learning everyday. I desire a deep, firm foundation that's not shaken by the storms of life, that reflects a heart that desires to obey all that You've given us, even when it's really hard to do.

Our small group assignment after that lesson was to look at James 1:19-27, and really ponder it, so there's the challenge, ladies! That's a birthday pic of our little depth perception-challenged ladybug, by the way. She turned 4 yesterday!

Dixie & Lulu dance the cucuracha

Oh my....I'm sure there are a million better things to post about, but this made us laugh....

My fierce Amazon warriors...

Some of you know that my mom is a breast cancer survivor. 3 years now! She underwent a bilateral mastectomy in 2004 in order to rid her body of what she came to think of as her enemy: the cancer.

Shortly after her surgery, I was reading an article that compared breast cancer fighters and survivors to Amazon warriors, those fierce legendary women who cut off their right breasts in order to use bows and spears unencumbered. There's actually no historical proof of women who did any such thing, and if you read about the actual women who inspired the legend, it's kinda scary....

But I was struck by the comparison. Both fierce, both warriors, both fighting for survival, both willing to part with something precious in order to fight battles and fight for survival, unhindered, unencumbered.

I found out this week that my cousin Terra, who is my age, has breast cancer. Terra has two little ones really close in age to my girls. She's a wife. She's a momma. She's a passionate, creative woman. And she's starting the fight of her life.

But she, like my mom, is like those legendary Amazon women, and she is FIERCE. She will fight passionately, and I believe with all my heart that she will prevail, as the Father leads her, and undoubtedly sometimes carries her, through the jungle that is breast cancer. Father, be with Terra, and with her precious family. Protect their hearts as they walk down this path, and please bring healing to her body. Help them all to walk with hope, and to constantly look to You. We don't understand why these things happen; help us to trust you wholeheartedly nevertheless.

things that make ya go hmmm....

So did you guys see this story last week? I didn't. But Sandi did, so here I am, totally getting a post out of something she already posted about....

But I'm genuinely interested in what you girls think about this. Here's a big quote from the article:

"Southwestern Baptist, one of the nation's largest Southern Baptist seminaries, is introducing a new academic program in homemaking as part of an effort to establish what its president calls biblical family and gender roles.

"It will offer a bachelor of arts in humanities degree with a 23-hour concentration in homemaking. The program is only open to women.

"Coursework will include seven hours of nutrition and meal preparation, seven hours of textile design and 'clothing construction,' three hours of general homemaking, three hours on 'the value of a child,' and three hours on the 'biblical model for the home and family.'

"Seminary officials say the main focus of the courses is on hospitality in the home – teaching women interior design as well as how to sew and cook. Women also study children's spiritual, physical and emotional development."

Wow. None of this stuff is bad. In fact, it sums up a lot of what I do every day, what I LOVE to do every day. But as somebody who got a general studies degree, who still regrets the fact that she didn't get a degree that would lead to part-time work options that a stay-at-home mom could do and still make a decent salary (think nurse or architect vs. working at the gym), it kinda burns me up. And as a former pastor's wife, it doesn't make sense to me. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Let's talk about this....

finds & treats

Don't know if anybody else has seen this, but with two little girls who LOVE to color and craft, Disney's Magic Artist Online has been a big favorite lately... There are activities you can do with all of your favorite characters, from coloring pages to greeting cards to bookmarks. It's pretty fun, and I've not had too much trouble navigating! Needless to say, I think that we're going to have a lot more princess coloring pages on the fridge...

Am experimenting for Miss K's 4th birthday party, a princess tea party, and made a yummy and easy treat: Napoleons. Buy a roll of puff pastry, follow directions for thawing, and cut one sheet of it into 12 rectangles. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes (or until golden - took mine about 12), and then let cool on a wire rack. Meanwhile, using 2 small packets of french vanilla instant pudding, mix with 1 cup milk and 1 cup heavy whipping cream for about 4 minutes, until fluffy. Pull apart each puff pastry into 2 sections (top and bottom), and then layer: one puff pastry piece, a blob of pudding, another puff pastry, more pudding, and finally top off with another puff pastry piece. Put together all the pieces and pudding (you'll have 8 Napoleons), and dust with powdered sugar. Pretty, and easy! And YUMMY!

two fads...

One I love, one I hate...

We start with the unloved fad first. Heelys. I call them rolley shoes. Whatever. Every time a little kid glides by, it scares the stuffin' out of me. There's just something unnatural about kids gliding. Kids run, they stomp, they jump, but they don't glide. At least not without some help. So I was very relieved to read in the paper that the heelys fad is on the way out. Not a minute too soon!

On to the beloved... Call me a complete dork, but I am a grown woman who has a huge crush on High School Musical. Yes, I'm one of them. Jenny and I saw Hairspray last week (so fun!), and thought Zac Efron was absolutely adorable. That night Jenny picked up High School Musical (which he stars in), and now we want to have a High School Musical II movie-watching party next Friday....except that we don't have cable here at my house, so we're trying to figure that one out! Maybe it's the tweenager still alive & well in me, but BOY is the dancing & singing fun in both of those movies. Made me wish for a class at the gym that was just dancing. You know, so it doesn't feel like exercise...

help wanted

My poor baby MA is having going to sleep issues, and I don't know how to help her. She and K share a room, and used to go to bed at the same time. Prior to her bottle being taken away (about a month ago), she didn't have any trouble getting to sleep, but nowadays not so much. I tried giving her a sippy cup with water (no help). We're trying putting her down before K, so that she can cry herself to sleep before K goes in there (when we put them both in at the same time, they both wind up crying hysterically. It happened several nights in a row, and that I just can't handle).

Now she just cries and cries and cries (we don't check on her; we just let her cry). Tonight we put her down at 8, and she cried until 9:30. It's at least 30 minutes EVERY SINGLE NIGHT. I really am on the edge of crazy with this... Do I put her in another room? Stock up on tequila and earplugs? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

bunch of lunatics...

Last night was a rather sleepless night in our house. I'm not sure what was going on (I think too much caffeine kept the grown-ups awake), but Miss K came into our room about 3:30, complaining that she couldn't sleep either. Then, Jenny's dog got all wound up and wanted to go outside...

That's when I noticed the full moon. Mom has always sworn that people act crazy around a full moon (she was a nurse for many years), and I wondered if that was what was going on with all of us. Made me think of the word lunatic, and when I looked it up this morning on dictionary.com, several of the entries pertained to people acting nutso in relation to the cycle of the moon.

So there you have it. We're a bunch of lunatics. Am I alone in noticing this, or has anyone else had a similar experience?

my BIG laugh for the day...

I just checked my email, and this was actually in my inbox....

Attention all ladies! Want to be part of the hottest dance team in the NBA? If you are a high school graduate, at least 18 years old, energetic and love to perform in front of large crowds - the Mavs want YOU to tryout to be a part of the Dallas Mavericks Dancers.

Can't you just see it? Oh my lands...

terrible 2's

Here they come...

MA turns two on Saturday. Here's a preview of the adventure that awaits:

I want MA to be able to go to bed without a bottle by Saturday. Since we took her "baa" away, she's screamed herself to sleep every night. Tonight was no exception; when her daddy went to check on her, here's what he discovered:
What can I say...that's my wild woman!

bibbidi, bobbidi, boo

I'm listening to my eldest trying to clean up the play room. She decided that she'd like to use all of her bins that hold her toys to make a train track, so she emptied them all out, creating a giant pile of toys in the corner. Naturally she was told that the toys promptly needed to find their way back to their respective bins.

After a few seconds of work, she appeared back out here. My prompt response: "Go back and clean up that playroom, missy." Her reply: "Bibbidi, bobbidi, boo." It took me a few seconds to understand that she actually believed she could clean up her mess with the magic phrase.

If only.

Sometimes I wish I had magic words that could fix all the messes I make, intentional or otherwise. Life is just flat out HARD sometimes (most days?), and I find that quite often my responses to the difficulty don't help much at all. They tend to make things even harder.

I've started a new book, Susan Schaeffer Macaulay's For the Family's Sake, and a thought is really sticking with me: "Everyday ordinary life lived faithfully is where the glory of God is best reflected" (p. 30).

"Ordinary life lived faithfully." Does that mean I won't blow it? By no means...but it does mean I'm seeking to put my faith into practice, to practice the presence of God, to utilize the tools I've been given to live the abundant life that is only found in Christ. I really don't want to flounder and make messes, but it's part of being human, of being broken. But I don't have to give up, or live without hope, or wish for magic words to make everything better. Rather, I have to keep trusting, relying on the Holy Spirit to empower me to live a faithful life, to best reflect the glory of God. II Corinthians 4:7 says it this way: "But we have this treasure [the light of the glorious knowledge of God in the face of Christ, see verse 6] in clay jars, so that the extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us" (italics mine). Again, it's not about me. It's about Him using ordinary earthen vessels like all of us to make Himself look good. Even in the midst of messes.

So wish all I might for magic words, they just aren't ever going to work. So I'm thankful I have a Father who watches over me, who encourages me to plod along, even in the messiest of times.

beautiful picture

My friend Angela had baby Jack (her 3rd, her first boy) a few weeks ago, and she sent out this beautiful picture yesterday. It reminded me of Mary Cassatt, so I wanted to share it. This doesn't precede any announcement or anything (ahem, Elizabeth!) ;o)
Just thought it was lovely!

in need of grace...

Last week we got to hang out with two of our favorite people in the world, like grown-ups get to do sometimes. It had been too long since our last visit, and I was so looking forward to it. But the day before our big double date, I just started feeling like a giant GRUMP. You know the feeling. Blah. Yuck-o. Just wanna curl up and eat chocolate ice cream in my big comfy chair. That feeling that I should know so well by now, the one that signals something about to start soon (AHEM), but for some reason I still get surprised by it, like it hasn't happened every month since I was 13, excepting only the blessed relief that pregnancy & nursing provides...

Anyhow, there I was. Out with two of our favorites. And all I wanted to do was go to sleep, and be alone.... Now of course, being the ridiculous southern girl that I am, I still was determined to keep up appearances, and not be a flake, because it had been too long since we had seen our dear ones, and if I missed the opportunity, it would be even longer before another visit. So I went. I think I was probably a lump. I've blocked out most of it (as I do most times I'm in moods like that), but I remember a story! A lovely story that has stuck with me all week, that won't let go:

J & S had just returned from a mission to New York City, where they got to work with dear, dear Tom B. and his ministry to the homeless. At one point, they were at a park (or something like that), handing out free food - soup and things like that, as well as canned goods. J was in charge of the canned goods. 2 cans per person. So that the line doesn't back up, J is randomly handing out cans, and not taking requests. A woman wants something specific, not what she's been given, and starts digging for what she wants. J kindly says, "Sorry, no can do...", and she THROWS the cans back at him, or at the box, or somewhere, the emphasis being on the throwing. And J says that right then, right there, he was reminded of grace.

Grace isn't about kindness toward the lovely...it's about kindness toward the unlovely. Toward the ones who throw FREE cans of food back in your face. About Christ, loving me, even when I throw cans (or goodness, or kindness, or blessing, or whatever He's lavishing upon me) right back in His face, and walk away in a huff. J put it much more eloquently than I can here, but it was a great reminder for me, to not scorn grace, and to remember that I need to be one who will generously heap grace on those I encounter, even those who might throw it back in my face.

So I'm glad for the reminder. That our dear ones deal with me even when I do little more than make Chewbacca noises, that their door will continue to be open. That the Savior continues to lavish grace, day after day, even when I can't see it for what it is.

heaven & bat-sism

Poor pumpkins. With seminary grads for parents, any semi-theological question they ask gets over-analyzed and probably over-answered, and inevitably a little jumbled in their brains...

Chapter 1: Friday morning on the way to another lovely visit with Miss Bernice, Miss K piped up from the back, "Where does God live?" Naturally, honey and I started salivating over such a ripe question, and dove right in. The conversation progressed to the subject of heaven, with a summary statement from Miss K, "Well, I want to be in heaven, too!" More salivating, more questions (Will you be there? Will our house be there?), more answers (Yes, baby, and so will all people who believe that Jesus died on the cross for their sin and rose from the dead; No baby, Jesus is preparing a much more wonderful place for those who are His), and finally an encouragement from her daddy to pray. Then that precious little pumpkin, who typically won't even close her eyes for the blessing before a meal, actually BOWED her head, CLOSED her eyes, and FOLDED her sweet little hands and whispered a prayer to the Father. It lasted like a minute-and-a-half! We couldn't understand what she was saying, but she was so earnest. We know she doesn't understand sin yet, but we hope that this a glimpse of an answer to a prayer we've prayed for her longer than she's been alive: that He would draw her to Himself.

Chapter 2: Tonight our church celebrated baptism (YAAAY! I love baptism service...there's something just so teachable about dunking people in water, and I also love the Lord's Supper because the same is true of eating & drinking...sometimes I think we just make stuff too hard, but there's Jesus, playing with water, and handing out bread & wine, and talking about things like light, and farmers, and weddings! Beautiful! But I digress....). Since we aren't in our new building yet, we had the service at a local mini-water-park, and had some good play time before and after the baptism. It was the pumpkins' first look at a baptism, and we tried to explain, at least to Miss K, what was going to happen. As we were watching (and trying our best to keep Miss MA quiet and out of the pool), Miss K kept asking me where the bats were. Huh? Bats? She thought we were at a "bat-sism," so obviously bats were part of the action. She was mildly interested in the folks getting dunked, but I think would have been much happier if bats had somehow been involved.

too much of a good thing?

Friday was a marathon for us - we started out just meaning to pay a visit to the main branch of the Dallas Public Library, for preschool story time, but wound up spending the entire day downtown, with visits to the Farmer's Market, the Dallas World Aquarium (honey asked for a membership for Father's Day), Fountain Place, and the Dallas Museum of Art, where Erykah Badu was performing a free outdoor concert. SHEESH. It was a long day. Every single thing on that list is amazing, loads of fun, and incredibly entertaining, but all rolled into one day made for a rotten attitude on my part - I was a major crabapple by 9 pm, when we were staring at some rather large bottoms that had planted themselves in front of us five minutes after the Erykah Badu concert started (we were seated, they found standing room in front of us...thoughtful, huh?).

So it was a lesson for me to trust my instincts - when honey suggested making a marathon of the outing that was only meant to be a couple of hours long, something inside me said, "Yeah, not so much for me, thanks," but, in the spirit of trying something different, I squelched that voice and went for it. I'm NOT blaming honey at all. He's an extrovert - he gets charged up by being around people, in energetic settings. I'm an introvert - I get charged up with my alone time. Not that I don't like being around people, but, I have my limits, and I trampled them on Friday. SO, a lesson in listening to myself. Not being selfish & unmovable, mind you, because it's good & healthy to stretch myself. But just part of knowing my boundaries, and sticking firm when I know that too much of a good thing will undoubtedly make me miserable.

Although...we did see our sweet friends Julie & Maria at the concert, which wouldn't have happened if we hadn't gone....so there are always blessings to be found, even when things aren't quite what you'd like them to be, right? Lord, balance is so hard to find...but You continually bless us, even when we're not expecting it. Thank You!

barefoot in the grass, with cupcakes

Last night my sis & I went to a "concert in the gardens" event in Fort Worth at the Botanical Gardens, where we got to see Patty Griffin perform while we ate a yummy dinner from Central Market. It was delightful! There's just something about having the grass tickle your toes while you listen to one of your favorite artists, plus Central Market buttercream icing, that makes an evening pretty darn near perfect.

In case you haven't heard Patty Griffin, I'd highly recommend you take a listen (this link is to her first album, Living With Ghosts, released in 1996). Something about her music just stirs me (I don't remember who introduced me to her music, but it was back in my early seminary days, and I still absolutely love every single song on that first album. Be warned! It's not a jolly album. It's reflective and realistic about how hard things can be, particularly relationships). The concert last night inspired me to be sure to collect more of her music this summer, because she has just continued to develop her style beautifully over the last ten years!

whatcha readin?

Spoken like a true Texan...

OK, girls, one of my favorite summertime activities is just curling up with a GOOD book. I prefer fiction to nonfiction (I find that since graduating from seminary, my brain can't handle too much smarty-pants type info), but I will attempt nonfiction if it comes highly recommended. So, any recommendations?

summertime!

Today marks the start of the summer season for our little family, because we made our first visit to our favorite summer treat place, Ham's Orchard. It's a great little farmer's market in Terrell, and they not only sell incredibly delicious peaches (and any other fruit & veggie you can think of), but also homemade peach & strawberry ice cream, and this year they've added fudge! We stopped on the way home from mom & dad's and picked up a watermelon and a bag of peaches. Plan to go back later this week to get the pumpkins some ice cream. Yea for summer!!

Road Trip - 1, Shannon - 0

Happy day, we are back in Texas! We made it to my parents' house yesterday around 5, and we are all very relieved to get a break from marathon driving. The girls did great, considering that we locked them in their carseats for 5 out of the past 11 days!

The girls' favorite diversions from their trapped state:
1) Cinderella and Charlie & Lola, #3. We got both of these specifically to help the time in the car pass, and they worked like charms (the car adapter for the computer was a wonderful idea, Susan!). Chris and I got sick of hearing "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes" though.
2) Washable markers used as body art. At the end of each of our 5 driving days, the girls both looked like they had strange skin conditions, thanks to the "tattoos" they gave themselves (they loved it though, Rae! Great idea).
3) Snacks. Of every sort, especially on the way back, once we had a goodie box from the girls grandma-mumsie (honey's mom).

I've decided that, for me, one day of driving there (8-10 hours), and one day of driving back (8-10 hours) is the limit, if we're only going to be somewhere for a week. So if we're staying 2 weeks, we get 2 days of driving there, and 2 days back, etc... I'm just not at my best cooped up for that long, and I run out of patience for all of the junk that winds up sitting at my feet. Thankfully, now that Southwest is flying more places, we should be able to get good prices on flights, if we have enough advance notice. Lesson learned!

Greetings from Corolla, NC

We've been at the beach now since late Saturday night/early Sunday morning (this is a picture of the house we're staying in - I've never stayed anywhere this BIG), and I think we're all starting to feel rested and very, very full (Honey's mom has been feeding us like the witch fed Hansel & Gretel to fatten them up before she was going to eat them. It's been SO great!). I can't get over how very COLD the water is. The lifeguard stand has a sign that tells water temp, and it's been between 57 & 62 the entire time. BRRRR! The pumpkins run right up to the waves, and then run away screaming with delight before the icy water touches their toes. Their daddy & his brothers have actually been body surfing in the water. I don't know HOW they do it - us girls choose to keep a safe distance from the water, burying our toes in the sand. It's also windy, so I have to wear a shirt to the beach to keep warm. It's unlike any previous beach experience I've had! We also spend a good bit of time in the pool (which is heated), and it's got a lovely little section that's only about a foot and a half of water, so whenever Miss MA sees it out the window, she starts screaming, "POOL! POOL! POOL!" I think that's her favorite.

It's been delightful watching all the little cousins enjoy each other - there are 5 total: Miss K is the oldest at 3 1/2, and Miss MA is the youngest at almost 2. In the middle are Mr J, 3, Miss C, almost 2, and Mr E, almost 2. Loads of fun. They were having races yesterday in the living room - it was adorable. I have video of it, but haven't figured out yet how to post it. I'll get honey to help me out later.

movin' right along

In another installment of the "I'm just a little crazy" episodes, we leave Friday to go to North Carolina. MapQuest tells us that it's about a 22 hour drive from here to there, and then we get to do that all over again when we come back next week.

SO, I need HELP. I have never traveled that far with the pumpkins, and need input on how to keep us all from losing our minds while we're driving. Keep in mind that our car does not have a DVD player... Any suggestions?

surf's up!

So I think I might be a little crazy, but I've got to tell ya', every grain of sand being tracked into my house from the pumpkins' sandbox is pushing me closer and closer to the edge. It all started a few weeks ago - we had finally gotten rid of all the "yucky" sand from last summer (advertised as play sand, but was obviously NOT play sand because of all the big rocks & junk it it), and honey wanted the replacement to be white sand. You know, beach sand. As one guy I talked to called it, "white sugar sand." Yep.

Well, turns out that you can't buy white sugar sand at any store around here. They all sell quick-rete's version of play sand, that's brown and dirty looking, with flecks of stuff in it that's white & black. Gritty looking. Yuck-o, right? So I finally tracked down some white sugar sand at a gravel & sand place, and honey was able to go get a "quarter of a yard" of white sugar sand (about 500 pounds) loaded up in the back of the truck.

So, people, there's a reason you can't buy white sugar sand for the sand box. It sticks to children. To their legs, to their arms, to the dog...to EVERYTHING. Mom & Dad have the gritty quick-rete sand at their house. Guess what? Doesn't stick. I've already changed my sheets TWICE (in one week) due to sand in the sheets. I can so handle that when I'm AT THE BEACH, but not so much in my house.

I had already decided that I want to do the girls' room in "surfer girl" style. Miss K asked me if that means she gets to have water & sand in her room. We're halfway there, baby!

Tag!

I'm it! My sweet friend Kelley, who lives altogether too far away these days (we miss you down here, Kelley!) sent me the following message:

No obligation, but you've been "tagged." Read the info below and join in on the fun on your blog if you want:
1. Each tagged "player" starts with 8 random facts/habits about him- or herself.
2. A tagged person must write a blog entry about his or her 8 things and post these rules.
3. At the end of the blog, the tagged person must include 8 people to get tagged, and list their names.
4. Leave them a comment telling them they're tagged, and to read your blog.

So, I've decided to very willingly oblige, because I feel like my brain is just absolutely ASLEEP these days, and maybe this'll get it going...or at least get something on the ol' blog!

8 random facts about me:
1. I wish I could play the bass guitar, and/or sing in musicals, like Idina Menzel, aka "Elphaba" from Wicked, and "Maureen" from Rent.
2. I LOVE roller coasters. Not the old, crickety wooden ones like the Texas Giant at Six Flags (yuck-o; those guys give me headaches), but new smooth ones, like Titan at Six Flags, or Aerosmith at Disney.
3. Junie B. Jones makes me laugh (although I don't think I want my girls to read her books and learn her bad habits).

4. I love the sound of the ocean, but not getting in the ocean.
5. I'm a little too excited about the release of Pirates III (love me some Captain Jack!). So much so that I'm considering seeing it at midnight on Thursday the 25th, even though we leave at 3 pm on Friday afternoon to drive 23 stinkin' hours to North Carolina.
6. I love traveling, but hate road trips (can you say yuck-o, 23 hours to North Carolina?).
7. And yet I hope to one day buy an RV so that we can travel the country with the pumpkins. Am I a complicated woman or what??!! Poor honey.
8. Favorite things about each season: Spring: new life all around! Summer: fruit (yea for watermelons!). Fall: football (go, Cowboys, even if they didn't get the right draft pick!). Winter: Christmas.

So there's my list of randomness. I'd love to see Liz, Bek, Jen, Laur, Lin, Rae, and Sue post their own lists, but there's no obligation, girls!

treats & inconveniences

Our computer is sick. Hence "inconveniences." I knew that I used it a lot, but SHEESH it's hard not having my computer. I'm able to use honey's laptop in the evenings, so I'm not totally without...but I'm a bit amazed at how dependent I am on the dang thing.

Moving on: last week one of the girls mentioned an easy version of caramel popcorn she makes. I (being a big fan of caramel popcorn) perked right up. I found a version of it online, super easy, super good (it even looks professional!), so if you're a fan, pay attention:

MICROWAVE CARAMEL POPCORN

Prepare 4 quarts popped popcorn (about 1/2 cup unpopped, maybe a little more)

Add to 2 quart dish:
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
Microwave 3 minutes, stir, and microwave for additional 1 1/2 minutes.
Stir in 1/2 teaspoon baking soda.

Pour caramel mixture over popcorn in brown paper bag, and shake vigorously for about a minute (check to see if distributed evenly).

Put paper bag in microwave, and microwave for about 1 minute and 10 seconds. Shake, and microwave an additional minute an 10 seconds. Cool & enjoy!
*Note: when I microwaved it for a minute and 10 seconds, it was too long, and a few pieces burned, so I now microwave it for about 30 seconds at a time 4 times. If it isn't microwaved enough, it will be chewy. It can also be baked in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes after you shake it all together, if you want to do it that way.

little gifts

Got back yesterday from Orlando, and let me tell ya girls, it's definitely a trip worth taking without the pumpkins (at least once in your life!). I have to admit that everything there was a constant reminder of my girlies, but one of the gals who went is a seasoned DisneyWorld visitor, so I learned all the secrets for a great trip with the fam, and can't wait to take them some day.

A few notes on the trip:

1) I LOVE time with girl friends. It helps me to be SUCH a better wife and momma. So, for those of you who have gone too long without a night out with your girl friends, get to it!

2) I LOVE roller coasters. Seriously. Absolutely. If you go to Disney, take along someone who can watch the kiddos while you go ride coasters with your honey. So fun.

3) I LOVE the little gifts the Lord gives us. Silly stuff. Seems inconsequential, but He knows that it delights our souls, and gives it to us because He loves us so much. One example: My sweet friend Stacey had wanted all day to ride the Dumbo ride. Coaster girl (me) had (in my mind) wondered all day: "WHY? There are coasters. Why ride Dumbo?" But she was determined. When we had 20 minutes to kill before the fireworks show began, it was obviously time to ride Dumbo. So we were soaring on Dumbo when the fireworks started, and I was so stinkin' close to Tinkerbell I could've grabbed her foot as she flew by. Honestly! It was amazing. Maybe it's just the little kid in me, but that was a delight. A little gift from the Father to me, that I didn't even know I wanted.

One last thing - I wish I had that pic I mentioned in front of Cinderella's castle, but stubborn me didn't want to mess with a camera. BIG mistake! I missed lots of great picture opportunities, the biggest of all being a pic of all us girls together at Disney. Pooh!

princess fever

If you have little girls in your house, like I have in mine, your home has probably already been bitten by the princess bug, invited or not. Princesses are BIG favorites in our home, and if you could listen in during storytime or dress up, chances are you'd hear about Cinderella, or Belle, or Ariel, among others. One of Miss K's favorite new pretend games is to dress up as Cinderella, while I get to be the stepmother, and daddy is the prince. I usually am required to bark out orders while Cinderella pines away for the ball, and she eventually winds up dancing with her daddy by the time the story ends. One thing I like about most of the princess stories is that, while the princesses sometimes make bad choices (think Ariel), they're typically pretty good gals. One thing I don't like about the whole princess motif is the idea that somehow our little princesses are, because of their "princess status," allowed to behave like beasts.

I've figured out lately that I tend to pick up the princess attitude (the beastly side) all too often in regard to everyday life: "I deserve better/more/nicer, etc...". Somehow I think that I'm exempt from the trials & tribulations of everyday life just because I'm me, because I'm somehow different, somehow more special. You know, a princess. Only problem is that I'm NOT a princess. I know that on some level I am, since I'm a daughter of the King, but that's an entirely different subject. I'm just talking about everyday practicality here. There's no fairy godmother, or cute talking animal that's going to solve all my problems for me. I know that I've got my handsome prince, but he's not about to carry me off to some awesome castle for a princess-style "happily ever after." These are days that I just have to keep plodding through at times, as an entirely different (and definitely un-princessey) theme song runs through my mind: "Y'all gonna make me lose my mind up in here..."

So there's my thought for today. Gotta let the princess fever go on its way, and be thankful for the abundant provision plopped in my lap by the Father. Although, I do actually get to play princess for a few days this week: some girlfriends and I are going to Orlando for a few days of getaway, and I think we're actually going to go visit Disney. Maybe I'll get a picture in front of the castle. ;o)

creamy chicken enchilada recipe?

OK girls - I'm wanting to make those yummy creamy chicken enchiladas that we've had when we've all gotten together before (I think they're a junior league recipe?). The last time I remember having them was at Mike & Lindsey's place in McKinney, I think when Barry & Jessica were in town, and I think that Rebekah or Susan made them... SO, I emailed Bek for the recipe, but I have no patience, so if anyone has the recipe, PLEASE post it.

pray for virginia tech

What can you really say about this? ugh...

I just found out (from Sandi's blog) that a former DTS classmate of mine, Jennifer Kincaid, is working at Virginia Tech. I also found this article that says she's working with her church, Northstar Church, as a director of women's ministries. I'm not sure of her "official" duties on the campus, but I know she must touch so many students' lives every day. Please be sure to pray for her, for her church, and for other churches in the area as they minister in these difficult days.

jellybeans in the bathtub

Yesterday we had some rip-roarin' storms come through the DFW area, and at one point, good ol' Forney was under a tornado warning, complete with yellow spinny circles on the radar thing on good ol' channel 8 (my favorite weather people in the metroplex), and tornado sirens going off here in town. When we knew the bad weather was headed our way, we got the the backyard all ready for the high winds; once we heard the sirens, it was off to the bathtub for us all, dogs included. I had no idea how I was going to amuse two toddlers and two crazy dogs for the time we'd spend in the bathroom, but at the last second I remembered the Easter candy: "Let's go sit in the bathtub and eat some jellybeans, pumpkins!" Even Dixie & Cappy (the dogs) got jellybeans, which kept them from getting too nervous at the sounds of the sirens. A handy tip: a crib mattress is actually a very good size for covering the bathtub. I was thinking we'd pull one of the big mattresses in, but then handy-dandy honey grabbed the crib mattress. Good thinkin', honey!

Nothing came of all the sirens & noise, at least not here in Forney. After about fifteen minutes, when the sirens were off, I went and checked channel 8, and it looked safe for us all to come out of our safehouse, er...bathtub. That's when honey said, "Hey, we can't get out until we have a picture!" So, here's our first official tornado drill picture:

I was reading some Job yesterday, and couldn't help but be reminded by the storms of the Lord's questions to Job toward the end of the book: Can you lift up your voice to the clouds, so that an abundance of water will cover you? Can you send forth lightnings that they may go and say to you, "Here we are"? Job 38: 34-35. Job's obvious unspoken answer (and ours as well) is a very quiet & humble "No, sir." Incredible that He who has lightening answer to Him knows all about me and my little family sitting and eating jellybeans in the bathtub.

ma: a review

In honor of MA's surgery tomorrow in the early am, I thought a slideshow of some of my faves of her would be in order...

Tales from the Crib

I'm crazy distracted this week because we found out yesterday that MA has to have tubes put in her ears on Friday. Excited because we hope this will help her chronic ear infections & general sickness, but nervous because, well, ya know, the whole surgery aspect of it...

So I'm just going to post a few funny things I've heard/experienced at the gym since I started working there a few weeks ago (I'm in the nursery, and when no kiddos are in there, the TV is controlled by my co-workers). Keep in mind that most of my co-workers are teenagers, and it's been ever-so long since I've worked with the good ol' teen set...

1 - As we were watching American Idol a few weeks ago, one of the contestants sang his sorry version of "Every Breath You Take." Josh commented, "Doesn't some old dude sing that?"

2 - Kelly was flipping through the stations, and stopped for a second on a channel. "Hey, that's Karate Kid!" I said with excitement. "I had his poster on my wall in jr. high!" She watched for about 30 seconds (it was during a training session in Mr. Miyagi's backyard), wrinkled her nose, and kept channel surfing.

3 - Kelly was (again) flipping. She stopped on Airplane. "My mom loves this movie," she said. Another 30 seconds, another wrinkled nose, and more channel surfing.

4 - Josh & Kelly were watching an A&E biography on Michael Jackson. They were showing scenes from his childhood. Josh said, "Hey, he used to be black! What happened?" Don't we all wish we knew, Josh...

back in the saddle again...

So it's official. We are now members of Community Life church here in town, which happens to be a southern baptist church. Which is funny, because honey is about as far removed from southern as one can be, and I don't think he's ever been a baptist...although he was dunked, so in some sense, I guess he is a good ol' baptist boy at heart. Me, I'm southern baptist from way back, so it's a return of the prodigal, in some strange sense.

My original plan was to fuss about how stand-offish and cliquish southern baptists "typically" are, but then the Lord went and taught me a lesson, so... I was having a hard time with our "community group," also known as small groups in some circles, called "cg's" by our church. I just felt like we were on the outside, not really accepted or even wanted in this group that's somehow supposed to fulfill the sense of community which we can't actually get it at church, cause church is too big. So, I was just feeling like an outsider....again....in a southern baptist church....which made me really fussy because I feel like I've already been through this way too many times. But we're committed to the church, for lots of reasons (one of which is their take on evangelism), and I had decided that I was going to just suck it up, and play nice, because we'd eventually find some folks that we click with.

But then last night at cg, one of the girls opens WAY up, and tells us about the SUPER hard time she and her hubby are having right now, which TOTALLY explains their stand-offishness.... And another girl goes into some difficult times she's been through lately. And it hits me like a ton of bricks: "Oh yeah...they're broken, just like me." They don't have it all together. They aren't being ugly. They're just hurting, bleeding all over the place emotionally. And yet selfish, small-minded me takes it personally.

Sheesh....when will I learn? Makes me think that maybe, just maybe, it's not about southern baptists' die-hard habits...it's about my unwillingness to extend grace and just plain old "time to warm up" to people who need it, just like I do. These lessons are good for me. Help me get outside my head, and remember that it's just not all about me...I'm afraid I forget that way too often. I give you a new commandment – to love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. Everyone will know by this that you are my disciples – if you have love for one another. John 13:34-35

A few recommendations

Over the last couple of weeks, we've watched a few really good movies, all with the lovely Emma Thompson as a common denominator. So today I really think that she might be my favorite actress. I have yet to see her portray someone that hasn't won me over: Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing, Elinor in Sense & Sensibility, Professor Trelawney in the Harry Potter movies; and as of late, Karen Eiffel in Stranger Than Fiction, and Nanny McPhee in the same-named movie. So, if you haven't seen any Emma Thompson lately, get to it!

I'd post a few pics here and links and whatnot, but I'm tired, so I'm going to bed instead.

a walk in the park

Yesterday we had our 2nd annual Easter photo shoot. We went to one of our favorite parks in Highland Park, and had a ball. Here's a slide show of some of my favorites:

A giant thanks to Grammy for all her help!

Naked Feet

Spring is here, and yesterday found us hosting our 1st cook-out of the season, complete with hummus & aunties & uncles aplenty. I've been enjoying the freedom the season brings by wearing my flip-flops constantly, hence Miss K's question on Friday: "Mommy, why are your feet naked?"

Here are some pics of our adorable little fruit trees in the backyard (a red apple, an apricot, a golden delicious apple, and a peach):

Beautiful, no? Honey found them at Calloway's at the end of last summer for $5 each, so I was skeptical that they would survive...but survive they did, and now they are just so leafy. Makes me smile every time I see them! So our backyard was happy to host our party, complete with a rousing game of croquet for all the johnnies (honey, J, and N all graduated from St. John's College; a big event there every year is the annual croquet match versus the Naval Academy, so for them, croquet is quite exciting...I haven't figured it out yet, but maybe this will be the year?).

So we're all running around here enjoying springtime with our naked feet. Quite frankly, I wish I could say my soul was blooming with all the trees in the backyard, but it's not...it's feeling a bit naked itself, kinda stripped & worn out, like it's nearing the end of autumn rather than the beginning of spring. Last night I described it to Sha as "feeling kind of funky." But I know that that's the nature of things - our trees have to look dead in order to bloom again, and sometimes there are just dry seasons for our souls. I'm thankful that this doesn't mean that the Lord is any less faithful or in control, but just reflects my wishy-washiness instead. Thank you, Father, for the new life of spring, and the reminders all around that You're in the resurrection business.