Humiliations Galore

My six-year-old son just put me in checkmate after a scant four moves. I know I should be really proud (Okay, I am!), but I think I'm more humiliated than proud.

I recently checked out the book Chess for Kids from the library for him, and apparently he's actually been reading it, not just looking at the pictures as I had supposed! Maybe I should put it on his wish list, or then again maybe not. I don't know if I want to suffer many more humiliating losses! (Just for the record, I DID beat him the next two games.)

Summer Gatherings Begin

This Saturday we had some friends over for fellowship and a BBQ. Though just a few days earlier our temperatures were in the 60s, on Friday it was 95 and Saturday it was 91! That is really hot for our part of the country, especially when you've had no time to adjust to warm weather.


The kids helped by washing off our patio chairs and then decided to clean all their outside toys as well! They had fun splashing and getting wet. In fact, I had to change Abby because she got completely soaked.


While the coals heated and we waited for our guests to arrive, Daddy played catch with the kids. Ryan is learning how to throw really well!


After lunch, the kids got on their swimsuits and cooled off in our tiny wading pool (One of the best $6.99 I ever spent! This is the third summer we've used it.) Our friends got their little girl (also named Abigail) into her suit and let her get into the pool for her first time.


Though I ended up feeling sicker as the day wore on, we had a nice visit and time together. We have several more of these days planned this year, but hopefully the next ones won't be so hot!

Foster Care & Adoption

Since this is National Foster Care Month, I wanted to get another plug in for the kids who are waiting in the system for someone to open their hearts to them. The adoption agency we used, Bethany Christian Services, has a new program called Project Open Arms which is aimed at the children in foster care in Michigan:

Bethany is reaching out to thousands of children in Michigan who are in foster care and waiting for adoptive families. Bethany has received more than $1 million in private funding for Project Open Arms, an initiative to find loving, permanent families for foster children by recruiting families through churches in Michigan. Project Open Arms' bold goal is that Michigan will be a state where no children are waiting for adoption. With more than 12,000 churches in Michigan and 6,000 children waiting for adoption, Bethany needs to find a family in just 1 out of 2 churches to adopt 1 child. In the future, Bethany hopes to expand this program into other states to find adoptive families for the more than 100,000 children waiting across the country.

Can you imagine how incredible it would be to have all of those children in Christian homes? I can't think of a better way to glorify Christ and to live out His commission to make disciples! I will be praying for this project and for God's leading as to what else He is calling our family to do.

Punctuation 101-Lesson 1

The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation says:

Periods and commas always (emphasis mine) go inside quotation marks, even inside single quotes.

Examples:
The sign changed from "Walk," to "Don't Walk," to "Walk" again within 30 seconds.
She said, "Hurry up."
She said, "He said, 'Hurry up.'"

National Foster Care Month

May is National Foster Care Month, and to highlight it I thought I'd make yet another movie recommendation. Have you seen Martian Child? It is a story that is loosely based on true events about a single man who adopts a boy from the foster care system who thinks he is from Mars. It is a heartwarming story that I think you will enjoy. Who knows, maybe it will cause you to consider fostering or even adopting one of the thousands of kids that are waiting for a home. Could God be calling you to take a little "Martian Child" into your heart?

Mother's Day Prayer

Reposted from Mother's Day 2006

As I was enjoying a rare and blissful pleasure this morning, an uninterrupted shower, I was praying and thinking about Mother's Day. I find it peculiar that now that I am a mother, I don't have the unreserved joy on Mother's Day that I had once thought I would enjoy once I attained the illusive title, "Mommy."

Maybe the joy is muted by the memory of the many babies I never held or the lingering scar of years of infertility and childlessness. Maybe it's the knowledge that this day holds pain for some that are precious to my heart. I think of those who fear they may never know the joy of raising a child, those whose arms are empty because they loved a child selflessly enough to trust another mom to give what she cannot give, those who are separated from their mothers by death or estrangement or many miles, those who find it hard to celebrate a mother who seems unworthy of praise, those who don't have food or shelter for their children, those who are suffering the pain of watching a grown child make devastating choices, or those who fail to be the kind of mother they know God is calling them to be.

Still, as I enjoyed a pancake breakfast prepared by my husband this morning, I was overflowing with joy. It is a breathtaking privilege to look around the table and see the beautiful faces of two children I have been given the honor of raising. I am joyous this morning because of sticky hands and obnoxious noises that come from my two charges, and I thank God with all that is in me, again, for making me a mommy.

For those who are on the painful side of this day, I want you to know that you are not forgotten, you are loved and needed by many. And I prayed for you today.

Another Recommendation

I finished reading Nim's Island aloud to the kids this morning, and since we have a spanking new cinema in our little community now and since Daddy got home early from work today, we decided to take them to the matinee to see the movie. The kids liked it, and I really enjoyed it too! Okay, I admit, the special effects (particularly the CG) are not stellar and the story flounders a bit where they decided to stray from the book, but it inspires a love of reading and adventure and being courageous, all things we try to encourage in our children.

I was nervous about taking my kids to a PG movie that I haven't previewed (this is the first one they've seen that hasn't been filtered), but my apprehension was unfounded. I despise all the bad attitudes, potty humor and sexual innuendo that pervade so many movies aimed at kids, but that was missing in this one for the most part (the sea lion burps once and passes gas once).

When I finished reading the book this morning, Ryan said, "Can I read it now?" and when Daddy asked them after the movie if they wanted to see it again sometime, he said, "Yeah, I want to own it!" I think he liked the story, don't you?

Recommended

I saw this book at Target a month or so ago. It intrigued me, but I'm too cheap frugal to buy books at full price, so I went home and requested it from the library. Since it was brand new, they didn't have the book processed yet, but I was first to request it. I got the book yesterday, and began reading this afternoon. I couldn't put it down and finished it a few minutes ago. If you're looking for a great true life story and don't mind shedding a few tears, I would highly recommend this book! Not only is it an unbelievable story, it was encouraging to see God at work through the families involved and to hear them give Him glory despite unimaginable suffering.

Adoption Credit and the Stimulus Check

I just wanted to clear up something that had me confused for the last several weeks, just in case anyone else might be confused too.

If you filed your taxes and claimed an adoption credit, you may not get what you expected to get in your stimulus payment. I know we didn't, and it took some digging to find out why. The bottom line is if your adoption credit brought your tax liability down to zero, then you will only get $300 per person instead of the $600 you might have been expecting.

So our new fence will probably not be completed this month as we had hoped since we are $600 short of what we were hoping for, but at least we'll get it started and pray for the money to finish is sometime this year!

Boredom

I belong to a Yahoo Group for people using the homeschool curriculum that I use, and one of the moderators is wise and often funny too. Her solution for dealing with kids who say they're bored is priceless:

In the medical field, we ask patients to rate their pain on a scale of 1 to 10. When my kids complain of boredom, I ask them to rate it on the same scale. If they are approaching a 10, this is a true emergency! No amount of mindless entertainment can save them now. Only rigorous work can maintain the heart rate above asystole.

I have never had a child become so bored that I had to start CPR, but anything is possible once boredom reaches life threatening levels.

Once the patient says, "stop it mom, you are not funny", then you know you have successfully converted a code W (W stands for whining) to a normal rhythm.

Interruptions

This devotion from Elisabeth Elliot was in my inbox last Friday, and I have been pondering over it ever since.

We like things to go smoothly and as planned. Very often unexpected things intervene, and our plans go awry. We think we've got "problems." There is another level at which everything that happens is being engineered. "God has no problems," Corrie ten Boom said, "only plans." When ours are interrupted, his are not. His plans are proceeding exactly as scheduled, moving us always (including those minutes or hours or years which seem most useless or wasted or unendurable) "toward the goal of true maturity" (Rom 12:2 JBP). Believe God. Turn the interruptions over to Him. He is at the controls.

I like structure and routine, especially when it comes to my day with my kids. My son particularly needs to know when and how things are going to happen or he doesn't cope well (he even needs to know how many pages are in a chapter before he starts reading it!). However, it's a rare day in our house when my plans aren't "interrupted" or changed, usually by my daughter. She still hasn't learned the self-control she needs to keep out of things and can make a mess faster (and more thoroughly) than anyone I've ever known. She also has a remarkable gift for knowing the exact moment that her curiosity will be the most inconvenient and irksome for me.

I have been asking God to give me patience for the daily chaos that seems to be the norm around our house, but maybe it's not so much patience that I need as much a new perspective. I know that her character and love for Christ are so much more important than learning her alphabet or getting housework done, but I don't act like it when I get angry or impatient with her for squirting toothpaste all over the sink (and walls, and mirror, and floor...) or some other such "interruption." I pray He will give me the grace I need to see these interruptions in a new light, to see them as a Divine appointment to show love and grace and mercy to my sweet little girl and perhaps to train her in the way she should go.

Late Night Welcome Home

Not so patiently waiting.
Though Ryan was mortified to go into the airport in his jammies, he was willing to make the sacrifice to get to greet Daddy when he got off the plane (or as near as they let you get nowadays). Hubby's plane didn't get in until 10:16 pm, and we live an hour away from the airport, so I was very glad they were dressed for bed when we got home after 11:00pm last night...even Ryan was happy he could crawl directly into bed. Both kids fell asleep about five minutes before we arrived at the airport and had to be awakened, and though Ryan stayed awake most of the way home, Abby was out within a few minutes after leaving the airport.


We're all so happy to have him home again!

Visiting Special Friends

We are all missing Eddie around here, so it seemed like a great time to go visit some dear friends. We met this family at church when we lived in Memphis and were delighted when we learned they were moving to Oregon almost two years ago. Unfortunately, we haven't been able to get together very often, but I enjoy it when we do. The kids adore their youngest daughter, but unfortunately she wasn't feeling well yesterday so we didn't get to see much of her. Also Ward works evenings and we only got to see him for a few minutes as well. However, we spent eight hours or so visiting with Cindy, and it was nice to catch up with her.

Thanks, Cindy, we love you all!

Saying Goodbye

My hubby left for Florida last night. He'll be gone for a week, and we are going to miss him! We got to the airport a bit early, so we all went inside. The kids played on the play structure for a while (playing Captain Horatio Hornblower!), while Eddie and I had a chance to talk a bit. As we were waving goodbye, Ryan said, "If Daddy leaves again, I'll split apart!" He loves his Daddy and his little heart is already missing him greatly.


Have a good visit with your dad, but hurry home, Honey!

Petition for Re-hearing Granted

I got an email tonight from the Home School Legal Defense Association with an update on the recent California Homeschool ruling:

On March 25, the California Court of Appeal granted a motion for rehearing in the 'In re Rachel L.' case--the controversial decision which purported to ban all homeschooling in that state unless the parents held a teaching license qualifying them to teach in public schools.

The automatic effect of granting this motion is that the prior opinion is vacated and is no longer binding on any one, including the parties in the case.

Good news for all of us homeschoolers and especially for California Homeschoolers!

He is Risen!

I hope you all had a wonderful Resurrection Sunday! We were blessed to have my mom visiting from California this Easter, which made it special for us. We traditionally make Resurrection Cookies Saturday evening, but though the story is neat and opening the oven door Easter morning to find hollow cookies is fun, we don't really like to eat them and end up throwing them away.


This year I decided to try a new recipe for Resurrection Buns, and we loved them! I made them Easter morning and served them with scrambled eggs and bacon, and they were a hit! It was fun to open each one up to see if it was hollow (they all were!), and it was even more fun to eat them...yummy!

Most importantly, it's incredible to know and celebrate that Jesus' tomb was truly empty some 2,000 years ago!

California Homeschool Update

California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell comes to the defense of homeschool families.

"The California Department of Education policy will not change in any way as a result of this ruling. Parents still have the right to homeschool in this state."

The Homeschool Legal Defense Association is still preparing to fight the recent ruling in hopes of getting it overturned or depublished, but the superintendent's statement is encouraging and a relief to many homeschooling families.

New Look

I've been working on designing a new blog template from scratch, but due to my slow learning curve it is taking a long time. So until my own template is completed, I went with this one designed by Annie at BlogU. It's a bit trendy for this plain jane girl, but I'll pretend I'm on the cutting edge for a while (even if hubby dislikes the label cloud) until I get my new template done. Hey, by the time I get it done, this template will be so out of style that it might just suit me!

Parental Rights and Homeschooling

I have been putting my blogs on the back burner lately, but I really wanted to post about the new ruling that was handed down in California last week essentially making homeschooling illegal in California for anyone who doesn't have a valid teaching certificate (probably 98 percent of homeschool families).

Don't be decieved by the homeschooling "cloak" of this ruling for this is at heart an attack on the rights of parents to choose what is best for their children! We are blessed to live in a state that is currently friendly to parents and homeschooling. However, California is a bellwether state, and if this ruling is allowed to stand, it will eventually impact the rest of the country (not to mention the harm it will do to Californians).

The Homeschool Legal Defense Association is gathering signatures to petition the California Supreme Court to depublish (make it applicable only to the family involved in the case) the decision. You don't have to homeschool or be a member of HSLDA to sign the petition.

Lastly, the Lord God isn't surprised by this ruling as the rest of us may have been. He is our hope and our shield! Let us pray and trust in Him.

Thorns or Treasure?

I stood a mendicant (beggar) of God before His royal throne
And begged him for one priceless gift, which I could call my own.
I took the gift from out His hand, but as I would depart
I cried, "But Lord this is a thorn and it has pierced my heart.
This is a strange, a hurtful gift, which Thou hast given me."
He said, "My child, I give good gifts and gave My best to thee."
I took it home and though at first the cruel thorn hurt sore,
As long years passed I learned at last to love it more and more.
I learned He never gives a thorn without this added grace,
He takes the thorn to pin aside the veil which hides His face.

By Martha Snell Nicholson

Sanctity of Life Day

(Edited to add: I had this post written a week ago, but totally forgot to post it on Sunday!)

I don't remember where I first heard about this video or how I ran across it, but I do vividly remember the face of Eliot and the joy of his special parents. Abby remembers too. She took a break from playing one day last fall to come check on me (she often does that) and found me sitting in front of my computer with tears streaming down my face. "What's the matter, Mommy?" she said, patting my arm. I couldn't even speak being so choked by the beautiful short life on the screen. I hugged my daughter and she too watched the video about this precious life. She remembers Eliot even months later. She still asks about him and wonders if she will get to see him in heaven.

In celebration of Sanctity of Life Day today, I wanted to share this powerful tribute to life and joy in hopes that if you have doubts that every human life is precious and valuable, you may be swayed to reconsider.

Spring Will Come

I dearly love having all the seasons (though summer could be shortened to a couple weeks and I'd be fine with that!), and even winter is enjoyable for me. Despite my love of winter though, I was excited to see our crocus bulbs that we planted last fall pushing their way to the surface today. There is just something special about the promise of Spring. Maybe it's because it reminds me of the new life I've been given through Christ, the new creature He's made me and the promises that go with that. Whatever the reason, seeing those small green sprouts sticking up through the mulch gave me such a thrill and peace knowing that God is faithful and the Spring will come again, just like it always does.

"While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, And cold and heat, And summer and winter, And day and night Shall not cease." Genesis 8:22

Lessons for Mommy

As part of his daily schooling, Ryan reads aloud to me one chapter of a book from our chosen curriculum. His latest book is called Little Prudy's Dotty Dimple and was written in 1865 by Sophie May. Today's chapter had the oldest two girls (nine and six years old) being humiliated and embarrased by their littest sister's naughty and rude behavior (three years old). I had to smile at the end of the chapter when the oldest said,

"I've been thinking it all over," replied Susy, "and I've made up my mind that God allows her to mortify you and me. You know we must have some kind of a trial, or we shouldn't grow gentle and sweet tempered."

"As mother is," added Prudy.

After having an especially trying morning with one of my darling children, this was a gentle nudge from the Lord for me. It's a wasted "trial" if I am not changed by it, not more dependant on Him because of it, and not growing more "gentle and sweet tempered" through it.

Christmas Cheer and Crisis

We had an especially good Christmas this year. I can't really put my finger on why, especially since so much of what I had planned didn't happen. Hubby had an emergency at work that began Thursday afternoon and lasted for three and a half days, and he got only seven hours sleep in 91 hours (I only had 11 hours sleep). We didn't get the gingerbread house done (for the second year in a row), we didn't have the usual homemade cinnamon rolls or dinner rolls, we had salad out of a bag (gasp!), we skipped some crafts the kids wanted to do, and the house wasn't sparkling clean like it usually is by Christmas Eve.

What I do know is that we worshipped God. We were grateful. We shared the gospel with our neighbors. The kids and I had opportunities to serve Daddy and minister to him. We weren't sure we'd be able to have him home Christmas Day, but we did and were so thankful for that. We had a warm and dry house to celebrate in. We were all healthy (despite lack of sleep). We rejoiced in knowing Jesus. We even had some snow! It was a memorable Christmas, and I know hubby and I will remember it fondly in years to come.

The Love Chapter for Christmas

If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows,
strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls,
but do not show love to my family,
I'm just another decorator.

If I slave away in the kitchen,
baking dozens of Christmas cookies,
preparing gourmet meals and arranging
a beautifully adorned table at mealtime:
but do not show love to my family,
I'm just another cook.

If I work at a soup kitchen,
carol in the nursing home,
and give all that I have to charity;
but do not show love to my family,
it profits me nothing.

If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels
and crocheted snowflakes,
attend a myriad of holiday parties
and sing in the choir's cantata
but do not focus on Christ,
I have missed the point.

Love stops the cooking to hug the child.
Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the spouse.
Love is kind, though harried and tired.
Love does not envy another's home
that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.

Love does not yell at the kids to get out of the way,
but is thankful they are there to be in the way.
Love does not give only to those who are able
to give in return; but rejoices in giving
to those who cannot.

Love bears all things,
believes all things,
hopes all things, and endures all things.
Love never fails.

Video games will break,
pearl necklaces will be lost,
golf clubs will rust,
but giving the gift of love will endure.

--Author Unknown

(Okay, I swiped this from Ann who has a knack of posting brilliant things.)

Local Flooding

This is the cute little town of Vernonia where Eddie often goes fishing.
Photos from KATU.com.
I am so grateful to wake up to a dry and warm home this morning. Not everyone I know is so blessed. I found out yesterday that one of the families in my homeschool group has been displaced from their home due to flooding. They have three children, one of whom is a darling little two-year-old boy they just adopted two months ago (Ryan LOVES this little boy who was being fostered by a friend of ours until the adoption).

I'm told the watermark goes about eight inches up the walls of their home, and to make things worse the sewer backed up during the flood and contaminated all the water so there will be few things able to be salvaged. They think they were able to get the beds up off the floor in time, but they lost everything else that touches the ground: their dressers, sofas, chairs, bookcases full of books, homeschoooling supplies, anything in the lower kitchen cabinets, etc. They will have to replace walls and floors and cabinets and who knows what else...and they had no flood insurance.

I am writing this not just to express my gratitude for the blessings I have but to ask those of you who are able "to go boldy before the throne of grace," to pray for the S****a family. They are believers and appear to be holding up well, but they will need strength and peace in the coming days, weeks, and months it takes to rebuild. I don't know what their church is doing for them, but I know our homeschool group is making meals, offering labor and childcare, and trying to do anything we can to help them.


Flooding of Highway 30 about 30 miles northwest of where we live.

Weather Report

I have had a couple of inquiries this morning about how we "weathered" the storm yesterday. We're doing fine, thankfully! Eddie came home from work pretty early yesterday morning since the only highway to our little town was flooding quickly and was closed in several locations. He did manage to get home, and this morning the roads look much better. We have a big branch down in the backyard, and Abby was up all night afraid of noises she was hearing. However, I'm very grateful we still have power and a warm, dry house!

Just Photos

Interesting

On a recent trip to the zoo I saw these two identical trees side by side. I found it interesting that only one of them had changed colors. Then a week or so later I saw these two trees. Again, they are the same type of tree living side by side, but one turned brilliant red and the other yellow. Don't have a clue why, but it sure looked cool!

Out of Commission

Edited to add: Hubby reminded me that we hadn't wiped my old laptop yet, so I dug it out and am back in business...sort of! At least I can check my email regularly and maybe even add a blog post or two.

My wireless adapter "disappeared without being properly prepared for removal" two days ago. We were told it's a known problem with the driver software, but my wireless card may be fried too.

At any rate, in the process of trying to get it going again, my system has had to be wiped and completely rebuilt, so I am out of commission for a while. I will try to check email once a day or so on our PC, but I probably won't be doing any blog posts until I get the issue fixed. Our PC is REALLY slow and cumbersome to use, as well as not having everything I need on it.

I'm sure it will do me good to be without a computer for a while, but it is more painful than I care to admit!

Time Change

Anyone else have kids getting up at 5:30? Sigh. My son has a sturdy internal clock, and he's always been an early riser anyway!

On the Sidebar

In case you haven't noticed, I thought I'd point out the poll I have on my sidebar. I am extending the poll for another couple of weeks because hubby told me he didn't notice it until I said something to him about it. This is a topic that has been coming up again and again for me the last couple of years, and I am curious what others believe about who God is and how He acts. So, if you've got an opinion or even if you're not sure, please take a minute to vote...I'd appreciate it!

View Out the Front Door

Reformation Day

We don't celebrate Halloween in our house, but we have been struggling with a better way to love our unbelieving (and believing) neighbors who come knocking on our door once a year asking for a treat instead of hiding in the house with the lights off! Though this year we have some errands and a medical appointment that will keep us away from home during the trick-or-treating, we are considering giving out candy and perhaps a gospel tract or something about the good news of Jesus Christ next year.

Also, did you know that Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the Castle Church door in Wittenberg on October 31st? While Luther's work is controversial, there is no doubt he was pivotal in setting off the firestorm we now call The Reformation. More and more churches have taken to celebrating Reformation Day instead of Harvest parties or carnivals. Our church doesn't do either, but it is an interesting idea.

My hubby and I have several seasonal movies that we watch every year for different holidays. We watch Groundhog Day on Februrary 2nd, The Patriot on July 4th, The Passion of the Christ on Easter, etc. This year we're adding one of our favorite movies to our tradition; Luther on October 31st. If you haven't seen this movie yet, I highly recommend it!

Some Lose Houses By Fire; Others, By Persecution

PAKISTAN Christian Homes Demolished in Pakistan - VOM Sources

On October 19, local Muslims demolished homes belonging to three Christian families in the village of Lobhana, near Lahore, Pakistan. According to The Voice of the Martyrs' contacts, more than 70 armed villagers moved in with tractors and began destroying the homes. VOM contacts said, "They demolished and looted three homes and only stopped when the police arrived." Some of the Christians attacked reported that the Muslims threatened to kill them. VOM contacts added that the land where some of the demolished homes were located had been given to the Christian families by the Pakistani government more than 10 years earlier. However, some local Muslims claimed the land, intending to build a cemetery. Pray for God's protection for Christians in this area. Ask Him to provide resources for these families to rebuild their homes. Pray the testimony of these believers will draw nonbelievers, especially their attackers, into the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Psalm 68:19, Proverbs 3:5, 6

I Love Autumn

One of many reasons I love autumn!

One of God's Paintings

I love this time of year! For some reason we have the best sunrises in the fall and winter months here, and I've been enjoying them tremendously this week.

Getting Caught Up

Since we've returned from California I feel like all I've done is laundry, sorting mail, paying bills, getting out fall clothes, getting rid of too-small clothes, organizing, getting our homeschool year going, and just generally running in circles. This week has been much better though. I've made some headway on things, and now that I'm not spending hours each doing therapy with Abigail, I actually have found time to do some blogging. For the first time in probably eight months, my blogs are all caught up! In fact, I was so close to getting all the posts done that I wanted but had run out of free time today. So I went through the closet for something for the kids to do for a while so I could finish up the last few posts, and I found their Leap Pads which haven't been touched for probably a year (how could I have forgot them that long?). They each spent about an hour with them quietly on their laps, and I got my posts done!

A Night to Ourselves

We hadn't been back from California and Georgia for even a full week, when we headed off again for a night away. A coworker of hubby's got married out in the gorgeous hills near Mt. Hood, and a dear friend offered to watch the kids overnight for us. We dropped the kids off around noon, and then headed to a place we've been wanting to visit for a few months...The Original Stash, the first geocache ever placed. After making a couple of finds in that area, we headed out to The Columbia River Gorge, truly one of the most beautiful areas in Oregon, perhaps in the country. We did a little more geocaching, finding some really neat areas we wouldn't have found otherwise and a few we'll have to bring the kids back to. Eventually, we made our way to Hood River, a beautiful small town along the Columbia River and right in the heart of the Gorge, and checked into our hotel. We got cleaned up and headed to the wedding.


It was an outdoor wedding and we all were freezing, though thankfully there was no rain. It was a fabulous setting, and had there not been cloud cover, there would have been a breathtaking view of Mt. Hood. The cloud cover and threat of rain were only two more proofs that it was definitely an Oregon wedding...no one here gets dressed up for anything. There were guests in tennis shoes and jeans, and I felt way overdressed despite the fact that I was initially worried I wasn't going to be dressed well enough. The groomsmen wore shortsleeved linen shirts, and the bridesmaids wore flip-flops.


After a five-minute reception line which we missed out on, there were drinks and delicious hors d'oeurves while we waited to be taken inside where it was warm. After a while we were moved inside where we sat at a table with Devotion, Confidence, Refinements, and Katie. They did the flowers for the wedding, and are true flower children if ever I've seen any. Hubby and I laughed later over the fact that a schoolteacher who had come alone asked us if it would mess up the table if an "odd" person were to sit there! Between us and the flower children, she was probably the least odd person at our table.


My favorite thing about the wedding was their music selection; they made some great choices. Interestingly, their gift to everyone was a CD of 20 of their favorite love songs (stolen music for everyone, woo-hoo). After a yummy dinner and spice cupcakes for dessert, we wished the bride and groom well (oh, and the groom gave hubby the backup tapes for work...what a great employee!) and headed home before all the people who were drinking heavily got on the road! The two young women at our table had at least six glasses of wine each (these were huge wine glasses, I might add) during the two hours I was watching and who knows how many before and how many after!


The next morning we ate our free breakfast and went out to see some more of the town. We did a few geocaches, one of which got us our exercise for the day with climbing 350 stairs from the bottom of the town to the top, really neat but exhausting. Then we ate lunch and took the "fruit loop" out to the country to see if we could find some good apples and cider. It was raining and not ideal for browsing fruit stands and markets, so after buying some cider and looking at the odd things one can do with pumpkins, we decided we better go pick up the kids. We made one more stop on the way home, a beautiful house and farm with dahlia fields, which was the flower of choice at the wedding.


This is the second time this year we've had an overnight stay with just hubby and I, and we so enjoyed it! It was so relaxing. We had dinner provided for us, and we had one of the most comfortable hotel beds I've ever slept in, and a free breakfast the next morning. It was wonderful to reconnect with my husband after being apart for so long!

1,000 Words

He's home!

Family and Friends

This interesting cloud formation started earlier in the day as one
cloud and then gathered more clouds by the time dusk arrived.
It was so good to visit with family and friends! The time away from hubby was long, but the time spent with loved ones was way too short. After having lived out of California, specifically the High Desert of California, it was strange going back. It's not the same place it used to be and yet, at the same time, it hasn't changed a bit. The longer I was there, the more I remembered why I am so happy to be living in the Pacific Northwest! I missed the fresh, clean air and the green living things like grass and trees. Hey, I even missed sidewalks, which I haven't given much thought to before.


It was so good to see my mom again, and her making the long drive home with us extended our visit with her a bit. We spent some time with my dad too. The kids each took turns going with him on his route to deliver the tools he's sharpened, and I took a motorcycle ride with him.


Thankfully, Aunt Darcy got at least one shot
of her and Abby together.
We visited several times with my brother, my sister-in-law, and my nieces. The kids had such a good time with their cousins, and I'm glad they can now actually put a "real" face with the name instead of just pictures. I am sad to say I didn't get one single family shot of them nor any pictures of my kids with their aunt and uncle nor any pictures of me with my nieces...I've just not been on the ball with taking pictures lately.


I visited with two friends from high school, both of whom I can't believe I've known for 27 years! Susan I have only been kept up to date on through reports from my mom, and it was good to see her, meet her kids, and visit for a while. She hasn't changed a bit.


The other visit was with my best friend, Becky. We talk often, but there's nothing like seeing her face to face! I spent two nights with her and her husband while my mom watched the kids, and it was such a relaxing visit, despite the cold I caught a few days earlier. I took this horrid arm's-length shot because we have almost no pictures of us together, and I figured that a bad picture is better than no picture at all! (Note to self: Next time look at the lens and not the LCD screen on the camera.)


Mt. Shasta from an I-5 rest stop.
After my visit with Becky, I went home, packed up the suitcases and the van. We headed home the next morning with my mom along too and spent the night at a hotel. The next day we drove home was a gorgeous day. We had spectacular views of the countryside, and we actually got to see Mt. Shasta, which has been covered by clouds the last several times I passed this way. We arrived safely, and even though I already miss family and friends I left behind, I'm really glad to be home.

Missing Him Already

Oh, the things husbands do for their wives!
"Hurry up and take the picture!"
This morning as hubby and I were driving to the airport we both said, "I don't want to go!" I know Ed is dreading his two weeks of intensive training, and though I am looking forward to seeing family and friends, I was just dreading the thought of two full days of driving. I have never been apart from my hubby for such a long time before, but I still didn't anticipate all the tears at the airport. I already miss him so much!


Last chance for an Oregon geocache!
Thankfully, however, things got better from there. I am so proud of my kids! They did 8 1/2 hours of driving without one single complaint, and they were both so well behaved that I really couldn't have asked for anything better! We had a great time driving today, and I'm not even dreading tomorrow now. One of the stops we made was at the Oregon/California border. Ryan and Abby were so excited about actually getting to California, so I stopped just a couple hundred feet from the border and took their picture. Also, there was a geocache at that location, so we found that while we were there too! It was blowing about 90 miles an hour, and it reminded me of where I grew up in California...ah, memories.


This is pretty silly, but I was a little nervous about pumping gas...afterall, I haven't done it for over eight years! My fears were unfounded, just as I suspected, ordinary unskilled people can and do pump their own gas just fine. Somehow the legislature has been able to keep this truth from Oregonians for some time now.


After arriving at the hotel, we ate dinner and went for a swim. We're used to heated pools in our neck of the woods, so this felt quite brisk! It was pretty warm out though, so after the initial shock, it felt good. I ended up laying with each one of the kids to get them to calm down and go to sleep after such a full day, but it took less than ten minutes apiece. So the kiddies are now sleeping peacefully, I've had a late night call from hubby, so I am ready for bed too.

I Need the Spirit of Christ Today (and Everyday)

Though I'm not moving, I have a lot going on today and the next few days, and I needed this today. Thanks again, Elisabeth Elliot!

The Calm Spirit of Christ

Today is moving day. There will be plenty of reason for fretting and stewing, impatience, and turbulence. I am one who seems to feel that unless I do things or unless they are done my way, they will not be done right, and the day will disintegrate. But I have been watching the sea--very turbulent this morning because of a tropical storm hundreds of miles away--and I remember Him whose word was enough to calm it.

Speak that word to me today, dear Lord: peace. Let your calm spirit, through the many potentially rough minutes of this day, in every task, say to my soul, Be still. Even this day's chaos, with all its clutter and exertion, will be ordered by your quiet power if my heart is subject to your word of peace. Thank You, Lord.

How Did You Do?

Last year, I started reading through the Bible with the Bible in a Year email program. I chose to read it chronologically to hopefully help me straighten out some timelines in my head that always seem to get mixed up. I have to confess I haven't finished, in fact I haven't even made it to the New Testament yet, though I'm almost there. I was zipping along reading every day up until about the end of Februrary when things went a little crazy with my daughter. I got way behind and overwhelmed and I never caught back up.

I printed out the schedule for each month, and I am slowly making my way through it. A couple of you had said you were going to join me, and I was wondering how you did. Did you finish? If so, that's great! If not, I'm right there with you! I will plug along and I think I will be finished by the end of the year.