Sam's Family

Common Rest

2012-01-29T07:39:00.000-06:00

Everyday we each work to accomplish something. He has his appointments and obligations...I have my to-do list and things to take care of...she has tests...the other has a project...homework, housework, pay this bill, can so and so come over, I need to finish this, that one needs socks, is dinner ready and the burden of activity swirls like a tornado at times. Seven tornadoes to be exact. And I'm not even mentioning the times our tornado might touch down with someones tornado outside of our home.

But today.

This day we enter into our sanctuary and hopefully, no we must, leave behind the often times swirling tangled chaotic mess of our busy lives. Each individual agenda, good and bad, is left at the door and we're no longer working to get things done.

For this hour and a half we're not husband and wife, parents and child, co worker or friend. We're brothers and sisters. It's not that human authority is abandoned but it yields to a higher authority...our practical responsibility to each other isn't forsaken...but for a little while we're on a level ground...equal in our need for forgiveness and grace. We sing, we confess, we raise our hands. Together we eagerly reach for the bread and wine...the same in our need for sustenance. We pray and hear His word...we find peace, comfort, and mercy. No small pouring out on each head as we may feel is necessary and enough...the Spirit doesn't descend and visit individually. But an abundant tide that flows and washes over us all meeting each need, filling each heart, making clean that which has become dirty.

We are together in this moment...one flesh...one body. And as we come together, as God blesses us with unity and grants a common rest, we forget about all those other agendas, all the activity that would pull and tug our minds and hearts away. We breathe in, deep steady Sabbath breaths.

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!” Psalm 122:1

Sam's World

2012-01-27T10:58:00.000-06:00

Last night Rob and I watched a new show starring Kiefer Sutherland called Touch. While both Sutherland and the shows creator Tim Kring have denied that the son of the main character is autistic there are some strong autistic themes visible with the little boy. The show is slightly over the top but compelling at the same time...as one reviewer put it the show "...has it's heart in the right place and it's mind drifting off into unknown places." (I'm not recommending the show or not not recommending the show but using it as a lead up to a Sam story.) There are scenes through the episode that show the difficulty and frustration of trying to connect and communicate with someone who has autistic characteristics. Anyone with an autistic child, relative or friend probably immediately identified with the way the show expressed the sometimes heartbreaking reality of people affected by autism.
Sam's autism is relatively mild but I know full well what it's like to not only be unable to understand and see what is going on in his head but also not being really sure he understands and gets what is going on in our heads or the world around him.
One of the issues we've encountered along these lines is actually quite humorous. There are times when we are only privy to part of the conversation or explanation of something that Sam has expressed whether it's a story, a picture he's drawn, a joke he's telling or something else he's said. We had one of these moments the other night as I was looking through some of his drawings that Sam has saved on our computer from the paint program he uses. The cartoon was so totally random that I literally laughed until I cried. It took me a little while to piece together that it is acutally a mesh of several of his favorite things: Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus and Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed by Mo Willems, Dr. Seuss and The Cosby Show.
I realize this may not be as funny, if funny at all, for you but I still had to share. The character on the left is trying to bribe the one on the right into letting him drive the bus. The cadence of the response is pure Seuss and a play off of some scene in a Cosby episode.

Things I Have Thought Recently and Other Randomness

2012-01-21T09:05:00.001-06:00

Well, I've certainly been a bad blogger lately. We signed up for this energy select thing with Gulf Power and basically we know when electricity costs us the most so we basically unplug between six and ten every morning. Which has been great for my house cleaning but not so good for blogging. I just need a little time to get a new schedule going. But while I may not have been putting it out there I have been thinking some stuff and I'll play catch up and share a bit of it with you.

Zumba. I've given it some thought and although I cannot back this up with any sort of real evidence I am convinced that zumba is the creation of a Brazilian living in Bollywood who has ADHD. Seriously, it is a mix of Carnival and India's Bollywood and you don't do any one move long at all. To say it is fast paced is an understatement. It is also loads more fun than a regular workout. I become totally dyslexic as soon as I start doing zumba. If they are shimmying or jumping around one direction I am forever doing the opposite. I quickly learned about three minutes into my first time that I didn't care...I was too busy trying to move my feet the same time as moving my arms to something even remotely close to the beat. And breathe. I was trying to do all of that and breathe as well so who had time to pay attention to right or left? It only becomes a small tinsy winsy problem when our whole body is moving in an actual right or left direction. To avoid a collision I just add an extra little jumping move so that rather than looking like a goober who can't tell her right from left I look like just an overly enthusiastic zumbaer. I'm afraid that I really just look like an overly enthusiastic goober who can't tell her right from her left though.

I love Tombstone frozen pizza. Like, I could probably eat a whole one all by myself love it.

I'm quite perplexed over what to do should Romney actually be the candidate who runs against Obama. Talk about being between a rock and a hard place.

I long for the gentler, more kind times in the past when people didn't feel it acceptable to wear their pajama pants out in public. And undergarments were worn, you know, actually under garments.

I've been known to trespass to get a photograph.

Cold soda makes me hiccup at least once after almost every sip.

If I had it to do all over again I would want my children baptized as infants.

I am completely smitten with Downton Abbey. If you don't know what I'm talking about then I highly encourage you to check it out. We actually watched the first season on Amazon and now wait eagerly for it to air each week on PBS Masterpiece. Two things you should know. First, Thomas is evil. And second, poor Daisy.

I don't really get what the hoopla is about Paula Deen announcing that she has type 2 diabetes. I mean I see the ethical problems because the way it has been handled seems somewhat shady but people are acting as if she is single handedly responsible for obesity and diabetes in the US. Seriously people? She may have shown you how to fry the chicken and wash it down with a melted butter chaser but it doesn't mean you had to do it.

Claire was up before us this morning. Normally this is not a good thing but she stayed in the living room once I chased her out from under our bed. She isn't capable of being quiet or still but she did occupy herself for about thirty minutes or so until we managed to stumble into the kitchen for coffee. I had almost finished my first cup when she she came up to me holding her sweet little swaddled stuffed pig. "Momma, you want to hold Bacon?" She is her father's child.

No one has still been able to give me a good reason why regular oreos cost as much as the double stuffed ones.

If you were to fly from London to New York on the Concord you would actually arrive two hours before you left because of crossing time zones.

Dr. Suess is credited with coining the word "nerd" in his story If I Ran the Zoo.

Last week Rob and I were out of town at a wedding and my Mother came and stayed with the kids. Sam asked, "Nana, will you be around when I have hair on my chest?" He's obsessed with having hair on his chest and was quite sad when Rob told him it probably wouldn't happen for a few more years.

I asked him the other day if he thought his sisters were pretty. He didn't hesitate a second before answering, "Yes, but boys rule."

There you have it. Some of the fascinating musings I've had this week. I need to post last week's picture on 52 Weeks but I haven't even touched my camera this week. That usually happens after I've had a high intensity shooting spree like a wedding. I've actually been thinking through Emily's birthday photo shoot. I'm thinking a hippie kind of fun shoot. Hopefully by then I'll have my blogging routine settled so I can share them.
Happy weekend!

Don't You Just Hate It When...

2012-01-05T18:40:00.000-06:00

You feel all of out of sorts for no good reason? That's been me today. Border line cranky...prone to be emotional.
I'm such a girl.
I did get the whole house swept and mopped so I figure that's something. Today was the twelfth and final day of Christmas and you know what that means. The decorations are going away. I am at once looking forward to the sense of almost barren-ness that inevitably comes after de-decorating and thinking I will miss the color. For a five dollar tree Oswald has stayed quite spritely and still offers a sweet aroma.
Funny Sam moment:
At two separate points Claire and Sam had both been told to get rid of their chewing gum so they could eat. Both times both of them made as if to put the gum behind their ear. Now, our household may be a little crazy at times but never has behind the ear been an encouraged place for the placement of chewed chewing gum. Or non-chewed chewing gum for that matter. So the second time I wised up and asked where in the world that idea had come from. And wouldn't you know it, Claire said it's from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. (The book which Sam enjoyed so much that he got the movie for Christmas.) After I told them not to do that Sam just kind of did a cross between a snort and a hmpf and said, "TV is an influence isn't it?"
The kid is pretty darned insightful.
And, that friends, pretty much sums up all the excitement of today.

2012-01-02T12:39:00.000-06:00

Here's our adventure from last year. It's only one photo but a great story :-) And I can't find all the pictures I took the year before that (I know I did them...we were visiting Rob's family in NC) but here is a fun slideshow from that year. Oh, my goodness how these children have grown!

Onward to a wonderful new year!

End of the Year

2011-12-31T08:41:00.000-06:00

Such an interesting time of year...we look back and reflect and then forward and make resolutions and plans. It's a time of nostalgia and introspection. This is my second year finishing up my 52 Weeks project. I'm shy a few weeks (like the entire month of October :-) but I figured early on it's my project and it should not add stress to my life. Trying to figure out how to begin and end the series is always a bit of a conundrum. I decided this year to work through themes. The first half of the year was great and using the alphabet was fun. I think I did pretty well at coming up with some creative words and interpretation of them. (Letter A is still one of my favorites, as is L.) I floundered a bit trying to work through colors. It seemed such a simple idea but, for me at least, it was much harder to carry out with any degree of creativity and I was quickly frustrated. I wasn't sure what would be worse...to abandon the whole project or just the theme. In the end I found I couldn't just leave the year undone so I went back to just posting a favorite picture every week, a compromised cop out if you will. Last year I ended as I had begun, with words on a Scrabble board but this year didn't have that kind of beginning. It's been gnawing at the back of my mind and I think I had pretty much decided to just close out the year with a photo from the kids annual year end photo session. But then yesterday I was able to sneak off for just a bit and low and behold without any previous planning or thinking on my part I got exactly the shot I was looking for.
So happy new year to you all. I hope you enjoy the slideshow. Oh, and any suggestions for 2012's 52 weeks are greatly appreciated!

A New Song

2011-12-28T09:14:00.000-06:00

Day Twenty Five~DPP

2011-12-25T19:51:00.001-06:00

Dressed up all nice and waiting oh, so patiently to open presents :-)

Day Twenty Four~DPP

2011-12-24T15:44:00.000-06:00

Christmas Eve Morning

Breakfast with Paw Paw and Nana...pancakes and bacon...flavored coffee and hugs and kisses...putting together presents from Grandma...looking at calendars...coloring and visiting...Sam writing up a Christmas paper and it begins with "a lovely couple in Bethlehem".
Looking forward to decorating our tree...wrapping presents and tonight an evening of worship with our friends at Providence Church.

Day Twenty Three~DPP

2011-12-23T22:09:00.000-06:00

You know it has been a ridiculously busy day when it starts with this:

And ends with this at 9:30 in the evening:

I mean I like frozen pizza and everything, I actually prefer it, but going from that homemade scrumptiousness to something that comes on a piece cardboard wrapped in plastic? That's a pretty full day.
But I think it means that I will not have to leave my house at all tomorrow...the idea of which thrills my little heart no end. Know what else thrills my little heart no end? My Momma coming over in the morning for our annual pancake breakfast. She makes the best pancakes ever. And added to the bliss is homemade bacon from our friends. Don't ask me how you make homemade bacon if you don't raise pigs but we have friends who did it and I can't wait to eat it.
Plus we'll decorate our tree that we bought for five whole stinking dollars yesterday that has my home smelling all Christmasy. Yep, five bucks and it's not even a Charlie Brown looking tree. I think they're just trying to get rid of them before they're left with a bunch of them sitting around dying. Which reminds me...do any of you remember ever reading a children's book with lovely illustrations about decorating a tree outside for the birds? I thought I had but can't remember much more than that. Of course it's entirely possible that I wrote it in my head. I've been known to do things like that. I once designed and made a wonderful piece of fabric all in my imagination. It was really frustrating to not be able to find it in real life.
I think now I am going to put my weary self to bed and rest up for the gift wrapping extravaganza planned for tomorrow. With maybe one or two gifts left to make. For realz though...not just in my head :-)

Day Twenty Two~DPP

2011-12-22T21:29:00.000-06:00

I shared. It's homemade lemon curd and it's absolutely delicious. It went very nicely with the vanilla pound cake I made for dinner this evening. I didn't mind sharing it with my sweet mother-in-law, after all she is the mother of my wonderful husband. It's just sad that I'm down to one lonely little jar.
Maybe instead of hoarding it I should just sit down with a spoon and get it over with. No drawing out the inevitable, just total joyful abandon in the citrusy goodness. Or I could enjoy another slice of cake smothered in the sweet yellow confection with a cup of coffee in the morning.
Decisions, decisions, decisions.

PS Week fifty-one is up at 52 Weeks :-)

Day Twenty One~DPP

2011-12-21T18:30:00.000-06:00

I love making Christmas decorations. Well, obviously not the glass ball but stuffing them with berries and twigs and things and then hanging them with ribbon. Last Friday evening we were at a party and the decorations were ahhh-mazing. The greenery was so lovely and it smelled so good! It was also inspiring so yesterday in between rain showers I was ~~skulking around~~ quietly finding a good use for various bushes and stuff around the neighborhood. Not from anyone's yard mind you, but maybe somewhere around the wooded entrance of the neighborhood.

The results are a few delightful swags tied with pretty ribbons and these little ornaments. Or odraments as Claire calls them.

:-)

Day Twenty~DPP

2011-12-20T22:19:00.000-06:00

In the midst of all the rain...a brief break in the clouds...the sun shone bright...and for just a few moments...this:

It Wasn't Pretty

2011-12-19T21:15:00.000-06:00

This:

is not what I had for breakfast. I withstood the warm cinnamony goodness despite it's delicious aroma wafting through the air this morning. I knew that I would be going to gym today and really didn't want to spoil my work out by making it about punishing myself for what I had eaten.
Anyway, the rest of my day was interesting...took some sweet pictures of some adorable little boys...went to the dentist for a check up...did a little laundry...went to the bank...embarrassed myself at how sad I was when someone posted that Bon Jovi had died and then was further embarrassed at how happy I was to hear that it was just some kind of twisted hoax. Oh, and I found out my smoke detectors don't work.
How do I know they don't work?
Well, Emily pulled the corn muffins out of the oven and placed them on the stove top. Right on the burner that Abby had accidentally turned on. So the rice wasn't cooking but the muffins were getting quite well done. So well done that the acrid smell of smoke and burnt corn muffins totally obliterated the earlier smell of gooey cinnamon rolls. So well done that windows were thrown open, doors were slung wide and the smoking pan was removed from the premises.
Did you know that the smell of flaming corn muffins very quickly seeps into your hair and clothing so that even when you vacate the building you carry that odor with you?
It does.
To the point that when you pick up your work out buddies and they get into the car they wonder if you have started smoking.
But we made it to the gym and tonight my friend and I, along with her daughter who is home from college, went to the yoga class.
Two words for you.
Never. Again.
It was like giving birth all over but without getting a sweet wrinkly baby to love and hold.
I was a dolphin, an up dog and a down dog. I did a puppy pose, a half spinal twist and the warrior three pose. I'm pretty sure I was the only one who could not place my feet firmly on the ground and touch the floor with both hands while keeping my legs straight. And there was absolutely no walking of the feet up to the hands or quick little hops or lunges.
Please picture with me if you will a still slightly overweight almost forty-one year old non-nimble woman in a dimly lit room facing a giant floor to ceiling mirror desperately trying to keep her balance on one foot. All I could think of as I stood there with ankle wobbling worse than a baby learning to stand for the first time, trying to align my body parallel to the floor was that I had become Po, the Kung Fu Panda. Except by the time she came around later to push on my hips while we were doing some weird penguin pose or something I sounded a lot more like Bon Qui Qui when she was waving her finger and saying, "Girl, I will cut you." I just about fell out laughing when she said something about a particular pose being the precursor to the head stand pose. Uhm, I don't think so you curly headed flat tummied limber freak of nature.
See? I shouldn't do yoga...it brings out the worst in me. Besides the whole time we were moving and stretching and unclogging our chakras I'd get this whiff of burnt corn muffins.
Yeah, it wasn't pretty. And even though the stretching did feel good I'm not sure yoga is for me. At least not in public.
But on Wednesday afternoon?
We're trying step aerobics!

Day Eighteen~DPP

2011-12-18T20:45:00.000-06:00

Day Seventeen~DPP

2011-12-17T18:35:00.000-06:00

Something a little different before I go out to do some Christmas shopping...don't you just love all the Christmas cards in the mail?

Day Sixteen~DPP

2011-12-17T08:23:00.000-06:00

So, I had a really lovely picture for yesterday's DPP and a small window of opportunity to upload it in between helping with a Christmas present, the grocery store, early dismissal for the girls, baking an oh, so yummy peanut butter chocolate chip pound cake and a Christmas party last night.
Wouldn't you know that little computer gremlins slammed the window closed before I could move it from the to-do list to the to-done list? Technology can sure be a pain sometimes.
As a penalty for being late I'll share two images :-) This is the entrance to our neighborhood right now. I think the Bradford Pear may be my new favorite tree.

Day Fifteen~DPP

2011-12-15T21:38:00.000-06:00

Day Fourteen~DPP

2011-12-14T20:08:00.001-06:00

It is a story without a beginning or end. With understanding mercy a middle has been sent down and shared through ordinary men. The opening chapter reveals the Spirit of God as He creates from nothing all that is. It ends with a royal wedding the likes of which no eye has seen.
This time of year we open the story to a chapter that is located in a tiny little in the middle east. Just as light comes first in creation, a star gleams in the sky. We read of a babe laying in a manger...of wise men seeking...of shepherds in a field and a host of heavenly beings.
What was happening in that tiny corner of the world would culminate one day in the death and resurrection of the Light of the world. Death would be defeated and a command would be given.

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20 ESV)

Day Thirteen~DPP

2011-12-13T19:51:00.001-06:00

It has not been the greatest of days. I woke up to a blah gray day and it settled inside me. Like the weather, this mood never went anywhere, no strong wind to blow clouds away or cleansing rain.
Just. Ick.
But tonight the funniest thing happened that alleviated some of the heaviness. And it probably won't be nearly as funny to you as it, for some reason, was to me. Advent has five weeks. Which means five candles. Which means all five of our children have a week to light 'their' candle. Sam has been exceptionally happy to take his turn this week. He gets such an earnest look on his face when he uses the lighter, concentrating so hard to push up and pull back, making sure the flame catches and spreads to the wick.
I wanted to capture that look on his face so after we were done I asked Rob if we could do a staged version (gasp!). Sam of course was gung ho because it meant he would get to blow out the candle, relight the candle, and blow it out all over again.
So intent on his expression, I totally missed what he was wearing until the moment I clicked the shutter.

There is something hilariously funny to me about the grinch lighting an advent candle :-)

Day Twelve~DPP

2011-12-12T08:37:00.000-06:00

The people who walked in darkness

have seen a great light;

those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,

on them has light shone.

(Isaiah 9:2 ESV)

That light has revealed that He is sufficient.
He is enough.
I can dwell in this day with all it's needs and wants and know that it is all met in Him. If it is good and right then He will give it. If there is lack it is because it is good and right for lack to be present...an emptiness that He will fill with His good pleasure...His grace. Out of it He will create thanksgiving.
And trust.
And faith.
The light has revealed that it is good.

In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

(John 1:4-5 ESV)

Day Eleven~DPP

2011-12-11T19:20:00.000-06:00

Our first fire of the season. We'er all enchanted.

Day Ten~ DPP

2011-12-10T21:08:00.000-06:00

Step One: buy nifty little cupcake picks, chocolate chips, and caramels
Step Two: unwrap tasty little caramels
Step Three: poke nifty little cupcake picks into tasty unwrapped caramels
Step Four: melt chocolate chips
Step Five: dip tasty little caramels on nifty cupcake picks into melted chocolate
Step Five: allow tasty little caramels on nifty cupcake picks dipped in chocolate to set for about an hour
Step Six: eat and enjoy

Day Nine~DPP

2011-12-09T22:01:00.000-06:00

We'll celebrate Christmas with my family tomorrow. This year we had to make the gifts. My wonderful husband drew our six year old niece's name. After a little thought (and some time on Pinterest) I came up with an idea I felt sure he could do...meaning not complicated and overly crafty.
You gotta love a man that isn't afraid of a little modge podge.

Day Eight~DPP

2011-12-08T21:20:00.000-06:00

Not terribly creative on my end but my son was certainly using his imagination the last two days. He found a kneaded eraser and has happily been keeping himself occupied making all sorts of creatures and snowmen and such. Of course he made much more photogenic characters (and I have pictures to prove it) but I only took three pictures today...and all of them were of these little fella. I'm guessing he's heading out for a little holiday shopping which accounts for the slightly nefarious grin on his face.

Day Seven~DPP

2011-12-07T17:15:00.000-06:00

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
Cream together the first three ingredients until smooth. Add in vanilla and eggs and mix.
In a separate bowl sift together:
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
2 1/4 cups flour
Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet mixture. Be careful not to over mix.
Add in two cups of oats and half a package of chocolate chips
Place tablespoon size balls onto an un-greased cookie sheet or parchment paper* and bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until just turning golden brown.

*So, if you're like me and you only have parchment paper because of some long forgotten past craft project you might want to be careful when using it for an actual cooking activity. Practice or something because man, oh man, is that stuff slippery! What exactly do I mean by that? Well if you are used to say, just pulling your cookie sheet straight out of the oven you might want to consider whatever physics lesson is involved in pulling a cookie sheet out of the oven that has slippery parchment paper on it. Because the cookie sheet can go in one direction whilst the parchment paper (and cookies) go in the other. And warm cookies will fall through an oven rack like water over a dam. And when you grab a spatula to hold up the heating element so you can (in theory at least) sweep up all those broken cookie parts you might want to consider the effect of a hot heating element on a plastic spatula. Because a plastic spatula smells kind of gross when it comes into contact with a hot heating element. But don't worry because the smell of burning cookie will soon cover up the toxic smell of burning plastic. Because you can't actually reach in a pick up the crumbled cookies and they will fall through crooks and crannies that you couldn't possibly reach even if your tried by emptying out that little drawer thing under your oven, removing said drawer and cleaning every spot you can conceivably clean.
But it's actually all okay because it was the second to last batch of cookies and you still have a nice picture to use for the one a day December photo project.
And under your oven is now really really clean.

Day Six~DPP

2011-12-06T20:13:00.002-06:00

And the stockings were hung by the chimney with care...

Day Five~DPP

2011-12-05T13:01:00.001-06:00

It's one of those days that is going so well that I keep checking to make sure I'm not forgetting something. Actually getting some holiday sewing done, house work is current, laundry is progressing and had a great long division lesson with Sam.
This seems too easy for a Monday. Maybe it's because the weekend was sooooo packed and rushed that anything after seems positively simple.
Of course it hasn't been without a few minor glitches.
We were without internet for a while this morning. Gasp! However do I survive without my morning routine check in's with facebook to see what everyone else has done, is doing or will do, checking the bank, and making sure I haven't missed something fabulous on pinterest? I think the amount of housework accomplished so early in the day is directly related to not having access to that first thing. Apparently Rob is correct and when you keep your checkbook balanced you can know how much money is in the bank without having to look it up first and the internet came back online just in time for my sewing project.
I haven't sewn in months. Actually, not since my friend Lori was here and we broke the machine so that it would only sew in reverse. After getting fixed it's just been sitting in my closet so getting started this morning was a little bumpy.
First, I couldn't find the little part that holds your spool of thread in place. Forgive the lack of technical verbiage but you slip your spool onto the little bar and then slide this little doohickey on next so that your spool turns but can't fall off. I turned my closet upside down looking for it and finally gave up, realizing that I would probably have to buy another one. Surely, you can buy one right? I call JoAnn's and while I'm talking to the associate using all of my non-technical doohickey language I'm actually pointing to my machine as if somehow she could see what I am talking about when, surprise! The little doohickey thingie is on my machine just with the spool of thread put on after it.
I'm so ridiculous.
Second, I had a minor panic attack because I couldn't get the needle to actually move up and down when I pressed the peddle down. And, no Mr/Mrs smarty pants I had not forgotten to plug in the machine. I had just forgotten to move the the bobbin post thingamajig into a non-bobbing position.
Third, (and believe me at this point I was wondering if I should just head to the nearest store and by some stupid old Christmas stockings, burlap be hanged. (Ha! Get that...be hanged and it's Christmas stockings? I so amuse myself) I sill couldn't get the machine to actually sew and it seems there is a lever that you can move right and left that will apparently cause the machine to stitch on top or bottom or something because once I moved it under the picture that shows the stitch on top it started working.
Whew! I know, there are seamstresses the world over wondering why they sell sewing machines to just anybody that wants one. I'm sorry. Truly.
After all that hoopla I got going and the burlap stockings are turning out just adorable. Not perfect because, well...did you read all that up there? But I'm still happy with how they are turning out and I will happily share pictures when they're finished. Until then you can have a glimpse of the chaos I have created this morning although without seeing the floor that is littered with thread and burlap fuzz and remnants you cannot fully appreciate the scope of my success :-)

Day Four~DPP

2011-12-04T19:19:00.000-06:00

Gathering for worship
singing
praying
confessing
hearing
giving
feasting
Getting together with friends for lunch. Taking Christmas photos. Laughing as children play. Getting ready for more friends. Celebrating as a new little one is brought into the covenant family. Food, conversation, fellowship.
Settling down. Lighting the candles. Reading the genealogy. Finding ourselves among His ancestors. Learning of our lineage...where we come from...who we are...His people...His descendants.

DPP Day Three

2011-12-03T21:23:00.000-06:00

I participated in my first 5k this morning. I was able to run some and walk some which is all I wanted. Well, that and crossing the finish line. I was highly amused when we got close to the end and they were yelling for me to sprint the rest of the way in...I was pretty sure I was moving at my top speed already :-) Sarah came in second place for her age division, my nephew and niece each locked in first place for their's, and my nephew-in-law managed to snag one of the t-shirts they were randomly throwing to the crowd. My Mother and sister were pleased with their finishing times and it was one great big party.
I will definitely be doing this again.

Day Two~DPP

2011-12-02T16:24:00.001-06:00

Getting ready for the first party of the holiday season.

The recipe I was following can be found here :-)

December

2011-12-01T14:09:00.000-06:00

It arrived with glistening frost and nippy temperatures. I'm so happy about that...I positively loathe a warm Christmas season. This is the first time we've lived somewhere with a fireplace and we are eagerly waiting for an evening home so that we can have our first fire.

We've begun our advent. I want to share about it but for some reason the words are hard to come by right now. I don't want to force it out so I'm going to let it sort of simmer. Regardless, Rob and I are enjoying it and I think the kids are as well.

Sam has been killing us with Christmas music already. Since the day after Thanksgiving if he is near a radio he's tuning into the all Christmas music all the time station. Christmas shopping and crafting have begun, the calendar is filling up with holiday parties and...

It's baaaack! It's time for the annual December Photo Project and this is my third year participating. I think I do pretty well with the photo a day thing but we'll see how it goes. If I remember correctly I had a few times last year where I took the picture each day but uploaded several at one time. I think it still counts :-)

Day One:

If you hop on over to 52 Weeks you'll find another picture of the angel. My Sarah was named after a hospice nurse that cared for my grandmother during her last weeks. When our Sarah was born Nurse Sarah gave this little set of three angels to my Mother, who in turn passed them to Sarah this week. I love having things in our home, holiday decorations or not, that tell a story and have meaning behind them, don't you?

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T07:59:00.002-06:00

My Mother Bought Her Own Birthday Present

2011-11-23T08:13:00.000-06:00

Only she didn't know it. See, she saw this crafty bird house thingie and really liked it so she ordered one but in an autumn version. What she got was this.

Hmmm, kind of garish and not want she wanted at all. I think it's the 1980's country blue paint. It would be better suited to a nice pinky mauve than the fall leaves. Because I am considered the crafty one in our family she asked me to fix it for her. Translation: Get rid of that blue paint!
Well, we went to the mountains and then I had a couple of jobs that had to be finished and somehow Thanksgiving is this week and autumn is almost gone. And knowing my Mother, she will be putting up Christmas decorations the day after turkey day.
Did I mention that yesterday was her birthday? It was. And I'm pretty sure that while the bird house for her porch wasn't completely forgotten it wasn't registering very high on the list of things on her mind either.
So I did this.

And then I went to Hobby Lobby where all their Christmas stuff is half price and I bought a few things and I made this.

She loves it. I'm glad because I feel a little bad about the fact that she essentially bought her own birthday present. I think I prefer to call it re-gifting with a twist.
As for being the crafty one in the family...Sister did some needle point pillow cases for Mother that are beautiful. I better step up my crafting game. Plastic pine cones and a fake red bird are only going to get me so far :-)

2011-11-19T11:21:00.000-06:00

I've wanted to be a runner for as long as I can remember. It looks so freeing. Now that I've finally dropped weight the equivalent of a toddler I think I just might get to go pursue that dream. But I missed out on my first opportunity this weekend. Two reasons...one, I have the worst pair of sneakers ever. Before I try to run anywhere I need to get a pair of really good running shoes. Which may mean an early Christmas present. And, second I'm afraid. Scared I won't be able to do it and/or that I will look ridiculous. After being at the finish line today I'm pretty sure I'm over the second thing. Everyone is just so encouraging. It was one of the coolest things I've seen. Although I can't help but feel like this is me...

Source: facebook.com via Marty on Pinterest

A bunch of people from the school started talking about taking part in Seville Quarter's Wild Turkey Trot and while I may have missed out, Sarah didn't. She joined a group of friends this morning and she absolutely loved it! Out of over a thousand participants runner #418 was the 348th person to cross the finish line. She ran the entire 5k (3.2 miles) and is pretty sure she'd do it again.

I've done a little checking and there is a 5k that benefits autism on December 3rd. If I can get that early Christmas present I'm pretty sure I'm going to do it. Anybody want to join me?

A List Of Random Thoughts That Have Been Stuck In My Head For A While Now

2011-11-18T10:45:00.000-06:00

Chocolate Chex is a rip off. All the chexes* aren't chocolate and the ones that are don't really taste like chocolate. What a bummer. I really wanted some chocolate too. Why is there no chocolate in this house?! (Oh, yeah. It's because of those last twenty pounds I want to get rid of before my birthday in January.)
*Don't judge. How would you spell the plural of chex?

Confession: There are times when I'm helping Sam with his multiplication tables and I really wish I had a calculator handy. I'm sorry but at almost forty one my brain has gotten a little fuzzy on these facts. I'm pretty sure my third grade teacher, Mrs. Jordan, would be scandalized.

My dishwasher is driving me crazy. For some reason I keep finding the little tablet still in the bottom of the machine when the cycle is finished. Which means, to my way of thinking, that the dishes aren't really clean are they?

How come I can have just about all of the laundry finished but when everybody comes home and they change out of one school uniform it magically morphs into a ginormous mountain of clothing? I mean, I'm pretty sure they aren't wearing layers when they leave in the morning. It's only four girls...that's only four skirts and four shirts. But it's like the ugly step sister to the clown car. They change and they just keep bringing clothes to the laundry room.

Why do regular oreos cost the same as the double stuffed ones? That hardly seems fair. Or right. We should revolt, protest and...and occupy Northfield, Illinois until they fix this ridiculous travesty of a pricing structure. (Sidebar #1~notice I didn't suggest we boycott oreos. That would be taking things to the extreme don't you think? Like throwing the baby out with the bathwater.) (Sidebar #2~I know it looks like I completely knew where oreos come from but in the interest of full disclosure I had to google it. Funny thing is, I apparently am not the first person to ask this question. It came up as soon as I typed part of it in the search bar.)

Last weekend I rented a wide angle lens to do some group photos. I knew I would also need it for tomorrow afternoon's photo party with Sarah's volleyball team. I wasn't sure if it would be cheaper to keep it a week or do a three day rental twice. I ended up keeping it thinking that I needed to make sure I could have it for extra day to cover tomorrow's event. Imagine my horror today when I called and was told someone had it reserved for tomorrow. I was not a happy camper. How the heck do you shoot twelve to fifteen girls without a wide angle? I was seriously having a major mental fit over how I would handle it. Then, after a minute, I had a thought...whaaaat if?? Called back and yep, my name was on the lens reserved for tomorrow. Whew, that was close! A good wide angle is on my wish list. Along with about a dozen other photography related items.

One last thing: a yummy recipe for you. Super yummy and perfect for all the upcoming holiday gatherings.

Generously cover the bottom of your serving dish with olive oil. Add chopped green onion (about four or five stalks) and diced roma tomatoes (I used three small to medium sized ones). Add one block of feta cheese crumbled into pieces. (I have recently discovered the goodness of feta cheese...it is a favorite now.) The original recipe called for adding Greek seasoning at this point but I couldn't find any so I used Italian instead. Gently mix everything together until well blended and it's all nicely coated with the olive oil. Eat and enjoy with wedges of a sliced baguette.

Have a happy weekend!

Where Oh Where Has My Little Girl Gone?

2011-11-08T08:54:00.000-06:00

We hugged and kissed our four year old last night and put her to bed. This morning I woke up a bright eyed five year old.
Does it feel different today as a five year old, I asked? To which she responded, "Yes!" Not sure what the difference is but she feels it :-)
I know we say it all the time but seriously, they grow up so fast. It's bittersweet but Rob reminds me all the time that the goal is to grow them up...to raise her up and let her take her place among her sisters...to be that warrior princess that will stand firm in the truth of the faith that we're giving her, teaching her...remembering the little one that she was (oh, how I miss those golden curls!)...enjoying the child that she is now (learning so much everyday)...but always keeping an eye on the woman of God we want her to be and moving towards that end. For some that may seem ridiculous but for us it's about parenting with a purpose. And the purpose is about much more than making sure she gets into college and has a good career and marries well. Thankfully it happens in little steps and we do get to enjoy each moment as they come.
So five things to know about Claire:
She has no idea that she doesn't rule the world. Seriously, we laugh sometimes that she probably thinks she was born last so that everyone else had time to prepare for her.

She eats all. the. time. (Her birthday dinner tonight will be spaghetti and parmesan pull apart bread. I had to say no to the side dish of mashed potatoes.)

She's fearless.

She has the distinction of being our largest baby weighing at nine and a half pounds when she was born. She also walked sooner, at nine months, than the other four.

When she genuinely gets tickled about something she has one of the all time greatest laughs ever. It makes you smile just to hear it.

Happy birthday sweet girl! We thank God that He gave you to us and look forward eagerly to all that He has planned for your life. Serve Him with a strong heart.

Complicated Simplicity

2011-11-03T09:43:00.000-06:00

If there is one thing that I'd like people to know about me it's that I love family and home. And when I say home I'm not talking about the brick and siding dwelling that is our physical address. Don't get me wrong, I love this new house that we have moved into...the openness, the extra space, the wonderful natural light. But I'm talking about that intangible home that we create for our families no matter where we live. That unseen home that we feel deep in our bones. The one where we belong and those we belong to. The home is where the heart is kind of home.
I think that the intangible affects the tangible and the tangible affects the intangible though. If your intangible home is marred by messy relationships, the disorder of unforgiveness, and the chaos of an undiscliplined life then it is probably showing up in the physical home. I realize this may not always be the case but it does tend to be true for the most part. I can say this because I've conducted some very real non scientific experiments with the flip side of the coin. The decluttering of the tangible home, the putting to rights and getting everything squared away, as my Mother says, has an impact on the intangible home. Try it. If things in your life seem a little crazy, or just off and not in order go clean out the garage. Organize a linen closet or clean out the junk drawer. You may be surprised by how much better things seem.
Why, you may ask, do these two things go hand in hand? I have found what seems to me to be the answer.
Simple is good.
When we simplify things life gets easier, more peaceful. When the concrete is manageable we can breathe and deal with the abstract. And when the abstract is in order we feel capable of dealing with the concrete.
With the holidays approaching at a breakneck speed I want to keep this in mind. Honestly, I want to just remember it period because life, both the tangible and intangible parts of it, gets messy. I need to keep it simple...to peel back the layers and strip away all the things that really aren't that important...to look for and treasure the eternal things.
I have no idea where this post came from. I planned to share a recipe with you. I'm still going to, but I do what to say one more thing. I don't want there to be any misunderstanding, I think simple is good. But the reason for simple isn't just so things can be simple. There is a place for complicated things. There's a time and place for the quick and easy recipe that just won't suit for a grand celebration of a holiday dinner. But when the underlying simplicity of knowing who we are, how we live and what governs our life, and what our purpose is, is settled then we can handle the more complicated tasks and circumstances that come our way with the grace that befits a child of God. (Have you noticed that living to be an intentional Christian is often a paradox of words and ideas? Kind of like that whole dying to have life concept.)
Like I said, this isn't the post I intended to write but maybe somebody needs to hear it. Maybe I just need to be reminded of it but either way, there you have it. Do with it as you will.
Now about that recipe. A good recipe box is going to be full of delicious handed down through the generations recipes, tried and true favorites, and complicated and elaborate how to fare. But it should also include the quick and easy, and yes, simple recipes that we can whip up on short notice and a slim budget. I can't attest to the budget part of this one because frankly it looked so yummy when I found it I didn't much pay attention to what it cost, I just knew that I needed to make it and soon. However, I can say that it is super simple and quite delicious.
Ingredients: can of biscuits, bacon bits, shredded cheddar cheese and sliced mozzarella cheese.

Place biscuits in pan and cover with a slice of mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with bacon bits and cheddar cheese. Bake at 350* for 15 minutes or until biscuits are done. (I cooked mine for about twenty to twenty-five minutes to make sure the biscuits were cooked all the way through. I used a glass baking dish so I could check the bottom and not let them burn.)

I did come up with a variation idea to use flaky biscuits so I can pull them apart, add the slice of mozzarella and bacon bits, stack it back together again and top it with the cheddar cheese. I also think that using real bacon and crumbling it up would be good too. Maybe I'll try that next time. What do you think?

What a Night

2011-11-01T10:40:00.000-06:00

We only moved into this neighborhood a couple of months ago plus the fact that trick-or-treating was falling on a school night and I wasn't sure what to expect last night. But we had a great time and man, we have lots of kids in our neighborhood! Abby was happy to meet up with a little girl that she went to school with last year and Sam made a new friend. Sam's new friend has a little sister that Claire buddied up with and at various times we were part of a rather large group. It really was fun and made more so because my Mom came and went out with us. Rob stayed home this year and ~~gave the kids a hard time~~ passed out the candy.
Abby went as a cowgirl with a super fast invisible horse.

Claire was a ballerina bride but she darted around like a little fairy all night. Those blue eyes and that blond hair just seem to enchant people for some reason. Which is good because she'd press her face as close to the front doors as she could and yell "Trick or treat" instead of knocking.

Emmie decided at the last minute that maybe she wasn't too old to trick or treat this year and pieced together a sad hobo outfit.

Sam was Mario and pretty much the hit of the neighborhood.

You see this is his kind of holiday. You get to talk to everybody. And you can peer curiously into their houses when they open the door but nobody cares. And they give you candy. But it really isn't about getting the candy because he gave away as much as he got. If the little kids looked cute to Sam he gave them candy from his bucket. If they were excited to see Mario they got a high five and candy from his bucket. Plus he remembered to say 'thank-you' at each and every house and the grown ups thought that was a big deal. Once we we got back to the house he would practically knock you down to answer the door when kids came.
Some of the houses were really decked out and a couple of them even had creepy music playing.

My sad little hobo was cheered up quite a bit with the gift of a giant pixie stick.

All in all they got a ton of candy that I will dole out the next several days. Rob made the kids tithe all the whoopers and butterfingers into a bucket for him :-) Personally, he can have the whoopers (ick) and he probably won't miss a butterfinger here or there. I am disappointed in the lack of reese's but the number of little packs of twizzlers did help ease the pain.

(This is only half the table. The amount of sugar in my house right now is ridiculous.)
I do have one question though. Who in the world thought it was okay to make kit kats orange? That is just so wrong.

Well, That Was Fast

2011-10-31T09:23:00.000-06:00

But it was a much needed weekend. Last week was full of the abundance of God's provision but I'm glad things are lightening up a bit. One of my favorite passages lately has been 2 Corinthians 4, and last week verse eight was in my head a lot.
We are afflicted in ever way, but not crushed; perplexed but not driven to despair.
It was a hard week with various trials of various levels of discomfort but God's mercy was even more present.
We celebrated Rob's birthday Saturday with a yummy dinner and a chocolate cake made from a new recipe. You make it with ice cream which seems weird because you bake it but everyone enjoyed it.

Abby made Rob the sweetest cards. He's not overly sentimental but this one I think will be kept. I also have to agree with her that the sermon series on Ephesians was exceptional and taught me a lot.

His favorite part is the drawing she made of him on the inside of the card. Each week at the end of our worship service Rob will bless the congregation and then say, "Go in peace, the LORD be with you" and the congregation responds with, "And also with you." It really is a beautiful part of our service.

My favorite part of out service lately though has been his pastoral prayer after the sermon. He prays for the church universal and local church bodies. And not just churches like ours (as if there are many Baptist churches that partake in communion each week or have a formal liturgy :-) but all kinds of churches and denominations. It's wonderful as a way to be reminded that we are connected to others outside of that room...that we have other brothers and sisters. He prays specifically for needs within our body, for area ministries and gives us a moment to pray for someone who is on our own hearts. That prayer time ends with us all joining him in singing the Lord's prayer

Our Father, which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy will be done in earth,
As it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive them that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,

The power, and the glory,

For ever and ever.

Amen.

Forty Nine Things to Know About Rob

2011-10-29T09:39:00.001-05:00

49.) He likes bacon. A lot.
48.) This will surprise many of you...he's a reader.
(See that...I was being facetious. If you know the man at all you know he loves to read.)

47.) He doesn't like meatloaf (with the exception of Jennifer Todd's...hers is apparently delicious.)
46.) He enjoys yard work.
45.) Rather than have a spot on his head shaved because he needed stitches, he convinced the ER doctor to tie his hair into knots.
44.) He flipped a jeep as a teenager.
43.) He got used to drinking his coffee black to save time by not having to add sugar and creamer.
42.) He hates snakes. His motto: If it's on the ground it's a rattle snake and in the water it's a moccasin and they must all die.

41.) He makes me laugh. All. The. Time.
40.) His cut his head open on a ceiling fan once. (See #45)
39.) He used to be part of the corporate world of Peal Vision.
38.) He can do really good impressions of people.
37.) He actually likes Napoleon Dynamite.
36.) He handles being a father to four girls with amazing skill.
35.) He secretly takes great pleasure in his son doing gross boy stuff even while he gently guides him to not do gross boy stuff in front of his mother.

34.) He is a great cook.
33.) He can be rather particular about his hair.
32.) He likes making me laugh.
31.) He used to not be a people person. Then he became a pastor.
30.) He is easily amused by Monty Python and other British humor.
29.) He once sneezed so hard he broke a rib.
28.) He suffers from bouts of insomnia.
27.) If there is a weird and rare side affect to a medicine he will experience it.
26.) He is a thinker. Non thinking people puzzle him.
25.) He has given four of our five children permission to use the 'f' word as long as they don't use it in front of their mother. Something which gives them great delight. (Around our house the 'f' word is f@rt)
24.) He is amazing in the labor and delivery room.

23.) There was a time in our life when he would go to one job at 4:30 in the morning so that we'd have insurance and then paint the rest of the day.
22.) He can be amazingly humble about his sin and seeking forgiveness when he screws up.
21.) He'll tell you that he struggles with pride. (Which is why #22 is all the more special.)
20.) He does not like crowds. Especially crowds of people who have the potential to act stupid. Which is just about every large group of people.
19.) He enjoys theater. He's acted in several plays but really enjoys directing.
18.) Our first Christmas together he actually suggested that we put our Christmas tree in the spare bedroom.
17.) He likes the color green.

16.) He enjoys a good steak.
15.) He likes jazz music. (Real jazz not Kenny G fake jazz.)
14.) He went into the navy when he was seventeen.
13.) He snow skied once. Stopping was a problem.
12.) He is one of those rare people that isn't threatened by someone disagreeing with him and he enjoys a good debate.
11.) Theology is a love.
10.) He can be very patient. Which can, at times, be very frustrating for the rest of us.
9.) He's not very good at planning. Anything. Ever.
8.) He has a way with words and can be very witty.
7.) He needs wide personal space sometimes.
6.) He is not a fan of the beach.
5.) He loves ice cream.
4.) He permed his hair once. (I have pictures but have promised not to ever share them upon pain of death.)
3.) He delights in loving and serving his family and church.
2.) He will do the hard things.
1.) Today's his birthday.

Bits and Pieces

2011-10-28T10:51:00.000-05:00

There are several things bumping around in my head and I can't really tie them all together into a cohesive post so I have decided to just declutter my brain and put it all out there in no particular order.

Being married to a pastor is great, wonderful, difficult, heartbreaking and I wouldn't wish Rob into another life calling/task for any reason. (Okay, to be honest there once was a really hard patch and I kind of hinted that maybe painting for a living again wouldn't be so bad. Thankfully he didn't listen to me and as they say, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger :-) But I don't know if you've ever considered what it's like being married to a pastor. Imagine your night ending on a really difficult point and you just want to whine and have a pity party only when you climb into bed the man you're laying next to just preached a sermon that morning on life being hard and difficult and the right way to deal with it. Oh, yeah...you mentioned something about counting it all joy, didn't you love?

I'm learning that hard does not necessarily equal bad. This was a hard week. One that made me seek silence and thanks to that Sunday sermon, one that made me a little more thoughtful of how I was handling things in front of others which is a good thing.

My brother-in-law's grandmother passed away. It was as good as circumstances could be for something of that nature. I've known Granny since I was about eleven years old. She's lived with my sister's family for about the last twenty years. Her home was always open to me and mine and you've never met a woman as committed to prayer as she was. As the family has looked back through her prayer journal it has given them much comfort and, at times, laughter to read her prayers. I think I need to start keeping a prayer journal so that years from now my children, grandchildren, other family members and friends can be reminded of God's faithfulness.

On a lighter note, my son wants a tool kit for Christmas so that he can build a robotic brother. He said it without missing a beat so I can only imagine that he has engineered the whole thing in his head already.

I'm kind of excited that this year my extended family has opted to do a homemade Christmas. We drew names as usual but this year you have to make your gift. We established some guidelines so that those who feel less crafty can assemble gift baskets and such. The idea though is to give something other than just a gift wrapped store bought item and instead give something that took some time and thought into creating. And, it can be food. (Thank you pinterest for some wonderful ideas!)

One of the other things I'm excited about this holiday season is Rob and I want to follow the Church calendar with our Christmas celebration. We would do advent and really concentrate on the anticipation of Christ's birth. We will wait to put up our tree until Christmas Eve and also continue the celebration through the twelve days of Christmas. I'm sure I'll be sharing more about this as we work through it.

As long as I'm mentioning holidays and ways to celebrate them I'm going to briefly bring up Halloween. We have been all over the map with regard to this day. The worst position on this topic in my opinion is one I held for a long time...the give it no thought it's just something we do once a year position. As a Christian we are to live our lives very deliberately and that includes the how and why of our activities. I believe as Christians we are also supposed to be gracious about the way some of our brothers and sisters may view this holiday...we may not agree on how each other views this particular day but I'm pretty sure no ones salvation hangs in the balance based on whether or not they dress up like Mario and ask their neighbor for a snickers bar. We've abstained and we've decked the kids out and gone door to door in the neighborhood. How you participate, or not, is a matter of conscience but I would urge you to think through it. Here is a pretty good article that gives one perspective on why it's not a big deal to take part on the 31st of October. Here is an excellent, and the first really valid argument in my opinion, on why you may not want to be a part of the activities. (Scroll to the post entitled Christmas vs. Halloween. It is worth the read.)

Totally unrelated, I am so behind on pictures, personal or otherwise. My 52 Weeks blog is almost a month behind and I am trying to figure out which is worse...playing catch up or walking away. I do have several really neat shoots coming up and I am contemplating offering a few mini sessions for holiday cards. The trick is pricing them to make it worth my time and effort so we'll see.

I will be turning forty one in a few months. I am quite motivated to work off the last twenty pounds or so before then. I am using this online thing called My Fitness Pal that keeps track of your food, calorie intake and exercise. It's very easy to use, easily personalized and it's free! Plus there is a phone app which a friend of mine is using so that we can be buddies and keep each other accountable.

On Wednesday Abby's class had Olympic Day which was a ton of fun. The kids had a great time and thanks to the hard work of teacher extraordinaire Mrs Phillips, amazing room mom Mrs Zepp and some awesome parent participation it was a fantastic event. I love Trinitas.

Let's see, what else? My brain feels a little less busy. And I can't think of much else worth sharing. Although, if you have read all the way to the end of this you feel like none of it was :-)

Have a good weekend, friends!

What They Said

2011-10-21T12:13:00.000-05:00

We have learned to act as quickly as possible whenever Claire says her throat hurts so last night when she complained a bit about it I knew I'd end up in the doctor's office today. I didn't however expect her to ask me how to say f@rt in Paris. (She means in French but all she knows of France is Paris :-)
Where does that child get this stuff from??
Mind you this came after my conversation with Sam this morning during which he asked, "Mom, do you know privacy? That is what I want to feel." It was his way of telling me that he was trying to get dressed and I needed to leave the room.
I hope one day they look back on this blog at every funny thing they've said that I've been fast enough to write down before it gets forgotten and laugh as much as they've cracked me up now.
And Claire does have strep. AGAIN. It's the third time since August. Fortunately (or not depending on how you look at it)* her tonsils don't seem to be irritated from it. She apparently is a carrier and according to Dr. Mahaffey Claire doesn't play around...it's pretty severe. Which means another round of antibiotics. Thankfully her ears are clear this time, though.
I'm really glad we caught it before the weekend, too. Because I have nothing planned but to sit around and enjoy a weekend at home. And I really really missed going to church the last two weeks and want to be there Sunday.
So, please. Everyone stay well. Please?
*If her tonsils were irritated removing them could clear up the bouts of strep...so for now there really isn't anything we can do but treat it each time it comes up.

All The Little Things

2011-10-19T08:05:00.000-05:00

It was that moment when the van was packed and everyone was loaded in and we were backing out of the driveway.

It was listening to the kids giggle and settle in for a long drive.

Wondering for the upteenth time why Murder Creek in Brewton, Alabama is called Murder Creek. (Answered this one...seems back around the late 1700's a group of settlers headed to Pensacola were ambushed and killed by some wicked bandits.)

Cramming all seven of us into one hotel room with two double beds for the night.

The kids excitement seeing their cousins the next morning and fresh hot waffles.

It was watching the terrain change shape.

It was having three gps' give two different sets of directions and getting separated from our convoy.

Being caught in bumper to bumper traffic and taking two hours to drive eleven miles in the drizzling rain.

It was that moment when we finally burst out of the bottleneck of traffic and suddenly we were surrounded by granite walls with trees glowing in colors the likes of which I'd never seen.

It was catching a glimpse of a rainbow high overhead and turning a corner and it was vibrantly in front of us. Excitedly throwing my phone down, fumbling for the camera and the delight I felt when I managed to snatch a photo of it even though I was shooting through a dirty windshield.

It was smooshing our faces against the long window of the cabin and banging on the window so my Mother would know we had arrived.

It was waking up at two in the morning, laughing and joking with my husband and older sister and having my sixteen year old chastise us because she needs her sleep.

It was Dad and Mother, all four of us girls and our husbands, twelve grandbabies and two greatgrandchildren.

It was looking through the crowd of people, the running children, pounds of food and seeing the one that my soul is knit to.

The look of wonder and amazement and the pure enjoyment of the kids during the Dixie Stampede dinner show.

It was the cascade of color and sweeping fields in Cade's Cove. It was realizing that as much as I love the beach there was something about the mountains that found in echoing answer in my soul.

Taking a walk up the mountain with my Mother and walking down the mountain with my first niece.

It was the excitement Abby felt as she went on a bear hunt with her Uncle Chuck.

Holding my second niece's sweet little boy while he had his morning cup of milk.

It was gathering each family together for pictures.

It was knowing that later I would probably regret leaving two hours later than planned to head home but not caring because I was having coffee and muffins with my Mother and sisters.

It was drawing names and planning Christmas.

It was my parents holding hands and waving as we all drove off.

It was the quiet that comes when the sun goes down and tummy's are full after dinner from a drive thru.

It was walking into my own house and slipping into my own bed.

It was wonderful.

Sam's World and Some Pictures

2011-10-12T06:47:00.000-05:00

Sam is at times wildly funny. Like yesterday morning when Rob asked him what he was thinking about. He was not happy to hear that question. When pressed as to why he didn't like that question,
"Because you are a suspector", (a Sam word that means you are figuring out something that I was trying to be sneaky about).
So, what was he thinking about that he wanted to keep hidden? It seems that once when he was little and we had a yard sale he snuck out and took back a couple of books we were trying to get rid of and hid them in his room.
He also has a fantastic way with words. He is quite fascinated with the phrases like 'the cat got your tongue'. I'm not sure how he puts the meanings together for things like that but the other day he said something to Rob but he didn't get an answer. I told him that Daddy hadn't heard him and Sam asked,
"Why? Has the rabbit got his ears?"
He is also a fanatic about light switches being turned the right way...down means the light is off and up means it's on. He shares a jack and jill bathroom though that has switches by either door. And he is convinced that Sarah deliberately turns the light off the wrong way so randomly he'll go to the bathroom and you'll hear,
"SARAH! I am serious about this!"
He has moments when he sounds just like Charlie Brown. But there are times when you can close your eyes and you'd swear that Shaggy from Scooby Do was in the living room. Because he's ten and a boy he will sometimes smell like a ten year old boy and the other day Rob was showing him how to put on deodorant. There is no way to do the conversation justice so I'm not even gonna try but it was the Shaggy voice, questions about whether Dad was going to shave him and being tickled by the deodorant.
The other thing about Sam is that he loves babies. And for the most part they tend to love Sam. Last Friday he was with me when I met up with our niece from Rob's side to take pictures of her youngest that is about to turn one. He helped us get some really great smiles and in the end had cake and icing all over him from carrying her around while we cleaned up.
I love children's photography so I may have to turn him into a regular assistant :-)

And, how adorable is Katelyn?

This Is What It Looks Like

2011-10-10T08:53:00.000-05:00

I wanted to write something powerful and full of meaning about this part of the family session I did Saturday. But there is too much emotion for me in it for me. I can't find words to express a journey that I've watched for almost a year as this family celebrated the birth of their daughter and faced the grief a losing her a month later. This photo is technically not the best and there are some other really great ones of their family...but this one stopped me in my tracks. To me it is a tangible expression of the trust and faith Tyler and Cayce have in God. It is a testimony to His faithfulness to comfort in the face of a tragedy that every parent is afraid of having to face.
When they lost Liberty I kept thinking of this verse,
But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair (2 Corinthians 4:7-8 ESV)
I love this picture because I think it shows the truth of that verse.

You can go here and read a little more about about how they celebrated the life and love of Liberty.
For me, now I know what it looks like to face that kind of loss, to deal with that kind of grief and still trust God.
I am more thankful than I can express to have been a part of it.

Young Love

2011-10-05T08:33:00.001-05:00

Remember the lyrics to Young Love by Judds? (Whoa, major 80's flashback and bonus points because it's country :-)
Young love, strong love, true love, it's a new love...
The song has been humming through my brain ever since Bobby and Mary said I could post a few of my favorite images from their portrait session. Married in August, they are so fun to be around and their delight in each other and the love God has blessed them with is sweet to see.

Our family's world view on dating and marriage and the whole process is rather counter culture to most of what we see around us even within mainstream church. We've been raising our children up with the knowledge that they won't do it the way most of the people in their life go about it. Because it's our way and what they've been taught from the very beginning it's not an issue. But I have to admit that it's really great to be able to point to a couple like Bobby and Mary and say, "There. That's what it can and should look like."
People get married every day...young, old...prepared or unprepared...established and settled or not. For some it is nothing more than fulfilling a contract, one which can be terminated if they are no longer happy or feel like they're in love anymore. But for some it's much much more. They recognize that their marriage is a picture that tells the story of Christ and His bride. I loved this quote by CS Lewis in Mere Christianity,
There ought to be two distinct kinds of marriage: one governed by the State with rules enforced on all citizens, the other governed by the Church with rules enforced by her on her own members. The distinction ought to be quite sharp, so that a man knows which couples are married in a Christian sense and which are not.
Because sometimes that distinction isn't very clear in our society it can be pretty clear when you do come across it. Bobby and Mary have that distinction and it was quite lovely to spend some time with them.

On Sunday

2011-10-03T11:23:00.001-05:00

There are times when the amount of things to be done is overwhelming, crowding out all thought except how-do-I-get-out-from-under-this-mound-of-stuff-I-have-to-do-before-I'm-buried-alive? I've been there, I know what it's like. But lately I was dealing with something a little different. No extra work or activities or chores just regular life stuff. And it was rattling around like marbles in an empty tin can clanging my lack, defining my empty places and expressing the inability to do even the simple stuff sometimes. Every parenting misstep...each dollar spent over the budget...every un-returned phone call...each chore I didn't quite get to...every haphazardly thrown together meal...the normal everyday stuff that I wasn't doing well cling clanged loudly in my head revealing the hollowness of my own strength and faithfulness to the task.
And, now it was Sunday morning and I herded my brood into a row and settled us into seats. Sometimes, surrender looks like a laying down of something, letting go. But for me it was a surrender of nothingness, opening my arms wide to the emptiness. My recession was not caused by giving so completely until there was nothing left...I was being confronted with the awareness that I had nothing to give.
The answer at this point is not to look inward and somehow muster up what is absent. The answer comes from outside of me, the call to dwell on His fullness, His goodness, His faithfulness.
Come, let us worship our Lord together.
The call to true worship can't really be answered without confronting and dealing with our sin. I've spent just about my entire life in church and only in the last few years have I come to understand this even slightly. It's always been backwards...somehow the music and praise and the Word being preached is followed by the confession instead of preceding it. Like Moses taking off his dirty shoes I have to come first to that place of humbleness and repentance.
Come, let us kneel before the Lord and confess our sin.
We gather as a body united in Him and with one voice we confess our corporate sin together. We're sharing our weakness and it kindles a heart that can afford understanding and grace towards a brother or sister when sinned against because every week, every week, we kneel together and confess the common-ness of our failings. Together we admit I have sinned against You in thought, word and deed. There is no platform for self righteousness when we know we all share the same rebellious hearts. The root is the same but the manifestations are mine alone and so in a moment of quite I seek forgiveness.
Arise, people of God. Hear of the forgiveness that is yours through Jesus Christ...this is the good news...your sins are forgiven...your lives are rescued...believe this and rejoice.
The noise of my emptiness was being silenced. The hollow places were being filled with His words...the story shared from the Old Testament reiterated in a passage from the New. The message finding me, offering an anchor, solace...reminding me the emptiness is good.
Moses asking, Who am I to do this thing?
God answering back, You are no one but I will be with you.
But who are You?
I AM
What if they don't believe me?
I will show them signs.
I'm not up to the task you've given. I can't do it.
I will be with you...I will teach you.
I can't. Let someone else do it.
I won't send you alone. I will send someone with you.
My heart responded...I can't do this. I'm not going to be the perfect wife, mother, friend. Even the everyday stuff takes more than I have. But He already knows that. And He is with me...He does teach me...He has placed me within a body so that I'm not alone, there are other voices calling out the Truth, declaring Him, the Comforter is present.
Come to the table.
Each week I sit and ponder...I feast on His word and then on the meal He gave. Just as in the time of confession I join others as we declare our need for Him and take in the provision He has made.
The emptiness is crowded out with the fullness of Him.
Arms raised, my hands turned inward to receive the blessing,
The Lord bless you and keep you...
Hands turn out, lifted high showing honor and we sing,
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be
World without end
Amen
Amen

Lord God Almighty

2011-10-02T07:52:00.000-05:00

I ask not to be enrolled amongst the earthly great and rich,

but to be numbered with the spiritually blessed.

Make it my present, supreme, persevering concern

to obtain those blessings which are

spiritual in nature,

eternal in their continuance,

satisfying in their possession.

Preserve me from a false estimate of the whole or part of my character;

May I pay regard to my principles as well as my conduct,

my motives as well as my actions.

Help me never to mistake the excitement of my passions

for the renewing of the Holy Spirit,

never to judge my religion by occasional impressions and

impulses, but by my constant prevailing disposition.

May my heart be right with thee, and my life as becometh the gospel.

May I maintain a supreme regard to another and better world,

and feel and confess myself a stranger and a pilgrim here.

Afford me all the direction, defense, support, and consolation

my journey hence requires,

and grant me a mind stayed upon thee.

Give me large abundance of the supply of the Spirit of Jesus,

that I may be prepared for every duty,

love thee in all thy mercies,

submit to thee in every trial,

trust thee when walking in darkness,

have peace in thee amidst life's changes.

Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief and uncertainties.

~True Religion from Valley of Vision

Lagniappe & Grilled Cheese

2011-09-29T09:32:00.000-05:00

Lagniappe, pronounced lan-yap, is a Louisiana French word that basically means 'a little extra' or 'something given by way of good measure'. It's the thirteenth doughnut from the baker...a little extra something something tossed in by a seller to show a little love to a customer.
In my case it comes in the form of a delicious upgraded grilled cheese for family and friends that says, "Hey, I may be serving you a sandwich but it ain't your typical grilled cheese, yo." (Actually, I probably wouldn't say "yo" at the end because, well...I'm a forty year old white woman and it just wouldn't sound right. And hopefully I wouldn't say "ain't" either because my husband is chief of the grammar police and we all know that ain't ain't a word.)
But I would serve you a ridiculously yummy grilled cheese. One made with thick slices of sour dough bread...

and I would add some sliced avocados...

and fry up some bacon...

and pile it on provolone cheese (or if you want a little extra pep pepper jack cheese)...

and fry to perfection.

(really really sorry for the blurry picture...not sure what happened)

These things have become a staple in our house the last few weeks. Which makes it nice when I need a no brainer we had a volleyball game until 7:30 quick dinner. That little extra bit of goodness added to a plain old grilled cheese...the lagniappe...keeps it simple but a little nicer than normal. Why I've never thought outside of the box more than switching up the type of cheese I use is beyond me but thank you pinterest for showing me a better way. Not wild about avocados? Don't worry...it turns out there are a gazillion different ways to jazz up a grilled cheese sandwich. I want to try some cheddar cheese with thinly sliced apples or some smoked gouda and sauteed onions.
Have you ever jazzed up a grilled cheese? Do share because my favorite season is upon us and soup and sandwiches are at the top of the menu.

Going Back to the Gym

2011-09-26T13:22:00.000-05:00

I recently told a friend that I was looking forward to the time I could say something like, "This is messing up my routine."
As in ever since the move I have no schedule or routine and frankly it's killing me. So, after talking to my wonderful husband, (Did I mention wonderful because he is...I am very blessed. And also easily sidetracked :-) we decided that this week we will attempt to tighten up the schedules and see if we can't establish whatever our new normal will be. And that meant I was going back to the gym.
Can I be honest? I love working out. It's so easy to miss it and not do it but I feel so good when I make that happen. Anyway, I went this morning with wise counsel from my beloved to not over do it. A tendency I have when I haven't been in a while as if I can somehow jam all the workouts that I missed into one session. It never works. I also had other bits and pieces of wisdom running through my brain.
"You can either be sore tomorrow or you can feel sorry tomorrow." (I didn't over do it but I did work out.)
"Exercise should be about rewarding the body with endorphins and strength, not about punishing your body for what you ate."
"You aren't going to get the butt you want by sitting on the one you have."
When I came home I found a couple more little weight loss/exercise tidbits on Pinterest to keep me amused and encouraged...

Source: gardenofsimple.tumblr.com via Marty on Pinterest

I figure I am somewhere smack in the middle of this drawing...

Source: freshcleanfit.tumblr.com via Marty on Pinterest

And, this one is really just a public service announcement of sorts...you're welcome.

Source: google.co.uk via Marty on Pinterest

If everything goes according to plan I should hit the gym two more times this week. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Friday Funny and a Recipe

2011-09-23T10:01:00.000-05:00

Which to share first? A Claire story or the yumminess that is cheesecake nutella brownies?

They do look scrumptious don't they? But, let's have a good laugh before we get down to the seriousness of brownie baking.
Claire's K4 class is learning about shapes and yesterday her teacher asked if anyone knew what an oval was. Claire apparently was quite animated in her hand raising because she did in fact know about an oval,
"Barnes and Oval, Mrs. Peacher!"
The other kids didn't get it but the teacher and her assistant sure got a kick out of it.
She is such a sweetie. And speaking of sweet things...
(That was a smooth transition wasn't it? I should win some kind of blogger award for the wit and smoothness of my writing. Of course now I've ruined that terrific lead in so without any further ado...)
I am new to the nutella craze. I'm not sure what exactly took me so long to get on the bandwagon but I have settled in quite nicely to the trend. To the point that I may actually have to not buy the stuff just so it isn't in the house singing it's wicked siren song of chocolate hazelnut goodness. Because despite all the various ways you can use nutella, on a spoon straight out of the jar is my favorite.
Of course when I came across a recipe that had the words cheesecake, brownies and nutella in it's name I think my knees became weak. There was no way I couldn't not make a dessert that included the triple power of all things delightful and good. And, they were pretty amazing. You should make some this weekend. But only if you're having company over. Or you're going to someone's house and need to take it with you. I don't want to be responsible for you sitting at home all alone with a pan of these at your finger tips because it wouldn't be safe for you or your waistline.
There are a couple of things I would do differently and I'll tell you them first but share the recipe just as I followed it. First, I would back off on the amount of applesauce used. I know, the idea of applesauce in brownies might sound a little gross but I'm pretty sure it's used to keep the brownies moist, (which it does) without affecting the taste. So why lessen the amount? I think it might affect the texture and I'm kind of weird about the way my food feels. The other thing I would do is warm the nutella up so that it is more pourable as opposed to ploppable. I think it would be much easier to swirl with the cheesecake part if warmed. (Although one of the delightful joys of eating this brownie is getting a big ooey glob of nutella every couple of bites.)
Preheat oven to 350
Mix together until well combined
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Add
1 cup + 2 TBS water
3/4 cup apple sauce
2 TBS oil
Mix well and pour into a 9x13 pan. Set aside.
In another mixing bowl combine
1 8oz package of softened cream cheese
3/4 cup confectioners sugar
2 tsp vanilla
Warm mixture until you get a good pouring consistency and drizzle over the top of the brownie mixture. Drop nutella by the spoonfuls (the original recipe called for six TBS...I just added it until I felt like there was enough on the pan for each brownies to have some.) Use a knife to swirl both into the brownie batter.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
There you have it. Let me know if you give it a try!

I've Been Featured!

2011-09-21T19:19:00.001-05:00

Anytime someone says something nice about about your work it's exciting. Anytime someone wants to feature you and your work it's like really, really exciting. Or whatever the next level above exciting would be. I have several different photo blogs I follow and one of them, High Calling Focus, contacted me a while back about doing an interview and featuring some of my images. As you can imagine I was excited! And honored to be a part of something that is so inspiring and encouraging. So, take a minute and hop on over and check it out. You'll meet some lovely women who express their faith beautifully behind the camera and at a keyboard. Slip through the shadows, join the photographer's waltz or offer up an entry in the poetry photoplay. You'll enjoy it, I promise.
Thank you again, High Calling Focus!

A Mini Me That Looks Like Him

2011-09-21T11:51:00.000-05:00

My second born is eleven and running full out into the no man's land of the tween years...too young for this and that and too old to really enjoy the things that were a blast a few months back. I mentioned in a post about a month ago about the sudden interest in her hair and clothing choices. That's life with a girl entering into womanhood and I'll be honest this is one of my favorite stages of raising girls. There is so much new opening up to them but they're still little enough that the self awareness hasn't hit that fever pitch that comes in a few years. Emily has always been the most like Rob in personality but lately it's like having an out of body experience combined with a flashback watching her. She'll cry easily and have no idea why. Savvy women reading this are nodding their heads because they know what is causing all the emotion...my beloved however reads this and will groan and say something like, "Really?!" My parents will burst into satisfied I-told-you-one-day-you'd-have-a-girl-just-like-you laughter when I acknowledge that she has developed a foot stopping walk that rivals any teen age girly gait I produced. And the storm clouds that gather when her brow is furrowed makes me want to laugh at myself and the foolish girl I was once. So she may look like him on the outside...but inside she is a lot more like her Momma. I hope we're ready for this.

When we first found this picture of Rob Emily's bangs were growing out and they laid across her forehead just like his are in the picture. It was really kind of freaky how much they look alike. Do you see the resemblance?

Good Morning, Monday

2011-09-19T11:00:00.000-05:00

I greet you with the hum of the washing machine, sparkling clean glass doors, freshly folded t-shirts and open windows so I can let in the gorgeous breeze. A fine way to start off the week don't you think? I had planned to start my week off getting into a routine that including the gym first thing this morning but the best laid plans yada yada. Rob took the girls in because of a meeting he had at the school and while I truly am disappointed to not exercise, I do love mornings where I'm home. I can get a lot done in the first few hours of the day that makes me feel like I have more room to accomplish things the rest of the day.
This morning I read this article my Dad sent me. It's a little lengthy but it's about adults with autism so it certainly held my interest. Plus the young man in it reminded me so much of Sam...the interest in drawing and some of his phrases could be Sam's. There is a lot of focus on autism in children but not much out there about adults on the spectrum. Sam is ten and lately I find myself looking ahead and wondering what life will be like for him as a grown up. It's hard not to be over protective with "normal" children in our world but it's especially hard with a child with autism. I don't want our protection to hold him back though and it's a fine line to gauge.
Friday night we went to a soccer game for the school. The weather was perfect and the grill was fired up with burgers. Kids were running around and playing while grown ups talked and cheered on the players. And Sam just wants to be a normal kid...he wants to run up and down the side lines and play a pick up game of football or soccer. For such a long time we had to keep him close to us because he would wander off but he's older now and we don't have to worry as much about that...he's pretty good about staying within the boundaries we give him. Now, we hesitate more because what if he can't understand and socially navigate what's going on? What if we're not there to interpret the situation for him? What if everyone else needs help interpreting Sam? Like I said, I've been thinking a lot about the boy growing up lately so Friday night I just kind of hung back and watched him. He got into several wrestling matches with another boy and at a couple of points my instinct was to intervene to remind him of stuff like knowing when to back off or give in. But instead I talked to the other mother and she was good with it and assured me that her son would let Sam know when enough was enough. Sure enough everything was fine.
Later, he ran off to the end of the field where a group of boys were playing soccer intermixed with tossing a football around. This made me a little more nervous because these weren't kids from Trinitas. Kids from Trinitas know and love Sam and they're used to him. I followed but stayed back again to just watch and see. And let me just assure you that my boy is flat out goofy. The majority of the boys just kind of ignored him and kept playing their game but there was one little boy, Jonathon, that for some reason Sam zeroed in on. Sam waved his arms around, shook his behind and did a little jig and was talking up a storm. Jonathon looked slightly perplexed but them preceded to use the word stupid. I waited to see what Sam would do but if it bothered him it didn't show. A sweet little girl from Trinitas set poor Jonathon straight about name calling being a big no no. So he settled in and they played a soccer game of sorts. If I had to choose characters for them it would be kind of like Rabbit playing soccer with Tigger. A couple of times I reminded Sam not to use his hands but other than that I stayed out of it. After a water and food break Sam wanted to go back and play again. This time I wanted Rob to watch and as we were headed down to the end of the field Sam was telling him all about the game and Jonathon. Side note...if you are under the impression that autistic kids don't talk you are sadly misinformed. It's true that speech can and usually is delayed but the problem a lot of times is being able to communicate in a way that other people understand. With verbal autistics you might just need an interpreter. Here's an example.
Sam: Dad, I was going to call him trash.
We interpret this knowing that Sam has translated 'talking trash' as calling someone trash literally. (Rob spent the rest of our walk talking about good sportsmanship :-)
We watched for a few minutes in silence. It kind of brought into focus the reality of where we are with Sam right now. He's growing up and what he needs from us...what we have to give him if we want him to have a happy and productive adulthood...is room to take risks. When he was little it was so easy. What he needed was so clear and defined but this, this is all uncharted territory. This part of life has a whole lot more variables and we can't control all of them. But we can't hide from them either. God has given us a boy to raise up a godly man, a warrior for Him. And, while I'm not exactly sure what it will look like, it's time to take the next step.
Sam, being Sam, drew a comic to illustrate the proper way to be friends. (He realized his spelling mistake too late because he drew in pen.)

Nine Things to Know About Abby

2011-09-17T08:22:00.000-05:00

9.) She's a funny girl. If she's really tickled about something when she's talking to you she sort of sounds like the Hamburgler. (A bunch of you will probably have to google hamburgler now.)

8.) When she was not even walking yet she could stare me down...she'd get this look on her face and I would just break into laughter.
7.) She's a chatter box. She just chats about anything and everything.

6.) She has big feet and it doesn't bother her at all. Especially if she's allowed to keep her toenails painted.
5.) She's really good at math.

4.) She's our girly girl and if it sparkles and shines she loves it.
3.) She loves being a helper.

2.) She is my best breakfast eater.

1.) Today is her 9th birthday!
Happy happy birthday sweet Abby! Your story has always been one of joy and happiness...may God continue to grow you up to be a woman who delights in His way.

I've Had My Fill

2011-09-16T15:03:00.001-05:00

It started last night really. Abby, who will celebrate her ninth birthday tomorrow, wanted to make homemade chocolate chip cookies to share with her class today. I skimmed the recipe and she, Emily and Claire got to work. They were having so much fun and sounded so sweet that I decided to do what any modern mom of today would do...I left the kitchen to put up a facebook status about how sweet and precious my girls were baking cookies. Which means I wasn't in the kitchen to catch the mistake in the recipe that read add two cups of milk instead of correctly stating to add two cups of milk chocolate chips.
Can you guess what happened?
We managed to salvage the mix by adding flour (a lot of flour) and making a cookie cake of sorts. Abby seemed pleased and was quite happy to take her creation to school and share with friends so all well that ends well I guess.
After dropping the girls off at school I decided to take advantage of the cheaper gas prices at a station closer to the school. Because the prices are usually a few cents cheaper and being the time of morning that it was meant that it was pretty busy. As in lots of people were around. As in lots of people were around to watch me pull up to the pump, shut the van off, dig out my debit card...actually use my debit card...and realize I had pulled up on the wrong side.
Sigh.
Then I got home only to realize that I had forgotten the napkins and plates for Abby's birthday snack. No worries though because my sweet mother-in-law was happy to take some to the school when she went to have lunch with Abby. Lunch that I said started at 11:30. When, in actuality, lunch starts at eleven.
Later, I kind of had a bit of a panic moment because I couldn't engage my parking break. It took me a minute to realize that I was releasing it instead of actually locking it into place.
On the bright side, Sam and I wandered around a nifty little antique store where I found a fabulous old jar for only three dollars. The dark side is that when I went to check the mail this afternoon when I got home I dropped the bag and broke my old and lovely little jar into about eleventy billion pieces.
I realize that in the grand scheme of things these annoyances are unimportant to say the least. I believe the popular way of putting it is something about first world problems. I get that really I do.
But may I just say that I've met and exceeded my quota for stupid today?

Colors of Silence

2011-09-12T09:59:00.001-05:00

I'm supposed to be doing a color a week over at 52 Weeks and to be honest I'm kind of bored with it. Mainly because I'm finding it more difficult to isolate one particular color each week without feeling like all the pictures are looking the same. An oh, look it's another flower kind of rut that I want to avoid. But while I may be a week behind because I'm lacking a wee bit of creative juice doesn't mean I haven't been thinking about color and I've learned something about myself. I've come to realize that I tend to feel in colors. Lately I've been thinking about the colors of silence. It started last Sunday when the kids and I went to get in the van for church and it wouldn't start. It was an unusual shade of soft gray, but not the dark and ominous gray silence that feels up a room when there is anger brewing. It was more like that gentle gray that intertwines and mixes with the soft light of a new morning.
Of course silence has many other colors.
There is the did-I-just-say-that-out-loud-om-goodness-I-did-say-it-out-loud blush red color of silence.
Then we have the awkward I don't know what to say purple.
The joyous everything is wonderful daffodil yellow silence.
The peaceful and serene quiet blue or the sharp and crisp green when your mouth is silent but wisdom and understanding are growing colors of silence.
What is good to remember is all colors are created from some combination of other colors. So we can add a few shades of laughter and that embarrassing red turns into an everything is fine happy pink. Swirl in liberal splashes of forgiveness and mercy and that ominous gray becomes something more like that impossible blue we see sometimes after a summer thunderstorm.
Our world frantically shouts to cover up real silence...with music, fashion, hobbies, food. Even church and religion are used to keep the overwhelming silence of His being muffled so it's less convicting, less confrontational to our own wants and desires. But we need the silence. We need the kind of silence that makes us stop thinking of ourselves and what we do and shuts out the noise of everything but who we are in Him. That silence, that "in Him we live, move and have our being" silence...
It's a shimmering fluid silver.
It's beautiful and I hope you have times of that kind of silence in your life.

A Not So Nutritious But Oh So Yummy Snack

2011-09-08T09:12:00.000-05:00

Have I mentioned how much I love pinterest? I can find beautiful things like this:

Source: typographyserved.com via Marty on Pinterest

Or really fun things like this lamp...

Source: coolpicturegallery.net via Marty on Pinterest

And the recipes! My goodness the stuff people come up with in their kitchens...it's so inspiring! I've actually used several recipes that I've found via pinterest but the one I'm going to share with you today is probably the easiest one I've come across and only requires three ingredients. And as the post title says, probably not the healthiest snack but it does have peanut butter in it so at least I can claim to have given the kids protein :-)
Preheat oven to 375*

See? So simple I didn't even have to use words. The girls gave it an enthusiastic thumbs up and I'm pretty sure Rob snagged the last one. So grab a glass of milk and enjoy!

Soap Boxes

2011-09-07T09:29:00.000-05:00

The trouble with soap boxes is that they can be pretty slippery. It's fairly easy to climb up one and spout off your thoughts and opinions but it is much easier to go sliding off because you may not have actually thought through your position well enough. (I'm saying this to let you know as I ascend my box that I realize my position might be a little shaky and whole lotta unpopular. So here's my disclaimer...please don't take offense and what I'm saying. It's not a personal attack it is merely an observation I've made and wish to put out there for consideration. It is by no means a judgement call on what you may or may not watch or what you may or may not believe. It's just something to think about.)

I've joked before about how going to the gym is an eye opening experience for someone who doesn't have access to regular television. I am at turns amazed, amused or completely floored by most of what I see while working out. I will also admit that it certainly makes the thirty minutes on the elliptical go by much faster :-)

Yesterday, Good Morning America was talking about the new season of Dancing With the Stars and all the hoopla surrounding the show's decision to have Chaz Bono as a contestant. For clarification Chaz used to be Chasity and is famous not only because of her gender switcheroo but also because her parents are Sonny and Cher. There also seems to be a lesser side issue of Carson Kressley also being a contestant. I had to google him to find out what the story is there.

One Million Moms is an online project of the American Family Association. According to AFA's website one of their goals is to "promote virtue by upholding in culture that which is right, true and good according to Scripture". They desire to do this by calling Christians to action on several fronts, two of which are directed to the preservation of marriage and the family along with decency and morality. Keeping in line with it's parent company One Million Moms is calling on it's followers to boycott this season of Dancing With the Stars. In bold print on their site you are asked to "take action!" and let ABC know that you won't tolerate these subjects being forced into your home.

Let's forget the fact that you can turn your television off so that nobody is forcing anybody to watch anything. The problem with drawing the line in the sand here and now is that it's a little too late in the game. See, Christians tuned in to the show even though there was nothing virtuous, moral or decent about it. Encouraging a physical intimacy that should be shared only within the marriage covenant is not the way to preserve the sanctity of marriage. Skimpy barely there outfits and extremely provocative dancing doesn't hold up to what is right, true and good according to Scripture. To suddenly cry foul now because a transgender person and a homosexual is on the show is ridiculous and sends the message that promiscuity and adultery aren't threats to marriage or family only homosexuality is. Why exactly are we surprised that the show is totally off the rails? Did no one honestly see this coming? Where did we think it would end up? That somehow throwing off decency and morality was not as harmful or damaging as long as the genders were correct? That somehow what we were watching wasn't so bad and some even considered "safe" family entertainment?

A friend posted this Martin Luther quote on his facebook this morning:

"If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved, and to be steady on all the battlefield besides, is mere fight and disgrace if he flinches at that point."

Much to our disgrace this battle began when ABC first aired the show and we flinched. I don't care about the word homophobic being tossed out there...that label is applied simply by virtue of being a conservative Christian in our society. But I cringe when I hear hypocrisy and selective morality because there is an element of truth to them. We pick and choose our battles based on how we feel about an issue and whether or not we're personally offended. And when we try to do otherwise we're attacked from within our own ranks because it is confronting and convicting.

The truly sad thing is that the general consensus is that the boycott will amount to nothing because we like our programs just as much as the pagans do. And I'm certainly not saying whether Christians should or should not watch the show. I'm saying that the decision probably should have been made long before now and that a decision to no longer watch it might need to include a statement of repentance as well.

Sunday Morning Sun

2011-09-04T14:45:00.000-05:00

Click It Up a Notch

2011-09-01T18:38:00.000-05:00

There are several different photography blogs I follow and Click It Up a Notch is one of my favorites. The pictures are so darn pretty and there is always some helpful information for someone like me who is wanting to improve my shutter clicking skills.
Eye candy + educational = a blog worth following
For the first time I'm posting an entry in her monthly photo contest. The only two requirements are this blog post and that the photo had been taken in the month of August. Thankfully my niece's sweet little boy had his birthday at the beginning of the month and I got to do his first year pictures.
Isn't he such a cutie?

Be sure to pop over to and take a look at the other submissions...there are some truly awesome ones there!

I'm Ready

2011-09-01T09:13:00.000-05:00

It happens about this time every year. We have a more or two days when the temps stay in the seventies until around nine in the morning instead of the usual mid-nineties by seven a.m. Or there is a cool breeze in the evenings and suddenly I am longing for the smells and colors of autumn. I want to wrap myself in layers and walk outside into crisp air. I want pots of soups or stews or chili simmering on my stove through out the day flooding the house with their comforting aroma. I want to feast my eyes on the earthy shades of red, orange and green.
I have to keep the longing in check for this, my favorite season. We've weeks left to go with our summer sun and hot days. This is still the time for bar-b-ques, pool parties and trips to the beach. So every now and then I might let my mind wander to what's coming but I may do it sitting on the diving board with my toes in the water.

Yesterday

2011-08-30T06:00:00.000-05:00

So yesterday was the second first day of school. See Friday was only a three hour orientation day that, while a lot of fun, isn't really a school day school day. Which is good because Abby and Claire decided that coming down with strep throat and missing the first first day of school was a good idea. Okay, they didn't exactly think it was a good idea and they were sad to miss the excitement and fun of that particular school day but it's the way it all went down.
So today was our first day of school. And I took pictures. But only at home because Sarah rolled her eyes and basically begged me not to take it with us and I complied because I am sure there will be other times when I'm not so willing to accommodate her and maybe, just maybe I was wondering if I'd cry and then not be able to see through the lens anyway. Plus I really wanted both hands free for that last sweet hug before I let my baby go. (I know I sound all dramatic but it's mostly just a big old bowl of hyperbole (mostly) because a.) it sounds more fun dramatic then just "Oh, yeah, my baby went off to school today" and b.) it makes for a much more interesting read.)
Of course the pictures make it even better. I mean just look at those cute little freckles.

She played with bears and had snack and made new friends. It was a good day.
Here's one of all four girls all ready to go. They look big don't they?

Overall, the general consensus is teachers are great...friends are great and everything is overall wonderful. Well, Sarah is a wee bit concerned about Greek and Rhetoric but who wouldn't be right?
On the home front Sam and I had a good productive day. This time with him is something I'm really looking forward to and we have some neat things planned. He's just a really interesting kid and I'm excited about homeschooling him while being able to concentrate specifically on doing things in a way that best suits him.
To be honest, lately Rob and I have been concerned because Sam hasn't been himself. We've kind of chalked it up to the move taking it's toll on him but he's never responded this way before. And we were seeing behaviors out of him that we haven't seen in literally a year or two as well as some sleep disruption. I was telling this to a friend who has another friend with a child on the spectrum and she mentioned that child has issues with chlorine. Guess what you put into a swimming pool on a regular basis? Guess who's been getting in our pool on a regular basis? Coincidence? Maybe, but it's definitely something we're checking into. Thankfully the way to deal with it is simple and does not include being banished from the pool.
Autism is never dull people.
And for the record I didn't cry. Okay, fine. I may have teared up a bit on the way home but there was no sobbing or anything.

Time keeps on slippin', slippin', slippin'

2011-08-26T10:11:00.001-05:00

...into the future. Remember that old song by the Steve Miller Band? It's okay if you don't. It just sort of popped up and started playing in my head as I watched the two oldest girls head off to their first day of school this morning. Why do they grow up so fast?
Yesterday my friend Jennifer reminded me how life is moving in and out of seasons. I'm just wondering how I can have snow in spring time with the hot summer sun shining down while being cooled with the crispness of an autumn breeze? I guess that's just the way it goes with kids in different stages of life in my life.
Sarah is definitely our autumn. We've done the planting and nurturing and now we're beginning to see some of the fruits of our labor. While there is certainly work yet to be done it's tinged with the excitement that comes with seeing what you've been working towards coming to fruition. The young woman she will be is losing the shadows and taking on more shape and form. Her character and the woman she's growing to be is becoming more defined.
Emily is my springtime. She's like the flower that is just poking through the soil and lifting her face towards the sun. The girl who bragged about how long she managed to go between baths a few short months ago has metamorphosed into a young lady suddenly concerned with fixing and doing her hair. She looked so adorable with pink and green sponge rollers poking out all haphazardly on her head last night. Such a sweet happy time but also one that requires a diligent watch to guard against the weeds that will want to spring up in her heart.
I'd say that Sam and Abby are in the midst of winter. In some ways things have gone dormant but the reality check is to remember that they're storing up energy and resting for their own upcoming springs. I'm learning the importance of making sure that the ground stays insulated and doesn't frost over with neglect just because it doesn't seem like much is going on.
Claire is of course summer. All burning curiosity soaking up everything around her. Making sure the waters of discipline are just the right amount is key with her season. Not enough and her roots will scorch and shrivel up. Too much and we'll wash away the ground she needs to grow strong and deep.
It can be kind of overwhelming to view all the different nuances at once. But part of the joy of bigger families is that you can be too busy to dwell on the differences too much...you have to just keep living life. So while it's good to recognize the various stages and seasons it is best to remember what Daniel said in chapter two verses twenty through twenty three:

Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,

to whom belong wisdom and might.

He changes times and seasons;

he removes kings and sets up kings;

he gives wisdom to the wise

and knowledge to those who have understanding;

he reveals deep and hidden things;

he knows what is in the darkness,

and the light dwells with him.

To you, O God of my fathers,

I give thanks and praise..."

Checking In

2011-08-19T14:47:00.000-05:00

It's official.
Boys are dirtier than girls.
Sam's walls were a gazillion times dirtier than the girls' walls. And he is all alone in his room. And his walls were dirty in places that made no sense. Like near the ceiling. Okay, that makes a little sense because he has a bunk bed but above his closet door near the ceiling? And behind things that I had to have help moving away from the wall? I don't even want to know. At least I'm pretty sure that I don't want to know.
Just in case you're new to this blog or somehow missed the news we've moved so this is the kind of cleaning that only happens when you're moving. I don't wantcha thinking I don't keep house or anything. Except that I really beginning to think maybe I should just move everything to the middle of the room every six months and pretend we're moving because dang, we're dusty, people.
Maybe you already do that though.
Maybe everybody does that.
Maybe I'm the only one that doesn't.
There's something that will make you question your own reality.
So, here's an update on our family. We're officially in the new house and loving it. There's a little left to do here at the old house like cleaning the carpets and taking care of the garage. Rob does the garage (picture me doing a happy dance) and he also will do the yard sale on the last Saturday of the month. (I don't do yard sales. I'm the only person in the universe that held a yard sale that no one, not one single person, stopped at. Two weeks later I cleaned out my car and had three people stop to ask if it were a yard sale. I swore off doing them at that point.) Rob also does the carpet cleaning.
I love my man. He's amazing.
All this moving has reminded me how much I hate stuff and clutter. I thought we were pretty minimal in our stuff department but good gracious every time I turned around there was something else to pack or get rid of. I was almost in tears at one point and told Rob that living in the woods stark naked and eating berries for the rest of lives had a certain amount of appeal. He reminded me that we'd get cold and that everything would work out and be fine. He was right.
Have I mention how much I love that man?
The girls will have their first day of school next Friday. It's orientation and only half a day which is about all this Momma's heart can handle with Claire Bear starting school. We were a little undecided about whether she should start in K4 or K5 and with some wise counsel from the powers that be at the school it's been determined that she'll go into the k4 class. Her and one other little girl and six boys. God bless Mrs. Peacher.
Sarah's volleyball season has kicked into gear. Lots of home games this year which is nice. The schedule always gets a little hectic but she's loves playing and keeps her grades up.
Em is going into the sixth grade. I'm not really ready for that. Abby is so very excited to be going into Mrs. Phillips third grade class. Good stuff is in store for them all. Including Sam. His schooling will be a little different and a lot more tailored to fit his learning style. I'm excited about that.
I've got several different blog post series in my head that I hope to make a reality soon. I'm excited about some photography related things too.
A neat family vacation planned in October with my entire family. Mom & Dad, sisters and husbands and children and their spouses and kids. Twenty six of us getting together in the Smokey Mountains. Sounds crazy doesn't it?
Random things:
I miss having regular internet access and will be quite happy to have service at the new house on Monday hopefully.
I really like country music right now...Darius Rucker and Billy Carrington to be exact. Have I mentioned this is killing my husband's soul? He can't stand it. So the other day I had to move his van for him...tuned in to one of my favorite country stations instead of his normal talk radio ;-)
I was a little giddy at the grocery store yesterday for the simple fact of shopping like a normal person who is living fully in just one house.
I'm really excited to get back to a regular routine that includes the gym. I miss how good I feel when I'm exercising regularly and consistently.
I'm also ready for Fringe to be back on and cooler weather.
Until it cools off though, we're enjoying the pool.

Rob and I have been making it a habit lately to enjoy our morning coffee out by the pool. With all the flowers it's quite a pretty way to start the day.
Life is sweet.

Have You Heard?

2011-08-09T08:26:00.000-05:00

We're moving! Same town just a new house.
With a pool.
We're pretty happy about that. And the lovely floors...and extra bathroom...and more space...and so much more. Hopefully I'll have pictures soon after we get settled in but for now it may be kind of quiet around here. I'm not sure how long it will take to get internet access. (Which I always hate but end up loving being unplugged for a while :-)
Did I mention we have actual grass at the new house?
It's lovely.

I'm Just Saying

2011-08-02T08:24:00.000-05:00

I think it's the word bombdiggity that did it for me...

Source: thevintageapple.com via Marty on Pinterest

This is so true...

Source: amerrynest.com via Marty on Pinterest

I love a good play on words

Source: etsy.com via Marty on Pinterest

This is pretty funny...

Source: patinastores.com via Marty on Pinterest

It's all in how we look at it...

Source: adventuresinthewonderland.wordpress.com via Marty on Pinterest

My Kids Are So Not Cool

2011-07-30T11:59:00.000-05:00

And it's all my fault. Somewhere I've done something horribly wrong. Or maybe the real problem is that I haven't done something. Yeah, I'm thinking that's it. I have neglected to teach them a.) what cool things some things really are and b.) the proper response when some of those really cool things are found at a yard sale for only three stinkin' dollars.
This is a situation that needs immediate attention so here is lesson one.
When your mother is positively giddy because she and your father found and bought a well kept Polaroid you do not stare at her blankly and say,
"What's a Polaroid?"
And when your mother looks at you, the supposedly more hip and cooler older sibling, to confirm the awesomeness of the yard sale find you do not get that* look on your face and say,
"Isn't that the camera that gives you the picture right away? Haven't we moved past that?"

How have I raised these children? It's sad really. But there's hope right? I still have time to teach them the wonderfulness of polaroids and yard sale scores and such. I think my work is cut out for me though.

*I can't really describe that look. It's not rude of disrespectful or anything. It's just that look. It's something that one has to see and experience to fully understand but if you have a teenage daughter then you know exactly what I'm talking about.

Least It Become True...

2011-07-29T10:29:00.000-05:00

Source: None via Marty on Pinterest

The thought had crossed my mind (before I found the above quote) that it would be a shame to gather all that wonderfulness in one spot but never use it. So last night I actually used a recipe I found through the cyber bulletin boards. It was quick and simple and completely delicious. Have you ever had Monkey Bread? You know, that gooey sweet concoction with biscuits, sugar and cinnamon. Well this pull apart bread is like it's savory cousin.
Mind you I did ~~cheat~~ tweak the recipe to suit this non homemade bread maker but for those of you who do that you can go here for the original recipe. (Can I just point out that the list is long of my friends who actually bake their own bread on a regular basis? I'm such a slacker.)
For all the rest of my cheater slacker friends here is my modified recipe for Cheesy Parmesan Pull Apart Bread
Ingredients:
1/4 cup melted butter (I actually used a little more than half a stick)
2 Pillsbury Crusty French Loaves
2 Gloves minced garlic (again I used a little more than the recipe called for because really can you have too much garlic? Never mind, don't answer that. It's a rhetorical question because I already know that it can happen if one happens to be confused about the differences between heads of garlic and gloves of garlic.)
1/4 cup of fresh shredded parmesan cheese
Italian seasoning

Mix your garlic and Italian seasoning with the melted butter.
Next, cut one loaf of the bread dough into chunks and coat with the butter mixture.

Layer the pieces in a bundt cake pan that has been coated with non stick cooking spray. Sprinkle some of the parmesan cheese over the bread.

Repeat with the other loaf of french bread dough. Or get a cute helper so that you can take pictures.

Bake at 350* for 25 to 30 minutes.
Let it cool in the pan for fifteen minutes before turning out onto a plate. As you can see from my picture I didn't quite wait long enough but it still tasted very very good.

There, all done! Super easy and really tasty and it looks pretty nifty too.

Because the Hard Stuff is Good For Us

2011-07-26T11:05:00.000-05:00

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings,knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.

Romans 5:1-4

Another Reason I Like It

2011-07-25T19:15:00.000-05:00

One of the things I mentioned in my last post is this web thingie called Pinterest. It's like a giant cork board where I can 'pin' things that I find and like. Yes, I know that computers have a similar feature called bookmarking but Pinterest is so much better because I can not only put things in categories but I can see it as soon as I open my board. For a visual person that is a big selling point. But the biggest reason I like it is that I can see what other people are pinning and if I like it I can add it to my board. Sometime people visit sites and find things that I really don't think I'd find on my own. Or know that I would need to find something that maybe they've already found and pinned.
That sounded rather confusing didn't it? Here is the perfect illustration of what I mean. My friend Melynda, who is almost a superhero, is developing a thing for zombies. Weird I know, but c'mon people cut her some slack. She's got eight kids, six of which are boys, and her husband flies helicopters for the military. She should be, nay she needs to be weird. Anyway, we haven't talked much about zombies. I don't know why not really except that we talk a lot about things more important to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness such as chocolate covered bacon.
But, Mel did get a pinterest set up. And one of her boards is labeled "Zombies Are My New Favs". Which immediately reminded me of something I had seen pinned to fellow photographer and pinterest pinner Abigail's "words and quotes" board. And I knew I had to share it with Melynda because she is my friend and I love her and she likes zombies.

Larania's quote use! (clipped to polyvore.com)
See? Another reason to like pinterest.

Stray Thoughts From My Head and the WWW

2011-07-22T09:44:00.000-05:00

Sam said this to me this morning with his toy handcuffs hidden behind his back,
"Mom, put your arm out and mind your own business."
Uh, I don't think so, son.
:-)

I feel like I've been in some kind of fog lately that has suddenly lifted. My motivation and urge to get my home in order has taken a serious hit of late but for some reason clarity has dawned this day and I am ready to get busy.
I think clearing off a few computer projects has helped tremendously.

Some friends just really bless your heart, you know? In a good 'bless your heart' kind of way and not the 'she's not too bright bless her heart' kind of way.

This article on motherhood has been making the rounds within my community of people and friends. I think I may print it out to keep on hand and share with mommas. It is a great reminder that we don't just make sacrifices for our kids but as Christian parents we are called, commanded and encouraged to be the sacrifice.

Pinterest is my new favorite thing. It's like an online cork board. When you find things that you like or inspire you you 'pin it' to the board. Very fun and you can even follow other peoples boards and find all kinds of amazing stuff to make and do. Sarah Marchlewski you need one of these :-)

One of the things I really like about Flickr is finding talented folks from all over the world. I recently came across a photographer from Japan that really just takes my breath away. You should follow the link and go check out his work...it's pretty amazing. Here are two of my favorites.

Happy weekend!

This is Ridiculous!

2011-07-21T09:53:00.001-05:00

Blogger keeps eating my post about America's true real enemy. You might be surprised that I discovered this while ~~being helplessly held hostage~~ waiting for our turn at the county health department yesterday. But in some sneaky guerrilla warfare tactics to take over the minds of the next generation they had the television on and I met the. biggest. threat. to. America. ever.
Nick E. Lodeon and his minions Bucket and Skinner.
Seriously the most stupid show to ever see the light of day. I'm not sure what was the most horrifying thing about it...that people let their children watch such stupidity or that people let their children act (and I use that term as loosely as you possibly can and it still be a word and not just a bunch of letters strung out across the face of the universe) in such stupidity or that somebody actually gets paid good money to come up with such stupidity.
It's like Hannah Montana on steroids with a shot of testosterone.
Forget terrorism and don't pay no never mind to the economy. Because if this is any indicator of our culture and what is shaping our future then we have waaay bigger problems.
But like I said, blogger ate the original post which had the oh so witty title, The Horrible Horrifying Horror and a Public Service Announcement. Then it ate the second revised post and now I've just decided to skip it. Except for that little rant up there.
Now, for the purpose of this post. I have experienced something that I don't think has ever happened to me before. I knew I was a week behind on my 52 weeks project. That isn't the part that has never happened to me before because, well, it has happened to me before. But usually it's only behind in the posting part...not in the actual picture taking part. But this morning is quiet (Shhhh! It's 9:40 and no one is up yet. I should probably go check and make sure that Mr. Lodeon has not come and stolen my children away) and I was going to catch the blog up. Only I never took a picture during the twenty seventh week. Can you imagine that? A week in which I did not take a picture. So, I took a picture and posted it for that week because technically I thought of it in my head last week as a way to introduce the new theme since I finished up the alphabet.
Whew! That was a whole lotta words to basically tell you that 52 Weeks is now current. You should go on over and check it out. Here's a hint on the new theme...

Egads!

2011-07-20T10:13:00.000-05:00

Our summer is almost over!
We just barely got out of school is seems and it's already time for me to start planning for next year. This year I have done something which makes me feel very smart and super superior to my past self. I always have the worst time finding duo tang folders in the specific colors needed. Red and yellow are very popular colors and if you wait they can be nearly impossible to find. So this year I wised up. I printed off the supply list, high lighted just the folder part and off to Walmart I went. The stores are just beginning to put stuff out (Swoon! My addiction to all things school supplies has been awakened!) so there were plenty of those folders in the colors I needed.
It's a happy moment.
(So, ha! Past self...it has only taken me three years to come up with a strategy to defeat this conundrum but defeat it I have.)
Last night around ten thirty I finished the final set of pictures from a wedding I did in June. I made a couple of collages of some of my favorite pictures to share.

I loved the photo booth area for the guest to have their picture taken.
Getting the wedding pictures done was a monumental task on my plate and now that it's finished I can turn my attention to other things. Like our upcoming move. I cannot wait to get settled at the new house and share some pictures! But first I have some stuff I need to wade through and sort and get rid of. Speaking of which...we'd like to sell the hutch if anyone is interested :-)

How to Celebrate Your Sixteenth Birthday

2011-07-16T12:42:00.000-05:00

Get two of your very best friends...

Go to a place on the beach...

Get on a boat...

Strap yourselves into a harness...

Take the harness and clip it to a parachute...

Briefly wonder what in the world you're doing as you get pulled backwards off a moving boat over open water...

Here it comes...

Hang around in the air for a little while...

Get dunked in the water a few times...

Drip dry on your way back in...

Get pulled back onto the boat and decide to make crazy faces for a picture because you survived...

Yell at your friend when she doesn't make a crazy face...

Immediately begin planning bungee jumping for your seventeenth birthday.

(Honest to goodness on the way out the local radio station was playing a song called "Another Way to Die" and on the way back in it was playing "Alive")

Quit Yer Whining!

2011-07-14T13:46:00.000-05:00

It.
Is.
Hot.
The air conditioner in the house went out yesterday so I feel at this moment that I can make that statement with a fair amount of authority. So take that Kevin Bacon. I'll see your measly six degrees and raise you eighty-one. (For those of you who might be a little slow in the math department that makes it 87 sticky hot degrees inside my house.)
The good news is that it should be fixed either today or tomorrow. The really good news is that we rent so we don't have to pay for it. I know home ownership is touted as the be all and end all of the American dream but honestly in moments like this I am so happy my wonderful husband has had us wait to make that gigantic commitment.
Because the a/c broke last night sleep was fitful to say the least. So this morning I was a tad cranky and like any red blooded female I promptly went to facebook with my tale of woe. I received a fair amount of sympathy but also a few stories of times when this had befallen others and basic ways to cope. And you know what I realized? We'll live through it. We'll be hot and sweaty but it won't kill us. We still have a roof over our heads with these nifty ceiling fans attached on the inside of them and food to eat.
We could whine and gripe but the truth is cool air blowing through out your house is a luxury that many people don't have. It really isn't a need, even here in humid old Florida. With a blinding hot flash of clarity I realized several things.
First, we are super spoiled. We should be grateful for such an extravagant comfort. We certainly aren't any more deserving of cool air than anyone else. There's a big lesson on the whole entitlement mentality.
Second, I have a major opportunity to display for my sweet brood that in all things we give thanks. God is good whether you have a/c or not and being hot is no excuse for cruddy, ill tempered behavior.
Third, I really need to catch up on my 52 weeks project. And a nice cold glass of water seemed apropos.

Sixteen Things to Know About Sarah

2011-07-06T13:02:00.001-05:00

16.) You should know this upfront before anything else. She doesn't like ice cream.
I know! How weird is that?
15.) She is a germaphobe. Like she has four different kinds of hand sanitizer in her purse germaphobe. Oddly
enough she is also the ring leader of the frog catching expeditions in our house. And, she will hold snakes
at the zoo. Cutting stuff up in biology? No problem. But touch your feet for any reason and she'll bathe you
in a gallon of sanitizer.
14.) She currently loves all things Paris, Audrey Hepburn and old black and white Sherlock Holmes movies.

13.) She's also a fan of anything BBC Jane Austen. She has a favorite dance scene in the 1990 something
version of Emma that she wants as her first dance with her husband and bridal party. I hope she gets
to do that!
12.) She is smart but also has a pretty high standard academically speaking. She is a true student with a strong
desire to always be learning.
11.) She is a serious planner/scheduler/routine oriented person. She freely admits to laying in bed at night
and working through every possible scenario for whatever is the next day's 'main events.' And heaven
forbid you deviate from the plan/schedule/ routine. (She might possibly have control issues :-)

10.) Shopping with her or for her can be a nightmare. Not only does she fully embrace our modesty values
but she's also quite picky about how things feel and fit. She's not flashy at all and likes understated
solids. Patterns are rare and bright colors are evaluated on a case by case basis.
9.) Her favorite food is mashed potatoes. Her favorite dessert is death by chocolate.
8.) She is an amazing big sister and takes her responsibility as a role model for them pretty seriously. She also
totally enjoys tormenting her brother.
7.) She can sometimes take things too seriously and forgets to laugh at herself but she's getting better
at it. I think (I hope) she is coming to understand that she doesn't have to be perfect and that doing her
best is enough.

6.) She is strong and will face obstacles and problems head on. She may not like it but she'd rather usually
deal with whatever it is than ignore it.
5.) She is very matter of fact and concrete. She's learning to appreciate poetic thinking though.
4.) She's fiercely loyal.
3.) Even though she's growing up she can still get silly with the best of them.
2.) Although it isn't her favorite thing to do she is pretty handy in the kitchen. She is quite capable of running
our home if I'm out of pocket for any reason.
1.) Today is her birthday!

Happy birthday Sarah-bella! You are a blessing and joy to our family. May you remain steadfast in faith...stand firm in the knowledge of His truth...loving Him above all else...and walk worthy of the call He has put on your life. Pursue the richness of godly wisdom and let His perfect will continue to form you into that virtuous woman whose worth is far above rubies.

Lately

2011-06-30T11:49:00.000-05:00

Well, it's been sort of busy that's for sure. There was that whole trip to Atlanta for one thing. I still have stuff to share from that...have you picked up on the fact that I'm really just talking out loud here on the blog and processing stuff? Anyway one of the things from the conference still bubbling around my brain is this comment from Douglas Wilson about the current hot trend in Christian circles to be 'authentic', "It's really a Christian lite version of stuff white people like."
I realize that will aggravate some people but I'm coming to also realize that the people who talk the most about being authentic and are on some kind of quest for true authenticity seem to lack that which they seek. Wilson's example was dead on...it's the people in the highly posed to look unposed photograph. Being consumed with the idea of authenticity sounds great unless it becomes more about being authentic (whatever that means) rather than being who we're called to be...which is just a lover, follower and imitator of Christ. Do that with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and the authenticity will naturally be there.
Okay, sorry about the mini rant. Back on task.
Have I mentioned that Sarah has started a college algebra class? Yep, she has. Along with about ten other kids from her school. The teacher was surprised that she had so many sophomores in her class. She's also pleased with their behavior and conduct and made mention of it in class. They are pretty exceptional kids.
There were friends in from out of town...a wedding...a newborn photo session...good but busy stuff.
But right in the midst of that busy stuff I was able to spend some time with my Mother and all three of my sisters.

During the holidays we work to get all the families together...which is no small feat now that some of our kids are old enough to be getting married and having babies all their own. But this is a special time where just the five of us get together. A time when, for us girls, the fabric of being a wife and a mother is gently folded back and we wrap ourselves in our earliest roles as daughter and sister.

Mother watches over us, the way she has all of our lives, letting us be who we are ready to step in and smooth out the edges steady and strong as ever.We easily step back to the roots of who we are and stretch out our arms to embrace, strengthen and encourage the relationships that have been used to help shape and form us into the women we are now.
We laughed. Have mercy did we laugh! Until our cheeks ached and tears fell doubled over and legs crossed belly laughs.

We told stories. The 'remember that time' rolled easily off our tongues and memories splashed into the now moments. We wrote new stories that will flow into the conversations next year when we gather again.
We walked the beach and reminded each other of the goodness and faithfulness of our God seen in the vastness of the ocean...

and the tiny treasures of sand dollars...

and sea shells...

We played and danced...

and did yoga poses, talked and ate and laughed and watched the sun go down. We even got pedicures.

It'd be easy to pretend that we've always been only this way. All sunshine and flowers and rainbows and unicorns. But who really lives that way? We're sinners and so there are scars we've giving each other...moments that add dark places to our history. But those dark spots display His grace so perfectly the way the night sky causes the stars to show bright and strong. His story of redemption and reconciliation...forgiveness and grace...mercy and kindness is written into the fabric of our lives with each other. This bond between mother and daughters...between sisters...it's hard to describe. But it's there...part of who I've been...who I am.

Bits and Pieces and a Milestone

2011-06-23T17:19:00.000-05:00

So, I'm settling back into a normal gym routine now that we're home from Atlanta. And you know what that means?
Television.
My pop culture education is back on. Here are a few highlights from the past week.

Potatoes have now been established as the leading cause of obesity in adults. But to give the poor potato it's due it is a rather versatile food. They can be fried, boiled, baked and twice baked (a personal favorite in our house), chopped, diced or cubed, smashed or mashed. Although I'm a little unclear on the exact difference of those last two.

A recent study shows that minority births now account for the majority of all births. Can something be both a minority and a majority? And would it be a major minority or a minor majority?

Curvy is the new politically correct word for fat.

Country and rap are two genres of music that should never share a platform. Ever. I'm sure it's a code of the wild wild west that cowboys croon and not rap.

(This is probably a good place to mention that the views expressed on this blog are solely mine and not necessarily a fully accurate representation of the Hadding household. Rob doesn't think that country music should even have a platform.)

Keeping Up With the Kardashians
Two questions. Who would want to? And why?

I'd like to meet Justin Bieber. Actually, I would really really love to meet Justin Bieber. Just so I could Brush. His. Hair. Back. Away. From. His. Face. I am not kidding when I say that I am utterly weary of seeing boys walk around like they have a perpetual windstorm at their backs.

The man who has been doing Oprah's makeup for the past twenty years wears more makeup than most women I know. Do what you will with that information.

As for the milestone portion of our show...

Sarah took (and passed) her driver's permit test today. Obviously she won't be getting her license in a few weeks when she turns sixteen but she is now legally allowed on the roads behind the wheel of a vehicle.

We're pretty ~~nervous~~ excited.

Abandon the Life Boats

2011-06-21T11:08:00.000-05:00

A few years ago when we began our classical education journey I began to hear words and phrases that were completely foreign to me.
What was meant exactly by truth, beauty and goodness?
What in the world was aesthetics?
On the surface of things I knew what the words were...but there was something else being communicated that was just beyond the knowledge I had.
Three years later I can point out various instances where my life has been utterly changed because my understanding of those terms and words and concepts has grown. But I'd still have a difficult time offering a solid biblically based definition for them. What I can say is that beauty, contrary to popular thought and modern teaching, is not found in the eye of the beholder nor is it subjective. Art and the understanding of truth, beauty, goodness and overall aesthetics is a theological question.
It is intrinsically, inexplicably connected to our understanding of the character of God.
Beauty is a combination of qualities that bring delight and pleasure and God himself is the benchmark for these qualities that bring true delight and pleasure. He is the beginning and end of all things beautiful.
While we were in Atlanta I had the opportunity to go to the mall.
Oh.
My.
Goodness.
The way people dress and conduct themselves...the goods that are being sold...the life style that is being sold...It's pretty clear that where most of us get our idea of what is beautiful and attractive is not the same place that God finds it.
Think about the current popular music of practically any genre. The themes of God that are beautiful are far from present.
In both cases the reason they are so far off the mark of true beauty is because they begin and end on man...humanity is the center of attention and in it's fallen state it's not pretty.
And the saddest part of the whole thing is how pervasive it is in the Church. There isn't a whole lot of difference between the two worlds. A lot could be said here about a great many threads that tie into this but I want to share a thought that came out of one of the workshops I attended at the conference.
Most of us function with a 'Man, the life boats!' mentality. The world is going to hell in a hand basket on a slippery downhill slope and our job as Christians, as the Church, is to rescue as many as we can from the wreckage. Things are only going to get worse from here on out and if we can just convince a few more to not dress this way or listen to that kind of music or behave in this or that manner than we can call ourselves successful evangelicals of God's word. If we're not completely different at least we're not as bad as those out there.
The problem here is that it places our hope in the future of some coming event and until them we just hold on and do the best we can. It doesn't take into account the One who has already come. It doesn't acknowledge His words that His kingdom has come, is coming and will come. In the same way His saving work has saved, is saving and will save us...the whole world has been redeemed, is being redeemed and will be redeemed.
Francis Schaeffer said it this way, "We have misunderstood the concept of the Lordship of Christ over the whole of man and the whole of the universe and have not taken to us the riches that the Bible gives us for ourselves, for our lives, and for our culture."
Instead of a life boat we should be an ark. We have been given a ministry of reconciliation and we are to join Him in the restoration of all things true, beautiful and good in every realm of the cosmos.
Everyday we reflect a picture of creation of beauty in the way that we order, arrange and manipulate the world and the components of our lives. Everyday we tell a story of our God and what we believe He says about truth, beauty and goodness.
We either do this well or pretty poorly but nonetheless we are doing.

A Claire Story

2011-06-20T14:01:00.000-05:00

Well, hello there.
Yes, it has been a while...I was in Atlanta at the always amazing Association of Classical and Christian Schools. It's aimed at the staff of such education establishments but there is a wealth of information that crosses over into family and home life. (Things of a covenant nature are rarely single focused I've found.) This year's keynote speaker was Voddie Bauchman, someone I've heard plenty about but never heard speak before.
The whole event was pretty amazing and I learned a lot that I hope to blog though in the next couple of days...weeks...months...years.
A brief snippet that I will share right now is the concept Matt Whitling shared in the final session about teaching our children to 'look around the corner'. The idea of teaching them to look ahead at the possible consequences of their actions basically. So, because I'm a good person and took all this wealth of information to heart I jumped on the chance to work out the concept with Claire a little earlier today.
Allow me to set the scene for you. Abby has found and added batteries to her portable cd player so that it is actually usable. A fact which thrilled her little soul no end. A fact that also generated a lot of envy in the heart of her little sister and prompted a slight tug of war between the two that I had to stop. Again, I figured this would be an excellent time to help Claire see the possible consequences that could result from her demanding to have a turn. This is loosely the conversation that followed.
Me: Claire what do you think could have happened if you had continued to insist on getting your own way?
Claire: Get a spanking.
Me: (After a pause because I wasn't expecting that for some reason.) Okay, well yes you could have ended up getting a spanking but what else could have happened?
Claire then just blinks and looks at me with a completely blank expression on her face. What else could possibly happen her clueless blue eyes ask? Seeing her need to have some gaps in her knowledge filled I decided to go with leading questions to walk her through.
Me: Well, how do you think your sister would have felt if you had continued to pull on the ear plug and cord?
Claire: Still looking at me completely clueless.
I offer more help through a more direct question.
Me: Do you think your sister would have been happy if you kept doing that?
Finally, understanding dawns.
Claire: No, ma'am.
Me: Probably not. She probably would have gotten mad that you were trying to take it away from her. What could have happened if you had kept pulling on the cord?
The blank stare of utter cluelessness but she tries anyway.
Claire: A spanking??
Now, I'm trying to not laugh...it's like the child rearing equivalent to the Sunday School answer 'Jesus!'
Me: What do you think would have happened to the player if you had kept trying to grab it from Abby and she had kept trying to keep it from you? Doyouthinkitmaybeitcouldhavegottenbroken? (I finished in a rush because the clueless look was creeping back into her eyes)
Again illumination rises like the noon day sun. We wrapped up the conversation by agreeing that it would be better to wait for a turn to listen on her own than to demand that her sister share and risk said sister possibly being angry or breaking the thing all together.
Not bad but man...there were a couple of pit stops on that ride I wasn't prepared for :-)

My Five Senses

2011-06-12T17:45:00.000-05:00

See the saints gather for worship. Pentecost Sunday is celebrated in a joint service with friends from Iglesia Bautista Nueva Vida.

Hear the laughter of my children as they play...squeals of joy and happiness at being together.

Taste the goodness of fruit and the bounty of summer.

Feel the softness of bed and pillows during a lovely Sunday afternoon nap.

Smell a fresh cup of coffee enjoyed amid the peace that is home.

Flash Back Friday

2011-06-10T08:03:00.000-05:00

I started this blog almost four years ago. I've blogged just about anything and everything there is to blog about. Several years ago my sweet mother-in-law copied every post, complete with pictures, from that first year and hand bound it into a book. Then she did a follow up sequel. Those two little books are falling apart because the kids love to periodically pull them out and read them. (Say what you will about the awesomeness of the Kindle and the Nook but there still isn't anything quite like holding a treasured hardbound copy of something.)
The last couple of days they've toted the two special editions around with us everywhere. They've read over them in the car...sat on my bedroom floor and giggled over their stories...or gotten all comfy cozy on the couch and enjoyed the memories.
I think I may occasionally visit the archives and share a random old post on Fridays. Today I'm going to share a post from April of 2008 that was found worthy of retelling yesterday and caused much laughter. Who knows, if you haven't been with me from the beginning this may be your first read.

We are the House of Crud...our family crest is a porcelain toilet. Peek through the windows and you'll see Uber Dad prepared for battle with Clorox Clean Up in one hand and a mop in the other...his battle cry "She pooped where?!"

Mom soothes fevered brows and doles out teaspoon size goblets of ginger ale with a careful eye on the clock to make sure the required thirty and fifteen minutes of non-upchuckage is maintained with all diligence. The starter child...he who began the current plague...now roams freely having already cut a wide swath of destruction. Two more trail along after him...one oblivious to danger...jealous that others are receiving meds that surely must taste good because it's her favorite color...the other too young to understand anything but old enough to mimic the sounds coming from the bathroom...a fourth child ventures closer to the line of health...the fifth probably wishing a little less intimate knowledge of the family crest.

Oh, well...pardon the pun...but this too shall pass.
Thinking back on this and all I can say is...boy am I glad that's over!

Sweet Ginger

2011-06-09T07:05:00.000-05:00

No, not the herb. My friend Ginger...you may recall hearing her name when I've talked about my weight loss. She's the fabulous nurse that runs the program I'm using. She has single handedly made this one of the funniest experiences of my life. Not only is she genuinely excited for you but her encouragement and professionalism are like next level. She's really good at what she does because she really cares about the people she's helping.
She's also married to one of the sweetest guys you'll ever meet and together they have two of the cutest kids. Last night we got together for a family session in downtown Pensacola and it was so much fun hanging out with her family. And, to make it even greater...we got no rain but the awesome cloud cover kept the temps bearable.

Thank you Ginger...you have no idea what a blessing you've been to me. May God pour out an abundance of blessing on you and Charlie!

These Things We Know

2011-06-06T15:25:00.000-05:00

On Saturday I went to a few yard sales and found a neat old book for a nickel. Notes For Living was written by Presbyterian Pastor Raymond Irving Lindquist and published in 1968. I've enjoyed several of the notes originally written for the two congregations he ministered to, one in New Jersey and the other in Hollywood California.
I thought I would share one essay in particular that resonated with me. On some level we all struggle with fear of the unknown. There are times when we'd rather cling to our known sin rather that venture into the unknown depths of His grace. There is a twisted sort of pseudo comfort in the familiar...even familiar sin...that can pull and draw us away from diving head long into what may be required if we forsake the pet sin that we stroke and care for so tenderly and yield so completely to what is known only to Him.
Maybe that makes no sense to you and maybe I'm alone in this weird battle between the known and unknown. But maybe you'll still enjoy what Pastor Lindquist had to say in "What Has God Told Us".
'Life is divided between the unknown and the known, between mystery and revelation, between puzzle and disclosure, between darkness and light. Too often we are tempted to ignore the known and revealed, disclosure and light, and to live in the land of the unknown and mysterious, in the territory of puzzle and darkness.
We do not have enough knowledge or self control to live serenely in the dark. Only God, to whom nothing is secret, can survive the ultimate mystery. Moses told his people, "The secret things belong unto the Lord our God..." We should leave such secret things with Him.
But Moses did not stop there. He went on to say, "but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever." This is the place to live: in the clear light of what God has told us.
And what has God told us? He has said that He is alive and that the world is the scene of His creative and redemptive action, and that history is the garment of His grace. He has let us come to know Him. He is also letting us come to know ourselves...
But God not only lives. He loves. Love is His nature and love is His name. By night in a garden Jesus said to a ruler of the Jews, "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son..." It is in His love demonstrated in Christ that God makes Himself most clearly known. Nature cannot tell us of this love. Mountains and trees may whisper His name as Creator, but only the Cross can speak right out and say that God loves us. When we accept His divine love we receive His divine life. When we come to the Cross, Christ comes to us.
The God who lives and loves is also the God who has put Himself in the position of becoming a loser for our sake. He lost in the beginning when original man, given the power of choice, chose to disobey....He lost at Calvary when men crucified Jesus. But out of this loss came history's most important victory---the victory of the Cross.
These things we know."
What is unknown for me is known to Him...what is loss and battle for me is gain and victory in Him.

Sweetness

2011-06-03T10:27:00.001-05:00

I'm feeling a little spoiled lately.
My visit with Lori was so fun and just good.
Then there have been the sweet compliments from you all on our family pictures (Christine, yours really blessed me) and the encouragement with the diet and weight loss.
Then there's Rob. That man has a way of always making me feel beautiful and loved.
My kids. Watching them respond to the hard beauty of discipline during this beginning of our summer of truth, beauty and goodness strengthens my heart and levels the path we're walking.
This morning I came home from the gym and Abby and Claire had made me cards...
"Dear Mom, we hope you like your life water and apple. We did this because we love you. Hope you enjoy this!"
Not only had they laid out my water and fruit for me to enjoy but Abby had also gone outside and cut some greenery and put it in a vase. Claire had carefully chosen some of her favorite rocks from her collection to add to my place setting as well.
Yesterday, a friend came to visit for lunch and stayed for dinner, too.
Earlier this week I received a sweet little envelope in the mail all the way from New York. I've mentioned Roni several times here on the blog...her beautiful autumn images, the inspiration behind my reverse lens macro method. Lately she's been posting some stunning bird pictures. And by stunning, I mean gorgeous. One caught my eye that really showed her sense of humor and I commented how fun it would be as a card to share with someone who might be having a moment. Guess what was in that envelope from New York?

See why I'm feeling a wee bit spoiled? Some people might be tempted to say or think "You deserve this!" We have a tendency to think in these terms and because we love someone we think they should be happy and feel a little spoiled and loved.
But I don't deserve it. I'm humbled by the goodness and mercy that He showers on me everyday and the people He uses to do so.
So, thank you.

An Early Before and After

2011-06-02T07:55:00.000-05:00

I've been pretty frank about this whole diet thing I've been on since the end of January. Believe me, it wasn't my choice. I tried to do it on the down low...you know, start the program and just smile and nod when people would ask 'Hey, are you losing weight?' But God had other plans. A friend pointed out that being ~~fat~~ overweight isn't something we do privately. It's there for everyone to see. So, I decided that losing weight would be all out in front of everyone too.
That kind of honesty is good for me. I think it's been good for others in that it has encouraged them to face their own weight issues. I wish I was this way about all of my sin. (Yes, I'm drawing a straight line from my obesity to lack of self control, looking and drawing comfort and satisfaction from something other than Christ, and living too much in the present and instant gratification instead of eternally, the list is endless really. Draw your own line wherever you need to...laziness, gluttony, etc.)
I feel good. I have more energy. All the usual things that you hear everyone say when they've lost weight that equals the size of a small person. I've less than twenty pounds to go before I hit my goal weight. I've lost over fifty pounds. I officially weigh less now than I did when I married Rob twelve years ago. How cool is that?
My friend Lori started the diet a few weeks after me. She hit her goal weight last week and looks wonderful. You can go here and see her before and after picture. We did our weekly weigh in together this week and even though I still have a little more to go we did my before and after as well.

Ouch! Look at that Miss Piggy face of mine! It's so stark seeing yourself side by side like that. I am tempted to delete them and never let them see the light of day because they are embarrassing. But that's what I looked like...that's who I was.

I'm a little stuck on how to wrap this up and end the post so I'm just going to take one more look and go to the gym :-)

We Had Family Pictures Done

2011-05-31T13:49:00.000-05:00

Way back when Claire was just a little tyke not even walking Lori did some family pictures for us. We haven't had any since then so while she was here we planned to have her do them again. Well, actually I was thinking more along the lines of a couple's session with me and Rob but he was thinking more along the lines of a family session. Don't think he loves our family more...I just haven't reached my goal weight loss wise and figured we would do them when I was there.
But, we did them last night. So I thought I'd share a few (okay, probably more than a few) of my favorites with you. In no particular order, I present the Hadding family :-)
Lori did a set with each of the kids with their Daddy and always included them giving him a kiss...this is the result of telling Claire to 'Kiss your Daddy on his head'...next time we'll be sure to say 'Cheek. Kiss your Daddy on his cheek.'

Please note Sam's barely contained joy at having his picture taken. He was quite happy to be posing for this family shot rather than playing with all the lose rocks and bricks or running up and down the stairs. Really.

This pretty much speaks for itself I think.

She had us smooch a lot. It was fun.

We were a tad bit concerned for the reliability of the swing...it held but we got off as quickly as possible.

No romantic couple session but we still managed a few moments. The nature of parenthood, huh?

I think one of the biggest compliments a photographer can get is being told their clients had fun and enjoyed their session. It felt a little odd to be on this side of the camera but I actually enjoyed it and I did have a lot of fun. So, thank you Lloyd...a few of these will probably make it to our wall in the living room :-)

A New Milestone

2011-05-30T10:15:00.000-05:00

This started out as a rambling post about the challenges of setting expectations for children in general and how difficult that can sometimes be with a child on the autism spectrum.
You would have been bored. It was boring to write.
Let's just say that it is easier than normal to underestimate what your child is capable of when autism is a factor and leave it at that shall we? The other thing I will add is that in some areas we've been pretty good about setting the bar and expecting Sam to reach it and in other areas we, as a family, make things too easy for him.
So going hand in hand with our summer of truth, beauty and goodness is the season of manning Sam up.
Now in some ways Sam is all boy and pretty much registering right where he should be on the testosterone meter. Case in point:
"Hey Dad, I can burp the alphabet...wanna hear? My 'h' is the best."
But when it comes to work, hard physical labor, we've been pretty lax. And honestly, it's been that way just because it's easier and more convenient for us to do it ourselves rather that try showing him and then overseeing him while he does it until he reaches a point that he is capable of doing on his own.
An ugly little parenting confession I know, but you have them too so don't be judging :-)
We talk a lot about what Daddy does to provide for our family and what it means to be a husband and a father...as the only boy with two older sisters and two younger sisters we have to be more deliberate about these conversations. He's responsible for taking care of the trash and making sure it goes out each week along with the recycling bins. I usually have him cart around and move the flats of bottled water for me...you know just that kind of stuff.
Well, this past weekend his Daddy had him moving cinder blocks and toting them from the van to the house to the yard. And, here's the biggie....
Sam cut our ~~weeds~~ grass.
He's ten and I don't know what the normal age is for boys to do this kind of thing but it was a moment for me. (On a side note I'm experiencing a lot of these little bittersweet moments with the kids...they're all growing up so fast!)
Anyway, it was kind of a big deal and of course I took pictures. The boy in the background is my friend Lori's son, Gavin. He got to cut a few rows too...his Momma was taking pictures as well. I'm sure the neighbors thought we were crazy.

Daddy stayed close to help guide when necessary...

Everyone wanted to watch. Well, except for Abby who doesn't look to thrilled with the cards she'd been dealt.

It was hot sweaty work but you know what? When Rob was putting him to bed that night, Sam told him he wished every day could be like one.
Work is good. And my boy is going to be just fine.

Summer of Truth, Beauty and Goodness

2011-05-28T20:01:00.000-05:00

I've wrestled around in my head and tried to come up with several different ways to begin this post but the problem I'm having is that I'm trying to start a conversation that already began a couple of weeks ago. So, I'm really just throwing things out there that may not have any reference point for you. I'm not going to give a boatload of background to try and catch you up...it would take too long. Suffice it to say that in the ways of family and parenting and children and seasons of life we are undergoing a major change. It came to our attention, really Rob's, that things in our house were out of line...and just like a broken bone that needs to be set you don't just gently dance around and tug it back into place. You get a good grip and yank it back into place where it belongs.
It hurts.
But it also sets the bone so that it can heal and be whole again.
Too leave it, to ignore the break until it has had time to meld together in it's misshapen deformity, is to actually cause more pain and a worse process of re-breaking to begin the healing process.
It does hurt. But the pain isn't as bad as it could be or would be if we left things the way they are.
So, we are in what we affectionately term 'boot camp'. Everyone of us.
The kids.
Daddy.
Me.
Oh, my goodness am I in boot camp. How did I get so lax in having the children tow the line? When did I get so lax in towing the line?
There are moments when Rob is correcting the child for the wrong response to me because I have forgotten to correct them for their wrong response to me. Why do I tell them to do something and end with "Okay?" and when I want an unprompted "Yes, ma'am"?
Sweetly my husband has had to gently remind me not to intervene when he is dealing with one of them...to not interject so that I'm softening their disobedience or giving room to their sin.
To let go and step back. To let him be their father. To correct and discipline...to love them.
He's calling it the summer of truth, beauty and goodness.
The truth is that we are called to live differently. We are different parents, different siblings, different spouses because we serve a different God than the world. He is our God and we are His people and as such He tells us how we are to live.
But where is the grace?
I'm so weary of hearing this question from Christians, of reading it on every blog or article.
The grace is found in that truth is even revealed to us. The grace is found in the calling out to be different. The grace is being shown a standard and given the means to live in it.
It's not being taken off the hook...it's not making room for sin.
Do we need forgiveness? Absolutely.
Do we need mercy to reach down and help us to our feet when we fail and we're lying in a repentant heap on the ground? A resounding yes.
Do we need grace to find the path when we've wandered? Yes, and the grace is in the correcting and in being a ferocious enemy to each other's sin.
And, when we do it that way, His way, it's beautiful.
A family made up of people looking to serve one another, to love one another and work for the good of each other is beautiful. A family living out a rightly ordered life is beautiful.
From truth flows beauty and from beauty flows the goodness of a life lived in joyful submission to the King.

Further Observations From the Gym

2011-05-25T08:33:00.000-05:00

First, upon further study I have come to recognize that the tile remodel in the restroom of the gym is not so cheap looking. It's the cheap paint job. While I may not know much about laying tile, I am a little bit more knowledgeable about painting. My wonderful husband supported our young and growing family for many years by painting and I picked up quite a bit during that time. Like the fact that I really shouldn't paint walls ever. The walls in the bathroom look like I painted them.
The tile really is pretty though.
Second, Tuesday night must be bald tattooed mens club night. Seriously, lots of bald tattooed fellas egging each other on to see who could lift the most weight. They weren't overly loud or obnoxious or anything but you could tell from all the elbow poking, back slapping and occasional smirking that it was very much a one uppping contest taking place. It looks very different when women do this kind of challenge with each other. Miss so-and-so brings a double decker chocolate cake to the church super and Miss such-and-such will make a triple layered extra fudge cake the next time. I think there is much more communal benefit to the way we women do it, don't you?
Third, thank you Dancing With the Stars for keeping my horrified fascination on you rather than how long I was on the evil elliptical. I actually went over 3000 strides because I just couldn't look away. I didn't really know a body could bend that way and not break. And, exactly how little can a woman wear and still be considered dressed? Because I'm not sure what some of you were wearing really qualifies as clothing. I'm not going to say anything about Kirstie and her leggings...okay, I can't not say anything about Kirstie and her leggings. It's wrong. Leggings are not attractive when worn as actual clothing and not under something. On anyone. Even skinny people. That's all I'm not going to say about her clothing. I was impressed when I first heard that someone who has so publically struggled with weight issues would attempt to do that kind of show. But that paled in comparison last night to the fact that the woman is sixty years old!! Why does that seem so surprising to me? Maybe because she did a cartwheel on national television in a pair of leggings. One more thing Kirstie...whether or not we liked you or the ditzy and flaky characters you've always played, we've all suffered from moments of serious hair envy because of that gorgeous mane you've always worn. So what's up with that stringy mess last night? Keep the leggings if you must but please, brush your hair.
Fourth, there is no shame in doing less than a mile on the bike if you've just zoned out on the evil elliptical for almost thirty minutes.
At least that is what I'm telling myself.

The History of Pop Tarts and the F-Word

2011-05-20T09:47:00.000-05:00

There are some things from your childhood that just stick with you. A certain way of doing things...preparing a certain food...or saying something a particular way. It has been an endless source of amusement to friends and family alike that growing up in my home we were not allowed to say the f-word.

Of course the f-word was f*rt and I still have an involuntary gasp reaction when someone says it in front of me. Although Rob has no issue with it he does have the children respect my delicate sensibilities and they are only allowed to use it with him. Or in that moment that they gang up on me for entertainment purposes only.

This morning Claire enjoyed the treat of a certain breakfast confection that is a rare guest in our home.

Pop Tarts.

Which she promptly called Pop farts. (Do you see that? I actually spelled it out for you. My Mother is probably going to be calling me soon because everyone knows that momma radars never stop working and she has picked up on the fact that I typed out the f-word.)

Sam, my sweet boy that loves me, immediately began to urge Claire to "Change the subject! Change the subject!"

Oh, they make me laugh.

So, here's some interesting trivia about pop tarts. The were originally created by Post and called Country Squares. They were released in September of 1963 and were supposedly not to be placed anywhere near the cereal aisle but rather with the baked goods. For a variety of reasons the Post product didn't get much love from the public and it's arch rival, Kellogg's, stole the market out from under them with their version. And just so your pop tart education is complete, enjoy one of my favorite Brian Regan clips...

Sam's World

2011-05-19T10:38:00.000-05:00

What it looks like when Sam has an apple for a snack...

Hitting the Gym (Again)

2011-05-19T06:59:00.000-05:00

For our anniversary we joined the local gym. I guess when you reach a certain age flowers and chocolates drop a little lower on the must have list. Notice that I didn't say they drop off the list...they just get bumped down a little by more pressing (or flabby) concerns.
Anyway, last night was my first official workout and I thought I'd share some observations I made during this momentous outing.
The bathroom of course was my first stop. I mean I'm forty and I've delivered five children. The bathroom is always my first stop. I noticed right off that they've redone the restroom. I still don't plan on ever taking a shower there but I like the new tile. But then I started looking at the craftsmanship. It's only so so and granted I've never installed tile before so what do I really know but I'm thinking for what they're charging us a month they could have hired someone with a little bit more skill so it doesn't get called into question.
It seems that no matter how hard I've worked the last several months on my diet the elliptical machine can still kick what's left of my behind. I managed a whole five minutes before I-totally-planned-to-only-do-five-minutes-cos-it's-my-warm-up nonchalantly stepped off the evil thing. I will keep at it though and plan to be up to a whole ten minutes in a couple of months.
To the ultra slim and in shape woman who practically ran for thirty five minutes straight on the evil elliptical? Show off.
Loved riding the bike but wish there had been something more interesting to watch on one of the gazillion tv's pointed at me. Okay, it was more like six televisions but did they all have to be tuned in to the exact same basketball game? The music wasn't horrible which is saying something.
Thighs, I believe, are not lethal weapons. Doing 180 lbs on the thigh adductor machine is not natural. It pretty much guarantees that I will be scared and run away from you if I happen to see you. I'm really glad this machine faces a wall otherwise it would be pretty embarrassing and horribly inappropriate. I'm thinking I had flashbacks to giving birth though.
I'm really sorry for counting out loud under my breathe while doing the abdominal flattener thing. I'm trying to do sets of fifteen but it's hard to remember to breathe and keep count in my head at the same time. You'll be amused to know that each set is assigned a body part upon completion. Set one is my right foot...set two is my left, hands, head, etc. It's the only way I can keep track of how many sets I've done. I'm positive I couldn't do this on anything that required me to stand as I would more than likely trip over my own feet.
I've also discovered that there are at least two new workout pieces of equipment that I will only make use of when there is hardly anyone present at all.
One is this nifty row like apparatus. I think I'll like it but right now I've got this really jerky rhythm...it feels like I'm learning to drive a stick shift with all the stops and starts.
Then there is this beast called Jacob's ladder. Which is complete and utter mortification just waiting to happen as far as I'm concerned. It functions like an escalator that you ride practically on all fours. Dangerous and worth avoiding I think.
I finished my workout and stepped outside, took a deep breathe and inhaled the scent of pizza.
Seriously?
There should be some kind of zoning law about restaurants not being within something like, oh twenty miles of an exercise establishment don't you think?

Thoughts On Hospitality

2011-05-18T13:05:00.000-05:00

We frequently have people in our home and consequently I get asked a lot of questions about hospitality. Or the head shaking I-just-don't-know-how-you-do-it comment. Whether it's mom's group each week, friend's from out of town or people just over for dinner it can make life kind of hectic but we love it.
I think the beginning of our journey down the road of hospitality started because Rob was stepping into the ministry. One of our major conversations when he was first asked to become an elder centered around our home always being ready to receive visitors. As a momma with three young ones under the age of five and another one on the way it was daunting to say the least. But I understood the necessity so I tried my best to make it so with varying degrees of success. This is where I think 'If only I knew then what I know now!' because I am far wiser than that twenty something homemaker.
One thing I've learned is that hospitality is just as much about the spirit and attitude of your heart and home as the physical aspects. It took me many years and more than a few tears to realize that Martha Stewart I'm not. Actually, I think it was more the realization that how to shows and articles are great for inspiration but they happen in a vacuum...life isn't really be lived.
Another thing I've found important to keep in mind is Proverbs 17:1. Better is a dry morsel with quiet
than a house full of feasting with strife.
I've always pictured this to mean that even a measly slice of bread served with peace is better than a full meal with contention. And while that's true, 'dry morsel' is actually rendered old and moldy...or as John Gill put it, a piece of bread that has lost it's taste and virtue. So, there's a little more to the concept than just a humble piece of bread. If I get so wrapped up in the details and forget the spirit of hospitality (literally to share the Spirit of God) then I'm not really practicing hospitality. Humble fare does come into it though. While we do want to be generous hosts' it would certainly be foolish to break the bank and be poor stewards of God's provision just to entertain. In my opinion, this is where the art of presentation comes into play. The simplest of foods can be served in a manner so pleasing as to be on par with a gourmet feast. (With the possible exception of beanie weenies.)

I won't lie, hospitality can be hard work. Work goes into the preparation, there is work in the midst of it and there is certainly work in the after part as well. But I think there is work no matter whether you are the one extending the hospitality or the one receiving it.
Our wonderful friends left yesterday to head back to Jacksonville after being with us for almost a week. As a family of ten can you imagine the work that goes into getting them here?! Then keeping up with all their stuff in the midst of trying not to impose and encroach on us...that is quite a feat. And, one I will say they accomplish with great skill. One of the reason it's so easy to have the Culbertson's come visit with us...squeezing seventeen people into our not so big house...is because they work hard to accept our hospitality with gracious respect.
After they left I spent the day cleaning and putting our house back into order...back to our normal. It was hard work. You don't have thirteen children, seven of which are boys, running around playing and not have things get messy. But I can tell you in complete and total honesty that every dirty hand or foot print that had to be washed off a wall was worth it. Every extra load of dishes that needed washing or laundry that needed to be done was a joy because we'd had sweet fellowship with friends.
Being afraid of the work that goes into hospitality means you miss a lot of simple joys that come from living in community with each other. This past week we would have missed out on a graduation...

Sweet, sweet new baby love...

And the preciousness that comes with enjoying food together...

This is the heart of true hospitality...Proverbs 14:4
Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean,
but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.
The extra work is worth it whether in the coming or going, giving or receiving. Because a house could be pristine clean and utterly devoid of laughter and memories. I don't know about you but that's not the kind of house I want to live in.

Letter R Runner-Up

2011-05-15T07:37:00.000-05:00

I usually go through several ideas for each letter as I work on the theme for my 52 Weeks project. I liked the concept I had for this one but didn't execute it well enough I felt to make it part of the alphabet series. The one I did choose can be found here.)
So I thought I'd share it here...the advantage to having more than one blog :-)

It's Never Boring

2011-05-14T10:14:00.000-05:00

This morning I woke up before everyone else and actually got to enjoy a quiet cup of coffee lazily scanning facebook and flickr. Not bad for a Saturday morning, eh?

Since then we've lost power which made it abundantly clear that I am a failure as a housekeeper. Hello? When the power goes out ceiling fans stop rotating. And when ceiling fans stop rotating...well, let's just say that I obviously never turn my ceiling fans off to you know, do stuff like dust them.

Yeah, gross.

I'm glad the power came back on. But mainly so I could have another cup of coffee. Oh, and the fan did get cleaned too. I wonder if I should have checked the one in my bedroom?

Nah. Let's just go with that whole out of sight out of mind concept, shall we?

Claire isn't feeling well. Running a fever and general blah-ness. Hopefully no one else will come down with it. And a big hopefully that it will stay as a fever running bug only. No barfing please.

I bought a new headband at the store yesterday. I had a perfect one that never hurt my head or felt uncomfortable but it has disappeared. Actually, I think the same person that broke into my house a couple of months ago and stole the only wedding photo I had of me and Rob is probably wearing it while they sit around and cross stitch a Florida lighthouse using the pattern I had bought as a gift for my talented mother-in-law that mysteriously disappeared too. (Can you tell I'm a little bitter about my wedding picture...it literally was just gone one day. Rob keeps telling me it will turn up but I've done a pretty thorough search and so far it hasn't.)

Anyway, about the new headband. I don't like it. It feels weird and is generally a waste of my three dollars. (Yes, I will pay three dollars for a headband if it is wearable. Judge me if you have too.) I offered to let my friend's daughter try it on in case she liked it. I said something along the lines of,

"Yeah, see if you like it because I didn't like the way it felt on my head."

To which my sweet fevered Claire responded with,

"I guess your head is just too fat."

And here I thought this whole diet thing was paying off.

Random Emotionalism

2011-05-12T09:16:00.000-05:00

I was talking with a sweet friend about our emotions and the sometimes difficult task of keeping them in control and not in the driver's seat of our lives. We are a feeling people and that's good because God made us that way. But as with all God's gifts we must exercise self control so that we are able to enjoy them to their fullest. Besides, our emotions can change on a dime and we feel a hundred different things through out our day.
Allow me to share just a few of the emotions that I have felt this morning...keeping in mind that as I type this it is only 9:20 am.
Suspicion: A study was released several years ago that said the bathroom stall closest to the entrance of a public bathroom is the cleanest one. This morning as I made my way into the restroom at Walmart I was quite happy to see the first stall available. But my normal mental fist pumping 'yes!' was tempered this day by thoughts of conspiracy. What if 'they' just made that up? What if their dastardly plan is to tell all of us those first stalls are the cleanest so that they can keep the real clean toilets in the back all to themselves?
Something to think about, isn't it?
Frustration: I really don't care if Beyonce has gotten herself some newly enhanced female attributes. Nor am I really dying to know if William and Kate have postponed their honeymoon because a baby is on the way. Or whether or not Angie is cheating on Brad with a girl. Or why the bachelor and his chosen sweetheart are breaking up. But I now have all this ridiculous and worthless knowledge inside my head thanks to a very slow checkout girl and the tabloid covers that surround the register.
Cynicism: Related to the above. Not even kidding...the magazine has a picture of some sort of military aircraft carrier in the middle of some ocean. A big yellow arrow points to a spot with the words "Osama's body dumped here!"
Sadness: All the pretty flowers that didn't sale over Mother's Day weekend are beginning to fade and wither.
Anticipation: This was a completely spontaneous response to finding a jar of butterscotch caramel sauce and considering how it will taste in carmelitas this weekend.
Thankfulness: For wonderful friends. The know-your-garage-door-code kind of friends that bring a lot of noise and laughter to your home.
Amazement wrapped in shades of stupidity: This delightful emo combo is what you feel upon realizing that the decorative pattern on the very back seat of your van is actually not just there for looks. Rather it is handy little hook/loop thingies that will hold the handle of your grocery bags so that groceries don't go rolling all under the seats. You will also feel this when, after owning and using your Keurig for several months, someone comes along and shows you that the part that holds the water actually detaches from the machine for ease in filling. You know...so you don't have to fill bottles of water and spill it all over the counter whilst pouring it into the coffee maker.
Excitement: The friends that made me feel thankful? I get to take their lovely family's pictures this weekend!
Amused confusion: This is the type of amusement I felt as I listened to my son eagerly ask for the opportunity to clean up the poop from our visiting friend's dog. Go figure.
Love: My wonderful husband. (Imagine a contented happy sigh and a smile here.)
Exhaustion: Wiped out by the multitude of emotions already felt this day. (Not really but I couldn't think of a witty way to end this post :-)

The Hitchhiker

2011-05-11T11:09:00.000-05:00

Gabe picked up a passenger...