Slacker

So I have been a serious slacker in the blogging business. My excuse is the Beth Moore study that we are going through at my church. It (and God too) has invaded my life. It's a good thing. I am learning a ton. Hey, maybe I could invite Beth over to help me fold the 5 loads of laundry on my couch ... hee hee ... or finish all of the sewing projects I have floating around in my mind, or, or, or, etc. "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." -Matt 6:34. This verse has brought me much comfort lately. I actually even memorized it. The laundry will get folded, the bathroom will get clean and I will someday make a skort (don't laugh Michaela!) and a skirt for Sage! But right now I am going to go and spend some quality with my husband : )

Whatever Works

So I have to confess that I think about cleaning our bathroom a whole lot more than any cleaning actually occurs. Usually I wait until I absolutely can't stand it anymore and then I dive in and an hour or so later a clean bathroom emerges. As I was in our dirty bathroom the other night I had just enough time to clear the clutter off the counter and wipe it off with a wet washcloth. Not disinfected, I know, but it looked better. But then I thought, what if I invested in some of those disinfecting/cleaning wipes so that when I get a free moment I could just wipe down the counters, sink, etc.? Genius! I know it's not the traditional way of cleaning, and it's not the cheapest, but I actually think the bathrooms will stay cleaner this way. So, the wipes work for me, what works for you?

A Poem

While on our walk today Sage was trying to say something to me ... at first I thought she said, "I'm cute." Then I thought I heard, "I'm free." After some frustration, Sage pulled her sunshade back (on the jogger) and yelled,"I'm PEACE! That means I am happy." At first I started to explain that we don't really use the word "peace" like that, but then I started to think that it was a pretty fun statement. And then I started to think that it sounded like a pretty good poem.

First Poem
by Sage, age 3

I'm
Peace

Just have to laugh

This week has been the week of late nights. It started with one night staying up too late watching a show or blogging or emailing and then it turned into 4 nights in a row and then mom is tired and has no patience -- duh! Get some sleep!
So, despite going to bed late (again) last night, I was determined to go to the gym this morning and get back on track -- whatever that means. I was out the door by 6:30 a.m. . Not bad, but I didn't make any coffee to drink and I forgot the iPod, but, oh well, off I go. I turned the corner into the gym parking lot, all the while noticing there weren't any cars around. Hm ... this is odd. I parked my car and made my way to the gym's front door. There was a sign and it read, "We will not be opening the gym until 8:00 a.m. on 9/14 due to electrical problems." Are you kidding me? I literally laughed out loud -- at myself, at the situation, at how tired I was, at the fact that I could have been home sleeping. So, tonight I am going to bed early and sleeping in (until the kids wake up, that is)!

Nine Eleven

Today is 9/11. The day, 6 years ago, that some 3,000 people died from the direct actions of 19 men. 19 men killed 3,000 people ...

My radio alarm clock went off at its normal time of 6:30 a.m. I was still half-asleep but the DJs on the radio seemed frantic and worried. "The World Trade Center has been attacked," is all I heard. Was I still asleep? After Ryan and I recognized what was going on we rushed to the television. The images of the burning buildings are still right there in my mind. How much more so are they in the minds of those who lost a loved one on this very sad day?

Ryan reminded me just this morning that it was 9/11 and in the busyness of my day I didn't think about it until I finally sat down tonight and saw the date as it appears on a blog after someone posts a comment ... September 11, 2007. Oh, that's right, it's 9/11. Ryan said they were showing images from the burning twin-towers on the news this morning. We weren't sure if that was the best way to memorialize the day ... I am sort of speechless about this topic. It just makes me sad to think of the many lives lost because of hatred, greed and sin. And it also reminds of just how long we have been at war ... 6 years ... and so many more lives have been lost, on both sides of the battle field. Oh, how God must be crying over our weak attempt to be powerful and mighty and #1.

Good Habits

I finally did it! I went to the store and used my re-usable grocery bag. I have about 10 of them from trips to TJ's or Von's, but I purchased those the same time I bought my groceries, so that was a no-brainer. This time I had to put the bags in my car and then remember to get them out of the car when I got to the store. And I did it! I hope I can make a habit out of this.

Translating Seeds

A student from a local boarding school has been staying with us for the past 9 days. She goes back to school tomorrow, but today she got to experience church for the first time (I think). She speaks pretty good English and can read almost anything, but that wasn't really the issue. We were singing praise songs (not hymns) and I was translating what they meant (or I was trying my best to). Such words that we take for granted knowing like, heaven, praise, reign, almighty, etc, were some of the few that I was attempting to explain. I can enjoy the songs only because I know their meaning, intent and melody. To an outsider they must appear ... um ... confusing and maybe even wacky. So, I want to think that some seeds were planted in the translation process, but in my finite brain I am thinking, "Yeah right!" Thankfully God is bigger than me and my feeble attempt to translate his glory to a young girl, who before this morning, didn't even know heaven existed.

Blogging & The Heat

I think there is a correlation between blogging and the heat. Um ... let's see ... when it's hot, people don't blog. That is my genius conclusion today. It is hot and I finally decided to open up the computer only to see that the postings are only crawling in at a pace of maybe 2/day. I know why. I have no energy to sit and type about how hot it is. Well, I guess I have some time.

Why I love blogging ...

I love to write. As mentioned in my very first blog, I have kept a journal since the young age of 8. So, naturally I love blogging because I love to write. But blogging has become much more for me. With kids running around and a household to manage there isn't a lot of time to pick up the phone and chat with friends. But, I can log onto my computer and see what all of my friends are up to, and they can comment on my happenings and I on theirs and poof! We are connected! I love the sharing that occurs within the blogging world. From recipes to toddler troubles, we seem to cover all of it. Blogging is my daily adult conversation, which as we know, is very important when you have little ones running around and Dora songs stuck in your head. So, here's to blogging (hold up whatever glass is near you -- be it a 12pm Martini or a sticky-rimmed sippy cup). Cheers! Cheers!

Unicorns

Lost

Yeah! We finished watching the 2007 season of Lost. Last summer Ryan had downloaded the 2006 season onto his computer and we got hooked. So we decided to do the same thing this summer. We had a couple of marathon nights ... watching more than 2 episodes in a row and going to bed way past the time that our old-parent bodies allow. And last night we finished off the season by watching 4 episodes in a row! It, of course, ended in a cliffhanger, but that was to be expected. We are even tempted to watch the first episode when it airs in January 2008. But Grey's Anatomy and Desperate Housewives will be going strong by then, so we will probably just have to wait. What would we do without T.V.? I know, I know, we would all be fine, but it's still fun to keep up on all of these fictional characters with fun and interesting fictional lives.

More happy thoughts...

While I was waiting for my dentist appointment this morning I read something interesting about our happiness. The author of the article I was reading commented that the state of happiness lasts longer when we share our happy events with others. At first I was like, huh? And then all of my blogging friends came into mind ... I think we share a lot of joy within the blogging world. When funny things happen, we jot them down as best we can and click "publish post," and make others smile, and no doubt, ourselves too. So keep passing along the joy : )

Laughter

Laughter heals. I am sure somebody has made that statement before. And if not, I am going to make it here. This past week we have been through a rollercoaster of emotions. Our church is in somewhat of a broken state. But God is prevailing. A week ago we were all crying. Yesterday at church we laughed -- a lot! It felt good to laugh. The pain and lasting effects of regretted actions are still there, but through laughter and God's amazing grace the healing process has begun. What an amazing God we serve who created humans to have the ability to feel such pain and such joy all within days of each other.

Hume Lake

I love being up here at Hume Lake. Maybe it's all the beautiful pine trees and that wonderful pine tree smell. Maybe it's the fact that I don't have to cook or clean for the week. Maybe it's seeing 1000+ students standing during chapel, raising their hand to God in praise. Maybe it's late night talks with Sage ....

Sage: Mommy, how is daddy duck doing (back home) ?
Mom: Good, I think.
Sage: Mommy, how is mommy duck doing with Jesus? (she died a while back)
Mom (smiling in the dark): Good, I think.
Sage: I just love Jesus Mom. I love to talk to him ... to tell Him stories ...

Maybe I love Hume Lake because it's a chance to relax and see and hear God everywhere and marvel at His amazing grace. Or maybe I love being at Hume Lake because the kids go to bed so late that we get to sleep in!! I guess it's all of the above. Needless to say, we are having a wonderful time up here.

Pictures

I know there is a reason we moms and dads take so many pictures. It is to capture the moments we don't want to forget, and sadly, I have probably forgotten so many already. I have recently been uploading our pictures onto Flickr so if my computer crashes at least they will be "somewhere" in cyberspace. As I was uploading some old pictures I couldn't help but smile at some of them ....

Darren & Aspen, July 2007 (Aspen 18 mos old)

Darren & Sage, March 2005 (Sage 9 months)

Day 7 & Tired (but doing good)

Ryan has been gone a week from tomorrow and we have been keeping busy but now I am just tired. I got back from L.A. today and the girls and I declared it a Movie Night. We put blankets and pillows on the floor, I made popcorn and we watched Nemo (minus the scary parts). This morning I was toting Aspen around on my hip and I asked, "Where did Aspen go?" I think mommy needs to get some Zzzzz. But all is well. I just need a night of good sleep : )

Goodbye Thumper

My mom in-law has to put her horse Thumper to sleep today. He is 30 years old and has lived a full life. And we know that and yet death is so final and so hard to accept. Sage says that Thumper is going to be with Jesus. We said our goodbyes the other day. Thumper is the first horse that Sage touched (as an infant) and then rode as a toddler. We are sorry for this loss.

World Travelers

Ryan and his team are off to Hungary tomorrow to lead camp for missionary kids. He will be gone for 10 days. Tomorrow I am off on a bit of my own world traveling ... okay, so I can't call myself a world traveler, but packing up the kids and driving a couple of hours south (through L.A. traffic) definitely feels like a lot of work, so I am going to pat myself on the back there. Hopefully the busy schedule that I have planned out doesn't exhaust myself or the kiddos. Bon Voyage!

A good argument.

Sage is always coming up with good arguments. I ask her to do one thing and she explains why she doesn't need to do it, or why Aspen should do it, or better yet, why I should do it. Sometimes I even have to laugh and say, "Well, I guess you are kinda right." Which leads me to the question: Where do we draw the line between squashing our kids' sense of arguing and problem solving and letting them run the house? Sometimes I just want to be able to ask my kids to do something without having to explain it or without getting some certain toddlers advice on how it could be done better. Lately I have been trying to listen to the arguments first instead of just saying, "No buts." "But, but, but Mom!" It's really hard though, especially when you are trying to get out of the house and nothing is going right. My motto this morning was, "Listen, think, then speak."

Camping

I have camped probably since before I was born. It's just how our family vacationed all growing up. So, to Ryan's great surprise, I didn't know where to put the leveling boards for the trailer tires (in front of the tires or in back) and I wasn't much help with any of the other "setting up the trailer" stuff. I also didn't even realize that my dad's trailer (we borrowed it) didn't have a stove. I had always envisioned one, and maybe they talked about getting one, but alas, there we were at dinner time, with two frozen pizzas and only a gas range to cook them. So, we created out own stove with some tinfoil and a frying pan. Then it started to smell like burnt popcorn ... We were able to save one of the pizzas, but Ryan unhooked the truck and drove to get us some real dinner -- Taco Bell! Hahaha. Despite the few hiccups we really had a fabulous time. And the kids were being watched by grandparents, so what little hiccups we had were really nothing at all but a good laugh and will be great memories to laugh at later.