Eleven Tidbits

If I could sum up today in one word, it would be LAZY.  With our guests gone and the first big part of my parents' move over, I felt all entertained-out and could hardly summon up the motivation to do anything.  So I did very little - almost nothing, really.  I didn't even cook dinner, because it was Jeff's annual end-of-the-year barbershop dinner out, at Wood Grill Buffet (at which the boys behaved beautifully and I had a lovely time chatting with Jenny).  I wouldn't want every day to be a lazy day (and no one else in my family would want me to have lazy days all the time either!); but for today, it was SO nice to relax and not worry about accomplishing much.

I did, however, start a project that I'd been wanting to do for a while but had pushed aside until a rainy day, so to speak.  (It did, as a matter of fact, rain a little bit here today, so I happened to choose an appropriate day for this rainy day project.)  :)  I have a basket-like file box, with hanging file folders in it.  Although some parts of it were in fairly good order, others were not; and it needed a good going-over to get the whole thing organized.  It was one of those things that I thought "this is going to take a LONG time" and "I'd better do this when I have some alone time so I won't be distracted by the boys."  But as it turns out, I was able to nearly finish the project today; and much of my time spent working on it was also spent in the company of one or more boys.  Even Shav cooperated wonderfully, and played peacefully by himself in the living room, occasionally scooting over to me to see what was going on.  I would hand him papers to be discarded, and sometimes he would crumple them and enjoy the noise, and other times, he would scoot over to the little trashcan and put the papers in it.  So helpful.  :)

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Speaking of Shav putting things in the trashcan...

We use that little trashcan, during cold weather, to collect paper and burnable trash for kindling for the woodstove.  Shav enjoys making random deposits in it; and when I pull out the trash to burn, I've learned to always check through it to see what he might have put in it.  These are some of the items I've found so far this fall and winter:
~ a spoon
~ Christmas ornaments
~ Scoop, the yellow tractor from Bob the Builder
~ a wooden spatula
~ bullet shells (the big boys like to play with old bullet shells, setting them up on end like toy soldiers)
~ a stencil
~ a large sieve
At least the sieve was easy to spot when I lifted the lid of the trashcan.  :)

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As I went through my file folders today, I found the folders I have for Medical Records for each of us.  One thing stood out to me about them:  our folders for the boys are so thin.  I discovered a new cause for gratitude...thank You, God, that my boys have been so healthy, and consequently, their folders are so thin!

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We received news a few days ago that dear Helen Rae, the mother of long-time family friend Mary Faith, passed away.  She was quite old and had been losing the battle with dementia for some years, so it was one of those deaths that is, in many ways, a relief.  But still, grief lingers.

It was poignant tonight to discover in my Wedding folder, a letter Helen Rae, always gracious, had sent to my parents shortly after my wedding.  It said in part:

What beautiful memories you have to treasure in your heart of your lovely Davene, from the time she was conceived until now.  And of course, it doesn't stop here!  Your joys are multiplied.  I'm praying that Jeff will be as sensitive to your needs and Davene's, as Jerry has been to ours.  That, indeed, is expecting a lot!  

I have never seen lovelier invitations.  I almost feel that I have been a part of it  all.  Mary Faith filled me in on all the details which you had planned so carefully.  How dear that your mother was able to attend.

It's apparent that her prayers for Jeff to be sensitive to my needs and my parents' have been abundantly answered!

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Once upon a time, I wrote a post of confessions.  It's time to add another one.

I know I'm supposed to brown meat before I cook it in the crockpot.  Roasts, Swiss steak, pork chops, whatever - they're all supposed to be browned on the stove first because it makes the flavor richer (or something).  But I don't do it.  Nope, I use the crockpot so I can be a lazy cook; and the thought of browning the meat first (and getting a frying pan all dirty and greasy, making an extra dish for me to wash) defeats the purpose in my opinion.  Maybe the flavor suffers a tiny bit; but really, if you did a blind taste test, do you think you'd be able to figure out which roast was browned and which wasn't?  I think making a great-tasting roast has more to do with the seasonings you put on it.  That's just my {humble, of course} opinion.  :)

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How do people find your blog?

Every once in a while, various bloggers that I keep up with will mention what searches brought people to them; and it's always interesting and frequently hilarious to read.  Now that Blogger has added a handy-dandy stats button, I occasionally look at mine and am able to see how people found me.  Most are very straightforward, but a few make me grin and/or shake my head in puzzlement.  Searches like these actual ones I've seen recently...

~ around my bubble
~ mother in law visits are too long (for the record, I don't think they are, but I can see why a search for that would lead to my blog)
~ maternity shop tel aviv
~ i'll go to bed now
~ avniel pronunciation
~ a thank you note from god to a grieving fisherman family
~ geriatric story nursing home story oh holy night
~ tomcat holy ghost (really?  what in the world?  I actually had to look this one up to discover what it led to...sure enough, it landed on this post...oh, yeah, I forgot about that)

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This is the way Jeff and I show love to each other these days:  whoever goes up to bed first turns on the other's electric blanket.  ;-)  It's so comforting to crawl into a nice warm bed, rather than the sheets which always used to feel frigid on winter nights.

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Why does it seem like I'm always the one to discover that there's not much toilet paper left on the roll?  Occasionally when I spot a roll that looks close to the end, I'll think, "Oh, I'll pull out a fresh roll later."  But I've learned that it's best to do it right then, because if not, inevitably I will be the one left in an uncomfortable predicament.  Why does that happen to me?   Maybe the system of justice in the universe demands that my procrastination will have negative consequences.  Or maybe it's just because I'm the only female in this household, so maybe I use the most toilet paper.  ;-)

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Do not depend on the hope of results... You may have to face the fact that your work will be apparently worthless and even achieve no result at all, if not perhaps results opposite to what you expect.  As you get used to this idea, you start more and more to concentrate not on the results, but on the value, the rightness, the truth of the work itself.

~ Thomas Merton

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Tomorrow, if I happen to have more energy than today, I think we'll start taking down our Christmas decorations.  The boys want us to leave our tree up indefinitely, but that idea has been vetoed.  I love their enthusiasm though.  :)  Doesn't it seem like it was the beginning of December just the other day and we were putting our decorations up?  And now we're taking them down already!  How does that happen?!  :)

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The chain of cause and effect which makes up human life, is bisected at every point by a vertical line relating us and all we do to God.

~ Baron Von Hugel,

quoted in an Elisabeth Elliott devotional

In a World of White...

...I notice colors.  The blue of Tobin's hat, coat, and snow pants.  The orange of our sled.

 

Most of all, the pink of his lips and his sweet, kissable rosy cheeks.  In the past two days, since the snow started falling, I've had the privilege of thrice being Tobin's companion out of doors.  We've shoveled snow, eaten it, tromped around in it, eaten more of it, gone sledding in it, made a snow angel in it, and eaten even more of it.  Can you tell what Tobin's favorite thing about the snow is?

Ah, here's another color I love these days:  the brown of the delicious hot chocolate we make every time we return to the house from our adventures outside. What better way to warm up than with this liquid love?

I grew up drinking my mom's homemade hot chocolate, so of course, no other kind tastes quite as good to me.  Here is the recipe we've always used:

Hot Chocolate Mix

1 box (8 qts.) dry milk

1 bag (1 lb.) powdered sugar

1 and 1/2 c. (6 oz.) nondairy coffee creamer

16 oz. Nestle's Quik

Mix well.  Makes 1 gallon dry mix.  To serve, mix 1/3 c. of mixture with 1 c. hot water.  Top with marshmallows, of course!

My boys sometimes choose colored marshmallows.  For me?  Always white.  After all, they match the snow that way.  Well, until they get dunked in the hot chocolate.  ;-)

Fans. Big Fans. Faithful Fans.

We've been having some issues with our computer--or rather, our Internet connection.  It's eye-opening to realize how cut-off-from-the-world I feel when forced to go even a short amount of time without checking email or blogs!

But this interval of computer trouble had an unexpected benefit, in the form of an endearing moment involving my dad.  The phone rang this afternoon; and when I answered, his voice said, "I thought maybe you would want Mother to come up and keep your boys so you could come down here and get on the Internet and blog."  I laughed a little (was he feeling so deprived already, even though my latest blog post had been posted just a little over 24 hours previously??), but in all seriousness I appreciated his offer--not just because I was grateful for my parents' willingness to help out in that way, but more so because it showed how much they value my blog.  Besides Jeff, my parents are my biggest fans, not only with the blog, of course, but with all of life.  They've been that way for years, and I could write pages about how they showed their support to me in all my various endeavors during my growing-up years (and since then).  But even though I'm all grown-up at 34, I still care deeply about their opinion, and the fact that both my mom and my dad eagerly read my blog--and miss it when I don't post--means so much to me.

Not only are they right at the top of the list when it comes to my biggest fans, I want to return the favor by being their biggest fan, too.   It's easy to be their fan.  I'm confident that it's well-documented in this blog how close and special the relationship between the eight of us (my family of six, and my parents) is.  I don't want to present a false appearance though:  our family has its share of dysfunction, just like every family.  But the more I see and hear about the incredibly deep pain and heartache that so many families go through, the more grateful I am for the life I've been given.

As president of my parents' fan club :), I'm excited about an event that is coming up in just two days:  a retirement reception for my dad.  The planning process has been helped along by so many people, and I definitely don't have the full weight of it on my shoulders; but it has required an extra amount of my time and attention this week.  Between that and our Internet issues, I feel like the blog has suffered a little...but oh well. Life goes on.

To end with, my latest recipe at The Foodie Spot is something that everyone in my family (especially my dad!) is a huge fan of.  I wish I had one with a tall glass of milk right now.  Yum.  Maybe I'll dream about it tonight.  :)

Modern Luxuries

As I traveled up to northern Virginia two days ago, I had lots of time in the car to think.  For the most part, Josiah and David were quietly occupied in the backseat with books; and both Tobin and Shav slept for part of the drive, going and coming.  That gave me time to contemplate all kinds of topics.  Like...

Isn't it amazing that some of the biggest dilemmas we face are all a result of the abundance and freedom and luxury in which we live?  If we had lived one or two hundred years ago, or if we lived now but in a different country, we would probably not ever have to deal with the challenges that seem so pressing in our modern life.  For example...

How much time and energy have I exerted, trying to figure out what to do with all our stuff??  I consider my family to be fairly frugal and not overly concerned about material possessions; but regardless, our closets and dressers are filled to overflowing with clothes, our bookshelves sag beneath the weight of our beloved books, the boys do crafts and write on papers that pile up, their toys seem to reproduce at a staggering rate.  I do not know what to do with all our stuff.  And this is not a unique dilemma:  no, in this day and age in this country, the accumulation of stuff is an epidemic, necessitating the building of more storage units and the writing of numerous books and articles on home management.  Not only are there tragic (shocking!) stories of people who actually filled their homes with so much clutter that they perished in the debris, but there is also a terrible amount of stress that we deal with daily, just because of all our stuff.  This is a direct result of luxury.

Or here's another example:  the abundance of food that we have in this country, resulting in a huge (no pun intended) problem with obesity.  The pioneers didn't have to worry about dieting; in fact, at times, they were just grateful to have anything to eat.  Countless people around the world right now never have to give a second thought to whether to follow the South Beach diet or Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig or the Cookie diet (what??).  They don't have to think about the strategy of using a smaller plate so you'll eat less...or leaving a few bites of food on your plate to keep from consuming those calories...or chewing slowly so your body will think you're full sooner.  They don't have to try to figure out how to fit a gym membership into the budget...or time for exercising into the schedule.  How much anxiety is expended in our country because of food choices and weight battles?  Another direct result of luxury.

On a different note, we even live in unprecedented luxury when it comes to the Bible.  Never before have so many Bibles been so readily available to so many people.  If I counted the number of Bibles here in our house right now, I'm sure I could easily get to 50; and that's not even taking into account the incredible resources online that I can access with the click of a mouse.  When I think about the history of the Bible and the people who literally gave their lives for it and the people who right now are living in parts of the world where religious freedom is nonexistent and who would dearly love to have a Bible of their very own, I am stunned by my own lack of gratitude.  I realize, too, that many of the arguments that we spiritually-minded Americans engage in are only possible because of the luxury we have.  Take the KJV-only debate:  does a Christian who lives in China and has never had a Bible care which version is placed in his hands?  Or consider the whole which-church-should-I-go-to quandary:  when Charles and Caroline Ingalls (and so many other pioneers) lived close enough to a town to actually participate in worship services, did they say, "Oh, they're Calvinists.  We can't worship with them."  Of course not!  Apparently, we think our luxury gives us a license to argue and bicker and debate the most minute points of theology.

All of these dilemmas (what to do with stuff, how to lose weight, and which church to be a part of) are a very real part of my life these days.  I'm humbled when I realize that the fact that I even have these dilemmas shows just how luxurious my life really is.

Meanwhile, as I ponder these perplexities, I also stop to appreciate other little luxuries I'm blessed by:

~ a spontaneous picnic lunch in the backyard on a beautiful fall(ish) day

~ putting flannel sheets on the bed for the first time in the fall (well, it's almost fall)...I can hardly wait to go to bed tonight!  :)

~ being able to go to the store and buy cilantro so I can make this recipe, even when the cilantro that we planted in the garden shriveled up and died  :)

I am so blessed, and as I think about that tonight, I feel the weight of it.  What I tell my boys is true:  with privilege comes responsibility.

Ten Tidbits

Every time I sit down at the computer, I'm struck with amnesia.

I check email, look at the new header on my blog, open my Google Reader, flit here and there; and after a while, I walk away from the computer...and suddenly realize that I didn't accomplish anything that I had intended to do when I sat down in front of the computer.

I usually have a plan--i.e. I need to send an email to our homeschool group, respond to Sally's question, and look up some info about volcanoes for Josiah--and then somehow, I don't remember to do ANY of it...until five minutes AFTER I leave the computer.

What's wrong with my brain?  I think I lose brain cells every minute I sit in front of this screen.  ;-)

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I just finished reading Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss, and I discovered many gems in it.  But tonight I'm thinking of these lines in particular.  This, in a nutshell, is why I blog:
"How thankful I am that I kept this journal and that I have almost as charming ones about most of my other children!  What I speedily forgot amid the pressure of cares and of new events is safely written down and will be the source of endless pleasures to them long after the hand that wrote has ceased from its labors and lies inactive and at rest.
Ah, it is a blessed thing to be a mother!"

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Josiah read six books today.  In one day.  Six books.  He's a wild man.  :)

His latest love when it comes to reading is Boxcar Children books, and we check out piles and piles of them from the library.  If we didn't have the library, we wouldn't be able to afford all the books that boy goes through!

He's so into it when he reads.  I love to hear his laughter in the funny parts, his anxiety in the suspenseful parts, his exclamations in the "now I get it" parts.  He LOVES trying to figure out the mystery before the author reveals it.

I don't know what books are going to capture his attention when he finishes reading the Boxcar Children ones.  Suggestions?

As far as movies go, he's really enjoyed Scooby Doo movies recently.  He's at the stage of getting a huge kick out of the silly humor in them, and I smile when I hear his peals of laughter float up the stairs as he cracks up at Scooby and Shaggy.

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After having some cooler, suggestive-of-fall weather, we're back to hot, hot days again.  Fortunately, the nights cool down, and there's easily a 30-degree difference between high and low temps these days.

I have been extraordinarily grateful for our air conditioning this summer--more so than any other summer since we've been back.  Last summer, I thought I was going to be SO hot because of being so far along in my pregnancy; but it wasn't bad at all.  This summer, the heat has been far more bothersome to me, even though I'm not carrying an internal heater around with me!  :)

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Speaking of summer, I've been grateful that we haven't had as many flies as we did last year (which seemed to be a record-breaker as far as the abundance of flies).  And speaking of record-breaking, we have not had ants in the kitchen once this summer.  Not once.  I'm flabbergasted.

It's certainly not due to the immaculate condition in which I've continually kept my kitchen because that - sigh - hasn't happened.  Nevertheless, I'm very thankful for whatever unknown factor has kept the ants away this year.

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This was the scene in our front yard a few weeks ago:

The rabbit watched something.
The cat watched the rabbit.
I watched them both.

Fortunately, for the rabbit, he is fast; and the cat never got to do more than look.

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This is what flexibility looks like for me these days:  I work in whatever room of the house Shav is happy in.

I might start the day with a plan to focus on my pile of paperwork by the telephone and to clean the refrigerator; but if Shav is playing happily in the laundry room, that is where I'll end up spending my time!  Or maybe I think I'll work in my room and finally get ALL the laundry folded and put away; but then I hear how well Shav and David are playing together in the living room, and I don't want to disturb that by moving Shav upstairs.  We all know the saying, "Don't wake a sleeping baby," but I'm adding a new one:

Don't move a content baby!

I can be flexible.  I can work wherever Shav is happy.  And goodness knows that I can always find something to do in each room of the house!!!

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Josiah loves paper, and he uses plenty of it.  Because I can't save every single precious scrap that he touches with a pencil, I've snapped these pictures instead:

~ a retelling of the parable of the man who found great treasure in a field

~ directions for how make "jewels" - I especially love the last step of the process, "Have fun."  That's an important step, yes?  So important that People Who Write Directions for Children's Activities often include it as their final instruction.  Ever noticed that?  Josiah did--and imitated it perfectly.  :)

~ Josiah's "What to do when I grow up list" - and then he didn't write anything - not one single career ambition - but that's OK: his career goals change almost daily, so it really would be too much trouble to write them all down!

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You might be a country doctor if...

...your patients cry when they visit you for the last time before you retire, claim that you're a part of their family - and then hand you a bag of eggplants from their garden as a parting gift!

I surely am glad Dulcimer just posted a recipe using eggplants, because I had never cooked eggplants before and had no idea what to do with them when Dad handed me the eggplants that his patient handed him.

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A quote that struck me:

My friends, adoption is redemption. It's costly, exhausting, expensive, and outrageous. Buying back lives costs so much. When God set out to redeem us, it killed Him.

~ Derek Loux

seen at Living to Love

Magnolias, Blood, & Childbirth

From Shav's window, I spotted a flash of white:  a blossom on one of the magnolia trees Jeff got me for my birthday a few years ago.  They're still spindly trees, and they don't blossom profusely--not yet, at least--so every single blossom is cause for rejoicing.

I wanted to see it closer so I carried my littlest son on my hip, beckoned the next two oldest sons to accompany me, and set off, still feeling the coolness in the morning air and the dampness on the grass.

There it was.  High enough above my head that I couldn't get the picture of it I had imagined in my mind, I simply held up my camera and pushed the button.  

A view of a magnolia blossom from below is still worth seeing.

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You might be a mother of little ones if...

...an afternoon excursion to give blood while Grandma watches the children (and one child spends time at the barbershop with Daddy) is the most relaxing thing you've done all week.

That's how I felt this afternoon anyway.  Despite the tourniquet around my arm and the needle sticking in my vein, I thoroughly enjoyed my time and--for once--didn't regret the fact that I'm a slow bleeder.  I had a book to keep me company, of course (The Autobiography of George Muller, that my dear blogging friend, Margie, sent me), and was easily transported from the mall corridor where I reclined as my blood dripped out to Bristol, England, in the days of Muller.  That George.  He ALWAYS challenges and inspires me.

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On Tuesday evening, we had Sally and her family over for dinner; and we loved having time with them and seeing (and holding) their sweet little three-week-old Marie.  As Sally and I were talking about Marie's birth and swapping details of our other birth stories, it dawned on me again that I sort of fell into natural childbirth through default.

Before Josiah was born, I thought it would be great to have a natural childbirth.  I also thought it would be great if the pain wasn't very bad so that I didn't need an epidural.  :)  Wishful thinking, I know.  At that point, I had not even heard of women who delivered naturally without pain and used the incredible power of the mind (and God's Spirit) to take away fear and pain.  Regardless, without taking the time to write all the details of Josiah's birth story, I'll just mention that I ended up getting an epidural when I was 9.5 centimeters dilated; and although it provided some initial relief, it also slowed my progress and made it extremely difficult for me to push.  The pain returned, the baby still wasn't out, and I nearly went out of my mind before he was finally born two and a half hours later.  Four months later, Jeff's sister had her first baby; and we were at the hospital, waiting to welcome our new little nephew into the world.  At one point near the end of her labor, Jeff was in the hall outside her room; and when he returned to the waiting room where I was playing with Josiah, he said in amazement, "She had an epidural, and she was laughing!"  Even with my epidural, I certainly didn't laugh when I was that close to delivering Josiah--not until after the birth, at least.  :)

So I didn't accomplish my goal of a natural childbirth, but I was just fine with that and didn't feel bad about how my labor had gone (well, I felt bad that the epidural didn't work better, but that's all).  :)

When I was pregnant with David in Israel, I again thought it would be neat to have a natural childbirth--if the pain wasn't too bad.  I was such an optimistic second-timer.  "Surely this birth will be easier than the first, right?"  And it was.  Easier, and shorter.  But even still, if I could have gotten an epidural, I would have.  The only problem was that when we got to the hospital, I was already dilated to 9 centimeters, and there was no time for one.  (The rest of his birth story is here).

I vividly remember that after David was born, I had the strongest sense of relief I had ever had up to that point in time.  I can't overstate how deeply the word "relief" became real for me, as I sank down onto that beanbag on the floor and held my newly-delivered son on my chest.  Besides the obvious relief of "the baby is out of me!", there was also a strong sense of accomplishment because I had done it naturally without pain medicine.  "Now I'm a real pioneer woman," I thought.  "Now I've reached that goal I've had ever since Carolyn Fields started influencing me.  :)  Now I can check that off my list.  Now I've proven myself.  Now I'LL NEVER HAVE TO DO THAT AGAIN!"  :)

Before Tobin's birth, I wasn't opposed to the idea of getting an epidural; but I had done some reading about childbirth without pain and my mental preparation was the best of any of my deliveries.  As I've written about here and here and here, I felt GREAT up until the very end.  However, once again, I hit the wall of "I can't take this, and I'd rather be dead"  :)...but it was short-lived, and Tobin was born soon after, and life was BEAUTIFUL.  Another birth without an epidural!

And then with Shav, I've documented (here, here, and here) how I wanted an epidural.  Really, really wanted one!  But the nurses couldn't get my IV started quick enough; and before I could get the epidural, I was completely dilated and ready to push.    Yet another birth without an epidural!

I don't feel like I should get any kind of Hero Award or Strong Woman Medal...or Woman Crazy Enough to Deliver Without an Epidural Badge.  If circumstances had been different, I would gotten an epidural each time - for sure!  However, I am EXTREMELY grateful that my deliveries went the way they did because--this is the best part--in my experience, you just can't beat the recovery from a natural childbirth.  I have loved the ability to get up right away, shower, walk, be normal, etc.  That, to me, was the major difference between my epidural birth and my natural ones.

And all of that is why I feel like I fell into natural childbirth through default.

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My latest post for The Foodie Spot is up - a perfect meal for when it's 5:57 PM and you suddenly ask yourself, "What are we having for supper???"  :)

What I've Learned in the Kitchen This Summer

~ Canning tomatoes isn't difficult, but it is a little time-consuming and A LOT messy. In fact, it's impossible to can tomatoes and keep your kitchen clean and neat at the same time. Which reminds me...one evening, Dad walked in for supper while I was in the middle of getting a cannerload (that's odd; my computer tells me "cannerload" isn't a word!) :) of tomatoes ready; and as I bemoaned the state of my kitchen, he looked around and then said, "This kitchen isn't messy!" Bless his heart. He's a good man. In actuality, it was horribly messy with almost every flat surface covered with some kind of canning paraphernalia and sticky tomato juice; but I guess he was looking through a man's eyes and didn't think it was so bad. Bless his sweet heart.

~ One of the sweetest sounds of summer is the "pop" that comes from jars sealing.

~ My man has proven once again that he can can.  Salsa and hot peppers (jalapenos, cayenne, habanero, etc.) are his specialties, and I'm not sure how many quarts he's canned (a lot).  My Fisher Man is hot--in more ways than one.  ;-)

Soup and a Smile

Tonight will be another very short blog post. It's been a full day, and I know I need to sleep more than I need to blog.

But two quick notes: first, I'm a day late in posting my recipe for The Foodie Spot; but I didn't make the food until today, so I couldn't exactly take a picture of it and post it yesterday, could I? :)

Second, I was looking through an old songbook today and found a piece of paper that I had taped into it some years ago. This is what was on it:

Hymns for Seasoned Citizens

~ The Old Rugged Face

~ Precious Lord, Take My Hand, and Help Me Up

~ It Is Well with My Soul, but My Knees Hurt

~ Nobody Knows the Trouble I Have Seeing

~ Amazing Grace, Considering My Age

~ Just a Slower Walk with Thee

~ Count Your Many Birthdays, Name Them One by One

~ Go Tell It on the Mountain, but Speak Up

~ Guide Me, O Thou, Great Jehovah, I've Forgotten Where I Parked

It made me smile.

:)

There's No Way I Could...

...possibly finish planning for this coming year of homeschool with our homeschool closet looking like this:

Nope. No way at all. It's impossible. I simply can't think straight with all my supplies so disorganized. For me, creativity doesn't come from chaos, but from order.

I'd better get busy... ;-)

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I just put up a post on The Foodie Spot--a recipe that my dad's mom used to make. She passed it down to my mom, and I learned it from her. I love the happy memories connected with these family food traditions!

Thirteen Tidbits

Breaking news: this evening, I reached 100,000 hits on my blog.

100,000?? That's unbelievable. I'm honored and humbled and flabbergasted that during the past 3+ years, family and friends and people I don't even know have spent so much time here on Sylvan Drive with me.

Thank you.

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One of the special activities of this summer for Josiah was a week of soccer camp through our local parks and rec department. He ended up with a great coach and had a really wonderful experience with it. Throughout the week, I was reminded of how much I enjoy watching him play and how proud I am of him. I was especially proud when I was talking with his coach on the last day, and he was telling me how Josiah did so well, not only with playing, but with his behavior: how he was respectful and listened well, etc. The coach said something to the effect of "some of the other boys have a lot of energy," with the implication that the boys didn't always use that energy in appropriate ways. But he was full of compliments for Josiah...which made me beam. :)

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Back in the spring, as we started receiving information about possible activities for Josiah and David for the summer, we had to carefully consider what would be the best ones to choose. Josiah, being the go-getter that he is, wanted to do ALL of the options; and David did, too. More activities=more social contact=more friends=happy David. But we knew we couldn't do all of them--not just because we financially couldn't afford it--but also because it would make the summer too busy and we wanted the boys to have plenty of time to just kick back and be kids.

So far, I've been VERY pleased by the pace of life this summer. May was super relaxing, a perfect change after our rush to finish school by the end of April (Josiah's choice, not mine, for those who are reading and think I'm too pushy of a mom). :) Then June came, and Josiah was able to take some summer violin lessons and finish those before soccer camp started. Soccer is over now, and we are looking forward to our upcoming vacation to this conference. When we return from that, Josiah and David will each take a class at our local community college. So, all these special things are spread out nicely, and it hasn't felt too overwhelming. True, by the end of the week of soccer camp, I was worn out and ready to have some time where we stayed home and I didn't have to make several trips a day to drop kids off and pick them up (this also happened to be the week in which David had three mornings of VBS which made for lots of running around town to make sure everyone was in the right place at the right time). But overall, the schedule has seemed to work really well for us.

August doesn't have much on the calendar yet, and I'm looking forward to having that month to finish gearing up for school and even ease our way into it, maybe by having the boys do a math lesson every day or something like that. They like math, by the way, so it wouldn't be much of a hardship to ask them to do this. :)

It's really nice when things turn out the way you think they will; and when it comes to this summer and the pace of life, it's turning out beautifully--just the way I wanted it to be!

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Jeff named him...

...Squeaks. (You can guess what his early "meows" sounded like.)
To me, he looks like a tiny gray tiger, stalking his prey in the jungle. Squeaks is growing and doing well. He won't stay little for long!

Update: just this evening, while we were relaxing outside, Jeff told me that both he and Josiah thought we should change the kitten's name to Tiger. I about fell out of my swing. I wondered if he had been reading the drafts in my blog and had seen what I had written (because I wrote this section of this post several days ago), but he said no. I guess if Jeff and Josiah and I all think of him as Tiger, that's what we should call him!! :)

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Like I just mentioned, I actually started this particular post days ago; and when I wrote this particular segment, I had no idea that before I ever got around to posting this, I would make it to 100,000 hits. That's why there are two tidbits related to blog hits and counters. Just in case you were wondering... :)

For this blog and my Manna one, I keep track of unique hits through Amazing Counters, a free site. I could say a lot about blog stats, and maybe someday I will. But the reason I mention it here is because of something that is sentimental to me. My highest ever week of hits (1609) occurred during July last year, when Shav was born. That's no surprise since bloggers love little more than the announcement of a new baby; we love to share in each other's joy! :) All year, I have watched that spike in the bottom graph move to the left, bit by bit, week by week, ever so gradually. I knew that when that disappeared, Shav would be one year old.
It's almost gone.

He's almost one.

As much as I rejoice in his growth and development, it is bittersweet to have his first year behind us already. That graph has been such a vivid, visual reminder to me all year long, so I wanted to capture it here for my own memory's sake.

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At our town's 4th of July parade, some of the participants were Tea Party Patriots, a group about which I had only heard a little bit. One of them handed us a brochure with some basic tenets of the Tea Party movement; and later, at home, I read through it. As I read each point, I thought, "Wow, I agree with this. And yes, I agree with this one, too. And absolutely, yes, this is right on!" I still don't know very much about them...or it...or whatever. But what I read, I liked very much.

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Several weeks ago, I wrote a post in which I asked for input about one adjective for each season. I really enjoyed reading the comments that were left, and I fully intended to write a follow-up post to that one very soon thereafter, in which I revealed the adjectives I had been thinking about. But oh dear, I never got around to it. Not very nice of me, was it? I apologize.

But better late than never, so here are my choices:

Spring = blossoming (everything comes to life after winter's chill, so this is a season of blossoming trees and flowers and all kinds of plants, but also people who begin to blossom and uncurl and open themselves to vibrant life again)

Summer = lazy (this is the one I couldn't decide on for the longest time...I debated between "lazy" and "fresh"...I guess fresh had to do with summertime eating: fresh tomatoes from the garden, fresh corn on the cob, fresh peaches and cherries, etc...but in the end, I think "lazy" is a better descriptor since in summer, our schedule is relaxed, dressing is so easy with just shorts and a t-shirt for the boys, preparing meals is easy with abundant fresh produce, evenings are spent outdoors as we lazily swing or watch the lightning bugs come out, etc.)

Fall = crisp (think about the delicious feel of the air in the fall, the crispness of juicy apples from the orchard on the next hill over, and also the crispness of new schoolbooks and notebooks as we excitedly start school again)

Winter = cozy (my dad, in his comment on the original post, was pretty negative about winter! :)...but I have to disagree with him...last winter was my favorite winter in recent memory because of all the wonderful snow...if it's going to be cold, we might as well have some white stuff to look at and to cover the brown ground...meanwhile, whether there's snow or not, winter is cozy...thick sweaters, steaming hot chocolate with marshmallows melting in it, the crackle of the fire in our woodstove, snuggle time on the couch with good books to read, Christmas and all the joy of that holiday, and of course, our cherished electric blanket!)

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I've completely forgotten to mention when I've posted recipes on The Foodie Spot; but for my own memory's sake in times to come, I want to keep track of that here. So, to catch up, here is my recipe for Meatloaf and here is one for Chicken Korma.

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At this season of the year, it's common for a chorus of birds to be heard outside our windows just before dawn. Somewhere in the 4:00-5:00 AM range, I often awake and hear their cheerful chirpings. But for the last little while, we have had a very strange bird around. He (she?) sings all night long. I go to bed at midnight, and the bird is singing. I wake up to the sound of Shav stirring at 2:37, and he's still singing. I can't figure it out. So I just enjoy it. :)

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Another thing that's common at this season of the year is allergies, but I declare! My allergies are worse this summer than they've been for a long time! I'm a little surprised by that because it's been so very hot and dry here that there's really not much blooming. But something has been irritating my system because on a daily basis, I have to deal with allergy symptoms. It's not bad though--more of a nuisance than a serious problem. When it's really bothering me, I take a little allergy medicine; but it doesn't usually get that bad.

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Speaking of hot and dry, it's been hot and dry here. So hot. So dry. The hottest and driest summer in recent memory. Did I mention it's been hot and dry?

The grass is brown, but the bright side is that we haven't had to worry much about mowing the lawn! The garden has needed to be watered consistently or we wouldn't have much of a harvest at all, but the bright side is that it's fun to see the sprinkler waving back and forth! The farmers' crops look pitiful, but the bright side is...well, even I can't find a bright side to that one. It's one thing to wish for rain so that the grass would green up again and be soft on our feet when we go outside barefoot; it's quite another to be a farmer and wish for rain so that we could actually make a little money to support the family rather than go into debt this year. More than once, I've been grateful that Jeff is a barber, not a farmer; at least people still need haircuts when it's dry! My heart really goes out to the farmers who are suffering because of this drought.

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For any locals that are reading this, there are two upcoming events that I want to draw your attention to.

First, on Saturday, July 31, Robin Mark will be coming to Grace Covenant Church for an all-day seminar and then an evening of worship. This is an incredible opportunity to hear a musician who has led untold numbers of hearts to the throne of God through the music that he has written. Details about the event are here.

Second, there will be a choir camp at JMU for early elementary students the week of July 19. It is organized by Joy Anderson of SVCC fame. :) She is HIGHLY respected, not only in my own household but by everyone else who knows her, it seems. I've written about her before; but since then, my admiration for her has only grown. We are going to be gone on vacation during the week of choral camp; but if any of you are interested in the details about this, let me know and I'll get you more information. I'm not exaggerating when I say that I believe wholeheartedly that being taught by Mrs. Anderson made the difference for Josiah between being a boy who "couldn't carry a tune in a bucket" (that was him a few years ago) and being a proud member of the Prep Choir of SVCC (that's him NOW--can you tell I'm excited for him??). :)

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In another Tidbits post, I wrote that Tobin now says Shav's name as "Odd." That's...um...interesting. But wait! It gets better!

We often call Shav "Shavi." We also, for unknown reasons, call Shav "Shavi Pavi." So, of course, Tobin tries to do the same...except, when he says it, it comes out as "Oddy Poddy"...and in his sweet little voice, it's impossible to tell much of a difference between "Poddy" and "Potty"...so when he calls Shav that, it really sounds like he's saying "Oddy Potty." Such a tender way for him to address his little brother! :)

Twelve Tidbits

It's time for some tidbits...

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On Memorial Day, we enjoyed a visit in the morning from a friend of ours from San Diego. Brian was a part of the singles ministry that we had the privilege of working with, and he and Jeff have kept in touch through email and Facebook during our moves from California to Israel and then to Virginia and his moves from California to Montana to Ohio. It's surprising how many people from our past have come through this corner of the world. Here we are in a small town in Virginia; and yet, for various reasons, quite a few friends who knew us in San Diego or in Israel have visited us here. Someday, I should make a list and figure out how many it has been. It definitely makes the world seem smaller when we get to enjoy visits like this.

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Later on Memorial Day, we drove through some beautiful countryside to get to the home of our friends Daniel and Deborah. It was hot...they have a pool...I was feeling lazy...the gathering was very laid-back...perfect for Memorial Day. We appreciated their hospitality so much!

Here are pictures, some of which were taken by Emily:

Tobin in the sandbox...

Emily with sweet baby Kristen (I love this picture of Emily)... :)

David (still with stains around his mouth from supper) and Josiah in the pool...

Deborah making sure Tobin didn't fall in the pool (he had been in earlier, but this was later in the evening when Jeff wasn't available to get in with him) - I was so grateful for her helping hands because, with four little ones, I couldn't always get around to all of them like I could with one or two... :)

David getting ready to get in the pool...

And my precious Shav sitting with me and watching the action - soon enough, my little sweetheart, you'll be in the pool, too...

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I have an eight-week menu plan that I put together last November and (roughly) follow. It makes it so much easier to shop for groceries and cook dinner because even if things come up and I don't cook, for example, Ground Beef Grand Style for dinner on the first Thursday of my schedule, I might end up cooking it on another evening...but at least, I have the ingredients and I have it as an option. Anyway...

My menu plan has been tossed out the window, however; and here's why: lettuce. Lots and lots of lettuce. We planted 18 lettuce plants, and I think 17 survived and thrived. We have lettuce coming out of our ears. So, guess what's for dinner? Salad. :) Every evening, I make sure we use up lettuce somehow, either as a main dish (taco salad a few nights ago), a side salad, or a topping (on tacos tonight, since it was Jeff's family night).

This abundance of lettuce is a good problem to have. :)

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There are two food experiments that I'd like to do someday, but probably never will.

One is to see how long we could go without buying any food - specifically, could we go a month without buying anything? I'm sure we could; in fact, I think it could be much, much longer than that. But we would certainly run out of particular favorites, so we probably won't attempt it. :)

The other experiment - the more difficult one - is to see how well we could do with buying only single ingredient items. Salt. Milk. Flour. Bananas. Chicken. Olive oil. Celery. And so on. No bread. No ice cream. No salad dressing. Although I think it would be interesting, I'm not up for the challenge. I like convenience too much. :)

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Speaking of food, I posted a recipe for Moroccan Chicken on The Foodie Spot yesterday. I wish I had a plate full of it right now. I know you're not supposed to eat so late at night, but still... ;)

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A while back, Josiah read a book called Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John by Pearl Buck; it's about four orphan boys. I liked this quote from it: [They] looked at each other and smiled as only a man and woman can smile at each other when they share a child. Isn't that great? Isn't that so true?

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I recently discovered Shav's 8th tooth: his bottom right molar. I don't know exactly when it came through the gum, but I was surprised that he got it before his bottom left almost-front tooth came in (what do you call that tooth anyway? I can't think of it). So now he has seven in the front - four on the top and three on the bottom - and one molar. It's funny to think that David, whom Shav reminds us so much of, didn't get a single tooth until he was 13 and 1/2 months old.

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Tobin used to call Shav "Ah." Now he's added a final consonant to the sound, but it's not "v." It's "d," so when he says Shav's name, it sounds exactly like "Odd." That's a sweet name for Tobin to use for him, don't you think? :)

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I am loving all this free time to relax with my boys and go various places and meet friends and just play. Tomorrow we plan to go to another friends' pool to swim, and yesterday we met Julie and Misty and their children (some of them, anyway) at a new park, A Dream Come True Playground. Wow! What a park! All my boys loved it, and so did I...but what I'll remember most about our visit yesterday is dear Tobin pedaling on his tricycle around and around and around a track they have for bikes and trikes. He had so much fun doing that, and I had a ball watching him. We will definitely be returning to that playground.

With all of this play time, I feel positively irresponsible! :) But I know, when the school year begins, we'll buckle down and get back to work again. Until then, I'm going to soak in these carefree days.

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Last night I had the pleasure of going out for coffee (actually, mint hot chocolate for me) with Leah, whom I know in real life but have gotten to know better through blogging. Have I mentioned recently how much I love blogging? Not just for the record of daily life that it is for me, but also for the relationships that are formed through it. Leah's blog is titled Musings Aloud, but I think it should be "Wrestling Aloud" because that's about what we did last night. :) I was grateful for the chance to hear more of her thoughts as she and I try to figure out more of the truth, smothered with grace.

Going out with her...bumping into Kristen in Home Depot...meeting other bloggers for the first time in church...ah, I love it! The cozy little world of blogging makes the real world a happier place for me.

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If any of you are interested in seeing more of the pictures Misty took of Shav during his photo shoot recently, you can visit her website, click on "CLIENTS" (bottom right of screen), then enter "Shav" as the password. I'm having such a hard time deciding which ones I like the best because they're (in my biased opinion) ALL GOOD! :)

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Jeff mentioned to me that, with my new blog look for June, he's having a little bit of a hard time reading the text. Is anyone else having that problem? Should I change the text from white to black; would that be easier to read? Jeff is partially color-blind, so maybe that's part of his problem. :) But if it's difficult for others, I could look for another background and change the look entirely. Any thoughts?

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And that's all the tidbits for tonight. Good night!

Seven Tidbits

Long ago, as I was putting away our Christmas decorations, I snapped these pictures and intended to post them right away. It, like so many other things I plan, never happened. But it's not too late to show the dangers of putting a nativity set where little hands can reach it.

Did you notice what happened to Jesus? His left hand got amputated! Oh, no!

Poor Jesus. We'll try to take better care of Him next year. Although I LOVE having a wooden set that our boys can set up and rearrange and get up close and personal with (like they did in this video from December), it obviously has its disadvantages. And here I thought wood pieces would be unbreakable...

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My knees are noisy. Every time I go up or down steps, they creak audibly. I wouldn't do a very good job of sneaking up on someone if I had to ascend or descend stairs to do so.

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My allergies have been bothering me recently, so last night, in the middle of the night, I got up and used some nasal spray to try to calm them down. Nasal spray doesn't bother me at all. Putting eye drops in my eyes is very difficult for me, however. Jeff is just the opposite: he regularly puts eye drops in his eyes, since he wears contacts; but he doesn't like nasal sprays one bit. I think nasal spray is easier. ;)

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Another thing I wanted to write about, back in the cold, snowy days of January, was the Harmonia Sacra singing that I went to on New Years Day. Attending that singing has become a much-loved tradition for me. The thought that stood out to me the most this past time was how those very same songs have been sung for over 200 years. If I stop for a moment and let my mind try to grasp the people - the real, flesh-and-blood, loving-God, struggling-against-sin, working-in-the-fields-or-the-shops, baking-biscuits, nursing-babies, tickling-children, going-for-evening-walks people - it's so encouraging to think of being part of the great procession of the faithful. In every time, God has His people. We are not the first to burst on the scene with new revelations or zeal like the world has never known. We continue the line. We are links in the chain, a chain which extends from Adam and Eve until the end of time when the faithful are together forever with God and each other in heaven. Wow!

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On a less lofty note, I tried Meredith's recipe for Cream Cheese Pound Cake for strawberry shortcake last night for supper. Our neighbors across the way are growing strawberries to sell this year, so we are blessed with an abundant, fresh supply. I was happy to fork over my $15.75 for a gallon of beautiful red berries last evening, and I thought Meredith's recipe was scrumptious! The recipe we always used for shortcake when I was a girl is less sweet and more like a biscuit; we would pour milk over the whole thing and eat it that way...the country way. :) Jeff was more accustomed to a sweet cake, and his family would put whipped cream on the top. No milk. :) When I spotted Meredith's recipe, I realized it would be more similar to what Jeff would like, so I decided to make it, and I'm so glad I did. I think I've found our family's new favorite way to make shortcake. And what is the month of May without homemade strawberry shortcake?!

Another new recipe we've loved is Brittany's Asian Coleslaw Salad. In fact, I'm making it again tomorrow evening for our fellowship potluck.

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Shav is now a working man.

Yesterday he earned his first $20, just for being part of a research study at our local university. They are studying the way babies, deaf and hearing, learn language, particularly the similarities and differences between their reaction to sign language. Shav sat on my lap, did great, and got some money to put in his savings account. Not bad for about a half hour of his time.

If any of you locals have babies that are younger than 11 months and are interested in having them participate in a study (there are several going on), you can contact me and I can give you more info about it.

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I've saved the best for last. :)

The other big part of Shav's day yesterday was a photo shoot with Misty. She needed some more baby boy pictures for her portfolio, she said, so she asked if she could please come and take some pictures of him. Well, of course, she could! Anytime! Really! We'll volunteer for that duty any day!!!

She emailed last night and said over the next few days, she'll be putting some of the pictures on her blog. You know I'll be checking it frequently. :)

Here's the first picture:

I'm pretty sure, even if I wasn't his mom, I would think he was absolutely, positively, undeniably, 100%...

ADORABLE!!!

Sherbet and Shav - Sweetness!

First, dessert! No, this is not my philosophy of eating...just the order of topics I'll follow in this post. :)

I posted a recipe today at The Foodie Spot. For a simple, inexpensive, passed-down-from-my-grandmother, could-NOT-be easier dessert, click here.

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Second, the sweetness that is Shav (which reminds me...I'm not sure how long I'll keep up the alliterative post titles, but it's working so far this week, and I'm just going with it!).

Yesterday, Shav's second nap stretched on and on. I didn't want him to sleep too long and thus have a difficult time going to sleep at bedtime, so shortly before supper, I traipsed into his room to see if he was awake and just playing quietly in his crib. This is what I saw:

It's not often anymore that I actually get to see him sleep, particularly in the daylight, so I stood for a few moments to soak in the scene. His precious face!

Then I noticed that Noodles - dear old Noodles - was in the crib with Shav, so I decided to have a little fun. First though, let me make a note that Noodles was made and given to me by a dear family friend, Susan Walls, when I was a young girl. For a man of 30+ years, I'd say Noodles is holding up rather well! Noodles used to live in Tobin's room, on top of the antique trunk from my grandparents, which now serves as a seat for the boys' stuffed animals (the ones not in use in other places, at least). I think it was Tobin's idea to let Shav play with Noodles, so I let Noodles come live in the crib - the first stuffed toy I've allowed to be in there with Shav. Noodles isn't exactly fluffy, and he's awfully skinny...so I didn't think it would be much of a hazard to Shav's breathing.

Yesterday, as he slept, I carefully laid Noodles beside Shav and quietly took a picture.

He didn't budge, so I ventured further and set Noodles beside Shav with his feet propped up.
Still no response.

Then I got bold and actually put Noodles on Shav's arm, thinking that Shav's sense of touch would kick in and alert him.
That didn't work.

Next, Noodles was practically bending over backwards in front of Shav's face.
Nothing.

Then Noodles bent over to kiss Shav's head and face. Surely that would wake him up, right?
Nope.

Finally, I laid Noodles directly across Shav; and granted, Noodles doesn't weigh a whole lot, but he weighs something, and you'd think (I thought, at least) that even that amount of pressure would rouse Shav.
It didn't work. Shav was OUT, sleeping so soundly that he didn't even stir through all of my moving around in his room, putting Noodles in different positions, and taking pictures.

Finally, I put Noodles back in a corner of the crib...

...then gently picked up Shav. He did wake up then. :)

I can't get over how much I love Shav. This love just doesn't quit. It's amazing how it grows and builds and expands and makes my heart enlarge, simply from the immensity of the love I feel for my family.

The other night I was thinking about all the mistakes I make in parenting and feeling badly, of course, about that. But then the thought came to my mind: at least they'll know they're loved. And it's true: I will continue doing everything I can to make sure my boys always know how very much they are loved.

Josiah, the Mathematician

Josiah thinks mathematically. It's just natural to him to focus on numbers and compute figures with precision. He has little use for manipulatives because he just does it in his head! Besides his skill with math and his comprehension of various functions, what amazes me is that it's just so inborn for him to notice numbers and...I don't know how to say it any other way...think mathematically.

Today, for example, Josiah was by my side as I was at the computer reading something on my blog. He suddenly exclaimed, "I'm not 'and 1/2 years old.' It should say, 'and 5/6'!"

Huh? What are you talking about?

Apparently he was looking at his own picture in the sidebar and noticed the caption underneath it, displaying his age. In his mind, he is CLEARLY not 7 and 1/2 anymore, so I should update that to read, "7 & 5/6 years old." Technically, he's correct; but I tried to explain that people just don't do that. We don't get that exact with age. I'm not sure he was buyin' my explanation though. ;) It will be interesting to see where his mathematical mind leads him in the future.

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And now, back to the kitchen I go. Back to the never-ending task of bringing order out of chaos. I really just popped onto the computer to post a recipe (of a rice dish that I think is scrumptious!) on The Foodie Spot since it's my day to post, but I got a little sidetracked and, when I saw my blog's sidebar, was reminded of that conversation with Josiah so I decided to post it before I forget. OK, I'm going to go focus now. Dishes, here I come! :)

The Power of Chocolate

I had a lot I wanted to say... But I must have used up all my words earlier today, when a friend came over with her two kiddos to play this afternoon, and when I got to go out with two other friends tonight for dinner. I'm all talked out - and VERY grateful for friendship!

But, for my own records, I want to make a note here to say that I posted a recipe today over at The Foodie Spot. I'll keep this short tonight and simply say that it's my entry about The Power of Chocolate. :)