Buena Vista Ferry

We had decided in advance to leave Tadmor after lunch and head over to Michael and Michele's so we could watch the OSU game with them and have a little R&R before heading back to Eugene Sunday morning for church and Brayden's football game.

Tadmor is located outside of Lebanon, so we started out on back roads and decided to avoid the freeway and make our way to Michele's along every back route we could. I finally saw a sign that indicated we were heading toward Independence (not too far from M&M's hometown of Dallas) and then realized this route would take us across the Buena Vista Ferry. John's response was "Are you kidding me?", but as I assured him it was for real and open, he was eager to give it a try.

Heather posted about this within the year and it reminded me that it is still in service, as I haven't gone that route since my early days of college. The experience was so sweet and nostaligic, the kids got a true kick out of it.



The really funny thing is that once we got across the river, we noticed the sign said that Independence was actually going in the direction of the other side of the river. (I can be such a dumb dumb sometimes!). Rather than go across again, we took a longer route and ended up crossing back over the river via the traditional Independence bridge. No matter, it was a fun roadtrip, we were able to listen to the games on the radio, and the scenery was gorgeous.

This weekend feels like it has stretched forever for me, and I so wish I could repeat another Sunday to prepare for the week, but it's been a great weekend for us as a family. Very bonding...

The College Retreat at Tadmor

Over time, I’ve often discovered that the things I find myself dreading because it will challenge me more than I’m comfortable doing – are very worthwhile in the end. And, more than likely, the very reason I find myself not wanting to participate is because the Enemy is not happy with the idea that I would be encouraged with that experience.

In accordance with all of your wonderful encouragement, our attendance at the retreat was awesome. I left the house on Friday, however, full of angst – being pushed out because of time concerns and realizing the further away we went how many things I forgot to bring (like extra socks, my camera (hence the grainy i-phone pics), etc.). But, God was already at work, as evidenced by Brayden’s choice of DVD viewing. He picked “Facing the Giants” and watching that movie again, and hearing Brayden’s tenderness in talking about his favorite lines and scenes in this “favorite” movie of his had me slowly gaining awareness that this whole weekend was much bigger than my own attitude.

The first session was great, met a few people, ended up with each child asleep on each thigh – which, as predicted, melted the heart of a number of girls and led into John and I’s account of “our story”, which I’m realizing is a “huge ticket” in connecting with these girls. For many of them, our little fairy tale experience is what they too are hoping for, and it is indeed something John and I love to talk about.

I then took Mikayla to bed around 11, and John and Brayden stayed “partying” with the big kids. His experience surpassed our wildest hopes as those college guys surrounded him with attention and Brayden was “on his game” in terms of wittiness and one-liners. If nothing else were to happen right this weekend, simply that experience for Brayden would be more than worth it. It helps us recognize that teachers and coaches and teams may come and go, but if that boy has college kids role modeling for him, believing in him, and building him with confidence through these years, a solid foundation will indeed be laid.

This morning gave Mikayla and I the opportunity to hike around the pond, chat with a few people and then for John and I to have a hugely valuable conversation with Corey; that just proves how much his impact on our life has spread over the years. The issues we are now discussing about the hardships of life we see around us are so different than they were 15 years ago, but his insight and wisdom are phenomenal – and it is so good for John and I to share stories of our life together with him and recognize the growing that we have done as well over the last 13 years too.
I think this whole CCF adventure is going to be a very good thing. I’ve got some names of women I can now start picking up conversations with when I see them, as well as the email address of a girl who I’ll probably starting meeting one on one with (Kara) - and for sure, John has a gang of guys he is very much connecting with. One gal, Rebecca, asked, “What are you guys? Like the CCF mascots or something?” I told her I didn’t know, but being here now feels like it was just yesterday that I was the one the one volunteering for KP duty, and participating in skits. But, then when I look at the seats beside me, I realize the kids testify that it’s actually been quite some time since I was here last. I guess, that’s the reasons were feeling led to be here – our own memories are still vivid, I think we have a story to share, and I know it will be sooner than I want to realize that our kids will be doing those skits and KP duty.

Thanks Stephanie and Lisa!

Do I, or don't I? That was the conversation going through my head yesterday in consideration of following through with the "Hike Day" that we had planned to do yesterday. Several people had emailed me telling me that they wouldn't be able to go, so when it came to just Lisa Q, and maybe Steph H., I wanted to make sure they REALLY wanted to go, otherwise I was willing to scrap it as I had a lot on my plate to prepare for.

I'm so glad they wanted to go because the day was just brilliant. We ended up returning to the McKenzie River area to go on the Old McKenzie Pass (Hwy 242) as it is only open a short time each year and I knew the foliage would be amazing. We drove up 9 miles on that route and there is a trailhead pull-off for Proxy Falls. It is a loop trail, between 1-2 miles (not sure exactly) and along the way you delight in some gorgeous crimson leaves and spectacular cascading falls.








Because the hike went faster than we thought it would, and we had already traversed up some of the more windy switchbacks infamous of this old highway, we decided to keep going up. We ended up realizing we'd have time to get to the summit, which is celebrated with a sightseeing location called "Dee Wright Observatory". The area is totally covered with lava fields, giving it an almost surreal "moonscape" appeal. It's been so long since I've been there, it was great to see it again.




Instead of returning the windy way we came, we decided to follow 242 all the way to Sisters - and then take the traditional highway home. We managed all of this (and a stop at McD's!) in just 5 hours, talk about an amazing way to spend a day while the kids are at school!

With a Little Apprehension...

My dad got another ride in an ambulance today. Apparently he was so nauseous and dizzy this morning that he nearly passed out several times and he and mom saw 911 as the best option. Understandably, the concern for a heart attack or a stroke is pretty foremost in everyone's minds. As it turns out, his blood pressure was fine, his heart is fine - they think he has some sort of vertigo-causing virus. Just what the poor guy needs. That wasn't the point of this post, but I thought I'd give you the latest. He's back home again, he wasn't admitted - but, was told he should stay close to home for the next few days as the likelihood for another episode is high. I told Dad that he needs to come up with a new strategy for getting attention as this hospital thing is getting old....

Tomorrow John, myself, and the kiddos are all heading to Camp Tadmor for the First Baptist College group's fall retreat. (This college group is known as CCF (Collegiate Christian Fellowship), so from here on out, that is probably how I will refer to it). John and I owe our relationship to our involvement with CCF as well as the pastor, Corey - who led us through the pathways of leadership among that group, and ended up marrying us. Corey has certainly dropped his share of hints over the years of us "coming back", but it is just now that we are both feeling the leading. My experience "mentoring" (if you can call it that) with Lindsay last year was phenomenal - and the guy that John mentored last year (Aaron) is still attending the UofO, so John and him still get together. Most recently, that occurred on the boat with 4 other college guys (and Travis) as they headed out to Dexter Lake last Saturday. When they arrived at the lake, the car thermometer read 39 degrees - those guys are nuts! But, they all had a blast, especially John.

With all that said, however, I still find myself dreading the experience to a small degree. John's so good at first impressions, so much more comfortable in a crowd, eager to stay up late and engage in a game of cards - where I.... well, I'm not. I think I can pull off the "first impressions" thing when I need to, "rise to the occasion", so to say, but that effort drains me, where it ends up invigorating John. I have yet to connect with any of these women - in fact I only know two names - from the night that John and I attended their evening Sunday service two weeks ago. There were over 150 students in attendance - all crowded in to the Trinity House (a former sorority house purchased by the church that now houses women who attend FBC). We brought the kids and sat in the back and I realized that this whole adventure will stretch me. I'm realizing it again tonight.

I laid in bed last night "penning in my head" a whole post - or perhaps series of consecutive posts - about popularity and friendships and my experiences. And, perhaps, my apprehension stems from some of these past happenings. Will these gals who all look so cute and young and skinny see any reason to want to spend time with me? Granted, I have a couple of pretty cute kids in tow (they are my ace in the hole), but still, I am feeling pretty vulnerable.

On Monday, I will be hosting another ladies' "Work Day" gathering. I have a menu already planned and the "Rug Doctor" rented to go, so obviously there's some preparation needed physically, but in terms of emotionally - I'm pumped for the experience. I tried to stretch over the different friendship intercepts in my life to invite quite an assortment of people, and hopefully most will come for at least part of the day. They'll be coming into my (less than perfect) house, eating food I prepare, and I'll play hostess - but there's not a bit of apprehension I have with anyone I'm considering inviting. Even the two new gals I just met from Bible Study. (I hope they show up!). Why the difference? Well, I think it comes down to the pre-established relationships - the connections I've already made. That, and it's in my house so I'm feeling that element of control and consistency.

It's the element of unknown I'm having a problem with. My experiences in high school and college screamed to me over and over that I do not have the appearance or personality to "attract people", at least not initially. I don't make people look twice when they come into my presence, I'm not funny or witty enough to be the life of the party. But, I AM the person people want to go to when they want to recover from partying too much! I'm that "constant, reliable, loyal" person. In fact, it wasn't just one previous boy that told me after finally deciding to date me, "Gosh, Stephanie, you're the kind of girl a guy would want to marry..." I always thought, "Gee, how nice, but what you're really saying is, I didn't really care to notice you to think about dating, but when it comes time to settle down, you might be the ticket." Now, I consider it a compliment, but it's been a bit of an insecurity for me, particularly when "not being social enough/introverted" was the reasoning my ex-fiance gave for not seeing us as compatible. Amazing how hard I tried to disprove him - and coming back to the faking it thing, am capable of doing. But, at my heart, I'd take the one on one times, or comfort of days spent with friends whose relationships run deep, than I would walking into the big group of strangers.

So, there you go. A much longer post than I planned on writing. This is good for me, and hopefully, by the time this weekend is over, from here on out, I'll have a group of women I can hang with and feel comfortable - and hopefully everyone will benefit from. In the meantime, though, I hope I don't lost too much sleep wondering, "What if they don't like me?"....

Happy Birthday Leona!

We just returned from PF Chang's celebrating John's mom's birthday. She turned 69 yesterday! It hasn't been the easiest stretch for her as she got Shingles over the summer and the pain has really been destructive - and has lasted much longer than it should. However, in what appears to be a big birthday gift from God, she said today was much better than it's been (pain-wise), so I'm very happy for her- and pray that she's on the quick road to full recovery.

It was Brayden's first visit to PF Chang's and between the chopsticks, Honey-crisp chicken, and fortune cookies, he was well-pleased. Thanks, Leona, for the opportunity to celebrate and for making Brayden, Mikayla, and I's evening with your choice of such a fine restaurant - not to mention, great company. (John likes the place as well, but has dined there more often, with work, so it's not as special for him).

I'll try to keep Mikayla from coercing you next year with your restaurant choice next year, though!

Feeling Better...

Thanks for everyone's words of encouragement. I've kind of fallen into a pattern of waking up feeling pretty good and then going downhill as the day progresses. But, I'm certainly better than I was Monday.

I did my bi-annual (I think that means twice a year, right?) - hair coloring today. Went darker for this time of year. Because she does highlights to make this happen, the process literally takes about two and a half hours, and boy do I appreciate every little minute of it. There's just something about being pampered, about having to "sit still" and wait for the color to set - or her to mix the colors, or whatever, where all you have to do is drink your beverage and devour your reading material of choice. Ahhhh......

My favorite parts of the process are the hair washing where "my gal" (Tina) does a stupendous scalp massage that I wish I could elongate for about 90 minutes and pay someone to do exclusively that.... And, then, the blow drying process, sigh - can you tell that the journey is almost as exciting as the end product for me?

One thing Tina seems to be able to do well is matching the color I request with what I end up with - it was practically an exact match to the magazine I brought in. However, she can't quite get the hang of styling it to match my preference, I always walk away with it so flat, I have to re-wet and style it just to get a little volume. I'll take it though - the cut and color are really the big deals, not to mention the above-mentioned process. I think it should be recommended therapy for anyone feeling crummy....

Under the Weather

Last night, our visit to Dad in the hospital (who is doing excellent, btw, and should be checking out by 11am today....) had to be cut short by the nasty migraine I was dealing with. I chalked it up to not taking pain-killer fast enough, so it got out of hand. However, while laying in bed trying to alleviate the issues, I realized it wasn't so much my neck, but the whole right side of my face that had the problems. Yes, if I pressed hard "just there" on the bridge of my nose, hmmm, I could stop the pain. (But lose feeling in my finger for pressing so hard). I also realized I couldn't even breathe out of my right nostril (bordering on TMI, I think). I'm not even sure I've been able to for a while as I can be quite a mouth breather without realizing it.

I tend to be very blessed when it comes to migraines that I can almost always wake up and have it gone. Today, however, was a different story. Major knot still in my neck radiating to the top of my head - and then, what-do-you-know but I think an elephant decided to make the right side of my face its parking spot. Woe's me......

Ironically, just this week I was reading how sinus issues can best be fought with humidity/water. So, I've been settling my face over a hot mug of water, trying to snort in as much of that steam as possible. I also found some sinus meds, popped some Advil, and, as of right now, am feeling semi-functional. While this whole thing is not fun, I'm feeling very good about the fact that any "engagements" for the day can be canceled, I did a lot of housecleaning/catching up yesterday (which helps the emotional frame of mind), and the best therapy means lots of bath/shower time which I should be doing without guilt..... I'm trying to find the silver lining here!

Stent Procedure #3

Happy Monday everyone!

I'd like to request prayer for my dad this morning as he is at the hospital so that the third stent can be put in. Originally, at the time when the other two stents were put in, the doctors anticipated a 45% blockage on that artery behind the heart. However, when Dad went in to see the doctor a few weeks ago for his follow-up, they told him that the blockage was actually 85%. No wonder he's still not feeling completely up to speed!

So, this is a planned procedure - and therefore there isn't a lot of risk. He'll stay overnight and be discharged tomorrow. However, anytime the heart is involved.... it just seems a little scary. So, please be praying for him - and then, of course, for a quick and complete full recovery - having him feel better than he has in years!

Thanks!

A Win's a Win...

...but that sure was ugly. Between the two people necessitating being carried out on stretchers (one being a UCLA player and another being a fan that fell off the retaining wall along the sidelines*) to one of the worst calls on record (regarding an interception that was called "pass interference") to the 41 degree weather, goodness, we just left Autzen feeling a little unsatisfied.

However, we beat Rick Neuheisel who I have particular disdain for even before his scandalous "gaming" reputation that eventually got him dismissed from being head coach for the Huskies. Once I found out he took his team to the Playboy Mansion as a "treat" for doing so well - yup, pretty much lost all respect for the man..... Thankfully, as the new coach of UCLA he was not able to come in to Autzen and beat us, but it was closer than I would have liked.

Also, it was another date with just John - and given the cold temps and night game atmosphere, a particularly cozy date to be sure. The kids are still up in Dallas - Michael and Michele will bring them down tomorrow in time for Brayden's football game which will then give them the opportunity to tour the two houses Dad has nearly completed. It all came together to give us the perfect excuse for a full night to ourselves - so, with that said, I'm going to get off the computer so I can continue to enjoy my time with my hubby, sans the kids...!

* We found out today that that spectator injury was actually a father/son joint incident. Apparently, they were in the midst of a big fight and they both fell over the wall. The father landed on top of the son and knocked him out cold for 20 minutes. He was taken out on a stretcher while his father was taken out in handcuffs... (PATHETIC!)

The Great Pumpkin Hunt

It feels like it's been ages since we've all been able to get together. In the summer, these cousins (and Michele and I) practically live together, but as the school season picks up, our time together slows way down. And, we go through withdrawals. It's very sad.

So, we made this weekend together happen on the calendar. Brayden skipped his first practice today, and Mikayla skipped her first dance class. By golly, it's a no school day and these kids ought to have a little freedom! I actually picked the kids up from school yesterday so we could get out of dodge and off to Michele's as soon as possible. And, now we are happy.......

This morning, we headed just a little south of Monmouth to a farm that is on its first year of "harvest activities". We were not disappointed. They had a hay slide, a grass maze, beautiful pumpkins in the patch (that are half the price of the pumpkins at Safeway), a hay fort, another hay maze, and a John Deere tricycle path. I think the kids' only legitimate complaint was that we made them stop to take too many pictures. We told them that someday they'll thank us.......

"Weeee!" Brayden and Nati head down the slide.....

Brayden, "caught" while hiding in the maze

Mikayla's pose among the hay fort

Testing the "ride"........

While the others play, we made the eldest pull his weight.....

Note this special attention given to the middle child!
At least we didn't make Traig haul the wheelbarrow back once it was loaded-

This is to prove that I was really there-

Finally, us navigating through the grass maze without a map. We found a few dead-ends, but made it through pretty swiftly-

A Tale of Three Playdates

First up, the dogs. They were quite eager to come inside this morning when I returned from working out, apparently that cold fog wasn't what they had in mind for a playdate. Once inside, they got a little cozy.... ahhhhhh.....


Next up, Kyle and Brayden - a classic shot of what they most like to do when they are together - however, they did a pretty decent job of mixin' it up with the trampoline and homework as well today.

And finally, Mikayla and her friend, Kenady. This was their first playdate so you can imagine the excitement level from Mikayla's end was pretty escalated today. Kenady is one of the first girls Mikayla mentioned and pointed out from her class and from the start, John and I shared very good impressions of her. After having her over for several hours, I'm able to see how very much God answered our prayers for Mikayla to find a special friend in her class (as no other girls from her kindergarten were moving over to this school). Kenady was a joy to have over, the girls did a lot of giggling and neither one wanted the playdate to end after 3 and a half hours which is a very good sign. When I dropped Kenady off, I got to chat with her mom and was immediately aware of how easy it was to talk to her, how we share so many of the same values (and are so thankful both of the girls are "nice") and I wasn't intimidated. That last one is a pretty big deal as the school these kids go to can have some pretty affluent families that can make a person like me feel pretty small. None of that here. Of course, girl friendships can be very fickle (especially in first grade), but for now I will see the blessing in this and be thankful!

Pond Skimming

This was going to be the field trip that I was willing to skip, to tell you the truth. I knew I'd be helping out for "Apple Day" and then again on the trip in a couple of weeks to the pumpkin patch, so I figured I'd be alright to pass up a soggy nature hike and kids getting mucky while pulling water bugs out of a pond. However, Mikayla's sweet teacher called me personally, and yes, sweet-talked me (nothing like feeling needed) and I caved. So, out I went today, a day that fortunately did not rain at all while we were outdoors, and another day of precious memories with my daughter.

This picture shows the kids watching over the bridge for the sticks they threw in from one side of it to appear on the other side:

After the nature walk, we were instructed on how to best "net" water creatures, identify them, and deposit them in the jars of their like-minded creatures (to be released later after we left). It was very cool for the kids - they were so delighted to identify water snails, water boatmen, water beetles, mayfly larve, tadpoles, and other exciting pondlife.

And, of course, this time of year, you couldn't ask for better colors to be appearing in nature.... Behind this pond - that building is the UO Moschofsky Center - right next to Autzen Stadium.

These are the two friends Mikayla most talks about from her first grade classroom. The fellow blonde is Kenady and the brunette is Teja. They are both very nice.

How could you resist a field trip taken with that sweet little face?

Good Grief!

Last night, while we watched "Chuck" (yes, I'm going to keep plugging this show - I want it to stay on the air!) - I sat down with some of the school stuff that I've needed to sort through. Here's some of the stuff from that stack:

2 Sally Foster Catalogs that need to be purchased from by Thursday
2 Jog-a-thon forms with lines for kids to seek out signatures from friends/family asking for money for our school
2 Book Fair fliers advertising how we can raise money for our school by buying books
2 Book Fair volunteer request forms
2 Jog-a-thon volunteer request forms
2 Sets of Scholastic book orders
1 First Grade volunteer request form
1 First Grade Field Trip description sheet for the field trip I'm helping with today
1 Fourth Grade "Extra Help Needed For...." sheet
1 Email requesting a sign-up to bring treats in for staff
1 Conference form asking me to indicate my 1st-3rd choices for conferencing

Just a little overwhelming......

Oh, the Price Per Pound for These!

So, this is it. All we have to show for those beautiful leaves and blossoms I showed you in a previous post demonstrating a thriving pumpkin patch. I put a coffee cup on the bench so you could have a frame of reference to how small these pumpkins really are.

Pathetic. It was going so well - but, then, that dreaded white-leaf mildew set in (probably because the kids inadvertently left the water running all night) and many of the pumpkins that had already appeared rotted out, and those that didn't had severely stunted growth. When I think of the price per pound of these little suckers - calculating the cost to buy the plants, special soil, mildew repellent, and water bill - yeah, those are some very expensive pumpkins alright. Mikayla already dropped and cracked one - I think we'll take it out of her inheritance......

Oh well, can't say I won't try next year because I love the joy of it when things are looking optimistic. I'll just try to establish a better watering plan.....

And, since this is such a "shallow post" - I want to direct you to Linda's blog for an amazing, transparent look at one person's thoughts if they were given only 30 days to live. It's a very brave post.....

Not Quite

I was honestly going to title this post: "Finally, a Day That Went Like It Was Supposed to". And then, when we got to the end of the day, I realized that title no longer applied......

Yesterday was the first "No School" day of the year and I had originally hoped to take the kids on a beautiful hike up the Cascades. However, a rain storm has come in, so that completely changed. Instead, I put together a plan that I thought would keep us all happy.

First stop, "Original Pancake House". We all had our hearty appetites and favorite entrees and because of a little "Mommy Foresight" - I had brought a fun workbook with me so they could do wordsearches and crosswords while they were waiting. It worked! I felt pretty smug.

Next stop was "Borders". They have an "Educator Discount Weekend" and while I'm not currently employed in the profession, I feel like my degree should count for something, so my "Sub Card" did merit a 25% discount. The kids had no problem finding some books they really wanted - (more than I had planned), but this occurring at the end of the day (on their own initiative) made it all worthwhile:

The next stop was a pretty safe one. I had free credits at Blockbuster so the kids could each pick out a movie, and Brayden, a game. That one was a sure bet.

We then headed home and surprisingly, the kids were very content to hang out, play on the computer and co-exist peacefully. I even managed to make a couple of apple pies for some deserving friends. The day was going shockingly smooth.

At four, both kids had activities. Mikayla was picked up to go to dance, and Brayden was off to football. The plan then had them both going to Amy's house for the evening so that John and I could go out to eat and see "Eagle Eye" at the theater. We were both very excited for our date night.

HOWEVER, (and you knew this was coming), when we arrived at Red Robin, John was just not feeling right. In fact, after this picture was snapped: we both noted just how tired John looked and like a self-fulfilling prophecy, it went downhill from there. He canceled his dinner order, we finished off our appetizers and headed home, so that he could immediately fall asleep on the couch (with a bucket perched next to him as he was feeling nauseous). I ended up picking the kids up from Amy's at 8, and we had a little slumber party in Mikayla's room (hence the above picture of them reading).

OK, so it didn't quite go completely as planned. I'll still take it. In fact, we ended up saving a lot of calories and money by missing that Friday night movie cost and buttered popcorn. But, it was disappointing to miss out on some quality time with my man. We'll try again, another time.....

Five Things I've Learned from Blogging

This post is in response to Linda's "Growin' with It" blog - she tagged me and asked to hear my responses, so here you go:

1. I've realized (once again) just how therapeutic writing out my thoughts and feelings is for me. I used to journal extensively, but once the kids were born, that stopped happening. While the two are not the same for me (journalling was strictly meant for conversation with God) - they are both forms of expressing myself and putting on paper, or on the computer screen, some of the things that I feel, am thankful for, or are really struggling with.

2. In light of that, blogging has helped me to process my thoughts through my head enough so that by the time they are recorded in cyberspace, they have hopefully become somewhat refined to reflect a person who's been humbled, or convicted, or struggling (in regards to the deep posts). In some ways, because I find myself anticipating what folks might think when they read my posts, it forces me to grapple with those responses before writing and recognize what might cause offense, or hurt feelings, or even reflect a heart that is not right before God. Especially when I lay in bed at night thinking through "deep post topics" I find myself much more capable of looking at "the big picture". I think blogging has broadened my horizons and forced me to be more aware of other people's viewpoints and perspectives (and hopefully helped me mature as a Christian by helping me to walk through some of the "reasons why" with God).

3. Blogging has forced me to evaluate both my pride and my feelings of failure as I adjust to what folks comment over and sometimes don't comment on at all. There are a few posts that I won't even put in the "published book form" because the tangent I went off on through my blog was just not that important to be preserved as a family keepsake.

4. Blogging has given me an amazing outlet to recognize one of my major drives in life. "To create and preserve family memories". One time, when John and I went to a dinner (that I admit I dreaded) with a couple about 15 years older than us - involved in ministry, and not parents, the woman (who you just wouldn't look at and say - "Oh, her and Steph would hit it off great!") was adamant about trying to get an answer from me about what I loved to do with my time. She took some of my expressions of interest in scrapbooking and the outdoors as clues to what "I lived to do". I've thought a lot about that conversation over the years and realized, #1) she just didn't "get it" as to what life is like as a mom - and how little time you have to actively pursue your own passions, but also #2) much of my passion IS actually what I do as a mom - within my little mom/friend/family community and trying to make that life as abundant as possible. This blog has truly been my accountabiltiy toward that goal as well as record of history of our efforts to that end. I am a bit obsessive about keeping track of what I've done with my life and this blog has become truly a delight for me vs. the efforts I've made in the past at "family history recording" (scrapbooking, baby books, etc.) that I've always fallen behind on, have never been good enough, and perpetually feel guilt over.

5. Blogging has made me very aware of what a small world we all live in and how connected the internet can make us. When I go to one of the more widely publicized blogs such as "Confessions of a CF Husband" or "Bring the Rain" and I see hundreds or even thousands of comments I am overwhelmed at the power of prayer and love extended through this medium of internet. There is a whole lot of evil that exists in this realm and blogging has helped me see the light of all of the victories there are through the internet as well. Amazing, glorious, testimonial victories that inspire, encourage and fill my heart with hope. Not to mention, the depth of friendship that can exist so fast with people you've never met - that I can feel like I know a gal in Colorado with her little girl and job that is lackluster - and she feels like she knows me. Or, I can gain a relationship with someone right here in my church that chances are would never have developed otherwise. It's awesome, and sometimes a bit scary, but mostly awesome!

So, to wrap it all up. As for me and this blog - because of the primary reasons why I do it - chances are it won't be going away for a long time. It's been a very good thing in my life!

And, to end with a deep question, what is a "meme"?

(A couple things I want to add, blogging has helped me to recognize I'm pretty comfortable being me. While I try not to offend others, I hope folks recognize that I'm not writing for them, and if you get bored reading my rambling..... well, this ain't the blog for you. I love my little family, and my little life with all of its quirks and I hope that others who read it will recognize that we are learning and growing and making mistakes just like the rest of the world...... and while there are a few things I don't admit in public blog-land, and usually just post the pictures I think are flattering of me, if you really begged for more mistakes or more ugliness - I probably would be willing to oblige. I'm just not as afraid anymore to try and look good all the time.....

And, one more - I'm realizing, that even though I've prided myself on being a good speller - there are a lot of words that I've had to edit over time because that little red line comes up underneath, and if I just can't manage by trial and error to figure out the right spelling - I find a new word (instead of looking it up). Yes, I'm that lazy......)

Off to the Principal's Office

This morning, at nine, John and I will be meeting with Mr. Nelson to talk about Brayden's behavior. Scary, huh? We warned him that there would be consequences for beating up smaller kids on the recess field, but did he listen?! (Actually, he just couldn't find any smaller kids!!!!) Ha ha - y'all know I'm kidding about that - and when I say we're discussing Brayden's behavior, that's partially true - moreover, we'll be discussing what can be done to help him out the most this year.

Our school is one of many that doesn't allow you to specify which teacher (out of the three or four options each year) that you want your child to have. As a former teacher myself, I see both sides of this argument. As a parent, it kind of ticks me off. Instead, they give you a "Homeroom Placement Information Form" to fill out, so that you, as a parent, can supply as much information as possible (without using teacher's names) to have your child appropriately placed in the classroom that best fits his needs and learning styles.

I was very detailed in filling this out (shocker, huh?). "Brayden absolutely needs a classroom with a teacher who excels in classroom management techniques as any distractions, Brayden will play right into. He a respectful student, but very "otter/sanguine" personality, so if there's a chance to play/socialize, he'll take it." There were many other descriptions as well - but this one is the major crux.

So, guess what? He's in the classroom that has the most distractions, with the teacher least equipped to handle them. From the Japanese ESL student who is constantly playing hide and seek under desks, or getting up to go to the coat rack for no reason, to the boy who is just downright mean in his constant one-liner responses to the teacher, it's just not pretty. To add icing to the cake, yesterday Nancy informed me that she watched Brayden and another boy (the one Brayden told "you're not a good influence") be in the same reading group. Apparently, this boy so craves Brayden's attention that he is non-stop in talking to him, bragging to him, and yes, semi-mauling him - and of course my little angel doesn't budge at all. (Nope, on the contrary, he plays right into it).

When I went in to help with the math hour, I estimated Brayden was listening to the teacher maybe 40% of the time. On occassions such as these, I wonder how he gets along at all if I'm not in the room whispering in his ear what he's supposed to be doing. Fortunately, he's a bright enough kid to "get by" on this 40% attention span, but we all know, that even if I was content with him just being mediocre, the road is not going to get any easier.

So, best case scenario, we'll leave the principal's office with instructions for Brayden to be reassigned to a new teacher. (One I'm really hoping for). At the very worst, we'll have the chance to really get to know our new principal who is so inviting to be around, you just feel like shooting the breeze with him any chance you can get. (A COMPLETE 180 from our previous principal). The last thing I want to do is berate Brayden's current teacher. She's trying, and I really appreciate that, it's just not working out so good for our little boy.

There you go. I dreamt about it all last night. In one dream we had a female principal who decided to have a conference with not only us, but about 40 other parents and kids simultaneously. After she got through with us, she said, "Ahh, Lilly, a child completely unlike that other one (Brayden) - I'm so happy to have a good kid like you around" And, in the dream, I LOST it, ran out of the room, demanded transfer materials from the front office, and eventually cooled down enough to listen to her humbly eat crow in apology from the entire group. Hmm, do you think I have a little anxiety over this whole thing?

Laughter Amidst Trying Times

John was gone from 7pm on last night because of various responsibilities (number one, being, picking up him mom from the airport at 10:59). So, the job got laid on me to tuck both kids into bed.

I was late in doing this, however, as I was on the phone sorting through the ramifications of yet another fracture in relationships. Whether it's one of our pastor's leaving to start his own church (and hence some people leaving to join him) or the neighbor down the street's marriage, it's very hard to hear about. Sometimes the fractures are a result of positive God-inspired choices and just have to be worked through - and other times I don't believe God has been given the opportunity to be involved, and in those cases the consequences can be so sad.

So, by the time I got to the kids - they wondered what took me so long so I carefully, methodically (and age appropriately) told them a few things that were on my heart. Our kids have been so sheltered from bad events that I feel like we need to sometimes work through some of the struggles with them so they'll understand how to make choices when they end up in a pit at some point in their life - whether they jumped in or were thrown in - and understand WHO to turn to, to either get out or stay out in the first place. It was one of those rare times when I completely had Brayden's attention and I gather he'll remember the lessons for a long time to come. At the end, Mikayla made it clear that it's been a "hard day in Oregon" based on what I had told her and then hearing about "Joshua" (Traig's brand new water lizard) being so sick he had to be taken back to the pet shop and returned. Yes, honey, "hard day in Oregon".

Then, this morning, another circumstance happened with Brayden that had him listening to me tell him more information than a normal 9 year old boy would be mature enough to hear. (Has to do with body-stuff.....) I then said, "Boy, Brayden you're sure getting a lot of information that a kid your age normally doesn't get, are you sure you can handle all of this?"

He paused, looked at me, and said, "Yeah, I'm just like Chuck!"

(This had me laughing hard, but for all of you DWTS fans, you might not know that Chuck accidentally had the secrets of the country downloaded into his brain which throws him right into the spy-action world.... hence the fun of the show - and the wittiness of Brayden!)

Chuck Is Back!

The delight for both John and I to have Chuck back in our living room was enormous last night. We were downright giddy as we watched him, Sarah, Casey, Morgan, and the rest of the gang lead us through an hour of super-fun entertainment.

I can't guarantee that every aspect of this show is kid friendly, but the humor mixed with adventure sure is a welcome change from the many repeat-styles of network programming.

Welcome back, Chuck! And, I hope that for those of you that are new to meeting him - or plan to meet him soon, you enjoy him as much as we do!

What My Dad's Been Up To

Time to put up a new post in a hurry. I can tell by the very kind responses, that I turned yesterday into a bigger deal than it was - and probably created questions in people's minds like I've felt when I've read similar blogs from other people. Could she be talking about something I did? Nope. Don't worry. Feel free to email me if you're really curious.....

This morning, Nancy and I went to see the projects that my dad has been busy working on for quite some time. They are two houses (family related) situated on property in the Coburg foothills - and they are very impressive. The move-in dates are coming up within the next couple of months for both of them (sooner for the other) and so I wanted to check out the progress and Nancy wanted to see the design ideas and craftsmanship. It's always fun showing off what my dad is able to do to other people. I've grown up knowing he's talented and I guess I take it for granted. He's gifted, that's all there is to it.

Unfortunately, as I was snapping pictures, I didn't really focus in on some of the most impressive parts that my dad was responsible for - rather, things I liked about the house that would make me want to live there. Forgive me, Dad!

This is the water feature in front of the bigger house - this picture only shows part of it-

And, here is part of the water feature in the back yard as well as the view - hmmm, not bad-

A picture of Dad showing Nancy what it took to do all the woodwork in this house-

My favorite feature - this hot tub is only accessible from the master bedroom - on its own little deck, ahhhh, the view, the luxury............

Ignore the dust on this picture, but it is demonstrating the light fixture in which the chains were welded into place to suspend it - and the beams within the kitchen are only there to hide the wires to bring electricity to that chandelier....

This is a snapshot of the exterior of the smaller house, situated just a short walk from the other one-

And, finally, a picture from the second level looking down into all of the woodwork of the kitchen in the second house.