The Inkwell

Haircuts and TV Shows

2012-01-14T12:57:00.000-08:00

The boys are speaking geek to each other as they attempt to save a virtual world from virtual zombies. Caleb has his pirate hat on and is playing some sort of crash-the-cars game on his castle. And me? I'm organizing photos from this last year and wiping clean the memory card on my camera. It's ready for a fresh start.

It's been a week, friends. Oy.

A week of meetings, emails, and forgetting things.

A week of that time of the month, and hitting my head on the couch while playing the part of a zombie for Caleb to chase. A day-long headache resulted. Not fun.

Caleb and I took yesterday off and had some fun Mommy & Me time. We needed it. We got his haircut (first time professionally done). We went out to lunch. Then we went looking for whirlpools at Deception Pass. We like exploring. Off-roading on game trails. Forging our own path. We're getting quite good at it, too. But that's a subject for another post.

This morning I took these to show off the new do:

He's very happy with his hair. He tells everybody "See my haircut? We go Super Cuts, and lady cut my hair!" :) He was so good in the barber's chair. Sat perfectly still. All gentlemanly and sweet.
About melted my heart. Then I watched as the last vestiges of blonde hair fell away under those clippers, and my eyes about melted too. I'm gonna miss those blonde locks.

*snnniiiiifffff*

Last weekend we had another first. We obtained (and hauled over the fence) our first swingset!

Caleb is in love. So am I. It's perfect for our yard, and it was free. Woot! All the Neuhauser men showed up to help us haul it. A real family effort, which was mightily appreciated.

And here's a bonus picture. It has nothing to do with this post in particular, but I found it when downloading photos this morning, and I thought I'd share. He's so darn cute. If I do say so myself. :)

~~~

I was told this week that I get too involved in TV shows. I don't know what prompted Hubby to tell me this. I only subjected him to a thirty minute rant about how Once Upon a Time should not have killed so-and-so, and how I wasn't sure I was going to keep watching because I was so upset at the loss of this character. I mean, how could they??? It was only the seventh episode!

Yeah, ok. I guess I'm involved.

I took his advice to heart, though, and haven't given up on the show. Yet. But they better get Snow White and Prince Charming back together or else I might just go postal.

If you haven't heard of Once Upon a Time, it's a pretty fun show from ABC. Fairy tale characters find themselves living in our world with no memory of who they are. They are under a curse, after all. A curse that takes away happy endings. Only one person can break the curse, but of course, she doesn't know who she is.

Dun-dun-duuuuuuuun!

Ok, /end TV show plug now.

Emotionally invested much? Nope. Not me.

So how was your week, friends? Anything exciting? Any firsts? Are you mad at any TV shows? Air your opinions here! :)

Daniel as you've never seen him before

2012-01-03T20:19:00.000-08:00

This is Daniel.

The Daniel from the bible.

As in, Daniel and the Lions' Den.

Yes, I realize he looks a little futuristic for a bible character. He actually comes from a moon rover toy and is supposed to wear a space helmet. But don't tell Caleb, ok? He's accepted the fact that this is Daniel, regardless of whatever time travel might be involved.

Our little adventure with Mary and Joseph went so well during December that I figured, why not do some other bible stories throughout the year? Hands-on style for the concrete learners among us?

So here is Daniel with King Darius. Inside Darius's castle.

Please don't ask me what King D is wearing. He was the best "king-looking" figure I could find. And no, he's not part of the moon rover set.

Today we read Daniel 6:4, which says that Daniel worked for King Darius and did a good job. The King liked him very much and planned to set him over the entire kingdom

We also read Dan. 6:10b, which says that Daniel prayed three times a day to his God, as was his custom. So for the duration of this little bible lesson, Caleb and I are praying three times a day, too.

This was the best "praying" position I could manage. These little guys don't bend at the knees. "Sit" and "Stand" are pretty much what they do. In space helmets.

Tomorrow, we learn about the satraps who didn't like Daniel very much.

{Daniel doesn't know it yet, but he's about to have a very bad week in the Neuhauser house.}

Hey, I didn't write the story. I'm just reenacting it. :-D

Happy New Year (with no resolutions attached!)

2012-01-01T23:37:00.000-08:00

Happy 2012, everyone! I hope you all enjoyed this first day of a new year. It passed quietly for us. I think the single most exciting thing we did today was go for a hike.

Quiet isn't bad, though. We just ended a very merry {and very busy} Christmas week, and come Tuesday, all the crazy busy-ness of our regular life resumes its tumbleweed course. I'm already making to-do lists of phone calls, emails, and errands. But that can wait. For just a little while longer, I can pretend nothing else in the world exists but me, my fuzzy pajamas, and back-to-back episodes of Cake Boss.

I have made no resolutions thus far. I'm not big on New Year's resolutions. After years of not being able to keep them, I rather gave up on the idea. But make no mistake. I have hopes, dreams, and plans aplenty for 2012.

Fueled no doubt by two things that happen every year at this time:

1. The overwhelming urge to clean out closets and organize the house and,
2. An undeniable craving to plan summer trips for our family.

Like clockwork, every January and February, you can find me in odd nooks and crannies, cleaning, oragazining, throwing out, or giving away stuff. If I'm not doing that, I'm on the computer researching trips to Mount St. Helens or Orcas Island, booking cabins and camp grounds, writing out itineraries.

I don't know why these urges strike when they do. But I don't question them anymore, and I certainly don't fight them. And today, right on schedule, they both showed up with a vengence.

Caleb's room received the brunt of my organizing mania today. Not only did I clean, but I went through all his toys too. New ones from this Christmas. Old ones from last Christmas. Whole bunch of junk he's collected in between. Some toys went into rotation up in the closet. Others went into bags for the thrift store. Took about an hour and a half, but like an itch that's finally scratched, I felt utterly relieved when it was done.

What did I do next? Laid down on Caleb's bed, in his perfectly clean, organized room, and dreamed up family vacations. Duh. It is January 1st, after all. I told you. I can't fight the urge.

I found myself dreaming today of a vacation to that southern sunny land I used to call home. The practical part of me says it's preposterous to hope for such a thing. How could we ever afford it? But then, a girl can wish, can't she?

There are other wishes I'm holding near to my heart for 2012. But like plans, I'm trying to hold them loosely. 2011 taught me that plans change {dreams, too}. And you have to be willing to change with them, or else be left behind in a heap of regret. Roll with the punches, ya know? I think that'll be my new motto for 2012.

Well, it is nearly January 2nd now and I really ought to be in bed. We're getting up ridiculously early tomorrow to watch the Rose Parade at my in-laws. Maybe the football game, too, if we're lucky. Happy New Year, everyone! Blessings to you all at this time of beginnings and fresh starts. :)

While I was driving . . .

2011-12-29T19:59:00.000-08:00

On a normal, average day, a trip from Seattle/Tacoma Airport to our home on Whidbey usually takes two and a half hours. Today it took us four.

Of course, we did make a side trip to the Northgate Mall. And a stop off at the Smokey Point rest area. And then the drive-through at Panda Express for dinner. And then there was all the traffic in between those stops.

Apparently, one should not expect to drive quickly on a major freeway during rush hour. I'd forgotten that.

Driving through the big city was fun until the sun went down. We listened to music, called Daddy to ask him what he wanted for dinner. Caleb told me stories about his green Red Robin ballon we'd got at lunch. We both agreed on how much we missed Grammy and Grandpa (already). Then the sun went down. Everything got dark. Nothing fun to look at except tail lights. Nothing to do except count down the exit signs between where you are and where you want to be. 48. 47. 46.

Somewhere around Stop #2, I was ready to be home. Turned on loud keep-me-awake music. Chanted to myself "Raviolis and a nap! Raviolis and a nap!" (Inside joke: if you are not familiar with the work of comedian John Pinette, look him up on YouTube or Netflix. You'll thank me later.)

Chanting got old after a while, so somewhere between Stop #3 and home, I wrote a musical. A Christian 80's musical. Complete with off-the-shoulder sweaters, tube socks, and funky hair. Featuring the music of Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Brian Duncan, and other such big 80's singers. Oh yeah. You should have seen me blocking the choreography in the car. Running lines with Caleb. It's gonna be a big hit on Broadway, let me tell you. I can see the neon lights from here.

{crickets}

Ok, so it sounded like a good idea at the time. While I was driving. Bored. In the dark.

Where does your mind wander to when you're driving?

Twas a few days after Christmas . . .

2011-12-28T12:20:00.000-08:00

Ahhhhhhhhhh.

Bedding tumbles in the washer downstairs, Caleb giggles to the antics of a very curious monkey, and the back door opens halfway to usher in fresh rain-washed air.

Can I tell you how good it feels to just sit?

And maybe munch on a milk-chocolate-with-caramel-latte Ghirardelli square? Ooooo yeah.

There is entirely too much chocolate in this house. Hershey's kisses, See's Candy, Ghirardelli, MnMs. You name it and we probably have it in a variety of flavors. Heaven help us.

I blame Christmas. Darn candy-filled holiday. Halloween? Psshhh. We accumulated more candy this month than the last three Halloweens combined. And I have no idea what I am going to do with it all.

Eat it? Bake with it? Use it to stucco the walls?

In other news, we had a happy Christmas on Sunday. We opened presents here with my mom and step-dad (who are visiting from CA), and then spent a couple of hours with Jason's family at his parents' house, doing Christmas all over again. I felt like I'd run a marathon by the end of the day, and the living room still has not recovered.

But hanging with family is always merry. The Neuhauser men taught Harry how to play cribbage. I got to ooo and aaahh over my adorable nephew. Caleb ran around, sipping everyone's sodas and stealing cribbage pegs.

Oh the joys of the season, eh? :) Children bring such a spirit of curiosity and hilarity with them wherever they go. I sit and watch and laugh and count myself lucky that I get to be the audience for my son's antics. He's such a goof ball.

And now for a moment of randomness: my hands smell like celery. Probably has something to do with the chicken soup in the crockpot. I've decided I really like the smell of the celery. Bath and Body Works needs to come out with a celery fragrance. I think it'd be a big hit for them.

Anyway, that's about it for now. Mom and Harry are sightseeing down south today before heading back to Cali tomorrow. I still have presents to put away and homes to find for all this chocolate. If I don't post before the New Year, I hope you all have a fun, safe weekend, and a bright 2012!

In those days . . . along came a dinosaur

2011-12-06T17:17:00.001-08:00

"In those days Caeser Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register."

Luke 2:1-3

Our own Joseph and Mary have been steadily traveling through the house as they make their way to Bethleham. And they've picked up an unexpected companion. See?

Forget about a star shining so bright. Yesterday Caleb decided the dinosaur would show them the way. And when we told Daddy about it last night, he said

"Well, the bible doesn't say how they got to Bethleham. Who knows? Maybe they had some help."

What has made you smile today?

His first prayer request...

2011-12-02T17:37:00.001-08:00

I heard Caleb pray for the first time last night.

It was dinner time and I was in the kitchen.

(Dinner time is not my favorite part of the day)

Caleb was hounding me for food. Literally. Begging and whining and crying. Because I never feed him anything. Of course. Duh.

He'd already had snacks. Snacks (plural). As in more than one. He wasn't starving. But the tears and the whining had to stop. So I sent him to his room on time-out.

(Not my favorite part of the day. Have I mentioned that?)

I continued to cut vegetables for a salad while a pot of water boiled merrily on the stove. Then, from his bedroom down the hall, I heard:

"God? I want a banana. Pweese!"

It took a moment to register. I poked my head around the corner. Did I really just hear . . . ?

"Caleb, did you just ask God for a banana?"

Teary, snuffily sounds. "Uh-huh."

I started cracking up. Quietly at first. Then louder. I couldn't help it.

What's a girl to do?

Caleb heard me chuckling and came padding back to the kitchen.

"Oh sweet boy! You're in luck. God just changed Mommy's heart. You may have a banana."

How was I gonna say no after that?

Caleb happily sat down to munch his banana. I stirred the pot, still chuckling.

The banana was quickly gone, but then Caleb wanted crackers.

"No, Caleb. I'm making dinner. You need to wait."

"But but but, I want to ask God!"

Hey, it had worked for the banana. Why not try it again?

I paused to stifle more laughter. He wasn't going to give up easily, was he? I wanted to encourage his desire to pray, but at the same time let him know prayer was not some magical way of getting whatever you want.

"You can ask God for anything, sweetie, but that doesn't mean the answer will be yes."

"But," the tears were coming again, "but I want to change your heart!"

Oh my. Ooooohhhhhh my.

Well, he didn't get crackers. He sure prayed hard for them, but the Mommy's heart was unmoved. I sorta feel to blame. We've been asking God for snow all week. Apparently, Caleb wanted to see if "asking God" worked for other things too.

Jason and I had a good laugh when he got home. Then I called my mom and we shared another good laugh.

It's just so precious to see a little boy learning about faith and how things work. It blesses my heart. Truly.

Merry Christmas, friends! Happy December 2nd!

In the Beginning

2011-12-01T10:28:00.001-08:00

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.

He was with God in the beginning."

John 1:1

Happy December First, everyone! Caleb and I started our 24-day advent calendar this morning, and John 1:1 was the verse of the day. See our snowflake? Caleb put it in the mitten pocket and found three MnMs waiting for him as a reward. :) Guess who will be eagerly waiting by the calendar tomorrow morning?

Mary and Joseph also started their month-long trek through our house today. See the happy couple? They're hanging out on Caleb's jungle gym downstairs. Tomorrow we'll move them to Blue's Clue #2 on a nearby window sill.

Eventually, they'll make their way upstairs and on Christmas Eve, finally arrive at the stable!

What's with the Blue's Clues you ask? Well . . . it's one of Caleb's favorite shows and he's always on the lookout for clues. I figured the paw prints would be a good visual way for him to see where Mary and Joseph are going. Plus, he helped me tape them around the house this morning, mapping out a route and picking places for them to go each day. Including the freezer and the back porch. :) We had such a blast! Originally, I was going to do all the prep work myself, but I'm so glad he was part of the process.

Well, that's what we're up to today! What are you up to this December 1st?

The Day Willy Hurt His Foot

2011-11-23T12:54:00.001-08:00

So.

We've inherited a dog for the week.

Willy. Our dog-in-law. Whom Caleb loves dearly. (I do, too.). He's a sweetheart, and he and Caleb have been great pals for a long time. Caleb calls him "Wih-wee."

We took him hiking with us yesterday morning. We often borrow Willy for hiking.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary until we brought him home. Next thing I know, there's a trail of blood leading up the stairs, down the stairs, and all through the den.

Oh my.

"Outside, Willy! Outside!" Ugh. Cleaning dog blood out of the carpet was so not on my To-Do list yesterday.

It's not like Caleb's out of school, we're having company over for Thanksgiving, and I have baking, cleaning, and shopping to do. Not at all. I have all the time in the world for things like bloody carpet cleaning sessions.

"Ok Willy, let me take a look." I was done being mad about the mess and had remembered that I do actually like this dog. I checked each of his paws, and sure enough, his back left paw was bleeding. He had partially sliced the pad.

That's when I knew the rest of my afternoon would not go according to plan.

"Kim? It's Nicole. I think I need to take Willy to the vet. No, no, he's fine. Just cut his paw. Not sure if he'll need stitches."

Most of the in-laws were already out of town for the holiday. Which meant I was now responsible for taking an 80 lb. golden retriever AND a 50 lb. four year old to the vet.

The visit went better than expected. In fact, it turned out to be a great learning experience for Caleb. He was very interested to see the "dog doctor" and to watch her take care of Willy. He only got worried when they tried to put a cone on Willy's head. Thanks to Pixar's movie "Up", the Cone of Shame just about cost us a tantrum. But I was able to convince Caleb it would help Willy and as soon as we got home, we took it off.

"The paw needs to stay bandaged. Make sure he doesn't chew on it. Make sure it stays dry. Tie a plastic bag around it when he goes outside. Give him these antibiotics twice a day."

Good grief! I had no idea having a dog could be so involved!

But Willy is a good doggie, and didn't chew on his foot.

"Kim? Willy's going to be ok. They wrapped his foot up and put him on antibiotics. But he needs to be watched. He can't go outside unless the foot is covered. Do you want John to bring him out to Bremerton when he comes? Or . . . "

Ok. I'll confess. I offered to keep Willy for the week. We love Willy-dog, and Caleb kept asking if he could stay.

Maybe I felt a teensy-bit guilty that the accident had happened on my watch.

Maybe it was seeing Caleb "take care" of Willy last night, propping his hurt foot up on a pillow and covering him up with a blanket.

Or maybe I just like having a dog in the house.

Whatever the reason, our dog-in-law is spending Thanksgiving with us.

And Jason and I are talking about getting a dog of our own. :)

Blessed

2011-11-21T21:03:00.001-08:00

I picked out Christmas cards today. As usual, I agonized over the design. (I do this every year). I'm a big fan of photo cards, so I also have to find the absolute perfect pictures to share. After all, ALL our friends and family will see them. Which ones do I choose? The one of me in the snow didn't make the cut. Neither did the picture of live crabs, freshly caught and not long for this earth.

What kind of person puts a picture of crabs on their Christmas card, anyway? Who even considers it?

Apparently I do. At least I caught myself at the last minute. No merry Christmas crab card this year. Sorry folks.

Between the pictures of our family and our personal greetings are the words "We are so very blessed."

That's what sold me on this specific design. More than anything, that's what I want to say to everyone in my address book. We are so very blessed.

Some days it doesn't feel like it. We've gone down a long road this year, and we're still walking.

I know I sorta left you guys hanging when we went to find out Caleb's diagnosis in October. He was diagnosed with PDD (pervasive developmental delay) which is on the Autism spectrum. They also strongly suspect he has ADHD, and have already warned us that he will probably need medication when he's older.

Getting a label was a relief in so many ways, but difficult in others. And I've begun to realize just how long this journey will be. I've spent a lot of days running, and many others hiding. But I am slowly finding my way.

So why do I say that we are very blessed?

Oh, for so many reasons!

For the little boy who comes into our room around 6:45am every day and asks "Is it morning time yet?"
For the new job Jason just started, which has answered many prayers for us.
For the perfect moments, when life is good and right and as it should be. Like our afternoon at the beach on Friday. 38 degrees and a breeze weren't enough to stop Caleb from playing barefoot in the sand. He's happiest on the beach, and watching him frolick like we did so often during the summer, was a perfectly happy moment.
For pillow fights and Halloween songs, both a part of our daily routine.
For a high-functioning autistic kid. Our struggles could be so different.
For church, which we have missed for months due to nursery challenges. We're attending once more, and it's wonderful.

Blessed, friends. Blessed. The Lord is helping me to see just how much. Maybe that sounds sappy and spiritual. But way down deep, that's how I feel.

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!

Today

2011-11-14T16:37:00.001-08:00

Today.

Full of bright November sunshine.

A wild, thrashing ocean, stirred to a frenzy after last night's storm.

Coffee with a friend who's been where I am.

Gentle, real conversations about the things nearest my heart. The fellowship that common experience brings is a healing balm. A gift.

Swinging my son on his indoor hammock swing. A new sensory toy to help us get through the winter.

Kicking leaves with Caleb in the front yard. He's very pleased with the whooshing sounds they make as he runs through them.

Talking with my in-laws and planning on-the-spot birthday celebrations for my father-in-law. (Secretly rejoicing that the whole family is going out to dinner and I no longer have to cook!)

Solid, sweet words from Psalms that speak to my heart; whispered promises from my soul's lover.

Hoping for a few minutes to blog and maybe watch an episode of Jericho later. :)

Loving the stories that I am a part of.

This is today.

Rainy Days and Rabbit Trails: Ye Be Warned

2011-11-11T13:42:00.000-08:00

Hello? Heeellllloooo?

*Whoooooosh*

(dust flies everywhere(

Cough, cough, ackkk!

Where the heck is the light switch in here?

Oww! *loud banging sounds*

Tripped over the darn profile pic . . . finally! HERE's the light switch.

*Click*

Wow, look. It's my blog. I can't believe it! The ol' girl's still here.

*stupid grin*

*clears throat*

Ahem.

I have many deep brain things to share with you all about my most recent bloggie absence. Brain things. Deep. Many. Lots going on here, lemme tell ya.

But they will have to simmer on the stove for another day. Because today I'm sick, so my brain isn't functioning normally AND because I have a rabbit trail I want to follow. Don't worry. You'll like it. I think.

I read this story today on Bing: The New Seven Natural Wonders of the World

Now, not that there's anything wrong with the original Seven Natural Wonders. Apparently, someone somewhere just wanted to make a new, updated list. But this one? Really??? First of all, nearly all of them are in southeast Asia. Two are from South America (The Amazon Rainforest I happen to agree with). Then one random pick from Africa that really isn't all that spectacular. That's it. Nothing from Europe, Australia, Russia, India, or North America.

After leaving an outraged comment on the Bing site (which was echoed by dozens of others from around the world), I got to thinking. What natural wonders would I choose, if it were up to me to make a "new" list?

(As I said, I'm sick. And tired of shopping on Amazon.com without money. That's only fun for so long. You know? So I'm afraid you're stuck with me and my natural wonders wondering.)

So here's a few I think should have made that list (with all my limited travel experience backing me up!):

Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii (continuously erupting volcano)

Lake Baikal in Russia (largest/deepest freshwater lake in the world)

Dead Sea (lowest point on earth and 8 times more salty than the ocean)

Redwood National Forest (tallest trees on earth)

Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland (oddly crystl-shaped rock formations on the coasts of both N. Ireland and Scotland). See? And hey! I've been there!

I'm the one in front. :)

So yeah. Those are my thoughts this sick and rainy day. What about you? Any natural wonders you'd want to see on the list? Let me know what you think!

And now I'm off to play Plants and Zombies with my ever-so-patient son. Talk at you later, friends!

Girl Surrounded

2011-10-02T18:57:00.000-07:00

I find my house overrun with humans of the male persuasion tonight.

But Nicole, aren't you outnumbered like, all the time?

Why yes, yes I am.

But tonight especially so.

Besides the hubby and manchild, my brother-in-law is here, along with my husband's best friend who is visiting from California for a few days.

This house is Man-Central tonight. Computers linked and synchronized, the boys are waging a virtual war and merrily blowing each other up with a gusto that only comes from testosterone. Caleb is making the rounds, going from one computer to another, begging for "a turn." Apparently, he's excited about blowing things up, too.

And me? I lost myself in the bright world of Farmville for a while tonight. I had blackberries and red currants to harvest. :) I spent two wonderful social hours with my mother-in-law and sister-in-law this afternoon. Comforted a sick little boy this morning. He rather suddenly spiked a 102.1 fever earlier. Not sure why, but he seems to be feeling better now.

Mostly, I used this day as a Sabbath. Today was the first day in almost a week where I didn't have to be up early and on the road. Between meetings at church, appointments in Seattle, therapy sessions, and more church events, I've been out of the house by around 8:30 every morning. Today? I had nothing to do, nowhere to be. And I relished the lack of activity. This girl needed the rest.

Rest assured that I haven't forgotten how to write or how to log into Blogger. Many days I find I have so much on my mind, so many things I would like to write down and share, but not a spare moment in sight. That seems to be the norm around here these days. Spare moments are rare and must be used wisely.

(Gosh, that last sentence sounded like a fortune cookie.)

And now, for some good news:

Caleb's appointment in Seattle (the one we've been waiting six months for) went extremely well! The speech pathologist was super helpful and friendly and informative. He answered a lot of our questions and we now know that Caleb doesn't fit the classic definition of autism. There's a good chance he is still on the Spectrum, under a PDD label (Pervastive Developmental Delay), but there's an equally good chance that he has ADHD with a sensory disorder and behavior disorder. We are going back in two weeks to see a neurologist, and he will make an actual diagnosis at that appointment.

We came away praising God, because we understand a whole lot more about autism now, and about the markers Caleb has, and the markers that he lacks. It's complicated, but basically, Caleb doesn't "fit" anything neatly. Which is why the doctors have been puzzled and taken their time evaluating him. Now I feel we have a better grip on what's going on. And that understanding has brought a immeasurable amount of peace for both of us. :) So praise the Lord!

And now I find I must be going. :) My little man is hiding under a blanket, asking for dynamite (an online flash game. No, I don't allow my son to play with explosives. Often. ;). The older boys are talking about pizza, followed by a movie. Being the token girl and hostess of the house, I suppose I should go involve myself in these weighty decisions. Unless I want cereal for dinner. :)

Cereal or pizza? Hmmmmmm. That's a hard one.

Good night, friends!

An Autumn Monday Miscellany

2011-09-19T19:34:00.000-07:00

His teacher met us in the hallway and led him away toward the coat rack. His little Cars backpack bobbed on his back as he left. His first day of school, today. He was so excited!

Part of me kinda wanted to cry. Part of me kinda wanted to dance for joy.

Summer's officially over now. This afternoon, while Caleb played with the hose in the front yard, I vaccuumed sand out of the trunk of my car. Momentos of the great summer we've had. First I unpacked the camping chairs and the Sports-brella. Then the beach toys and Caleb's floaty tiger. Water shoes. Random pieces of clothing. Empty water bottles. Books. When I finished, only piles of sand were left, gathered from a dozen different trips to the lake, and countless mornings spent at the beach.

The weather already seems to know that fall is here. The thermometer read 44 degrees a few days ago. The chilly air makes me crave oatmeal in the mornings. Hot coffee, too.

Mmmmm, I love this time of year. :)

And now, for a few Monday Miscellanys:

Miscellany #1:
I've been on a home decorating kick lately. Decided my bedroom needed a makeover. And I LOVE how it's turning out. :) New curtains, new decorative elements, little craft projects to spruce things up. Hello, color! I love you! Pictures coming soon . . .

Miscellany #2:
We have officially started listening to Christmas music. We're rocking Trans-Siberian Orchestra's Lost Christmas Eve in the car these days. Caleb's favorite track is #4. He asks for it, by number, over and over. And over. And over.

Miscellany #3:
A mason jar full of candy corn makes all the difference when you're potty-training. 'Nuff said. ;)

Happy Monday, y'all!

I'm Rocking My Baby

2011-09-08T21:51:00.000-07:00

So I had planned to blog yesterday . . .

. . . about our trip to Seattle on Tuesday. About how we left the Autism Center with no satisfying answers. About the sweet time we spent as a family, being together and being happy, on a late summer's day in the big city.

But . . .

. . . the phone rang off the hook yesterday. A teacher who told me what I didn't want to hear. A friend who called to talk about tea and food and sewing projects. Alone time, with the Lord, on a trail overlooking mountains and forests and sea. Precious time spent in a coffee house with a dear friend, laughing and praying and learning and resting.

Today, I had planned to blog . . .

. . . about the ministry I recently joined at church. About the excitement and anticipation I feel to be a part of it. About lives and stories and our God who authors them all. Deep thoughts, sweet thoughts. Knowing He is always there.

But . . .

. . . we spent the morning at church for a ministry meeting. Caleb got stung by a yellow jacket in the backyard, and needed comforting and LOTS of kisses. I was inspiried to try something new for dinner, which made the meal take twice as long to prepare. Then, as I reached for the laptop later, thinking surely I had a moment now to write, my little boy snuggled up on my shoulder and promptly fell asleep. What's a mommy to do? Snuggled him back, of course, and held him close until we were ready to carry him upstairs to bed.

"I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep."

So that is why I have not blogged yet. Savoring precious moments that I want to remember. Trusting God with the moments when I struggle. Drinking deeply the family times, the summer sunshine, the tender moments with my son. I don't want to miss a thing.

So please forgive a lack of proper posting this week. I've been, um, otherwise occupied. :)

Letters and Snakes

2011-09-05T15:51:00.000-07:00

Seems I find all sorts of fun things on Amazon.

Caleb calls it "building words" which comes from Word World, one of his favorite shows. We spent about an hour with these the other day, spelling out words and learning to recognize the lower case letters. The letters are removeable, and the wooden plaques have a word on each side. The outline is already given, you just have to find which letter goes where. Like a puzzle. Anyway, we had a blast! Caleb already knows his alphabet, and I honestly think he could read right now, given a little guidance.

When we tired of letters, we did some drawing. Well, I mostly did the drawing. See how I incorporated the letters and words we were just learning? Sneaky, sneaky. ;) Caleb likes to dictate what I draw, although I did make him scribble his own happy faces and squiggly lines for a while.

I heart Melissa & Doug. LOVE their stuff. The end.

I also heart this little boy. :) A lot.

Even when he does really boyish things that freak Mommy out. Like this:

Yes, that is a snake.

See how happy he is with his snake? Not sure the snake is quite as excited...

Caleb asked if he could keep it in his bedroom.

Nosiree,noway, thankyouverymuch! Nosnakesinthehouse!

That's more or less what I said. ;)

But I couldn't deny the unutterably cute, 100% All Boy-ness of the situation, which is why I went for the camera. :)

Happy Monday all! I hope you're having a great Labor Day Weekend!

And could y'all pray for us tomorrow? We're headed back to Seattle for another visit to the Autism Center. We've been waiting months (try six) for this, and now we have three scheduled appointments in the next six weeks. Oy! But if you could pray for wisdom and answers, we'd surely appreciate it! Thank you!

Golden Sugary Goodness

2011-09-04T12:48:00.000-07:00

I would like to introduce you all to the new love of my life:

Friends, meet Palm Sugar: the newest addition to my kitchen! :)

It's tan and sandy, it's brown and beautiful, it's Palm Sugar!

Ok, I'm done now. :)

Why is it my new best friend? Why, I'm so glad you asked!

Palm sugar is completely natural, harvested from palm tree blossoms. And (wait for it), it's safe for diabetics to have.

Yes, you read that right. A sugar that's actually safe. I've been researching sugar alternatives for the last couple of years, and synthetic substitutes aside, this is the best I've found to date.

Here's why: palm sugar breaks down slowly in the body, taking more time and less insulin to digest. It doesn't send your blood sugar levels sky-rocketing; it doesn't spike them at all, actually. You can put it in drinks, you can bake with it, you can pretty much use it the same way you would use regular white sugar. But with fewer calories (15 cal. per tsp.) and no sugar spike (palm sugar has a Glycemic Index of 32, while white sugar has one of 90).

Now, if you're relatively new to The Inkwell, you're probably scratching your head and thinking, "Gee, I didn't know she was diabetic!" Well technically, I'm not.

Short summary: I had gestational diabetes when I was pregnant with Caleb (Long story there. Short version? It was no fun.) Ever since, I've been border-line diabetic, and struggled with sugary foods and most especially sugary drinks. I had to give up Jamba Juice, find sugar-free alternatives at Starbucks, and buy stock in Crystal Lite. Splenda lives in my cupboards full-time, always at the ready for coffee and tea.

Now, if you are nowhere near "new" to The Inkwell, you also know how much I love to bake. And what a soft spot I have for cookies, pastries, brownies, and ice cream. Sweet tooth? More like sweet teeth. Plural. Which doesn't work out well for a border-line diabetic.

Hence, the search for a sugar substitute. That's why I'm so excited about Palm Sugar. (And why I keep capitalizing it. ;) I found this particular brand on Amazon, and in addition to being a natural sugar, this brand is also organic. Another plus.

The big question I had when I ordered it, though? What did it taste like?

Well, guess what? It tastes like brown sugar. No joke. Maybe with a bit more molassess in the flavor. Or carmel. Yummmmmm.

And that's the real reason why I heart Palm Sugar. It's safe, it's natural, and it actually tastes good. The trifecta! And to prove it, I put it to the test in a batch of Amish Friendship Bread last weekend. Made the house smell like french toast while it was baking. Mmmmm. And the bread tasted great! Moist, fluffy, with a slightly richer flavor than usual. Win! Win! Win!

Ahem. I'll put my pom-poms down now.

My next adventure with Palm Sugar? I want to try some chocolate chip cookies. If Palm Sugar can handle those, I think it can handle anything. :)

I take my coffee VERY seriously

2011-08-31T08:43:00.000-07:00

No lo toque nadie.

Praises

2011-08-24T20:57:00.001-07:00

I chuckled at her expression.

"I told you I'd have to explain," I said.

On the prayer list I handed her were written two words: Caleb's Autism.

Only they weren't written under "Prayers." They were written under "Praises."

~~~

"I can't imagine what your life must be like," our Sunday School coordinator says. I confess I am a bit surprised by this statement: she's a mother of seven. I sorta figured if anyone understood, she would.

"Well," I mumble. "We have good days and bad days." I'm trying hard not to cry. Trying hard to be strong. The gray day mirrors the difficult news she just delievered: one of the Sunday school teachers doesn't want Caleb in her class because he won't sit down and color nicely with the rest of the boys and girls.

"Yeah, but your bad days must be really bad."

I nod. I'm confused, and I don't know what else to say, but I nod.

My life isn't all that bad, surely. Do we really engender that kind of pity from people? Caleb just isn't a sit-down-and-play-quietly kind of boy.

~~~

"What would you like to do today, Caleb?" I ask over Cocoa Pebbles and bananas.

"Hmmmm." He thinks about it, tapping one finger to his cheek in typical Caleb-fashion. "Go the airport and see Grammie and Grandpa's house?" He looks at me hopefully. I laugh.

"I wish we could. But not today, sweetie."

We play Chase instead. His favorite. I chase him, he chases me, and we usually end up on my bed playing hide-and-seek under the blankets. Or else he jumps on the bed, singing something about monkeys bumping their heads.

Singing is a new hobby for him.

On our way to Wendy's for dinner the other night, he started singing the theme song from Wonder Pets! Only he changed the words. I almost didn't notice.

"We're not too big, 'n we're not too tough, but when we work together, we get french fries! Yay, Mommy, Daddy, and Cabub!"

I laughed all the way to the drive-through.

~~~

After sitting on my table for four months, after a trip to California and back, after my mother sings its high praises, the magazine will be ignored no longer. I pick it up and start reading.

"Autism" is splashed across the cover. The causes, the treatments, the theories.

I don't really want to read it. Been putting it off (and off and off). But... something inside me insists. You need this. You need to face it.

The statistics in the article are staggering: 1 in 110 children is diagnosed with autism every year. And boys are four times more likely to be diagnosed than girls.

I read stories about parents who are raising autistic children. And the more I read, the more I relate. Behavior issues, speech delays, sensory difficulties. I'm nodding my head as if the magazine can see me. This is my son, I realize, shocked. Everything they're describing in here? We've seen it. Lived it. To one degree or another.

My son's autistic.

I can't believe I'm even thinking it. But deep down, that statement rings true. And deeper still, very much to my surprise, I accept it.

I didn't even know I was fighting. Didn't catch the denial. But the reluctance, the hesitation, they have been there from the beginning. It feels good to be free of them.

The magazine does one other thing for me. It gives me perspective.

~~~

"So why is this listed under Praises?" my friend asks. She sips her coffee and waits.

I stare out the window at Starbucks, composing my answer. Why am I praising God for something that has routinely been under Prayers?

"Because I realized something this week. As hard as Caleb can be sometimes, as difficult as raising him is, things could be a lot worse. Some autistic children never talk, some of them are never able to function in normal society. Caleb's not that severe. Most likely, he won't have those problems. Our life could be vastly different, vastly more difficult. So I'm praising God that Caleb is who he is."

And I am. Truly. For the first time, I think I'm beginning to understand my son. And the more I do, the more thankful I am for this amazing, sweet, funny little boy who I get to wake up to each morning. We still have a long road ahead of us, but at least we are heading in the right direction. Step by step.

Making Hay

2011-08-19T16:55:00.000-07:00

We made some hay today, friends. Yessiree.

We haven't had a lot of time for hay lately, even though there's been plenty of sun.

We were a little adventurous today. Instead of playing on the beach, we climbed rocks. Caleb risked life and limb forging trails across slippery cliffs above the ocean, and Mommy risked the same as she followed him in her definitely not-all-terrain sandles.

What can I say? Dangerous endeavors make for great mother-son bonding time. And today, we needed some of that.

Parts of the beach were fogged in when we arrived. But the sun took care of that.

About an hour later, Caleb looks around and says "Hey! Where'd all da froggy go?"

"The sun burned it away," I explain. He asks a lot of questions these days.

"Burned it away?" He ponders this as he goes back to the driftwood seesaw he's playing with.

Today was quiet. Restful. And dare I say it? Lazy.

Perfect.

Hard to believe that a mere month ago, this little boy was still in diapers. Now he sports Lightning McQueen and Perry the Platypus undies with great pride.

Thank you, Jesus! I never thought this day would come!

Ahem.

Potty-training is not for the faint-hearted. Or for those in a hurry. It's all about slow progress, small victories, and enormous amounts of candy. :) If you stop over to visit in the next week, look for the mason jars in my bathroom. You'll see what I mean.

And if you couldn't tell, I'm head-over-heels, over-the-moon excited to have my child out of diapers. Words cannot express.

We've done our best to make hay while the sun shines this summer.

In between surprise visits to Seattle for the Children's Hospital . . .

{Lake Washington, Seattle. Two weeks ago}

{A fun outing after a not-so-fun doctor's visit}

. . . and surprise weddings . . .

{Mr. and Mrs. James Smith}

{Helen's wedding last Friday}

. . . I guess you could say we've been busy. :) Making hay doesn't always mean sitting on a beach, though. Sometimes it means having surprise houseguests, who delight and bless you beyond what you could have ever expected. Sometimes it means adjusting your schedule as your husband begins to commute off-island for his job.

Lots been going on around here lately, friends. I'm sorry I've been away. I've missed the Inkwell, though I truly have needed the time.

How have y'all been? What stories have you lived this last month? Do tell, please. :)

Berries are a Girl's a Best Friend

2011-07-24T15:28:00.000-07:00

Happy Sunday, all. It's a happy lazy day around here. The sun shines, the temperature is into the 70s, and we're all enjoying the fact that Jason is home and not at work. :)

Look what I've been up to today!

Mmmmmm, yummy strawberries! Fresh from a local farm (we bought them this morning.) And headed straight for my freezer.

See? Washed and drying on a cookie sheet.

Raspberries, already frozen. We bought some of those today, too. :) Berries make me happy.

Maybe it's the prarie girl in me, but I find it oh-so-satisfying to stock my larder (read: freezer) with the fresh foods found in our island community. Salmon. Crab. Blackberries. Locally grown produce. Mmmmmm! I'm lovin' it.

My friend Tabitha found a recipe for chocolate raspberry sauce in her canning cookbook, and I cannot wait to try it! Most of the raspberries I freeze today will be saved for that. The rest will wait for baking recipes and future smoothie concoctions. The farm we went to just opened their fields for U-Pick, so I'm hoping to make another trip out there in the next week or two. A girl can never have too many raspberries. :)

That's about it for now. I have zuchinni fritters to start frying for dinner. :) Hope you're each enjoying summer, wherever the season finds you. :) Happy lazy day to you!

Monday Miscellany

2011-07-18T15:58:00.000-07:00

Hey Y'all! My friend Flower Mama over at Thoughts and Whatnots does a Monday Miscellany post most Mondays. I always enjoy reading it, so this week I thought I'd give it a try myself. :) Ready for some random? Oh good. Me too. Here goes.

#1: I name my appliances. And I talk to them. I lectured Martha the other night about her mood swings. She nearly burned dinner, you see. She has a nasty habit of over-cooking food when I least expect it. Ruined that last batch of bread I made. Maggie, the gal next door, isn't nearly so tempermental. She vexes easily, though, when Caleb leaves her door wide open. Makes extra work for her, trying to keep all our food cold.

#2: Our church's VBS starts tonight! If you missed all the adventures in Egypt last year, you can take a look here. Guess what the theme is for this year? The Wild West. Squee!!! Happy dance!!! As a girl, I dressed up like Laura Ingalls every chance I got. I still dream of hoop skirts and sun bonnets. (And still wear the petticoat my grandma sewed for me when I was about twelve.) Excited? Over the moon. :)

I am not, however, wearing a skirt to VBS this week. For practical reasons. The thrift store did provide me with some overalls, though. I have a red bandana and a cowgirl hat. Just need to add some pigtails. :)

#3: Caleb overheard me talking about the pool the other day, and decided he wanted to go swimming. He walked over the the hall closet (where we keep most of his clothes in a plastic dresser), and began calling for his swimming trunks.

"Swimming trunks, where are you? Where are you, swimming trunks?"

Utterly hilarious, that boy. He personifies everything. I have NO idea where he learned to do that. Ahem.

#4: Speaking of the manchild, he caught a baby snake the other day. I thought he was playing with a worm. Until he brought it into the house to show me. And in his excitement, dropped it on the kitchen floor. The black wriggly thing took off like a galloping horse, and this Mommy may or may not have screamed "Get it out of the house! Get it out of the house!" about a dozen times. Thankfully Daddy was on hand to save the day, and Caleb took his new friend back into the yard while Mommy hyperventilated. The end.

#5: I had to look up the word "miscellany" before writing this post. Tricky spelling, that one.

#6: We wore jackets to the beach this morning. In the middle of July. Oh, and I left butter in the trunk for two hours while we played and when we got home? It was still cold. Can't say I miss the heat of southern Ca. Summers up here are simply lovely.

And that concludes this edition of Monday Miscellany. There's dinner to be got, and VBS to dress for, so I shall bid you all adieu. Hope your week has started as pleasantly as mine!

Let Me

2011-07-17T18:18:00.000-07:00

And now for something completely different. :) A song. A song that simply came to me while at women's retreat a few months ago. I can't truly say I wrote it. I think He did. He just shared it with me. And now I'm sharing it with you.

Let me have the pen,

Let me take your hand,

Let me lead you through the dance.

Let me write your life,

Let me have control,

Let me love on you a little bit more.

Let me, let me.

Let me take you on this adventure,

Let me author every chapter,

Let me take you where you never thought you'd go.

Let me show you joy,

Let me make you laugh,

Let me love on you a little bit more.

Let me, let me.

Let me lead. Let me have. Let me take.

Let us dance.

Let me write your happy ending.

Let me love on you a little bit more.

Just wanted to share a few of those "good things" God is doing in my life. It isn't all clouds and rain. :) Happy Sunday, y'all!

A Venting that Ends with Verses

2011-07-15T15:38:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone. I'm back. Blogging to you today from my deck in the backyard. The sun isn't shining, exactly, but it's warm out. The manchild is creating a beach in his sand box by adding water from the hose. Actually, it just looks like a mud pit now.

And I'm grumpier than a hungry bear in spring. Just been one of those days, you know? Actually, it's been two of those days. In a row. The Mommy wants a nap, or a nanny, or maybe an all expenses-paid trip to Ohau for, like, a year. It's days like today (and yesterday) that I want to hollar out on Facebook: "Child for sale! Cheap!"

Don't laugh. I can hear you, you know. It's not funny. You try running around Wal-Mart for ten minutes, looking for a boy who decided to run off the moment your back was turned. Imagine searching the toy aisles, the pet section, and the flatscreen in Electronics where Tangled is playing. People see you and think you're a bad mom, but really, you're just panicked that someone has abducted him. Then, ten heart-pounding minutes later, you find him. In the pharmacy. With his four year old arm in the blood pressure testing machine. Big huge smile on his face. Pressing buttons and happy as a clam.

And that was just today.

I think I'm developing a tick in my left eye.

Funny? No. Definitely not. So please stop laughing.

There's a lot of new things going on with the Bud these days. Besides random escapades across Wal-Mart. Caleb is currently seeing a speech therapist once a week on Tuesday afternoons, and an occupational therapist on Wednesdays. I have calls in to two more specialists, for two very different issues, that will probably necessitate more doctor visits in our future, and perhaps even some dietary changes. Children's Hospital in Seattle is taking their sweet time getting Caleb in to see a speech pathologist; we probably won't get an appointment until September, even though we've been waiting since March. So the question of whether he is autistic continues to hang over our heads, unanswered and pending.

In the meantime, we deal on a daily basis with a boy who lacks a label, but struggles with obvious issues nonetheless.

We've discovered in the last month that Monster Boy has Sensory Processing Disorder (sometimes called Sensory Integration Disorder). He's hypo (or under)-sensative in the areas of oral, muscular, and touch-related senses, which means that he craves sensory imput much more than most of us. This need to touch and move (and yes, put things in his mouth) helps account for a lot of his behavior, and the occupational therapist has been helping us to understand these needs and find appropriate ways to meet them.

In some ways, I feel like we are getting to know our son all over again. We try different activities like scientists try experiments, to see which things help and which don't. The pool? Great calming activity. Hiking? Not so much. Trial and error. Good days and bad days. Hope and frustration. That's sorta my life right now.

The One Who Keeps Me Sane provided some precious verses this morning as I read through Psalm 66. He always knows just what to say. :)

"He has preserved our lives and kept our feeet from slipping. For you, O God, tested us; you refined us like silver. You brought us into prison and laid burdens on our backs. . . we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance." (Ps. 66:9-12)

Verse 5 says: "Come and see what God has done, how awesome his works in man's behalf!"

And verse 20, which I really and truly needed to hear today: "Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!"

(Emphasis all mine)

God is doing good things, friends. I hope I have not discouraged you. "Life is pain," says Wesley in the Princess Bride. But "Fear not! for I have overcome the world," says our Prince, our Hope, and our Champion.

I hope to blog some more this weekend to share with you some of those good things God is doing. Jay works all weekend, though, so I can't promise a preponderance of posts. :) All I can promise is that I will do my best.

Happy Friday, y'all!

Friday Night Randominity

2011-07-01T21:24:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! Just wanted to say hi. I know it's been kinda quiet around The Inkwell this week. But that is about to change as I prepare a glimpse of the random Friday Night thoughts my brain is currently entertaining. Ready? Set? Go!

Thought #1:
I wore a sun dress today. A sun dress. This is big news, people. I wore it all day long, to Wal-Mart, to the backyard, to the front yard, in the house. I did finances in it, changed diapers in it, made dinner in it. The weather was that warm today. I think we may actually have a summer yet.

Thought #2:
I am crazy-in-love with Starbucks Iced White Chocolate Mochas. I just discovered them about a month ago, and good gravy gracious! where have those been all my life?? I am not, however, crazy-in-love with the price. A tall costs $3.50, and my weekly allowance keeps disappearing through the nearest drive-through window. So I am now attempting to recreate the heavenly drink at home. I have not succeeded yet. But I do have white chocolate syrup. That's gotta be the secret ingredient, right? Or is it the cream?

Thought #3:
I seriously considered throwing this week a going away party. I am not sorry to see it end. Out of all the weeks in 2011 so far, this one will not make my favorites list. Good-bye Week #26! Adios! Dosvidanya! Don't let the door hit ya . . .

Thought #4:
I found a dress yesterday. A dress, people. No, not a sun dress. Common people, pay attention! That was so five minutes ago. This is Thought #4, not #1. ANYWAY. I found a dress. Dark green, velvety. Flowy. Medieval. Renaissance. Long sleeves and everything. The best part? It only cost me $5. Best. Sale. Ever. I have plans for this dress. Oh yes. I plan to wear it to my birthday party. Which leads me to . . .

Thought #5:
I am throwing myself a birthday party. I haven't had a party in a long time, and this year I decided, why not? So party we will, like it's 1533. Or 1826. Or whenever the heck Rapunzel's tangled story is supposed to take place. Yep. Let the long hair fly! Tangled is my theme, and guests are allowed to dress up fairy-tale-style if they so choose. Oh, I sooooooo choose! Hence the dress from Thought #4. :)

Thought #6:
Wow. I didn't think my list of random thoughts would get this long. My brain is pretty much mush after this week, and I'm suprprised I've been able to write coherent sentences at all. And many of them, too, apparently. Huh.

Thought #7:
I probably won't be on here much over the next week, because two of my favoritst people in the whole wide world are coming to visit. My mom and step-dad fly in on Sunday for a week of grand-parenting, grand adventures, and memory-making. I can't wait to see them. :) So bear with me while I take another short hiatus from blogging and know that it is for a good cause.

Thought #8: (last one, I promise)
And now for some funny Caleb quotes that had us in stitches this week:

"Owwww! Smoothie hurt my eyes!" (said in the throes of a brain freeze from drinking said smoothie too quickly).

"O and T! O and T! We go the O and T!" (He means OT, which stands for Occupational Therapist. Caleb just started seeing one here in town, and I call her the OT. But Caleb calls her the 'O and T'. Hilarious.)

"Wook! Wook! Mommy, mommy, wook!" (He can't pronounce "L" to save his life, so it comes out as "W". But the "wook" is so darn cute that now Jason and I can't hear it without cracking up. We wook like wookies in this household.)

"No! No bite me no more! NO BITE ME!" (Screamed at the nurse who administered his four year old vaccinations.)

"Awww, it's so cute!" (Said of anything he takes a fancy to: a worm, a toe, a cereal box.)

"I can't take it anymore!" (Said whenever a tantrum is brewing or when he's unhappy with the current flow of events. Seriously. I hear this sentence a dozen times a day. Can anyone say drama king? I have no idea where he gets THAT from...)

~~~

Well that's about all for tonight, folks! I hope you have a great weekend and a happy 4th of July! ;)

Morning Battles

2011-06-21T19:13:00.000-07:00

5:20 a.m.

Five-twenty a.m.

FIVE. Twenty. A.m.

Nothing is up at this hour except the sun. And perhaps a few infernal birds.

Oh, and my son.

Grrrrrrreat. Not again.

The whispering begins almost immediately.

"I can't believe that boy. I'm so tired. Why can't he sleep longer? There's no way he got enough sleep last night. Now he's gonna be cranky and I'm gonna be tired all day."

I open my eyes sleepily to see Self-Pity perched on my nightstand. She grins at me in a rather unsettling way. I roll over and pretend I can't see her. But when I open my eyes again, I'm face to face with Resentment, who has slipped under the blankets and is now curled up where my husband should be. He has bad morning breath.

"Kids are so much work. It is too much to ask for a decent night's sleep? Why can't parenting be easier? Why does life have to be so complicated and difficult?"

Before I know it, these enemies have me whining and acting exactly like the four-year-old I'm mad at.

"Lord, help me."

It's my first prayer of the day. It won't be my last. But it makes my bedmates scowl.

"Lord, help me. I need You."

Jason leaves for work. Caleb munches on cereal and bananas, watching his new Scooby-Doo movie. I get my own breakfast and open my bible. Right there, on the page where my bookmark lays, God responds.

"My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him,

for God is our refuge.

One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard: that you, O God, are strong,

and that you, O Lord, are loving."

~ from Psalm 62, verses 1, 2, 8, 11, & 12.

I have enemies who watch with hungry eyes, who have no love for my family, and would cheer to see me become an angry, bitter person. Some days I even help them along with that goal.

But more and more I'm realizing that I don't face these enemies alone.

He fights with me. He fights for me. And He makes all the difference.

North Cascades - Final Day

2011-06-20T10:51:00.000-07:00

Ta-daaaah! I promised I wouldn't leave you hanging! Here at last are the pictures and stories from our final day of vacation. :) Enjoy!

We leave Winthrop late Tuesday morning, around 11am. We ate breakfast at Three-Fingered Jack's in town (a splurge), and that gave us our late start. But we have Hwy. 20 under us, and a long trek back over the mountains to look forward to.

Our hiking book highlights several intriging hikes along our route. Cutthroat Lake, Cedar Falls, Lake Ann, Maple Ridge. Top on my list, though, is the Pacific Crest Trail. Spanning over 2600 miles, it runs the length of the west coast, from the Mexican border in California all to way to the Canadian border in Washington. Someday, I want to hike the whole thing. But today, I'll settle for simply stepping out on the trail itself. We're about to cross paths with it, right over Washington Pass.

But as we gain altitude, we begin to notice an unexpected addition to the scenery.

Snow. Lots and lots of snow. The higher we climb into the Cascades, the more we find. Caleb's thrilled. But we're not so sure. The roads are clear, but turn-offs are becoming hard to see. We watch carefully for Washington Pass, the first stop on the map.

Heh.

Yeah. This is the parking lot at Washington Pass. Except its under four feet of white stuff.

Parking this way? I'm afraid not. Unless you own a snowmobile. Then feel free to park it anywhere.

The Liberty Bell Mountains, perfectly framed from our vantage point in the pass.

Rest stop? Hope you brought snowshoes! The restrooms might be a bit, um, under the weather.

Oh common. I know you're snickering, just a little. :)

Caleb runs here and there like a kid on Christmas morning. We're bundled up in jackets for the first time this trip.

Snow, huh? Who'da thunk it? Not us! It's June, after all! But then, we're just lowly Island-dwellers. What do we know of snow and mountains and spring thaw? (Apparently, not much).

We have to revise our plans. All those cool hikes we wanted to investigate? Nowhere to be found. Trail markers and sign posts are buried, as are the trails themselves. We were lucky to find the turn-off for Washington Pass at all. So we laugh, snap our pictures, throw a snowball or two, and then head back for the car.

Oh, and the Pacific Crest Trail? We did actually find it. Sort of.

It's buried, too.

Oh well. Now we know to come back in August after the snow's gone. And I'm sure we will. In fact, as we drive home, we begin to plan a return trip. Who knows? Maybe in a few years, we'll be back.

In the meantime, we're looking forward to our own beds tonight and a bathroom with a real shower.

Vacation is good, but home is always best. :)

Sun in the Sand

2011-06-16T17:43:00.000-07:00

My lips taste salty. And feeling is just now coming back to my toes. We've been to the beach this afternoon (and everywhere else today, for that matter).

The beach, Pacific Northwest-style. Where the water is 50 degrees and we only get wet up to our calves. But that doesn't stop us from having fun.

Splash! Squeal! Squelch!

Sand and water, water and sand. Friends who come to join in our cold, wet dance.

Here comes a wave, run! Duck! Ooooohhh, it gotcha! Here's a towel. Don't lose your flip-flops to the tide! :)

We're enjoying the firstfruits of summer vacation this week. Today alone we've gone hiking and shopping, played at McGolden Arches and the beach. Tuesday we were at the lake. Yesterday we went to the Dollar Store to spend birthday money from Grammie. :)

And Saturday we have a fabulous Half-Birthday Pirate Party planned for a certain four and a half year old. :)

Yep. Life is good. Summer is good. I'm lovin' the 16+ hours of daylight we get right now. Luxuriating in the sunshine, soaking up the good stuff.

Tomorrow I'll try to finish up our vacation pictures and stories, since I left y'all hanging with just one day left to go. :) Sorry about that.

Until tomorrow, then?

7 Years Ago . . .

2011-06-13T18:42:00.000-07:00

Seven years ago {yesterday} . . .

two best friends spoke vows and started on a journey.
They had no idea where that journey would take them. But it was an adventure. And they would face it together.

Seven years later, the journey is still an adventure. And we're still traveling it together. :)

Happy Anniversary, my love!

Winthrop

2011-06-09T20:51:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the interesting layout goofs the last couple of days. Blogger is giving me fits. Please bear with me as I try to sort the html issues out. Thank you!

{Wenatchee. Lincoln Rock State Park. Day Three}

We are eager to be out of the desert. Have I mentioned we're not big desert fans? We break camp around 9:30am, the earliest we'll ever leave a cabin this trip, and head up North 97. We decide to skip a side trip to Lake Chelan in favor of greener landscapes and cooler temperatures. The scenery out the window goes from this . . .

. . . to this . . .

. . . to this in just a few hours. They call the Methow Valley "horse country" and I believe it. What I'm not quite prepared for, though, is how the Valley will charm its way into my heart and make me never want to leave.

We also pass the mighty Columbia River . . .

. . . and the muddy Methow as well. In fact, the Methow River keeps us company the last leg of our drive, weaving under the road several times only to pop out again to the left or the right of the highway. It's swollen with snow melt, but unlike Deception Falls, this river doesn't feel dangerous. In fact, I'd say it's probably pretty friendly when the rage of spring thaw subsides.

When we do finally arrive at Pearrygin Lake State Park, another river of an unexpected kind greets us:

Most of the tent sites and picnic areas are flooded. In what the park ranger calls "a legendary event", a local creek has overrun its banks and left an unbelievable trail of mud, rocks, and debris as it forges new channels to the lake below.

This is the road leading into and out of the park. Driving through it was an adventure!

Lucky for us, the cabins are untouched and still available. But the flood continues to flow, not fifty feet away, and the ranger visits several times throughout our stay to keep an eye on things. But more on that later . . .

We settle in and admire the views from the cabin door.

Pearrygin Lake, with north Cascades in the background.

Lovely, no?

Then we drive down the road to explore Winthrop.

Wooden sidewalks. Three-Fingered Jack's Saloon. Homemade ice cream.

What's not to love?

Pull up a saddle?

Don't mind if I do!

Caleb, too. He's practicing to be a cowboy.

The air is warm, but not hot. The pine trees, dust, and Methow River (which flows through the town) all the give the air a subtley spicy, earthly smell. I love it.

Cute!!!

I dig the whole sexy cowgirl look. It's not my look, but it could be.

Oh yes, it could. :)

Tired and a bit hot, we head back to the cabin to cool off in the lake.

Which turns into a water fight. Of course.

Caleb takes the most hits. But then, he doesn't complain much.

Then we decide to have another look at the muddy flood.

The water isn't deep, but boy it's cold! Caleb walks through it with his water shoes, but Mommy braves it barefoot and Daddy soon follows suit.

We're blown away by the amount of water. And the amount of mud.

This poor picnic table! It never stood a chance!

The gate in the background used to open out onto a path. Now it's a stream. Once again, we find ourselves witnessing the pervasive and relentless power of water. Seems to be a theme on this trip.

We find a spot where the mud has dried. Caleb decides he likes the feel of the dried clay-sand-mud and plops himself down to play.

But Mommy and Daddy prefer the semi-wet stuff.

It's pillowy soft under my feet and smells faintly of wet concrete. It oozes and massages as I rub my toes in it. Ahhhhhh!

Squish!

Squishy squish squish!

Clay and silt, mixed in perfect proportion to create a most delicious mud!

I beg Jason to let me bring some home, but he says no. :)

The sun sets on a happy family. We've gone west together, explored together, played in the mud together.

I call that a good day. And of the four we spend on the Loop, today is by far my favorite.

Steven's Pass, Leavenworth, and Wenatchee

2011-06-08T20:19:00.000-07:00

{Day Two. 10:33 am. Driving along Highway 2. Climbing into the mountains.}

Still stinging from the disappointment of not seeing Wallace Falls yesterday, I help Jason keep a sharp eye out for a certain sign along the road.

It comes up so fast, we accidentally miss it the first time. Jason has to pull off on a gravel service road and execute a tight three-point turn to get us back on the highway and over to the little turnout we've been watching for: Deception Falls.

Caleb's been in the car for an hour and he's ready to run. We walk down a little path that meanders through some trees and abruptly spills us out in front of the falls.

My mouth drops open.

This is no elegant sheet of water, falling gracefully down to a quiet pool below.

This is an angry, violent river, riled and provoked by snowmelt from the mountains. White water crashes down with unbelievable speed, exploding with awesome force against the riverbank, the rocks, and itself. An icy spray spirals upward, misting us and making us wish for our jackets. An odd thought after the heat of the foothills.

And the roar! Conversation is impossible. There is nothing but the water. It's all I can see and hear and smell and feel. Its ferocity demands my attention and I stand spellbound, getting wet and cold.

{From the footbridge, looking upstream}

{From the overlook under Hwy. 2, looking downstream to the footbridge}

{Deception Falls}

~~~
Leavenworth is quaint and quiet after the spectacle in the mountains. We eat waffles for lunch in the Waffle Haus and enjoy the town's Bavarian charm as we wander through fudge shops, toy stores, and my personal favorite, the Kris Kringle Christmas Shoppe.

Accordian music drifts from the gazebo in the town square, which is perfectly framed against the Cascades like a scene from Sound of Music.

Jason and I agree this would be a fun anniversary spot to come back to, and after a quick trip to the Bavarian-styled Starbucks, we head out for Wenatchee and our second camp site.

~~~
Wenatchee. Brown, hot, dusty Wenatchee.

{Pinecones in the Park}

We don't arrive at Lincoln Rock State Park until mid-afternoon, by which time I'm cranky from the heat. In the 80s, at least. And as dry as the desert I grew up in.

Still, the cabin has an air conditioner and a separate sleeping room, so life isn't all bad.

And we share our camp site with this cute little critter. (At least, we do until Caleb discovers his hole and proceeds to dump every rock he can find down it. :( Poor little rodent. I hope he has insurance.)

We had planned to swim in Lake Entiat, right by the cabin, but the water is so frigid, we have to rethink our plan. Caleb cools off instead at the water pipe nearby.

We make popcorn after dinner and Caleb falls asleep between us on the futon while we watch Psych. Later, I stargaze and watch cars drive along the far side of the lake. The smell and feel of the air remind me of my childhood home in the desert, and East County San Diego, which we left for the rich green of the Pacific Northwest. Only it isn't green here. In spite of the lake and the Wenatchee River flowing nearby, the land itself is very dry.

I enjoy the cool, dry air and it's comforting familiarity. But Jason and I are not fans of the deserty landscape, nor the heat. Come morning, we're anxious to be off for higher altitudes and greener pastures.

From the Island to the Foothills

2011-06-07T20:50:00.000-07:00

So. We're home. Four days. 440 miles. We're a tired but happy bunch of adventurers tonight as we empty the car and begin the arduous task of unpacking. :)

We had such an incredible time, friends. Really and truly. The family time alone was precious. Never mind all the beautiful places and interesting sites we saw, too. I am literally dancing in my chair wanting to show you guys. What do you say? May I show you around the Cascade Loop?

~~~

Day One: Oak Harbor to Wallace Falls (1 hr. 50 min.)

First things first. The cabin. We camped in cabins this trip and let me just say, they were divine. Amazing. And so much less work than a tent. Have a look:

The outside. No set up work. Just unpack the car and you're good to go.

The inside: No air mattress that goes flat in the middle of the night. No rain that soaks everything you hold dear. Just a cozy little space that boasts electricity and heat. And windows. With curtains. I loved the curtains. Caleb loved the bunkbed and immediately staked out the top bunk for his own.

We were hooked after just one night. I'm not sure we'll ever go back to tents after this. We dun bin spoiled. :) But enough about the awesomeness of cabins. Let's move on to hiking.

{On the trail to the falls}

Wallace Falls is a popular hiking spot, we discovered. Loads of people made for a crowded parking lot and a crowded trail. But hike we did.

{The Wallace River, brisk and brimming with snow melt}

The temperature was somewhere between "Very Warm" and "Hey, It's Hot!" on Saturday. But after a quarter mile in the open sunshine, the trail dropped down into the trees to follow the Wallace River.

Every so often, the wind blew across the river and sent refreshingly cold air up into our faces.

Alas, we did not make it to the falls. A combination of a lack of drinking water and misreading the trail map kept us from our goal. No worries, though. We have waterfalls yet to see, and we won't be disappointed (stay tuned!).

On the trail back to the cabin, we caught glimpses of the mountains we would be crossing the next day.

Gorgeous and alluring and mysterious. Couldn't wait to see them.

Back at the cabin. Time for a little R & R. Reading Firebird by Kathy Tyers.

Then time for dinner. Cheeseburgers, watermelon, and chips. The new camp stove worked really well. Sure made meals much easier than camp fire cooking.

Then lights out. Caleb slept in his top bunk while Jason and I watched "Psych" on the lap top. Who says technology has no place in the great outdoors?

Overall, we think very highly of Wallace Falls and give it a strong thumbs up. We would like to go back, either as a day trip or on another camping excursion. Beautiful spot. Comfy cabin. Plenty to do.

Oh yeah. :)

Stay tuned tomorrow for The Waterfall, the trip over the mountains, and the bavarian Star Bucks we found on the other side!

Egypt and Rag Rugs

2011-05-28T16:53:00.000-07:00

I was sorting through coupons the other day when Caleb came bounding into the kitchen.

"Where Daddy go?" he asked. He asks this question often. Most every day, in fact.

"Daddy's at work, little boy," I replied, as I usually do. Most every day, in fact.

Caleb thought about this for a moment, then announced grandly:

"Nope. Daddy went to Egypt."

I looked up from my coupons. "Oh?" This was a new development.

"Are you sure Daddy went to Egypt, Caleb? That's awfully far away."

"Yes. Daddy went to Egypt to get a mummy!"

I had to laugh. Apparently I married Indianna Jones and didn't even know it. :)

~~~
In other news, I did actually finish Caleb's rug the other night. As promised, I also took a picture of it. But you promised not to laugh. Remember that please. I haz a fragile ego.

(Ok, not really. You can laugh if you want. I sure did :)

As you can see, it's no longer a semi-circle. I suppose it could be 1/3 of a circle. Or the dancing skirt, as I call it. But no matter the shape, it is finished. It's warm and soft, and Caleb likes it, so hey, it's all good. Right?

Right. ;)

Happy Weekend, all!

Weather or Not

2011-05-26T21:04:00.000-07:00

I am quite determined to finish Caleb's rag rug tonight. I worked on it over the weekend, and it's almost there.

And yet I find myself here, blogging. Now why is that?

The clouds outside are restless. They gather and disperse, only to gather again a little later. Perhaps they are wondering where to spend their summer holidays. For summer is indeed coming. It doesn't feel like summer yet; temperatures are still in the 40s every morning and we've had a good deal of rain this month, more than is usual.

But in two short weeks, preschool will be over and Caleb will begin his summer vacation. And next weekend, we're leaving for a family camping trip around the Cascade Loop. We've been planning it since January, but even so, I feel as though June has snuck up on me. Where did May go, anyhow?

So we find summer upon us, whether the weather cooperates or not. :) I've been looking forward to it since winter began and I only hope it doesn't rush by too quickly.

The wind is restless tonight, too, though wind often is. I wonder what the weather will be like tomorrow. Tabitha and I have plans in the morning, and Jason and I are taking Caleb to the drive-in tomorrow night. Double feature: Kung-Fu Panda and Pirates 4. :) Should be an adventure! Only hope it's not raining.

Anyway, I'd better get to work on that rug. If I suceed tonight, I shall try to post of picture of it tomorrow. But only if you promise not to laugh. The rug is, after all, a very odd shape and speaks poorly of my abilities with a crochet hook.

Sighhhh. At least I try, right? Isn't it the thought that counts?

Good night, everyone!

Just When You Thought it was Safe to Turn on the Water

2011-05-20T10:59:00.000-07:00

There's nothing like getting called out of the shower by the doorbell and a polite high-schooler informing you that your son is in the front yard giving hugs to random teenagers as they walk home from school. Said boy was supposed to be sick and watching Scooby-Doo in the livingroom, not gallavanting around the greater outdoors without adult supervision.

Yeah, that's pretty much my life. :) Just a little Friday humor to share with y'all! Have a great weekend!

Let It Go

2011-05-18T21:04:00.000-07:00

Some people bring you gifts, some bring you bricks to weigh you down
So they can swim a little higher while you drown
Some people mean so well, their way was the best way that they've found
But any other way you choose is a brick that weighs you down

So tell me what do I do with this backpack full of bricks?
Of sticks and stones and words that stuck to me like ticks?

(Chorus)
Let it go, let it be
Brick by brick we can be free
Of all the words we say til we were our own enemies
Let it go, let it be
Brick by brick we can believe
In the person God intended us to be
Let it be.

{He holds me close, holds me tight. Through my tears and my confusion. Through the music that brings me to my knees. My sisters worship all around me, each alone with Him.

And then he whispers in my ear, "Let Me lead."

I smile. Lay my head on his shoulder. The questions begin to melt away. I'm so tired of trying, so tired of striving. And in my surrender, He begins to sing sofly.

A new song.

Just for me.}

~~~

My friend Tabitha shared this song with us Sunday morning at the women's retreat. It completely captures everything we learned last weekend, down to the very detail of bricks and backpacks. So, of course, I wanted to share it with you. :) Enjoy!

Cedar Springs Women's Retreat

2011-05-17T13:26:00.000-07:00

I got to spend this last weekend up in beautiful, bucolic northern Washington.

Oh, I had such a good time!

It was our church's annual women's retreat. And it was phenomenal. :) I drove up Friday afternoon with my mother-in-law and my good friend Helen. We sorta got a little camera-happy over all the barns we passed. Here's two of our favorites (but rest assured, we took pictures of many, many more):

{Red barn in the rain}

{Me taking a picture of Helen taking a picture of the ranch house, where we stayed}

{Lovely, wonderful friends}

{With whom I had serious and silly conversations, sweet fellowship and many moments of laughter, the life-blood of friendship}

{Walking the grounds around the retreat center}

{Calves and Baby Swans}

{Yours truly}

{Reflections}

I will share more from the weekend over the next few days. It was amazing and awesome and I can't remember the last time I was so totally blessed. The Lord spoke words of comfort and assurance to my heart. Memories were made, laughter and tears visited by turns, and our two nights and two days of rest flew by entirely too fast.

As I said, I will share more later. But at least I have posted pictures! And y'all didn't have to wait months to see them!

(Hey, I think I'm getting the hang of this bloggie thing!)

Happy Tuesday, y'all!

What I Do When I'm Sick

2011-05-11T20:17:00.000-07:00

(besides watching TV, that is)

(because I do a lot of that when I'm sick, too)

Mom left yesterday and this morning, I woke up with whatever bug Jason had last week. Joy. I have two days till our church's Women's Retreat, so I took the day off to rest and GET BETTER. Caleb watched lots of cartoons while I sacked out on the couch, but when that got old, we went downstairs.

He played with toys and so did I. :)

Here's some of the fruits of my labor. My restful, sitting-down "labor."

These are just the first two pages. I have two more to do for this set, but I am very pleased with how these turned out. :) Made me miss teaching. And Korean lessons.

An-yung, y'all!

Lovlies All Around

2011-05-04T20:28:00.000-07:00

I'm really excited tonight because this lovely lady is coming to see us tomorrow.

{ My mama }

Caleb is watching Blue's Clues and I wanted to blog tonight because I probably won't blog much over the next few days. :) Mom and I are going to be terribly busy while she's here. We have coffee houses to explore, trails to hike, conversations to have . . . you get the picture. :) It is Mother's Day, after all. And I feel especially blessed that I get to spend it with her She isn't just my mom; she's one of my bestest friends. And I wuv her.

{ Ok, I'm done now. I promise. No more mushy stuff. }

I'm also excited tonight because I found some beautiful bowls at the thrift store yesterday and I want you to see!

Confession: These did not come from the thrift store. The green and blue actually came from Wal-Mart. They have a new line of dishes out; same pattern, but in every color of the rainbow. Blue, black, brown, green, orange, red, yellow, and white. They are available in individual pieces, so you can mix and match to your heart's delight. Which is exactly what I did yesterday. Squeeeeeee! Plus, they were only $1.50 each. :)

Excuse me while I do the happy dance. . .

. . . nope, not done yet . . .

. . . ok, now I'm good!

The backstory here is that I've been looking for new dishes for several years. I never registered for dishes when we got married, so basically we've been stuck with Jason's bachelor set. I'm also extraordinarily picky when it comes to dishes, so even though I've been looking for years, I've only found two or three patterns that I actually like. And those were always too expensive.

Last summer I finally ditched the whole single-pattern-everything-matches idea and decided to go with a general theme and color scheme instead. That allows me to mix and match as I find things and as I can afford them.

And honestly, I like the fact that my dishes don't match. It adds character and variety to the dining table and gives us something to talk about with guests. :)

So without any further ado, here are the bowls from the thrift store!

I love these. They are the color of organic chicken eggs, and they're even speckled like eggs, too, although you can't really see the speckles here. Speckles totally rock. Just so ya know.

I also found two of these: tiny fruit or dessert bowls. Perfect for serving ice cream. Obviously two is not enough, but eventually I'll find more. :)

Here's the bowls, showing off their acrobatic skill. (Or was that me, trying to be photographically crafty? Nah.) In any case, I think we all failed. :)

I also found this bread plate. It's small, but isn't it lovely? So artistic and detailed! I love the ship pictured in the middle. I find I am beginning to love all things sea-related. Perhaps that comes from living on an island? Regardless, I fell in love with this plate and it came home with me. End of story.

So now I'm curious. Do you have any opinions on dinnerware? Do you like everything to match? Do you have a favorite color or theme? I'd like to know!

See y'all next week! I promise California pictures and stories then! (Finally!!). Plus some other catching up I have to do . . . :) Stay tuned!

Tulip Town

2011-04-25T16:02:00.000-07:00

Spring is coming slowly this year. We finally had sunshine and warmer temps last week, and oh boy, it was heavenly. :) On Tuesday, my friend Tabitha and I took a trip to Tulip Town out in the Skagit Valley. Tulip blooms are a big event here every year. The flowers officially initiate the start of spring, and they are a welcome riot of color after the dark, dreary winter.

Ready to tiptoe through the tulips with us?

My tulip touring companion. :)

This is one of my favorite pictures.

A rainbow of pure sunshine.

Pink ladies. :)

Welcome, Spring! Thanks for finally showing up!

Hiking Good Friday

2011-04-22T20:51:00.000-07:00

We hiked today. A good, long hike in the warm sunshine.

I can't tell you how good it felt.

The island's had sunshine every day this week. I'd almost forgotten what that was like. And today? Our hike? Felt like we were initiating summer. Felt like vacation.

I'm lovin' it. :)

That's not to say everything went smoothly this afternoon. I misjudged the distance on the map and we ended up on the trail a lot longer than planned (Read: a whole hour longer. With a four year old. Yeah).

I wore the wrong shoes. I forgot to pack snacks. I even forgot to bring spare diapers (though thankfully I didn't need them). Rookie mistakes of a mommy who's been holed up in a house all winter. I've plumb forgot how to hike.

Mistakes to be rectified tomorrow. While Jason's mowing the grass, I'll be stocking the backpack with all manner of hiking essentials. Then into the trunk of the car it will go, where it will live for the rest of the summer.

In spite of my unpreparedness, however, we did have a great time. Willy, my in-laws golden retriever, padded along with us. Caleb told me stories about creepy caves and trees of terror. We sang silly songs. He climbed on fallen logs. When morale ran low, I encouraged the little man along with promises of ice cream.

On the last bit of trail we were both quite tired. In all, we hiked for two hours today. Two. Hours.

The last stretch always seems the longest, doesn't it? We moved through thick foliage, shade, and shadows cast by the fir trees. All of a sudden, not a hundred feet from the car, we burst out into full, broad sunlight. It seemed we had walked into an over-exposed picture. The light was so intense, but so happy and bright, I couldn't help smiling. Everything was illuminated. Every blade of grass, every branch and leaf and bush. Nothing was left untouched by the sun.

Caleb found new energy and ran with Willy the rest of the way to the car. But not me. I walked, drinking it all in and thinking what a beautiful parallel our trail painted of Easter and Good Friday.

Good Friday (and Saturday, too, for that matter), were awfully dark for the disciples two thousand years ago. Nothing had gone according to plan that weekend. They were completely unprepared for what happened.

Ah, but He had a plan.

His followers sat in darkness for two days, but He never intended to leave them there. There was more to come. A divine happy ending no human mind could foresee. And on that Easter morning, His light exploded through the darkness, illuminating and exposing everything before it. Nothing was left untouched.

So Happy Good Friday to you all! Remember the darkness of this Passion Weekend, but anticipate the Light that comes on Sunday. Because of what He endured, the dark is not the end of our story.

Hallelujah!

Belonging

2011-04-18T20:42:00.000-07:00

We gather.

At Mom and Dad's house.

I don't call them that. But three others do.

We eat.

Smoked turkey and marinated elk.

"Thanksgiving in April", we joke as we pass the mashed potatoes and corn fritters. I even made two pumpkin pies for dessert.

We talk.

Four generations sit around the oak dining table.

The stories abound. Stories from when my father-in-law was stationed in Hawaii. Stories of the Northridge earthquake and my mother-in-law building forts under the kitchen table to keep the kids safe. Stories of the recent past, only just entered into the family history last weekend, when two of the menfolk lit the back of the new truck on fire.

We laugh.

Sometimes so hard we cry.

My sister-in-law, six months pregnant, begins to sob when I jokingly offer her brother half a pumpkin pie. The mere thought of not getting any pie, even in jest, is enough to set off the waterworks. But all the other women in the room have been pregnant before. We remember. So we hug her tight, let her laugh through her tears, and when pie is served, she receives the first piece.

We plan.

Next Sunday night's dinner. It will be Easter, after all. Maybe ham?

With nine people in the family, and #10 due to arrive in July, there are plenty of birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays to go around. At the moment, the main focus is my sister-in-law's baby shower. But between now and then, we have Mother's Day and two birthdays.

We help.

With anything and everything.

Moving, painting, mowing, building, cooking, shopping, cleaning.

We are a family.

With a dash of drama and a dollop of dysfunction.

Hey, we're only human. Of course we annoy each other sometimes. What do you expect from a close-knit group? But we are quick to forgive.

This is my family.

I wasn't born into it, but I count myself very blessed to be a part of it.

Being so far away from the family I grew up with is hard. But sitting around the dinner table, laughing harder than I've laughed all week, I find a balm that soothes and heals. And I smile. Because here, in the loud, noisy ring of others, I belong.

Back

2011-04-15T21:10:00.000-07:00

Well. We're back. Back from our travels all around southern California and back home where we belong. :)

I apologize for my long absence; we were gone for a week, we've now been back for a week, and I only just finished unpacking yesterday. Part of me didn't want to empty the suitcase; as long as it sat in the livingroom, it somehow kept me connected to our trip. It smelled like my mom and step-dad's house, it smelled like them, and sniffing the still-packed clothes instantly propelled me back again.

But we have company coming over tomorrow night, and I couldn't leave my clothes in my sister-in-law's suitcase forever. She'll want it back eventually. So, quite sadly, the smell is gone. The clothes are put away, the toys are back in Caleb's room. After a week of laundry and catch up, life around here is pretty much back to normal.

I sure wish that vacation high would last a little longer. Ya know?

But normal life is pretty good, too. Not that I have it all together; we came home and picked up our challenges, questions, and doubts right where we left off. And yet I can say that life is good. God is good. The Lord taught me some things while I was in Cali. He is teaching me to trust, and let go, and wait patiently for Him to act.

Not my favoritist lessons in the world, but lemme tell ya, I'm a whole lot happier when I let Him lead. Go figure.

Anyway, pictures from California are forthcoming. We had a slight issue with my camera and its pixels, though. Apparently a whole line of them decided to go on vacation at the same time I did. Very inconvenient. As a result, many pictures have a miniscule line running through them where the vacationing pixels should have been.

I bet they went to Hawaii. That's where I'd vacation if I were a pixel.

Now that I've rambled on and on about everything and nothing, I will bid you all good-night, with a promise for a more cohesive, coherent post in the near future. You have my solomn word.

Happy Weekend, all!

Not At All Together

2011-03-22T20:45:00.000-07:00

I am fourteen. Packing for a Red Cross youth camp. My first time away from home.

I'm nervous. Don't know anyone. But I have my sights set on a short-term missions trip to another country. This week-long experience will be good practice.

The week flies by. I have all sorts of fun. Make new friends. Go canoeing. Take part in skits. Meet a cute Indian boy named Raj. Freak out on Do-Si-Do night because I've never {square}danced with a boy and I'm not about to start now.

All week long I maintain my religious identity. Every morning I quietly tiptoe out of my cabin to read my bible on a sunny rock overlooking the forest. I talk to my new friends about God and soon find I am not alone.

Kammi, my counselor, is also a Christian. At the end of the week, she hugs me and tells me what an inspiration I have been to her. Other friends, non-Christians, ask me about my beliefs and I am more than happy to share.

I leave camp feeling very righteous. I have not failed to meet with God. I have upheld what I believe and I have witnessed to those who do not know Jesus. I've even managed to maintain my purity by not dancing.

Everyone likes me. I have it all together.

~~~

9:01 pm. Waiting for Caleb to fall asleep. Sitting cross-legged in dirty jeans and the sweatshirt I threw on this morning.

The house is a mess. Except for the laundry, which was my one great accomplishment today. I have a zillion things to do before our trip to California next week. My mind spins.

Must remember to call Caleb's doctor tomorrow about that weird rash/flesh-eating fungus I discovered on his butt last week. It's not going away.

Haven't spent good, quality time with God these last few days. Feel slightly guilty. But more than guilt, I just miss Him.

Trying to forget the emotional breakdown I had on Sunday, complete with tears and hyper-ventilation. I simply couldn't deal with one more thing. Sometimes a good cry is the best medicine.

Loving my son but wondering when he'll go to sleep. Wondering, if he's not autistic, then what is he exactly? Everyone agrees that there are issues. But what's causing them and more importantly, how do we respond, react, discipline, and raise him?

Also wondering if I'm crazy for wanting more kids. I can barely handle the one I have, and yet I find myself once more in the throes of baby fever. Our adoption application waits quietly in its folder, complete and ready to mail, and yet I can't bring myself to do it. Not now. Maybe next month . . .

The illusion that I have it all together breaks down a little more every day. I hate it. I cling to it. I must have everything perfect, or I have failed somehow. What will my friends think? What will my husband think? What will God think?

Then it hits me . . .

Jesus didn't come to rescue those of us who have it together.

He came for those of us who don't.

And I want to be counted among them. Even if it means giving up my expectations.

I don't want people to be impressed with me because they think I have it all together. I want people to see my crazy out-of-control life, and see Jesus working in the midst of it all.

There's nothing like a "perfect" person to dash our hopes and make us feel inferior.

But beauty in the middle of a storm? That gives us courage and infuses us with hope. If God can help my friend weather her hurricane, surely He can help me weather mine.

That is the sort of person I want to be. Not focused on the ideal, but choosing to find beauty in the raw, real, every-day life around me.

Thus passed Carlie Sue

2011-03-20T22:15:00.000-07:00

We welcomed a new appliance into our home tonight. A brand-new Whirlpool named Cabrillo. He's a handome devil, if I do say so myself. He and Waldo (the dryer) are already good friends, and I must say I'm relieved to have two male appliances rooming together downstairs. Leaves less room for hanky-panky. You know?

Not that our late gal Carlie Sue was that type of washer. She was a sweet little lady who gave us everything she had. She served the Neuhauser laundry efforts well until she fell and broke her spin cycle. She was old, after all, and had led a full life before she found her way to us. Cabrillo has some big shoes to fill.

Rest in peace, Carlie Sue. You will be missed.

Who We Are

2011-03-16T20:11:00.000-07:00

"I've got freckles on my nose and holes in my shoes

And the wrong color clothes and a missing tooth

I'm not Superman

God, You made me the kid that I am.

Thank You, God, for who I am

I don't have to be a Superman

Thank You, God, for who I am

All I wanna be is Your best friend."

~~~

I'm driving down the 20, winding past Pass Lake, Campbell Lake, through the evergreen tunnels of fir and hemlock that bookend Deception Pass. Moss covers the guard rails along the road. Sunlight filters down and sprinkles bright patches of magic and light onto a green canvas. I love this drive.

But today, the song playing in the car makes me cry.

~~~

We don't plan for trouble or problems. We don't daydream as children about the trials we'll go through as adults. As a little girl, I wanted nothing more than to get married, have eight kids, and live happily ever after on a farm in the Midwest.

But dreams change, don't they? They don't always come true, and many times, that's a good thing. We grow up, we mature, and life changes us. God changes us. Our grown-up life rarely looks like what we envisioned when we were small.

~~~

"Well, sometimes I trip and fall on my knees
I've got skins and bruises all over me
But I'm not Superman
God, You made me the kid that I am...

Thank You, God, for who I am
I don't have to be a Superman
Thank You, God, for who I am

All I wanna be is Your best friend!"

I never thought I'd be the mom of a special needs child. I never wanted to be the mom other moms looked at and said "Wow, what's wrong with her kid? Doesn't she discipline him?" I hate the way other people look at me in Wal-Mart. I hate the unexcited faces I see in the church nursery when Caleb shows up for Bible Study.

"He's a good little boy!" I want to scream at these people sometimes. "He is sweet and funny and hilariously cute!"

But there's no denying he's a handful. Just last night, Jason and I had to get on hands and knees to scrub tooth paste and salt off of Caleb's floor, toys, clothes, and table:

"Wow, son, really? Really?? I couldn't make this kind of mess with a day off, a mission statement, and a can of whipped cream!" Jason and I laugh. We're used to these sorts of late night unplanned cleaning escapades. We've had a lot of practice.

"Hey, at least it's not poop," Jason says. "At least this smells a whole lot better!"

"Yeah, my teeth feel cleaner already! Glad I haven't gone shopping yet. I'm gonna need to add toothpaste and salt to my grocery list." We look at each other and shake our heads.

Thus goes our playful "let's make the best of it" banter. I'm so thankful for a husband who understands and still stays positive.

~~~

I am just an ordinary mom

and sometimes things just wrong

But I'm not SuperMom

So, join in and sing this song...

~~~

I try so hard and fail so often. Things go wrong. I get angry. Things don't go according to plan. I stress. Expectations go unmet. I wonder what's wrong with me, what's wrong with Caleb, why can't life just be easier??

~~~

"Well, I'm leaning towards 'Not Autistic' at this point."

The nurse practitioner sits across the room from us while Caleb plays with a music app on her smart phone. He's apparently quite taken with the accordion sound byte; he keeps playing it over and over.

We've chatted with this nice lady for an hour and a half. She asked all sorts of questions that made us scratch our heads and think. But at the end of the day, she has no answers for us.

"There are clearly issues going on with your son," she tells us. "But I'm not sure what we should call it at this point. Let me confer with my collegues and see what they think. Then I'll call you in the next week or two to see where we go from here."

Not autistic. I'm relieved but not surprised. I would like answers, sure. A nice, neat label that explains all the crazyness we deal with every day. But honestly? Whatever the "experts" want to call him, he's still our little boy. Still our bud. Still the same zany kid who doesn't get scared watching Scooby-Doo, but cries when he sees the Grinch take candy away from the sleeping Who-children.

Bold and faithful. That's our Caleb. And I am just his ordinary mom.

~~~

Late in the evening, around 10 pm. Caleb comes into our bedroom, where Jason and I watch Psych on the laptop. In his hands, our boy brings an alligator made of legos. A peace offering.

"Hi, Mommy!" says the alligator.

"Hi, Mister Alligator," I reply. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to watch TV!" And Caleb promptly climbs into bed with us. We can't help but laugh.

"Caleb, back to bed. It's very late."

No response, save for a rapid series of fake snores as he lies down and pretends to sleep.

"Caleb . . . "

"No! I'm scared! I'm cold! My tummy hurts! Eat ice cream!" The excuses pour forth, each said with an impish grin on his little face. We decide to let him snuggle with us for a while, "as long as you behave." He smiles up at us and puts a finger to his lips.

"Kay-at whips!" (quiet lips), he says. Something he learned at school. And we proceed to watch TV together in Mommy and Daddy's bed.

~~~

Thank you, God, for who we are. We don't have to be Super-anything. Thank you that we can be just us and that "just us" is just fine. :)

Catching Up

2011-03-10T08:42:00.000-08:00

Oh my. Is this my blog?

I almost forgot what a blank post page looked like. And are those cobwebs I see over there by the family picture on the sidebar?

*Blush*

I guess The Inkwell could use a little spring cleaning! Well, friends, I do apologize for the long absence. Seems like just one thing after another around here and the posts I want to write pile up like the laundry downstairs until I feel overwhelmed with back stories and I simply don't know where to start.

There's been some big goings-on around our home lately. Blog-worthy goings-on. But rather than write a post for each of them, I've decided to write a post of mini posts to catch y'all up on the latest and greatest. :)

Mini Post #1: The Snow Storm

Two weeks ago, the island endured the biggest winter storm in recent history. We got nine inches of wet white stuff dumped on us in less than twenty-four hours. Around these parts, that's quite a rare event. Stores closed. Roads closed. So did the schools. Normal life halted to make way for snowball fights and snow angels. Here's a few pictures:

{The view from our front window}

{Piling up on the maple tree}

{The neighborhood, magically changed to a winter wonderland. I had a sudden urge to play Christmas music again!}

{Caleb watches the snow fall from the front window. He was beside himself. He wanted to be outside constantly, and only the sub-freezing temps could persuade him to come indoors! If I'd allowed it, I think he would have made himself an igloo and camped out till everything melted.}

Mini Post #2: California!

In just a few short weeks, Caleb and I are going to California! We're going over Caleb's spring break for a week-long visit, and I am beyond-this-world excited! There's a story behind this trip, a God-story, which I promsie I'll finish writing and share with ya'll soon. Because really, God deserves the glory on this one. :)

Mini Post #3: Shades of Purple, pt. 2

Coming soon to a blog near you! I promise to finish the story I started on Valentines. :) I won't leave you hanging!

Mini Post #4: Off to Seattle

Tuesday, we will all be heading down to Seattle for an appointment at Children's Hospital. After nearly six months of waiting, we will begin an evaluation process to see if Caleb is autistic. I haven't officially mentioned this on the blog before, and once again, I feel such news deserves its own post. But this post is all about keeping y'all in the loop. So there's the loop!

I think that's it for mini-posts. At the moment, I'm stretched out on the couch, under a bundle of blankets, sharing space with a small boy and his stuffies. :) We're enjoying a morning of cartoons before school and food-shopping later today. Outside, the wind is gusting merrily, blowing winter away. We hit mid 50s yesterday and I'm lovin' it! We've had sunshine every day this week, and spring isn't far off.

Oh thank you Jesus. :)

See y'all soon!

The Four Shades of Purple Story, pt. 1

2011-02-14T19:18:00.001-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! How was your day?

Our Valentine's was rather uneventful. Caleb had a party at school, for which I made chocolate rice krispie treats. Other than that, the red and pink holiday passed quietly. Jason and I aren't big into celebrating on the actual day, due to crowded restaurants and over-priced flowers. We'll probably go out this weekend, when the grandparents can watch the bud.

But, in honor of Valentine's Day, I thought it would be fun to tell y'all a story from me and Jay's dating days.

A funny ha-ha story. A not necessarily romantic story.

How about the first time he asked me out?

Admittedly, Jason tells it much better than I do. I laugh every time he does. But since he's not much for writing, you guys are stuck with me. Mu-ha-ha-ha!

Ahem.

Once upon a time . . .

. . . there was this guy named Jason. My friend Shawn had introduced us at church and we talked after service on Sundays, mostly about books. He was 19 and attending community college. I was 17 and also taking classes at the same campus for high school credit. We had toilet papered our pastor's house with Jason's brother and sister a couple months before (long story, another post). Oh, and he drove a brand new two door Ford Focus. Purrrr.

I began seeing that little coffee-colored car in the parking lot at the college on Tuesday nights. And Thursdays. In fact, I started looking for it every time I drove on campus, and I almost always found it.

One night, during a break, we discovered our classrooms were right next to each other. (Subtle, Lord. Really subtle.) He was taking some big and important Majorly Impressive Math Course. I was learning how to say Hola and Me encanto su coche.

He didn't always have break when I did, so on my way back from the bathroom, I would sometimes peek through the window into his class to see if he was there. The students faced away from the window, so he never saw me.

One week, he invited me to get a soda with him during break. I said yes. The next night, we got sodas again. Then he asked me out to dinner.

(And this is the part Jason does so well when he tells the story . . . )

I turned four shades of purple.

And now, for some history.

I was a bookworm at 17. College-bound and working very hard towards a scholarship to pay my way. I had no desire to date. I saw no reason to causually date when I would most likely be moving far away for college in a year. Also, I did not want to date until I was ready to pursue a serious relationship.

Additionally, I was convinced that "boys" would get in the way of my schooling, lower my grades, and jeopardize my college career. So while boys were nice, dating was strictly forbidden for the next four years of my life. I was convinced that was what God wanted.

In reality, though, I had concocted a Plan and simply stuck God's name on it. It was a very holy, spiritual-sounding Plan. Surely God must be pleased. Had I only known He was about to blow my Plan to smithereens.

Because that night when Jason asked me out? I didn't want to say no. I didn't want to say yes, either, because, HELLO! I didn't date! But I didn't want to say no.

So I turned four shades of purple. Threw every excuse in the book at him. I wasn't available for dinner. I voluteered at Awanas on Wednesday nights. I had youth group on Mondays. Classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

"Ok," he said. "How about lunch?"

Lunch?? Um, I can't. I have school work during the day. I need to study. I help my dad out. I work part-time at the local florist shop.

Jason raised his eyebrows. I was sweating profusely by this point and just wished he would take a hint and go away.

"Well then. How about breakfast?"

Breakfast?!?!?! This guy wouldn't give up. And I was out of excuses.

"I'll check my calendar and get back to you," I mumbled. Thankfully, break was over and I could hide behind my spanish book while I privately panicked to myself.

(stay tuned for Part Two, in which Jason gets to have his breakfast, but not with me . . . )

Drama in Rugville

2011-02-11T10:28:00.000-08:00

You may remember the rag rug I started for Caleb's room a few weeks ago.

You may also remember that I hinted I'd had some problems along the way.

Well now you get to hear that story, along with the hilarious twist (pun fully intended) this project has taken since then.

~~~

I started crocheting with gusto after hours spent cutting up blankets and sewing the strips together. Seriously. The prep was a lot of work. My thumb was sore from using the scissors and I was ready to see something tangible. So I pulled out my hook and went to work, crocheting the flannel fabric exactly how I *thought* I'd been taught.

Exactly how I'd crocheted in the past.

And, as I would soon find out, exactly wrong.

(Would now be a good time to mention that I have crocheted thick winter scarves doing the same sort of stitch? And they each turned out perfectly?? Sighhhhhh. I guess some things aren't supposed to make sense.)

I got roughly four rows in before I realized my mistake. Not because the rug looked funny, but because I just happened to find a beginner's crochet book at the library. There were detailed instructions for the basic stitches and pictures and before long, I discovered I hadn't crocheted correctly once in my whole life.

Imagine my shock and dismay. Like the rug had just been pulled out from under me. ;)

Oh, I crack myself up.

Anyway, the nice librarian lady copied a couple pages for me (because it was a reference book and could not be checked out) and I tripped merrily home, thanking my lucky stars I was only four rows into the project. How easy would it be to rip them out and start over? This time correctly? I was armed with newly acquired knowledge that included how-to pictures. I couldn't go wrong. Not this time.

Well... yeah.

This time, I'm twelve rows in. That may not sound like a lot until you realize the rug is over five feet long. I feel I should have noticed something was off a lot sooner. Except that I just kept crocheting row after row, blanket after blanket and never thought to stretch the whole thing out to see how it was coming.

Until yesterday. When I decided to take some project-in-progress pictures:

It was then I realized . . . I'm not crocheting a rug.

I'm crocheting a rainbow!

Or as Caleb declared when he arrived home from school:

"C!"

Seriously? Seriously?!?!

*Sigh*

Seriously.

I had a good laugh, friends. A real good laugh. I even called Jason in to have a look.

"Look, honey! See what I made!"

"Um, isn't that supposed to be a rug?"

"Yeah, but now it's a rainbow. I didn't even know I could do that!"

He laughed, too. Then together we tried to puzzle out what had gone wrong.

Best I can figure, I accidentally added a chain at the end of every row. Jason thinks I may have skipped some stitches, too. (Natalie, Tabitha, any ideas ladies? You two know way more about crocheting than I do . . . I'd appreciate any input!)

The real question is, how do I fix it? Assuming I don't want to make a rainbow rug? Assuming I don't want to rip out twelve rows and start all over again, possibly damaging the fabric in the process?

I might try to fill in the part under the rainbow and make a half circle rug instead. But I'm not certain that will work.

Oy ve.

And I had step-by-step instructions with pictures!!!

So what do you think? Is there hope for me, or should I hang up my hook? ;)

What it Means to be Four

2011-02-06T20:02:00.000-08:00

(But before the photo expose on the life and times of four year olds, please walk down Memory Lane with me. I can't believe how fast my little guy is growing up!)

{First Birthday, 2008}

{Second Birthday, 2009}

Look at that blonde hair!

{A very happy Three and a Half Birthday, 2010}

And now here he is, one grown-up four year old. Can you believe it? And what happened to the blonde hair??? He is mostly brown-headed now. A few highlights remain, but they are fading. So sad.

*Sniff, sniff*

Ahem. I'm ok. Really.

*Clears throat*

Now with no further ado, what it means to be four:

Being four means playing with pretend snow in the livingroom when it's too cold and rainy to play outside.

It means exploring the nether regions of Wal-Mart . . .

. . . and discovering exactly what sort of things hide behind boxes of toilet paper.

It means being silly and making Mommy laugh . . .

. . . by using common household items in ways the manufacturer probably never intended.

Being four means imagining up an Animal City, complete with cars and buildings.

And when the Flood comes, it means rescuing all the animals on an aircraft carrier.

Being four sometimes means getting into things you probably shouldn't have.
{Acrylic Paint, Thanksgiving 2010}

How much more fun is it to make messes that are planned and approved by the Mommy?
{Shaving Cream, just a few days ago}

Being four means adventure and fun and life lived to the fullest. It means enjoying every single day and getting excited about the little things. It means sharing that joy and excitement with others.

Not sure if Rexy agrees with that last statement. I think he might rather have avoided the whole "shaving cream incident" as his plastic counterparts now call it. Not sure you'll ever live this one down, Rexy. You have my sympathies.

Lastly, being four means playing hard and crashing hard.

Little boy, you are absolutely precious when you sleep. I will probably think this no matter how old you are.

Yes, life is good at four. But grown-up. Oh, so grown-up!

You get yourself yogurt and a spoon without help.

Any time of the day or night when a yogurt craving strikes your fancy.

You take medicine from the tiny plastic cup instead of a dropper.

Though you don't get sick often.

You're already three and a half feet tall and zoning in on fifty pounds.

But you still love to snuggle and be held. Oh, I hope you don't outgrow that for a long time!

You chatter and talk and inform us of all sorts of things throughout the day. The robot hiding in the trees, for example, or the fact that you're "too sick" to go to church but "feel better!" when you want to hike instead.

We love hearing every single word. We waited so long for you to talk!

So happy Four, Caleb! Your Daddy and I love you and we're so proud of all the growing you've done this last year. New adventures await you now.

I can't wait to see what they will be.

The Sickies End With a Laugh

2011-01-31T15:46:00.001-08:00

Saturday morning, Jason and I sat in the living room. We talked about what to do with our day, tossing ideas around. Caleb, still recovering from a week of The Sickies, crawled up into my lap with a blanket and said in a woobie voice: "I feel so sick."

Don't feel too sorry for him. He learned that phrase recently and now uses it whenever he tries to be cute. Whether he feels ill or not. We smiled at him, and I wrapped him up in his blanket and let him snuggle.

A few minutes later, still undecided about our day, we asked Caleb what he would like to do.

"Chucky Cheese?" he asked hopefully. We started to laugh.

Casually I said, "You can't go to Chucky Cheese if you're sick, little boy."

He thought about that for a minute, then declared, "I feel better!"

We really had a laugh then. Silly, goofy child!

But the happy ending to this story is that we did spend time at Chuck E. Cheese's on Saturday. We had a happy, tuckered out little guy by the end of the day (which made us adult-types happy, as well!).

~~~

We fought a bout of influenza last week. Caleb woke up Monday with a fever that persisted for three days; he had a cough, sore throat, and runny nose. No appetite (wonder of wonders!) and no energy (I thought for sure hell had frozen over). In fact, I haven't seen him so sick since he was a baby. Seriously.

We spent a lot of time snuggling on the couch. Garfield cartoons. Blue's Clues. Pink Panther. Ice Age movies. We watched them all. Then we watched them again. He slept in bed with me at night (Jason relocated to the guest room, because our bed just isn't big enough for three!). Caleb would play a little, I'd clean a little. Cancelled plans with friends. Kept him home from school. Skipped bible study.

Yep, that's pretty much how the week went. But you know what? It was actually a rather restful week. Quiet, un-busy. It was nice. :)

And I got a chance to work on my rag rug. Which is a whole 'nuther story, because I figured out four blankets in that I was doing it wrong. I promise to give more details later. And maybe a picture or two of my progress so far.

In the meantime, Caleb is back to his old michievous self and I once again find myself on my toes trying to keep up! Happy Monday, all! Hope you have a good week!

Being Domestic

2011-01-19T18:36:00.000-08:00

Working on my current project: Caleb's rag rug.

(After a frantic phone call to Tabitha to make sure I had threaded her sewing machine properly.)

Anyone want to guess how long it's been since I last sewed? On a machine?

(A looooong while.)

Stack of old receiving blankets. . .

. . . and what I'm turning them into. Strips of soft, flannel fabric.

Sewing the strips together to make one long continuous strand. I have cut and sewn four blankets so far. I have nine to go. Whew!

I haven't begun to crochet yet, but I'm close. I decided on a rectangular pattern today. Hopefully I'll have time this weekend to start on the actual rug! :)

What's in a name?

2011-01-18T14:06:00.000-08:00

- excerpted from "To Live is Christ" daily devotional by Beth Moore. I'm loving the simplicity and depth of her thoughts today.

"And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch."
- Acts 11:26

What a great word: Christian -
an emotional word causing one man joy and another man fury, causing one man peace and another man turmoil.

A dividing word unceasingly drawing a line. Either a man is or he is not; he is either for or against.

A uniting word, drawing together unlikely pairs in workplaces and neighborhoods over one single bond.

A defining word for which countless people have lived and countless people have died.

Christian was a label coined by unbelievers as a form of ridicule. How beautifully God stole the victory from Satan. The very word used as a mockery became the greatest privilege a man could boast.

Made Personal

2011-01-15T09:01:00.000-08:00

Psalm 23

(slightly expanded)

The Lord is my shepherd
I shall not want.
I will lack for nothing, I will not be in need, for You are my provider.

He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside still waters,

You bring me to pleasant places and give me rest from the weary busy-ness of life.

He restores my soul.

He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
You show me where to walk and keep my feet from slipping.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.
When hard times come, when life is dark and my story takes me to painful places, I have hope, for I know You walk those difficult roads with me. The darkness will not last forever.

Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You love me enough to correct me when I wander, to show me when I'm wrong. That brings me great comfort because I know I'm not enough on my own.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You exalt me, protect me, and grant me victory over the One who destroys.

You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows.
You pour out blessing upon blessing into my life and fill my days with good things.

Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life,
for your love never fails and your forgiveness covers my every sin.

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Death is not the end. I have eternity to hope for and while I don't know what Heaven will be like exactly, it is enough to know

that You will be there.

Of Brownies and Bright Ideas

2011-01-13T15:55:00.000-08:00

3:58 pm. Sitting in the den, watching Ant & Aardvark cartoons with Caleb.

Gray day outside, but deliciously warm.

(I never thought I'd call temperatures in the 40s "deliciously warm", but after a week of 20s and 30s, 45 degrees feels like spring!). I love the soft, wet smell outside. And the fact that my nose doesn't immediately freeze upon leaving the house.

My friend Tabitha is coming over this evening for mint brownies and a chic flick. I have Letters From Juliet from Netflix and neither of us have seen it. She and Caleb get along famously and I'm looking forward to a night of laughs, fellowship, and of course, those brownies.

She's also bringing over her sewing machine, which she generously offered to lend me. It's for my latest craft idea: a crocheted rag rug for Caleb's room. :) I started last night, cutting his old flannel receiving blankets into strips. I'm so excited to make this rug! I haven't done something "crafty" in a long time, and this rug idea has completely taken me over. (Like most of my bright ideas do... and I say "bright" in the most sarcastic voice possible...) Heh. We'll see how this one goes. Rugs are expensive to buy, and I love the idea of recycling old cloth into something useful.

The sun just broke out of the clouds, illuminating the Madrona tree in our backyard with a kind of rosey-golden light. Mmmmm, beautiful.

And with that happy image, I should probably get started on the brownies. Oh, and dinner. Yeah, I'm sure Jason would appreciate dinner when he gets home. Instead of just brownies. I wonder what he'd say if I tried to feed him brownies for dinner?

(He'd probably shake his head, laugh, and then go heat up a hot dog)

Well, I won't do that to him. Not tonight, anyway. :)

Happy Thursday evening, all!

Because Someone Just Turned Four!

2011-01-10T19:24:00.001-08:00

Birthday Candles Blue Birthday 5x7 folded card

Send funny birthday invitations with Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

Walkin' in a Winter Wonderland

2011-01-10T15:11:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! First off, I'd like to wish you all . . .

(yeah, what the hat said)
I hope you guys had a warm and wonderful New Years! Our holiday was quiet and cozy, just the three of us at home. We debated whether or not to have friends over, but decided in the end to keep it just us.

(truth be told, I didn't even make it to midnight... how lame is that?!?! I must be getting old...)

The day after New Years, we went to Cranberry Lake. We had a cold spell with temps below freezing for several days and it was just enough to freeze the top few inches of the lake. The ice was a lot of fun to poke and prod and crack and throw. :)

The ice made the most interesting noises when it was cracked...

Or when it was flung... you could hear a rock or piece of ice creak all the way across the lake. Weird!

Caleb discovered some canoes with frozen water inside them. He made it his own personal skating rink.

Whoops!

Me, all bundled up!

Kneeling, precariously, on a deep patch of ice. Who says I can't walk on water?!?! ;)

~~~

After New Years, the weather warmed up into the 40s. But now it's cooled off again, and would you believe it? We woke up to SNOW yesterday morning!!! It was too warm to stick, but was coming down too quickly to melt completely (temps were hovering just above freezing all day).

After church, we made a pit stop at Joseph Whidbey S.P. so I could get some pictures. :)

Snow on the driftwood... love it. :)

Snow in the trees... Jason loved that.

Some of the snow actually lasted through the night, which means we were out playing in it first thing this morning. Caleb tried going out in his pajamas, but Mommy put a quick stop to that!

We had some sunshine this morning, but the clouds have closed back in and we have more snow in the forcast for tonight, tomorrow, and probably Thursday, too. Crazy, huh? Considering we had ZERO snow last winter . . .

That's the Pacific Northwest, I guess! :) I've stocked up on indoor activities and craft stuff to do with Caleb in case we have a snow day later in the week. Or, you know, tomorrow.

I'm dreaming of a white January . . .

Christmas Eve

2010-12-28T16:26:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! I hope y'all had a good Christmas! We did! We spent Christmas Eve at Jason's parents' house with the whole family + three dogs. :) See the stockings, hung with care?

(and bulging with presents???) There are 13 to be precise, including three for the doggies. The family is growing me thinks. :) There's a new one for Jim, my sister-in-law's fiancee, and one for their baby Peanut who'll join the family sometime in July.

Here's us girls in our Christmas pajamas. Me, Grandma (or GiGi as Caleb calls her), Kim (mom-in-law), and Helen (sis-in-law).

And here's the Neuhauser Clan's North Pole workshop . . .

Actually, it's Kim's craft room. But with 8 people bearing gifts from afar, where else were we going to put them??

Christmas morning was a lot of fun, too. Long, but good. :) Caleb woke us up at 6:00 am and the day just took off from there. I have more pics to post, hopefully this week, so y'all can share in the cuteness. :)

Please Christmas, Don't Be Late!

2010-12-24T10:01:00.001-08:00

It's so hard waiting for Christmas . . .

. . . especially when you already know what you're getting. :)

(For those of you who asked, this is a water table :) Thanks Grandpa Nick!

And Caleb can't wait to open it.

In fact, he can't leave it alone.

"Is it Christmas yet???"

Almost, my little boy, almost.

Sleepy Christmas Thoughts

2010-12-23T10:37:00.000-08:00

Motivation comes slowly when 7:00 am is pitch black outside and 8:00 am brings twilight. The sun doesn't rise until after 8:00 am around here and sets between 3:30 and 4:00 pm. These are dark December days. I find myself just as excited about the winter solstice as Christmas. I need more hours of daylight!

This morning Caleb and I walked into McDonalds around 7:45 am. Me, barely awake. Caleb, full of energy. As always. :) I was up wrapping presents until 11:00 last night. Caleb bounced into our bedroom at a quarter to six this morning.

Not enough sleep. Sooooo not enough sleep for this mommy.

So McDonald's it was. I was the only mom with child in tow. Around me sat groups of old men, drinking coffee and visiting together. The group closest to me talked about family, plans for Christmas Eve, and politics. Their conversations sounded pleasant and comfortable and I wanted to join them, if only to listen in properly.

Caleb tried to play outside, but it was cold, dark, and windy. He kept opening the door from the play area to the restaurant and saying "Come on, Mommy, come on!"

Nothing doing, kid. Sorry, but Mommy has absolutely NO desire to be out in the cold. Too tired. Too sleepy. Too wimpy.

Poor kiddo. He needs a playmate. Perhaps I should have asked Santa to bring one instead of new toys.

Anyway, we proceeded to Wal-Mart after that because I was trying to avoid the crowds by going early. I was successful, but Caleb obviously didn't get the memo that I was going for "easy" and "quick". After knocking down several boxes of votive candles, breaking a keychain, and putting a hole in a bag of rice, Caleb was confined to the cart. Against his will, of course, and amid many protestations. But hey, the mommy can only take so much.

My goal today was to get all my food shopping done for the week (and the rest of the Christmas shopping). I do NOT want to go near a store tomorrow. I might venture out on Sunday for the sales, but I'd really rather stay away from shops in general until then. Even in our small town, the crowds are cuh-ray-zee.

Thankfully, the presents my Dad ordered for us were ready for pick-up while we were at Wal-Mart. Caleb saw his big gift: it's a water table, and the box is enormous! He got the biggest smile on his face when he saw it. He held on to it all the way to the car, and when we got home, he began to chant "Open! Open! Open!"

Not till Christmas, buddy.

"No! No! No! Open!!!"

He tried scissors, he tried sitting on the box, but it's so big, he actually can't get it open by himself. Much to my satisfaction and his disappointment.

You gotta wait two more days, bud. Just two. Christmas is almost here.

Speaking of which, this kid is going to be absolutely spoiled on the 25th. I'm looking forward to the influx of new toys (especially since we won't have another one till his half-birthday in June), but still... this little boy is going to be in overdrive Christmas morning. And probably for the rest of the day. And maybe the next one, too.

I can't wait. :)

The present I'm most excited about is the Veggie Tales Pirate Ship I found on sale at Mardel.com. It comes complete with the crew from The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything, and includes Willery and Princess Eloise. Oh boy! Ye mechanical pirates beware! Ye be no match for Pirate Caleb and Captain Mommy. :)

I will attempt to get pictures up after Christmas and also post pics from the Lights of Christmas evening we spent with my mom and Harry at Stanwood.

If you are among those who usually receive a Christmas card from us, please know that our card will be late this year. I've focused a lot more on Christmas baking and holiday activities with Caleb this year, so the cards were put on the back burner. But that is my project for next week: trying to get them addressed and mailed.

Oh, and finding a new washer. Because ours died. And laundry mats are only fun for the first few hours. So next week I'll be card-mailing and washer-hunting. Craigslist, here I come!

Merry Christmas, my friends! May you be surrounded with family, laughter, and good food this Christmas, remembering the Baby who's birth we celebrate and the Man whom we love all the year through. :)

Writing When I Should Be in Bed...

2010-12-15T22:36:00.001-08:00

Yawn. I really should be in bed. The over-achiever part of my brain is telling I should write this post, though. Or maybe it's God.

Today wasn't a bad day. Just long. Today Jason went back to work after a wonderful two week vacation. The house felt strange and quiet with just me and Caleb. The washer quit on me today, too. December must be a tough month for household appliances because the repair shop can't send someone out until Monday. Boo.

In the interest of sending my son to school in clean clothes, I went over to Jason's parents' house tonight to get a couple loads done. While the clothes washed, I watched NCIS on the TV and curled up on the couch with Willie (the family golden retriever). There was a fire in the wood stove, and their Christmas tree sparkled cheerfully in the corner. I had the living room all to myself. It was nice. :)

I know I haven't been around the blog much this fall. I think I signed up for too many things back in the summer, when I dreaded the coming winter months and thought the best way to combat the short days and wet weather would be to make myself as busy as possible.

Ha. I've been sick three times since September. Still fighting off this latest bug. And if my own scheduling choices weren't enough, parenting sure is. These last few months have challenged me and Jason as parents in ways we never imagined. God kicked "raising Caleb" into high gear and many days we feel like we're just holding on for dear life. But that's a whole 'nuther story, a much longer one and one I hope I can write soon.

All that to say, blogging has been low on the priority list. I don't know if it will stay there or not. I am re-evaluating, re-prioritizing, and re-thinking a lot of stuff right now and I'm not sure where blogging will fit in. This is not a good-bye post. It's just a here's-the-state-of-things post.

It is now most definitely bed time. If I don't post again by the 25th, I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas. :) We are teaching Caleb the Christmas story this year and as he says "Baby Jesus is coming!" That is certainly something to celebrate. :)

Autumn Around Our House

2010-11-19T16:02:00.000-08:00

Hey gang! How is everyone? Planning your turkey dinners yet? Not me! :)

Christmas baking? Yes. Thanksgiving dinner? Nope! (Although I will undoubtably spend plenty of time in my mother-in-law's kitchen next Thursday ;)

Anyway . . .

I've wanted to write this post for a while (like a lot of other things in my life at the moment . . . ahem.) But I figure since Christmas officially starts next week, I'd better get on it before autumn is, well, over. But before I get into fall photos, a bit of randomness (because that's how I roll).

See the mocha frappuccino? (Ignore the stuff around it. Please.) See how much of this frappuccino is gone? That's exactly how much coffee I can drink in one sitting. That's exactly how much I can drink to achieve "awakeness" and yet not buzz like a bee for the rest of the day.

I've learned this through a lot of trial and error. And a lot of sleepless nights. Decaf is my friend. But decaf frapps are hard to find. And since I no longer have a coffee pot (which is a whole 'nuther story), coffee is getting pretty scarce around here.

Sad, no?

*Sigh*

Dear Santa, I need a new coffee pot for Christmas. Or a truckload of decaf frappuccinos. Or how about a body that handles caffeine better?

And now for those fall photos . . . :)

Here's what autumn looks like in our house:

Decorations on the shelves . . .

. . . and the kitchen table. (See the yankee candle? I love my yankee candles. They're comforting and cozy and friendly and warm. Oh, and they smell good).

Happy pumpkins on the sill above the sink . . .

. . . and the little pilgrim and indian mice sharing a hat, probably waiting for the turkey to be done so they can eat!

Bright autumn colors in the bathroom . . .

. . . and a turkey who guards the toothbrushes from gremlins in the night!

Trees outside our Wal-Mart. Aren't they just gorgeous?

And, of course, with the darker, wetter days we're having, I get to entertain this little fellow . . .

. . . which isn't hard to do. He's quite entertaining all by himself!

So what does your Thanksgiving week look like? Any fun activities planned, other than eating amazing good food?

This Halloween Night

2010-11-06T19:24:00.000-07:00

(I've been trying to write this post for several days now. Make that almost a week. But, as you will hear later, I don't have a whole lotta time these days. So even though most of you have put away your costumes and pulled out your turkey decorations, I'm still remembering Halloween tonight. For good reason. :)

The first set of trick-or-treaters knocked on our door while Caleb was in the bathroom with me, goin' potty. He got his pull-up on and careened to the top of the stairs just in time to see Jason drop candy into waiting bags.

"Hey, what's 'at???" he asked excitedly.

"It's Halloween," Jason explained.

"Ha-ween?"

"Yes. We give out candy on Halloween."

"Candy? Ha-ween?"

"People dress up for Halloween, too."

"Dress up?"

"They dress up and go trick-or-treating. Can you say trick-or-treat?"

"Trick-treat!!"

"So, when people knock on our door tonight, we will give them candy."

"Candy!!!"

Just about then, someone else rang the doorbell. Caleb crowded around Jason's legs, gaping at the kids in bright costumes as his daddy gave each of them a piece of candy. Well, Caleb though this was just about the bestest, craziest thing he'd ever seen. He danced around the living room singing "Ha-ween pah-ty! Ha-ween pah-ty! Dress up! Dress up!"

Every five minutes he'd run out the front door, hang on the porch railing, and search our dark street for signs of more trick-or-treaters.

This went on for over an hour. I finally convinced him that he didn't need to open our front door every other second, that the people would knock when they came. Instead, we watched from the living room window and when another set of kids came by, I let Caleb pass out the candy.

Let me tell you, I haven't laughed that hard in a long time! He was so darn cute about the whole thing! His enthusiasm for this new discovery of Halloween was so sweet and so fun to watch!

Having kids really changes your perspective, dontcha know? Something as simple as dressing up and getting candy becomes magical and amazing to a little one just learning about the world, when we grown ups take it for granted, if we even bother to celebrate at all. But watching Caleb's joy and excitement sparks a new thrill inside me. Some people call it a second childhood. A second chance at being a kid again.

I think of it as an excuse to be silly and have some good, old-fashioned fun. :)

So next year, we definitely plan to buy Caleb a costume. We will carve pumpkins with Jason's family, and probably attend our church's harvest festival. Maybe I will dress up, too. And take lots of pictures. And simply enjoy my son as he enjoys the holiday. :)

~~~

Sunday night was precious and while I wanted to share it with you, I also wanted to write it down for me, so I wouldn't forget. Precious memories like these are all too easy to lose, and these days, I need all the sweet moments I can get. We've been going through a rough spot of training with our son these past few weeks. It's led to long days, and even longer nights; it's responsible in part for why I've been absent on The Inkwell lately. We've laughed, we've cried, we've cleaned up broken coffee pots, poop painting sessions, and sugar jars spilled all over the bed. We've talked and we've disciplined, but more than anything else, I think we've prayed.

Nothing like coming to the end of yourself to bring you to your knees. I have never felt more out of control, more helpless and ineffective as a parent, than I have these last few weeks. And that is exactly where God wants me to be right now. He's bringing some of my not-so-great qualities to the surface and working through them with me. I know He's behind all these issues and problems, using them to shape and teach me as much as He's shaping and teaching Caleb at the same time.

So if there are fewer blog posts to read in the coming days and weeks, it's not because I have nothing to say or because I don't love you guys anymore. :) I'm probably just trying to not pull my hair out or catching up on sleep.

I love you guys! If you get a chance, please comment and tell me what y'all did for Halloween? If you did nothing at all, tell me about a dream costume you would love to dress up in one day (mine is a renaissance dress with full sleeves and a medieval hat to match!).

When Life Gives You Rocks ...

2010-10-14T14:49:00.000-07:00

. . . make a mud hole!

The mud hole was not intentional; I was actually trying to dig up the ground for some bulbs. But I didn't get very far. Our front yard is extraordinarily rocky; I figured this out yesterday as the shovel hit rock after rock after rock. Not the best place to plant bulbs. Not to mention the sheer amount of grunt work necessary to unearth all those rocks was a bit more than I bargained for. After only twenty minutes, I'd tweaked my back pretty good.

Sooooooo, I let someone else have a go at the hole.

He thought maybe some water would help.

And it did! A little water made the perfect mud hole.

And a certain someone thought this was just about the best thing ever. He played in his hole for a solid forty-five minutes and would've stayed out later if I'd let him. :)

Unfortunately, I'm not sure what to do with these now . . .

Planters of some sort are in order. But store-bought planters are expensive. Anyone have any ideas?

Slice of Life

2010-10-12T13:32:00.000-07:00

Food shopping on Friday

(which is what we do every Friday)

A visit to the Toy Aisle at Wally World

((which we also do every Friday))

We have quite the routine. :)

But this picture? Not so routine.

Check out the cowboy hat and nerf sword.

Mixing our genres a bit, aren't we little boy?

Not that he cares.

Just look at that smile! :)

I may or may not have joined my son for some sword fighting right there in the store.

I may or may not have wielded a nerf ax.

And I may or may not have earned a few raised eyebrows from fellow shoppers who passed by.

I'll never tell. :)

But I will tell you this. The nerf sword went home with us.

Some things you just can't fight. Cuteness is one of them.

But the cuteness didn't stop at Wal-Mart.

Driving into the parking lot of our local produce market, we spotted a mountain of pumpkins.

Well, of course we had to explore!

(Between the two stores, we seem to have lost a pair of shoes. See those bare feet?)

And you should have seen the look on this little boy's face when I told him we could take a pumpkin home, too.

You'd think he'd won the lottery. :)

Ahh, sweet moments that make me smile.
~

So how are y'all doing these days? I know I haven't been around much. Are you enjoying fall, wherever you live? Savoring the colors and smells and seasonal foods? What moments in your week have made you smile?

I love community . . .

2010-09-26T18:07:00.000-07:00

. . . wherever I find it. :)

Whether it's over tea,

paired with some delicious food

and shared with some sweet ladies from church . . .

Or whether it's found in an online game, fighting a shrieking, unhappy dragon,

with a group of good friends (many of whom I've never met in person) . . .

Sharing old jokes and thinking up new ones . . . making each other laugh . . . the comraderie that comes from shared accomplishment . . . long heart-to-heart conversations . . . creating memories that last . . . moments that make you smile . . .

Community

God Himself knew how important community was when He said: "It is not good for man to be alone." (Gen. 2:18) Ever since the beginning, He's seen to it that we don't fly solo.

I am very thankful for this.

Not just because I am a "people person", but because relationships matter. God uses them to teach us, shape us, bless us, and change us. Unlike anything else on the planet, relationships last. They will last an eternity. And they make all the difference as we journey on this earth.

Quiet Thoughts

2010-09-23T08:58:00.000-07:00

. . . words that have challenged and encouraged me this week . . .

"Worshipping as Occasion Serves. We imagine we would be all right if a big crisis arose; but the big crisis will only reveal the stuff we are made of, it will not put anything into us. "If God gives the call, of course I will rise to the occasion." You will not unless you have risen to the occasion in the workshop, unless you have been the real thing before God there. If you are not doing the thing that lies nearest, because God has engineered it, when the crisis comes instead of being revealed as fit, you will be revealed as unfit. Crises always reveal character."

-- Oswald Chambers My Utmost for His Highest

Thinking of the trials God has allowed into my life. Realizing I am not as "fit" as I thought. Asking Him to help me change.

I should be at MOPS this morning, but we've been sick all week. Missed bible study yesterday, too. In fact, the only scheduled thing we've stuck to is Caleb's pre-school. But it's been a restful week, sickies notwithstanding, a week full of World of Warcraft, movies, and books. A week of quiet quarantine at home, snuggling with my Bud. :)

How's your week been? Quiet? Busy? A happy balance of both?

My Week in Five Words

2010-09-17T21:29:00.001-07:00

I am too tired to write an ordinary post tonight, so rather than ramble endlessly on about the doggie chew toy at my feet which has been de-squeaked (when we don't even have a dog) or the fact that I lose earplugs like people lose money in a casino, I present to you my Week in Five Words. ;)

My Week Was

overcast
exhausting
surprising
rewarding
long

I am so very happy it is the weekend. We have lots of nothing planned. And it sounds perfect. :)

So how about you? What was your week like, in five words?

Miss P

2010-09-15T11:21:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure I'm ready for this, the first day back to school. My hesitation is due in part to the separation anxiety Caleb's been dealing with all summer. But some of my hesitation is also due to the conversation I had with Caleb's new teacher yesterday.

Miss P called me on my cell phone to introduce herself. We were shopping at the Thrift Store. She sounded . . . young. Maybe a tad Valley Girl. I found myself wondering how much teaching experience she has. Hoping she has at least a little. Because I know, deep down in my inmost being, that Caleb will give her a run for her money. That's what he does. He stretches limits, patience, and expectations. Like most kids do, but in his own, special, unique way.

I just hope she can handle that.

I'm also a tad peeved at Miss P, because when I asked if I could hang around with Caleb in the classroom for his first day, she got very quiet on the other end of the phone.

"Oh . . . ummmmm . . . sorry, trying to make a teacher judgment call here. Well, I guess it would be ok if you, like, stayed for the first half hour."

Excuse me? Really? I didn't think such a simple request would be such a big deal. Last year, parents were invited and encouraged to join the class that first day. You know, so we could meet the teacher, the aids, find out what our kids would be doing and learning. All that jazz. So what's going on? Why do I suddenly feel like I'm trespassing on Miss P's goodwill? Doesn't she want parents to be involved?

Grrrrrrr. Sorry y'all. Mama Bear is out in full fur, with claws extended. I guess I was just so surprised by the teacher's response, it put me on the defensive. No one messes with my cub. :)

We leave for school in a few minutes. I really hope my first impression of Miss P was wrong, or at the least, incomplete. Time will tell, I suppose.

But if you hear about a bear mauling in the PNW tonight on the news, it wasn't me. Honest.

Of Volcanoes and Busy Weeks

2010-09-14T02:21:00.001-07:00

Hello everyone! I can't believe it's been almost two weeks since my last post! I tell you what, life has sorta swept me off my feet and most days, it's all I can to do to hang on! Jason is in the middle of working eleven straight days; I barely saw him over the weekend, and by the end of Monday, Caleb and I were getting pretty tired of just having each other for company. ;)

Thanks to my impromptu bloggie break, I feel behind. I have all sorts of pictures and stories and adventures I've wanted to share with y'all, but when I think about these backed up posts in my brain, I tell myself "That was so two weeks ago!"

But since it's 2 am and I find I can't sleep, let me tell you about Caleb and the Volcano, or, How I Surprised Myself. :)

Caleb's been into volcanoes lately. He's seen them in the cartoons he watches, and while he still struggles to pronounce "volcano" clearly (which is totally adorable), he understands the general idea: "Bal-Can-O! Boom! Hot! Hot! Hot!"

On a whim the other day, I decided to order the National Geographic video on volcanoes from Netflix. It's an older film, but I thought Caleb would like to see what real volcanoes look like. I also wondered how long a non-cartoon would hold his attention. Well, he surprised me! He sat through the first half of the movie totally absorbed in footage of lava floes and spectacular eruptions. "Whoa! Wow! Bol-Can-O! Fi-uh (for fire)! Hot! Hot!" I taught him a new word: lava. It comes out more like "wava" when he says it, though. Precious. :)

Inspired by his reaction, I decided to take volcanoes one step further and yesterday, we created our very own miniature volcano in Caleb's sandbox. You know the good old vinegar-and-baking-soda trick? Still works! And he loved it! We made eruption after eruption until the vinegar ran out and even then, he asked for "more bol-can-o, peas!" :)

Basking in our geological and scientific sucesses, a stray thought went through my mind:

"Don't look now, but you're home-schooling!"

That thought took me completely by surprise. I've been on the fence about home-schooling since we learned Caleb was speech delayed and would need special classes to help him catch up. Do I have what it takes to be both stay-at-home-mom AND teacher? Will I be able to fill the hours and teach him everything he needs to know? Will I even enjoy it?

That stray thought did a lot to calm my fears. Without realizing it, I had already started down that road. :) And if our fun with exploding mountains is any indication, it's going to be a pleasant and exciting journey! :)

Now if' you'll excuse me, I should really get back to bed. If the last two weeks have been busy, the next three days are going to be NUTS. Everything starts this week. Everything. Caleb's pre-school classes, the new Beth Moore study at church, the MOPS group I just joined, and the women's ministry at church that I'm helping to head-up this year. Crazy good fun, all of it! But I'm gonna need sleep to make it all work. :)

Night all! Thanks for bearing with my bloggie absences!

Maybe It's the Terrible Threes

2010-09-02T12:04:00.000-07:00

Nothing like a morning at the park to make you feel like a horrible parent. I'm starting to hate parks. They're stressful experiences these days; I feel like I'm on constant alert. I can't relax, I can't talk to other moms because the moment I do, Caleb pulls something.

He throws rocks, accidentally or intentionally hitting another child. He pushes, he shoves, he hits. He tackles another little boy, thinking it's a game only to stare in confusion when the little boy starts crying.

I can't even begin to count how many times I've told Caleb this kind of behavior is wrong and unacceptable. I've put him on time-out, I've spanked him, I've talked to him. Still, the misbehavior continues.

I know his speech delay isn't helping. I have no idea how much of what I say actually computes for him. How much does he really understand? The problem is, he's bigger than most other three year olds. Which means he's stronger, too. Other moms and kids see him, believe him to be at least four, and then expect him to act and comprehend and play accordingly.

I'm so frustrated. Other kids watch and then avoid Caleb. I've even heard a few call him "a bad boy." Other moms watch and then think I am an incompetent mother. And who knows? Maybe they're right.

But the problem is, Caleb isn't a bad boy. He's sweet and loving and funny. He's the kind of boy that runs up to the ice cream truck and says "Ice Ceam, peas!" to the ice cream man. And once the man hands down his snowcone, Caleb will profusely and repeatedly thank him: "Thank welcome! Thank welcome! Thank welcome!"

He's the kind of little boy who hugs and snuggles stuffies and often falls asleep at night with them piled all around him on the bed.

He's the kind of little boy who calls tornados "tomatoes" and when he eats Cars fruit snacks, he'll stop and say "Yummy Police Cars!" because the purple Radiator Springs police car gummy is his favorite.

He's the little boy who who gives hugs and says good-bye to Daddy every morning and after every lunch hour, often watching Daddy through the living room window as he drives away. "Bye, Da-ee! Bye Da-ee!" he says, even after Daddy is long gone. Sometimes, if we're watering in the front yard, he'll look at Jason's parking spot and say "Where Da-ee go?" Then he'll answer his own question. "Da-ee at work!"

This is the kind of boy Caleb is. Unfortunately, at the park and at church, no one else sees that boy. I wish they did; I love my little man and trust me, I know how difficult and stubborn and challenging he can be. But that's not the complete picture. That's not who he is all the time.

But after the third time-out, after the second spanking, when he'd successfully dumped out all the soapy bubble solution at the MOPs kick-off meet & greet today, I'd had enough. I wasn't meeting and greeting; more like chasing and disciplining. So I gathered our things and we went home.

One good thing has come from all this, though. I've realized how totally inadequet I am without the help and support of Someone far greater. Only by His grace and providence will Caleb live to see four. Only by His mercy will I figure out this parenting thing.

Sorry for making this a venting post, y'all. We've been struggling all summer, and I haven't been brave enough to post about it until now. I believe we've made some progress and that Caleb's behavior is (slowly) improving. But I tell ya what, this stage of toddlerhood royally sucketh.

Cinnamon Tomato, anyone?

2010-08-27T20:58:00.000-07:00

We went out for fast food the other night. We picked Taco Bell because we hadn't been there in a while. As we sat in the drive through, Jason told me about work and I told him about my day, and Caleb happily chattered to himself in the back seat. As we approached the window for our food, we began to hear incessant pleas from our 3 year old.

"Tomato! Tomato!"

This was CalebSpeak, not to be taken literally. What he was really saying was,

"Tornado! Tornado!"

I blame his favorite book for this. Several times a week, he pulls out Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett and begs me to read it. In the middle of the book, the town of Chewandswallow experiences "an awful salt and pepper wind accompanied by an even worse tomato tornado." To his little toddler ears, "tomato" and "tornado" sound the same. And tomato must be easier to pronounce, because he's called any verticle twisty shape he sees a Tomato! ever since.

What we couldn't figure out the other night, sitting in the drive through, was why he was saying tomato so insistenly.

Until we picked up our order. Out of the bag tumbled these:

Upon seeing them, Caleb joyfully, triumphantly shouted

"Tomato! Tomato, peas!"

We were laughing so hard! Why yes, son, the cinnamon twists do sorta look like tornados! Crispy, sweet, edible tornados. Or tomatoes. Take your pick.

Cinnamon tomato, anyone?

The Neuhausers Camp . . . again

2010-08-24T12:37:00.000-07:00

We camped last weekend at Deception Pass, and by the time we arrived home around 8am Sunday morning (much earlier than planned), I was pretty sure I didn't like camping anymore. 'Course, that could've been five hours of interrupted sleep on the cold ground talking. I dunno.

Note: I am not a morning person. I am especially not a morning person when I wake up from less than seven hours of sleep. I have been known to transform into a bear and growl at anyone who comes too close (or attempts to tickle, snuggle, or otherwise intrude on my personal space. Just ask Jason; he'll tell you stories). So any claims or opinions I might express when under the effects of SDD (sleep deprivation disorder) should be deemed highly suspect and filed for possible retraction at a later date.

The trip was a kind of a last hurrah for us; we have no more big events planned for the rest of the summer. As with our previous trip to South Whidbey, we learned a lot this time around, too. Like a slow-leaking air mattress makes for tough sleeping and, when packing a toddler, one can never bring too many changes of clothes (Think Caleb, diarreah-inducing diaper rash, and a camp shower rendevous at 10:30 at night).

But at least we had dry firewood. :)

Lest you get the wrong impression, the trip was not nightmarish or horrid. It was not the kind of tale you'd read about in wilderness adventure magazines, where everything goes wrong and you have to make dinner using duct tape, a coffee can, and tweezers. We had plenty of fun, plenty of sweet moments where we smiled and laughed and made memories. And for proof, I offer you these:

Snuggling with my Bud

(quite possibly my favorite photo of the whole trip)

(( do I look happy in this photo? this was Saturday morning, after a full and restful night's sleep))

Campsite #98

Jason building a fire on the first night

(keep on eye on Caleb; he's about to have his butt kicked by the camping chair)

And he's down! The chair: 1

Caleb: Zip!

Making breakfast the next morning

I'd never cooked over an open fire before! We made hashbrowns and bacon and

Jason and I agreed that the food tasted better cooked this way.

Now we're on the lookout for a Cooking On an Open Fire cookbook! :)

What camping trip is complete without s'mores?

Pretending to be Peter Pan on his

"pie-at ship"

Mist on Cranberry Lake, early Saturday morning

Unfortunately, our air mattress died Saturday night and my sleeping bag apparently only works in 60+ degree weather, because I couldn't get warm for the life of me. When we woke up at 5:45 Sunday morning, to a wet campsite and gray fog, we decided to go home. We rolled out of Deception Pass around 7:30, had a hot breakfast a la McDonalds, and went home for four-hour naps all around.

I felt bad a leaky air mattres and a cold night kicked my butt. I also felt bad that we left our campsite hours earlier than planned. But Jason, being the wonderful guy that he is, told me I had nothing to prove by "roughing it". I don't have to camp in a tent, in the rain, in the cold, to prove I am some sort of Wilderness Woman. If I don't like that particular kind of camping, that's ok. I'm not a terrible person.

Many of the state parks around here offer rustic cabins for rent in addition to regular campsites. Most of them are heated and have electricity, though you're still bringing linens and cooking food over a camp fire or in a bbq grill. Jason and I want to try one sometime to see how we like it. It may not be roughing it, but it just might be more enjoyable.

How about you? Do you like to camp? Do you prefer a tent, a cabin, or an RV?

Or would you rather just spend the weekend in a city, maybe visiting the zoo or taking in a Broadway show?

While the Sun Shines

2010-08-18T17:08:00.000-07:00

Pa stood thinking for a minute, then he jerked his head. "Come along, little Half-Pint. We better make hay while the sun shines."

His eyes twinkled and Laura laughed, because the sun was shining with all its might.

-- exerpt from The Long Winter

by Laura Ingalls Wilder

~ ~ ~

:: Hay Bales above Penn Cove ::

We're enjoying a truly gorgeous summer on the island. The sun shines almost every single day, and last weekend temperatures soared into the 90s. We spend our days hiking trails, playing at the park, buying ice cream from the Ice Cream Truck, swimming in the lake, and sunning at the beach. We crab with Jason's family. We travel off-island to new and exciting places, some of which are only accessible in the summer. Caleb digs around his sandbox in the back yard, while I sit on the deck with the lap top, perusing blogs, Facebook, and recipes. This weekend, we're going camping. And next week we'll pick blackberries to store away for winter baking.

Winter. It's hard to believe cold, wet, windy days are coming when the sun shines late into the evening and my son goes everywhere barefoot. But I know gray days are coming.

Which is why I want to be outside every minute. Caleb, too. That line from Laura Ingalls Wilder's book has bounced around my head all summer long: make hay while the sun shines. Take full advantage of the beautiful weather. Store away bright memories for those gray months when you can barely recall what sunshine is.

Yesterday was a perfect example. I hadn't planned an outing with Caleb, but by 2pm I knew we needed to get out of the house. So I threw a couple of beach towels, some snacks, and my camera in a beach bag and off we went. I had a vague idea of where I wanted to go, and I prayed the tide would be out.

It was. Just barely. But it was enough.

We'd never been to this particular beach before.

The waves were a little crazy.

(just a little)

But we splashed in the freezing water anyway. Caleb and I ventured out on the broken pieces of sea wall and waited for big waves to come crashing around our legs. I held his hand so he wouldn't be swept away.

He thought it was just about the funniest thing ever. And I had fun feeling adventurous and daring. :)

When we tired of playing chicken with the waves, we played in the sand.

Caleb had fun exploring the driftwood, too.

We made some good memories yesterday. We made some hay.

I know fall is coming. I know the weather will change. But summer isn't over quite yet, and that thought makes me happy. I'm not ready for it. I'm not ready to say good-bye to the sun.

How about you? Are you looking forward to fall already? Or are you savoring this summer season? Maybe both?

Footprints in Poop: Climbing my own Mt. Everest

2010-08-13T21:07:00.000-07:00

I haven't picked up many books this summer; I've been too busy enjoying the beautiful but all-too-short summer out in the fresh air and sunshine. But last week I started a book that held me captivated from page one. It was Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air, an account of the Everest tragedy in 1996 when twelve people died on the mountain during a freak storm. Krakauer was on one of the teams that lost four people. His tale, while sobering and circumspect, was also intensely interesting and informative. I couldn't put it down.

I harbor no ambitions of climbing Everest. In fact, I have zero ambition when it comes to climbing because, quite frankly, I hate to climb. Period. Any activity that has me dangling above the ground is, by my definition, NOT FUN. My palms are sweaty just typing about it.

But this afternoon, engaged in another activity I would qualify as NOT FUN, the Lord brought to mind the idea that we all have our Everests. And as I worked on hands and knees in Caleb's room, praying for patience and grace, this post began to form in my mind . . .

~ ~ ~

I've been placed on this mountain four times in the last three weeks. Unlike Everest climbers, I do not choose to be here. Yet neither can I turn around and head for safer, happier slopes. The mess must be cleaned up. Previously, I've had climbing partners: Jason, Michael, even my mom, while she was visiting. But not today. Today I climb solo.

Also unlike real "Everesters", who spend months in training and physical conditioning, I have had no experience to prepare me for this. No parenting class or baby book ever includes a What-to-do-When-You-Walk-Into-Your-Child's-Room-and-it's-COVERED-in-poop section. When the poop descends, I am simply plucked from whatever I was doing, stuck at Base Camp (Caleb's bedroom door), and told to climb.

So equipped with a canister of Chlorox wipes instead of oxygen, that's just what I do.

I get down on my hands and knees and begin scouting a safe route to the south, across the bedroom floor. My goal is to reach the window, so I can open it and let the room breath. I must be very careful where I step, where I place my hands. The floor under me is a dark brown wood. On which I'm looking for dark brown matter. Some spots are obvious, like the faint trail of footprints I'm vigorously erasing, but many others are not. It's painstaking work, but every last, um, smear must be found or the smell will linger.

I clean one small section of floor at a time and slowly work my way into the room. Before long, I'm presented with my first real challenge: my own miniature version of the Khumbu Icefall.

Located between Base Camp and Camp 1 on Mt. Everest, the Icefall is one of the most challenging parts of the climb. It's a glacier that has been thrust over the side of a cliff and subsequently broken into hundreds of smaller pieces called seracs. Climbers must navigate over and through these seracs, which are still quite large and constantly shift, in order to reach Camp 1.

The seracs in Caleb's room are stuffed animals, toy cars, and plastic dinosaurs. They're strewn all over the floor, and each one has to be inspected for contaminent. Each with its own unique shape. Each presenting its own challenge. Piles begin to form: Clean Toys. Dirty Toys. Laundry for the Wash.

This is the slowest part of the climb for me and my least favorite. Children's toys are notoriously difficult to clean. Small cracks, plactic crevasses, metal wheels, tiny moving and non-moving parts. Mud isn't so bad; it washes right off. But poop? Poop sticks. Too tired to care, I have sometimes thrown cheap toys away rather than spend precious time cleaning them. Because here, as on the real Everest, time is against you. These messes only get worse the longer you wait; the offending material dries quickly and becomes difficult to remove from walls, windows, and furniture. Your best bet is to work as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Between Camp 1 and Camp 3 on Mt. Everest is the Western Cwm (pronounced coom). It's a long narrow valley that houses the (intact) glacier above the Icefall. It's a relatively easy climb, but a long one.

Deep inside Caleb's room, I begin to scrub on a particularly long smudge of brown. It runs westward two or three feet toward the wall. No major obstacles hinder my movement, but the Chlorox wipes are running low. My fingers are pruney from the solvent. The smell is getting to me. So is the heat. We haven't had a day above 68 degrees in weeks. Today we hit close to 80. And I have yet to reach the window, which has poop problems of its own.

The long brown smudge ends at the southwest corner of Caleb's room, where it goes vertical and continues to climb up both walls. I scrutinize this upward path carefully, noting that Caleb's baby quilt hanging on the south wall has not escaped contamination. It will have to be pulled down and washed.

On Mt. Everest, Camp 3 is located on the Lhotse Face, an enormous vertical ice cliff over a thousand feet high. The camp sits on a ledge half way up the cliff and climbers must use secured ropes, ice axes, and crampons to make the ascent.

I begin working my way up this much smaller ascent, but an inner storm is brewing. Born on the winds of pride, clouds of self pity begin to roll in and I find myself on the verge of tears. Then the questions come.

Why does this keep happening? What am I doing wrong? What is Caleb trying to tell me? Why oh why does he keep doing this? What can I do to ensure this NEVER happens again? How do I punish him for making such a mess? DO I punish him for making such a mess? Why can't he just potty-train like all the other kids we know? Why me? Why me? Why me?

I start to pray, to battle my way through the storm. I know if I can't keep the self pity in check, I'll soon be fighting the full tempest of my temper. And that always leads me places I don't want to go. Once the anger takes over, I lose my footing. I sway and stumble in the emotional turmoil, and those roped to me for safety and support (usually my family) immediately feel the impact. The storm may rage inside, but rain never falls on just one person. The thunder and lightning affect them, too. So I fight and pray, pray and clean.

Every spring, from Camp 4 on the South Col of Mt. Everest, climbers make their bid for the summit. They climb the South Col, cross the Balcony, walk the razor edge of the Southeast Ridge, navigate the Hillary Step, and then trudge to the top of the South Summit. All this they must do in one day, but reaching the top of Everest is only half the challenge. The hardest part is then getting yourself back down to Camp 4 before dark.

Once I finish the southwest corner, I have a similar set of final obstacles to tackle: Caleb's table, the window sill, and finally, the window itself. The end within sight, I push on using 409 and paper towels.

Finally! After an hour and a half, the now-open window sparkles and I step back to admire the view. Only from Caleb's window can we see the harbor; no other window in our house claims that privilege. The sun shimmers on the water and the green hills beyond it glow in the late afternoon rays. But like many who summit Everest, I do not stay at the top for long. I still have the long haul back down the mountain to normality and cleanliness. There's laundry to wash, toys to soak, and miscellaneous spots on the floor to hunt and sniff for.

I make my descent quickly and go into the bathroom to wash my hands. I'm rather proud of myself; I haven't lost my temper and the inward turmoil seems to be subsiding. But as difficult as the last hour and a half has been, I'm not finished. I can't sit back on the couch with a soda and call it a day. I must still be Mommy and Wifey. Dinner must be made, finances done, and food shopping attended to. My day isn't over just because this particular climb is (much as I would like it to be!).

I may have summited Poopy Mountain, even summited it solo today, but a greater peak yet looms. One of patience and selfishness, trust and control . And when I catch myself snapping at Jason not ten minutes afer he arrives home from work, I realize I'm still climbing.

Prayer Please

2010-08-04T13:06:00.000-07:00

I wanted to ask for your prayers, friends.

For this guy.

(not the little one, the big one)

My Mom and Harry are visiting us this week. They flew in Monday afternoon.

And on Monday evening, Harry hurt his back. Badly.

He's been laying down in our guest room ever since.

We're hoping bedrest and Excedrin will be sufficient, but my mom's never seen him in

this much pain.

So if you guys could offer up a prayer for him, we'd really appreciate it. Harry is totally a get-up-and-don't-stop-moving kind of guy, and having to stay down is driving him crazy.

Thanks so much, y'all! I'll keep you posted!

Island Summer Days

2010-07-28T15:29:00.000-07:00

A lot of people are writing posts about what summer means to them and

what they are doing with their sunshine months.

Summer took its sweet time in coming to the Pacific Northwest this year. June saw temperatures in the 50s and 60s consistently. We still had flannel sheets on the bed on the 4th of July.

But warm weather is indeed here. Finally.

Here's a peek at what summer looks like for us

on our Island home.

Summer is . . .

~ Anniversaries ~

We celebrated six years this June!

(Incidentally, we also celebrated the one year anniversary of our move to WA a few weeks ago!)

~ Crab Season ~

My father-in-law's freezer is packed with crab for the winter.

Our freezer's pretty full, too!

~ Birthdays Spent with Big Sisters ~

Lindsay and her husband came to visit us the first part of July, just in time for my birthday and their anniversary. We had such a great time!

~ Birthday Presents ~

(My new camera!!!)

(Do I look a little excited?)

Instead of cake, this year we make Canoli Cones, from that Hungry Girl cookbook.

They were amazing!!!

~ Sunset Photos on the Beach ~

~ Lazy Days at the Lake ~
Cranberry Lake, to be exact. One of our favorite spots!

~ Sandy Toes ~

~ Friends Visiting From Far Away ~

Heather and her mom came up to see us for a few days!

I had so much fun showing them around the Island. :)

The lighthouse at Ft. Casey

Wildlife, anyone?

~ Blooming Lavender Fields ~

~ Crossing Driftwood Swords with Peter Pan at the Beach ~

Do you think Mr. Barrie would mind a female Capt. Hook?

I hope not.

I mean no disrespect, Mr. Barrie!

Aboard our "pirate ship"

~ Snow Cones from the Ice Cream Truck ~

Caleb had never tried one before. It was a big hit.

That's what our summer looks like!

Warm and cool, green and blue, sweet and busy.

In a word, perfect. :)

Spending a While on the Nile . . .

2010-07-22T22:34:00.000-07:00

Guess what I've been doing this week?

I'll give you a hint:

Where else could I get away with makeup like this?

Ancient Egypt, of course!

(Do I look Egyptian?)

((Did Egyptians smile in pictures?))

. . .

Whadda mean, Egyptians didn't take pictures???

Well, I'll tell you something else ancient Egyptians didn't do:

Wear glasses.

Yeah. Totally ruins that whole "B.C." feel.

'Course, I doubt ancient Egyptians wore queen-sized sheets, either.
Oh well.

At least I'm having fun, right?

(Is it ok to smile now??)

Our church's theme for VBS this year is "Spend a while on the Nile."

And as a family leader, of course I had to come in costume!

Wanna see the whole get-up?

Yep, I'm wearing a sheet!

Actually, the now-altered and no longer useable purple sheet came in handy because

our family color for the week was purple.

So rather than look for a purple sash, my kids just had to look for big, purple ME.

My family group's name is Memphis.
A whole lot easier to pronounce than Par-Basset or Asyut.

We got lucky. :)

Every night this week, the kids have had a chance to explore an Egyptian market place (in what generally passes for our sanctuary). They get three coins every day, and they can visit whichever shop catches their eye:

They can make headbands or have their eyes painted at the Barber & Salon:

They can also practice writing with hieroglyphics:

There's a food vender, an animal courtyard (yes, with real animals), an embalmer's workshop, a linen shop, a toy shop, a jeweler, and a brick maker's yard.

When we're done in the market place, we visit Joseph.

We're focusing on Joseph's story with the kids this week, how he went from the prison to the palace and how God turned ugly events in his life into great blessings. Every day the kids learn a new lesson from Joseph that corresponds to our daily bible verse.

And what better way to learn Joseph's story than to hear it from the man himself?

Monday we visited Joseph in prison, where he told us his life story. How his brothers betrayed and sold him into slavery. How Potifer's wife told lies and had him thrown into prison.

The lesson?

That God gives us hope.

Tuesday, we found Joseph in Pharoh's palace, where he's been asked to serve as an advisor. His fortunes had been reversed overnight, all because he could interpret dreams.

The lesson?

God gives us unique abilities.

Having a real live person to interact with has really made this bible story come to life, for the kids AND for the leaders. :)

(Just as a side note: I don't know who our church recruited to play Joseph, but this kid is good. He always has the kids laughing, and the way he tells his story makes you believe he's the real guy . He's been one of the kids' favorites all week)

The pyramid stage, where we do songs at the beginning and end of each night.

The craft table, where the kids keep their projects from the market place.
~~~

VBS has been a blast this week!

I was hesitant when I signed up, but the kids changed my mind.

Getting to wear a sheet toga and silly makeup also may have helped. ;)

Mostly, I've enjoyed watching God work, and not just in the hearts and minds of my kids.

He's been working in mine, too. :)

What have y'all been up to this week?

Writer Blocked, Or Where I've Been for the Last Three Months

2010-07-20T22:43:00.000-07:00

At first I thought I was too busy.

But I was just fooling myself.

Then I realized I was processing a lot of stuff, and simply couldn't find the words.

This was true for a while, but that reflective state ended some time ago.

Next came the frustration, brought on by demanding perfection from myself.

If I couldn't write a funny, inspiring, let's-all-go-adopt-an-orphan-and-donate-blood-and-then-have-apple-pie-together-afterward sort of post, why write at all? It was easier to just ignore Blogger and log in to Facebook instead. Or World of Warcraft. Or Hotmail. Or . . .

Gradually, the number of posts I wrote dwindled. 5 a month, 3 a month. Down the road came some more busy-ness.

It was legitimate this time.

And then the Lord began to speak to me about my heart. And the wee root of jealousy He saw growing there.

My blog isn't as popular as So-and-So's. I'm not as good a writer as you-know-who. So why blog at all?

The Still Small Voice continued to speak.

The deeper reason I haven't been blogging boiled down to issues of pride and obedience. Matters of the heart. Things that He wanted me to see. Things I'd masked and ignored.

Things that have kept me from a hobby I love.

Silly, really. But then, I can be quite silly sometimes.

~~~
So that's where I've been. Not so much writer's block as a writer blocked. But by God's grace, I think I'm starting to get un-stuck. Bloggie breaks are good for the soul now and then, but I'm happy to be tap-dancing on the keyboard once more. And actually, I have a whole slew of posts piled up, waiting to be written. There's been quite a lot going on around here these last few weeks: summer finally arrived, my (adopted) big sister came to visit for six days, another good friend from college came for two, and this week I'm volunteering at our church's VBS. Whew!

Life is busy. But life is good. :)

And it is good to be writing again.

My Reluctant Hiker (and yes, I'm still alive)

2010-07-18T10:36:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I know I've been really-uber-super absent from Blog World these last few weeks. Or months. More on that later. But for now, I have a few videos to share with you. I got a new camera for my birthday and it takes videos! Squeal!! I'm still learning how it works, so the quality isn't great. But these were too cute not to post. :)

Here's a peek into a hike we did last Tuesday. Enjoy!

He really does enjoy hiking. Don't let him fool you. :)