No More Velcro

I can hardly believe it. Twenty-two???  When did that happen?

What a year it has been!

 Last June was your 21st birthday.

In the fall, amidst the vibrant colors, changes began.

January found us saying good-bye as you headed off to London.

Your semester abroad was filled with adventures and new friends.

You spent time in the ER & returned home to surgery,




As soon as you were well, you became CNA certified and are almost ready for more life experiences.

So proud of you.  I'll bet those who thought the velcro would never lose its stickiness would be too.

(Sorry I forgot to hit publish on your birthday, and left this sitting unposted for so long.)

Relationships Are Tricky

I confess, early on I took you for granted.  It wasn't until the busyness of life began to crowd you out, that I realized how important you are.  I began wishing I could spend more time with you.  I thought about you more and more.  I couldn't get enough of you.  I longed for life to slow down, so we could spend bigger blocks of time together.

More recently, our time together is much more satisfying.  I am completely refreshed by you.  Why is it, when I'm most content, it becomes easy to put you off?  I avoid you as much as possible so I can do things that I want to do, in spite of your gentle tugging.   But I count on you to be there for me the minute I need you.

Tonight you let me down.  The moment I felt you vying for my attention, I didn't ignore you. I turned off the computer, shut out the lights, and gave you my undivided attention.  I've missed you!

What happened to your peaceful presence? I thought since we've had so little time together, my generosity tonight would yield an extra hour or two with you.

Oh sleep...I'm so sorry that I've kept you waiting.  Please come back to me.  I really do need you.  Don't let me down now.

Just Three More Days

Christopher and Lauren will be home on Saturday.


Their two plus years of teaching in South Korea is at its conclusion.



While I'm busy thinking of the first meal we'll share together, the first hug, the first family get together,

on the other side of the world, they are are drinking in their lasts.


Their daily walk to school will end.

They'll take their final Subway in Seoul.
 

One last time they'll eat Korean kimchi,



and shop at a local market.

They'll say good-bye to friends who've become like family.

When Christopher and Lauren departed for their teaching adventure, it wasn't without a bit of sadness. But they left home knowing they would return.

This leaving is different. Most likely they will never see the children again.

A final, wistful good-bye to their school



and friends,

their apartment, and life as they now know it.

They may even miss their very private mailbox.
 

Maybe not.

There is no promise that they'll have the opportunity to walk the streets of Seoul and experience its culture.


The week I spent in Korea, I fell in love with the people.  In that brief moment in time, the city of Seoul captured my soul.

So while everyone here is excited for their return, Christopher and Lauren are most likely leaving with mixed emotions-uncertainty of ever being in this corner of the world again.



Nevertheless, they will remain forever connected to this place. Their hearts were woven into the fabric of life in Seoul, South Korea.



The investments they made in the lives of the children will be everlasting.

This was their home.

Flowers, a little late

Just as parents are kind to their children,
the LORD is kind to all who worship him,
because he knows we are made of dust.

We humans are like grass or wild flowers that quickly bloom.
But a scorching wind blows, and they quickly wither to be forever forgotten.

The LORD is always kind to those who worship him,
and he keeps his promises to their descendants
who faithfully obey him.

My Trip

When I read about the Virtuous Woman, I think of my mom. She's successful at all she puts her hand to and works diligently at it.  She's smart, clever, and creative.  She's always busy, but never stressed and hurried.

Growing up, I knew there was nothing my mom couldn't do.

A good woman is hard to find, and worth far more than diamonds.

Way back when I was in third grade, it was common to go home for lunch.  One day, after walking home I mentioned to my mom that it was my day to share a science experiment with the class.  This was back before take-home folders and when making 25 copies of notes was more arduous than hand-written ones.  So kids were just supposed to remember these things-which apparently I didn't.

Mom didn't flip out on me.  Not only did she make lunch for me and my siblings, but she helped me come up with a cool, fun science project. We played in talcum powder and water and I knew I had the smartest mom in the whole world.  She could have been angry, but she wasn't.

Yesterday was Mom's Birthday.

As soon as the cake was set in front of her, she magically turned 17 again.  (Yes, she did switch those candles.)

 

This is my dad and mom, me and my 2 sisters and 2 nieces.

I flew to Phx. to celebrate Mom's birthday with her.   This is my wonderful sister-in-law and brother who always let me stay at their house and play with their girls. 

Happy Birthday Mom!

I'm On Vacation

Did I mention I'm on vacation?

In the Arizona Desert

Watching my nieces & nephews swim

I left my family at home to fend for themselves. They are fending quite nicely. Wondering if I will have a job when I get back.

You Capture-Games

I took these pics through the chain link fence.

Grandpa giving E his water bottle.

Safe!

Oh The Things Kids Say

I phoned my brother the other day.  His 8 year old daughter answered the phone.  We chatted for 23 minutes.  I have no idea where my brother was, I never talked to him.  I do know where my sister-in-law was.  Oh the tales a talkative kid can tell.

To be fair, I did ask about her first trip to Disneyland.  Her favorite thing was Space Mountain, no Thunder Mountain was more fun.  TinkerBell has a secret home and a secret friend.  Leah also told me that getting her ears pierced didn't hurt, but Tara cried.  Nobody noticed her pretty pink earrings but Gramma.  Tara was banned from the computer because she didn't clean up her messes, but she got to use the computer today.  Only Tara didn't really clean up, she just sat in her room coloring in her color book.

I could hear Tara in the background during most of the conversation, but not her daddy.  Leah's daddy was taking them swimming, even though the water might be cold.  That was when she told me her mommy wasn't home.  And the reason she wasn't home?  Because her daddy cheated on her mommy.

I about died laughing.  If I didn't have 5 kids, who'd also been little once, I might have been shocked.  But I knew there was a logical reason for her to say this.  I knew her daddy hadn't actually "cheated" on her mommy.  I know my brother better than that. 

I probably shouldn't have, but I couldn't help but mention it to my sister-in-law when I talked to her the next day.  I'm not sure she found it as funny as I did.

I sometimes wonder what secret things Ethan would say if he could.

Change

Who thought it would be so hard?  Or so exciting and exhilarating?  I like the variety change brings in my life.  I don't like the adjustments that come with change.

Take technology, it is always changing, evolving into something "better."  (At least that is the claim by Techies.)  How amazed we all were when cell phones first emerged.  I loved having a phone available for use on trips in case of an emergency.  I got used to carrying a phone with me everywhere I went, so I was accessible in case someone needed me.  Then I enjoyed the freedom of text messages, taking pictures, internet access.  But with each new phone, I experience operator frustration.  I can't figure out how to adjust the volume, add new numbers, or how to use the latest feature.  Once I am comfortable with the new gadget, I don't ever want to change again.  That is, until something better comes along, or the old one is dropped in the toilet.

I change to the new, but complain when life doesn't function exactly as before.  I long for the old, the comfortable, what once seemed easy.  The new might be better, but I struggle.  What once took a moment, now takes twice as long because I haven't learned or figured out the new.  It is cumbersome.  I wonder if I made a mistake in opting for better.  Was the old one really that bad?  I become more agitated when I don't get a choice, like when blogger makes changes that I didn't ask for.  I struggle to upload or format photos that used to be a piece of cake.  I curse those in charge.  (Not really, but I'm sure some do.)

I read in the bible how God chose Moses to bring deliverance to the Children of Israel.  They were slaves.  After several setbacks, they were miraculously set free and dined on supernatural provisions.  Yet it wasn't long before they complained and desired to be back in Egypt, back to their slavery.  I never understood how that could happen.  Why would anyone want to go back to their days of hardship?  Why wouldn't they embrace the new?

I think I understand now.  I don't like to be pushed out of my comfort zone, not even for something better.  I murmur and complain in much the same way the Children of Israel did.  Slavery was more comfortable than having to learn a new way of life.

I don't want to hold on to the old, when the new offers promise for a better future, and greater achievements.  Change comes with a price, but sometimes I'm not sure I want to pay it.  Whether it's a new job, moving to a new city, or a changed relationship, it requires effort.  I'm pushed out of lazy mode into careful deliberation, and struggle through learning the new.

I think this is exactly why God prompts change.  When we aren't willing to accept change, it sometimes feels like the rug is pulled out from underneath us.  When everything remains the same, it is easy to remain comfortable, to be lazy and quit putting for effort.  We become selfish and self-centered.  We don't take think about the world around us.  In a  life of ease, we can manage without God.  We forget to depend on Him and choose to just go about our business.  It's usually not to exciting or thrilling, but it's easy.  Change is hard, but pushing through frees us from our lazy self and offers greater potential, more promise and opportunity.

Randoms

Random Thoughts in list form
1.  We moved Hilary out of her dorm in just 2 trips to the car.

2.  Grocery shopping is more fun when George Strait sings in the background.

3.  My family laughed at me last night.  I made bacon, eggs, pancakes, & hash browns.  Michael commented that he asks for this all of the time and wonders why I don't make it more often.  I denied this, stating emphatically that he has never asked me to make breakfast food for dinner.  When my brain feels foggy, I do ask if he has any ideas for dinner.  He occasionally "suggests" bacon & eggs.  I don't classify that as "asking" me to make this for dinner.  His response was something like:

"Really?  You thought I'd suggest something I didn't want to eat???  Do I ever suggest that you make brussel sprouts or macaroni & cheese?   Hahahaha....." Go ahead and laugh, family, but it makes total sense to me.

 Just for clarification, I honestly believed he was suggesting bacon and eggs as an easy-to-fix meal, not necessarily because he "wanted" that to eat.  I cook things all of the time that I wouldn't necessarily choose to eat mainly because someone else likes it or because it is an easy-to-cook meal.

4.  Ethan loves baseball.

5.  I should be very careful uploading baseball photos to Ethan's Ipad.  He knows instantly when his videos have been deleted and has an instant meltdown, locking himself in the bathroom, in spite of me telling him "Grandma will fix it!"

 6.  We finally celebrated Christina's big birthday.

7.  The birthday dinner with the Men in Black (backwards hats.)