We are getting ready to leave for a town about 3 hours away to spend three days in a hotel with two small children. Then drive up to church on Sunday before driving back home. I am hopeful it should be a VERY interesting ADVENTURE. The good news is that it is a nice hotel with a pool and fitness center. YAY!!!! And I have a great book I am reading (The Poisonwood Bible)
We have a friend from high school that is getting married and has asked Roger to preside over the wedding. HIGH FIVE FOR WEDDINGS! Good thing I LOVE wedding cake!!! MMMMMMM Because we have been to a lot of weddings lately and there are still more to come. I wonder if there will be dancing at this one? I just love to dance. Roger doesn't like to but I have Paul and Anna to swing around with me! This wedding should be pretty cool in every way. It is going to be in a CAVE. Yep, you read that right. IN A CAVE!!!! How awesome is that?!?!?! Paul and I are super excited about seeing the cave!!! It is a cave that I have been wanting to visit since freshman year of college.
In other unrelated news, Anna and Paul have been up to their crazy ways. There is not a day that goes by that I don't laugh so hard I cry.
Anna's story:
I walked up the stairs and found her sitting at the top, with only her underwear and sandals on. She had lotion all over herself and was rubbing it ALL OVER the wall. I said "Anna, what are you doing?" she smiled and said "I rub lotion on my back, on my belly and on my NIPPLES!!" She said nipples in a sing song type of voice. Then she leaned over and whispered "I rub lotion on your body, mom?!?!"
Paul's story:
I was sitting on the couch reading a book, sipping some tea and he ran up to me and said in a VERY frustrated voice, "when is it going to SNOW? I've been waiting for 7 whole weeks." Then he proceeded to stare out the window praying for snow. I've explained the whole "there are 4 seasons" thing to him but I guess it just hasn't clicked. Or maybe he has a lot more faith than I do and really believes that if you pray hard enough for something that God will give it to you.
IT IS SOOOOOO HOT OUTSIDE. UHGGGGGGGG YUCK
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Maria Augusta Trapp
I just finished reading an autobiography written by Maria Augusta Trapp! It is the true story, in her own words, that inspired the Disney movie, The Sound of Music.
It was beautiful! The movie only really depicts the first few chapters of the book. And of course, in true Disney style, the deep religious aspect was taken out. Their story is AMAZINGLY INSPIRATIONAL. I cried. I giggled. I ran around reading quotes to anyone who would listen.
Reading this autobiography was transformational. First of all, Maria is a wonderful writer. She is reflective to the point that you feel as if you are having a cup of tea with her in the kitchen and she is telling you her life story. She is hilarious. She always manages to find the humor in the most horrible of situations. She is deeply spiritual. Any where she lived she had a priest with her and a chapel built. The whole family prayed the hours together, celebrated feast days and fasted together. Every thing that happened in her life she compared to a biblical story that she drew upon for inspiration.
I read this book as if I were reading a spiritual devotion. It is that eye opening.
very rarely do I get my hands on a book that makes me feel as if I am sipping water while I read it. It was so refreshing!!
So, I would advise anyone reading this to check it out OR BUY IT!!!
I plan on one day visiting the location in Austria and Vermont. That would be incredible!!! who wants to take me?!?!?!
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Sunday reflections
Today was pretty great.
Getting up before the sun in order to drive all the way to church is getting kinda old but the good news is that the house we are buying is looking AWESOME! A guy in the church is remodeling a 1952 cape cod. He has completely gutted it. The past couple of weeks he has torn down most of the inside walls and re worked the floor plan, put in all new plumbing, a new furnace, new duct work and today we were informed that he has put the walls up. YAY WE HAVE WALLS!!! I'm going to go this week to look at paint samples! I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!!!
Service this morning was beautiful! We had a missionary couple from Morocco speak. Need I say more!
This afternoon the kids and I crashed at a church members house while Roger visited with shut ins. We attempted to nap.....didn't work......and we attempted to explore the town......didn't work. During the nap the kids were too excited to sleep and during the exploring I kept getting lost "31w.....31w.....31w.......AAAAAAHHHH I CAN'T GET OFF 31W! DIXIE WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT AAAAAAHH"
I managed to finally find the Barnes and Noble book store so that I could get a Latte. However, the kids do not understand what it means to run in, grab something and run back out. WE had to check out the train in the back, then the books, then they had to pee, then they needed to check out the water fountain, then they didn't want to leave.
Finally got them out the door...."Ok, ummmmm how do I get back to church? ummmmmmm"
I was late for the fellowship meal and business meeting but I think I have figured out the 31W situation!
As I was walking in Paul dropped the latte that I worked so hard to get. I wanted to lick it off of the pavement but I thought that would be a bad idea. So, I just drank the small amount that was left in the cup and prayed it would keep me awake for the drive home.
The business meeting was hilarious. There was a lot of stuff that was accomplished but there was a lot of laughter and happy faces!!! Listening to the minutes was the funniest part!! I love that the church is full of laughter!!!
After the business meeting Roger and I took the kids for a walk around the old part of town. We walked and talked and walked and talk until it was too dark to really see our way back to the car. Then we headed back to the town we are currently in....about an hour and 1/2 away.
It was a great day even though I am exhausted and my head is pounding.
I can't wait to get to know other people in town. Join a MOPS group. Get Paul in preschool. Maybe start a stroller fit class. Makes me smile to think about it!
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Sacrificial Love
Both of my children are out of diapers.
I mean, like, we will not have to buy diapers ever again.
They are both out of diapers.
How weird is that??
I am a mother to two children in underwear.
They wear underwear.
They pee and poo in the potty.
There are several people from college that have just recently had babies or are getting ready to have babies. It is so neat to watch them go through all the changes that pregnancy and parenthood brings! The things that were once so important become so small and the love that you once felt for your significant other grows into something that you just can't contain inside of your chest. You have so much love within you that you feel as if you could burst open with pure joy! (Most of the time)
Honestly, the transformation that takes places when you become a parent isn't something that you can explain in words. You have to just sit back and wait until those around you get to experience the pure joy that emerges when you give your life to another.
As I was reading a book by Donald Miller, Blue Like Jazz, I couldn't help but think about parenthood and marriage. There was a chapter on Community where he spoke about how hard it was going from living alone to sharing a house with five other men. He always felt that someone was interrupting his train of thought. That he needed a substantial amount of alone time every single day. When he was well rested, had finished every single little thought process in his head and was in the mood to be social, then and only then, would he commune with his house mates.
I sympothized with him. I have been in his situation. Getting married and having children isn't just about the "head over heals I am so in love with you that I want to be with you 24/7." It is really about learning to live in community. As you enter within the community you slowly begin to change from an egocentric, self-centered little brat (totally talking about myself) into a person who wakes up daily willing to die to yourself. It isn't about you any more. Really it never was about you. Using Donald Miller here, he explains how you no longer see yourself as the main character in your own little story and others as supporting roles that are or are not welcome in the plot.
Donald Miller wrote about an experience he had at a bed and breakfast that left him troubled about the way he viewed his housemates as interruptions of his story, his alone time, his need for his own space. It begins on page 185:
"I was in San Francisco recently staying at this bed and breakfast place for people who are in the city to do ministry. It was a small house but there were probably fifteen people living there at the time. The guy who ran the place, Bill, was always making meals or cleaning up after us, and I took note of his incredible patience and kindness. I noticed that not all of us did our dishes after a meal and very few people thanked him for cooking. One morning, before anybody woke up, Bill and I were drinking coffee at the dinning room table. I told him I lived with five other guys and that it was very difficult for me because I liked my space and needed my privacy. I asked him how he kept such a good attitude all the time with so many people abusing his kindness. Bill set down his coffee and looked me in the eye. Don, he said, If we aren't willing to wake up in the morning and die to ourselves, perhaps we should ask ourselves whether or not we are really following Jesus."
What a powerful and convicting thing to think about!
We often think of being a follower of Jesus in terms of obeying the law, always being super happy, occasionally serving the "poor" when we feel like it. We tend to have this whole list of things you do as a follower of Jesus and a whole list of "don't do or you will be shunned by the church" list of things. But how often do we wake up with the thought "I'm going to die to myself today!"
We live in a culture that screams, be indepentent, reach your own goals and personal aspirations no matter the cost to relationships or the self worth of others. But,"when faced with the humble sacrifice of our Creator, how can we live our lives with any pretense of being greater than anyone else? What could be more unseemly, abominable, and more seriously punishable for a man than to see the God of heaven turn himself into a small child, while he continues to make himself greater above the earth?" (15 days of prayer with Saint Bernard)
Becoming a parent is a humbling a experiance. Everyday you wake up and die to yourself. You are there to serve, to love, to teach. It isn't just about you. Don't get me wrong, you need some alone time to regroup, Jesus was always darting off into the desert to pray. As a parent I would advise getting up early every morning to spend some alone time before the morning rush starts. Self care is important but too much self care is harmful.
This is how I see my ministry presently. I am first and foremost a mother and a wife. I have the most important job ever. To teach my children to live in community, to love one another, to care for on another even when you get nothing in return.
In a world that sees sacrificial love as worthless, I serve a God who sees it as beautiful!
I mean, like, we will not have to buy diapers ever again.
They are both out of diapers.
How weird is that??
I am a mother to two children in underwear.
They wear underwear.
They pee and poo in the potty.
There are several people from college that have just recently had babies or are getting ready to have babies. It is so neat to watch them go through all the changes that pregnancy and parenthood brings! The things that were once so important become so small and the love that you once felt for your significant other grows into something that you just can't contain inside of your chest. You have so much love within you that you feel as if you could burst open with pure joy! (Most of the time)
Honestly, the transformation that takes places when you become a parent isn't something that you can explain in words. You have to just sit back and wait until those around you get to experience the pure joy that emerges when you give your life to another.
As I was reading a book by Donald Miller, Blue Like Jazz, I couldn't help but think about parenthood and marriage. There was a chapter on Community where he spoke about how hard it was going from living alone to sharing a house with five other men. He always felt that someone was interrupting his train of thought. That he needed a substantial amount of alone time every single day. When he was well rested, had finished every single little thought process in his head and was in the mood to be social, then and only then, would he commune with his house mates.
I sympothized with him. I have been in his situation. Getting married and having children isn't just about the "head over heals I am so in love with you that I want to be with you 24/7." It is really about learning to live in community. As you enter within the community you slowly begin to change from an egocentric, self-centered little brat (totally talking about myself) into a person who wakes up daily willing to die to yourself. It isn't about you any more. Really it never was about you. Using Donald Miller here, he explains how you no longer see yourself as the main character in your own little story and others as supporting roles that are or are not welcome in the plot.
Donald Miller wrote about an experience he had at a bed and breakfast that left him troubled about the way he viewed his housemates as interruptions of his story, his alone time, his need for his own space. It begins on page 185:
"I was in San Francisco recently staying at this bed and breakfast place for people who are in the city to do ministry. It was a small house but there were probably fifteen people living there at the time. The guy who ran the place, Bill, was always making meals or cleaning up after us, and I took note of his incredible patience and kindness. I noticed that not all of us did our dishes after a meal and very few people thanked him for cooking. One morning, before anybody woke up, Bill and I were drinking coffee at the dinning room table. I told him I lived with five other guys and that it was very difficult for me because I liked my space and needed my privacy. I asked him how he kept such a good attitude all the time with so many people abusing his kindness. Bill set down his coffee and looked me in the eye. Don, he said, If we aren't willing to wake up in the morning and die to ourselves, perhaps we should ask ourselves whether or not we are really following Jesus."
What a powerful and convicting thing to think about!
We often think of being a follower of Jesus in terms of obeying the law, always being super happy, occasionally serving the "poor" when we feel like it. We tend to have this whole list of things you do as a follower of Jesus and a whole list of "don't do or you will be shunned by the church" list of things. But how often do we wake up with the thought "I'm going to die to myself today!"
We live in a culture that screams, be indepentent, reach your own goals and personal aspirations no matter the cost to relationships or the self worth of others. But,"when faced with the humble sacrifice of our Creator, how can we live our lives with any pretense of being greater than anyone else? What could be more unseemly, abominable, and more seriously punishable for a man than to see the God of heaven turn himself into a small child, while he continues to make himself greater above the earth?" (15 days of prayer with Saint Bernard)
Becoming a parent is a humbling a experiance. Everyday you wake up and die to yourself. You are there to serve, to love, to teach. It isn't just about you. Don't get me wrong, you need some alone time to regroup, Jesus was always darting off into the desert to pray. As a parent I would advise getting up early every morning to spend some alone time before the morning rush starts. Self care is important but too much self care is harmful.
This is how I see my ministry presently. I am first and foremost a mother and a wife. I have the most important job ever. To teach my children to live in community, to love one another, to care for on another even when you get nothing in return.
In a world that sees sacrificial love as worthless, I serve a God who sees it as beautiful!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Fixing the Car
Funny update on the car situation. We ran out of gas!!! HA HA HA HA BA HA HA HA HA. So, we put gas in it and it WORKS!
Today has been typical. VERY ADVENTURESS. Paul's imagination and Anna's curiosity have me plum exhausted by 1:30pm. That is when we all go down for a nap. I'm beginning to think that I am the only one that sleeps really hard and slobbers all over my pillow.
I played pirate ship and mermaid island for an hour with Paul today! That consisted of Anna and I flopping around on the floor (the ocean) and pretending to be trying to get away from the cannon balls (foam balls) that the pirate (paul) was throwing at us. ugggg arrrrrrr swim swim swim. ahhhhh
I painted Anna's finger nails and toe nails! the paint on her thumb is gone. she sucks that thumb. oh well.
I took them both to the library to pick out a movie but I wouldn't allow them to pick out any books. Doesn't that sound horrible? But they have WAY TOO MANY library books at home that they didn't want to part with.
We played in the kiddy pool and ran through the sprinklers! Well, that was until I looked out the window, after having come inside to check on the dinner I was making and noticed a big snake slide under the bush near the kiddy pool. SCREAM!! RUN!!!! AAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!
After dinner, when it had finally cooled down to the mid 80's I took them to the park. Paul has finally gotten the hang of swinging by himself!!! However, he still hasn't gotten the hang of not complaining over every single thing. man alive.
Once I finally got the kids to bed I grabbed a nice homemade brownie (got the recipe from the Joy of Cooking), sprinkled some powdered sugar on it and ATE IT!!! YUMMY!!! YUMMY!!!! MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
Roger came home after I hid the evidence of the brownie attack and he has completely crashed on the bed. I wonder if he will sleep all night with his feet on the pillow and his head at the bottom of the bed. sure hope not. Poor little feller. Must be uncomforatble to fall asleep with your belt still on. hummmmm
Ps: I am taking my mom on a mother/daughter date on saturday. Dinner at my favorite restaurant, A La Lucia followed by The Sound of Music at the Opera House!!! I'm super excited!!
Today has been typical. VERY ADVENTURESS. Paul's imagination and Anna's curiosity have me plum exhausted by 1:30pm. That is when we all go down for a nap. I'm beginning to think that I am the only one that sleeps really hard and slobbers all over my pillow.
I played pirate ship and mermaid island for an hour with Paul today! That consisted of Anna and I flopping around on the floor (the ocean) and pretending to be trying to get away from the cannon balls (foam balls) that the pirate (paul) was throwing at us. ugggg arrrrrrr swim swim swim. ahhhhh
I painted Anna's finger nails and toe nails! the paint on her thumb is gone. she sucks that thumb. oh well.
I took them both to the library to pick out a movie but I wouldn't allow them to pick out any books. Doesn't that sound horrible? But they have WAY TOO MANY library books at home that they didn't want to part with.
We played in the kiddy pool and ran through the sprinklers! Well, that was until I looked out the window, after having come inside to check on the dinner I was making and noticed a big snake slide under the bush near the kiddy pool. SCREAM!! RUN!!!! AAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!
After dinner, when it had finally cooled down to the mid 80's I took them to the park. Paul has finally gotten the hang of swinging by himself!!! However, he still hasn't gotten the hang of not complaining over every single thing. man alive.
Once I finally got the kids to bed I grabbed a nice homemade brownie (got the recipe from the Joy of Cooking), sprinkled some powdered sugar on it and ATE IT!!! YUMMY!!! YUMMY!!!! MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
Roger came home after I hid the evidence of the brownie attack and he has completely crashed on the bed. I wonder if he will sleep all night with his feet on the pillow and his head at the bottom of the bed. sure hope not. Poor little feller. Must be uncomforatble to fall asleep with your belt still on. hummmmm
Ps: I am taking my mom on a mother/daughter date on saturday. Dinner at my favorite restaurant, A La Lucia followed by The Sound of Music at the Opera House!!! I'm super excited!!
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
praying for patience
We took Paul to the high school running track to practice running. He wants to run a little kid race that is 1/2 mile. That is a pretty good little way for a little person with little legs that has never really run any long distances. I'm trying to run with him. Roger enjoys just watching!
On the way home our car quit. just stopped in the middle of the road. We coasted onto a side street and started the trek back home. Then we remembered we had the jogging stroller and a whole case of water bottles in the trunk of the car. THANK YOU LORD!!
As soon as we got back to the house Roger jumped in the other car to head back to figure out what is going on with the one that just quit. I opened up some mail while trying to calm the kids down. A BILL from the anesthesiologist office. HOLY CRAP.
So now I have the hospital bill, the clinic bill AND a anesthesiologist bill? On top of a possible car fixer man bill? Great.
I am very thankful for our savings account! But man alive.
I feel horrible that I have cost our little family so much money in medical bills. It is hard not to feel guilty about it even though they don't see it that way. Staying alive is so expensive.
All I can do is laugh at the situation and pray for patience. lots and lots of patience. or I might explode.
On the way home our car quit. just stopped in the middle of the road. We coasted onto a side street and started the trek back home. Then we remembered we had the jogging stroller and a whole case of water bottles in the trunk of the car. THANK YOU LORD!!
As soon as we got back to the house Roger jumped in the other car to head back to figure out what is going on with the one that just quit. I opened up some mail while trying to calm the kids down. A BILL from the anesthesiologist office. HOLY CRAP.
So now I have the hospital bill, the clinic bill AND a anesthesiologist bill? On top of a possible car fixer man bill? Great.
I am very thankful for our savings account! But man alive.
I feel horrible that I have cost our little family so much money in medical bills. It is hard not to feel guilty about it even though they don't see it that way. Staying alive is so expensive.
All I can do is laugh at the situation and pray for patience. lots and lots of patience. or I might explode.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Open House bombed
My heart song this week!
We worked and worked to get the house show ready. We need to sell this house. I am at the point where I want to just move to etown with a tent and camp at freeman lake, bathe at etown fitness and eat beans out of a can.
If only roger and God would have listened to me when I was little. :) "I wanna build a house on mawmal and pawpal's farm way back in the corner, under the big trees." But no. Life just doesn't work out how we imagine it will when we are in the 4th grade. Nope. It sure doesn't.
I feel pretty content. I'm just sitting here in this beautiful old home waiting for some one to make an offer. It is pretty relaxing though. I must admit. I get up every morning to enjoy a good book and hot tea on the porch. Then I tend to the children all day. Which is fun and hilarious most days. The afternoons are full of laughter, food and sunshine. Then in the late evenings I enjoy my bedtime tea and a long conversation with my best friend since 4th grade.
The porch swing gets a lot of use during the summer months!!
However, I have not given up hope that one day I will have a little farm with goats, cows and chickens. I'm trying to convince Roger that when we move to etown we should put a goat in the back yard!!! maybe 2 goats from my Godmother and 4 chickens from mawmal!!! I guess we'll see. Maybe I'll sneak a goat in and he'll wake up, look out the back window and say "ummm jess. there is a goat in our back yard." I'll just smile and say "well, I have no clue."
We worked and worked to get the house show ready. We need to sell this house. I am at the point where I want to just move to etown with a tent and camp at freeman lake, bathe at etown fitness and eat beans out of a can.
I want to move.
I need to move.
I need to move.
SOMEONE BUY OUR HOUSE!!!!
Trying to be part of a community that you know you are going to move out of and trying to be part of a community you know you are moving into, is so confusing. It is just plum strange. We had an open house on sunday from 2-4pm. NO ONE SHOWED UP. ***stab in the heart** * we are lowering the price today. ***tear***
If only roger and God would have listened to me when I was little. :) "I wanna build a house on mawmal and pawpal's farm way back in the corner, under the big trees." But no. Life just doesn't work out how we imagine it will when we are in the 4th grade. Nope. It sure doesn't.
I feel pretty content. I'm just sitting here in this beautiful old home waiting for some one to make an offer. It is pretty relaxing though. I must admit. I get up every morning to enjoy a good book and hot tea on the porch. Then I tend to the children all day. Which is fun and hilarious most days. The afternoons are full of laughter, food and sunshine. Then in the late evenings I enjoy my bedtime tea and a long conversation with my best friend since 4th grade.
The porch swing gets a lot of use during the summer months!!
However, I have not given up hope that one day I will have a little farm with goats, cows and chickens. I'm trying to convince Roger that when we move to etown we should put a goat in the back yard!!! maybe 2 goats from my Godmother and 4 chickens from mawmal!!! I guess we'll see. Maybe I'll sneak a goat in and he'll wake up, look out the back window and say "ummm jess. there is a goat in our back yard." I'll just smile and say "well, I have no clue."
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