We've already won

known by her smile

2010-08-27T09:48:00.000-07:00

smiles are contagious said winnie the pooh.

2010-08-23T17:04:00.000-07:00

a million ping pong balls playing musical chairs 'til a whole new song is played.
bouncing. all over the place. ants in the pants.
dylan's inspiration from dust bowl troubadour, woodie guthrie.
johnny's hum between the verses in walk the line.
my dentist will never be cool, but if you can forgive him for trying, his hokiness charms.
a country song i never wanted to know the meaning of.
cotton ball towers in the sky.
we've been so wasted, it's written all over our faces.
excited talk of a boat rounding a curve in a river. the band finally comes to town in a week.

the song coming from my soul

2010-07-01T11:23:00.000-07:00

Find all that is true. Write out the words. Speak them. Listen for the joy in their tune.(Come on, you can pull out a melody; sing it.) Practice every day until your heart's caught on.(Harmony is your favorite part.)

As we zip by...

2010-06-24T18:47:00.000-07:00

I've snapped countless photos out my passenger side window throughout these last six years. We are usually traveling to or from a doctor office or a special treatment or a blood test. Rarer are those times we've been able to extend our energies to travel to a friend or relative's home. What I'm trying to say, is that when we are in the car we are always on a mission. I guess that happens quite often to healthy people, too. Rarely, do we let ourselves stop along the way to capture in photo and memory a piece of the beauty that is around us. (Although my family knows that I'm the first one to want to.) This person stopped. He walked to the top of a hill. As I snapped this picture of him, I smiled. A kindred spirit. Someone who breathes in, looks, sees, and knows that we are in a good place.

It had not made at all the same impression on him

2010-06-22T12:41:00.000-07:00

as on the Cabby and the children. For what you see and hear depends a good deal on where you are standing: it also depends on what sort of person you are.
Magician's Nephew C.S. Lewis

It's Monday and I'm trying to not walk this same ol' path.

2010-06-21T10:55:00.000-07:00

(Beware of circle.)

This week a mourning dove flew off its nest.

2010-06-19T18:49:00.000-07:00

Do we ever wonder how much courage that takes? How much support?
A house burned to black and white amidst (and despite) bursting summer color.

A phoenix rose

and spread her wings toward the beat of a new melody;

forgetting - for moments at at time, the residual odors of melted heat.

Time is all around except inside my clock*

2009-07-19T13:30:00.000-07:00

*Regina Spektor "Time is all around"

Sun City

2009-07-18T19:00:00.000-07:00

Floating in sunlight

2009-07-18T18:42:00.000-07:00

in Surprise, Arizona. An on-line friend flew from San Francisco to Phoenix to finally meet Erin (and another on-line friend) face-to-face. That week, I found lines of poetry written all over our condo. My favorite spot? On my yellow tulip stems. Thanks for coming to see us, Cuileann. (Taken outside a small museum.)

Sharing the love

2009-06-24T12:27:00.000-07:00

My Friend Amy and Lenore are hosting a Book Sale Drive for the first week release of Beth Kephart's new Young Adult Book, Nothing But Ghosts. I'll quote and second Amy, "Beth is a gifted writer who deserves a wider audience." This release party's goal is to help Beth sell 200 books this first week. Prizes and a live chat with the author on June 30th are all part of the fun. Rush on over to Amazon (use this link to make your purchase count automatically.) (And don't forget to go to Amy or Lenore's blog to get details about the rest of the party.)

Trust me, dear friends, you will not regret making this summer reading purchase and joining us as we celebrate with Beth. I'm off to finish reading my copy. Cheers!

Photo of the Week (21)

2009-05-23T13:52:00.001-07:00

American Idol

Other Photo of the Week posts:
Breakaway
Fields of Gold

Picture of the Week (20)

2009-05-23T13:42:00.001-07:00

California

Other Photo of the Week posts:
Breakaway
Fields of Gold

Photo of the Week (19)

2009-05-09T13:37:00.000-07:00

White whisper, "Hope..."

Other Photo of the Week posts:
Breakaway
Fields of Gold

Photo of the Week (18)

2009-05-03T12:00:00.000-07:00

Golden Moment

Other Photo of the Week posts:
Breakaway
Fields of Gold

Things that make me happy today

2009-04-29T17:43:00.000-07:00

Being stopped dead in my tracks by Erin's singing of "The Wizard and I" even though I've heard her sing this song a zillion times. The girl needs to star in a musical.
Hearing Brady's French teacher's pure joy about Brady's natural abilities to speak the French language, an extraordinary feat for an American, she claims.
Singing every word along with Pat Benatar's "Hit Me with Your Best Shot" (which I didn't put on our family's iPod), while preparing lunch, as a shout-out against my illness. (Who knew, when I was a freshman in college and my girlfriends and I learned an aerobic dance routine to this song, in the basement of our dormitory, how much I'd appreciate it so many years later?)
Finishing my reread of Sorcery and Cecilia or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot, a story that is a cross between Harry Potter and Pride and Prejudice, and has a romantic moment that rates right up there with P&P's romantic moment.
Erin, in the kitchen, bending my ear, telling all that she's learned about acting and moviemaking from the latest good interview she's found on the Internet.
How beautifully rich Erin's fuchsia-tipped roses, look against the black marble-like tile of our living room fireplace.
The glimpses of sunshine, which indicates that our latest bad, low pressure system has emptied its snow and rain-filled clouds and is heading out of town.
The odd thrill of not knowing which American Idol contestant is going home tonight, even though I know I'll be sad no matter who gets axed.
My husband's willingness to go the grocery store, after his long day at work.

We're not alone

2009-04-28T16:38:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine recently gave me the name of a family who is in the midst of a journey not altogether different than ours. I quickly connected to them by e-mail. In the month we've been in touch, they've already given me a great deal of support and encouragement. The husband and wife write frequent posts on each of their own blogs, which are highly recommended reading for anyone who desires further glimpses of the joys and sorrows faced in the day to day life of those with difficult health problems.

Today's post by the mom/wife, Andrea, is particularly good. (Any post that quotes Charles Dickens gets points in my book.) We have these kinds of Charles Dickens days at our home, too. Things can get low as can be with much despair and pain, but an hour, or so, later we'll be able smile at the beauty of the sunset, then laugh, boo, and cheer together, in front of the TV, watching American Idol. We go to bed thankful.

We're hoping our families get to meet while we're in Arizona. The connection we've already established is a like a new spring garden. We look forward to to it blossoming while we all grow into better health.

Photo of the Week (17)

2009-04-26T20:05:00.000-07:00

Rehearsal

Other Photo of the Week posts:
Breakaway
Fields of Gold

Easter Week

2009-04-23T20:49:00.000-07:00

Picture of the Week (16)

2009-04-18T21:52:00.000-07:00

Sunshine

Other Photo of the Week posts:
Breakaway
Fields of Gold

Photo of the Week (15)

2009-04-14T10:58:00.000-07:00

Springtime

Other Photo of the Week posts:
Breakaway
Fields of Gold

From my reading

2009-04-07T21:36:00.000-07:00

No one ever finishes his life. Nothing is ever complete. Our souls are in the things we love and the ways we arrange them. Into the Tangle of the Friendship: A Memoir of the Things that Matter Most, by Beth Kephart

It's all connected in strange, mysterious ways, she guesses...the sprinklers, the M*A*S*H reruns, the tree frog, the dogs, even Mr. Henderson...all connected in ways they can't ever know, ways only she can sense, because on this dark, starry night she is there to hear them. She is there to listen. A Room on Lorelei Street, by Mary E. Pearson

...I'll be back in school soon. Or maybe not. Maybe I really will take the rest of the semester off. Might make me graduate late, might even set me back a whole year. So what? Years don't scare me anymore. Things Not Seen, by Andrew Clements

But these afflictions were mild compared to the awesome loneliness, and in the way of prisoners since the beginning of time he spent countless hours savoring the lost, now clarified sweetness of ordinary days. The people in his life seemed so precious to him - I love you all! he wanted to tell them, his parents, and siblings, the biology department secretaries, his affable though self-absorbed and deeply flawed professors. Brief Encounters with Che Guevara, by Ben Fountain

Photo of the Week (14)

2009-04-04T16:22:00.000-07:00

Miss Amazing

Other Photo of the Week posts:
Breakaway
Fields of Gold

When I go visiting

2009-04-01T22:20:00.000-07:00

I entered the blogging world sometime in 2005. Firstly, in encouraging the kids to blog. We'd had our good health zipped out of us and blogging seemed like a fun, creative output to challenge B and E until we could all get back to a normal daily routine. Secondly, in finding blogs that I liked to visit. By the beginning of 2006, each of the kids had created new blogs of their own, Miss Erin and mcsanimations. (They've since bumped up their blogging activity even more. Erin talks acting on Backstage Musings and takes a photo a day for Chromatic Aberration. Brady added a personal blog, Breakaway.)

This blog was facing desertion. But I'd found my way around the blogosphere, visiting several favorites every day and I realized that I wanted to join in the fun. This blog became mine, just me. I cannot remember it's original name.

I mostly started blogging as a reassurance to the three of us, that even though our world had turned upside down, it was still good. See the blessings. Be encouraged by pockets of joy and laughter, the generosity of others, help from our doctors, the successes given. I realized my family and friends needed this assurance, too, so I starting sharing my blog address.

When I first started blog hopping, I'll admit, I was mostly a lurker. I was kind of shy about pointing visitors to my blog and I spent what energy I had trying to write posts. But soon, I realized that I wanted to share in the conversations with these new friends, who were giving me so much but didn't even know I existed. These days I don't get around to writing as many posts, I'm busy conversing on others'. One of these days, I'll be in a place where I can do both.

A week or two ago, I was given the "zombie chicken award" (something about "excellence, grace and persistence in all situations, even in the midst of a zombie apocalypse" along with a funny dance) by friend, Beth Kephart, an extraordinary author, poet, photographer who interviewed Miss Erin last year, when I finally "discovered" her. Her kind words have motivated me to introduce you to a few of the bloggers that make me smile with their writing and/or photos:

beth kephart books - Each of Beth's posts are gift-wrapped in beauty. Not only does her sincere kindness and amazing writing/photography talents inspire, but she consistently challenges me to see, feel, think, hear, and do life in a grab-hold-of-it way. Beth's authored close to a dozen books, and I don't intend to miss a one. Look for her newest, Nothing But Ghosts, this June.

Sarah Miller books - Sarah is another blogger, author friend courtesy of Erin. Sarah doesn't just write historical fiction novels (Miss Spitfire and an upcoming, 2010, novel of the Romanovs), she lives and breathes them. She's a ferocious reader and it's hard to keep up with all the good books she recommends. Sarah has a quirky, snarky personality that invites you to laugh with and at her. How can you not love Sarah, (aka, The Book Fairy).

art and aioli - Okay, third one in a row of bloggers I've found through Miss Erin. Nicole shares her love to create in the kitchen, not just by giving us a photo and recipe, but the process, too. Throw in a sweet personality, some Southern California sunshine, along with a glimpses at mothering her young children while juggling a business (original designs on notecards/invitations/birthday cards) and you have a fun place to visit.

Keller's on the Prairie - Laurie and her husband moved back to the Dakota prairie a couple of years ago, after a few decades of city living in Texas. They live outside the town we went to have my teeth straightened, my ears and throat checked, to shop for the family's monthly staples and all of our new jeans. Laurie watches the prairie sky, just like I use to and now am able to do again, thanks to her blog. Her witty writing makes me smile as much as her beautiful photography.

Learning to live with CFS - Sue writes about the journey of her and her two boys living with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Sue's family, like mine, is a family of four who's husband, also like mine, is healthy and supportive. Sue writes and posts the nitty gritty, for which I've been appreciative because often I can and do not. Sue's daily struggles and mine, though different in many ways, ultimately are the same. It's been a great help to me to know that someone else "out there" knows and truly understands.

sandy cove trail - At sandy cove trail, cloudscome (Andromeda) shares her gorgeous photography, sometimes with a verse or comment, almost every day. I always try to stop by to satisfy my required daily beauty quotient. cloudscome faces health struggles, too, and I appreciate the joy that she consistently spreads, despite those challenges.

I have to say...One of the first blogs I started visiting, again thanks to Miss Erin, who found Randi's blog through her daughter, Polka Dotted Pickles. Randi blogs about life as a crafter/seamstress, homeschool mom, faithful wife, and Christian woman. She, also, takes beautiful photos. Hers is a popular blog that humbly documents her daily struggles and joys, in the pursuit of truth, beauty, and goodness.

Femina - My pastor's wife shares this blog with her two, young married daughters, and her young daughter-in-law. Never a dull moment here, these ladies share everything from recipes, to stories of stolen luggage in Rome, the antics of toddlers, favorite iTunes downloads, along with solid wisdom in parenting and homemaking.

magistramater - A friend introduced me to Carol's blog. Carol is the kind of homeschool mom that I used to try to be, only much smarter. I'm not sure if anyone can truly keep up with this lady, but it sure is fun trying (or watching, as is my case presently). Gracious and sweet, yearning to learn, and striving to make her life and her home a light from which others can flourish - that's Carol.

dreams of genevieve - I met Jenni while commenting at Femina. Jenni suffers some of the same health problems that I do. She's a young writer, editor, homemaker - wife to a drummer. dreams of genevieve recounts, in thanksgiving, the good things she's been given each day. From an article, to a movie, to her latest favorite tea or song, it's always nice to be able to go to her for pick-me-up ideas when I'm "stuck."

Dakotagraph
A professional photographer that not only takes photos of some of my favorite places, but also offers helpful shooting tips. Don't miss his recent post of where to catch sight of the elusive jackalope!

Well...I'm finding it hard to stop. Before I do, let me share a few of my favorite young people's blogs. These girls are class acts. Friends of Erin's, each of these talented bloggers are going places. It's a privilege to visit their blogs to tag along:

never jam today
allegro
book crumbs
the holly and the ivy
Fields of Gold

Photo of the Week (13)

2009-03-28T11:10:00.000-07:00

Singing and Dancing in the Rain

Other Photo of the Week posts:
Breakaway
Fields of Gold

Photo of the Week (12)

2009-03-21T10:11:00.000-07:00

Dream House

Other Photo of the Week posts:
Breakaway
Fields of Gold

fighting the good fight

2009-03-18T12:29:00.000-07:00

of faith

Photo of the Week (11)

2009-03-14T17:26:00.000-07:00

Back to Town

Other Photo of the Week posts:
Breakaway
Fields of Gold

Photo of the Week (10)

2009-03-07T13:27:00.000-08:00

At Home with Clouds

Even though I stepped outside to take the photo, this shows some of my sky view from my favorite end of the couch, as seen through the two tall corner windows in our living room. From where I sit, the trees are a bit obscured, but not the sky . In March, the firmament starts putting on a show that can really entertain, going through more changes in fifteen minutes than an actor's costume changes in an entire show. I've watched clouds all but seven years of my life. Seven years of cloudless sky (excepting the monsoon season each August) in a desert. I really wouldn't want to do that again.

Other photo of the week posts:
Breakaway
Fields of Gold

Happy March!

2009-03-05T22:04:00.000-08:00

Photo of the Week (9)

2009-02-28T16:55:00.000-08:00

Home

It is rare to see fence line next to the road around this part of Idaho. The abundant wheat fields run down the hills spilling into the ditches. But small areas of pasture land are found here and there. This one sits empty, but maybe a few horses call it home come spring.

Other Photo of the Week posts:
Breakaway
Fields of Gold

Photo of the Week (8)

2009-02-26T16:49:00.000-08:00

Music man

Other Photo of the Week posts:

Breakaway

Fields of Gold

5 days without, 4 years with

2009-02-25T17:29:00.000-08:00

We're celebrating around here. We were five days without Internet, which let me tell you, was not a pretty sight. Not restful, not a nice break, not anything except torture. We missed our friends and conversations, our work, the challenges to our thinking and living, the moments caught by brilliant photography, the book reviews, writing our own blog posts, finding new music...can you see how we suffered?

At times we could sneak a peek at a blog or our e-mail in-box, but with a very slow, weak connection. Only a tease. Today, because I had nothing to lose, I called our Internet provider and threatened ending our need for their services. Wa-lah, by 5:00 we were back in the game. Yay!

So, how to catch up?

I think I'll just come out with it. Our new doctor has found that I'm battling a Lyme infection. Probably have been since the start. There are all kinds of other details, but the best of them is that she's pretty sure that the kids do not face this foe. I've started fighting it with a new protocol of stuff. The kids are fighting some things in new ways, too. We're glad for our new doctor. We're all off to a good start.

So there's plenty to cheer about. Even without the sun shining...although we could cheer even louder with it (which is another story).

Photo of the Week (7)

2009-02-14T11:30:00.001-08:00

A Neighborly Greeting

Other Photo of the Week posts:
Breakaway
Fields of Gold

My Valentine to you

2009-02-14T09:06:00.000-08:00

That you come here to spend part of your busy days. What a gift you give. I thank you. Wishing you a Valentine's Day chock full of sweet kindnesses. Yours, Sherry

Living today

2009-02-09T19:20:00.000-08:00

Today I give you a couple of quotes from songs, because my today has been lit by music: Watching parts of our recorded video with the kids from last night's Grammy Awards; listening to iPod shuffle while mixing cookies; all day inspiring, energizing me. Music was my sunshine, since the beams that gave this flower sparkle just this Saturday had disappeared.

We live we love
We forgive and never give up
Cuz the days we are given are gifts from above
And today we remember to live and to love
We live, Superchick

Sing me something soft,
Sad and delicate,
Or loud and out of key,
Sing me anything,
we're glad for what we've got,
Done with what we've lost
Our whole lives laid out right in front of us
Existentialism on Prom Night, Straylight Run

And I also give you...
The 2008 Song of the Year awarded at the Grammy's:
(*Cheers*)

Photo of the Week (6)

2009-02-07T11:25:00.001-08:00

Joy all around.

If you want to know more about this happy event go here and also here.

Other Photo of the Week posts:
Breakaway
Fields of Gold

Mystery

2009-02-06T16:13:00.000-08:00

Before you knew about CFS, would you ever have believed there was an illness that made exercise BAD for you? I wouldn't have. It's just surreal sometimes, isn't it? We're surrounded with advice and admonitions - from TV, magazines, the internet - that we have to exercise more in order to be healthy. Not a day goes by that I don't read or hear of another benefit of exercise. It just seems insane to me that something that is so good for the rest of the population can make me so sick. Excerpt from today's blog post from Learning to Live With CFS (Sue)

It is the hardest thing to understand about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Exercise Intolerance. Please read the rest of the Sue's post; she manages to talk about this subject in a plain, matter-of-fact manner.

Sue, also, recently posted about a research study, which provides some justification in defining CFS as a mitrochondrial dysfunction. She highlighted this quote from the report:

"A useful analogy is to compare your body with your car. The mitochondria represent the engine of that car, the diet represents the fuel that goes in the tank, the thyroid gland represents the accelerator pedal and the adrenal gland the gearbox of that car. Using cognitive behaviour therapy or graded exercise to treat a patient with CFS/ME is akin to beating up the driver of the car when actually the car needs a re- conditioned engine, suitable fuel in the tank, resetting of the accelerator pedal, a new gear box or whatever."

This is a great analogy. Even though, I am confused as to where we fit in terms of a true CFS diagnosis, this describes how we feel after we've tried to get some good exercise (or any type of exertion that is "too much," for that matter). At first, even those who live with this disease, 24/7, will look to blame other causes for the resulting headaches, worsened fatigue, etc., that follow...but not for very long.

Photo of the Week (5)

2009-01-31T07:30:00.000-08:00

View from our basement window

Used Picnik software for sepia and vintage tones

Other Photo of the Week posts:
Breakaway
Fields of Gold

Holding on to what I've been given lately

2009-01-27T18:06:00.000-08:00

~ a sunshiny morning yesterday and my backyard walk in the fluffiest snow ever

~ the fun, annual event of watching (the delayed video feed of) the ALA Youth Media Awards with E (yesterday afternoon)

~reading my third book this month of a new-to-me author, Beth Kephart

~a personal book recommendation from this author

~the theme song from Chariots of Fire showing up on my Ipod shuffle play as I gathered energy to prepare lunch today

~a new attempt for me to try to connect with the outside world: Facebook

~the creative ideas my son comes up with during our mealtime discussions

~an appointment, to consult with a new doctor, tomorrow noon; the result of a friend sharing some of her research from her own recent quest

Photo of the Week (4)

2009-01-24T14:49:00.000-08:00

We lost our spring-like sunshine, so I asked my husband to go searching for some at our Safeway store. Safeway's floral department is known for getting tulips in around the end of January. Hurrah!

The fogged in week dulled our spring fever, but the tulips helped shake a bit of gloom away.

Other Photo of the Week posts:
Breakaway
Fields of Gold

Photo of the Week (3)

2009-01-17T11:19:00.000-08:00

I can almost hear the screak of the windmill on our farm when the wind turned. I'd be up in my room with the window open, waiting for the sun to sleep after its work of heating up a summer's day. I liked windmill speak - the ancient sound kept alive by new air. I often feared a strong gale would fly off with our windmill, taking our foothold, our memorial to days past and our assurance of the new breath of hope in the morrow.

Other Photo of the Week posts:
Breakaway
Fields of Gold

Poetry Friday

2009-01-16T12:01:00.000-08:00

THESE ARE THE DAYS WHEN BIRDS COME BACK

by: Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)

HESE are the days when birds come back,
A very few, a bird or two,
To take a backward look.

These are the days when skies put on
The old, old sophistries of June,--
A blue and gold mistake.

Oh, fraud that cannot cheat the bee,
Almost thy plausibility
Induces my belief,

Till ranks of seeds their witness bear,
And softly through the altered air
Hurries a timid leaf!

Oh, sacrament of summer days,
Oh, last communion in the haze,
Permit a child to join,

Thy sacred emblems to partake,
Thy consecrated bread to break,
Taste thine immortal wine!

Emily writes this of a late Indian Summer day, but I enjoyed reading this poem today after hearing geese fly over our house at dawn with their good morning call. We've had four days of sunshine in a row. And even though temps are not veering too far from the freezing mark, the sunshine provides some continued melting. Several robins visited us yesterday. Can you guess what we have? Spring fever. "O fraud that cannot cheat the bee" we must remind ourselves it is January 16th.

There's light

2009-01-15T20:40:00.000-08:00

We're nowhere close to a place in which we'd say, "I can live with this, I'm handicapped, but that's okay." We still fight our way through each day, hurting. So in '09, we hope and pray that we can turn a corner. Our improvements this past year were small, but hopeful. We're thankful, as we try not to be anxious. Independence is a dream world for us - oh, if that could change.

Photo of the Week (2)

2009-01-10T11:05:00.000-08:00

I've wanted to photograph this fraternity house (Kappa Sigma) for years, but it's on old Greek row at the University of Idaho, the little road that's directly in front of the house is one way -the wrong way off the road from which I pass. I'd never taken the time to find close parking, so hadn't seen the front of the building until this week.

I needed to go out one icy night (right before our January thaw arrived). The streets were empty, since...as I mentioned, it was very icy. I'd gotten to the store, realized I'd left my wallet at home, slowly made my way home, and set out again on a different route to the store. My camera rode shotgun next to me as a reminder to look out for my next "Photo of the Week."

As I approached the spotlighted columns and snow-frosted tall evergreens that stood regal in the dark night, I could not resist my long-felt temptation to turn the wrong way on the small one-way street - no traffic, the road looked to be snowplowed..and...hey, I'm not the first to break the law to get a photo.

The Kappa Sigma Fraternity is the oldest fraternity in the state of Idaho - established in 1905. Kirkland Cutter, a well-known architect in the Northwest who also designed Spokane's Davenport Hotel and Monroe Street Bridge, designed this house built in 1916. The exterior is of classical Georgian architecture to represent the southern heritage of Kappa Sigma.

And, no, I didn't get stuck backing out of that narrow, icy one-way onto the main road, again. Thankfully.

Other Photo of the Week posts:
Breakaway
Fields of Gold

A Beautiful Day

2009-01-08T12:10:00.000-08:00

See the world in green and blue
See China right in front of you
See the canyons broken by cloud
See the tuna fleets clearing the sea out
See the Bedouin fires at night
See the oil fields at first light
And see the bird with a leaf in her mouth
After the flood all the colors came out
(from "Beautiful Day" U2)

My little girl on her 18th birthday. Still as winsome as ever...

Happy Birthday!

Remembering to tell you...

2009-01-03T21:06:00.000-08:00

pics: 1) Singing "He's a Most Disagreeable Man" at dress rehearsal. 2)Two of Aunt Trina's nieces.

Erin just posted pictures of "I Remember Mama." (Check out her hats!)

My feeds finally work on my blog, so if any of you use Bloglines, Google Reader, etc., you'll be able to subscribe.
I'm on Goodreads now, so friend me if you're there too.
I didn't get Christmas cards sent, but I'm hoping to get out a card and letter this month. There...I said it, now I have to make it happen.
I hope everyone had a delightful Christmas. Cheers to you all in 2009!

EDIT: I just remembered to tell you that Erin posted a video of herself saying the Lord's Prayer in Norwegian - which all her sisters recited together during the play.

Photo of the Week

2009-01-03T11:20:00.000-08:00

Brady, Traci, and I have each decided to post our favorite photo, that we've taken during the week, on each Saturday of this year. Erin has started a new blog called chromatic aberration on which she will post a photo each day. The blog is a two person effort: Erin and another senior girl, Jocelyn -who lives across the country from Erin- will each provide us with a glimpse of their day for the 365 days that make up 2009. Make sure you check out each link.

I took this photo of Traci from my kitchen window as the kids were venturing out for some sledding. Traci lives in the south now and our snow days were a big treat. It was a nice week's visit - a gift for which we're all thankful.

A few of my favorite shots 2008

2009-01-01T14:05:00.000-08:00

Skating Day

2008-12-29T15:38:00.001-08:00

We gave the kids skates for Christmas, so today they had fun breaking them in. (I skated, too!)
This was the first we've skated in four years (when Grandpa and Aunt Susan were here and shared in the fun).

A favorite Longfellow

2008-12-28T21:31:00.000-08:00

The Arrow and The Song

I shot an arrow into the air,
It fell to earth, I knew not where;
For, so swiftly it flew, the sight
Could not follow in its flight.

I breathed a song into the air,
It fell to earth, I knew not where;
For who has sight so keen and strong,
That it can follow the flight of song?

Long, long afterward, in an oak
I found the arrow, still unbroke;
And the song, from beginning to end,
I found again in the heart of a friend.

I enjoyed a knowing hug from a friend today. It felt just like this -finding the unbroken arrow and hearing the song I'd sung echoed back in perfect harmony. Thank you H.W. and God bless you, dear friend.

Cotton candy dream come true

2008-12-27T13:27:00.000-08:00

Erin's BFF is making her way through bright clouds of happiness to our doorstep today. She should be landing at the airport any minute and neighbors of ours, who are arriving home from their Hawaii Christmas, will be meeting her at baggage claim and driving her over the river and through the snowy woods to our home - 'twill be a sweet reunion.

(The above photo comes from Cloud Nine Cotton Candy in Austen, TX - so you Texans, check out their cotton candy party services.)

Here I go again...

2008-12-26T20:45:00.000-08:00

'The history book on the shelf
is always repeating itself.'
(from Abba's, "Waterloo")

Erin and I watched the movie, "Mamma Mia" this evening. Afterward, we couldn't help but go to the sing along feature on the DVD.

We had great fun singing the ABBA songs together... "Honey Honey," "Mamma Mia," "Dancing Queen," "The Winner Takes it all." I flashed back to the teenage me singing and dancing (with much enthusiasm) to my Abba albums on our stereo console in our basement. When we sang "Dancing Queen" and came to the words "You are the dancing queen young and sweet, only seventeen" Erin shrieked, "AAck, I have less then two weeks to sing this song!" (She's having a wee little crisis in turning 18 - all kinds of things trigger this kind of panic.) We could barely get through the song, "SOS," because of Pierce Bronson's, ahem, slight struggle. The "Waterloo" reprise was great - Meryl Streep, et al, hamming it up.

Jivin' to Abba, 30 years later, with a super-cool teenage daughter. You just have to smile.

Breathing

2008-12-20T18:00:00.000-08:00

"I Remember Mama" closed a week ago tonight.

Last night, I finally took a breath. In the evening, Erin arrived home from an afternoon of shopping with a friend. I listened to the colorful tale of the teens' four hour Christmas shopping adventure. This began my time for rest and entertainment, my easy breathing. And then for some reason, Erin thought her 18th birthday, which lands two weeks after Christmas, needed discussing. While we fondly reminisced about past "Erin birthday celebrations," restful entertainment still set the tone of the conversation. (Although, I'm afraid she took the crazy idea born out of it quite seriously.) After promising Erin we could decorate the tree after she and Dad watched an episode of "Lost," I treated myself to a warm bath.

"Evie's Christmas" on the CD player. Shiny ornaments. Trying to pull Brady away from his computer game with a friend. Empty cartons and wrappings carpeting the floor. Brent placing the high ones. Peppermint tea. Memories recollected only with the unwrapping of Christmas ornaments. Glue for broken pieces. Picture taking. Warmth. Tree decorating follows the same routines every year, but doing it feels as fresh and delightful as a child's new adventure.

In the morning we woke to a glittering, white pipe cleaner world. Every single piece of earth had been decorated in the same freshness and delight that our indoor tree trimming had inspired. Brent and Brady left to take Erin to dance class (with some other mysterious mission in mind). I could contain myself no longer. As I fondly recalled one of my teen Christmas Days, skating with cousins in a sparkling world as original as this morning's, I hurried to find long underwear, a heavy sweater, and my heavy coat - a remnant from winter days spent in Iowa.

Fluffy, virgin powder almost to the top of my knee-high Sorrells. Gleeful steps. (Will walking in heaven feel like this?) Open garages with cars warming. Neighbors pushing shovels. Tires scrunching in snow paths. Several flocks of birds trimming the frosted branches with songs of joy while basking in God's glorious Wonderland.

My walk fixed the pace for the rest of the day. Book reading in a sunshiny room. Football game whistles and commentary from a distant TV. Quiet, guitar melodies floating down from above. The aroma of sweet, slow-cooking stew permeating every nook and cranny . Yummy gingerbread men cookies (SCD legal!) specially baked, carefully wrapped and sent from Grandma. We breathed in Christmas spirit and then, around our dinner table, out came Advent hymns and Christmas carols from our a cappella voices.

Christmas shopping, errands, and food preparations still need attending to, but this reprieve has been a cinnamon-scented mercy.

2008-12-20T11:42:00.000-08:00

Narnia personality test

2008-12-12T11:23:00.000-08:00

**SQUEE**

The description of Bree was accidentally deleted at the web-site, but no matter...I'm Bree!

(Bree is the horse in The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis.)

Road trip on Thanksgiving Saturday

2008-12-08T11:19:00.000-08:00

Mission: 1) Brent and I needed to pick Erin up from an acting class (she'd ridden with a neighbor earlier that morning). We hoped to shop a couple of hours at the mall first. It was a foggy, wet two-hour drive north.

The previous night's SNOW carpeted the fields about an hour into our drive.

Our first Christmas greeting of 2008.

The wildlife must gather around this tree on Christmas Eve, don't you think?
Below: Where we picked Erin up. Stars in training!
Both on the way up and way back, we watched a group of townspeople, in this small town, decorate their main street and city park. 'Tis the season.

I wonder what this use to be?

An old dance hall sits (behind an ugly, modern liquor store). I can almost hear the Big Band orchestra playing and see the skirts flying. I bet it was a happening place.

Lots of logs waiting their turn to become 2 x 4s.

Home before dark thankfully. Fog was its thickest of the day as we drove into town. My driver is exhausted.
Look what we found going on in our basement. (One person is hidden behind a machine. Eight gamers are all involved in the same game together at Brady's LAN party.)

Poetry Friday

2008-12-05T17:33:00.000-08:00

Watchfires

Love was not given the human heart
for careless dealing.
Its spark was lit that man
Might know Divine revealing.

Heaped up with sacrificial brands,
The flame, in mounting,
Enkindles other hearts with love
Beyond the counting.

Reflected back into each life,
These vast fires, glowing,
Do then become the perfect love
Of Christ's bestowing.

by Grace Coolidge, first published in Good Housekeeping magazine

(Happy Anniversary, today, to Tyler and Debby!)

7 random things

2008-12-03T11:13:00.000-08:00

My friend, Nicole, at Art and Aioli posted a meme of 'seven random or little known things about yourself' and tagged anyone else who wanted to do it. I enjoyed learning more about her, so I thought I'd share in the fun, too.

1) I love to hunt rocks and seashells.

2) My permanent teeth were permanently discolored, before they were in, from fairly large doses of the antibiotic, tetracycline.

3) I lived one summer with a buffalo herd.

4) I've been inside the mountain of pure, white marble in Colorado, from where the stone to make Lincoln's Memorial and Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was mined.

5) Two things that freak me out: Snakes on my walking path and mice in my house. (I drive my kids crazy, though, with my kindness to spiders.)

6) I've gone spelunking in a cave.

7) I get claustrophobic.

I Remember Mama

2008-12-02T17:32:00.000-08:00

Door to the girls' dressing room

A peek at the set

Tonight is the second to last rehearsal for "I Remember Mama." (First one being October 13th; open auditions weren't held as the director handpicked the cast from "Fiddler" participants.) Opening night is Thursday!

This musical takes place in the same time period as "Fiddler on the Roof." It's set in San Francisco with a Norwegian immigrant family. Erin plays Mama's 20-year old sister, Aunt Trina, who seeks permission to marry a Swede...a Methodist one at that (during the first read-through of the script Erin looked at the director and said "What are you doing to me?!"). Despite these similarities, Aunt Trina is a completely different from Chava. Erin's had fun getting to know her. I can hardly wait to see the results of Erin's and everyone else's efforts in the creation of this production.

We're counting on your prayers for us. This is a 7 performance run these next two weeks.

Poetry Friday

2008-11-28T12:11:00.000-08:00

You can work it out by Fractions or by simple Rule of Three
But the way of Tweedle-dum is not the way of Tweedle-dee.
You can twist it, you can turn it, you can plait it till you drop,
But the way of Pilly-Winky's not the way of Winky-Pop!

"Her Majesty's Servants," The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling

2008-11-27T09:27:00.001-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving to You and Yours!

2008-11-22T12:50:00.000-08:00

"I have never outgrown my childish enjoyment of the unexpected." Grace Coolidge (from Grace Coolidge and Her Era, by Ishbel Ross)

'The bad things of life were very transitory. It was the good things, the ribbed sand, the wind blowing over the white-capped waves, the sunshine and the stars, that were so tough and durable.' (Green Dolphin Street, by Elizabeth Goudge)

'Dreaming, praying, and working for--in a sense, imagining for--a good story in the lives of those whose paths we cross briefly or for the long haul is what we're made for.' (Real Love for Real Life: The Art and Work of Caring, by Andi Ashworth)

2008-11-21T11:03:00.000-08:00

While browsing through an old spring issue of The New Yorker magazine, "One Can Miss Mountains" caught my eye. I loved it and I needed to find more - so I immediately Googled the author's name to find his website. I'm so happy to discover a new poet to enjoy. Todd has kindly given me permission to post the poem here. Samples of his poetry, (including audios of him reciting it,) and information about his books can be found at toddbosspoet.com.

One Can Miss Mountains

and pine. One

can dismiss
a whisper's

revelations
and go on as

before as if
everything were

perfectly fine.
One does. One

loses wonder
among stores

of things.
One can even miss

The basso boom
of the ocean's

rumpus room
and its rhythm.

A man can leave
this earth

and take nothing
--not even

longing--
along with him.

Todd Boss

Poetry Friday at Brimstone Soup

Still celebrating

2008-11-20T20:14:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Erin read a journal entry from her diary aloud to me. She'd written it during our stay in Utah, 2 1/2 years ago, May 2006, when we were spending a month away from home to see if we'd feel better. The entry read:

Last night...we did indeed see Fiddler on the Roof! It was great fun, we all enjoyed it. My definite favorite song was "Matchmaker" that the three sisters sang. They looked as if they were having so much fun! I should like to perform that song. (Smiley face drawn alongside the entry.)

Two years later, September 2008:

Having limited amounts of energy resets priorities. Our dreams do not remain faint naggings easily ignored, but shouts that push us out the door. Today I'm thanking the Lord for granting Erin a desire of her heart. (Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4)

Celebrating a cold

2008-11-19T15:10:00.000-08:00

Erin caught the current coughing and congestion nuisance that's being passed around and shared (a little too unselfishly). Using our Rife machine really does seem to help a cold from becoming full blown (sorry for the pun). We didn't think of using it right away, but since we have, her symptoms have calmed down quite a bit. Still, rehearsals for "I Remember Mama" (her latest play, which I've neglected to mention here,) are in full swing for opening night the first weekend of December, so extra rest time isn't available. (In her "healthier" state, when rehearsals get to be every night, she must rest both her body and mind all day just to have the strength she needs for her work that night, so there is no give - no extra time for rest.

Brady and I started fighting unusual headaches and muscle aches a few days after Erin became ill. It finally occurred to me yesterday, that we have Erin's cold virus. I've learned from studying about Chronic Fatigue that when your immune system is not working right, you will not get colds - you can get the virus, but it doesn't play out like a person whose immune system is strong. I'm so glad to finally understand that. (For quite a while, I'd convinced myself that our lack of colds meant our immune systems were better then most, a disillusionment I'm quite embarrassed to admit). Even though our struggles with health are still great, when we're less ignorant about what's happening, we don't have the confusion - therefore, we don't become as overwhelmed or discouraged when setbacks occur. Being less ignorant leads to another obvious benefit: a better knowledge of what to do; granting us hope for that all-so-elusive progress we desire.

So I'm celebrating Erin's cold. She's had a couple of these now - not the cold that comes when our bodies have repeatedly warned us to "stop getting out of bed and trying to live so much," and we haven't listened; but the cold that causes her friends and fellow workers alike to suffer. Yes! (Not Yes! for everyone's suffering, but Yes! to a body that acts like our old selves.)

Please continue to keep us in the forefront of your prayers (remembering to include a celebratory thank you for Erin's coughing and congestion). I often use the word, "slow", when telling people about our progress. But that conjures up the phrase "slow as a turtle," which wrongly illustrates. Trying to recover from a strange disease, such as Chronic Fatigue, doesn't look anything like the pace of a turtle, (I've observed many pet turtles, so trust me). It looks more like a film strip that keeps getting caught in the projector and, because it's a bit damaged, seems impossible to advance.

Monday Smiles

2008-11-10T17:33:00.000-08:00

Erin and her friend jazz dancing to Singin' in the Rain in the kitchen (with tables and chairs pushed aside).
Listening, along with Brady, to Dr. George Grant lecture on the Minutemen at Lexington and Concord and conclude with the recitation of Longfellow's Paul Revere's Ride.
A friend saying she'll pray for me.
Goofiness at the kitchen table after lunch, very "un grown-up like" - very needed.
Sharing obsessions with an author friend. (She sent me the above photo after I sent her a quote from a book.) My new hero is Grace Coolidge (I'm currently reading, Grace Coolidge and Her Era,) and Sarah's long time heroes are Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan (Sarah wrote the wonderful, Miss Spitfire, 2007).

2008-11-09T20:38:00.001-08:00

The fog comes
on little cat feet.

It sits looking
over harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on.
Carl Sandburg

The Lamplighter

2008-11-07T11:44:00.000-08:00

Now that we've "fallen back" with the ending of Daylight Savings Time, night-time creeps up and surprises us with a sort of gloom. It takes a few days to gain a perspective of what we've gained by the early darkness; such as times to gather around the table for warm bowls of soup, longer conversations at the table, a cozy book or show to entertain us, more time to think and plan, and hopefully even the desire to go to bed earlier - rest more.

Another added bonus: The evening neighborhood walk becomes filled with quiet views of people warmly ending their days in the comfort of their unique little nests, which gives me a sense of contentedness and eagerness to get back to my own home and end my day well. The mysteries unveiled (or not,) when walking in the dark, almost take away the chill of the damp November nights. If lamplighter's were still needed, I'd be with the child in the poem.

The Lamplighter

My tea is nearly ready and the sun has left the sky.
It's time to take the window to see Leerie going by;
For every night at teatime and before you take your seat,
With lantern and with ladder he comes posting up the street.

Now Tom would be a driver and Maria go to sea,
and my papa's a banker and as rich as he can be;
But I when I am stronger and can choose what I'm to do,
O Leerie, I'll go round at night and light the lamps with you!

For we are very lucky, with a lamp before the door,
and Leerie stops to light it as he lights so many more;
And oh! before you hurry by with ladder and with light;
O Leerie, see a little child and nod to him tonight!

Robert Louis Stevenson

Poetry Friday roundup at Check It Out

Tree Happy

2008-10-31T13:32:00.001-07:00

Winter 2008 showed us its stuff. Now Autumn 2008 is doing the same. This month, I've felt that we're living in a painting. No rain, nor wind to speak of, (which is not the norm for October,) with the result of leaves staying on the trees, basking in the sunshine. Their changing beauty inspires us to smile, live, breathe, be thankful to the One who made them.

I think that I shall never see

A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest

Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,

And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear

A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;

Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,; But only God can make a tree.
Joyce Kilmer

Happy Reformation Day!

The 2nd Eleven Days of October

2008-10-29T17:58:00.001-07:00

As you might have imagined after looking at all the pictures, we were a bit "done in" after our trip. But, oh, so thankful! When we were walking off the plane of our last flight home, Erin remarked, "This feels like the first vacation we've had since our England trip." And indeed it had.

At the doctor's visit, Brady was examined first. He walked back into the waiting room with a grin on his face. For the first time ever, he had held his adjustment from the last visit. Erin was called next. In a few minutes, she slipped out of the examination room, while I walked towards it, having just been called. I had to turn and look at her after she passed to verify that she was going back to the waiting room, not the quiet room (where you go for 20 minutes after getting adjusted, so that you don't immediately go out shopping, for instance, and have an accident bumping into someone who is reaching for the same pair of shoes on the sales rack). Erin was "in" as well. (Even after falling head and arm first onto cement this summer.) So it looked like I might be the one to spoil the party. I couldn't believe it when the doctor told me I was fine. All the office staff were so happy for us.

Usually, if we've been treated, we return to the doctor for two or three check-ups. And we have to "lie low" the first day or two and not do too much. But none of that this time. Since we had planned a day in Los Angeles and a special stop in Salt Lake City, we didn't change our airplane tickets. Brent's family (aunt, cousin and her husband,) helped us with a little cooking and grocery shopping so we could have some fun. It humbles me to think of the kindness they, Brent, my parents, and all of our Salt Lake family members showed in their labor for us, so we could use what energy we had to enjoy ourselves. Many thanks to those who prayed for our trip, too.

We had "paybacks" when we came home. But I've seen worse. Besides feeling really sick and tired, the freezer and refrigerator were empty (our food came with us on the trip.) But we're always glad to be back in our own beds and to eventually get back to the rest routine that we need during the day.

We're very thankful for the times of fun and fellowship with loved ones that we've been given this year. We need those times. They feed and encourage us.

So who wants to visit at Thanksgiving or Christmas? We'll be here!

Southern California Fun

2008-10-28T20:09:00.000-07:00

First 11 days of October

2008-10-27T21:41:00.000-07:00

1 visit to the doctor in Tustin, CA. Just ONE. For the first time ever, none of us needed a treatment!
2 excursions to the beach in Carlsbad, CA. The kids and Brent tried boogie boarding on our second visit.
3 hours aboard the USS Midway (aircraft carrier) at the harbor in San Diego. Amazing!
4 author (two of them illustrators, as well) readings/visits in Irvine, CA, at my sister's house(!) in South Jordan, UT, and Bountiful, UT. Erin's favorite author showed up at my sister's house one morning *squee*; a surprise arranged by an on-line friends of E's when she realized that my sister and Shannon Hale, are practically neighbors.
5 table treats for Miss Lexington (aka Lexie, a pug dog,) at Aunt Dorothy's house. I know, I never do that, but I had just had to give in because she looked up at me with such sad eyes.
6 hours spent in the Denver airport. Four going, two back. We have our special table, near the bookstore, where we're able to unpack and eat our "gourmet" lunch during the layover. I think the girls at the cookie shop close to our table have started to recognize us and, of course, we've befriended the bookseller girl - the one that has read almost every book in the shop.
7 movie billboards spotted in Hollywood, CA. One was several stories tall.
8 instruments (at least) we tried playing at the Museum of Making Music in Carlsbad.
9 holes of golf for Brady, Brent, and Ken in South Jordan, UT.
10 of "our gang" enjoyed watching Pixar's "Wall-E" together at a dollar theater in Sandy, UT.
11 days without baking! My baked goods held out for the whole trip, thanks to my mom's preparations before the trip, along with pancakes waiting for me in Salt Lake that she had prepared during their visit there the week before, plus a nice big batch of cookies that Brent surprised us with when joining us on the fifth day.

Good times in Salt Lake City

2008-10-27T20:12:00.000-07:00

Fall Appreciation

2008-10-16T20:18:00.000-07:00

We're home from our California/Utah trip. We had a wonderful time. Tomorrow, (or soon after,) I'll give you the scoop, along with some pictures. This week, we've been resting and recuperating while watching the leaves out our windows put on a show. We planted these maple and oak trees, in our backyard, last year after they'd already lost their leaves, so their fall colors were yet a mystery. I couldn't resist catching the sun setting on them tonight. (Click on pic for a nice, large image.)

Today, for several minutes, we had several kinds of birds in our backyard all at once. A couple of Magpies (they're always hanging out,) a young Starling, a couple of young Robins, a few Northern Flickers, several Chickadees, and another woodpecker that may have been a Nuttall Woodpecker -black and white with spotted "underpants" and a little red on the back of his head. He was gorgeous. The Chickadees and Northern Flickers only visit rarely, but we've never been visited by a Nuttell. I wish he could have stayed longer, but he flew away first and then the whole bunch of them disappeared a couple of minutes later. Not one bird stuck around (even the Magpies!)

I love the fact that nature, before the death of winter, is full of surprises and extra glow. It's exactly how I want to be before I die and travel to a new place.

Win a quilt!

2008-10-16T14:04:00.000-07:00

Being a part of the blogging community is one the coolest, amazing gifts I've given myself.

Every day I check into my "Bloglines" to see what new posts I need to visit on my favorite blogs. I find encouragement and help of all kinds: book reading ideas, support for our diet, support for my illness, photography and art that inspires me, people who share some of my idiosyncrasies to share ideas with. The blogging world is an amazing place to connect with people all over the country and world.

I keep being surprised at the kindness people show to each other in the blogging world. People give away books, swap recipes and fabrics, take extra time to e-mail you if you have questions about what they've posted about...I could go on and on.

Today I am surprised once again by the generosity of a blogger. She was inspired by someone who made and gave away a quilt, so she decided she wanted to do the same thing. If you're a blogger don't miss this opportunity to try to win a gorgeous, original design sunflower quilt. Tomorrow is the last day to enter, so go visit soon!

Time for the California doctor

2008-09-30T11:58:00.000-07:00

We're excited to be able to visit our wonderful doctor in Southern California again. Along with this blessing comes not only the opportunity to see orange trees, but we'll once again be enjoying the hospitality of my husband's cousin and aunt.
We are also taking our kids to their most desired destination these days (how did I get two kids that both want to work here?)

E will be getting some acting instruction and B will be checking out a 3-D animation school.
When purchasing the tickets, the available flights were routing us through Salt Lake City with a two hour layover. On our last trip to California, my two sisters that live there, along with our niece and two nephews, met us at the airport for an hour. We couldn't face that short of visit again, so we treated ourselves to a three day stopover this time. Yay!

And E might just get to see her favorite author at another author signing party while we're there, along with meeting many of her fellow "fan of Shannon" friends she's met on-line who have become close friends to her over the last few years.

So...off to try again to pack.

Sunday outing

2008-09-28T18:26:00.000-07:00

Today was one of those gorgeous Indian summer afternoons that practically pushes you outside and says, "Do something!" After our Sunday feast of delicious grilled turkey fillets enjoyed out on the deck, followed by a few minutes of backyard frisbee, we still weren't completely satisfied. When the guys decided to go frisbee golfing later, I jumped in the truck and tagged along.

The frisbee golf course on the college campus is well used. Brady discovered the fun of playing the sport this summer. We had an old frisbee (the golfing ones are heavier then normal frisbees,) which none of us had used (we can't remember how we acquired it!) After Brady had gone with a friend, he wanted to take his dad, so went to a local outdoor recreation store to pick up another frisbee. He found himself overwhelmed with the selection available - he faced racks of frisbees in different weights, sizes, brands, and colors. My guys still use just one frisbee each, but the picture above shows a guy who has just finished his round of golf carrying his bag. Yes, it is filled with his different size "clubs."

Sights along the course.
The holes run back and forth through some old poultry barns on the edge of campus (the Dome is in the background of the below photo.)

"Teeing" off.

Heading back to the truck. Autumn has started its glow show.

Sights from the truck afterwards, when we decided to drive downtown to see if Erin needed a ride home after a filming session with some friends.

(The real estate logo that Brady designed!)

Happy Birthday to my 20 year old!

2008-09-23T06:30:00.000-07:00

As you begin your new year, here's a quote from a book I recently read:

"To dream, you need to starve doubt, feed hope."
North of Beautiful, Justina Chen Headley

Keep on working towards those dreams, Brady. Blessings! Mom

P.S. Everyone else who's reading this head over here to wish him a Happy Birthday and to check out what he has been up to lately. His first 3-D animated product is for sale and he has a new website with a flash gallery for easier browsing.

Hurrah for the SCD!

2008-09-20T12:01:00.000-07:00

I have a stomachache. I just don't get those anymore - for good reason. But yesterday, when I was majorly fatigued, crazy thoughts and cravings tempted me. I couldn't cook dinner and as we each straggled to the kitchen to get a piece of toast with almond flour and nut butter, I decided I couldn't have any kind of almond flour product for breakfast the next morning. Oatmeal (a GRAIN, yes, gluten-free, but still a grain) is what I wanted. We're all so tired of our almond flour baked goods, pancakes, or waffles.

The Specific Carbohydrate Diet which we're following is a diet that is strictly grain-free. We've been on it for 14 months now, take away a week (ten months ago) when a doctor who didn't know about the SCD had urged us to try oatmeal, which didn't go well for any of us.

So I should have known better, but I did the whole rationalization thing in my head - gathered all the ammunition from our recent health improvements to shoot down any doubt trying to poke its way into my brain. I found the directions for soaking rolled oats overnight to make them more digestible. So I followed them. I was feeling pretty smug, as I covered the bowl for the night, thinking I'd taken care of any risks.

This morning as the oats cooked, the foreign smell of grains steaming up from the pan made me pause a bit - but I pushed doubt away with determination. I felt my pain about the time I was taking the last bite. Now I feel like a toddler that's been told not to touch-"Hot!"- but I had to do it anyway. Just a dumb thing to do. We aren't even eating many of the advanced foods that are allowed on the diet yet. Thankfully the kids don't have the stomachache, but that doesn't mean, yet, that everything is okay.

Keep on working the diet, Sherry. Yeah, got it.

Bonie Scotland

2008-09-19T21:04:00.000-07:00

My mom recently returned from a trip to England, Scotland, and France. A cousin who lives in the area of Aberdeen, Scotland invited any of her first cousins to her Scotland home for two weeks, and the ones who could go decided to add visits to London and Paris, as well.

We had information about the church that Brent's great grandparents were married at before crossing the pond with their first-born (and only child at the time) and eventually landing in Iowa. The village the church was in turned out to be about an hour from Mom's cousin's home and so a few of them ventured there one day. Now we have a small photo album of the church, village and surrounding area. What a treat!

Mom also surprised me with a couple of poetry books she bought from a used book vendor at some Highland game competitions they watched. One is by Scotland's own poet, Robert Burns.

Today I enjoyed my first reading of some of the poems. Here's a short one:

Ye Flowery Banks

Ye flowery banks o' bonie Doon, (o' - of, bonie - pretty)
How can ye blume sae fair; (sae - so)
How can ye chant, ye little birds,
And I sae fu' o' care! (fu' - full)

Thou'll break me heart thou bonie bird
That sings upon the bough;
Thou minds me o' the happy days
When my fause luve was true. (fause luve - first love)

Thou'll break my heart, thou bonie bird
That sings beside thy mate;
For sae I sat, and sae I sang,
And wist na o' my fate.

Aft hae I rov'd by bonie Doon, (Aft - oft, hae - have)
To see the wood-bine twine,
And ilka bird sang o' its love, (ilka - every)
And sae did I o' mine.

Wi' lightsome heart I pu'd a rose
Frae aff its thorny tree, (Frae - from, aff - off)
And my fause luver staw the rose, (staw - stole)
But left the thorn wi' me.

Fiddler on the Roof!

2008-09-17T15:23:00.000-07:00

Yes! God said yes to your prayers for health and strength for Erin. Thank you for praying! The show was super fantastic! Thanks to a friend, David, we have these amazing pictures to share with you.

This picture above, (the only one that David didn't take,) are three of the five daughters at the end of "Matchmaker" on opening night, all starry-eyed and full of hope.

Please go to the bottom of this post and scroll up for the rest of the pics because I mistakenly loaded the pictures in reverse order. Make sure you click on the picture to enlarge it.

(Erin will probably post many more pictures over on her blog Backstage Musings - so check that out, soon.)
After dad, (Tevye,) quickly turns and says "God be with you." Oh, happy moment.
I'm going to be a bragging mom and tell you that Erin performed Chava brilliantly.
Just married. This photo catches all five daughters celebrating.
A serious moment with Tevye, Chava's dad.
Erin's good friend, Cristina, was one of six main dancers in the production. She danced as a village daughter and a village man. You could not tell this was her first musical theatre experience, she danced with such perfection and grace - and she even kept the bottle on her head during the bottle dance every time.
Hodel (Meredith) and Chava (Erin) singing their duet in "Matchmaker."

Wish you were here

2008-09-12T13:49:00.000-07:00

Excitement! It's showtime! Opening night is tonight. Thanks for your prayers! Keep praying. Erin's doing pretty well, considering. She's very tired, but adrenaline will take over now during performances. (She does keep getting bloody noses - which would be bad news if it happened on stage.) So please pray in regards to that and also, for her voice to stay strong.

Yes, that's a microphone you see in the photo. The theatre holds 2500 people, so all the leads are mic'd. The show only runs this weekend, so a big crowd is expected tonight even though they are just opening.

My parents are on their way over the mountains and through the woods. They'll be here later tonight (when they left their house they were going to "take it easy" and not get here until Saturday noon. Interstate driving just makes you want to get there, doesn't it?

Another Sunday stroll

2008-09-07T16:02:00.000-07:00

My daughter suggested (after reading my previous post) I return to some more beauty. So. Last Sunday night, I went on another lone stroll in the park that is a little way out of town. The pictures above were taken as I neared the end of my walk. (I'll probably post some other pics from the walk another time.) The sun was setting and some church friends were enjoying a parish picnic not too far away. They began singing, filling the quiet evening with beautiful Psalms. Through the pines, their voices found their way to me. Pine trees and Psalms - balm for my soul.

Now that's a growth spurt

2008-09-05T20:36:00.000-07:00

(Art by Juan Carlos Bravo)

I know that I said I was the most interested in the 75 years ago column of "Days Gone By" in my hometown newspaper, but that 100 years ago column sure has been trumping it lately.

July 25, 1908
There is in New York an Italian family named Guitilla, who have an infant daughter 25 months old who weighs 110 pounds and adding to this weight at the rate of nearly a pound a week. She is the youngest of seven children who with the parents are normal size. She is healthy and strong in proportion to her size.
(The Wilmot Enterprise)

Children's author, Roald Dahl, comes to mind, doesn't he? Oh, what he could have done with this.

The Beautification of the Backyard (Part 1)

2008-09-03T09:21:00.000-07:00

So I was sitting outside on the kitchen deck enjoying the sun, resting with a book, and admiring the pale yellow centers of the baby pink bougainvillea bloom that was showing off right next to me.

My gaze moved to the vast expanse of "The Great Wall."

This is the view from the bedroom deck of the tail end of the far left wall, the middle, marigold wall, and part of the wall that is next to the stairs.

This is the view standing by the marigold wall looking down at the far left wall. These walls were built by my husband and son. The walls themselves were nearly finished four years ago before we left on Labor Day for our trip to the UK. ("The trip" has come to be known as the starting point of the kids' and my illness.)

My husband built the steps over the next summer or two. Last year, he put the flagstone down between the two stair levels and this spring he put top soil in the beds. All summer he "threatened" he was going to go pick out and bring home a bunch of plants to fill up the beds. Those kinds of threats usually get me moving, but any moving except trying to keep up with breadbaking, cooking, and doctor visits has been pretty non-existent. But this weekend looked to be different. Dh was off work from Thursday through Monday. Here was my "window" because of the extra help since he was home for longer then usual.

Yeah, we actually did it. Drum roll, please...

Excitement galore: Plants! Pretty Plants!

There has been an advantage to sitting outside and staring at those empty beds for so very many hours. I figured out what I wanted in them - well, in two of them anyway. I learned that walking into a nursery knowing what you want, is just as less agonizing as going to the video store knowing what you want. For once we came home from the nursery feeling a sense of accomplishment. No awful feelings such as "I think these will go somewhere," loomed while taking the plants out of the truck.

The gal who helped us knew her plants - sun needs, food and water needs, spring color, fall color, where they were located in the nursery, how many were left, if they were one sale, etc., so when I told her what I wanted - color, with a few evergreens, and a few perennials - she was right on it. You would have thought we were two old ladies out clothes shopping together we had so much fun. Dh found a wagon and gathered the selections. We found a place to line them up and look at them. How does that look? Do the colors go? Too much yellow? How should we accent? We looked at them at different angles, and hubby carted off what we didn't like. And do you know what? We came home with just what we needed.

The perennials will need to be purchased next spring. We're thinking of ornamental strawberries to grow down the bottom wall and a few catmint blues to intersperse in back of the yellow day lilies and pink roses. We hope to plant some bulbs this fall, too.

Okay, one bed down, two to go. Hmmph...tell that to the bank account. And let's not even think about the back fence. No, we can't even go there.

(P.S. Don't be fooled, the only work that I could contribute to the project was at the nursery, unless you count the supervision of the hole digging from my lawn chair.)

Summer Family Update

2008-08-31T20:19:00.000-07:00

A peek at our summer:

Shortly after arriving home from our late spring vacation to the Midwest, our good friends and former neighbors, the VDs, came back to town to finish packing things up for the sale (finally) of their home. Their oldest daughter stayed at our house almost the whole time. Much fun was had by all - but now they're really gone. *sigh*
Dh drove to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, in July, to spend a few days with the "clan" during their bi-annual reunion. I bet not many other family reunions include a day of everyone going to the hospital for blood tests and eye exams as part of an on-going, University of Iowa study for Macular Degeneration.
We said goodbye to yet more close family friends this summer. Two other families. *another sigh* One of which had left town before we were back from our trip because of an unexpected moving date change. Thankfully, we were blessed with spending a few days together with the other family before their departure: a picnic and hike at a beautiful park outside of town; a wonderful night of group Psalm singing (with some of the songs accompanied beautifully by violins, cello, and oboe) and ice cream socializing; and a 4th of July get-together at our house.
Erin's broken arm (from trying out a Ripstick) has healed! We're happy to report that Brady has managed to stay free of broken bones since bringing two boards back from Iowa. He has gone "ripsticking" all over town this summer with his friend, J. They have the honor of starting a Ripsticking trend in our neighborhood.
Brady had the opportunity to be with other student designers/artists for a full day of art workshops at the local university.
Play rehearsals are in full swing for Erin for Fiddler on the Roof. Please pray for her these next two weeks of final rehearsals and performances. She's doing pretty well, health-wise, so far. She rests up all day until she needs to leave for practice at 6:00 pm. But now the hours get longer and the last week will be seven days straight - not what her body will like.
We've been eating lots of farm fresh eggs, vegetables, and a little fruit from the Farmer's Market. One of the farmers grows the best English cucumbers! It's all deliciously yummy. We've also been blessed with farm fresh goat's milk. I make our 24-hour fermented (to take out the lactose and change the casein) yogurt, which we are finally able to handle, with this. And someone gave dh a birthday present of a bunch of precious huckleberries she had picked.
Many gorgeous summer days with reading breaks outside watching Peter, a little baby bunny, growing up in our back yard. Sunny, warm, and bug-free outdoor lounging makes up a little for my non-napping ability!

Above photo: Patriarchs and matriarchs of the family (from right to left,) Brent's dad, Dorothy, Norma, Lowell (3 siblings are deceased.)

Lentil Fest

2008-08-27T14:10:00.000-07:00

Kicking off the festivities

Preparing salads to sell
Country band across the bridge
Coloring fun for the kids
This cutie was helping her mom greet people at their booth.
Pretty pink petunias!
Free chili made with lentils (the guy stirring the big pot of chili is standing on a ladder outside of the pot.)

Near the chili line

How you spell a-d-o-r-a-b-l-e!
I enhanced this photo, as it was a little dark, because I liked this girl's expression after being lifted up to shoot a basket. Who knows, maybe she'll grow up to be on the college women's basketball team someday and will sign autographs (see the gals below) at a future Lentil Fest.

Can you guess how Pullman got its name?

Erin dressed as "Chava" telling about the upcoming show. Go here for more pictures and a report of the fun Erin had previewing the show that night.

Cheery church friends
Art exhibit: Central Core, Artist Richard C. Elliot. This piece consisted of 51, 32x32, reflective panels - each panel consisting of 1000 bicycle reflectors.
Climbing the cougar.

Looky Looky! I passed this on the way out of town, along with the sounds and sight of the college marching band practicing their turns. Driving home as the sun was setting put a perfect cap on a fun evening.

I needed music today

2008-08-23T18:23:00.000-07:00

A few reasons why -

Dh was working 9-7 today with no lunch break and not a day off in sight until Tuesday.
When Brady moved his computer out of the kitchen and downstairs this summer, he took along our iPod speakers, creating silence where it hadn't been found for awhile (which seemed nice for a time).
I way overdid yesterday and while I had a book on tape just waiting to reveal its thickening plot, there was no way I could listen.
Oh come one, there doesn't need to be a reason for music.

So I needed refueling while trying to keep up my responsibilities in the kitchen (translate: so the kids and I would have something to eat today.)

Music that kept me going:

A bunch of selections of this season's American Idols' songs. Digression: Yes, I watched American Idol when it reached the final ten this year, for the first time ever. (Our first year with satellite TV, so we could get the channel.) Erin, her friend C who'd come over for the show, and I had a great time cheering and crying and going to YouTube after the show to listen to our favorite performances of the night as the two teens voted. But sadly, we weren't together for the season finale. C was traveling in a foreign country and Erin and I were heading north to stay overnight near the airport to fly to SD the next day. Erin and I calculated what time we'd arrive at the hotel and realized we'd be able to catch the last important hour. So in order to still make it a special night, Erin and I downloaded favorite songs of the season's final 7 Idol performers to listen to in the car during the drive.

Anyway, I re-listened to them all today. Lots of fun. What's cool about many of the songs is that they are ones I grew up listening to, except these very talented contestants made them "their own," which gives the songs a fresh, new sound. For instance, I discovered this season, that I really enjoy Neil Diamond songs if he is not singing them. (Sorry to any fans who are throwing tomatoes right now, this may be a sad fact, but true.) One song that we don't have yet, but need to is the song David Cook sang on his "crowning" moment, "Time of My Life." That is a good "fuel-up" song.

Here's some of our other iPod selections that kept me "keeping on" today:

It's Only Life, Kate Voegele
Hold On, KT Tunstall
Take a Bow, Rihanna I get such a kick out of this song ;)
Fearless, Daechelle
On the Radio, Regina Spektor
Us, Regina Spektor
Viva la Vida, ColdPlay
Violet Hill, ColdPlay
Home, Vanessa Carlton

I would have listened to some Lifehouse, too, but Brady just has their songs on our Dell DJ Ditty (whatever you call it that came free with our laptop).

However, even the fuel from music isn't enough to keep Brent from coming home to some dirty dishes. I still have music to listen to, but my battery has run down and needs a major re-charging.

Stranger than fiction

2008-08-23T12:29:00.000-07:00

With the passing of my grandfather a couple of years ago, who was in his 90's, and having another grandfather enter that decade of life last summer, I've desired to know more about what life was like when they were young. I enjoy hearing stories when I'm back to visit, but living so far away means not a lot of visits. Their both being from the town I grew up in makes me even more curious.

I've found that my small town South Dakota newspaper is available on-line (http://www.smalltownpapers.com/). It isn't a complete archive, at least for my hometown paper (I can find 1915-1949 and then the last few years). The current issues are actually about a month and a half behind, date-wise; but a "new" issue is posted every week.

So I've been reading the 'Years Gone By' column - 75 years ago and 100 years ago- of the recent papers. I've been meaning to post about a shocking something that I learned early this spring about a couple who were raised and married in my hometown that became...ahem, rather famous. (I promise I'll tell give you the scoop soon.) But for today I just had to share this from The Wilmot Enterprise:

July 11, 1908
'South Dakota holds the tornado freak record: A barn in the vicinity of Armour was lifted bodily from its foundation and deposited in a field 50 feet away. Another tornado visited the scene, flirted with the barn and placed it back on the old foundation. It is reported that the only insurance claim that will be allowed is for the loss of two nails and a screw.'

Fun with Scarves

2008-08-19T20:40:00.000-07:00

I treated Erin to a shopping spree today. (Summer clearance sales will do that to you.) A couple of her new t-shirts came with scarves. She was having fun with them, so I set my laptop down and grabbed my camera. (Yes, we have a ladder standing in our living room right now, long story.)

Western humor

2008-08-12T20:26:00.001-07:00

One of the sights we see on our drive to our doctor's office is an old range, with its oven door open, sitting alone in a rancher's pasture. Who knows how long ago it was relinquished of it's kitchen duties to provide an attraction to passers-by; at least nine years (since we've lived here.) A sign on top instructs any confused Easterners with the words "Open Range."

But today when we drove by, the range no longer stood by itself. A herd of goats had surrounded it closely, all of them lying down. The goats blocked the view to the open oven door, but you could still tell they were resting by an old stove top oven. They seemed to be contentedly waiting for their dinner. So cute! We decided the sign should now read, "Home on the Range."

2008-08-08T17:21:00.000-07:00

Afflictions work for good, as they make way for glory (2 Cor. 4:17).
Not that they merit glory, but they prepare for it. As ploughing prepares the earth for a crop, so afflictions prepare and make us meet for glory. The painter lays his gold upon dark colours, so God first lays the dark colours of affliction, and then lays the golden colour of glory. The vessel is first seasoned before the wine is poured into it: the vessels of mercy are first seasoned with affliction, and then the wine of glory is poured in. Thus we see afflictions are not prejudicial, but beneficial, to the saints. We should not so much look at the evil of affliction, as the good; not so much at the dark side of the cloud, as the light. The worst that God does to His children is to whip them to heaven. from All Things for Good by Thomas Watson

Let me take you on a walk in the woods...

2008-08-02T19:10:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday night, I drove to a park about 5 miles out of town. I took a lone, slow walk up a pine trail. Good medicine!

Summer Outdoor Fun

2008-07-17T16:21:00.000-07:00

Here's a peek at some outdoor fun that's going on in town which I managed to catch last night and this morning. This is the outdoor set for the Shakespeare play, "Twelfth Night." Usually, I check around to see how a Shakespeare play is set to avoid a bad experience. (Our whole family attended, plus a neighbor friend.) But after last year's amazing Shakespeare production, by the same company, I assumed... well, let's just say I shouldn't have. Last night's "Twelfth Night" was painfully set in the 1980s. Enough said. Except, that the lead actor who played Viola did an exceptional job. We were glad we hadn't missed her performance, so the evening was not a total loss.
We've had the opportunity to see this gal in four plays. (This is her last one with our local university, as she just recently graduated.) Her stage-acting talent inspires Erin, and we like to think about seeing her perform again somewhere, someday.
Erin and I took our late breakfast to a park that was hosting a kids' "Rendezvous in the Park." While waiting for the free noon performance of "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day," I walked around the kids' art booths and found a friend of mine teaching the very fun art of Quilling.
Tye Dye Hankies
Demonstration of a homemade bubble blower
At noon, lunch sacks were distributed and the kids sat down to enjoy the food and entertainment. We sat next to these rainbow-cheeked girls...
with this happy boy in front of us.
Alexander's day gets worse when he has to wear his least favorite pajamas to bed. What a terrible, horrible...(the kids in the audience participate by chanting loudly along.)
Mom's comforting song, while tucking Alexander in, makes everything okay.

I've been a weepy mom, lately

2008-07-11T19:39:00.000-07:00

Joy. I'm not use to feeling it so often...there's just been so much pain, so much suffering. Yes, there have been times of joy these last 3 and 1/2 years, too, but they have been... spread out.

But lately, wow, I decided today that I should consider carrying a hankie.

When Erin's best friend was here, they learned a song to sing together. They sang it over and over. We couldn't get away from the sound of their practicing. (I wasn't crying, yet, by the way - except for being tempted to cry out, "Please give us relief!") But finally, they sang me their finished duet. The performance that those two girls -who hadn't seen each other for eight months and who, if I hadn't been at one of the occasions, I'd swear were born joined at the hips - anyway, the performance they gave me... well, that was Weepy Time, No. 1.

Weepy Time, No. 2:

One of my friend's gave me a gift that was symbolic of something I had talked about in a blog post. The gift came with a meaningful message on the card. All that I can say is friendship like that makes one joyful.

Weepy Time, No. 3: While I'm preparing dinner one night

Erin's at the piano (Definition: an instrument that, before our illness, I use to hear being beautifully played at least two hours a day, but I've only heard being played a handful of minutes altogether since. Remember, that's over three and a half years people.) So she's playing the piano, and singing at the same time. Now, that would be a good enough excuse to get weepy, right?

But...at the same exact time as that is going on, my son (who use to play lacrosse and other such physical sports, but has not been able to comfortably walk up and down the hill that our house sits on, during the above length of time I just described,) is in our backyard with his new best friend, (it wouldn't be exaggerating to tell you that all of Brady's best friends have moved away from our quiet city during the said amount of time of our illness.) I stood watching them out the kitchen window play badminton, knowing that they had plans to hop on their Ripsticks later. (Do you remember Erin is doing that playing/singing thingy in the dining room?)

There is just no way that Weepy Time, No. 3 could have been prevented.

Weepy Time, No. 4:

Scratch this one, don't remember it.

WT, No. 5:

Today, the CD of Fiddler on the Roof we ordered a few weeks ago finally arrived. Erin blasted the Intro to the play which was followed by the cast breaking into, "Tradition." Oh boy, did Erin and I get excited! This made Erin's upcoming role in "Fiddler" finally feel real! (It was cast in May before school let out, but rehearsals won't start for a little over two weeks yet, so thoughts of it have just been kind of dream-like.) Then, "Matchmaker" came on and Erin started singing along as Chava. I couldn't help myself - the reality of how big this role is for Erin (it is going to be produced as professionally as a play can be without being wholly professional,) how she, with her limited energy has worked so hard to keep trying to gain the skills needed to be even considered for a role like this, and how I am so completely proud of her, and thankful to God for blessing her...joy, joy, joy! (Heh, it makes me wonder how I'll ever get through the actual performances.)

WT, No. 6:

At a picnic a couple of weeks ago (an event that our whole family was able to attend together - a very rare gift, in itself,) the moms started talking about allergies and I mentioned that I wanted to learn how to make kefir, but I felt like I needed someone to help me, because learning about it seemed so overwhelming. (Kefir relates to allergies in that, I've learned, a good yogurt or kefir can help those with gut problems gain some healing so we won't react to lots of foods - or pollen, or molds, the world for that matter. I've learned to make fermented yogurt, but we hadn't had success in being able to eat it yet.) A friend sitting next to me told me about a lady she's acquainted with locally who knows about kefir making, and asked if she could send the lady,(P,) my e-mail address to see if she could help me. Of course! P came over today to drop off a book for me to read about kefir. I asked her if she could come in and we visited for awhile. And somewhere towards the end of our visit the WT came. You see, I'd been praying for just this sort of person to come into my life, someone who had overcome problems like we've been experiencing and could help me and direct me in just these ways.

So what I said is true, I've been a weepy mom, lately. But it's okay, it's just that my cup runneth over.

What I sent out to our church e-mail today

2008-07-09T21:52:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update to let you all join us in praise to God for the mercies He has shown us, especially in the last nine months. Several different helps during this time have helped us gain some really good improvements. After over 3 1/2 years of intense struggles with debilitating health, we are very excited to make some visible progress. We have a long way to go, but we are encouraged and hopeful.

As mornings are still our hardest time, please pray that we all will be able to join you in worship more and more. Please pray for continued strength and good health for our husband/father, who has taken care of us so amazingly and patiently. We continue to be blessed by your faithful prayers, your physical acts of kindnesses, and your words of encouragement. We thank the Lord for His gift of you in our lives.

Sherry, Brady, and Erin

Addendum: This goes to all you out there, too!

I've waited so long to send something like this out on our church's e-mail loop! Erin had gotten "out of the woods" a bit last summer, but not in a way that we were really sure about it. And Brady and I were still in a very dark, scary place as we headed into winter. In fact, it wasn't until this spring that we started feeling like we were heading into a bright, open spot; even though, we had started to see some positive things (a little light) from the help of the SCD (diet) and our doctor, by Christmastime. (We started seeing the doctor I'm referring to in November.)

We started drinking the alkaline water in April. There is something to this water - No. Doubt. About it. Yippee and hip, hip, hooray!

We still have a very long way to go, but we're getting out in the world some now, instead of watching it turn as we look out our windows. I don't feel like an alien imposter anymore when I go to the store. My time "out and about," albeit short, no longer feels like a spaceship has just set me down for a quick peek at Earth's inhabitants. We're part of things. It is so wonderfully cool!

"To the end that my glory may sing praises to thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever." Psalm 30:12

2008-07-05T19:19:00.000-07:00

"More persons, on the whole, are humbugged by believing nothing, than by believing too much."
P.T. Barnum

Happy Independence Day!

2008-07-04T10:42:00.000-07:00

We're having a party at our house this evening and then heading out to see fireworks. I went out yesterday to pick up some ice cream for our celebrating. I had other groceries to get, so I saved the ice-cream aisle for last. Mistake. Since our illness and all of our crazy diets, I can no longer just "grab something." I have to read every ingredient label of every brand of processed food. I have to dig for the freshest fruit or vegetable. The mental strain from picking out just the right wine, salsa, chips - both potato and tortilla, ice-cream cones, fruit for the homemade sorbet (for the three of us on the SC diet,) plus finding the answer to the last minute "What should we have for dinner tonight?" question had fatigued me. Not to mention the fact that my body had started complaining loudly for my skipping its afternoon rest time. It was in this condition that I faced the Great Wall of Ice Cream.

Do you know how many brands of ice cream that grocery stores carry? Do you know how many different sizes, prices, flavors, and fat levels there are to choose from? I opened every freezer door in order to perform the ingredient examination ritual. (Did you know that some ice cream is made with skim milk? And I don't mean just the diet ice cream.) Of course, this procedure immediately fogged each door up so that when it closed, it was impossible to see through. This was bad enough when I was the only person at The Wall, but then there was a "run" at the ice cream section - as if a blue-light special had just been announced - and everyone stared at the opaque doors and looked at me, thinking, "She did it."

By the time I had picked out a couple of flavors of sorbet for my dairy-free guests, found my husband's favorite ice cream in his favorite brand, and struggled over choosing a few other flavors that I hoped would be close to my guests' favorites, I had become the "Ice Cream Aisle Greeter." I helped a couple find the "lite" ice-cream in their specified brand and I quickly opened a freezer door for another, to prevent the humility of a glare. Still, I wasn't completely satisfied with the flavors I'd chosen, which at that point, brought waves of panic into the fog that resided in my brain. I quickly exchanged a brand and flavor with another, grabbed another carton of a different flavor at the last minute, then hurried over to the shortest check-out line I could find. My panic receded but gave way to an overwhelming confusion, causing a final surrender to all coherent consciousness. I did get a glimpse of way more ice cream containers on the conveyor belt then I remember putting in the cart; I had to ask the clerk why the machine wouldn't swipe my VISA; and when the bagger asked if I needed help out, I replied with a squeaky "Please."

After dinner, I told Brent he should go down to our freezer to dish himself up a sampling of the ice cream I'd purchased for our party. He came up and said, "I'm in ice cream heaven!" Isn't it great that my husband loves ice-cream? *smile*

Hope you all have a fun day.

And just so your time spent here won't be completely wasted on my foolishness, here's a bit of wisdom (completely unrelated to ice cream) it wouldn't hurt us to think about as we contemplate our freedom:

"The true danger is when liberty is nibbled away, for expedients, and by parts."
-- Edmund Burke

Favorite Pics from our Midwest Sojourn

2008-06-29T16:41:00.000-07:00

Green and lush. That's how everything looked in South Dakota and Iowa the end of May/beginning of June. Beautiful! These are two views from the patio at the farm where I grew up and my parents still live. (Click on the photos to appreciate fully!)

My South Dakota sister with a couple of her boys and Erin in my mom's canoe.

Erin and Grandma Ruth.
Erin and Brady with cousins, Levi and Seth.
My Dad sitting in my sister's family's new speedboat while he watches Alison park the canoe.
Hangin' out at the dock. My brother-in-law just purchased part ownership in his grandma's lake cabin which is about a 15 minute drive from the farm, on Big Stone Lake.
On my trip, I was able to visit with my 90 year old great aunt and my 90 1/2 year old grandpa. I also, was able to meet and visit with Mildred, pictured above, who's 91. She shared glimpses of a life filled with horses, trick roping at rodeos (she could have 3 ropes going at a time: one in each hand and one between her teeth), becoming a law student(when women didn't do that), learning how to fly to help train pilots in World War II, becoming a circuit judge (South Dakota's first woman to do so), and county judge, going to Elderhostels after she and her husband retired, and the pleasures of still living at home on their family farm (which was about 10 miles or so from where I grew up.) I exclaimed admiration for the life she's had and she said, "Yes, and I've loved every minute of it!" (The picture she's standing by is an artist's rendition of Mildred dressed to perform in a rodeo.)
My grandpa helps me identify some unmarked old family photos.
Target practice with Grandpa Maurice.
Erin's first attempt at shooting a gun.
We went up to my aunt and uncles horse ranch to see a couple of my cousins and their families who were back visiting from Minneapolis and Kansas City. We were treated to checking out the new spring foals, too. (Pictured above are a few of my cousins' kids.)
I think Erin caught this cute pose.
The mares with the oldest foals - maybe two weeks - stayed around us to eat their "treat" while the mom's with the youngest babies - one was maybe only 1 or 2 days old- were more protective and walked away from us, over the hill.
Adorable Adam. I don't think he reads this blog or I wouldn't dare label his picture like that. Oh, and it wasn't easy for Erin to get such a candid photo of him.
The lilacs bloomed late this year, Memorial Day, because of the long winter. Usually their blooms are gone and the peonies are blooming by then.
Grandpa took Brent and I to his favorite getaway - Hartford Beach (which is also on Big Stone Lake.) Here, he is joining Brent in some rock skipping. It is so fun to hear him talk about all the good times he had at Hartford when he was a teenager. The nine mile drive from town was gravel then, but they would come down at least twice a week in the summer. There was a hotel with a dance hall and a rollerskating rink to add to the place's popularity. He goes on the hikes now. The trails are full of trees, ferns, all sorts of wildflowers, and you have to be careful to stay away from poison ivy. The foliage provides a cool, green canopy for hikers even in warm weather. Grandpa fought in the jungles in Okinawa which had been literally stripped of all vegetation because of the war. He soaks in the fresh green life around him with transparent joy, still so thankful to have come home from the war to enjoy so many more years.
Brady takes Grandpa to Google Earth to see pictures of Okinawa and the island he was taken to after he'd been shot. The jungles have been replaced with high rises now.
A taste of some of the game playing that went on.
I don't know what this shrub is called, but I enjoyed the blooms out the farm kitchen window. I don't remember ever seeing this bush bloom, even though it was there while I was growing up!
Brady and Grandpa M watching cousin (grandson) Logan's baseball game, in LeMars, IA. (Home of Blue Bunny Ice Cream!)
Logan at first base. We enjoyed a gorgeous evening, - no rain, bugs, or wind!

Grandpa had shoulder surgery the end of April and was still in a sling. Erin became "matching" when she fell off her cousin's Ripstick and ended up with a hairline fracture in her arm.
We bought Brent's folks a Bocci Ball lawn game several years ago. It's the best gift we have ever given them. Bocci ball competitions are a tradition whenever we're back. (Right to left: Brent's sister, Ann; Brent; his sister, Sue; and Katie, Ann's youngest.)