You Don't See That Every Day

It's almost here! Christmas is just a few days away. The question most people ask around this time of year: "Are you ready for Christmas?" Oh boy, am I ever! I love Christmas! But I don't think that is quite what the question is. I think what they mean is "Do you have everything you need to celebrate?" And in some ways, the answer is still YES. I have my family. I have a home. Most importantly, I have Jesus. But in the eyes of today's society I am not "ready" for Christmas. I have a couple of gifts hiding in the closet. The Boy and I went and cut a tree last week, with the help of the two youngest girls. All the girls decorated the tree. The lights are hanging on the fence and gutter, and they are on. But I haven't done our baking. I haven't cleaned the house for company. I haven't written the Christmas letter or addresses the cards. I haven't gotten all the gifts. I haven't made the stocking for Little K that I w...

This girl has been a swimmer since she had her first bath! It's one of the few ways she is not like her mama. Even a slip and fall into a river (and near drowning) at age 2 did not deter her from becoming a swimmer. Water is like a magnet pulling her in, whether it is cold or warm. She has competed on swim teams during various summers, and loved most every moment of it. There were a few times when we got glares from her. She was being challenged by learning a certain stroke, and looked at her dad as if to let him know she Was.Not.Happy. Thankfully she is a determined girl and overcame that challenge and conquered the Butterfly. This season is her first high school swim season. The middle school does not have a swim team, and so she was only able to swim/compete for a few weeks in the summer. But I think she was counting down the days until Swim team started in November. She found her happy place. Because she is a freshman, and because their practice was right after schoo...

We are 3 days into the month of December and yet it feels like Christmas is coming in just a couple of days! Have I done anything to get ready for Christmas? We strung some lights - have yet to plug them in. We've gotten out the boxes. Maybe I will decorate today. I've thought about the cards and yearly letter. Still thinking. I sure enjoyed having all my kids at home during the Thanksgiving break. Even though it was busy with school conferences and shopping for items we don't have time to shop for during 'normal' days, I still had fun with my minions, playing games, having dinner together (!) visiting family. And now, I am so ready for that Christmas break! Between basketball, swimming and choir rehearsals, and everyday life, we've managed to celebrate another birthday. The Boy turned 17 this week. How is this possible? I ask myself nearly every day this week, And yet, the return image from the mirror of my white hairs threaded through my head shocks me int...

Thanksgiving Day dawned with sunshine, and cold!! And I am so thankful for a heater and a woodstove. Our family did not run a Turkey Trot this year. Although the Mr. is able to run again after his injuries, we didn't make it a priority to sign up to run. The Boy played in a Turkey Bowl football game the night before, and the Mr. was traveling all week up to the holiday. So, we have our excuses. My two youngest girls went off with their aunt, so I had the morning to put some food together, along with the other girls' help. And then off we went to my brother's house. So the 7 of us, along with 30 other relatives, gathered at my brother and sister-in-law's home for a lovely feast. We started off with a wine tasting. I have family members who are convinced the shape of the glass influences the taste of the wine. The Mr. disagrees, but still had fun listening to my parents tease each other as they tasted different glasses.  There was plenty of food. There is always pl...

November has been busy and fun! It's one of my favorite times of year. Not just because of the upcoming break from school or the feast we are planning, but because it is basketball season! One of the girls and I spent a Sunday afternoon making Christmas cards at my sister's house. It's one of my rare crafty times. The fall leaves are coming down in torrents, but they are so beautiful that I don't mind raking them up (or watching the kids rake them)   The girls and I made a little video for our Hawaiian friend, and for our Friends in Peru  - this is the road we drove down towards the school. It is just gorgeous in the fall! The video doesn't do it justice though, And our girl, the Chef, is playing basketball! The team has lost one game so far, out of 7. She has even scored a basket, and we have seen her skills improve in just the short time she has been playing. She played a couple of years on the Upward Basketball team, but the school team is a step abo...

It has been wet and windy here for the past few days. But we had to get out. We had some tickets to use up before they expired. So we went to the zoo, umbrellas in hand. A little rain won't stop us! It was a terrific zoo day. There was hardly anyone else there. We were able to see the animals for as long as we wanted without crowding, or having to maneuver around others. The Bears were first on the agenda. Then we saw some amazing birds - Eagles and condors. And the girls got to climb into a "nest" The gazelles looked like they wanted to get out of the rain, so my girl helped out. We had hoped to see real lions, and elephants, but they were missing that day. But we did get to see the cheetahs up close! That was one of my favorite parts. It was almost like we could touch them!

Adults might see something as routine, but a 5 year old considers it really exciting. Which in turn makes this adult remember the awe of being five and experiencing new things. Yesterday was a gold-star day for Little K. The rain stayed away, which was a nice reprieve from the wet and windy weekend. And it meant we could get some things done, like change the oil and go places without getting soaked. First, Little K got her first-ever-at-the-salon-haircut in the morning. I could see the thrill on her face, as she sat in the grown up chair, and had the cape tied around her, and then the chair went up, up, up, and so did her grin. She only got a trim, a little cleaning up of her beautiful tresses, but it made her shine the rest of the day. At supper she asked her sister, the Chef, if she could tell what was different about her. (I had to give the older one a hint) And she beamed when big sister mentioned the haircut. But it got even better for Little K as the day went on. After lunc...

How can it already be November? Yesterday, the Mr heard Christmas music playing in one of the stores already! Wait! I am so not ready for that holiday yet! Looking back at October - what a full, and fun month that was. We took some time to recover from the Mr's exciting scary adventure on the mountain. And then we jumped right back into the busy everyday life we have. The older kids ran their cross country meets, taking their times down at each meet. This girl placed 6th in pre-districts. I was so bursting proud of her. This is the girl who once told me, about 4 years ago, "I'm just not that athletic." I think the past few seasons of basketball, swimming, and now running, have proven that so wrong. The Girl who Swims (and Runs) also had a birthday this month. 15. How am I going to keep up? The Boy also did super in cross country, placing 19th for his district, and also breaking his personal best. I love watching my kids do well each week, and push for more...

I have a chalkboard in the hallway where I leave messages for our kids.  A couple of weeks back some words from a Sunday sermon struck me and so I wrote on there,  "every moment, every life, #cherish" Over and over again this past week these words have run through my mind. Many of you know what happened to my husband last Friday, the 25th. (If not message me, and I will send you the link to the newspaper story). It was a traumatic day for us, not knowing whether that rock he was standing on was going to hold him up or crumble down the mountain. He made it - obviously - or I wouldn't be here right now, writing this. He got his side of the story told in the paper and to others who have asked throughout the week. Meanwhile, I have been processing and thinking, because that's how I roll. It takes awhile sometimes for the words to make their way through my dense brain. I don't believe in coincidences. And especially not after this day. 1. The Mr put his pho...

The first few weeks of school are in the books. On the first day of school I will admit I teared up a bit as I watched my 7th grader walk into the big ol' school without me. This is her first year at Away School, and just like with her older brother and sister, I have had to adjust my heart. The 2 kids at home school this year are such a blessing. We are having quite a fun time, relaxing in pjs half the morning, and then getting some work done. We didn't really start school until the week after everyone else had gone back. And even then, I've been so busy with other stuff that the week was actually only a half week for them. But this week we are more or less trying to stay on task and on schedule. Of course, then the kids get sick with back-to-school colds, and there goes that plan. The Girl Who Swims is now the Girl Who Runs. She joined the cross country team, now that she is in high school. (And just saying that makes me pause and gulp at how time is flying.) Wow, she...

What a weekend. On one hand, I have gotten to spend some great time with my three younger girls, doing a lot of family stuff together. We stayed up really late one night watching Anne of Green Gables - we're now on the 2nd movie, of three. What is it about Anne Shirley and Gilbert Blythe? Even though I know the story, and the outcome, I swoon every time I read that story! And the language - so poetic and lovely and flowing. And we had a family picnic on Saturday, exploring a different part of Silver Falls, on our bicycles this time. On the other hand, we went to my uncle's funeral Friday. This man, this family, was like my second home growing up. My cousin was my best friend when we were younger. But changes come, and death comes, and even though I know my uncle is at peace, there is still a sadness. During the service I glanced at my dad, whose brother was in that coffin. And it hit me pretty hard that in a few years - hopefully many years! - we will be doing this for him. ...

Today was another milestone in our lives. The Chef-girl went to Away School for the first time, leaving me home with just two of my babies. She is in 7th grade now; it's like I blinked and 12 years flew past me. I know, it's cliche, but it really seems like a blink of an eye and they are grown.   Our oldest is now a licensed driver. He went and took the test last week and passed with flying colors. I have yet to get him on the insurance, and get the car he is going to take to school ... all in good time. Maybe it is my inner way of holding back the inevitable. He is a junior in high school, and living it up. The Girl Who Swims,(on the right, below) is now a freshman in high school. I can actually remember back to my freshman year, and meeting my life-long friends then. At least I still have the two at home. They continue to help me out during the day, and one of these days soon we will actually start school work with them! For now we are enjoying the weather and the...

We made it to the fair this year. Not just once, but twice!! Because of whatever reason, the powers that be offered admission for .25 on Thursday. How could be say no to that price? My sister and I loaded the kids and drove on over. (Cue Beverly Hillbillies music in my mind) We got there soon after it opened, which was nice since there were less people to walk through. We enjoyed some shows, some animals, some exhibits. We were able to check on The Girl who Bakes' 4-H exhibit. As we wandered through the baked goods, we found her plate with the beautiful words "Reserve Champion" on the tag. Woohoo! My girl can cook! We took in the dog show - a favorite every year. And we had to partake of the ice cream offered by the Dairy Women of Oregon. It was enough for 25 cents. But we had to go again. We had free tickets from the kids' library reading program, and two of the family members didn't get to go with us on Thursday. So we picked Monday as the day. Once again,...