Joyeux Anniversaire, Sadie!

Today is our sweet Sadie's Birthday!

She was born nine years ago.  

We love her more than words.  She is sweet, loving and has quite a sense of humor.  

We feel so blessed to have her as part of our family for the last 9 years.

She is our third dog in the past 22 years.  

The first was Jackson, a Golden Retriever.  He was a Christmas Morning gift for my firstborn.  

He was with us 16 years and we miss him more than we could ever explain.  He was also sweet and loving.  He watched over our family for 16 years.  He would alert us at any sign of unrest and always kept a watchful eye.  I think he slept with one eye open constantly in pursuit of our safety. 

Two years after Jackson joined us, we wanted a companion for him.  Someone he could spend his time with when we could not be with him.  

Her name was Jenna and she was a black Lab.  She was again, so kind and so gentle.  She became the love of Jackson's life.  He absolutely adored her and if they were ever parted, he would howl and carry-on as though his heart was breaking.  She was also our adventurer.  She loved her man but she longed to see the world.  Over the years, when she could contain her sense of wonder no more, she would take short excursions thoughout the neighborhood.  Jackson, never a worldly man, was content to stay put in his own small piece of the world.  He never opted to venture out with her.  She kept us on our toes, inventing and reinventing ideas to keep her safely homebound.  She was 10 years old when she succombed to breast cancer.  Again, her time with us was so precious. I wonder how many years it will take to talk about them without hurting.

We have been so lucky to have our three dog members.  It is so heartbreaking when they leave us.  They have taught us so much about love, responsibility, devotion and loyalty.  

Today, as we celebrate our Sadie, we are so thankful for her nine years with us.  

We will cherish whatever time she gifts us with and pray for many more birthdays ahead!  

Happy Birthday Sadie!!

Summer Nails

Summer Nails by wiseacrewisedom featuring essie nail polish

Summer Flip Flops.....

Summer Flip Flops..... by wiseacrewisedom featuring shiny shoes

Callisto shiny shoes
$70 - nordstrom.com

J.Crew capri shoes
$55 - jcrew.com

Marshmallow Madness.........

Yesterday, a dear friend of ours came over to teach us how to make homemade marshmallows!!

It was so much fun!!

Here is my final child during the process:

Here are the completed squares of deliciousness:

We had so much fun!

Hope your Wednesday was full of light, fluffy, yumminess!!

Tile Thoughts???.........

So......

A few posts ago I mentioned that I may tackle my tile backsplash...

Any thoughts about this:

or this.......

I have never done tile work before but think it may be worth a college try!

A beautiful, mild day here in the South West!  

Wish I could say the past 24 hours were as mildly pleasant inside my four walls as they were outside them.  

But that story is for another day..........

A calm, peaceful Monday blessing to you and yours.....

Everyday face........

Everyday face........ by wiseacrewisedom featuring a lip gloss

Christian Dior waterproof mascara
£23 - johnlewis.com

Bare Escentuals makeup
£25 - johnlewis.com

Bare Escentuals lip gloss
$18 - bareescentuals.com

Beauty product
$32 - josiemarancosmetics.com

The Wedding........

"Marriage is more than something personal-it is a status, an office.  Just as it is the crown, and not merely the will to rule that makes the king, so it is marriage and not merely your love for each other, that joins you together in the sight of God and man."

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, 1943

Today my husband and I were guests of a wedding.  
The bride is a very dear friend of mine.  The bride's father is the Pastor that married my husband and I almost 22 years ago.

It was a a lovely wedding.  

Bright Gerber daisies abundantly about.... in the bouquets, the wedding cake and the bride's hair.  The bride's maids wore spring floral dresses and the groomsmen wore simple, but handsome, slacks and ties.  There were colorful handmade flowers that hung from the church trees on this gorgeous summer day.

I am always taken back to the day of my own wedding every time I am in attendance of the occasion.  I remember being excited and terrified at the same time.  My husband and I certainly were prayerful about our decision to become husband and wife, yet the ability to sustain a successful union seemed a considerable gamble considering my upbringing.

Could I possibly find a partner who was Godly and believed in the commitment of marriage as much as I?  

I had my doubts......

But 22 years later, on this gorgeous summer afternoon, I held the arm of the man that would fulfill these risky, hopelessly fairytale-like notions.  We didn't just have the desire to be married when we wed that day long ago.  We also had the deep desire to treat our marriage like the trinity that it was and is.  Our marriage would be/is like a triangle.  We must undoubtedly consider each other, but also find guidance, comfort, forgiveness, respect, adoration and praise from that third party. The most important party.  If we could remain focused on Him, we felt we could sustain ANYTHING........

and here we remain....

I don't claim to know the secrets to sustain a long, successful marriage.  At times, our marriage almost runs on auto pilot and others takes a village to just trudge along.  But I do know that without God as the center, I think each of us would agree that we would not be here.  No way....No how!

I believe in marriage, I love being married.

My love and happiness are with Chad and Kiersten today...

and always....

May you always stay focused on God as the center of your lives........

xxxooo

  

All My Birds in the Nest.....

This morning, my daughter and I went to visit her pony and she had a riding lesson.

It was a gorgeous morning, pleasantly brisk with a twilight-like sunlight.  

It was lovely...

Then all five of us piled in the car, like old times.  All five of us in tow, we went to visit my in-laws.  We spent a lovely afternoon with them, catching up on the last week or so, eating snickerdoodle cookies.  

Also.......lovely.....

Finally the five of us, including my "post wisdom teeth" sophomore, headed out for pizza!

It is truly a holistic experience for me when we spend time together as a family.  When all five of us are connected and present.  When we can laugh at our synchronicities that seem to remain cohesive no matter how long we have been apart.  When we can recognize the individuality of our unique "buttons".....When we can find humor in the navigation and predictability of each of our "landmines".....

This is what makes us a family.....

These are the moments that bind us together....

There are great memories in the special vacations shared or the special events we celebrate together....            ..

But sometimes, it these small, unplanned moments that are the most priceless.....

I will rest my head tonight being so thankful for this family I am so lucky to call mine....

Wisdom Teeth......Extracted!!

Here is what's going on lately around here:

Yep.....My sophomore had his wisdom teeth pulled.  

He is handling the pain pretty well and his swelling isn't the worst I have seen.

I am glad its over and its a great excuse to wait on him!!

Its hard to believe that this young man is this adorable baby:

I miss this age and hanging out on the couch watching Teletubbies!!

For now I will enjoy watching him sleep, making him milkshakes, mash potatoes and strawberry smoothies.......

Summer Project.......Tile Backsplash?

Today, as the sun set, you could easily see the gloom of June rolling in.....

It doesn't allow for our typically picturesque sunsets but it does keep the onset of summer-heat at bay.  And the heat is coming.....it won't be long now.....

The "lazy days of summer" have not arrived yet.  Not sure if they ever really do but my d.i.y. project list has already begun.

I am thinking about a tackling a tile back splash in the kitchen.....

I do have a few note worthy D.I.Y. projects under my belt:

*  Moulding, paint, stain - kitchen cabinets

*  Various refinishing projects

*  Faux wood grain-french doors

*  Painted brick patio

*  Landscaped front yard

*  Hounds tooth wing-chair slipcovers

*  Coffee table to leather ottoman

* Living room panel moulding/chair rail/floorboards

*  Picture frame moulding on bathroom mirrors

*  "Carriage" garage doors

*  Joint compound over brick fireplace

*  Garage to man-cave

*Loft bed 

So.........this Summer I am thinking about a tackling a tile back splash.

When we moved into our current home it was PINK.  Not on the outside but on the inside.  The walls, the floor boards, the sinks, tub, light fixtures, floor tile, and kitchen back splash were all PINK!

I replaced all the pink light fixtures myself.  I had all the bathroom sinks and the tub resurfaced, the walls and floor boards have been replaced or repainted, and I painted the kitchen back splash tile.

I am now thinking about trying to re tile it myself.

I have never done any tile work so I am apprehensive.

I will post some ideas later about what to replace it with.

If you have any thoughts or recommendations on tiling I love the information!

Happy Monday!!

The Father of My Heart......

Father of all that is true goodness and love......

Your love fills the vessels of my soul.  

Your mercy is the boundless limits of my heart.  

Your comfort blankets the deep, aching wounds that pain.

Your grace gifts my undeserving mortal being.

Your strength is the foundation of my temple.

You light my path in righteousness and truth.

Your wisdom guides the direction of my footsteps.....

Your forgiveness frees the chains that keep me bound..

I am your child.......

And Your Love makes me whole....

My Children's Father.....

The second conversation I ever had with my husband, he shared with me his desire to have 4 children.  He also shared that he was a Christian, and not just by name, but the actual living one. 

 It was after this night that I knew I would like to spend the rest of my life with him.  

I knew I wanted my children to have him for a father.

I could share so many stories that would warm your heart about my husband and his children.  I know the things he treasures most in the world and is most grateful for is our children.  

Like his father, he has been basketball coach and mission trip chaperone.  He has driven thousands of miles attending every game, play, dance recital and church milestone.  No matter how tired he might be, he pushes himself to be ever present with our children.  He is respectful and never talks at them but to them.  He is the kind of father that my children's friends like.  He is patient and takes the time to listen, even when they have become aliens (teenagers)!  He is never judgemental and is keenly in-tune with each of their individual personalities and needs.  Is is quick to help and slow to anger.  

He still tucks in our 12 year old daughter every night with bedtime prayers and has an individual handshake series with the boys.  A handshake they have done since they were toddlers.

He is the kind of father every child deserves and thrives on.  

I praise God for this man and for the blessings of his love for our children. 

 His legacy will live on in them for the rest of their lives.....

I cant wait to see what his gifts are as a grandfather....

Well, hold on!......

Maybe I can wait a few more years for that!!!!

(Let's not be too hasty!)

:)

My Father-in-Love......

My Father-in-Law (Love)......
There are so many qualities in my Father-in-Law that I didn't have in either father in my life.  There are so many qualities that I respect and admire about him.  Its many of these qualities that have been taught and instilled in my husband which made me fall in love with him.
My Father-in-Law is the kind of man who was the coach of the baseball and basketball teams.  The kind of coach who you would desire for your child.  He led with a gentle spirit and a genuine kindness.  The kind that children could sense and immediately trust.
He was the father that came to every event.  Every game, every school function, every Sunday school milestone.  He was the kind of father who ate dinner with his family most nights.  And all the while, was the president of a large company.
After 10 grandchildren, he works very hard to make many of their games, plays, tournaments or shows.  He will sometimes spend an entire Saturday traveling from event to event.
I would also call him a problem solver or a solution seeker.  If you ever needed advice, he would always take the time to survey and carefully analyze the situation before offering his opinion.  He is quick to lend a helping hand or an ear to counsel.
I appreciate his warm heart and the value he holds for his family.
He is tirelessly dedicated to whatever he sets his mind to.  He raised his family with a love for God and a heart for service.  He is generous and forgiving and has a wonderful sense of humor.
I am truly thankful for this man I am honored to call my Father-in-Law.  

The Quiet Intellect...Fathers part 2.....

So.....
My parents both remarried within 10 days of each other in the same year.  It was a little weird.
We were in both weddings, one in a church and one in my grandparent's backyard.

My Step-Father was an only child.  He was born in Montana and had a Step-Mother of his own around 12 years old (approx.)  His mother passed away, I believe, of cancer.  He is a veteran and later became a veterinarian.  He put himself through school working for the railroad (I believe).

At the time he married my mother, they both were divorced and single parents.  My step-father's ex-wife suffered from a mental illness, however together, they had a son.  So my step-father brought with him a 4 year old son.  It actually was pretty neat for awhile having two little brothers.  He was only a year younger than my own brother so they were built-in-buddies.  This step-brother was pretty protective of my step-father and quite adverse to having a new step-mom.

There are many things I admire about a man who commits to take on a woman with 2 children.  He not only commits to her but to us as well.
My step-father was quiet but very kind and provided us with a stable home.  In contrast to the environment with my step-mother, he was completely opposite. He wasn't emotional or judgemental.  He didn't care what we wore or even what we thought of him.  He never disciplined us.  He left that to my mom.  I guess he didn't feel like it was his place.  He never got involved with my biological father.  In all the conflicts that there were I only remember a handful of times where he stepped in not for a physical altercation but to end the arguing.  I admire him for that.  For not pulling his weight or power as the new-head-of-the-household.  He was respectful of us and his role as our step-father.

He also taught us the value of a strong work ethic.  In all his years as a veterinarian I think he may have missed 4-5 days of work.  He NEVER missed work, ever!!!  He was punctual and dependable.  He loved what he did and it showed.  We spent alot of time at his office and he taught us so much about animals.  We watched many surgeries.  We participated in many c-sections.  He showed us things under his microscope.  He let us blow up his disposable gloves and make water squirters with new, empty syringes.  We helped clean exam tables, file and even answer phones.  Yes, on occasion, we also cleaned the dog runs!! Yuck!
My Step-Father was also an angler.
Our first boat was called 'Gin on the Rocks' and the second was called 'Unreel'.  My Step-Father was the president of his angling club and also held a couple of world records for awhile.  He was also a scuba diver.
We spent alot of weekends on these boats.  My step-father would chase whales so we could see them up close.  He would catch sharks so we could feel their skin and boil their jaws for teeth.  We swam with dolphins and chatted with sea otters.  It wasn't my favorite thing to do so I opted to spend alot of time with my grandmother on many of these outings.  But I appreciated the passion my step-father had for the ocean and the opportunities he took to teach us about it's creatures.  To this day I still have an appreciation for it and have many good memories of the time we spent on those boats.
Growing up, most of my day to day memories are of him in his room with his head in a book.  He is an intellect and an introvert.  Both of those characteristics do not make the most conducive environment for children.  I wish that he had been more present and engaged in what we were doing and feeling.
Overall, he was a respectable father who did the best that he could.  He was kind, respectful and he was committed to the job.
I sometimes tell my children the most important thing you can do in your life, in anything you commit to, is to "show up".  For this, I am thankful.  He "showed up".
Today, I talk to my step-father very often because my mom is fatally ill.
One-on-one, he is more open with his emotions and I appreciate that.  I enjoy our conversations and I am thankful for the love and dedication he has to my mom.  Its quite difficult this past year and in spite of the struggles...
he "shows up"........
everyday....

The First Father I Ever Met.......

Father's Day is almost here!  

Its a day to celebrate all the wonderful fathers I have been so blessed to have in my life.

Being an adult child of divorce, I have a biological Father as well as a Step-Father.  I have had a Father-in-Law for almost 22 years as well as an adoring, loving, godly man who fathers my own children.  

I am blessed....

I have always been a person who tries to wake up everyday grateful to be alive and "soldier-forward".  There are days I do that much better than others.

With Father's Day coming, I think I will dedicate a post to each of the fathers in my life, today being the first one I ever knew and the profound impact of that primal, important relationship.

I am the adult product of an unplanned teenage pregnancy.  And I am absolutely grateful to God for His plan and purpose for my life.  I am thankful to my parents for making the choice to chose my life and try and make a go of it.
I don't remember much about those first 5 years.  I have a few snapshots in my mind and a couple of short movie clips. However, overall, there are really very few memories of us as a family.  One of those short video clips is on the actual day my father left.  I was 5 my brother was 3.  It was a terribly sad day....... as anyone would imagine.

I remember the court requiring every-other-weekend visits and we did those....
for awhile.......

When I was 7, my Father remarried 10 days before my Mom remarried.  I should mention here that my Father was Catholic.  In order to be married in the Catholic Church he had to have his first marriage annulled.  Here is the Wikipedia definition of annulment: to nullify; void: meaning that an annulled marriage is considered to be invalid from the beginning almost as if it had never taken place. 
This is such a crazy idea to me!
 This man had 2 children!  Were they now non-existent?

I considered myself to be a Catholic until I was married and became Lutheran.  This "annulment" business is one of the things I dislike very much about Catholicism.

It was a confusing time but my brother and I were accepting and welcoming to both new marriages.  I don't remember either one of us having any negative feelings.  Its just the was it was.  I think most children are very willing and much better than us adults at accepting what comes.  For some reason it gets alot harder as we age.

The young woman my father married was 20 at the time of their marriage.....we were 13 years apart.  This would prove to be troublesome over time.  Not quite old enough to feel motherly. Just old enough to breed contempt.
It became evident to my brother and I that it was important that we cater to her very fragile emotional insecurities.  She would cry if we didn't like what she served us for dinner and complain about how we dressed.  She was critical and judgemental and my father was anxious to be supportive of this new wife. He would often have "talks" with us that would plea for our pleasing behavior, praising adoration, and the model "Stepford" children she requested.
We started to be required to wear certain clothes while we stayed with them.  We would change when we arrived and be sent home in the clothes we arrived in.  It was quite weird.

There was alot of turmoil between my biological father and mother.  Battles that raged on for years after they had remarried and moved on with their lives.  There were more court dates, police visits and drama.  It was painful, uncomfortable and awful.  Things really escalated when my Father had my half-brother.  Again, I remember my brother and I being loving and excited with this new baby in our lives but I think the impact on my brother became too painful.  He loved this new baby brother, but I am sure he also felt in some way he was being replaced, compared or even overlooked.  That my Father's hopes and dreams were somehow transferred to this new being.

I don't want to pretend to know the opinions or even feelings of my brother here.
Please accept these as my opinions only.  Not his.

There would be another brother added a few years later and this is when my brother made a decision to stop these weekend visits.  It was too much.  I, however, had a deep desire to try and make it work and focus on the good things.  To this moment, I still cannot decide if this was a wise decision.  Perhaps I could have saved myself  from alot of pain if I wasn't so naive.  Sometimes that "soldiering forward" attitude gets me into alot of trouble.  It keeps me from taking note of the landmines I am dodging along the way.........
hhhhhmmmmmm.....
Anyway, eventually this step-mom tired of these "children-from-the-first-marriage" and it became too uncomfortable for us to be there.  There were just easier things to do like; seeing our friends, watching TV or even doing homework.  We just became an obligation and we felt it.

 That was it.
No phone calls, no birthday cards, nothing.

Again, that "soldiering forward" attitude reared its ugly head when I became engaged.  I wondered about this father I hadn't seen in years.  What became of him and did he miss us? Could we rebuild what was lost?  Could I understand why he made the choices he had? I was so sure that he did and that we could.

So.......
I wrote him a letter.

He agreed to meet me and my brother at a park.  We went and it wasn't what I expected at all.  He didn't miss us or think about us.  He had his family and we were like long-lost, distant relatives.
 My brother didn't say a word.
 I could feel his old pain rising to the surface and my heart broke that day.  I stood up for my brother that day, defending him and us.  I felt protective of those two small children that this "Father" had emotionally and physically abandoned.  The end of the conversation went like this.....he would have to talk to his wife and see if she would allow us to have a relationship with them.

My brother never had a relationship with them again.
 That would be the second to last time he would see him.
The last one was a brief encounter at my brother's wedding.

My father got his permission slip and I accepted the right to make a presence.  I was thrilled to see my brothers.  I loved them and whatever pain was being caused to detour our relationship, I felt I could overcome it in order to see them.

 I did.....
for awhile...

Fast forward through the ugly details, I don't see my father anymore.
His permission slip was revoked.
 She could not stand that our relationship was growing.  I became a competitor for her husband's attention and an apparent rival to his affections.
  It was really pathetic and sick.
I had to seek pastoral and therapeutic counsel to "soldier forward" through this one.
  It was devastating.

But my father, again, made a choice.... A choice not to be a part of my life.
At some small, minuscule, level....at the time, I tried to understand my father's desire to be supportive of a wife who was ready to talk divorce if he did not fulfill this demand.  He had been through a divorce already, a bad one.  He was in his second half of life.  He didn't want to fail again or be alone.

But I am a Mom now......
there isn't a husband, a child or a human being on the planet that could keep me away from my children.

NO WAY, NO HOW!!!

I say, man-up!!
I say, strap some on!!!
 I say get a life!!!

And what kind of monster would keep a father from his children or make this kind of implorable demand?
 Not a woman of God.  Not a woman who values the relationship between a parent and child.
 A woman who is severely insecure, clinically delusional and insanely jealous.

OK...I apologize.....that was the hurt talking but I had to get it out!!

I have moved forward from this part of my life.
I know God knows all the plans He has for me, "plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:10-12.

 I trust those plans and the things that I have learned from them.
I know God is preparing me for the things I will need to know later.  I am truly grateful for them, no matter how painful.
And there are days and moments when those feelings rise to the surface and I might need an extra hug or some words of encouragement.
And I wake up the next day and "soldier forward".....thankful for the love of God.
That He is the Father I can put all my trust in.
That I am enough.
That I am created perfectly, to Him.
That He will never, ever, abandon me.
That He has created me with the same love He has for His children.
A love that surpasses all understanding.
A love that no man can come between.
A love that will withstand all the hardships of life.
A love that I can count on, rely on, and KNOW.
A love that will last......
forever and ever.
Amen!

The Look of Love......

Want to know what love looks like???

This is my firstborn and my final child.  These (and my sophomore) are my greatest blessings.....

And the love they have for each other.............is.............a marvel.

It has always been something we have tried to share with them.  That someday, my husband and I may not be here.....o.k., in fact, someday we WONT be here......and the relationship between their siblings will be invaluable.  We have prayed for these relationships, and so far, there is more love between them than we could have ever dreamed of.  For this we are blessed beyond measure and even more grateful.

Its these relationships that will teach them so much about love.  About the commitment it takes to prioritize relationships, communicate, resolve problems, share joy, share sorrow and the value of family.

Someday, as they grow and are blessed with a family of there own, I hope they continue to nurture this relationship.  I hope they continue to encourage each other, pray for each other, go-to-bat for each other, call each other out when needed and continue to love each other like crazy through it all.

May they always know what love looks like!

Far too Rare a Day.........

Today was one of those rare days that my heart is thirsty for....

I spent most of the day with my Sophomore, picking up a few much need things for summer....

We washed the car, picked up some sandwiches, spent some time with final child's pony and drove to my Sophomore's music lesson....

One of those slow, quality days, that I wish were more abundant.....

Sometimes our schedules get so busy it feels like we are treading water instead of just floating....

Today was all about floating and enjoying the scenery with my sophomore, listening to his heart,  beaming with pride at this human I have been so gifted to raise....

Today was what I live for.....

These days far too rare but they are what all those days in between, of trying to keep my head above water, are about.....

A day like today fills the depths of my soul and makes me grateful....so very grateful....

to be a Mom....

The Fruits of the Orchard and the Sprirt.......

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."

Galatians 5:22-23

Today I did my chores in the orchard and was reminded of this verse.  It happens often, both the chores and this verse.  Especially in the spring when the trees are revealing their first fruits......

These are the oranges:

They smell heavenly in February when they are just orange blossoms...

These are the pomegranates:

Every year in September or October we juice these to make Pomegranate jelly.  We give them away at Christmas time.

These are the figs:  

 I don't care for figs but I hear they are tasty.  We sell them at our local farmers market.

These are the apples:

They always make excellent apple pies in the fall.

Believe it or not, these will be macadamia nuts:

These will be the pears:

We still are not exactly sure the name of these.  We think they are the star fruit or a Mexican fruit:

These melt in your mouth like butter......

These will be the peaches.....

unless the critters get to them first.....

These are the avocados:

Probably our favorite fruit, ever!!! Did you know they were a fruit???

That's what our orchard looks like today if you took a stroll through the stone pathway we laid in it almost 10 years ago.  Its peaceful, its alot of work and its also a place where you can hear the whisper of God.  Mostly in the spring, mostly in May and June....when the the trees are green with life and they have to be trimmed away from the walkway as they practically reach out for your ear.....when the first fruits begin to paint themselves with the color of the nourishment they promise...

That's when they speak the loudest....when they are bursting with the promise of wholeness....when they whisper the nourishment they so long to share with us.....

the kind that only God can fill us with....

Walls and Layers.......

Once again, God revealed to me another amazing thing about my daughter.

Sometimes its in the small accomplishments that I am overcome with this familiar swell in my heart.  A test she worked tirelessly to study for,  an awesome new trait in horsemanship she has practiced over and over again,  or picking herself up off the ground, literally, on a particularly hard morning........ 

She deeply inspires me and at at times I am certain that God sent her into my arms to be my teacher.

Today, she revealed yet another gift......she taught me something I didn't know she could interpret.  A task we all experience on a daily basis.....an innate ability we take for granted......a quality some of us never quite master....

Today, as she shared whatever the dose of  "daily-school-drama" had served, she explained that all people had...

 "walls".  

"Like bananas, people have lots of layers"........

"Some have small walls and some have very tall ones....

Some have just a few walls and some have many".....

She further professed that not only could she see people's walls but she felt like she could also figure out how to break them down.  Some people had much tougher walls to break than others, some walls took alot longer than others to crack......

She expounded on this revelation in regards to a particular friend that was very possessive of her and wanted an almost exclusive friendship....This 'friend' was causing alot of drama to fulfill this desire....

My daughter.......

MY daughter.......

The child of my heart whom I had surmised was not capable at this time in her life to understand how to read people's feelings, interpreted these subtle, human nuances.   Not the feelings people actually verbalized, but the ones they kept hidden.  The truths they cover up in false accusations, in hurtful agendas and in spiteful actions.

  My daughter is understanding the complexity of the human heart.  

That we are so much more than we reveal on the surface.  That we are multi-faceted and we sometimes say things we do not mean.  We occasionally have hidden agendas that do not reflect our best intentions.  That we sometimes build walls to protect ourselves from past hurts.  That the airs we put on can be radically different than the reality that lies within us.

Again, I am amazed by her intuitive instincts.  I am so thankful for the actualization of her accomplishments.

I am once again reminded that with God....

"All things are possible".......

           Matthew 19:26

Very Soon.....Very Soon........

As my freshman's (I mean sophomore's) second official day of summer uneventfully rolls by, my final child is in the final three day countdown.  Her last day of school is this Friday.  She finished, hopefully, her last homework assignment for the year today!! I might be even more excited than she is!!  My firstborn finishes finals next Tuesday.  He hasn't yet reached the adrenaline rush of his final days, I'm sure.  He is knee deep in the thick of his studies, I hope!

My final child is the only member of our family that hasn't made the trip to see our college freshman's campus digs yet.  She will finally get to see him and the painfully small place he has called home this past year.  When you have never toured a college dormitory before, it really is a culture shock.  Its very small, very dirty and very crowded (both with people and stuff).  However shocking, she is thrilled to go visit her big brother and put together all those pictures she has made in her head of his far away place in the world.

So......

very soon......

very soon.......

all my ducklings will finally be back in the nest!!! I can't wait!! All my most treasured faces will be sitting at their rightful place at the dinner table.....Our dinner prayer will be complete with all the voices that make it music to my heart.......

However.....

My firstborn has a Maui trip planned with college friends, my sophomore has a mission trip planned in New Orleans, and my final child has alot of plans with her pony and friends.  Collectively we wont be taking any vacations this year.  Over our 22 year marriage we historically vacation every three years.  Its just not in the annual budget.  But when we do get away we savor every moment together, feeling very grateful for the opportunity, where ever it takes us.......

I cannot wait until we are all under the same roof again.  Just days away......

We will be whole again!!!

Very soon.....very soon......

The First Day with No Agenda.....

Today, my new sophomore, had his first 'real' day of summer vacation.  Yesterday were appointments all about his teeth.  Today is the first day he was completely without an itinerary.  

About 2:15 this afternoon, he didn't know what to do with himself, already!

Aawwww......the irony of the painfully slow, final days of school.......anticipating, with baited breath, the long-awaited, dog days of summer.  When they finally arrive, we don't know what to do with ourselves.  

I used the collective word "we" here even though I have created a long list of summer projects I cant wait to have time for.  I do this list every year in May, hoping to tackle large organizing projects, painting or refinishing ideas, or anything that might take me outdoors as soon as the last textbooks have been turned in.

As we age, it feels like there are just not enough days nor enough time to squeeze in all the unrequired tasks we long to accomplish.  Sometimes my creative energy is bursting at the seems and my list gets way too optimistic and entirely impossible to execute.  But it is so much fun hoping, planning and imagining how great it would feel to check them all off before school consumes us, once again.

I hope your days of summer have arrived or are on their way.....

I hope you victoriously tackle some of those large projects you have been keeping in your "Maybe Summer" file......

And I hope you have as many days as time allows of complete, utterly delicious, 

boredom.....

The "Wisest Teeth"....

My freshman, officially a sophomore now, booked an appointment for his wisdom teeth extraction.....

My firstborn had his pulled at 17.  I had mine pulled at 19.  My husband,  the apparent wise molar preserver, continues to successfully detain this pleasantry.

I did a little research on the wisdom teeth.  Our ancestors needed them to help break down all the plants they used to eat.  The wisdom teeth, larger than the other molars, helped break down the cellulose in the plant cell wall to help aid in digestion.  The name "Wisdom Teeth" is derived from the Latin translation "dens sapientiae" which means "third molar tooth".  35% of the population do not develop wisdom teeth at all.  The determining gene is the PAX9 gene.  100% of the Tasmanian Aborigines carry the gene and nearly 0% of Indigenous Mexicans.


Interesting how these "Wise" teeth, unnecessary to us modern humans, will cost me an arm and a leg to remove, by necessity, I am told......


June is upon us and so is the "gloom" that sometimes accompanies it.  For us south westerners, this cool, over-cast weather is almost welcomed.  It will be the last month we will have a low electric bill until mid to late October.  We will be cranking up the air conditioners and await rolling black-out schedules and try to plan accordingly.  Its just part of the lifestyle here.  We have unquestionably the best climate on the planet most of the year and our Summers are not nearly as hot as others around the globe.  But the Summer does heat up and our wallets do suffer for the luxury and convenience of alittle A/C.


So today, I am enjoying the cool weather, my low A/C bill and few more days with my Sophomore's dens sapientiae...............

A High School Alumni...Officially!

Well.....it's official...

My niece is now a high school alumni!!

Here is the completed cake I did for the occasion:

The "2012" numbers were from 

Vintage Confections

They have really unique items which will make your head spin with creative ideas for your next confectionery concoction.

We also celebrate the 23rd birthday of my oldest nephew, today.  He is away with friends for the weekend but hopefully he got my text this morning and knows how much he is celebrated!

Today is a day of catching up on household tasks that didn't get done this past week.  

We slept in (its been forever since we did that) and look forward to a whole day at home.

Hope your Saturday is relaxing and peaceful!!