i am from

I am from a family dinner time, from Kraft Macaroni and Cheese,

and from tea towels as napkins.

I am from the big, brick house in town...old, lived in, and cozy,

with a front porch swing.

I am from the yellow and orange Marigolds and purple and white Pansie flower beds,

the weathered and worn, wooden privacy fence,

the dusty, gravel driveway.

I am from too-crowded Thanksgiving tables, and big eaters,

from Viola Katherine and Blanche Faye

and Wood.

I am from a quiet, listener-observer,

and sappy, emotional women.

From the Blizzard of 1978,

and the rescuing arms of a big brother.

I am from Safe Christianity.

Old, wooden pews, hymns of piano and organ,

Christmas Pageants, and Easter Lillies.

I'm from small-town Goshen, Ohio.

From Big-City Cincinnati,

Skyline Chili and Buddy LaRosa's Pizza.

From the Grandpa with no shoes, a cold bed, and lumpy oatmeal,

the father who had a pony and a pool and chocolate cake for breakfast,

and the mother who held a latch-key and her Daddy's Heart.

I am from cardboard boxes of family photos, not yet stuck in albums.

Thirty-two years, frozen in time,

by 35 mm film.

daybook, february 15th

Outside my Window...an ugly, winter, snow-less, gray, cold day

 

From the learning rooms...no school today, Brian is OFF for President's Day...we never get any schoolwork done when he is home

 

I am thankful for...another day

 

From the kitchen...pancakes for breakfast, spaghetti for lunch, pork roast and mashed potatoes for dinner

I am wearing...my red nightgown and my pink Susan Branch jammie pants and Brian's socks

I am reading...Caleb's Story

 

I am praying and hoping...the weather holds up, so the Boys can get OUTSIDE to play and get some ENERGY out!!!

 

I am creating...I made my own Valentine Treat Bags and Valentine's Cards for the KIDS, I was very proud of myself...too proud...I need to learn a CREATIVE SKILL...I'm officially taking up knitting (I think I may have already said that...a few months ago:)

 

I am hearing...Judah getting fussy, Bedtime Stories on DVD. We've been being serenaded by Korinne and her Recorder Playing for the last day. The girls and I are taking a Music Theory class at church, and she joined the little Recorder Group yesterday. She's pretty good!

 

Around the house...We made the Big Switch this weekend, so things are all discombobulated still. Former Dining Room is empty, our Bedroom is now the Learning Room/Dining Room, the Girls' Bedroom is now our Bedroom, the Spare Room is now the Girls' Bedroom. It's all much cozier, but we need a new Dining Room Table for the Dining Room. One that seats 9. No worries, my BELOVED KITCHEN TABLE will FOREVER remain in our home. It's the perfect size for a Learning Room Table. I need to find a Clear Tablecloth, so we can put our map of America back on it. We used a shower curtain before, and it just didn't work. I think I may find some way to adhere the map to the actual table-top too...

 

I am remembering...how I used to watch Ice Skating with my Mom. Now the Girls and I are watching together. They love it as much as my Grandma, my Mom and I do. So sweet. Have I ever mentioned how I LOVE having Daughters to share my life with?

I am going...hopefully to the Library and WalMart soon. Boo is wearing Jude's diappies...YES, I am that Mom who forgets to put things like DIAPERS on the Grocery List.

 

On my mind...Romance. Is there an inappropriate age for it? To love someone is good, right? My children see Brian and I KISS, and HUG, and KISS, and TOUCH, and HUG, and KISS, and LAUGH, and KISS, and TOUCH, and SMILE, and HOLD. I want my children to see this part of us. I want them to want that, and not SETTLE to be without it. It is so good to feel your heart beating fast and hard for your Beloved. If they don't KNOW this...if they are not exposed to this...if you don't show them it's GOOD...how will they respond when they FEEL it...because they will FEEL it.

 

Noticing that...permanent marker smell may be permanent

 

Pondering these words..."Take it to the Lord in prayer."

 

One of my favorite things...baskets

 

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...ballet, youth group, ballet, missions class, eye appts, ballet, dentist appts, church

daybook, february 8th

Outside my Window...more snow, lots of big, wet, fluffy flakes

 

From the learning rooms...We started Story of the World Volume 2 today, yay!

 

I am thankful for...not having to keep a list

 

From the kitchen...we had Buffalo Chicken Dip and Cocoa Nutty Football Treats for dinner last night (Superbowl Sunday), Pancakes for breakfast, PBJs for lunch, and I'm making a Spaghetti Dinner tonight

 

I am wearing...a long sleeve Army tee and jeans

 

I am reading...On the Shores of Silver Lake and Skylark

I am praying and hoping...the weather is good for my Mom, Sister, and Nephews to come down in 2 weeks, I want to have a FUN weekend with them, I miss the boys (and you too Mom and Rikki)!!!

I am creating...a neater, more organized HMB, Tara posted a great system last week

I am hearing...Job 11 and 12 on my earbuds

 

Around the house...laundry's a little behind and this computer desk needs a little TLC

 

I am remembering...what it was like to have to get 2 little bitty girls to school in bad, winter weather...thankful for homeschooling

 

I am going...nowhere...again, Ballet class is cancelled due to more snow

 

On my mind...Valentine's Day, I need to pull some things together to celebrate with the kids

 

Noticing that...even a 10 minute morning nap will keep Benjamin from taking his normal one :(

 

Pondering these words..."He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels. " Revelation 3:5

 

One of my favorite things...comments in my inbox

 

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...ballet, missions class, youth group, cub scouts, and a 4-day weekend courtesy of the U S Army (do you get 2 days off work for President's Day?)

daybook, february 1st

Outside my Window...sunshine, blue skies, and lots of leftover, icy snow

From the learning rooms...Paul's third missionary trip

I am thankful for...payday

From the kitchen...oatmeal with butter, cream and sugar for breakfast, leftover chili for lunch, and something with chicken for dinner

I am wearing...khaki corduroy pants and my purpley-pinkish long sleeve tee

I am reading...I read Sarah, Plain and Tall last night. Mine and Brian's 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Sullivan, read it aloud to us. I wanted to re-read it because the girls enjoyed it...Brian didn't remember it at all

I am praying and hoping...tomorrow's court hearing goes well

I am creating...a grocery list for Brian, and tax documents for Angelo

I am hearing...Connor softly murmuring the words of Cam Jansen as he "reads to himself", Judah yawning over and over again as I gently bounce him in his seat at my feet, and my George Winston Playlist

Around the house...our bedroom and both bathrooms need cleaned

I am remembering...how quickly babies grow into toddlers, as Judah and I try and get through these tiresome, fussy weeks

I am going...nowhere. Everything is still closed..don't you know it snowed 7 inches here on Friday!

On my mind...my little sister

Noticing that...Judah looks more like Wesley every day

Pondering these words..."But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law." - Galations 5: 22-23

One of my favorite things...my pink IPod nano that Brian and the kids got me for my birthday. It has our entire Word of Promise audio bible on it, and I'm about to add all my favorite piano music

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...we'll just see how long it takes for the town to recover from the winter storm