I spent a good chunk of my life in a city, not a huge city, but a European city where the population is concentrated together more than most American cities. I got really used to public transportation, beggars, and small little neighborhood shops.
I can confirm that I am definitely not a city girl.
I grew up in a suburb, a neighborhood built for people to sleep and eat in and then go to work 15 or 20 minutes away. It is a beautiful neighborhood, with tall trees and manicured lawns. I have so many good memories there and it warms my heart to see my kids playing in the same places I did.
But my heart isn't really in the suburbs.
I am a small town girl. I love going down the street and naming who I know (or knew) in each house. I love that my son took horseback lessons from the mayor and if my water pressure is low, my 3rd grade teachers wife is who I call.
In a world where we are glued to our cell phones, connect with others virtually, and have such struggles with loneliness, there is a deep joy in the web of love that cradles me in this small town.
Today we are celebrate this nation, and I also celebrate my hometown.
Friday, July 4, 2014
Thursday, July 3, 2014
Im back. . .
This is my stone to throw to the world. . .
I left this blog because I had so many pressing things, i didnt know what to do and this seemed optional.
Over a year later, the list isnt shorter, but the discussion at Melissa's blog has reminded me of all the good fruit I have received from blogs over the years.
So I am going to try again. 5 minutes, thats all. Whatever I have on my mind is what will come out. Well, with some filters. :)
It is a cool day today and i am going to spend as much time outside weeding as I can. The garden is doing so great this year, but the weeds are growing too.
Notes to myself:
Vacationing in June is way better for the gardener's timeframe. Everything is in the ground by then but there is not anything needing to be picked yet (except strawberries).
Mulch next year as you are planting. Digging out weeds in July and laying down newspaper is much harder. and less effective.
Planning for next year in my head. We are studying US history. Thankful that we have so many books already. Thankful for a good library. I am figuring out what are the most important books to read. This is the last year my oldest will be doing the same history as us, so I want to make it a fun, memorable year.
More tomorrow. . .
I left this blog because I had so many pressing things, i didnt know what to do and this seemed optional.
Over a year later, the list isnt shorter, but the discussion at Melissa's blog has reminded me of all the good fruit I have received from blogs over the years.
So I am going to try again. 5 minutes, thats all. Whatever I have on my mind is what will come out. Well, with some filters. :)
It is a cool day today and i am going to spend as much time outside weeding as I can. The garden is doing so great this year, but the weeds are growing too.
Notes to myself:
Vacationing in June is way better for the gardener's timeframe. Everything is in the ground by then but there is not anything needing to be picked yet (except strawberries).
Mulch next year as you are planting. Digging out weeds in July and laying down newspaper is much harder. and less effective.
Planning for next year in my head. We are studying US history. Thankful that we have so many books already. Thankful for a good library. I am figuring out what are the most important books to read. This is the last year my oldest will be doing the same history as us, so I want to make it a fun, memorable year.
More tomorrow. . .
Monday, April 15, 2013
a pledge- no new projects
i have 12 weeks til this baby comes. It may be an ENFJ thing, but I get inspired to start a project, and somewhere get distracted and set the project aside. I love it when things are finished, but sometimes going the last mile is slow in happening. So, I am committing here in the public arena- NO NEW PROJECTS! I have so much to finish, there will not be enough time before baby comes, but I can hope.
Here are projects that I have started and not finished . . . yet:
timeline notebook with boys
medical bills binder
file system for next year homeschooling
close out accounts from homeschool group
begin accounts for next year homeschool group
knitted washcloth
knitted tshirt bath rug
knitted baby poncho
maternity shirt
research paper
superhero puppets
This is just what I remember off the top of my head. There are more, I am sure that i have forgotten. I will add them as a remember and cross off the completed ones.
Here are projects that I have started and not finished . . . yet:
timeline notebook with boys
medical bills binder
file system for next year homeschooling
close out accounts from homeschool group
begin accounts for next year homeschool group
knitted washcloth
knitted tshirt bath rug
knitted baby poncho
maternity shirt
research paper
superhero puppets
This is just what I remember off the top of my head. There are more, I am sure that i have forgotten. I will add them as a remember and cross off the completed ones.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
God as air
For my agnostic, atheist friends,
We have sat up late together. Over mugs of hot steaming tea or chilled glasses of wine. On a front porch in the Romanian summer heat. On cushy couches while winter played outside.
You say you don't know. You just can't believe. You don't see how God makes sense.
I say, that's alright. You don't have to believe for God to be. Your yes does not create Him. He exists with or without you.
As this conversation has spiraled and turned around on itself and come out all in knots, you have been breathing. That air you breathe is all around you and in you and through you and you don't ever have to choose to let it in. When you aren't thinking about it or acknowledging it, it still feeds you and keeps you and gives you life.
You don't see air. You don't contemplate its existence. Until you are kept from it. Until you can't have enough of it. Until it is contaminated. Until its strength does something you didn't expect.
But it doesn't depend on you. It is there for you, but not because of you.
Just breathe.
We have sat up late together. Over mugs of hot steaming tea or chilled glasses of wine. On a front porch in the Romanian summer heat. On cushy couches while winter played outside.
You say you don't know. You just can't believe. You don't see how God makes sense.
I say, that's alright. You don't have to believe for God to be. Your yes does not create Him. He exists with or without you.
As this conversation has spiraled and turned around on itself and come out all in knots, you have been breathing. That air you breathe is all around you and in you and through you and you don't ever have to choose to let it in. When you aren't thinking about it or acknowledging it, it still feeds you and keeps you and gives you life.
You don't see air. You don't contemplate its existence. Until you are kept from it. Until you can't have enough of it. Until it is contaminated. Until its strength does something you didn't expect.
But it doesn't depend on you. It is there for you, but not because of you.
Just breathe.
Friday, March 1, 2013
A reason to write again- my daughter
Yesterday we saw you and for the first time knew you are a girl.
Light and dark, shapes and lines,
bits of you came to the screen.
Gasps, shaking heads, silly grins
and two proud brothers,
who knew the whole time.
New adventure awaits us:
pinks and purples
giggles and squeals
late night talks
early morning feedings.
I am here for you, girl-child.
I am here to shine a light on the path I have taken
leading me to be a woman.
You will have to walk your path,
finding strength, purpose and dignity along the way.
I promise to pour into you all the love I can, to fill you up with hope and faith.
To walk with you in laughter, tears and silence.
Light and dark, shapes and lines,
bits of you came to the screen.
Gasps, shaking heads, silly grins
and two proud brothers,
who knew the whole time.
New adventure awaits us:
pinks and purples
giggles and squeals
late night talks
early morning feedings.
I am here for you, girl-child.
I am here to shine a light on the path I have taken
leading me to be a woman.
You will have to walk your path,
finding strength, purpose and dignity along the way.
I promise to pour into you all the love I can, to fill you up with hope and faith.
To walk with you in laughter, tears and silence.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
slimmer, faster- the confusion between us and our machines
I just saw a headline- new Iphone- thinner, faster.
It is disturbing that our society values the same characteristics for our machines as we do for ourselves. We want to be slim, sleek, and quick. We run, we diet, and if that fails, we wear spanx.
Is that why we disregard both the unborn and the very old? They do not fit in with our accepted adjectives.
We talk about ourselves being connected, plugged in, wired for certain things.
What happened to the things Jesus compared us to- lilies, birds, sheep? Simple things with profound mystery to them.
Instead of being connected to everyone, anytime, anywhere, can we just sit in the quiet and be still with the One who knew us from before the creation of time?
Can we?
I am not thin, I am not fast.
I can sit. I can pray. I can listen to the God who made me and will be here when all the shiny trinkets are gone.
It is disturbing that our society values the same characteristics for our machines as we do for ourselves. We want to be slim, sleek, and quick. We run, we diet, and if that fails, we wear spanx.
Is that why we disregard both the unborn and the very old? They do not fit in with our accepted adjectives.
We talk about ourselves being connected, plugged in, wired for certain things.
What happened to the things Jesus compared us to- lilies, birds, sheep? Simple things with profound mystery to them.
Instead of being connected to everyone, anytime, anywhere, can we just sit in the quiet and be still with the One who knew us from before the creation of time?
Can we?
I am not thin, I am not fast.
I can sit. I can pray. I can listen to the God who made me and will be here when all the shiny trinkets are gone.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
a moral dilemma- what would you have done?
This happened to me last week, and I am not sure how I should have handled it.
I am pumping gas and a truck pulls up on the other side of the gas pump I am using. The woman is driving, and the man gets out to pump the gas. The woman's window is rolled down and she lights up a cigarette and smokes it there, 3 feet from the gas pump, dumping ashes out the window. I am on the other side of the pump from her, probably 5 or 6 feet away. My kids are in the car and I am standing there pumping gas, smelling the gas fumes, watching her smoke and reading the NO SMOKING signs posted everywhere.
I don't want to tell anyone what they should do, but I also don't want me and my kids to get blown up. Where is the line between respect of others privacy and self-preservation?
What would you have done?
I am pumping gas and a truck pulls up on the other side of the gas pump I am using. The woman is driving, and the man gets out to pump the gas. The woman's window is rolled down and she lights up a cigarette and smokes it there, 3 feet from the gas pump, dumping ashes out the window. I am on the other side of the pump from her, probably 5 or 6 feet away. My kids are in the car and I am standing there pumping gas, smelling the gas fumes, watching her smoke and reading the NO SMOKING signs posted everywhere.
I don't want to tell anyone what they should do, but I also don't want me and my kids to get blown up. Where is the line between respect of others privacy and self-preservation?
What would you have done?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)