tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56355283511386728542024-03-13T15:49:05.061-05:00 eight is enoughshanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12633218749632398501noreply@blogger.comBlogger1007125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635528351138672854.post-41396219674434163232017-09-18T07:30:00.000-05:002017-09-19T12:56:51.523-05:00Book LoveThere's not too much I love more than a good book (preferably read while drinking coffee curled up on my front porch with a blanket). I had hoped to get more books read over the summer than I did (not a shocker, as a general rule I'm always hoping to get more done than I actually accomplish!), but the things that I did read were great. Insightful, funny, thought-provoking, entertaining. All sorts of wonderful!<br />
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Also, in related news, I have been cognitively aware of book lights for years (decades even, maybe), but have never owned one. A few weeks back I was at Costco (one of my happy places) and saw a two-pack of book lights and caved and put them in my cart. Then I proceeded to stick it on my dresser when unloading all my purchases and leave it there in its packaging for at least another week or so. Then one day, I opened them and TA-DA . . . book lights are amazing. I can now read in my bed at night. Who would have known? (Lots of you, I'm sure!) Our house was built in the 20's and our bedroom has no overhead light. We have a small wall-mounted light near the door that barely gives off enough light to get into bed safely. So, needless to say, I have never been a read-in-bed kind of girl. Anyhow, my world has changed for the better with my purchase of a book light. If you don't own one (or two), go buy one. You can thank me later. Or not, even. Whatever!<br />
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So, what have I been reading this summer? Here's what is in my most recent "just finished" stack on my bookshelf.<br />
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<a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Church-Small-Things-Million-Little/dp/0310348870/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1505249110&sr=8-1&keywords=church+of+the+small+things" target="_blank">Church of the Small Things</a> by Melanie Shankle. I have read Melanie's 3 previous books and loved them, so I was excited to get my hands on this latest one. I applied for, and was accepted to be on the launch team for the book, so I got an Advanced Reader Copy and was able to read it before it comes out in the world. It releases on October 3rd, so you still have time to pre-order (pre-ordering comes with some extra fun gifts and perks and swag -- free stuff is always fun!) yourself a copy. As I expected it was hilarious, but profoundly true and touched on both light and heavy topics with the style that I have come to expect, and love, from Melanie. The idea that the little things in life are really the big things is the major theme in this book (and also in my life, so that might be part of why I loved it so much!). Find out more at <a href="http://churchthesmallthings.com/">churchthesmallthings.com</a>. Do yourself a favor and pre-order. Then you'll have a surprise waiting for you in a couple weeks when it arrives in your mailbox.<br />
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<a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Church-Small-Things-Million-Little/dp/0310348870/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1505249110&sr=8-1&keywords=church+of+the+small+things" target="_blank">Same Kind of Different as Me</a> by Ron Hall & Denver Moore. This one is our book club book for this month (and next month we are going to see the movie!) and I was glad because it is one I have been meaning to read for YEARS. I was grateful for the perspective that it brought me into the lives of those who have such different experiences from mine.<br />
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<a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Name-Child-God-Those-People/dp/B010MZAUNE/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1505249187&sr=1-2&keywords=my+name+is+child+of+god" target="_blank">My Name is Child of God </a>by Julia K. Dinsmore. This one is also about themes of poverty (which has been something that continually is in front of me lately, every time I turn around it seems to come up in one way or another) and biases in our society. I have heard Julia speak and was glad to have the opportunity to read her book and understand more of what she is fighting against on a societal level. I highly recommend it. And she is local to where I live. I always like that.<br />
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<a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Mess-Moxie-Wrangling-Delight-Glorious/dp/0718031849/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1505249232&sr=1-1&keywords=of+mess+and+moxie" target="_blank">Of Mess and Moxie</a> by Jen Hatmaker. Again, I have read many of Jen's books and love her writing and her wit and her humor and her perspective. This one was no exception. About the mess and the grit of life. About friendship and family and the regular stuff of life. The fun stuff and the heavy stuff. It's worth the read, if you ask me. This one was a gift (a for-no-reason gift! How fun is that?) from a good friend of mine. I adore having friends who know me well.<br />
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<a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Do-We-Not-Bleed-Mystery/dp/149829989X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1505249272&sr=1-1&keywords=do+we+not+bleed" target="_blank">Do We Not Bleed?</a> by Daniel Taylor. This one was a gift too. A birthday gift from my brother. He had loaned me the first in this series of mysteries and I loved it, so he gave me the second one for my birthday. (His birthday is just a few days after mine and I have him a book too -- so it was a book birthday for us, I guess). It (also) has a local author and a local setting. It is a mystery filled with interesting, quirky characters (I love a good quirky character!) and the events that lead this unlikely bunch to figure out "who done it". Dan Taylor was a writing professor at the college that I attended back in the day. I never took a class from him, but knew OF him and have read a few of his other books (mostly non-fiction). I love that he has plunged into the world of fiction and mystery. <br />
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<a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Magnolia-Story-Chip-Gaines/dp/0718079183/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1505249309&sr=1-1&keywords=magnolia+story" target="_blank">The Magnolia Story</a> by Chip & Joanna Gaines. I've had this book since it came out, but just now got around to reading it. We don't have cable, but I have seen some episodes of Fixer Upper and I loved it. Plus, we just finished up a major home addition and renovation project. I had read a bit about the two of them and knew I wanted to know morenof their story. I loved it. Their relationship. The crazy stories about Chip. Their testimony of the faithfulness of God in their lives. The birth of their show and success. All the stories of their entrepreneurial endeavors. The love of home and family . . . all good stuff!<br />
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So, there you have it. I thought they were all well-worth reading (I used to be unable to not finish a book once I started, but now I have no qualms putting away a book I am not enjoying, so it's very rare that I read something that I don't enjoy) and would suggest any, or all, of them. Order 'em. Don't. Check them out from the library. Or not. Borrow them from a friend, or from me. These are not affiliate links (cause not enough people will read this for Amazon to care even the teensiest little bit) and I get nothing at all if you buy them -- except if you read one and tell me, then we could have a rousing book discussion, which is also something that I love!<br />
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Happy reading, friends!<br />
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<br />shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12633218749632398501noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635528351138672854.post-42656734304207672422017-04-17T11:06:00.000-05:002017-04-17T11:16:25.795-05:00The apple and the treeYou know the saying "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree." Well, it would seem, the older it get the closer and closer I roll back toward the tree from which I fell. Maybe I didn't fall to far in the first place, but I just keep getting closer and closer to the tree with each passing year.<br />
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I recently posted this picture on Facebook of my mom holding me as a newborn. I posted it because it is a picture that I love and happened upon that day and thought was worth sharing. The response that I got was one I didn't expect. People actually thought the picture was of me holding one of my newborns! People who know me well and know my mom and see me on a regular basis. Weird! I knew we looked similar, but I didn't realize we looked THAT similar. I have known for a while that I am like my mom in many ways (unfortunately not as it relates to prowess in the kitchen or classy style!), but am realizing more and more ways that I am like my dad too.<br />
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My dad often comes home with random things that he finds. A pair of shoes from the side of the road. An entire floor worth of cubical "walls" from the dumpster outside an office building (possibly still gracing the furnace/utility room at my parent's previous house). Way too many wallets to count (all of which he returned to their grateful owners). Cell phones, entire bathroom vanities on someone's curb following a remodel, winter hats . . . you name it and he has probably "found" it at some point in his life (and worn it, when applicable). When I was a kid, this drove me crazy. Why on earth would you dig around in a nasty dumpster? What could be in there that you would possibly want? (I also didn't appreciate garage sales or thrift store or hand-me-downs in my younger days!) Fast forward a few decades and I bet you'll never guess what I spent my afternoon doing yesterday . . . digging through the dumpster in my front yard! First I dug some stuff out of there that really should be recycled and not thrown in a dumpster. (Thankfully I didn't get injured on a 90-year-old rusty nail in the process!) It is a pet peeve of mine if something is put in the trash that belongs in the recycling! After pulling out some cardboard, pop cans and plastic beverage bottles and moving them to our family recycling bin, the real treasure hunt could begin! The company doing our remodel doesn't have a dumpster at every job site, so sometimes there is stuff in our dumpster that is from another job they are working on. I salvaged some new scrap wood that I can use for crafty endeavors, some fun architectural salvage from another job site, and some old boards from our front porch that I will have to save for a special project. I spent the following hour or so, pulling out old rusty nails and screws, sanding and cleaning up my finds. I never would have imagined, at 15, or even 20, that I would follow in my dad's footsteps by scooping up free stuff off the side of the road and digging through dumpsters for potential treasures.<br />
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This all makes me wonder what things drive my kids crazy right now that they will end up doing themselves a few decades down the road.<br />
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My parents are fabulous people! I'm so glad to have had the blessing of such wonderful trees from which to fall!shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12633218749632398501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635528351138672854.post-9353701009651111132017-03-27T07:06:00.001-05:002017-03-27T07:06:31.174-05:00All the feelsIt has been quite a week around here. So much "life" (and all that that entails) packed in to a few short days. The highs and the lows. The joys and the sorrows. I've shed so many different kinds of tears that I've nearly lost count.<br />
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I started the week with a funeral. Anna and I went together. That one isn't my story to tell, and not my loss directly, but it was a huge loss for people that I care about and came with with all the emotions of grief and shock and deep sorrow.<br />
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We followed funeral day with a tumultuous day for our family. That one's not really mine to tell either, but it was a hard, hard day. Lots of emotions and frustrations coupled with (and stemming from) cramped/out-of-routine living conditions and overtired people with lots of hormonal upheaval (ah, the tween/teen years!) can result in a pretty "impressive" explosion. I think we are still recovering from that one!<br />
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Next came the rollercoaster of emotions that you experience when you mark the passage of time. At our house we get a two-for-one on that experience, since two of our kids share a birthday. Our two oldest kiddos turned 18 and 16 last week. I can hardly wrap my brain around that fact. I am the parent of an adult (technically, anyway!). What in the actual heck is going on in the world? I feel like I was 18 not that long ago. Time is so weird like that! (It should be noted that I simultaneously feel 95 when the aches and pains come as I attempt to get out of bed in the morning . . . bursitis sucks and should be reserved for people who are at least 75!). All day I was full of thoughts and memories. I'm so proud of the amazing people that they are (and are still becoming -- aren't we all still becoming who we really are?)! I am so grateful for the opportunity to be their mom. Nothing else in life can compare to that privilege and responsibility! They have taught me so much over the years. Being a mom has grown me more than anything else in life. I tried to ignore the thoughts of all that I have done wrong as their mom and all the ways that I've messed them up, but those kept popping up anyway. I thought of and prayed over their futures and all that they still have ahead of them in life. Both the joys and the challenges. I remembered them as babies and toddlers and preschoolers and "big kids" and tweens. So very many memories! What a day.<br />
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Also, Jacob and Lydia were in the play at their school this weekend. After weeks and weeks of rehearsals, showtime was here. I think they were at school from about 7:30am until after 10pm every day this week (with the exception of Wednesday). Seussical was fabulous and they did a great job! I'm always happy when things come to an end, though, and life can settled down a bit again after the craziness of performance week!<br />
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The house project has had some stresses and kinks and delays this week and that only added to the general life stress. But it is really starting to come together and it looks great and I'm so excited for it to be finished and to start getting settled in and using our fabulous new space. There is a light at the end of the tunnel and we can do it!<br />
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We have some close family friends who are facing some really intense struggles, so not much time passes that I am not thinking of and praying for them and all that they are facing and in the middle of.<br />
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Then there was church . . . I pretty much always cry at church!<br />
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Life is so hard! And also so wonderful!. So much tension that we are caught between. I am grateful for the highs and the lows and having them all so interwoven. That is what makes life so real and wonderful. As much as the struggles are hard and no one wants them, the joys wouldn't/couldn't be as rich without the other side of the coin. Birthdays. Death. A beautiful sunrise. Illness. The wrinkly forehead of a newborn. A good book. Relational struggles and heartaches. Snuggling up with your child. Physical pain. The first cup of coffee in the morning. Friendship . . . life!<br />
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The week ahead holds yet another birthday, a work trip for Kirby and a band trip to NYC for Jacob. So it would seems things won't be settling down much for at least another week (and probably not then either)!shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12633218749632398501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635528351138672854.post-34104386217150644442017-02-16T10:02:00.000-06:002017-02-16T10:02:53.343-06:00Kids!A conversation between myself and our kindergartener this morning on the walk to school:<br />
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(Kindergartener looks downtrodden and sad.)<br />
Me: "What's wrong babe?"<br />
Sara: mumbles something unintelligible<br />
Me: "What? I can't hear you."<br />
Sara: mumbles some more<br />
Me: "I still can't hear you."<br />
Sara (louder and less mumble-y . . . finally): "Joe is mean and he was being a hypocrite!"<br />
Me (questioning whether she actual had an actual grasp on the meaning of the word "hypocrite"): "What do you mean, honey? What does hypocrite mean?"<br />
Sara: "Hypocrite means I was cracking the ice and Joey told me I had to stop, but he kept on cracking the ice."<br />
Me (surprised that she DID actually get the idea of hypocrisy): "Well, that isn't nice. Why don't you just not walk near him. Stay by me!"<br />
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Ah the drama of sibling relationships!<br />
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<br />shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12633218749632398501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635528351138672854.post-5902398505910079682017-02-10T12:43:00.000-06:002017-02-10T12:43:09.318-06:00Church and the therapist's officeI need to start by saying that I love my church. I love the people there and the community. I feel we have a greater than average share of eclectic, quirky people when compared most churches I have been to. We are accepting and welcoming more than I feel is normal for a church. Those people are my family and I love them! But we still have a long ways to go, in my opinion. And I feel that "the church", in the broad sense of the word, should be more like the waiting room at the therapist's office.<br />
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Yesterday I spent a little more than an hour in the waiting room at Fraser. Fraser is a mental health specialty clinic for kids. They are mainly known for their amazing work with autism, but they work in all areas of mental health. It is a wonderful place and one for which we are very, very grateful! I have spent Thursday afternoons there for almost a year now, (for a while we spent time there on Friday too, but we've weaned down to once a week!). The woman that we see there (who we are adore, and care about, and are so, so thankful for, and who has made a huge difference in the life of one of our kiddos and, thus, in the life of our family as a whole) had surgery earlier this winter and so this was our first week back since before Christmas. (7 weeks off of therapy, especially in the midst of a major home remodel, is really tricky for a kid who has a significantly hard time with changes to routine and unpredictability!) So, after that break, I feel like I was seeing things with fresh eyes yesterday.<br />
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Many of our same "friends" were there in the waiting room with me. Familiar faces. But there were new people that I didn't recognize as well. The Fraser waiting room is a unique place. So very much diversity! Ethnic diversity. Economic diversity. Age diversity (the woman sitting next to me, who I have had short conversations with from time to time, brings her GREAT grandson to his therapy each week). Language diversity (there is always at least one interpreter in the room to relay information from therapist to parent). Diversity of abilities. Diversity in the issues that bring us each to Fraser. It reminds me a bit of what I imagine heaven to be like.<br />
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It is the least "calm" waiting room I have EVER been in. Kids throw major fits there. Sometimes they lay down, refusing to move, in the middle of the floor. It is loud! People often act in ways that would not be socially acceptable in any other setting. Loving therapists and parents can be found sitting in the middle of the floor trying to engage with a kiddo they care about and want to help who has shut down or is being oppositional. If people need to get by them (because they are, quite literally, sitting in the middle of the floor of the small waiting room) they just step over or around and give a sympathetic smile. It is the least judgmental setting that I have ever been in. It has a vibe of we've-been-there-too, keep-up-the-fight, you-can-do-it. Solidarity! Parenting is hard, hard work! That is universal. But some kiddos are even harder than average.<br />
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Everyone in that waiting room is desperate. They realize they can't do it alone and need help and wisdom and support. They are at the end of their ropes and knowledge and ability and are acknowledging their needs just by walking through the door. That fact brings an amazing feeling of unity and also an inability to put on any air of pretense or having things all together. Just by being there, we are all saying that we DON'T have it all together and that we're pretty much a mess. And we need help. No one there is judge-y. People give a sympathetic smile and let you know you aren't alone. People own their "stuff" and don't attempt to be fake. I imagine we all spend enough time faking it in other settings and it feels good to be real for a bit.<br />
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Isn't that how church should be too? Aren't we there because we are acknowledging that we need Jesus? That we can't save ourselves? That we are all sinners and are a bit of a mess -- possibly even a huge mess! When people ask me, on Sunday morning, "How are you?", can I say that I had a shitty week? Would I get in "trouble" if I said shitty in church? A big part of me wants to be authentic, but instead, I almost always default to "Good. And you?" This is not completely false. I AM good. I am healthy. I have a wonderful family that I love (and who, if we're being honest, I want to murder at least once a day). I have food to eat and clothes to wear and a roof over my head. I have wonderful friends and a great community. But, also, life is hard! It isn't easy to convey all of this in church (or anywhere), so I default to "Fine." or "Good." But I wish church were more like the Fraser waiting room. Where we could drop the pretense and be more real and have it be ok to do so. Where other people would be that way too. That we all would. Where we could just sit (often completely wordless) with our crap. Where just by walking through the doors we would be admitting what a mess we are. I think Jesus would be in favor of that. My Jesus would, anyway!<br />
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*photo credit to my friend <a href="https://finnolliephotography.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Margaret </a>shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12633218749632398501noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635528351138672854.post-42697093085540879582017-01-27T13:59:00.000-06:002017-02-10T14:14:41.942-06:00House updateWork on the house is coming right along. It's getting more exciting each day. We are so looking forward to the blessing that our new space will be to our family and those who spend time in our home. Living kitchen-less and in cramped quarters has been a challenge for our larger-than-average crew, but we are surviving it so far!<br />
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The other day I was at Target and bought a bunch of Sharpies so we could "bless" our new space. We all gathered in the new kitchen and spent some time praying over our home and all the people that would come through our doors and our family and the blessing that the new space will be. Then we set the kids free to write all over the studs. Blessings. Scripture. Song lyrics. Un-readable stuff written by a 6-year-old. It was a great night.<br />
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Walls have gone up. Walls have come down. Windows have come out. New windows are in. Holes have been cut through walls. Other holes have been patched.<br />
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It's exciting to see the progress each day. Some days it is more noticeable than others, but always exciting. Some days you run 2 errands and listen to a podcast and when you get home your entire kitchen, that was there when you left home, is gone! Crazy!<br />
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A couple more months and we'll be living in and growing accustom to our new space.<br />
<br />shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12633218749632398501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635528351138672854.post-51488188770415328402017-01-04T14:17:00.000-06:002017-02-10T15:18:34.236-06:00CSC trip recapNo words or pictures could capture our trip. The feelings, the experiences, the people . . . it was so good and so hard and so wonderful and so emotional.<br />
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We left early on Sunday morning, December 18th. At the airport by 4 am to check all our bags and pick up coffee and get to the gate in time for our first leg of the long trip to Cebu. We flew from Minneapolis to LA. From LA to Seoul. From Seoul to Cebu. Nearly 24 hours of total time in the air between the two flights! Due to the time differences, it was early Tuesday morning, local time, when we finally arrived in Cebu. We were tired and weary, but excited to be there after the weeks and weeks of dreams and plans.<br />
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We were asked to come to help with Christmas preparations for the kids. 75 kids, give or take a couple! That's a whole lotta Christmas prep, let me tell you. We shopped. We wrapped. We wrapped some more. We "emergency" shopped for a few more things. We baked cookies. We made table decorations for Christmas dinner. We frosted cookies. We played with kids. We held precious babies. We made friends. We witness the selfless gift, purchased with money donated by orphaned and abandoned children, that would bless someone who had needs beyond any that I can wrap my brain around! We worshipped. We sweat a lot (TROPICS! We were in the tropics!). We listened. We cried. We ate A LOT of rice. We even slept a little bit.<br />
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I can't put words to the life long impact an experience like this has on a person. I'm so grateful to have been able to share it with some of my very favorite people on earth.<br />
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<br />shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12633218749632398501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635528351138672854.post-32629721593274572922016-12-06T13:14:00.000-06:002017-02-10T13:15:53.773-06:00Levels and Travels and Bursitis, oh my!It's been a whirlwind of a fall and winter so far. When we turned the calendar to October, we were looking forward to pretty average fall and winter. The biggest "stuff" on our radar was all the "lasts" of life with Jacob still living under our roof full time. But shortly thereafter, things got crazy.<br />
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We took on this major addition/remodel/house project. It will be so, so wonderful once it is finished, but it most certainly throws a wrench into regular family life!<br />
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Then a couple weeks later the two older girls and I were offered the opportunity to spend Christmas in Cebu at <a href="http://cebushelter.org/" target="_blank">CSC</a>. We gave it only a few minutes of thought before we were in. So there were passports to get. And tickets. And plans to be made. And packing to do.<br />
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Then in November I was diagnosed with bursitis in both my hips. It was good to have a diagnosis and to know what was going on to cause all my hip pain. So that started a journey of PT to work on healing and diminished pain.<br />
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What was looking like a calm season took a turn. A crazy turn, but a turn that would lead to lots of fabulous destinations. Life is nothing if not a crazy ride!<br />
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<br />shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12633218749632398501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635528351138672854.post-75942547029056511962016-11-11T14:03:00.004-06:002017-02-10T11:38:52.082-06:00Heavy-hearted . . . but hopefulI feel like 2016 has been a rough year. It has been a rough year for me, personally. It has been a rough year for my family. It has been a rough year for my immediate community. It has been a rough year for our state. It has been a rough year for our nation. And, it has been a rough year for the world. Hurts. Struggles. Violence. Protests. Elections. Refugees. Wars. There is lots of bad stuff going on out there.<br />
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This week, especially, there are many hurting people around me. And, I would guess, around you as well. No matter what your political leanings or what candidate you voted for, I would hope that each of us in this nation (and many people around the world as well) have dealt with the goings on of the world with sobriety this week (figuratively, if not literally!). I would hope that, no matter what side of the line you find yourself on, you would be a bit heavy-hearted with me this week. There are many people in our nation who are hurting. People who are scared. People who are in mourning and are deeply wounded. Many of them are people that I love and care about deeply. And that fact hurts my heart!<br />
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There are many things that have made this year memorably rough a variety of levels. A major one that comes to mind for me, as far as my immediate community goes, is the shooting of Philando Castile. On July 6th of this year, Philando Castile was shot and killed by a police officer less than 2 miles from our home. This happened in my immediate neighborhood. Our community was thrust into the national spotlight overnight. Many people, even Twin Cities residents, had no idea where Falcon Heights was before this summer. Now people all over the country recognize the name of my community. My dad, one of our daughters and I took a bike ride the day after the shooting to join the gathering of people who were mourning, protesting, remembering and holding vigil at the location where Philando (Mr. Phil as he was known at the elementary school where he worked) was killed. It was an emotional and meaningful thing to be a part of. Many tears. Hugs between strangers. A heartfelt word to my young daughter from a black woman thanking her for coming to share in the "hard" of the moment. There was less anger than I expected; more deep sorrow.<br />
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The following week, the elementary school that our kids attend organized a gathering and peaceful walk to the memorial to show our concern over the violence happening in so many different communities in our nation, but specifically the violence that happened right outside our doors. It was a beautiful gathering of caring, concerned community members and I'm so thankful that we were able to be a part of it. It fells good and right to do something when you feel so overwhelmed and helpless. The three teachers from our school who organized the gathering are amazing people. Amazing leaders. Amazing teachers. I am very thankful to know them and have them influencing my kids! My talented friend Shaina (who has a fabulous name . . . even though it is spelled "wrong") took some very moving pictures of the event, which you can see <a href="http://olmansonphotography.pixieset.com/fhesphilandocastile/" target="_blank">here</a> (see if you can spot any of our family members in the photos).<br />
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Although I live very close close to the location where the shooting took place, it is not a part of my normal, daily driving route. Because of that, it becomes easier to forget with time. More than 4 months have passed now and many people have moved on and forgotten at this point. However, one of our kids has a weekly appointment that brings us down the road where the memorial is, and so, on our drive home from our appointment every Thursday we drive by that spot. We remember. There is still a very large memorial on the side of the road. There still are people who remember and have not forgotten. People who are still hurting.<br />
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This week there are many people that I know personally and care about deeply who are very sad and hurt and disappointed in our nation. They are mourning and they are scared. Scared for themselves. Scared for their children. Scared for people that they love. This makes my heart feel heavy! I am a highly sensitive, deeply feeling person, so I realize I am in tune to the pain of others in a different way than people of a different personality type are, but I would hope that the deep sorrow of many in our nation would bring sorrow, in some degree, to each of us. Regardless of who I voted for, regardless of who you voted for, there are people around you who are hurting and I would hope that that fact would make your heart heavy too. I also realized that there are many people who are very happy about the outcome of the election (obviously, since Trump won), but I would hope that even those who are celebrating the victory of their candidate could be sympathetic and, hopefully even, empathetic to those around them who aren't feeling celebratory right now. It is a hard time for our nation. I realize I haven't been alive for all that many presidential elections relative to people that I know with many more years of life and wisdom, but I feel like this one is unprecedented in the level of angst and division that the outcome of the election has brought to the people of America. It feels different to me this time around. More divisive. Heavier. I, for one, hope to act in ways that bring peace and healing and a feeling of being loved to those who are hurting. Smile at a stranger. Be civil to those who you come in contact with who hold political views that differ from yours. Love your kids. Hug your friends. Make strides for peace in ways that you are able.<br />
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I want to be a safe place for both those who are happy with the state of our country as well as those who are hurting. I am very aware that I have friends and family members in both camps. People that I love and respect fall on both sides of this struggle and that makes things tricky, but not impossible.<br />
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But through all of the hard and the sad and the horrible, there are also many, many glimmers of good in the world. The world holds much hope! On Wednesday morning, after the election results were tallied and in, I went to school with my elementary kids to volunteer, as I do each Wednesday. The chatter of elementary school kids this particular morning was more interesting and insightful than it is most "normal" Wednesday mornings. The toast with cookie butter (yum!) and coffee and the amazingly beautiful sunrise that I witnessed that morning paired with the laughter of kids and seeing a student that was pretty discouraged a couple weeks ago flash me a smile (rare for this particular kid -- at least in my experience) and volunteering in a kindergarten classroom (gotta love kindergarteners!) were all good for my heavy heart! So while there is hard in the world and sad in the world and sorrow in the hearts of many of us, there is also so very much wonderful! The warmth of the sun on your back in November, the crunch of leaves underfoot, snuggling, health, newborn babies, meaningful work, laughter with friends, coffee, hugs, a beautiful sunset, people who love you through your yuck, naps, catching up on laundry, online shopping, a good book, music that moves you . . . be on the lookout for the good things in life. There are so very many. The seemingly little, insignificant ones are my favorite! Enjoy them. It's ok to be sad and it's ok to mourn and it's ok to hurt, but try not to forget about all the good that is still in the world. As <a href="http://momastery.com/blog/about-glennon/" target="_blank">Glennon Doyle Melton</a> likes to say, "Life is brutiful!" Simultaneously brutal and beautiful. Intertwined. That's how it has always been and I imagine that is how it always will be! I'm going to try my hardest to focus on the beautiful and the good. It's easier sometimes than others, but it's always a good goal.shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12633218749632398501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635528351138672854.post-80874913836130322872016-11-10T14:38:00.000-06:002016-11-11T16:21:58.731-06:00Blessings aboundHere are some of the many blessings I have made note of in my gratitude journal lately. A gratitude journal is something that I had heard of for years and years, but finally started doing after reading Ann Voskamp's powerful, amazing book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/One-Thousand-Gifts-Fully-Right/dp/0310321913/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478896123&sr=8-1&keywords=one+thousand+gifts" target="_blank">One Thousand Gifts</a>. If you haven't read it, you should! And also, she has a new book out called <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Broken-Way-Daring-Path-Abundant/dp/0310318580/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478896153&sr=8-1&keywords=the+broken+way" target="_blank">The Broken Way</a>. I have a copy of it on my nightstand, but life has been crazy and I haven't had a chance to read it yet. I am looking forward to it though, and know it will be wonderful. So, here go a few of my recent blessings (complete with photographic evidence of some of them). Enjoy!<br />
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5912. baby snuggles with Clay<br />
5915. our pediatrician -- I love her!<br />
5918. family trip to the <a href="http://www.deerlakeorchard.com/" target="_blank">apple orchard</a><br />
5920. a complete God thing. an answer to a prayer we hadn't even thought to pray :: a tutor for one of our kids who is struggling in school<br />
5922. glorious weather<br />
5925. clothes on the line<br />
5933. volunteering at school<br />
5937. bonfire and dessert with friends<br />
5944. friends who are like family<br />
5950. a supportive, encouraging husband<br />
5951. a girls weekend<br />
5955. sunrise over the lake<br />
5956. loon calls on the lake in the morning<br />
5959. singing words of truth ::<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_880616347"></span>Your love never fails, it never gives up, it never runs out on me.<br />On and on and on and on it goes<br />It overwhelms and satisfies my soul<br />I never ever have to be afraid<br />This one thing remains!<span id="goog_880616348"></span></a></blockquote>
5960. deep, hard laughter with friends (I nearly needed my inhaler!)<br />
5961. yard work done and ready for winter<br />
5963. knowing friends are praying for me<br />
5964. a bright moon in a dark sky<br />
5965. family walk to the park in the dark -- looking at the moon and the stars and swinging and playing catch and climbing and enjoying time together<br />
5972. walking the kids to school each morning<br />
5975. an eagle overhead -- the majesty!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">amazing for a November in MN</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">walking to school with these 3 is my favorite</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">sunrises are my favorite</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">amazing friends on an amazing fall day</td></tr>
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<br />shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12633218749632398501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635528351138672854.post-20365108220054952882016-11-09T14:19:00.000-06:002016-11-11T14:20:31.206-06:00In case there wasn't already enough going onLife has been a bit of a whirlwind the past month or so. Lots of things (very good things!) coming at us that weren't exactly in the immediate plan, but nonetheless we have found ourself in the middle of them. Major life things. Time consuming things. Thought consuming things. Good things, but things that demand a lot out of you!<br />
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We are on the brink of a MAJOR house project around here. An addition and remodel. Big stuff! We have lived in our 1920's house for nearly 20 years now and we LOVE it, but there are lots of things that could stand to have a bit of money thrown at them (and that's an understatement), if you know what I mean. So, we are diving in! All the years we've lived here, we have dreamed of a bigger kitchen. Our kitchen is small and the space is also the main entry into our house. And since 8 people live here (five of whom are full-sized people), the space is pretty tight, to say the least. And when you add in the fact that all the shoes/coats/sweatshirts/backpacks/etc for 8 people get tossed on the floor in the kitchen, it's nearly enough to make you lose your everloving mind! So, our yard will soon be sporting a big hole and life will get messy for a while . . . well, life is always messy, but it's about to get a lot more messy, in the literal sense, for the foreseeable future.<br />
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Also, I will be going on a MAJOR, life-changing trip with our two older girls in just over a month. Passports have been applied for. Plane tickets have been purchased. Planning is well underway! My mom, my dearest girlfriend since childhood (my "sister"), my two older girls and my brother's wife will all be traveling to Cebu, Philippines to work at a shelter for orphaned and abandoned children. We will have the opportunity to serve them by helping the staff there prepare for Christmas. How fun is that? Shopping, wrapping, baking, planning, prepping . . . doing what we can to help make Christmas special for the 80+ kids who call <a href="http://www.cscshelter.org/" target="_blank">CSC</a> home.<br />
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I'm quite sure there will be plenty to share on both of these fronts in the near future, so stay tuned.<br />
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Life is quite a ride these days. (And always!) I'm hanging on tight.shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12633218749632398501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635528351138672854.post-34668734354167002102016-10-26T11:46:00.000-05:002016-10-26T11:46:58.642-05:00Teachers are my heroes!Despite having children in the public school system for more than a decade, I have never volunteered in the classroom on a regular basis until this year. I always had a little person at home with me that made regular volunteering challenging. Sure, I went along on some field trips and helped with stuff from home and worked the book fair and open houses and the school carnival. But regular, weekly, in-the-classroom volunteering is new territory for me.<br />
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Each Wednesday morning I walk my kids to school like usual (except for today, when we drove, since it was rainy!), but instead of kissing them goodbye and turning around to walk back home, I go to the office, sign in on the iPad, don my volunteer badge and head off down the hall to spend the morning with some great kiddos!<br />
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Until now, I've mostly had the opportunity to maintain my ignorance about what kids -- little kids! -- have to deal with in their lives. I know, intellectually, and on a general level, that there are kids in my kid's school (and in pretty much every school in our country) who have yucky home situations. Who don't eat breakfast in the morning. Or dinner at night. Who struggle with academic stuff that their peers mastered <i>long</i> ago. Who don't have appropriate clothes (coats, hats, boots) to wear to school. Who don't have supportive parents. Who don't have a home, or a bed of their own. I know these facts intellectually, but to know these things more intimately, in my heart, by working each week with kids who struggle in these areas, is heartbreaking! If I knew the specifics of each of the 20 or 30-some kids in the classroom, I think it might do me in! I don't think I could take it. Even the kids who seem to have things going for them (kids like the ones that live at my house), have struggles. Real struggles. Some not as "big" as being homeless, for example, but just as real. No one is exempt. And to know those struggles for dozens of kids is so weighty! I told one teacher this morning, "I really don't know how you do it. It's heartbreaking!". She agreed and said she doesn't sleep too great many nights. These men and women are heroes! Their love and concern for kids that aren't their own blows my mind. The hours they spend working with, thinking about, worrying about these kids is WAY more than the hours written in their contracts. I am so very thankful for them!<br />
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This morning, one of the kiddos I work with one-on-one wasn't at school. That allowed me to spend a little more time helping out another teacher, but I couldn't help but worry about why this kiddo wasn't at school today. I was looking forward to our game of "war", where we sneak in work on some math facts under the guise of just playing a card game. I want to be a bright spot in the lives of the kids I come in contact with. I don't want to just help them make academic strides (although that will, hopefully, be an outcome as well), I want to build them up. Make them feel seen and cared about and noticed. I want them to know that they matter and are important and can do it . . . even when they think they can't. I want to give them big huge hugs and tell them that I pray for them and buy them a nice, new winter coat. But some things aren't appropriate to do and I just need to keep pouring into them and praying for them and loving them in the ways that I can. I only know the specifics of a very small number of kids (and even then, there is lots of stuff I don't know about them) and it is hard. I know I am more sensitive than some, but I don't know how pouring in to the life of a kid who is struggling in life couldn't get to you, no matter who you are. They are kids, for crying out loud! Life should be (mostly) carefree and fun. And for many it isn't. That is hard for me to know. To really know. Not just to be aware of, and know in my head, but to know in my heart too.<br />
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I could not handle being a classroom teacher. For way more reasons than I could begin to list. But I am so very thankful for teachers! They are my heroes! Thank you, teachers!shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12633218749632398501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635528351138672854.post-54888927472421094972016-10-23T16:45:00.001-05:002016-10-23T16:45:04.972-05:00Senior NightIt was senior night for football this week. At the game on Wednesday night, they honored the seniors on the football team and their parents (as well as the senior team managers and cheerleaders). Jacob is healed up enough to be able to suit up and play again -- which we are thankful for. He's not 100% yet, I don't think, but he is certainly better than he has been for the past month.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XM1I7TWb4do/WA0vJ9E5aiI/AAAAAAAAG2k/UuADx-QesfYrscGJLfZL0e98FYLezxWkQCLcB/s1600/14712722_10154643077381719_3110874715968806241_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XM1I7TWb4do/WA0vJ9E5aiI/AAAAAAAAG2k/UuADx-QesfYrscGJLfZL0e98FYLezxWkQCLcB/s320/14712722_10154643077381719_3110874715968806241_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">at home, before school in the morning</td></tr>
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The football team dressed up for school on game day and Jacob looked fabulous! (although I might, possibly, be a little biased) Tradition says that the mom of each senior is supposed to wear their son's jersey to the game that night. Let me tell you, those things are NOT comfortable! First of all, Jacob and I are not the same size! Also, since I wasn't wearing football pads, there was lots of excess fabric in the shoulder area that was crazy-making! I won't get in to the rest of my complaints about the jersey. At the first possible moment, I took that thing right off!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VgpDu3rQXgc/WA0uRKvVrjI/AAAAAAAAG2Y/-GhnqVld8Lo-GQqSQdlSgZKUafkGMoRQwCEw/s1600/IMG_1756.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VgpDu3rQXgc/WA0uRKvVrjI/AAAAAAAAG2Y/-GhnqVld8Lo-GQqSQdlSgZKUafkGMoRQwCEw/s320/IMG_1756.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">on the field, before the game</td></tr>
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Each of the seniors was announced, along with their parents, before the start of the game. They mispronounced my name . . . but I guess it's not about me, right!? Ha! (I'm sure no one even noticed other than me.) After all the seniors and their parents were announced, we stayed on the field with the players for the national anthem. In addition to it being senior night, it was also "pink out". The ENTIRE student section was dressed all in pink to support those fighting cancer. More specifically, breast cancer. I was not unaware of the fact that my mom was in the stands watching her oldest grandchild play in his senior night football game on "pink out" night, almost 4 years after her own breast cancer diagnosis. If you know anything about me, you might not be surprised by the fact that all those things added together had me a bit verklempt!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1f0q0QNEAv0/WA0uXyloaYI/AAAAAAAAG2c/QY_F3F3cAkQ_sH2ePZ0DuXimnFL3IfEgACEw/s1600/IMG_1755.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1f0q0QNEAv0/WA0uXyloaYI/AAAAAAAAG2c/QY_F3F3cAkQ_sH2ePZ0DuXimnFL3IfEgACEw/s320/IMG_1755.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Go Raiders!</td></tr>
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In the end, the team pulled off a 41-20 win. I can't believe we are so close to the end of Jacob's high school football career. The days are long, but the years are short . . . so very true! We adore our #19 and are so very proud of him and the man he is becoming!<br />
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shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12633218749632398501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635528351138672854.post-13639862307867738012016-10-10T12:02:00.001-05:002016-10-10T12:02:18.225-05:00CelebrationsIt was a big weekend at our house. We celebrated some birthdays. We had a lovely, very fun birthday dinner at my parent's house to celebrate Kirby's birthday, Sara's birthday and Allie's birthday. I won't give away everyone's ages, but combined they turned 92 . . . which is OLD!<br />
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Happy, happy birthday to 3 of my favorite people on the planet. My amazing husband, my sweet baby girl and my what-would-I-do-without-her best friend/sister. I am so very thankful for each of them. They are such blessings in my life, and the lives of so many others as well.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bo5rWh_ZG10/V_vJC8TrpKI/AAAAAAAAGxo/mhZtu9VPdZQu6ZHEVwtEC0H84_bYekUGwCLcB/s1600/IMG_1661.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bo5rWh_ZG10/V_vJC8TrpKI/AAAAAAAAGxo/mhZtu9VPdZQu6ZHEVwtEC0H84_bYekUGwCLcB/s320/IMG_1661.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">sister love</td></tr>
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We don't get to all spend enough time together, so we enjoyed every minute of our Saturday together celebrating!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-thhifTGl65w/V_vIxxKvohI/AAAAAAAAGxk/u9del2J4xIsZgf3DuR2fd3WanAjJcgGEgCLcB/s1600/IMG_1648.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-thhifTGl65w/V_vIxxKvohI/AAAAAAAAGxk/u9del2J4xIsZgf3DuR2fd3WanAjJcgGEgCLcB/s320/IMG_1648.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the birthday "kids"</td></tr>
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shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12633218749632398501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635528351138672854.post-17081374190263976342016-10-06T15:58:00.000-05:002016-11-11T16:30:12.718-06:00A journey of a thousand miles (or maybe just one). On running and life.I wrote this a couple months back. I wrote it mainly as a way to process my thoughts and feelings and life (because writing helps me do that). I wrote it mainly for myself. I shared it with my husband after I wrote it, but other than that it has just been for me . . . until now. Lately I have felt that I should share it, even though it is vulnerable and hard and I don't really want to do it.<br />
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It may be what someone else needs. It may be what the Lord uses to encourage someone else during a tough time. It may be what makes someone feel a little less alone or sad or isolated, or a timely reminder that they are not the only one who is struggling. For me, personally, things have turned around a bit now that the seasons have shifted from summer to fall (summer is always, always hard for me). I still have some stuff to work through and to work on, but I'm in a better place than I was when this was written.<br />
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<br />
So here you go. My heart ::<br />
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5 years ago I couldn't run for more than 30 seconds at a time without thinking I might die. Little by little by little that changed. In 2013 I ran a half marathon. I was a "Runner". It took me a long time to embrace that I was legit and could own my title of "Runner", but I finally got there. These days I'm much closer to the person I was in 2011 than the person I was in 2013, as far as running goes.<br />
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Probably a little more than a year ago now, something shifted in me. I started becoming more anxious than I had ever been before. I started feeling "off", not like myself and struggled to do normal, everyday things that I had never even given a second thought to before. I had a few hard life and relationship situations that took a significant toll on me. A couple times I tried being brave and authentic about one particular struggle and the authenticity backfired on me and seemed to make things worse. Since it was a pretty big deal for me to work up the courage to do that in the first place, that set me back. I didn't feel alive inside at all. At some point in there I'm pretty certain I crossed the line into depression. One Sunday, earlier this summer, I couldn't even go to church with my family because I, literally, could not stop crying (and church is one of my very favorite things!). A few months before all this, I had stopped running. I would try, sometimes, but I couldn't do it. Mentally. Physically. It just didn't work any more! I have some pretty significant physical pain (hip, knee, foot, hand, wrist -- not all at the same time, thankfully, but it was always something . . . or a few somethings). I don't know if the pain brought on the depression or if the depression lead to physical pain. I went to PT for a while, but it wasn't helping and was costing a lot, so I quit. I have also had a few panic attacks over the past year or so. If you haven't ever experienced one, those things are horrible! So painful and scary. I really think that it is one of those things that you can't understand without having experienced it for yourself. All of that weighed on me and sucked the life out of me.<br />
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If someone were to ask me today if I was a runner, I wouldn't know how to answer them. I own running shoes and technical running clothes, and running-related gadgets, but that is not what makes someone a runner. It's been hard to adjust to this stage: something that had, at one point, been a big part of who I was no longer fit. I can't agree to a group run with friends because I would <i>never</i> be able to keep up with them anymore (even thought I know they would never leave me behind). Since I also struggle to admit all of this to anyone, my running friends probably just thought I was blowing them off or didn't want to run with them. But I don't know any of that for sure, since I never opened up to tell them what was really going on.<br />
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The other day I ran a solid mile without stopping. That was huge! Even though not <i>that</i> long ago I could run 10, even 15 miles, this one solid mile seemed even more significant somehow. It was a solid 3+ minutes per miles slower than I used to run, but I ran the whole time without stopping. I still have a long way to go and I don't love (or even like) running like I used to, but I think that getting back "in the saddle" is something that I need to do if I want to get better. Both as a runner and as a person that I would actually like to be.<br />
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Things that make me feel alive are being outside, my family, creating things, meaningful music, good books, making note of the (seemingly) small blessings in each day, authentic relationships, writing, encouraging others, hanging my clothes out to dry, reading a good book -- and I wasn't doing enough of any of those things. Often, I couldn't muster up what it took to get off the couch, which makes it hard to create much or spend time outdoors or be with others or do any of those things.<br />
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I think legitimately admitting to the struggles is a good place to start to get better. I have been reading things lately that have been helpful with different aspects of my struggles. I know that I am not alone in this. I should get off the couch more often. I should go outside more. I should make more stuff. I should probably get on some drugs.<br />
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Writing helps me to process my thoughts. But getting things out on paper (even if only for myself) takes vulnerability that is scary. Until you say it out loud or write it down, it is easier to pretend that it's not real. Or that it's just a "rough patch" or a "tough season", rather than an actual ongoing problem that needs addressing. Here's to the first step of putting it out there!<br />
<br />shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12633218749632398501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635528351138672854.post-60788660049313296932016-10-05T12:47:00.000-05:002016-10-10T12:48:26.029-05:00BlessingsI haven't done a gratitude journal update for a while. Here are a few of the blessings that I've noted lately as I go about my days, which turn into weeks and months and years and make up a life. There are so many and I like to write them down so I can remember how blessed I am when I need such a reminder.<br />
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5825. Joe back on the swim team<br />
5826. 9 pm family meetings with the "bigs" (oldest 3 kids). Prayer and sharing time.<br />
5829. thunderstorms<br />
5832. the honor of being asked to be godparents for the son of our dear friends<br />
5838. perfect fall weather<br />
5842. leaves crunching underfoot<br />
5849. turning in early<br />
5867. 20 years of marriage to my best friend<br />
5872. the smell of autumn<br />
5874. understanding, empathetic friends<br />
5876. a better-than-expected WRTC 10K race<br />
5879. the generosity of my parents<br />
5880. the power of music<br />
5881. productive crafting<br />
5882. my huge mum from Costco<br />
5889. Lexington open again heading north, after being closed for over 4 months<br />
5895. clothes on the line<br />
5896. morning walks to school with the Falcon kids<br />
5898. great homecoming at UNW for Kirb<br />
5900. finding Joe some pants that actually fit<br />
5908. sunshine<br />
5910. shadow pictures<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SkEVe4RmIPo/V_vSyTTpVTI/AAAAAAAAGyQ/BLtl_M-Hft8jIvsrbRUTRVzJ3fo4rWpGQCLcB/s1600/IMG_1542.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SkEVe4RmIPo/V_vSyTTpVTI/AAAAAAAAGyQ/BLtl_M-Hft8jIvsrbRUTRVzJ3fo4rWpGQCLcB/s320/IMG_1542.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">raining morning pre-race friends photo</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DTfk_0s0oRw/V_vS08pogsI/AAAAAAAAGyY/B1lcLCy9crAfljaYMYGrgn9IedDVzy-BwCLcB/s1600/IMG_1543.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DTfk_0s0oRw/V_vS08pogsI/AAAAAAAAGyY/B1lcLCy9crAfljaYMYGrgn9IedDVzy-BwCLcB/s320/IMG_1543.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and we're done!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P2PHT-t2ln0/V_vTEuL_09I/AAAAAAAAGyg/Ol8FudQXhswU9PPI-A-9ibzMaOgxv_5GgCLcB/s1600/IMG_1612.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P2PHT-t2ln0/V_vTEuL_09I/AAAAAAAAGyg/Ol8FudQXhswU9PPI-A-9ibzMaOgxv_5GgCLcB/s320/IMG_1612.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">sunny afternoon coffee date</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a37kFs2f5FE/V_vTcp6TTsI/AAAAAAAAGys/wCCX_CYFdVgaKPDM0dlINJl_YskTcAZPACLcB/s1600/IMG_1625.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a37kFs2f5FE/V_vTcp6TTsI/AAAAAAAAGys/wCCX_CYFdVgaKPDM0dlINJl_YskTcAZPACLcB/s320/IMG_1625.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">sunshine is the best!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gnkhxRTHl9M/V_vTbmifGRI/AAAAAAAAGyo/9kjJmq3Q_Nc62AnxdP2AblOev0Ws82laQCLcB/s1600/IMG_1628.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gnkhxRTHl9M/V_vTbmifGRI/AAAAAAAAGyo/9kjJmq3Q_Nc62AnxdP2AblOev0Ws82laQCLcB/s320/IMG_1628.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">walks in the woods</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O7Ob9PRB5D4/V_vTZwvyxwI/AAAAAAAAGyk/DBjurOp9IJwcmEtAXhQ0nUjM0OjEJzVyQCLcB/s1600/IMG_1639.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O7Ob9PRB5D4/V_vTZwvyxwI/AAAAAAAAGyk/DBjurOp9IJwcmEtAXhQ0nUjM0OjEJzVyQCLcB/s320/IMG_1639.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">sisters in the morning sunshine</td></tr>
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shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12633218749632398501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635528351138672854.post-36810671044928585932016-10-01T12:27:00.000-05:002016-10-10T14:47:32.959-05:00BummerWhile we were away on our anniversary trip, Jacob had a football game. We were in the air heading east and he was playing football. While we were flying and he was playing, he got hit hard in the rib cage. It hurt, but he didn't think too much about it. He didn't really mention it to my mom and, since we were on the other side of country, no one said anything to us either.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1nO9JNRfq-c/V_vOpOm5dqI/AAAAAAAAGx4/uBQukA8cQZ4-zYbMcT2JTZM3t4zNDzl5ACLcB/s1600/IMG_1369.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1nO9JNRfq-c/V_vOpOm5dqI/AAAAAAAAGx4/uBQukA8cQZ4-zYbMcT2JTZM3t4zNDzl5ACLcB/s320/IMG_1369.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The last game he played in pre-injury</td></tr>
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After we'd been home 4 or 5 days, Jacob got up one morning and said, "Can you make me a doctor's appointment?" I replied, "For what?". "My ribs.", he answered. "What is wrong with your ribs?" I countered. That's when I heard, for the first time, about the injury that had happened about 10 days prior. All the while, stubborn #19 had continued to practice and play in games. So I took him in to get him looked at. The doctor that we saw figured that he had some deep bruising and said that he should take Advil regularly to manage the pain and listen to his body as far as what his limits should be. So for another week or so he went on pretty much the same as before, although with significantly more ibuprofen in his system. Then he woke up one morning later that same week in significant pain and not being able to breathe comfortably. So we went back in and saw a different doc (since we were a walk-in appointment). This second doc examined him and pushed and poked, eliciting quite a bit of pain from her patient. They got an x-ray, and though his ribs didn't appear to be broken (though ribs aren't the easiest bones to x-ray), she decided this was his body's signal that he needed to stop everything. Heartbreakingly, this was the day before the Homecoming football game of his senior year! To say he was pretty bummed when she told him to completely stop doing anything that required him to take a deep breath or caused him to breath heavily or exert himself, for at least a month, would be a major understatement. It's hard to watch your kid be in physical pain, but it might be worse to see them in emotional pain. In one moment he lost the rest of his senior football season, pep band, band class, weight lifting class . . . all the things he loves most and is most passionate about in life right now.<br />
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He he has done pretty well. He still goes to practice and stands on the sidelines of the games in his jersey (sporting jeans, rather than pads and a helmet), but it's not the same.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Togo Tuesday" when all the seniors wear a toga to school</td></tr>
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He is feeling better all the time these days and is hopeful that he might be able to play again before the season is done. But it was a tough blow.<br />
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I'm crazy about that kid and can't believe in less than a year he will be taking off to spread his wings and won't live in our house with us anymore. I just sent in a baby picture and special message for him to be put in the yearbook. As I looked through the pictures in attempt to choose one and wrote the note, it seemed surreal. How can he be this old? What on earth happened to my precocious preschooler who knew every make and model of car and talked "car talk" with anyone who would listen? And, at the same time, he is ready to take this next step and we know it. We are so proud of him and the man that God is molding him into. I can't wait to see what God has in store for him in the future! What a blessing he is to our family.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Senior football guys dancing at the homecoming pep fest</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jacob and his team after their homecoming WIN!<br />
Jacob is the one in the jeans.</td></tr>
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Praying he can suit up for a game again before the season is over!<br />
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shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12633218749632398501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635528351138672854.post-87465284614743289892016-09-22T11:51:00.000-05:002016-10-10T11:54:17.936-05:00two whole decades2 decades. 20 years. 7,305 days. 175,320 hours.
6 kids. 2 addresses. 8 or 9 vehicles . . . 10 even, maybe. I've lost count.
A lot of life has happened since the day we got married. It hasn't all been fun or easy or something we would have chosen, but it has all worked together to bring us to where we are today! Life is hard. Marriage is hard. Parenting is hard. But I don't think it's supposed to be easy! Good, but not easy!
To celebrate our 20 years of marriage, we returned to Cape Cod, where we spent our honeymoon 20 years ago, when we were just "kids".
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I still do 1996-2016</td></tr>
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I'm not a big fan of travel, so it took me a few days to really feel settled and enjoy myself being away from home (and by then it was nearly time to head back), but we did have a wonderful trip and enjoyed our unhurried, calm, quiet time together. I have tagged along for a day or two of a work trip that Kirby was on, and we have "house-swapped" with my parents to celebrate an anniversary or gone away to a nearby town for one night, but this was our first real TRIP together (out of state, kid-free, no work commitments at all) since our honeymoon. It was just what we needed.<br />
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Our plane landed in Hartford (after an early-morning red-eye flight and a layover) in the early afternoon. We picked up our rental car and grabbed some lunch. Then we headed to the cemetery where my grandparents headstone is located. It was a beautiful day and I LOVE cemeteries and I hadn't seen the marker for my grandparents since it had been placed in the ground, so that was a great way to start our trip. Then we drove to Boston and walked around downtown for a few hours. We went in the Boston public library, walked through the public gardens, went by Cheers and saw the Boston Marathon finish line. After our quick self-guided tour, we hopped back in our car and headed to the hotel we were staying at that evening. Travel had worn us out, so we had pizza delivered to our room and turned in early.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">State Veterans Cemetery, Middletown, Connecticut</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boston Marathon Finish Line</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Super cool book art at the Boston Public Library</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cool church window in Boston</td></tr>
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The next morning we got up, checked out of our hotel and went to church. We had hunted on the internet for a church in the area that we could go to that morning and ended up at one whose service started about 20 minutes after the scheduled time (the first service ran long -- they had a guest speaker . . . this maybe should have been a clue for us!). We finally headed in to the sanctuary and the service got started. It was significantly more charismatic than we are used to, and it made for an interesting morning. We snuck out a bit before the service was done, since we'd already been there nearly two hours, we were hungry and we wanted to get to the ocean! Driving to Cape Cod on a Sunday afternoon is much like driving north in Minnesota on a Sunday afternoon in the summer! You quickly realize that you are going the opposite direction of EVERYONE ELSE and for that you are so very grateful! We had lunch at a hole in the wall local place and then headed to the place we would call home for the next couple days. Ships Knees Inn. My dad's sister and her husband own and run the Inn, so we got a little family time in, too, visiting with them while we were away. We were go grateful for their hospitality and loved seeing how fabulous they are at their jobs! Best innkeepers ever!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ships Knees Inn (we highly recommend you visit!)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our shadows on the morning of our 20th anniversary</td></tr>
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We took long, slow walks on the beach (it's hard to walk through beach sand any way other than slow!) and around town. We went to a movie (it was a rainy day!). We ate. We walked on the beach some more. We ate some more. We browsed in a quaint little shops. We toured an amazingly beautiful church with stunning architectural detail (again with the rain!). We want to another cemetery. We found a labyrinth a walked through that. (I LOVE labyrinths. Kirby didn't quite see why I love them so much). We saw seals (hundreds of them!). We listened to waves. We ran away laughing as waves crashed against our legs. We watched sunsets and sunrises. We enjoyed our time together and rested and relaxed and then were ready to head back to our state. Our house. Our kiddos. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A pair of seals in the water (hundreds more on a sandbar in the distance)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">glorious sunset on Skaket Beach 9.20.16</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">my love</td></tr>
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It was a great trip and one we hope to repeat again. Maybe we won't wait 20 more years next time!
I am so thankful for twenty years of faithful, supportive love and encouragement mixed with lots of fun, laughter and heartache. Neither of us are perfect, but we are a pretty darn good pair!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">amazing sunrise on our final morning</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the "old" married couple who need major work on their selfie skills!</td></tr>
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<br />shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12633218749632398501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635528351138672854.post-31949975987417750602016-09-14T02:23:00.004-05:002016-09-14T18:39:25.264-05:00That's a wrap!Well, another summer is in the books and another school year is up and running. This is a significant school year for our family as it marks some major milestones. Our baby is in full-day kindergarten. She is in heaven and LOVES every minute of it so far. Our other "baby" (who is not AT ALL a baby!), our very first baby, is a senior in high school. A SENIOR! On the one hand, I saw it coming -- he has lived more than 17 years. He has progressed, one year at a time, from kindergarten to first grade, to second grade and so on. From elementary school to middle school and then to high school. I'm not a complete idiot and I get how time works! But, on other hand it has caught me completely off guard. How can it be true? I don't think I have fully internalized the reality of it yet. All my people go to school all day, 5 days a week. 3 of them to high school and 3 of them to elementary school (praise the Lord for a year of respite from having a middle schooler!) I have a decent amount of time where I am not responsible for any short people and can pee and go to Costco without a sidekick! This day has been nearly 18 years in the making. I still am not sure what I think about it, though. I could become completely giddy and overwhelmed with excitement or burst into tears at any moment. It's a bit of a crap shoot. Consider yourself warned!<br />
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A few weeks back we were having some car trouble, so, if I wanted a vehicle to drive during the day (which, with 6 kids who needed to get shuttled to various activities, I did!), I had to drive Kirbs to (and from) work. So, I'd drop him off in the morning and drive the 3 or so miles back home to get on with my day. Well, one afternoon I drove on campus (in case you didn't know, he works at a local university) to pick him up after work and as I entered campus, I looked left. On the left, when you enter the campus, the first thing you see is the (beautiful!, new) athletic complex. On the football field that afternoon were lots of (big!) men in purple uniforms. At that moment it hit me (HARD!) that one year from that very moment, my "baby" would be out there with them. Donning a UNW uniform and practicing football. Living, not at our house with us, but on his own in a dorm! That wasn't an easy moment.<br />
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Summer is hard. This summer was hard! I don't know if summer is hard for me because it is hard for our family, or if summer is hard for our family because summer is hard for me. Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Even with the hard of summer, it went by shockingly fast. I think there were a few backpacks that never even got unpacked before being packed back up again for the next school year. Before I knew it we were at the fair eating too many fried foods and trying to get to bed earlier, so that our return to the school year routine would be slightly less brutal. There were certainly some great things about this summer :: Rebekah had the time of her life working at camp all summer. There were walks in the woods and backyard bonfires and bike rides. We had a wonderful, just-what-we-needed time at family camp (although we missed Jacob who couldn't go with us due to football practice, but was well taken care of by his grandma)! We did some swimming and played at the park. We celebrated birthdays (my grandma's 90th, most notably!). We spent time with friends and grilled lots of stuff . . . but it was still a hard summer!<br />
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This summer wasn't only hard on our family. It was hard on our world. Locally. Nationally. Internationally. There is lots of crap going on in the world. And also lots and lots of good and beauty. That is how life is! (More on that in another blog post, possibly.)<br />
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We undertook some major house/property stuff this summer . . . . and into the fall. We removed 4 trees from our lot (a couple diseased, one old and decaying, and one that was just a nuisance and was in the way of some changes we want to make with our driveway). Tree removal is a spendy and loud endeavor! We got a new roof (unfortunately we had some shoddy workmanship when we replaced the roof a few years after moving in to the house, following some hail damage, and it was in BAD shape and also causing some leaking in our living room). Sara was disappointed that the house didn't really look any different once the new roof was on. I don't know what she expected, but clearly the new roof was not living up to her expectations. Also, when your very efficient roofing crew of 8 or so guys shows up at 7am and all get up on the roof to start ripping off old shingles, your kids will be a bit upset that their summer sleep schedule has been disturbed by quite a bit of noise that cannot be ignored! It seriously sounded like they were going to come right through the roof and join us inside the house! Roofing is a spendy and loud endeavor! We have a couple more projects coming yet this fall. Replacing/repairing the living room ceiling, which has nasty water damage, and replacing our old, rotting porch windows. Once the budget recovers from those blows, we will take on the driveway project (hopefully sometime in 2017). There's always something to do when you live in a 90-year old house!<br />
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<br />shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12633218749632398501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635528351138672854.post-15555469229642071062016-08-14T21:47:00.001-05:002016-08-14T21:54:46.358-05:00LegacyOn August 23rd,1926 a baby was born to a family in southern Minnesota. Her parents named her Marjorie Joyce. She was the first girl in a family of boys. Nearly two decades later she would meet and marry a young man named Robert (Bob) and a few years after that they would have a daughter named Marcia, who would grow up and meet and marry a young name named Doug, and a couple years later they would have a daughter named Shana . . . and that daughter is me!<br />
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My wonderful grandma turns 90 this month. We celebrated her birthday with a fabulous party over the weekend. She has meant so much to so many people over the years . . . and about 75 of them came to celebrate her birthday with her. 2 of her children, 2 of her grandchildren, 9 of her great-grandchildren, a couple nieces and nephews, many friends made many different ways (neighbors, church friends, current and former piano students, and people with whom she has worked and volunteered). Near the end of the party we had a short program. Kirby spoke a bit, the 2 little girls played the piano. Joey played his bells. She enjoyed the party and was thankful for each person who took the time to come and celebrate with her.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 generations serving at Feed my Starving Children</td></tr>
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My grandma has been a significant person in my life for all my years. From the time that I was 12 until I was 18, my grandparents lived in our house with us. Nearly every Saturday morning I would wander downstairs to their apartment after waking up and my grandma would make me waffles and fried potatoes (She gave me the waffle maker that she used to make all those waffles -- hundreds of them! -- as a wedding gift). I remember loving her my entire life, but those years of living in the same house made us closer than I think most kids are with their grandparents (although my kids are very close to their grandparents, too, and none of them live in our house with us). I know that my grandma prays for me every single day. What a blessing that is! My kids know (and love) her well. Although I met a few of my great-grandparents, I never really had much of a relationship with any of them. My kids have a meaningful, significant relationship with their great-grandma and for that I am so very thankful. I am so glad for each memory that they can make with her. We attend the same church as she does, and have 4 generations of our family worshipping together every single Sunday morning. I do not take that fact for granted, as I believe it to be a very special (and rare!) experience! My kids take (or have taken) piano lessons from her. My kids have spent one-on-one time with her and even slept over at her apartment with her. (Anna once got 48 solid hours of one-on-one time with her . . . and that's a pretty big deal, if you ask me! Those two have an extra-special bond!)</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a blanket that my grandma made for us when I was a child<br />
and now it is draped over my couch and my children (another<br />
generation) snuggle up with it when the curl up on the couch.</td></tr>
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My grandma has not had an easy life by any standard you might use. She lost a sibling while he was still young. She lost her first daughter when she was only 7 years old. She lost her husband just shy of their 50th anniversary. She has had many struggles. But she is a woman of extraordinary faith. She spoke a bit (very eloquently -- I did NOT inherit that ability) at her party about her life and the fact that "Trust and Obey" is her favorite hymn and the anthem of her life. Then she proceeded to play it for us on the piano. (It may not surprise you to know that I would have been singing along, if not for the fact that I was crying.)<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,<br />
What a glory He sheds on our way!<br />
While we do HIs good will, He abides with us still,<br />
And with all who will trust and obey. </blockquote>
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Refrain:<br />
<b><i>Trust and obey, for there's no other way<br />To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey. </i></b></blockquote>
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Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,<br />
But His smile quickly drives it away;<br />
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sign or a tear,<br />
Can abide while we trust and obey. </blockquote>
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Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,<br />
But our toil He doth richly repay;<br />
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,<br />
But is blessed if we trust and obey. </blockquote>
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But we never can prove the delights of His love<br />
Until all on the altar we lay;<br />
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,<br />
Are for them who will trust and obey. </blockquote>
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Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,<br />
Or we'll walk by His side in the way;<br />
What He says we will do, where He send we will go;<br />
Never fear, only trust and obey.</blockquote>
I am very thankful for the legacy that she has left (and is still leaving) to me and to my children. She is an amazing, talented women and I feel blessed to be her granddaughter.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q55JQ3_0P_s/V7EsI9kBQyI/AAAAAAAAGpw/6_yE5TlT2K4ydlpOEeyN1PZsIZW6nAxfACLcB/s1600/13906648_10154430646896719_7946865901469307122_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q55JQ3_0P_s/V7EsI9kBQyI/AAAAAAAAGpw/6_yE5TlT2K4ydlpOEeyN1PZsIZW6nAxfACLcB/s320/13906648_10154430646896719_7946865901469307122_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The birthday girl with our family at the party</td></tr>
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<br />shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12633218749632398501noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635528351138672854.post-46554353169393248772016-07-11T18:04:00.001-05:002016-07-11T18:04:34.908-05:00All Clear (or pretty darn close)We had our follow up at the orthopedic doc on Friday and there was good news. I don't have a Twitter account and am not much for hashtags, but just for fun let me say :: #allclear, #batterup, #happyboy, #activerestdidit'sthing!<br />
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The doctor did advise that he ease back in to throwing with his right hand, so he suggested not pitching or catching, since that would involve way more throwing than any other position. But he can rejoin the batting order and start fielding as a righty again! His first game after the all clear is tomorrow night and he is pretty pumped!shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12633218749632398501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635528351138672854.post-63789853094568835402016-07-01T12:39:00.000-05:002016-07-02T20:02:13.588-05:00Active RestEarly in June our sports-loving, baseball playing kiddo told me, before bed one Friday night, as we were praying together and I was tucking him in, that his elbow really hurt. This kid has a pretty high pain threshold, so I probably should have taken it a bit more seriously right off the bat (no pun intended), but in true "seasoned mom" fashion, I told him to take it easy and see how it felt in a couple days. I promptly forgot about it and started thinking about all the other things taking up mental space in my brain these days. Well, a few days later he told me that it still hurt. And I could tell he meant it. So I made him an appointment at the pediatrician for the next day. She looked at it, asked him some questions and got him an x-ray. Since there are growth plate issues to consider with an elbow in a pre-pubescent kid, and since she is a pediatrician and not a radiologist or orthopedic doc, she said she'd have to consult with a radiologist and get back to me with the verdict. I got a call the next day that the radiologist wanted us to head to an orthopedic clinic to have him seen by a specialist there because it looked like the bone had pulled away from the growth plate. (Sounds super painful to me!) So we we made an appointment at the orthopedic clinic with a guy who specializes in elbows and works quite a bit with baseball players. In the hours between the explanation of the concerns of the radiologist and the appointment with the orthopedic doc, I googled a bit about elbow growth plate injuries. That was probably not the best idea! It just got me worried and certain we would have surgery, or at the very least be down for the count for the rest of summer. And this was approximately 2 hours into summer vacation (quite literally -- school got out at 11 for the year and the orthopedic appointment was at 1:30)<br />
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At this point we are now about a week out from the first complaint about elbow pain and, tough, determined kid that he is, he has played in 2 baseball games since the pain started. At the appointment with the elbow guy we got a diagnosis of Medial Epicondyle Apophysitis, which meant nothing at all to me, but sounded like something you should take seriously! The lay term for what was causing the pain is "Little Leaguer's Elbow". Sometimes it comes on all at once, with one long throw of the ball or swing of a bat . . . but this case seemed to be more of the repetitive use version, since there didn't seem to be one particular "event" that prompted the onset of the pain. Thankfully there was no splint, cast, or surgery required. Just "active rest". No throwing. No batting. Less strenuous activities like swimming and biking were fine, but I assumed that the baseball season was pretty much over at that point. Turns out that was a naive assumption on my part. I should have known better, after all the years I have known this particular child!<br />
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A few pre-injury baseball pictures :: </div>
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Within 24 hours of the diagnosis, we were at a sporting goods store buying a glove for his right hand, so he could learn to play as a lefty. Without missing a beat (or a game) he continued playing. (No batting still, though.) Even though he was out of the batting order, he was fielding with surprising accuracy and power as a lefty. I guess it is advantageous to have a left-handed first baseman, so that is what he has played most in the games since his injury. He is one determined kid. As hard as that particular trait can be to parent, at times, I know it will serve him well in life. He made up his mind to do something and he did it. (Hopefully with no life-long damage to an important part of his body that he would appreciate having full use of for the rest of his days!)</div>
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We are coming to the last week before our re-check. We have an orthopedic appointment again at the end of this coming week. New x-ray and exam. I know it will not go smoothly if anything less than an "all clear" is given at this appointment. So we are hopeful that time and rest would have done the healing work that is needed to get back into life at 100% (if not a bit more!).<br />
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But the past few weeks, I have been giving extra thought to the idea of "active rest". I think there are some areas of my life that could use a bit of active rest. Not completely down for the count across the board, but intentionally avoiding some things in areas that are "injured" in my life and giving them the time and space to heal a bit. Maybe you have areas that could use some active rest too. Think on it a bit and see.<br />
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shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12633218749632398501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635528351138672854.post-57103060243114543582016-06-06T22:07:00.001-05:002016-06-06T22:18:51.229-05:00FourteenHappy, happy 14th birthday to our third-born kiddo, second-born daughter (who I was CERTAIN was going to be a boy!), big sister to 3, little sister to 2, almost-a-high-schooler Lydia Joy. LJ is fabulous and we are so thankful that God blessed our family with her 14 years ago today. I pray that this year ahead brings her many new adventures and experiences and times of learning. She is great and we love her lots!<div><br>
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At 14, Lydia is in to theater (she was in all 6 of the plays during her middle school career), her friends, church, hammock-ing, Frappuccinos, watching Gilmore Girls, taking walks, school (she is a top-notch student), Trout Lake Camp and Miranda Sings. She is a sweet, thoughtful girl who often makes me laugh. She is a great friend and a good sister (most of the time!). I'm looking forward to seeing what the year ahead will bring for her as she moves to high school.<br>
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<br></div>shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12633218749632398501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635528351138672854.post-77023079306263508522016-06-05T19:44:00.000-05:002016-06-05T19:44:34.070-05:00On my stackIf you know me well, you will know that I love, love, love to read! I always have a book or two that I am working on. Also, I love to listen to audio books when I am running, so most of the time I've got one on my phone that I'm listening to as well. Not to mention the never-ending stack by my bed of "to read" books. So, this is the stack I'm working through lately.<br />
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Here go my thoughts. From top to bottom. Enjoy!<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Was-Beautiful-Celebrating-Midst-Good-Bye/dp/0781413524/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1465171265&sr=8-1&keywords=and+it+was+beautiful" target="_blank">And It Was Beautiful</a> by Kara Tippetts. Kara (pastor's wife, author, blogger, mother-of-4) died in March of 2015. This book was put together after her death, I believe from blog posts over the years as she struggled with cancer. She had written two books before this one and I appreciate her writing and am looking forward to reading this one too.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Savor-Living-Abundantly-Where-You/dp/0310344972/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1465171549&sr=8-1&keywords=savor+shauna+niequist" target="_blank">Savor</a> by Shauna Niequist. I ADORE Shauna and her writing. I have read everything she has written. A couple of her books I've read 3 or 4 times! Savor is a daily devotional book and I love it! It is how I start each morning (well, honestly, once in a while the morning gets away from me and I have to play catch up the next day . . . or the day after that). I got it for my birthday last year and am truly "savor-ing" it. I can't tell you how many days I have opened it up and it has said so precisely what I really needed to hear on that specific day. And many mornings I want so badly to read the next day's entry, but I (usually, anyway) restrain myself. You won't be sorry if you pick up a copy, I promise! P.S. Shauna has <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Present-Over-Perfect-Leaving-Frantic/dp/0310342996/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1465173345&sr=1-1&keywords=present+over+perfect" target="_blank">new book</a> coming out later this year that I am looking forward to enjoying as soon as my (pre-ordered, gifted by the same friend who gave me my copy of Savor for my birthday) copy arrives in the mail!<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Roots-Sky-Journey-Home-Seasons/dp/0800726669/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1465172057&sr=8-1&keywords=roots+and+sky" target="_blank">Roots & Sky</a> by Christie Purifoy. I haven't connected so deeply with a book since reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/One-Thousand-Gifts-Fully-Right/dp/0310321913/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1465172026&sr=8-1&keywords=One+Thousand+gifts" target="_blank">One Thousand Gifts</a> by Ann Voskamp. And if you know me well, you know that it pretty much the highest compliment that I can give. Christie is doing for my soul the same thing that <a href="http://www.saragroves.com/" target="_blank">Sara Groves</a>' music does. The book is wonderful and I am really, really enjoying it and taking my time. I'm already sad that it is nearly over. The subtitle is "A Journey Home in Four Seasons" and it is her thoughts on life and seasons and change and home, following a move her family made from Florida to an old farmhouse in Pennsylvania. I love it!<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Giddy-Up-Eunice-Because-Women/dp/1433643111/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1465172122&sr=1-1&keywords=giddy+up+eunice" target="_blank">Giddy Up, Eunice</a> by Sophie Hudson. I have read and thoroughly enjoyed Sophie's other two books as well as her blog and her podcast. She is hilarious, while also conveying deeper, meaningful thoughts. Giddy Up, Eunice did not disappoint and I enjoyed each and every page. It tackles the subject of the importance of intergenerational friendships among women, christian women in particular. It explores more deeply a few friendships from scripture that crossed over generational lines. I was lucky enough to get an advanced reader's copy of the book. It actually comes out this week, so get your hands on a fresh-off-the-presses copy for yourself!<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Life-Together-Christ-Experiencing-Transformation/dp/0830835865/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1465172477&sr=1-1&keywords=life+together+in+christ+ruth+haley+barton" target="_blank">Life Together in Christ</a> by Ruth Haley Barton. This is the book that I am working through with my fabulous group of "Bible Study" girls. (We are a cross between a traditional Bible study and a book club with more significant depth of material, and always focused on spiritual formation). Those three ladies are so dear to me and love me so well, even through my hard, gross stuff . . . but, back to the book. I have really enjoyed it so far. We are a little more than half way through and it has some challenging material, but it is (almost always) good to be challenged and pushed a bit. The books subtitle is "Experiencing Transformation in Community" and our prayer is that that is true of us. It gives you a great model of how to have a keeping life with Christ in the company of others. <br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Miss-Hazel-Rosa-Parks-League/dp/1940210046/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1465172594&sr=1-1&keywords=miss+hazel+and+the+rosa+parks+league+by+jonathan+odell" target="_blank">Miss Hazel and the Rosa Parks League</a> by Jonathan Odell. I know almost nothing about this book, but what I do know is that it was HIGHLY recommended by a friend of mine who has recommended books to me for years and not let me down yet . . . so I'm trusting this one will be a winner. I requested it from the library and it just came in, so I'm excited to get started.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Goldfinch-Novel-Pulitzer-Prize-Fiction/dp/0316055441/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1465172929&sr=1-1&keywords=goldfinch" target="_blank">The Goldfinch</a> by Donna Tartt. I just finished this one over Memorial Day weekend. It was LONG (771 pages!) and there were times that I wanted to quit. But more than I wanted to quit, I wanted to know how it ended, so I stuck it out. I was glad that I made it and it saw it through to the end. The plot was interesting (although, personally, I think it could have been just as interesting with fewer pages!) and I appreciated the diversity of characters and the character development. Not the best book I've ever read, but not bad either. If you enjoy art or art history, it might be right up your alley since the overarching plot involved a stolen painting. It is a good read as long as you don't mind a decent amount of bad language, a bit of violence and murder, a pinch of gruesome detail and lots of drugs! It won a Pulitzer Prize, so there's that too.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Most-Wanted-Lisa-Scottoline/dp/1250010136/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1465173099&sr=1-1&keywords=most+wanted" target="_blank">Most Wanted</a> by Lisa Scottoline. Another friend recommendation that I requested from the library that just came in (don't you hate it when all your books come in at the same time . . . when it rains, it pours, I guess!). Looking forward to reading this one as well. A novel. A thriller. A page turner. Every once in a while I love a novel that keeps you up late in to the night because just can't put it down. I'm guessing that's what this one will be.<br />
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A few that I have finished. A few that I am currently working through. A few that are up next. What are you reading lately?<br />
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None of the links are affiliate links. I get no benefit from you reading the books or not reading them. I just wanted to let you know what I'm reading and enjoying lately in case you might enjoy it too. All links are to Amazon, although there are a million other places that you can buy books. Also, I can't read e-books. I need actual pages made of paper to turn. I know that's not as convenient as just carrying around your thin, light e-reader . . . but, that's how I roll!</div>
shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12633218749632398501noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5635528351138672854.post-19536786089067996172016-05-19T10:36:00.000-05:002016-05-19T10:39:29.531-05:00BlessingsI have made a practice, for years, of keeping a list of blessings in my life (gratitude journal). It really helps me to keep things in perspective and also to be on the lookout for the gifts in my life, both big and small. Here is some of my recent blessings.<br>
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5313. a beautiful sunrise<br>
5317. Anna spending the weekend with GG (those two just LOVE being together)<br>
5322. reading books to Sara<br>
5365. a thumbs-up from our 93-year-old neighbor as he drove past me as I walked<br>
5359. clean sheets on all the beds<br>
5372. clothes on the clothesline<br>
5402. crafting<br>
5410. glorious spring weather<br>
5423. friends who know you well<br>
5450. hearing an owl hooting in the woods<br>
5462. the quiet of morning<br>
5485. the girls hanging out in the yard in their hammocks<br>
5504. beautiful sunset<br>
5505. our "village" and how we take care of each other<br>
5532. staff appreciation breakfast at school -- always a highlight of the year<br>
5540. that my kids get to really know my grandma. And the love her so much!<br>
5542. texts from friends<br>
5548. our spiffed up patio space<br>
5554. lots of yard work done<br>
5556. the smell of lilacs in the air<div><br>
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Be on the lookout for blessings in your life. You will love it once you start!<br>
<br></div>shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12633218749632398501noreply@blogger.com0