Celebrations

It 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!

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.

sister love

We don't get to all spend enough time together, so we enjoyed every minute of our Saturday together celebrating!

the birthday "kids"

On my stack

If 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.

Here go my thoughts. From top to bottom. Enjoy!

And It Was Beautiful 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.

Savor 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 new book 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!

Roots & Sky by Christie Purifoy. I haven't connected so deeply with a book since reading One Thousand Gifts 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 Sara Groves' 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!

Giddy Up, Eunice 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!

Life Together in Christ 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.

Miss Hazel and the Rosa Parks League 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.

The Goldfinch 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.

Most Wanted 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.

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?

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!

Blessings

I 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.

5313. a beautiful sunrise
5317. Anna spending the weekend with GG (those two just LOVE being together)
5322. reading books to Sara
5365. a thumbs-up from our 93-year-old neighbor as he drove past me as I walked
5359. clean sheets on all the beds
5372. clothes on the clothesline
5402. crafting
5410. glorious spring weather
5423. friends who know you well
5450. hearing an owl hooting in the woods
5462. the quiet of morning
5485. the girls hanging out in the yard in their hammocks
5504. beautiful sunset
5505. our "village" and how we take care of each other
5532. staff appreciation breakfast at school -- always a highlight of the year
5540. that my kids get to really know my grandma. And the love her so much!
5542. texts from friends
5548. our spiffed up patio space
5554. lots of yard work done
5556. the smell of lilacs in the air

Be on the lookout for blessings in your life. You will love it once you start!

Elementary school and our "village"

Our community is such a blessing. I love where we live and am so grateful! I try to not ever take it for granted. We are surrounded by wonderful people. I walk out my front door (actually I never walk out the front door, so make that the side door) and within about 10 minutes I can be deep in the woods spotting deer and fox and owls and all sorts of creatures. I can drive to Target or the library in less than 3 minutes . . . unless traffic is bad, then it might take 4 minutes. We have amazing parks and trails and outdoor spaces. It is a wonderful place to live and we are so blessed!

I adore our elementary school! I can't say enough good things about it! Amazing families. Fabulous teachers who are smart, gifted at what they do and have genuine care, love and concern for the kids that they are teaching. It's not perfect (no place is!), but it is so wonderful. It's a smaller, public K-6 school. It is far enough from our house (almost exactly a mile) that my kids qualify to be bussed, but for years we've walked to school pretty much every day. Joe is a walking patrol this year, which makes his "oath" similar to that of a postal worker, "in rain, snow, sleet or hail" or however that goes. The only times the walking line is cancelled is if the air temperature is below zero or the windchill is below 17 below. So, pretty much he has to walk every day, rain or shine. The other day, on the way home, the kids got pelted with some pretty serious hail! (I picked them up that day, after Joe had safely crossed the kids -- which only included his sister and the other walking patrol who has taken the same "oath" -- across the busy street. His most important job is to make sure everyone gets safely across Hamline Ave. After he had done that, I picked them up and drove them home. I even yelled at the other kid on the walking line to hop in and drove him home too.)

So, Joe carries a big orange flag and wears the reflective vest and the whole deal. We leave our house (via the SIDE door) about a half hour before school starts each morning. We pick up the neighbor girl 3 houses down and continue collecting kids along the way. We can have up to 10 kids in our "pack" by the time we get to school. I have walked with the kids from time to time over the years, but this year for the first time I get to walk them pretty much every day. (If my memory can be trusted, I've only missed 1 day so far this year). We've been hot. We've been cold. We've had to work hard to not blow over. We've gotten wet . . . sometimes REALLY wet. And still we walk. It is, truly, my very favorite part of the day. Fresh air in the morning. Time to talk with my kids and hear/see them interact with other kids who aren't their siblings. The morning/before school energy of elementary school kids is good for my soul.

Once we get to school, I wait outside with the kids until they go in. Sometimes, we even walk them in to their classrooms. And, on occasion, Sara and Anna play a trick on Anna's teacher where Sara walks into Anna's classroom (while Anna hides in the hall) and puts Anna's folder away and proceeds to sit in Anna's spot and "get to work". Bless her, Anna's teacher always "falls for it" and calls Sara "Anna" and tells her to start on her morning work. Anna's friends are all in on it too (they started doing it last year -- shockingly, last years teacher "fell for it" every time too. Amazing! These woman are saints, I tell you!). It doesn't ever take long before Sara's crazy laughter starts and she admits that she's not actually Anna and Anna comes in and gets to work. The teacher laughs and says "you fooled me" and I give Anna a hug and Sara and I head out to make the trip home again.

On any given morning there are probably a couple dozen parents who either walk with their kids to school or drive them and walk them in, rather than just dropping them off at the door. I love to watch other parents interact with their kids. The kids are all young enough that you see LOTS of have-a-good-day hugs and kisses between parents and their kids. You see kids high five their friends and hug their teachers. Now, I don't want to paint an unrealistic picture . . . you also see some tears, have to yell at kids to settle their bodies down a bit, see a kid push a classmate and hear words you wish kids that little kids wouldn't know, let alone say . . . but 95% of what I witness at that school each day brings a smile to my face and warmth to my heart. It is good for my soul!

Once in a while I will be there at the end of the day too. It is just as heart-warming at the end of the day as it is at the beginning. If you are in the younger wing of the school at the end of the day you will see LOTS of hugs. I'm pretty sure 90% of the younger kids have some type of physical contact with their teacher at the end of the day. Hugs, high fives, maybe a fist bump. Lot of hugs! It is so sweet. If you are in the other wing, where the older kids are, there are certainly less hugs (they are a big too old and cool for that), but you will still see some form of physical contact from many kids. Usually a high five. Some days it's enough to make me thankful for the sunglasses that I'm wearing which hide the tears welling up in my eyes. Such caring, loving, genuinely kind teachers and such sweet kiddos. My heart nearly bursts! And I am thankful!

On Tuesday mornings before school there is a student-led Bible study that meets at the high school. Often our two high schoolers get picked up by another neighborhood parent on these days . . . but on the days when I drive the early-morning crew to school on a Tuesday it also makes me crazy happy. Tooling around the neighborhood picking up kids in my big van while it's still dark (depending on the time of year and what side of daylight-savings you are on) and dropping them off at school before 7 to study the Bible before beginning their days is almost more than I can take. Last week I dropped off my 2 and 3 others (poor Jacob was the lone boy in the van . . . good thing he's used to it) and felt so much gratitude for countless, nameless things as I watched them walk in together. For their friendship, their love for God, their desire to get up early (I've never once "made" my kids go, they genuinely want to) to study the Bible, their boldness to attend a Bible study at their public high school, the Christian teachers that I know are in the building silently cheering them on, the wonderful community of people we have in our neighborhood who love my kids. And the list goes on.

I really couldn't even imagine living in a better place. I think it is really quite unique and not the norm, and I am so grateful! (The Roseville area visitor association didn't even pay me a penny to say any of this, in case you were wondering!)

Fall Family Fun

We planned a trip to the apple orchard (our favorite one!) with some friends. The day we had planned to go turned out to not be quite so fall-ish, as the temperature was about 85 degrees -- which is a bit warmer than my liking for mid-October. But we went ahead with the plan. We just wore shorts and t-shirts and flip flops rather than jeans, sweaters and boots.

We had a great time. We are so thankful for the friendship we have with this great family. Their 8 kids added to our 6, plus the 4 adults make us quite a site when we are all together!

The (good looking) kids. 14 of them, ages 4-16 :: 2 preschoolers, 2 2nd graders, a 4th grader, a 5th grader, a 6th grader, a 7th grader, 3 8th graders, 2 freshman and a junior ::

Buddies ::

Hay wagon ride to the corn maze (love his shirt!) ::

Friends ::

Helping make cider :: 

it's not easy ::

the cider press (it was super cool) ::

It was a fun fall Sunday. We also celebrated a couple birthdays (with such a big group, it's always bound to be someone's birthday) with cake and a song! I'm thinking it might very well become a tradition.

Multitude Monday

It's been nearly a month since my last Multitude Monday post. Where on earth did March go? I'm glad to have moved on to April, though, and to finally see signs that spring is here to stay! So, without further ado, here is my continuing Multitude Monday post which is part of a series started years ago on Ann's blog, which is a favorite of mine. If you've never checked it out, do yourself a favor and click on over. She's an amazing, gifted writer, a wonderful friend and an inspiration to so many (not to mention a mother of 6)!

This will be a "best of" list from the past month, since there are about 80 of them.

"One Thousand Gifts"::

3901. Face Time
3904. hugs
3906. the beauty of mountains
3909. running outside without dodging puddles or watching out for ice
3910. Kirbs' laughter
3911. seeing first-hand how fabulous my husband is at his job. So proud!
3912. eating breakfast OUTSIDE
3913. naturally-sourced vitamin D! (yay for California sunshine on the skin of a Minnesota girl in March)
3916. hanging out and laughing with Jen
3920. fabulous people watching
3922. a good book for the plane ride
3923. safe travels
3925. life-long friendships
3926. being home again!
3927. hugging my kids again after being away from them for a week
3928. waking up and hearing the sound of Joe reading books to Anna
3929. sleeping in my own bed
3930. tax return automatically deposited in our checking account
3931. feeling full to almost bursting with love for my family and my life and gratitude to God for it all
3932. my parents and ALL they did so we could get away
3934. running in my own, familiar neighborhood
3936. 15 years of Jacob!
3937. Rebekah a teenager!
3939. introducing my grandma to the game of Spinners
3940. Sara saying "I love you, Marjorie." to my grandma -- I think it's so funny when she uses adults first names (that sometimes I didn't even know she knew!) instead of their other name (mom, dad, grandma, grandmpa, ama, bopbop, GG). She does it every once in a while and it cracks me up every time.
3941. Rebekah baking her own birthday cake
3945. all the people who took the time to tell me how great the kids did playing in church the Sunday we were out of town
3946. Jacob playing his trumpet accompanied by his GREAT grandma -- pretty rare and pretty special. It goes my heart good!
3949. Rebekah playing "I Love to Tell the Story" on the piano while I work
3950. surprise 40th birthday get-together for a friend -- seeing friends I don't get a chance to see very often
3953. my favorite green chai (the our local grocery store stopped carrying) from my mom (she found some online!)
3958. Our REI dividend!
3961. 6 years of Anna!
3962. our church
3964. 14 glorious miles run over the weekend
3965. snuggling my nephew :: 4-month-olds have the best, huge, toothless smiles
3966. dinner at my parents house
3967. fabulous finds at Goodwill (and a sale to boot!)
3969. Macy's flower show with the littles, my mom and my grandma (4 generations enjoying spring-like flowers inside while the outside was FAR from spring-like!)

stop and smell the hyacinth

Sara wasn't cooperating for pictures!

Anna has lost 2 teeth since this picture was taken less than a week ago!

beautiful

me and my silly little girls

my beautiful grandma

what's a flower show without some candy treats?

GG, Ama and Anna

3970. weeknight sleepover for Sara (makes the morning SO MUCH easier)
3972. one-on-one date with Sara

enjoying a ride at MOA

3973. attending a 100th birthday party (you don't get many chances to do that!)
3975. REALLY dirty kids after playing outside (ahhh, the "joys" of spring)
3977. coffee ice cream
3978. running in capris and a tank top (it's been a long time since I ran sleeveless!)

 May you realize all the blessings the Lord brings your way and take the time to make note of them. (you'll be glad that you did!)

Multitude Monday

Here's my continuing Multitude "Monday" post which is part of a series started years ago on Ann's blog, which is a favorite of mine. If you've never checked it out, do yourself a favor and click on over. She's an amazing, gifted writer, a wonderful friend and an inspiration to so many (not to mention a mother of 6)!

"One Thousand Gifts"::

3833. Melting :: the sights and sounds
3834. forgiveness
3835. a clean microwave
3836. temps in the 40's with sun!
3837. a visit from Brie
3838. fresh snow stuck on everything :: SO beautiful! (can you spot the cross in our yard? Joey built that -- with a little help -- it was all his idea.)

3839. a major snow storm and no need to leave the house (our first legitimate SNOW day after 5 days of no school due to extreme cold so far this winter)

3840. Kirby's hard work for our family
3841. the boys watching Olympic hockey at the Hansen's on their snow day
3842. safe driving on nasty roads
3843. crafting with Kaaren
3844. book club night :: can't wait!
3845. neighbor family that shovels out the entire block :: we have the most fabulous neighbors! who does that these days, anyway? not too many people, I imagine!

3846. time with friends
3847. Qwirkle and LOTS of laughter
3848. packing meals for people in Rwanda on a Saturday morning with my parents and the Newmans :: 3 generations volunteering together.
3849. going to Sam's basketball game (and as a bonus, they won!)
3850. going for a run, despite the cold :: I always feel better once I've been running, even if it isn't so fun to actually be doing it (the HAVE DONE feeling is good, even when the DOING is tough!)
3851. lunch at my Grandma's
3852. the funny things Sara says
3853. real mail :: going out and coming in
3854. the library
3855. thoughts of summer :: kids all registered for camp



 May you realize all the blessings the Lord brings your way and take the time to make note of them. (you'll be glad that you did!)

Multitude Monday

Here's my continuing Multitude Monday post which is part of a series started years ago on Ann's wonderful, amazing blog that is a favorite of mine. If you've never checked it out, do yourself a favor and click on over. She's an amazing, gifted writer, a wonderful friend and an inspiration (not to mention a mother of 6)!

"One Thousand Gifts"::

3709. making another batch of chai (great on cold days)
3710. laughter
3711. the beauty of fresh snow
3712. the quiet of early morning
3713. time with friends
3714. Sam's first day back at school
3715. the little girls all bundled up, playing in the snow
3716. freshly fallen snow
3717. Bible study with my girls
3718. a good book
3719. Trader Joe's cinnamon graham crackers (YUM!)
3720. carpooling
3721. a long weekend
3722. a 2-day break from the bitter cold
3723. a 5-mile outdoor run on a sunny Saturday
3724. Lydia spending the day with her GG
3725. purging :: "spring" cleaning in January
3726. sound of a train whistle cutting through the still, quiet morning
3727. Joe  pre-heating my spot in bed
3728. watching "Parenthood" with Kirb after a long day (tears. every time. tears!)
3729. Kirb bringing me a surprise latte on another (in a long line) "polar vortex" morning
3730. a warm  home
3731. warm clothes
3732. a good book
3733. organized Legos
3734. almost 200 pounds of stuff gone from our house during my 10-day "spring" cleaning purge
3735. morning snuggles and iPhone devotions with Anna
3736. Saturday mornings spent with my grandma

3737. 2 vehicles that start, even when temps are well below zero
3738. the tropical feel of the pool deck in the middle of winter
3739. running while the snow is falling. BEAUTIFUL!
3740. the blessing of not having to scramble for childcare -- 3 polar vortex no-school days so far in January (with potential for a couple more next week)
3741. Rebekah's babysitting jobs keeping her busy (and making money)
3742. a cleaned out medicine cabinet . . . and kids who notice
3743. the library
3744. an extended weekend -- even Kirb home due to ultra cold temps and windchills
3745. Jacob no worse off after an allergic reaction sent him to the ER for a visit and a bit of a stay
3746. modern medicine and drugs to combat his reaction and bring his handsome self back home. whole and healthy. thank you, God!

3747. our (hard working) furnace
3748. quiet morning devotions
3749. fresh starts
3750. new Odyssey's for the kids to enjoy
3751. youth group on Sunday night
3752. Anna, the proud owner of her very own library card
3753. a great section swim meet for our 3 swimmers (there's a first place backstrok-er in the house!)

May you realize all the blessings the Lord brings your way and take the time to make note of them. (you'll be glad that you did!)

Lose a ton

My (new) friend Amber, who I met this fall in ECFE, put a challenge up via Facebook to take part in a January purge of possessions in effort to simplify our homes and our lives and (hopefully) bless others in the process. She was looking for 20 people to commit to get rid of 10 pounds of stuff each day for 10 consecutive days sometime during the month of January. That is 100 pound per person/household for a total of 2000 pounds between the 20 of us. I knew finding time to take part in the challenge for 10 consecutive days might be tricky, but I was excited by the idea and knew that finding 100 pounds of unnecessary stuff in our house would (sadly) not be hard at all.

Here is a short recap of my experience ::

Day 1 :: I went through the kitchen and weeded out excess coffee mugs (I think those things multiple in the cupboard!), water bottles, vases, etc. for a total of 11.8 pounds.

Day 2 :: I had Bible study that morning. One of the girls in my Bible study has a sweet 8-month-old girl, so I pass down Sara's outgrown clothes to her. Before I left, I found 2.8 pounds of stuff to pass along to her. When I got home from Bible study my mom and I tacked my hall linen closet, which is a catch-all for things with no home! We took out ever last thing, wiped down the inside (actually my mom did those steps while I was at Bible study, since she was at my house watching Sara for me) and then only put back things we actually use or need and got rid of 17.9 pounds of stuff from in there that we did not need or was expired/ruined/worthless.

Day 3 :: I cleaned out my stash of craft stuff and came up with 21.8 pounds of stuff I didn't need or wasn't going to use. I plan to bring most of it to ArtScraps in St. Paul.

Day 4 :: Books! I went through our books and ended up with 28.4 pounds. I took some of them to Half Price Books (actually, Kirby did that) and got $10 out of the deal. Some I added to our Little Free Library and a few I passed along.

Day 5 :: 21.8 pounds of clothes from Rebekah and Lydia's wardrobes. Outgrown, ill-fitting, not their style, excessive (does she really need that many t-shirts? nope!).

Day 6 :: 17.4 pounds of clothes from the 2 boys.

Day 7 :: 13.4 pounds of clothes, mostly mine with a few pounds worth from Anna (most of her outgrown clothes get saved for Sara).

Day 8 :: 37.4 pounds of stuff. Some more clothes, some misc household things, a couple more books, some decorative pillows (we have more than our share).

Day 9 :: I tackled the bathroom on day 9. I took every last thing out of the medicine cabinet and wiped it all down. Then I only put about 1/3 of the stuff back in there. We had lots of expired medicines/creams/stuff in there. I also cleaned under the sink and in the drawers of our vanity. There also was a box full of kids jewelry (think beaded bracelets made with much love -- and not much visual appeal) that I tossed. The total that day was 8.7 pounds. My only day under 10 pounds . . . but I believe in averaging things out, so when I finished the bathroom, I didn't try to make up 1.3 more pounds of stuff and just called it good.

Day 10 :: 13.8 pounds of games and toys. We also re-organized ALL. THE. LEGOS. Which was a huge (but VERY worthwhile) undertaking. School was cancelled for our kids due to the crazy cold temps, so they helped me out. I think having them so well organized will lead to more desire to build with them! We cleared off the whole train table, so there's plenty of room to build!

So, my 10-day total was 195.2 pounds. I'm so glad I made the commitment and took part. Our home is more organized (although I still have plenty more areas that I could tackle . . . and probably still will, just not as formally -- no weighing in and daily purging) and we hope that the things we are no longer using will go to good use, and be a blessing in someone else's life.

Thankful Thursday

When you feel the first beginnings of alertness as you awaken in the morning and your first thought is "I slept all night. The phone didn't ring.", that is something to be thankful for! Most people don't even have this though in the morning. That is good and right and normal.If you have reason to think that as your waking thought, obviously, the opposite has been true. And when you wake up and realize nothing interrupted your sleep the previous night, you are thankful! Thank you, Lord, for a peaceful, normal night! I slept with my land line and my cell next to my bed and they both were quiet all night.

2 nights in a row a ringing phone cuts through our silent house. This is never a good thing!

Long story short, my very dearest friend's son is in the hospital. Has been there since Sunday night. Lord willing, he'll go home tomorrow. That is a LONG time to be in the hospital, by today's standards. Especially if you are 9. It has been a scary week! A middle-of-the-night seizure got him a ride in an ambulance (that he doesn't remember) to the hospital. Another (much worse) middle-of-the-night seizure the next night proved the first one wasn't just a fluke as we had hoped. After a TON of not-too-fun tests and exams, he has a diagnosis and we're praying hard that he keeps getting stronger and healthier with each hour (and especially, each night) that passes. Thank God for modern medicine and anti-seizure drugs!

The truth-teller, rule-follower in me cringes a little inside when she introduces me to the rounding ICU doc :: "This is my sister. Sam's aunt." She mean it with all her heart, and I believe it too. But a little part of me worries we'll be "found out". Will they catch us and accuse us of lying or deceit? No one cares, really. They believe us. (Who wouldn't. We look SO much alike . . . well, except the hair color, skin color, body shape, 9 inches of height difference. You know, no big deal). She is an only child. I have a younger brother. Growing up, there would be summers when I'm fairly certain she went DAYS without seeing her parents. She practically lived at our house. Kept a toothbrush there. Didn't ask if it was ok before opening the fridge and taking whatever she wanted. Using our toilet with the door open. Family stuff! We really are sisters in any way that counts! We have been friends for decades (about 3 of them, if you care to know). Friends through good and plenty of bad! I've never had an "actual" sister, but I can't imagine I could be any more "sisterly" with someone who actually lived in my house every day growing up, whose college and wedding was paid for by the same 2 adults as mine. I'm pretty certain this is as good as it gets :: I adore her. She drives me nutty. You know, just like a sister should! I would call her in the middle of the night, without a thought, if I needed her and she would do the same (I have phone records from this week as evidence of that fact).

So I hurt with her. Pray with her. Worry with her. And when I wake up in the morning to the realization of a phone call-free night, I am thankful with her. I am thankful today!

Multitude Monday {double feature}

Here's my continuing Multitude Monday post which is part of a series started years ago on Ann's wonderful, amazing blog that is a favorite of mine. If you've never checked it out, do yourself a favor and click on over. She's an amazing, gifted writer, a wonderful friend and an inspiration (not to mention a mother of 6)!

"One Thousand Gifts"::

3189. Mom's night at preschool

3190. Anna's bravery for her Kindergarten shots

3191. some great finds at the annual "garage sale" at our school

3192. a fabulous CSC banquet (one of my favorite nights of the year)

3193. my longest run ever (over 6 miles)

3194. 1st thru 4th grade talent show :: so entertaining!

3195. middle school open house with Rebekah

3196. my book club girls (what a blessing!)

3197. spring weather . . . finally!

3198. trampoline back up again in the yard

3199. clothes hanging on the line

3200. a really, really good book

3201. a freshly vacuumed house (thanks Mom!)

3202. a playdate for the 2 littles and a bit of time to myself

3203. the college-aged girl with her Bible and open journal on the table at Starbucks, writing away like crazy. 

3204. birds chirping outside the window during my early morning quiet time

3205. well-deserved good news for a dear friend

3206. powerful words

3207. 60's and sunshine

3208. Rebekah reading "Charlie and Lola" to Sara before school

3209. dinner at my parents

3210. chats with friends

3211. our basement filled with kids watching a movie on Saturday night

3212. a productive morning

3213. washing and packing up all the winter gear!

3214. 18 years today since he asked and I said yes

May you realize all the blessings the Lord brings your way and take the time to make note of them. (you'll be glad that you did!)

Here's my continuing Multitude Monday post which is part of a series started years ago on Ann's wonderful, amazing blog that is a favorite of mine. If you've never checked it out, do yourself a favor and click on over. She's an amazing, gifted writer, a wonderful friend and an inspiration (not to mention a mother of 6)!

"One Thousand Gifts"::

3174. free Starbucks :: I ordered at the drive thru and when I got to the window the guy informed me that their computers were down, so they couldn't ring me up. They could still make my latte, they just had no way of charging me for it. How great is that?
3175. a new babysitting job for Bekah
3176. 1/2 way through Kirb work trip and no major problems
3177. Kirb getting back home safely
3178. parenting with a partner again :: so much easier as a team!
3179. listening to my kiddos perform :: Bekah singing and Jake on the trumpet
3180. a super fun night with TONS of friends at a girlfriends annual gathering with probably close to 100 other ladies (my once-a-year night when I stay out WAY, WAY past my bedtime)
3181. having my parents over for lunch
3182. a nap on a cold, gloomy Sunday afternoon (following my late night)
3183. hearing from the mom who drives Jacob to jazz band 2 mornings a month what a nice boy she thinks he is (who doesn't love hearing good things about their kids?)
3184. friends who give our kids rides to stuff
3185. a hearty conversation with a girlfriend about running :: it amazes me that I would actually choose to carry on a conversation about that particular topic at all!
3186. waking up to NO fresh snow on the ground for the first time in a lot of days :: there's still plenty of the white stuff on the ground, but no new snow overnight for once!
3187. cross things off my to-do list
3188. taking time to make some cards :: it had been a LONG time since I had done that. I almost forgot how much I like it!

May you realize all the blessings the Lord brings your way and take the time to make note of them. (you'll be glad that you did!)

multitude monday

Here's my continuing Multitude Monday post which is part of a series started years ago on Ann's wonderful, amazing blog that is a favorite of mine. If you've never checked it out, do yourself a favor and click on over. She's an amazing, gifted writer, a wonderful friend and an inspiration (not to mention a mother of 6)!

"One Thousand Gifts"::

3153. our REI dividend arriving right when we needed new rain boots :: perfect timing!
3154. packing up
3155. the amazing, fabulous, genuine, caring, smart men that teach 5th grade at Falcon
3156. a great 3-day trip to the Audubon with Lydia's class
3157. such a nice group of 5th graders to spend 3 days with
3158. making the "Ort Hall of Fame" for the first time ever in Falcon Heights history (our group went 4 meals with ZERO food waste . . . our teachers and a few dads were more than willing to "take one for the team" a time or two and clean up some trays, I'm sure)
3159. seeing kids challenge themselves, even when they're a bit scared :: at the end they are so glad they did it
3160. watching the kids genuinely encourage each other, even kids who aren't friends with each other
3161. the 4 fabulous girls I had the pleasure of bunking up with
3162. learning to use a compass ("Put Red in the Shed and follow Fred")
3163. being home again
3164. Face Time
3165. sunshine
3166. snuggles with Joe who was home sick from church
3167. getting in a run between rain showers
3168. a friend of mine drove by me when I was out running, slowed WAY down, opened her window and starting singing "Hey Shana, you're so fine. You're so fine you blow my mind. Hey Shana!" Made that last mile or so MUCH more fun and a bit less painful!
3169. my dad pitching in to help when I needed hand
3170. Joe's quick recovery
3171. a good nights sleep
3172. chirping birds
3173. our washer and dryer

May you realize all the blessings the Lord brings your way and take the time to make note of them. (you'll be glad that you did!)

multitude Monday (two weeks worth)

Here's my continuing Multitude Monday post which is part of a series started years ago on Ann's wonderful, amazing blog that is a favorite of mine. If you've never checked it out, do yourself a favor and click on over. She's an amazing, gifted writer and an inspiration (not to mention a mother of 6)!

We were visiting Kirby's family up north last Monday and I was not near a computer, so you'll get two weeks worth of blessings all at once. Enjoy!

"One Thousand Gifts"::

3071. fresh, beautiful snow :: and knowing it won't last too long this time of year
3072. carpools
3073. kind friends
3074. Angie, unselfishly, sharing the chance to pick Ann up at the airport with me
3075. meeting new people who become instant friends
3076. new books
3077. inspiring words
3078. fabulous news :: Mydi's mom is completely cancer free. Praise God!
3079. the way Ann laid her hand on each book after she signed it :: blessing it and it's owner
3080. sincere humility
3081. the opportunity to help at the Set Apart conference
3082. an asiago parmesan bagel from Brueggers
3083. talking homemade deodorant with brand new friends :: nothing like cutting to the personal right away
3084. the gift of brainstorms in the shower :: thank you Lord!
3085. pictures to aid memory
3086. morning coffee
3087. witnessing hard obedience to God first-hand
3088. another member of the family of God
3089. safe travels on dangerous roads
3090. Kirbs' fabulous driving skills
3091. finally arriving in Warroad 24 hours after leaving home (it's about a 6 hour drive, but the terrible road conditions necessitated an unplanned overnight stay at a hotel -- one with a pool. Bummer we didn't pack suits!)
3092. bumping into friends at the hotel where we were stranded (they were there on purpose)
3093. cell phone reception :: so often I take it for granted, but when you don't have any for a while you appreciate it so much more!
3094. all 24 "Stolls" in the same house :: it had been WAY too long
3095. cousins playing happily together
3096. delicious pizza
3097. a good run :: Kirb came along too, which made it even better
3098. the breath-taking beauty of miles and miles and miles of snow-covered trees while driving through the middle of nowhere
3099. kids traveling well
3100. family
3101. afternoon walks
3102. finding my lost running hat
3103. sleeping in my own bed again
3104. home again! (my favorite place)
3105. Jesus and grace
3106. surviving a REALLY cold 7K race
3107. celebrating Jodi and baby Evelyn
3108. girlfriend time
3109. being the first people ever to stay in the hotel room at a brand new hotel that just opened up
3110. our stay being free :: sometimes being the "guinea pig" is worthwhile, hopefully they get all the kinks worked out soon
3111. kids back to school after spring break

May you realize all the blessings the Lord brings your way and take the time to make note of them. (you'll be glad that you did!)

Get Lucky!

Well, I ran my first 7K on Saturday. I'd been working hard for the past couple months to be ready for the race and was really looking forward to it. Then the day got closer and closer and the forecast kept changing (and NOT for the better) and I got more and more worried. I can run in the cold. And I have. But I don't like it too much! I also don't enjoy running on ice or when it's windy. Anyway, turns out the air temperature on Saturday morning was about 20 and the winds were cold and gusty. (I think the wind chills were probably in the low teens). It had snowed over night and was icy.

I had planned to run it with my friend Nicole. The start time was 9 o'clock and we don't like to be rushed or late, so we wanted to be there about 8. So she picked me up and we got downtown and parked the car and were excited  and ready to run by a little after 8. I had run many times in similar temps and knew that it was pretty chilly, but that once I got running I'd be fine. What I hadn't thought through was that we'd be standing around in the freezing cold outside from the time we got there until the race started.

Now would be a good time to mention that there were over 10,000 people registered to run the Get Lucky 7K. That's a lot of people! (turns out 9,797 of them actually showed up to run -- the smarter ones stayed in their warm beds -- making it the largest number of finishers in a road race in Minnesota ever. Pretty cool). So, as it turns out when there are that many runners, you line up by pace (there were HUGE flags with pace times on them and you were supposed to line up near the flag that noted your pace) and you start in waves. We didn't even cross the starting line until 9:18 (and I heard that the last runners didn't cross the starting line until nearly 10 o'clock :: half the people were already done running by then!). So, if you didn't do the math yet, that means we stood around in the freezing cold for more than an hour before we actually started running. That part was not so fun!

I had just passed by the flag announcing that we had already run 5K when I finally had the feeling back in my feet. When we started running I couldn't feel them at all, and then they slowly started coming back to life, but felt more like bricks or 2x4s than feet. It was really a weird feeling! My fingers were pretty cold too. I'm fairly certain we had some mild frostbite. I kept saying to Nicole, "Can you feel your feet yet?", "My fingers are still numb!", "I am freezing!". It was one of the crazier things I've done and I'm so very thankful that I still have all my fingers and toes! The running part was fine, it was all that standing around before hand that was the killer!

Also, they had done the best possible job they could of getting the race route cleared of snow and ice, but it had just snowed overnight and the temps were low, so they had their work cut out for them. There were still quite a few icy, slick spots on the route. Running on ice and running on dry ground are two completely different things. They use different muscles. Your gait changes. It's not super easy and you really need to concentrate if you want to stay upright (and, let me tell you, I really wanted to stay upright!)

I had a personal goal for myself. I wanted to run the race in less than 45 minutes. I had been consistently running about a 10/10:30-minute mile for the past month or so and 7Ks is about 4.35 miles, so I figured that was a very reasonable goal and a nice round number. My official chip time was 45 minutes and 53 seconds, BUT I'm gonna say I still met my goal since about 20 feet from the finish line I (almost literally) ran into a WALL of people at a dead stop. There was a bottleneck at the finish since all the runners had to run through a slightly narrower area to finish than the streets we had been running on were. When you combine that with the fact that some people came to a stop to greet their non-running friends who were waiting for them at the finish line and then you multiply that my even a small percentage of the nearly 10,000 runners, you get a big mess. So I was very close to the finish line before 45 minutes, but my foot (where my fancy chip timer was laced onto my shoe) hadn't crossed the little finish line pad, so my time just kept ticking on until I could finally actually cross the finish line. I'm not a super competitive person, but after all I'd already been through in the race, I will admit I was not a happy camper coming to a standstill within feet of the finish line! I don't know how many seconds all that took, but I'm considering it a goal attained -- even though my official time says I missed it by 54 seconds. So there!

Well, that's my race in greater detail than you wanted, I'm sure. Thanks for sticking it out to the end. Here's a post-race picture of Nicole and me to reward you for reading all of that other stuff. We're sporting our race sweatshirts and medals (and it just so happens that we have the exact same hat too, so we really were twinsies!).

multitude monday

Here's my continuing Multitude Monday post which is part of a series started years ago on Ann's wonderful, amazing blog that is a favorite of mine. If you've never checked it out, do yourself a favor and click on over. She's an amazing, gifted writer and an inspiration (not to mention a mother of 6)!

"One Thousand Gifts"::

2988. Anna winking at me
2989. more swimming ribbons
2990. Joe qualifying for the state swim meet
2991. Anna "reading" library books to Sara
2992. chirping birds
2993. clean sheets waiting for you when you go to bed at night
2994. Buffalo day with my mom
2995. successful boot shopping (finally!) :: two pair, even :: and with a clearance and extra 25% off, only $75 for both pair
2996. grilled cheese with bacon
2997. the Amazon support guy who magically fixed our Kindle Fire when Sara, unintentionally, wiped the whole thing clean when playing with it.
2998. my new belt :: genius!
2999. Xyngular
3000. my wonderful husband!
3001. family fun night at the kids' school
3002. a beautiful funeral for a high school classmate
3003. re-connecting with high school friends around the table
3004. date night!
3005. fresh (sticky) snow on every single tree branch :: so very beautiful
3006. pre-dawn runs :: peaceful and calm
3007. lunch at my parent's house
3008. Race for the Cure "Team Marcia" gaining members
3009. safe travels on yucky roads during a storm
3010. feeling better than I have in a really, really long time (a good decade or so, probably)
3011. an entire family, a shovel in every hand, helping out neighbors (and the wonderful example of this family down, who lives the block from us :: they are such a self-less, helping, wonderful bunch. the best kind of neighbors to have! they just went up and down the block shoveling the heavy snow from all the driveways of the older people with their 4 kids -- their youngest is only 2 and he was working hard right along with them! great modeling, Jim & Heather!)
3012. a walk on a quiet winter day with my favorite person in the world
3013. Kirb down over 15 pounds :: so proud of him!
3014. hand-me-downs
3015. snickerdoodles

May you realize all the blessings the Lord brings your way and take the time to make note of them. (you'll be glad that you did!)

Multitude Monday

Here's my continuing Multitude Monday post which is part of a series started years ago on Ann's wonderful, amazing blog that is a favorite of mine. If you've never checked it out, do yourself a favor and click on over. She's an amazing, gifted writer and an inspiration (not to mention a mother of 6)!

"One Thousand Gifts"::

2965. No more cast for Rebekah
2966. a split chin for Jacob (and nothing worse)
2967. a great night at Art House North. Exactly what I needed :: time with Kirb, time for reflection, remembering, understanding myself even better! (thanks Brie for taking care of the troops at the last minute)
2968. the peacefulness of a sleeping child :: taking the time to be still and just stare
2969. sleeping in
2970. our Saturday morning wake up crew
2971. a safe, fun youth group retreat for Jacob
2972. Joe handling a disappointment so well
2973. a warm home on VERY cold winter days (and nights!)
2974. the return of ABOVE zero temps
2975. safe travels on nasty roads
2976. fresh, beautiful, powdery snow
2977. taxes filed! (federal anyway, the state isn't yet ready to accept our submission)
2978. encouraging news
2979. a good first week of the new "job"
2980. more creating (and the resulting happy customers are fabulous too)
2981. delivering my art to a friend who had a major role in the inspiration for the creation in the first place (I learned this week that artists can't help but create as a way to process through life :: I'd never heard it put that way before and it lined up so many things inside me. I love when that happens. Thank you, Sara, for pointing it out!)
2982. helping :: it is so true that giving is such a blessing (and the "little" things are usually bigger than the "big"things, it would seem to me!)
2983. a good section swim meet for Joe and Lydia
2984. tweeking my homemade deodorant recipe and coming up with just what I was hoping for! (even great through the workout test!)
2985. Rebekah getting back in the pool again
2986. Lydia's generous hair donation (11 inches) :: even more meaningful than Rebekah's donation earlier this fall, since we didn't yet know about my mom's cancer at that point.
2987. some good family time

May you realize all the blessings the Lord brings your way and take the time to make note of them. (you'll be glad that you did!)

Multitude Monday, a day late

Here's my continuing Multitude Monday post which is part of a series started years ago on Ann's wonderful, amazing blog that is a favorite of mine. If you've never checked it out, do yourself a favor and click on over. She's an amazing, gifted writer and an inspiration (not to mention a mother of 6)!

"One Thousand Gifts"::

2883. Lydia's smile
2884. reflecting on another year and all that it held :: ALL IS GRACE!
2885. New Year's with the Newman family
2886. friends who listen to your whining and complaining and still love you
2887. 24 hours shared with dear, dear friends
2888. double stuf oreos with peanut butter :: my favorite!
2889. Buffalo with my mom and Sara
2890. a few new orders
2891. fun surprise blessing in the mail :: letter stating that a nearly $1000 repair that we did to our van in 2011 (not covered under warranty) will be reimbursed by Chevy due to some manufacturing defect that they've discovered. Praise God! (now to find that receipt from the service!)
2892.  provision right when you need it
2893. mom's oncology appointment scheduled :: finally the results we've been waiting for and a plan from here on out
2894. excitement of this week for our church
2895. a great swim meet for the kids
2896. the look on Joe's face when he saw his 4 BLUE ribbons!
2897. a special "cast bag" on loan from a friend so that Rebekah can shower without help (well, except for getting said cast bag on and off -- she needs help for that)
2898. more crafting
2899. getting back into the swing of running
2900. another beautiful morning sky
2901. 5 years of Elijah. Praise God. I remember that day so well.
2902. Sara's dancing
2903. looking through all the pictures we took over Christmas

this one is SPOT ON in capturing their personalities

Anna's new shorter (and straighter) hair

4 generations of girls

Happy January! May you realize all the blessings the Lord brings your way in 2013 and take the time to make note of them.

multitude monday

Here's my continuing Multitude Monday post which is part of a series started years ago on Ann's wonderful, amazing blog that is a favorite of mine. If you've never checked it out, do yourself a favor and click on over. She's an amazing, gifted writer and an inspiration (not to mention a mother of 6)!

"One Thousand Gifts"::

2795. my Bible study girls
2796. lots of crafting
2797. Pandora
2798. mother-daughter time with my mom
2799. Beka's generous donation of 13 inches of gorgeous curls to make a wig for a cancer patient ::

 
 
2800. celebrating a life well-lived, although much too short
2801. coupons
2802. Anna practicing her piano lesson
2803. my bestie home safely from a 15-day work trip to Asia and back with her family
2804. a fresh-looking and less-shaggy 13-year-old after a much-needed haircut
2805. our thankful tree from my mom
2806. a winter-ready garage
2807. beautiful weather well into November :: not something to be taken for granted as a Minnesotan
2808. my husband's servant heart
2809. clean sheets
2810. hanging laundry on the line in late November without even getting numb fingers
2811. sunshine
2812. Jeff :: the girl's soccer coach
2813. a fun second-grade concert

Alrighty, that's it's for this week. Tune in next Monday for the next installment.