Monday, June 30, 2008
Because it makes you feel good...
Check out the 2006 updated numbers for the "worth" of a mom's work!
Thursday, June 26, 2008
A recent "find"
In my MomSense magazine, I found a small little blurb on Activity Bags. I looked them up and thought I would pass along the info. I'm a little challenged in the creativity department and like having affordable help!
Basically, you can either order or pay to download a book of activities. There are approx. 25 activities per book, each with instructions and a materials list of things to buy for the activity that all fit into individual gallon-size bags. They say that the average cost to assemble each activity is $1. The intent is to have a self-guided activity that a child can get out of the bag, do himself, and put back in the bag for future fun.
It was developed by homeschooling moms who were looking for ways to keep their preschoolers occupied while teaching the older kids. I plan to get it (or receive it as a fabulous Christmas present) toward the end of the year for Hannah. If you buy one, let me know what you think!
Basically, you can either order or pay to download a book of activities. There are approx. 25 activities per book, each with instructions and a materials list of things to buy for the activity that all fit into individual gallon-size bags. They say that the average cost to assemble each activity is $1. The intent is to have a self-guided activity that a child can get out of the bag, do himself, and put back in the bag for future fun.
It was developed by homeschooling moms who were looking for ways to keep their preschoolers occupied while teaching the older kids. I plan to get it (or receive it as a fabulous Christmas present) toward the end of the year for Hannah. If you buy one, let me know what you think!
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Are you reading? Are you listening?
Do you follow stories from someone other than mainstream media? Had you heard about the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child before reading my blog? Do you know that Obama supports this legislation and, if passed, will give the government the responsibility to remove your child(ren) from your home if the government does not like the decisions you make as a parent?
Do you have any idea what the North American Union is, how far along our country is in terms of implementing this Union, or what the affect will be on your life?
Did you know that people are living in hiding in Germany in order to homeschool their children? And that the parents of seven children were recently jailed for homeschooling their children? That the education minister of Germany is quoted as saying that the government "has a legitimate interest in countering the rise of parallel societies that are based on religion or motivated by different world views and in integrating minorities into the population as a whole."
Did you know that in California a child will be punished in school for voicing their moral objection to the homosexual lifestyle?
Did you know that if a teenage boy in Colorado "feels" like a girl then it is against the law from preventing him from changing with the girls in the locker room or using the women's bathroom?
Do you know about One News Now, World Net Daily, or the Eagle Forum?
Do you have any idea what the North American Union is, how far along our country is in terms of implementing this Union, or what the affect will be on your life?
Did you know that people are living in hiding in Germany in order to homeschool their children? And that the parents of seven children were recently jailed for homeschooling their children? That the education minister of Germany is quoted as saying that the government "has a legitimate interest in countering the rise of parallel societies that are based on religion or motivated by different world views and in integrating minorities into the population as a whole."
Did you know that in California a child will be punished in school for voicing their moral objection to the homosexual lifestyle?
Did you know that if a teenage boy in Colorado "feels" like a girl then it is against the law from preventing him from changing with the girls in the locker room or using the women's bathroom?
Do you know about One News Now, World Net Daily, or the Eagle Forum?
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Girls' Weekend
Jeremy took Benjamin camping this weekend. They left Thursday night and will be coming home on Saturday. Because Hannah is now the only one who has not been on a "trip" this summer, I decided to make a big weekend for us! It has been so fun (and easy!) to have just one kid! Especially one who talks and can go to the potty :)
Thursday evening Summer and Alisha came over and we made cookies for the church VBS. Alisha's husband was out of town Thursday night, so she stayed in her "old room" and then went to Shultz's coffeeshop the next morning before she went to work Friday morning.
After breakfast on Friday at Schultz's, Hannah and I watered the (now growing) garden, went to JoAnn Fabric to spend a gift card, and then went to the playground. We played on swings the entire time (Hannah's favorite), ate lunch under the trees, and then said hello to the ducks. After a stop by Sam's Club, we came home to play a little in the backyard and then had a nap. Post-nap festivities included a pizza for dinner, playing on a new-to-her tricycle (as a side note, it is hard to teach a not-yet-three-year-old how to peddle and steer!), and then watering the plants again.
We ended the day by watching "Jonah" downstairs while sitting on the pull-out couch and eating popcorn. As I expected, Hannah talked throw the first half of the movie and then played the last half. The poor thing just can't sit through a movie, even if it is a Veggie Tales! After getting her settled into bed, I embarked on the much dreaded task of journaling in my scrapbooks. It's a bad thing to be so far behind...but I got seven hours of work done and went to bed as the birds started to chirp at 4:30am.
Saturday morning we went to a few yard sales for clothes for the kids (the BEST way to buy clothes!!) and then to the Farmer's Market for yummy breakfast and some fresh veggies. Alisha decided to join us, which was such a great surprise for Hannah! We topped off the day with lunch at McDonald's. Just after we woke up from our naps the boys came home! It was a FABULOUS weekend!
The Boys' weekend
As Jeremy said when he came home, it was a learning process. Mike & Cory Glathar went with Jeremy & Benjamin camping for Thursday & Friday nights. There was a lot of trial & error with clothing, campsites, etc. God truly blessed them with a GREAT site that was large enough for my high-energy little boy to run around without bothering other people or having to worry about traffic. Except for lack of sleep and Cory's teething, the wee ones did well for the dads. They all had a great time and came back as dirty as we were expecting.
We get to add to the adventure in just one month when we embark on our first "family" camping trip. Jeremy & I are taking Hannah and Benjamin for a trip with our new 8-person two-room tent. Yes, I'm going camping with two kids while eight months pregnant. That's why I'm doing this all when I'm young :) Enjoy the pics!
Friday, June 20, 2008
The pool
It finally got warm enough (in the sun) to play in the pool this week. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision on mommy's part, so I just put Benjamin in the pool in his clothes :) As you can tell, he wasn't thrilled with it at first but, as mommy and daddy have always expected, he became thrilled with it VERY quickly.
Look how tall and skinny my little girl is! It's amazing how much she has thinned out since her round baby days (not that it was something that I was concerned with). And yes, her hair is getting really long!
Look how tall and skinny my little girl is! It's amazing how much she has thinned out since her round baby days (not that it was something that I was concerned with). And yes, her hair is getting really long!
Saturday, June 14, 2008
The backyard...
The Levi Update
With so much activity in the house, sometimes it is easily to neglect the pregnancy updates. I'm finished 27.5 weeks of the expected 40 weeks. Yes, less than 90 days to get the house in order, random organization done, scrapbooks updated (and finished!) and some rest thrown in for good measure. I told a friend yesterday that the 90 days seems like forever in terms of pregnancy (I was ready to be finished around week 10!) but seems like tomorrow in terms of having a new little person in the house! I'm feeling fine apart from the fatigue. And I've been pretty good lately about going to bed, which doesn't get any of my work done. Jeremy is fabulous and has been working hard to get projects finished, which blesses my heart. All of those unfinished things drive me nuts when I'm stuck in the house from November to June!
Anyway, Levi is quite the active little baby, much like his sister was during pregnancy. Hannah was very active and by contrast I never knew Benjamin was alive exept when he had the hiccups. If Levi will continue to mimick his sister, then I'll have an active little Benjamin sandwiched between two mellow siblings. I wouldn't mind that at all during this stage in life! Of course, mellowness can lead to laziness, which may drive me nuts in the pre-teen and teen years...oh well. God knows best, right? :)
Benjamin and Hannah both love to pull up my shirt and kiss my belly (Benjamin especially!). And they talk to him and pat my belly and want to "see" baby Levi. Hannah even pretends that her baby dolls are baby Levi sometimes. Hopefully the affection will continue through the next, oh, 70+ years! HA!
Anyway, Levi is quite the active little baby, much like his sister was during pregnancy. Hannah was very active and by contrast I never knew Benjamin was alive exept when he had the hiccups. If Levi will continue to mimick his sister, then I'll have an active little Benjamin sandwiched between two mellow siblings. I wouldn't mind that at all during this stage in life! Of course, mellowness can lead to laziness, which may drive me nuts in the pre-teen and teen years...oh well. God knows best, right? :)
Benjamin and Hannah both love to pull up my shirt and kiss my belly (Benjamin especially!). And they talk to him and pat my belly and want to "see" baby Levi. Hannah even pretends that her baby dolls are baby Levi sometimes. Hopefully the affection will continue through the next, oh, 70+ years! HA!
My Family
Because we all like pictures of our friends....
I think it is funny when Benjamin pushes his cars around in the stroller!
And Daddy scored extra points last weekend when he found these Veggie Tales slippers (in addition to the playsets!)
Mary--check out the jar of pickles on the picnic table. We may not have one in the car, but they are always in the house! (At least these are edible!!)
Friday, June 13, 2008
I know you need a good laugh...
If you ever feel a little bit stupid, just dig this up and read it again; you'll begin to think you're a genius.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
(On September 17, 1994, Alabama's Heather Whitestone was selected as Miss America 1995.) Question: If you could live forever, would you and why?Answer: 'I would not live forever, because we should not live forever, because if we were supposed to live forever, then we would live forever, but we cannot live forever, which is why I would not live forever,' --Miss Alabama in the 1994 Miss USA contest .
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
'Whenever I watch TV and see those poor starving kids all over the world, I can't help but cry. I mean I'd love to be skinny like that, but not with all those flies and death and stuff.' --Mariah Carey
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
'Smoking kills. If you're killed, you've lost a very important part of your life,'-- Brooke Shields, during an interview to become spokesperson for federal anti-smoking campaign .
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
'I've never had major knee surgery on any other part of my body,' --Winston Bennett, University of Kentucky basketball forward
.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
'Outside of the killings, Washington has one of the lowest crime rates in the country,' --Mayor Marion Barry, Washington , DC .
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
'That lowdown scoundrel deserves to be kicked to death by a jackass, and I'm just the one to do it,' --A congressional candidate in Texas .
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
'Half this game is ninety percent mental.' --Philadelphia Phillies manager, Danny Ozark
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
'It isn't pollution that's harming the environment. It's the impurities in our air and water that are doing it.' --Al Gore, Vice President
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
'I love California . I practically grew up in Phoenix .'-- Dan Quayle
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
'We've got to pause and ask ourselves: How much clean air do we need ?'--Lee Iacocca
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
'The word 'genius' isn't applicable in football. A genius is a guy like Norman Einstein.' --Joe Theisman, NFL football quarterback & sports analyst
.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
'We don't necessarily discriminate. We simply exclude certain types of people.'-- Colonel Gerald Wellman, ROTC Instrutor.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
'Your food stamps will be stopped effective March 1992 because we received notice that you passed away. May God bless you. You may reapply if there is a change in your circumstances.' -- Department of Social Services, Greenville , South Carolina
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
'Traditionally, most of Australia 's imports come from overseas.' --Keppel Enderbery
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
'If somebody has a bad heart, they can plug this jack in at night as they go to bed and it will monitor their heart throughout the night. And the next morning, when they wake up dead, there'll be a record.' --Mark S. Fowler, FCC Chairman,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
(On September 17, 1994, Alabama's Heather Whitestone was selected as Miss America 1995.) Question: If you could live forever, would you and why?Answer: 'I would not live forever, because we should not live forever, because if we were supposed to live forever, then we would live forever, but we cannot live forever, which is why I would not live forever,' --Miss Alabama in the 1994 Miss USA contest .
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
'Whenever I watch TV and see those poor starving kids all over the world, I can't help but cry. I mean I'd love to be skinny like that, but not with all those flies and death and stuff.' --Mariah Carey
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
'Smoking kills. If you're killed, you've lost a very important part of your life,'-- Brooke Shields, during an interview to become spokesperson for federal anti-smoking campaign .
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
'I've never had major knee surgery on any other part of my body,' --Winston Bennett, University of Kentucky basketball forward
.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
'Outside of the killings, Washington has one of the lowest crime rates in the country,' --Mayor Marion Barry, Washington , DC .
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
'That lowdown scoundrel deserves to be kicked to death by a jackass, and I'm just the one to do it,' --A congressional candidate in Texas .
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
'Half this game is ninety percent mental.' --Philadelphia Phillies manager, Danny Ozark
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
'It isn't pollution that's harming the environment. It's the impurities in our air and water that are doing it.' --Al Gore, Vice President
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
'I love California . I practically grew up in Phoenix .'-- Dan Quayle
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
'We've got to pause and ask ourselves: How much clean air do we need ?'--Lee Iacocca
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
'The word 'genius' isn't applicable in football. A genius is a guy like Norman Einstein.' --Joe Theisman, NFL football quarterback & sports analyst
.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
'We don't necessarily discriminate. We simply exclude certain types of people.'-- Colonel Gerald Wellman, ROTC Instrutor.
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
'Your food stamps will be stopped effective March 1992 because we received notice that you passed away. May God bless you. You may reapply if there is a change in your circumstances.' -- Department of Social Services, Greenville , South Carolina
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
'Traditionally, most of Australia 's imports come from overseas.' --Keppel Enderbery
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
'If somebody has a bad heart, they can plug this jack in at night as they go to bed and it will monitor their heart throughout the night. And the next morning, when they wake up dead, there'll be a record.' --Mark S. Fowler, FCC Chairman,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
The straw
"All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth." Hebrews 11:13
I'm an alien and a stranger in a foreign land. This place is not my home. I've tried. I tried when I first moved here and then got suicidal and gave up. Then God moved me to Korea, nursed my wounds, gave me an unmatched spiritual environment of encouragement and community. And then He moved me back.
When I found out we were moving back I spent three months crying out before the Lord in Starbucks and into a journal trying to prepare myself and my heart for coming here. I thought I did a good job. It lasted six months and then I hit depression so hard I really probaby should have sought a medical prescription. Everyone in my family would have benefited.
Things got better with the hope of spring. Not even with spring, but the hope of spring. That hope continued until April when spring finally arrived. And when the spring brought terrible weather and rain and 16" of snow, I clung to the hope of summer. I tried to cheer myself up with the possibility of green grass (amazing how I took that for granted as a child!). I even had a little vacation to Atlanta as a boey to keep me afloat. And I even did ok for the two weeks after my trip, which I was suprised about. But then the weather continued to average in the 50s, I couldn't plant over half of my plants in the ground (they are in containers) because of the cold temperatures. Half of the trees in Great Falls still don't have leaves on them. It's bleak, dark, cold, depressing.
All of my resolve is gone. Almost all of my fight is gone. All of my "bright sides," all of my "silver linings," everything I've used to encouragement myself have disappeared. I have restrained myself from actually praying that God would let us move until this morning. I woke up and looked out the window.
It's snowing. In June.
I told Jeremy that after over a full year of struggling with all of this that I thought that maybe I would be allowed to actually blog what has REALLY been going on in my life. No more pretending. No more Mary Poppins attitude. It is only because I love Jesus and love my husband that I am here right now. I think this is why I didn't blog much in the past year. I always felt so fake sitting at the computer and posting little pictures of my kids playing and this happy little family in Montana when I was fighting so hard just to make it through a day without being in bed in a ball crying.
I know that Montana is home to many people. And I know what home feels like. I'm glad you have a home here because if you didn't you would feel like I do, and that is pretty crappy. I'm in no ways saying that this place is unfit for people to live in and to love. It just isn't my home. And after over 4.5 years, I'm ready to go home. I'd ready to wear sandals in April and go swimming in June. I want to have a real garden with a four month growing season. I want to see flowers at Easter and pack away the sweaters in March. I want to sweat and lay outside in the sun and be blazing hot. I want my normal back. So please don't take this blog offensively. I rejoice that your heart is happy. And I have tried so very hard to make this place home. I just don't have any fight left in me.
I live with hope and pray that I am not like those in this verse--who see their dreams at a distance but don't get to have them until they die. I comfort myself with the fact that eternity will cover-up the 50 years of living here. That's 18,250 days. I only have 16,608 to go...
I'm an alien and a stranger in a foreign land. This place is not my home. I've tried. I tried when I first moved here and then got suicidal and gave up. Then God moved me to Korea, nursed my wounds, gave me an unmatched spiritual environment of encouragement and community. And then He moved me back.
When I found out we were moving back I spent three months crying out before the Lord in Starbucks and into a journal trying to prepare myself and my heart for coming here. I thought I did a good job. It lasted six months and then I hit depression so hard I really probaby should have sought a medical prescription. Everyone in my family would have benefited.
Things got better with the hope of spring. Not even with spring, but the hope of spring. That hope continued until April when spring finally arrived. And when the spring brought terrible weather and rain and 16" of snow, I clung to the hope of summer. I tried to cheer myself up with the possibility of green grass (amazing how I took that for granted as a child!). I even had a little vacation to Atlanta as a boey to keep me afloat. And I even did ok for the two weeks after my trip, which I was suprised about. But then the weather continued to average in the 50s, I couldn't plant over half of my plants in the ground (they are in containers) because of the cold temperatures. Half of the trees in Great Falls still don't have leaves on them. It's bleak, dark, cold, depressing.
All of my resolve is gone. Almost all of my fight is gone. All of my "bright sides," all of my "silver linings," everything I've used to encouragement myself have disappeared. I have restrained myself from actually praying that God would let us move until this morning. I woke up and looked out the window.
It's snowing. In June.
I told Jeremy that after over a full year of struggling with all of this that I thought that maybe I would be allowed to actually blog what has REALLY been going on in my life. No more pretending. No more Mary Poppins attitude. It is only because I love Jesus and love my husband that I am here right now. I think this is why I didn't blog much in the past year. I always felt so fake sitting at the computer and posting little pictures of my kids playing and this happy little family in Montana when I was fighting so hard just to make it through a day without being in bed in a ball crying.
I know that Montana is home to many people. And I know what home feels like. I'm glad you have a home here because if you didn't you would feel like I do, and that is pretty crappy. I'm in no ways saying that this place is unfit for people to live in and to love. It just isn't my home. And after over 4.5 years, I'm ready to go home. I'd ready to wear sandals in April and go swimming in June. I want to have a real garden with a four month growing season. I want to see flowers at Easter and pack away the sweaters in March. I want to sweat and lay outside in the sun and be blazing hot. I want my normal back. So please don't take this blog offensively. I rejoice that your heart is happy. And I have tried so very hard to make this place home. I just don't have any fight left in me.
I live with hope and pray that I am not like those in this verse--who see their dreams at a distance but don't get to have them until they die. I comfort myself with the fact that eternity will cover-up the 50 years of living here. That's 18,250 days. I only have 16,608 to go...
Monday, June 09, 2008
HE PASSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We got Jeremy's test results in today.
HE PASSED THE PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING EXAM!!!!!!!!!
No more studying. No more tests. We can finally submit the paperwork to be reimbursed for some of the costs. We'll have to celebrate when the money comes back and have a pizza :)
Saturday, June 07, 2008
Look at what Daddy bought!
I sent Jeremy off to a few yard sales this morning. At the first yard sale he found this for $15. At the next yard sale he got this with this attached for $80!! (The second has been discontinued, so I couldn't get a picture of the two together.) I wasn't expecting this item to be as large as it was, and if I had gone to the yard sale I may not have bought it. And if we had gotten the big one first, we probably wouldn't have bought the small one. But how fun that we DO have them both now!! Between these toys and my sandbox, I am building my own compound like my friend Rachel.
Thursday, June 05, 2008
I have those days
I have those days when living in Montana just gets to me. So for therapy I either imagine what my house in North Carolina would look like, or I go online and look at MLS listings in the mountains and foothills of NC. The good news is that if we do move (one day in the very distant future) and we move during a housing "slump" then we can get a comparable house in Jeremy's hometown. I found a lovely four bedroom with an acre of ground and 2500 square feet that would be less than what we would sell our current house for. For that matter, I can get a comparable house in my girlfriend's neighborhood of Atlanta. Houses are too expensive in Montana.
I'm realizing that, contrary to the desire of most Montanans, the winters don't bother me so badly. (Most of the Montanas in my last workplace almost took pride in people not liking the winters here.) It's April, May, and June that make me want to pull my hair out. By April, I'm really for green grass and flipflops. In May, I want all of the leaves on my trees to be out. In June, I want to wear shorts from the time I wake up until the time I put on my pjs. None of those things happen in Great Falls, Montana.
I'm thankful that in Heaven everything will always be green. We won't have to wear sweaters and closed-toed shoes. And I can have coffee with my mom anytime I want. Heaven. Such a wonderful place. I'm glad I'll be there for eternity. It makes it easier to not live at home while living on earth.
I'm realizing that, contrary to the desire of most Montanans, the winters don't bother me so badly. (Most of the Montanas in my last workplace almost took pride in people not liking the winters here.) It's April, May, and June that make me want to pull my hair out. By April, I'm really for green grass and flipflops. In May, I want all of the leaves on my trees to be out. In June, I want to wear shorts from the time I wake up until the time I put on my pjs. None of those things happen in Great Falls, Montana.
I'm thankful that in Heaven everything will always be green. We won't have to wear sweaters and closed-toed shoes. And I can have coffee with my mom anytime I want. Heaven. Such a wonderful place. I'm glad I'll be there for eternity. It makes it easier to not live at home while living on earth.
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Standoff resolution
From the online newspaper today:
"The second armed standoff in Great Falls in less than a month ended peacefully when a man walked out of a house and gave himself up to police at about 10 p.m. on Saturday night, police said.
About a dozen officers surrounded a house at 3433 6th Ave. S. shortly before 5 p.m. on Tuesday in response to reports of an armed, suicidal man at the address.
Police did not give the name of the man inside the house, but said he was speaking to them during the standoff. It wasn't clear if he was speaking by phone, out the window or by some other form of communication.
The man was taken into custody by police after he walked out of the house. Police closed off a two-block section of 6th Avenue South, as well as the alley that runs behind the house. Neighbors who were home at the time were asked to voluntarily evacuate, but those who tried to go to their houses Tuesday afternoon were turned away."
— Zachary Franz, Tribune staff writer
"The second armed standoff in Great Falls in less than a month ended peacefully when a man walked out of a house and gave himself up to police at about 10 p.m. on Saturday night, police said.
About a dozen officers surrounded a house at 3433 6th Ave. S. shortly before 5 p.m. on Tuesday in response to reports of an armed, suicidal man at the address.
Police did not give the name of the man inside the house, but said he was speaking to them during the standoff. It wasn't clear if he was speaking by phone, out the window or by some other form of communication.
The man was taken into custody by police after he walked out of the house. Police closed off a two-block section of 6th Avenue South, as well as the alley that runs behind the house. Neighbors who were home at the time were asked to voluntarily evacuate, but those who tried to go to their houses Tuesday afternoon were turned away."
— Zachary Franz, Tribune staff writer
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
As I type!
A helicopter flew over our house about 15 minutes ago. Not unusual. Then it circled around. A little out of the ordinary. Then it kept circling. And kept circling. And we watched and watched and speculated....then we got out the binoculars and couldn't read what it said. Finally I looked at the local newspaper online. This is what is happening, five blocks from our house:
"Great Falls Police say they believe an armed man is in a house on the 3400 block of 6th Ave. S, and have cordoned off both ends of two-block stretch. Police say they’ve spoken to the man, who they believe is suicidal. They say they don’t think anyone else is in the house with him. The man’s name has not been released."
No, we aren't in any danger. No, this isn't a "bad part of town." It's almost like a 40 year old blue collar worker with an RV who got drunk, locked himself in his house and someone called the cops. And it's five blocks from our house! Strange.
"Great Falls Police say they believe an armed man is in a house on the 3400 block of 6th Ave. S, and have cordoned off both ends of two-block stretch. Police say they’ve spoken to the man, who they believe is suicidal. They say they don’t think anyone else is in the house with him. The man’s name has not been released."
No, we aren't in any danger. No, this isn't a "bad part of town." It's almost like a 40 year old blue collar worker with an RV who got drunk, locked himself in his house and someone called the cops. And it's five blocks from our house! Strange.
Monday, June 02, 2008
My Trip
So many well-wishers have inquired about my trip. And since I've been playing catch up for the past week, the responses have been short, if at all. Unfortunately for me right now, God gave me a much better command of the language of numbers than the English language, so I must say from the start that no matter what I write it won't do justice for the time that I had.
I got to ride a plane. By myself. No one squirming in my lap. No thoughts of having a drink spilled on the person next to me. Only one bag to check through security. No dirty diapers to change in little bitty airplane bathrooms. And no one to entertain but myself (which is VERY easy to do).
And then a layover with Sbarro pizza. Man, I miss that place.
Arrival in Atlanta! I felt the humidity as soon as I was off the plane and I almost started crying. It was fabulously refreshing. It was 11pm and I didn't need my sweater. Or my shoes.
I saw Becca for, really, the first time in two years! She looked terrific! And then we started talking and didn't stop until Monday at approx. 4:30 when she left me at the airport :)
I crashed at about 12:30am local time. I woke up to see Micah, the little boy who made two two-page spreads in Hannah's baby book as her closest buddy and near-brother. What a fun kid! And I met Elisha, the sweet little girl whose unexpected arrival turned my friend's life upside down. She was definitely worth it.
Lunch at an international supermarket where I could literally buy produce native to India, Mexico, and Korea all in one stop. Then we had Bibimbop and Kimbop. Man, I miss Korean food. It was my first time eating it in 11 months.
Then there was a 2 hour nap, a thunderstorm so powerful and southern that I started crying on the front porch (in a rocking chair, of course, which added to the tears...I miss porches...). Then there was church at Becca's house which was so reminiscent of the Hospitality House that we went to together in Korea.
Then some sleep.
And then the scrapbooking started. But not before I had some Dunkin' Doughnuts coffee and a bagel with salmon cream cheese. Man, I miss that place. We scrapped for over nine hours in her mother-in-law's craft room with a break for Chick-Fil-A for lunch. Man, I miss that place, too! Then we went back to Becca's house, had some dinner, put on a pot of coffee and scrapped some more. (This became a small theme of the weekend.) And we talked so much and dumped so much emotional bagged that all day Sunday we felt like we had hangovers.
Sunday. I went to Michael's and got some wonderful baby paper for Levi's scrapbook. I wish that my Michael's sold that brand of paper. Maybe if I requested it....Then I had another long nap, and then I stayed home while Becca and the crew went to another house church. I listened to "Emma" and an old musical, the name of which has escaped me. And I scrapbooked. Becca came home, we giggled and chatted and went to bed WAY too late.
Monday. I didn't need to leave for the airport until 3pm, so we went to Hobby Lobby. Man, I miss that place. Got a 180 count pad of terrific patterned paper, helped Becca think through some decorating for her house, and then went back to Becca's house to...scrapbook. Yes, I got 13 2-page spreads of pictures made and then I "premade" 17 2-page spreads to use in books right after Levi is born when I have too many pictures and no time to scrapbook. It's a beautiful thing.
Then the hard part--leaving. Of course, we had to stop through the drive-through at Chick-fil-A one more time :) I got two John Grisham books read while I was gone, too!
Most importantly, I got fresh perspective, new ideas, confirmation of purpose, and a good ol' spiritual cleansing while I was gone. Not to mention a fresh connection with my beautiful friend. Thank you, Becca, for the wonderful trip! Thank you, Lord, for a husband who is so supportive and great with the kids. Thank you, Delta, for the frequent flyer miles!!
I got to ride a plane. By myself. No one squirming in my lap. No thoughts of having a drink spilled on the person next to me. Only one bag to check through security. No dirty diapers to change in little bitty airplane bathrooms. And no one to entertain but myself (which is VERY easy to do).
And then a layover with Sbarro pizza. Man, I miss that place.
Arrival in Atlanta! I felt the humidity as soon as I was off the plane and I almost started crying. It was fabulously refreshing. It was 11pm and I didn't need my sweater. Or my shoes.
I saw Becca for, really, the first time in two years! She looked terrific! And then we started talking and didn't stop until Monday at approx. 4:30 when she left me at the airport :)
I crashed at about 12:30am local time. I woke up to see Micah, the little boy who made two two-page spreads in Hannah's baby book as her closest buddy and near-brother. What a fun kid! And I met Elisha, the sweet little girl whose unexpected arrival turned my friend's life upside down. She was definitely worth it.
Lunch at an international supermarket where I could literally buy produce native to India, Mexico, and Korea all in one stop. Then we had Bibimbop and Kimbop. Man, I miss Korean food. It was my first time eating it in 11 months.
Then there was a 2 hour nap, a thunderstorm so powerful and southern that I started crying on the front porch (in a rocking chair, of course, which added to the tears...I miss porches...). Then there was church at Becca's house which was so reminiscent of the Hospitality House that we went to together in Korea.
Then some sleep.
And then the scrapbooking started. But not before I had some Dunkin' Doughnuts coffee and a bagel with salmon cream cheese. Man, I miss that place. We scrapped for over nine hours in her mother-in-law's craft room with a break for Chick-Fil-A for lunch. Man, I miss that place, too! Then we went back to Becca's house, had some dinner, put on a pot of coffee and scrapped some more. (This became a small theme of the weekend.) And we talked so much and dumped so much emotional bagged that all day Sunday we felt like we had hangovers.
Sunday. I went to Michael's and got some wonderful baby paper for Levi's scrapbook. I wish that my Michael's sold that brand of paper. Maybe if I requested it....Then I had another long nap, and then I stayed home while Becca and the crew went to another house church. I listened to "Emma" and an old musical, the name of which has escaped me. And I scrapbooked. Becca came home, we giggled and chatted and went to bed WAY too late.
Monday. I didn't need to leave for the airport until 3pm, so we went to Hobby Lobby. Man, I miss that place. Got a 180 count pad of terrific patterned paper, helped Becca think through some decorating for her house, and then went back to Becca's house to...scrapbook. Yes, I got 13 2-page spreads of pictures made and then I "premade" 17 2-page spreads to use in books right after Levi is born when I have too many pictures and no time to scrapbook. It's a beautiful thing.
Then the hard part--leaving. Of course, we had to stop through the drive-through at Chick-fil-A one more time :) I got two John Grisham books read while I was gone, too!
Most importantly, I got fresh perspective, new ideas, confirmation of purpose, and a good ol' spiritual cleansing while I was gone. Not to mention a fresh connection with my beautiful friend. Thank you, Becca, for the wonderful trip! Thank you, Lord, for a husband who is so supportive and great with the kids. Thank you, Delta, for the frequent flyer miles!!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
