Petals in the wind

Wow. A lot of time has passed, and much has passed in it.
Heather is home.
Whew! What a statement! Between anticipation, bad weather reports, Christmas play practice, pacing in the terminal, delayed planes and weary travelers, it was quite the experience. She made it, and managed to bring Donna and Lauren right back with her into just about the exact spot they walked away from me. What utter loveliness!

It's been a time of readjustment, on many levels. Having that 4th body back has certainly shrunk the house back to it's previous state of intimacy. I think Faith finally gave back Heather's bedroom (and bed!) about a week after her return. Good things are hard to give up, you know! And then, Heather woke up her first morning rather ill, and has continued to go downhill as the time has progressed. Thank God, she woke up yesterday actually able to speak. We thought it was strep, it turned out to be "just" a wicked virus. Laundry has piled up, and so did Christmas with all it's festivities. We did manage a VERY nice welcome-home party on that Sunday - jetlag and all, with a Turkey feast that the pilgrims would have envied. All her friends showed up, and really made the day special. Her return to church that morning was wonderful...I just LOVED sitting next to her in service and sharing that intimacy that comes when you come to worship the Lord together. Utter sweetness.

We've had many changes...she was given the ok to return to work, just not that work. Her back just isn't up to any lifting or hunching over, not to mention sitting for really long periods of time. Her car insurance took a week to get approved. No medical yet, and she needs to get signed up at a college. Seems like there are so many decisions to be made. It's her life, you see. I can't live it. I can't take the pain in it. Oh, she still needs me. Just not the way she did. She's experienced things I never will, nor will she ever again. Everything is different now, because she is different now. And she is different. and yet the same. Still lovely, sweet, funny, composed. I see so much more in her eyes now...wisdom, knowledge, experience, depth, amusement. It's all part of growing up...change.
Here's the great news in all of this. God knows the direction He wants her to travel in. He's the One who shines the light on our path...and we have truly discovered that the light shines at our feet, not ahead. God knows the direction, and speaks so sweetly. He moves through His Spirit. And the Spirit is a wind we can feel, not a person we can see or touch. And He will direct her. He will move her, if she will just allow Him to move her like a petal in the wind.

Trees, lights, and decorations

I am sitting here, reveling in the fact that all my kids are in one room at the same time, snuggled up in their jammies and watching a Christmas video together. Behind me is the, as yet, incomplete Christmas tree. The decorations haven't been completed, because Heather hasn't recovered from jet lag/illness and Faith won't work on the tree without her help. I love our tree. Decorations are another topic.

I think that decorations should reflect the person/family...not the ideas of a professional decorator. While I enjoy their gifting...I find myself lacking when I try my hand at a similar project. Our tree is...eclectic. Well, I should say, when ours is completely decorated, it is a menage of interesting and amusing, sometimes captivating, ornaments. I like that about our tree. Our decorations aren't fancy, in fact the most expensive thing about them are the lights we had to replace a couple of years ago. We have old balls, new tinsel in a box, mementos from children growing up and being added to the family, pictures framed in tree-shapes of deceased pets. We have candy-cane shapes, angels, crosses, snowmen and even a 2-seater bicycle I gave my husband one year to disguise his real gift. I love that we have memories in each shape, color and size.

Our tree may be unique, but I like it. It reveals our character, sense of humor, joy, and most importantly, our family memories. And isn't that a large part of Chritmas? the memories we make?

May yours be just as sweet, and memorable!

Grace and Peace

Noooo!
I'm not ready!!!!

I just read Janet's blog, and it says the girls will be home in 2 hours. That can't be right, I'm not ready yet. Chuck just finished cleaning the carpets..they're WET. I haven't hardly touched the kitchen. Faith's room turned out to be the horror of all horrors..in fact, it looked like Heather's used to look when she was young and didn't want to clean, and didn't want me to know. WOW. Don't ever try to tell me they aren't related, I have proof! I had actually thought that I'd get Faith's all decorated (with her help) for Christmas today. silly me. And let's not discuss bathrooms.

You wonder why I am cleaning in a frenzy. Well, it's keeping my mind from wandering to an airplane. An airplane that flies over a huge body of water. An airplane that could crash. An airplane that could get snow-bound and not arrive in Minneapolis..ever. An airplane holding my precious child, and her two sweet friends that I have adopted in my heart. The frenzy is the medicine God gives me to keep my sanity. Not to mention Heather's friends are coming over tomorrow after church to celebrate Thanksgiving with her, and I want to be prepared. I like to be a good hostess.

Anyway...I'm not ready. I won't be ready...until I see her face and squeeze the ever-loving stuffing out of her. a hundred times or so.

God, grant me grace and peace!

Short-timer attitude

My baby's coming home.

This is a huge statement for me. I am having a hard time wrapping reality around it. I think I am doing all the right things to prepare for it. I've washed her car...and I'm in the process of adding a coat of wax. I'm cleaning her room...Faith has inhabited it quite joyfully and it needs a good dusting. We are taking the car in to have it's little hiccup problem cared for today. I'm trying to focus on getting the house in shape after it's long appointment with clutter. But I am having such a hard time with distraction. Christmas season is here, you see. As you can tell, my mind was focused outward, instead of inward toward wifely things. I have yet to get much Christmas shopping done. Fortunately, my list isn't very long this year. I have taken on the added time-constraint of house/dog sitting for a week, starting today. Finances being what they are, it is a blessing - however, it is a bit sticky in the timing department.

What isn't reality is the emotion of it. Sooo many people are squealing with excitement when they find out the date. I'm not. I guess it's because it seems she is only coming for a visit. I have a strong suspicion that she is a short-timer in the "live at home" department. She seems to have grown quite the set of wings. I guess my heart has grown accustomed to the thought. Time will tell, though! Let's see what happens when I see her face close up, and hold her in the biggest hug you have ever seen. I have a feeling that all the emotions I've been looking for will find me, and settle in. Look out, Chuck, and have a box of Kleenex handy!

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift

Wow. Sitting down is painful. My feet and legs are talking, and it isn't a joke they are telling me!
It's been a very busy week, but one with a HUGE payoff. The women's Christmas Brunch was this morning. Since I am the "head volunteer" over this event, it means I am the first to arrive at every part, and the last to lock the door and leave. I spent a few hours shopping...several times. I made the centerpiece. GASP. I know, I know. I am not known as a craftsy person. "But God" (one of my favorite Biblical sayings) has a fabulous sense of adventure and humor. He gave me a vision..not of the whole event this time, but of the centerpieces. So, I set about making them. I have a picture of the prototype..the finished project looks much better.

So, that was an adventure that I just don't have the strength to re-tell. It did come out lovely, with the help of my sweet friend Clyrinda. SHE has the gift I covet. The gift of tissue paper. She is the queen! Somehow, I can't get it to fluff and fold properly. She says I try too hard, she may be right! Maybe it wasn't enough serious attention when mom was trying to teach me the task of laundry. I dunno. I do know that Clyrinda was my angel.

Next, there were all the phone calls lining up volunteers and assigning them tasks that fit with their schedule, and my needs. What a lovely group of women God blessed me with!! They were a joy to serve alongside. We had quite the party, ironing gargantuan tablecloths while listening to Christmas music. 5 hours later, the Sanctuary was set up, and the fellowship hall returned to a state of semi-confusion. Not bad, if I do say so myself!

Then, there was the shopping for the food. Brunch, you understand, requires much attention to detail in the way of lovely presentation, and yummy unusual foods. Women need their food to be filling, without over-filling. We simply cannot be seen stuffing ourselves. And if it doesn't look tempting and tantalizing, we don't even bother. We'd rather go home and raid the cupboard. So, with the amazing simplicity of Costco, we brunched on Roasted Red Pepper and Gouda Quiche (or Smoked Bacon and Cheddar), Cinnamon Pound Cake, and sliced Oranges. Add to that a coffee bar with 6, count 'em 6, flavored creamers, hot cocoa and hot apple cider. It was lovely. and Yummy!

Clean up was ... worth it. I got there at 7:15 this morning, and locked up at 1:45. Not bad, not bad! The rain gave us a wonderful Christmassy feel (this is San Diego, remember), the worship was lovely, the message perfectly in tune with the theme, and - Here's the best of all 2 ladies accepted the Lord for the first time.

What more could you ask for?

Don't ask my feet and legs that question, ok?

God is good, and my Christmas season is off to a marvelous start. Next: preparing for Heather's arrival Oh, if you could only see the smile on my face!

Catching Up

Well, it's been a long time since I've updated my blog. Seems time has been zipping by while I've had my mind in a million places at once. Perhaps, as we go by, you'll see why.

Let's go most recent, to the farthest back.

Here is the Christmas tree we just picked out to grace our Living room. It was really different picking it out without Heather. You see, she loves a tall, fat tree, and I love a nice Noble Fir. Since we seldom get a Noble, I had real hopes for this year. Heather usually gets her pick, you see. But, I thought I had less competition this year :D Mom that I am, I called and talked to my distant daughter. She put in her request (with emphasis) and you can see what we all picked to bring home. sigh. She must be greatly loved!!

This one ought to make you smile. This is the turkey dinner we made and sent to Heather, ready-to-eat. NOT. Heather was in Israel on Thanksgiving. There was no way possible to send her favorite meal over there, unless I wanted to give her a lovely case of Ptomaine. Sooo, Janet and I got together with Faith and did the next-best thing. We made these fun pins with great help from Faith, and mailed them to the girls before they left. It's amazing, we found out afterward that Donna got hers 3 days after mailing, Heather's took a full week, and Lauren got hers after she got back from her trip to Portugal, 3 weeks later! I guess that means she didn't get to wear it over there. Any bets whether Heather and Donna wore theirs??? I thought not.

These are pics from Thanksgiving Day at my in-law's. We had a very relaxed day. The food was amazing, the family was funny, and there was plenty of turkey to go around. Sorry, Heather. I promise to make you one when you get home!

She loves to have her picture taken. Notice Tom (the turkey), He enjoyed his day out, too. It was a great joke! Don't remember what it was, now, but you seldom see me laughing in pictures, so I put this one up just for you.
Great to see the grandparents were able to come.
Now, we move back in time to the gathering at my parent's house. We always meet earlier in the month so that everyone that has in-laws can get there to celebrate. My parents are great that way, they make allowances and give lots of grace.

Faith climbed the hill...she decided she was Queen once she got to the top. Funny thing..she always loves to climb that hill on Thanksgiving. Seems to be a tradition for her.

Crazy cousins played games out front after dinner. Burns off all those calories so there's room for dessert.
It's been a lovely season. I'm working on getting the house together for the Christmas season. Decorating is hard without Heather's perspective. I guess I'll find out how I did when she gets home. I'll just wait to see what she rearranges while I'm sleeping (:-D)

Did I mention she'll be home in 2 weeks?! I'm getting excited. I know she's changed. I hope she finds me changed, too. All for the better. May God continue to work in us, conforming us to the image of Christ, until His appearing.

Now, on to the Christmas Brunch I am organizing for church. That's next week, to be exact. Stories to follow, I'm sure.