November
28, 2003
Well,
Thanksgiving 2003 is a now a happy
memory. God blessed the day and
our time together---All the hurry-scurry
and hustle-bustle is over and the
memories are sweet. We're more
grateful than ever for the goodness of
the LORD, His mercy and gracious care.
Providentially , everyone was safe and
well, everything was neat and orderly,
the food all came together on time and
tasted delicious and, most of all, we
shared a day of great thanks together;
as a family---we shared around the table
something for which we're most thankful
and something for which we were most
thankful during this past year.
All the answers were sweet---and we all
agreed with each one... but the memory I
will hold most dear is the answer one of
our children gave regarding gratefulness
for the steadfast love and support of
family---for the knowledge that our
family never gave up, never stopped
praying and never lost hope. I was
grateful, for I knew in my heart that
it's only the enabling of the LORD to
love when there seems no love, to hope
when situations seem hopeless, to
intercede in prayer when there are no
words---it is the LORD---a walk with
Jesus that makes those things
happen---the natural man cannot do those
things---in the natural, we don't love,
we don't hope, we don't have
prayer---no.... not in the flesh---but
in the Holy Spirit---we have all these
things and more. The LORD is
gracious, full of compassion and of
tender mercy.
We were so glad to have family and
friends come over... it was a blessing
as we celebrated our daughter's
birthday, had great conversation and
singing! I'll try to post some
pics later.
We're
not shopping today, we're not saving
money, finding all the best deals in the
county. As the children looked
over all the ads in the paper last
night... as one of our sons was talking
about the best new store he'd discovered
(It's "Stupid Prices" in Bothell---a
liquidator store) and as another was
bidding on an Ebay item... I thought we
didn't really need to be out plowing
through the crowds---I guess we sort of
shop all over the world at home.
So we're home... just spending time at
home today. I'll talk with our
friend later, to see how she fared on
her shopping excursion before dawn
today. I sometimes feel like I
never need to go anywhere... I just
delight in the anticipation of the great
shopping stories she and my mom have...
they seem to be able to locate the very
best of the best "deals"
around---especially as our friend maps
her course and the specific times of the
sales she intended to make! Now,
my mom won't be out in the crowds
today---her shopping stories seem to
happen when one would least expect to
have them happen... you know, at a store
the minute when everything "happens to
be" 30% off and then because she's there
at 1pm and they have a special take an
additional 30% off she's got a 25% off
coupon that applies to other combined
offers along with her senior discount...
she practically takes the item home for
free! ~smile~ I'm not kidding...
she's incredible!
The
children are having pumpkin pie for
breakfast... we'll have turkey
sandwiches for lunch and whaddya
suppose: leftovers for dinner? I
know we'll have at least two meals of
our Thanksgiving dinner---oh, yes,
Turkey Soup! Yes... I did make
broth yesterday afternoon and yes I did
strain it before bed and yes... I did
burn several scented candles and so...
thoroughly enjoyed the process. As
I blogged last week---it's NOT my
favourite meal and mexican food sounds
better than ever!
Next
week I'll get back to some more serious
blogging...
there're so many things going on in the
news---in the world!
Many Blessings to all of you and your
families
this beautiful Thanksgiving Day - 2003
No time for
blogging... time for family,
time for baking, time for grinding, and
chopping and mixing...
time for rejoicing... time for giving
thanks, time for giving love...
Join me in praising the LORD for His
goodness, His love and His mercy.
We have so much for which to be
thankful...
Count your blessings, name them one by
one...
Count your many blessings, see what God
has done.
~Happy Thanksgiving~
November
26, 2003 My sweet
daughters' birthday today... so many
fond memories have flooded my mind and
fill my heart with joy. This
precious daughter is more than a
blessing, more than joy to me... what a
delight she's been to us all the days of
her life. We celebrate this
today... and every year as her birthday
is always near or on Thanksgiving... I
am humbly reminded of the great gift we
were given the day she was born.
All of our children have been and are
such blessed precious gifts---all are a
joy to my heart. I'll write more
next week about the ways this weeks'
activities have gone.
I don't know
where the time's gone...
November
23, 2003
I don't usually blog
on Sunday's---this is a family day---the
LORD's day and generally not a day on
the computer. It's my parent's
wedding anniversary today---SO, Happy
Anniversary, Mama & Poppy! We
called to sing them a greeting... we
missed them, though! So, when they
return, they'll have a chorus to listen
to on the answering machine!
Ah, so, it
being Thanksgiving week, I thought it'd
be a good idea to get busy looking for
neat new ideas for the special day.
My motivation is not self
generated---it's fueled by some
marvelous newsletters I've received in
the past week. I'm always pleased
to receive newsletters from Norma---
Healthy Truths and her wonderful
website:
A Woman of Value. I think
what's made Norma such a caring and
encouraging person is her experience
with difficulties and pain and the
wisdom she's gained from them through
the years she's walked with the LORD.
She's given great perspective to life's
situations and I am thankful to be able
to read and glean from her.
We bought
cranberries to make relish... the best
taste to me, the easiest thing in the
world to make: 2 whole Oranges,
chopped---white parts removed,
then ground up, 1 lb. cranberries, also
through the grinder, in a bowl add 1 cup
of sugar, and a pinch of salt. Put
in the fridge and stir a couple of times
a day for a few days... serve on
Thanksgiving or whenever you have
turkey---sandwiches or whatever.
Yum. This year I am going to make
a few things that will be totally
unique. Ham-grape-almond salad,
pea salad and maybe something else... I
wish my mother-in-law were here!
She makes the best-best layered jello
salad. I may make a rainbow
layered jello for the
children---they love it so much!
It's fun to make, fun to eat. I
sometimes make sugar-free and then don't
worry so much about the overload for the
day.
So thankful
our family seems to be well as we come
to Thanksgiving... some years we have
some bit of sickness in the home and the
day of Thanksgiving is one day everyone
wants to be sure to be very well!
No one want to have the flu over
Thanksgiving! Here's
how you do the deal if you've got the
flu...
They all
love the meal---but like I've told
you---it is NOT my favourite meal---I
love the day, it's the meal I don't
love. But---it is a blessing to me
to prepare for it and to serve it
knowing that it's such a delight around
here and that everyone is so looking
forward to their "favourite things" to
eat. O... I can recall the
numerous times I been early pregnant and
the smell of the turkey carcass
simmering in the kettle for soup the
next day---nausea nearly comes back to
me at the remembrance! Ack!
I think THIS year I shall not make soup
broth the same day... I will sleep well
with the fragrance of sweet candles
filling the air... replacing that
penetrating poultry smell... then set
about making the soup the next day.
How often
do we attempt work for God to
the limit of our incompetency
rather than to the limit of
God's omnipotency." ~ J.
Hudson Taylor |
November
21, 2003
And so the
erosion continues... The Massachusetts
Supreme Judicial Court ruled 4-3 that a ban
on homosexual marriage violates the state
constitution and gave the state legislature
180 days to come up with a compromise or a
plan to comply with the ruling.
Alarming? Yes. Irrevocable or final?
No. There are sites focusing on this
issue--bringing in points of interest and
value.
Alliance For Marriage sheds more light
on this "crisis." The
Campaign For Working Families offers you
an avenue of communication with legislators
in Congress. You know... in all
this we must remember that God is still on
the Throne, that from the beginning He
designed, defined and instituted marriage
between one man and one woman---that they
would leave their father and mother, be
joined together and become one flesh.
So---no matter what the courts say or do, no
matter to what levels a depraved society
lowers itself: the Word of God is sharp and
powerful and in it we find ALL that's needed
for life---we know that "All scripture is
given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in
righteousness; that the man of God may be
perfect, throughly furnished unto all good
works." (2Timothy 3.16) If
you've not yet signed a Federal Marriage
Amendment Petition, you can do so by
visiting the website
One Man One Woman. Ayia!
You
find no difficulty in trusting
the Lord with the management of
the universe and all the outward
creation, and can your case be
any more difficult than these,
that you need to be anxious
about His management of it?
~ Hannah Whitall Smith |
---Made lemon
meringue, pecan and chocolate pies
yesterday. Ahhh... all that
BSF food sure looked good. I DID
taste the lemon filling as this was the
first time I used arrowroot powder rather
than cornstarch for the thickener---nah, I
don't think it worked as well and it did
impart a subtle flavour [I
know---I've been told many times that it is
tasteless---but I don't think so---I think
it has a 'barely there' ginger taste]
that I don't desire in a lemon pie---so I
think for lemon filling I'll stick with [REFINED
;-( ]
cornstarch---now, next year I may be
totally converted to whole foods and
balk at this refined cornstarch
stuff---ahhh, I can take the heat and will
humble myself at that time. You
want to learn more about whole foods?
Are you new to the whole [no pun intended]
concept? You can check out
Sue Gregg.com
and you can also view this
brief page of encouragement for "newbie's"
to whole foods. Okay---time's up
for today... 'sides, my coffee's cold. ;-)
November
20, 2003
Whew! No flood yesterday! The river
crested three and a half feet above flood
stage here yesterday and remains
high---above flood stage, but is receding
slowly. Farmlands and rural roads have
been flooded but we haven't heard of any
real problems. These days we listen to
reports all day regarding the level of the
river and the local weather conditions.
Ooooo, I don't like cold weather---but was
so grateful for the snow yesterday!
Snow is a blessing when the rivers are
threatening to flood! It's raining
hard today and that makes for another day of
high levels in the river. Our first
fall/winter in this home, I was reading in
the Psalms and came upon Psalm 29 which
contains what have sort of been the theme
verses for fall and spring (times of high
likelihood of flooding): Psalm 29.3,
10 "The voice of the LORD is upon the
waters: the God of glory thundereth: the
LORD is upon many waters... The LORD sitteth
upon the flood; yea, the LORD sitteth King
for ever."
This month is just ticking away---one
week from today is Thanksgiving Day!
Also, next week, my parents have an anniversary and one of
our daughters has a birthday---some years,
these fall on Thanksgiving Day and we're
doubly thankful! My daughter in law
wrote asking for my stuffing recipe---so
that's something I'll have to figure out and
write down for her. I'll put it in the
recipes section, here
when I get it figured out---this is the
problem with frequent cooking without a real
recipe. Now, I collect cookbooks,
magazines and recipes and for the most part
recipes are a guideline for me.
However, when I am making something really
complicated or for the first time, I do
follow the recipe! When I've tasted a
meal somewhere and want to duplicate it at
home, I just try to recall the specific
flavours, the ingredients and the likely
preparation method and go to it!
I sometimes think that I'd
sure like a mulching vacuum---you know, for
all those little bits and pieces of things
in the carpet. I don't know how many
little Lego's have been vacuumed up over the
years---our incomplete sets would give a
clue. I also don't know how many
pennies have shot into the motors of our
vacuums---many, I'm sure! Yes, that's
plural: many pennies and many vacuums. Now, most of our home
is not carpeted---BUT---for the rooms that
are, a Hoover Mulcher would be great.
My sons thought this:
would be a great vacuum!
I'm not sure we'd get much actual work done
with one of these!
November
19, 2003 Another great site
with GREAT stuff! Though I
love-love-love the
Silpat sheets that my daughter-in-law
gave me, I cannot justify buying more of
them at this time (they're pricey---but
worth it, to me!). I just
visited a site which offers a baking sheet
and I really want to try the nonstick
material for baking! These sheets at
12.00 per, look a bit more 'doable' than the
27.00 Silpats. Additionally, I'd be
more apt to use one sheet for crafting ---at
that price! Apparently, glues don't
stick to the material and they're not
damaged by heat, thus they'd be great for
under crafts with the glue-gun and Fimo or
Sculpey stuff. While you're at that
site, check out their GREAT prices on
needles!!
O, by the
way---there's continuing talk of the hazards
of polymer clays... seems they leave a
residue on hands and the effects are
potentially dangerous to health.
Toxicologists' reports seem to still
deem the levels within "safe" ranges for
handling---even if ingested. Now,
moms, we know better than to let the littles
work the Fimo anyway and we wash up after
use... so, the debate is ongoing and those
on each side are adamant they've got the
truth. We smile around here and say:
O, isn't that the way it goes with good
stuff? ---It's unhealthy, dangerous or
fattening.
We're all a lot alike! We all have too
much on our docket, too much laundry, too
many things need to be done, too many things
are left undone, too much procrastination...
and dinner time: what to do for dinner?!?!
Here's a neat
site that'll give you all sorts of helps
& encouragement for family meals---maybe
it'll even spur you on to get all those
things done that you haven't had the
energy to do!
November
18, 2003 It's time to start
preparations for Thanksgiving... the meal,
the baking, the family back around the table
and the activities of the day. Now in
all my life I've never really and truly
liked the Thanksgiving meal---in fact,
recently, I shared with my family that in a
few years when I'm 50, I will make
enchiladas, guacamole, chile rellenos,
tamales, salsa and refrieds for
Thanksgiving. Icy cold Dr. Pepper for
everyone, too. Ah... but that's just a
dream... I'll likely still be making a dozen
pumpkin & pecan pies, cornbread, green
beans, sweet potato casserole, garlic mashed
potatoes, and... turkey. I never eat
turkey on Thanksgiving. Well...
that'll change *this* year. 'Seems
that ALL of Thanksgiving is carbs.
Thanks.
Now I'm not
an Atkins or Zone maniac---I mean I've not
developed an unnatural fear of ICE (with all
due respect to the late Dr. Atkins) or
anything like that.... but it has been more
than helpful to me to eliminate most
BSF foods from my diet... thirty pounds
ago I would not have even believed this nor
did I have the will-power to attempt their
elimination. I could still head up and
host a meeting of overeaters anonymous and
commence by saying: my name is pamela and
*I* am a carbohydrate addict. (have you ever
wondered why the self-help groups include
'anonymous' in the name? ---you go to a
meeting and tell-all, share-all!)
I've not suddenly ceased to be a junkfood
junkie---I've just managed to avoid being a
user. High-pro/low-carb hasn't been
*preference* changing for me---*life*
changing, yes, but not *preference*
changing. The molasses cookie I had
the other night was as delicious as I knew
it would be. The mocha I had the other
day was as wonderfully tasty and delightful
as the hundreds I used to enjoy. All
the while... I KNEW... those will have to be
FEW and FAR between. I can never go
back to grazing again. I cannot
indulge in the freedom of gluttony,
'sides, Biblically, I know that's wrong---I
need to reckon it to be so.
more later.
November
17, 2003 Ahhhhh another rainy
day here in Washington. Hot tea,
candles, a fire in the woodstove, children
reading and working in every room...
everything's being done indoors these
days... it's wet and wintry now.
I'm slowly planning my quilt which is being
inspired by our friend Laura and a quilt she
made recently. The quilt is
wonderfully made using beautiful baby
clothes---yes, she hesitantly cut into
beautiful clothes in order to construct the
quilt squares. Each square is unique
as Laura designed each one according to the
type of or piece of clothing she used
(pockets, collars, trim, edging, etc.).
So, every day I'm remembering the different
baby clothes and how I might incorporate
each child's clothing into a square. I know
some of the very well loved
things I've saved will have to be reinforced
or covered with sheer fabric in order to be
used. Now, I've been 'collecting' baby
clothes for nearly 25 years----I hope this
quilt will not take as long to make as it
has to gather materials for it!
I'll be sharing more about Laura soon as
she's beginning a business sewing modest
maternity clothing. Her skill and
expertise is evident in everything she does.
Yes... this is an endorsement---you'll agree
when you meet her and see her work.
There's
a strange and funny and wonderful world out
there, a world where people who share same
convictions, same hobbies, same lifestyles,
same interests, etc., etc. can gather and
become friends. It's as real as the
real world, as close as family and as near
as the computer screen. In this world
friendships are born, emotions are
kindled---sometimes even fired up. The
events, activities or accomplishments of
virtual strangers stir our emotion as if
we'd been close companions for decades.
Though this world has a dark side and I'm in
no way referencing it---firmly avoiding
personal knowledge or familiarity with the
depth of the depravity---I continue seeking
only to follow well lit paths: I'm speaking
of discussion boards, blogs and email lists.
Some of my dearest friends are 'internet
friends' ---friends who've blessed me beyond
measure, friends whose lives have enriched
ours and we theirs. Because of time
constraints, I've opted out of email lists
for the most part and prefer a few digests
or boards where discussions are posted
concerning specific topics.
Years
ago I did a web search for homeschooling and
child training and the one of the sites I
was directed to was the
MOMYS website.... so I subscribed,
and have, off and on over the years,
received the digest. MOMYS is an acronym for
Mothers Of Many Young Siblings. It is
on this digest that I've come to appreciate
the unique ideas, helps, information on a
myriad of topics pertaining to training &
bringing up children. And, as with any
list, the personalities become familiar over
time and a sort of web-kinship is
established. The moderator carefully
guides the list. There is a woman who
posts on the digest from time to time, I
appreciate her maturity and approach to
topics being discussed. I was
especially touched by her gracious reporting
of the fire which destroyed their home in
the October fires in California. Her
response to that 'tragedy' has been
inspiring---equally encouraging is the
reaction by those who've also come to
respect and appreciate her and her family.
You can tell a lot about a person by what
they do and *don't* say AND what others do
and *don't* say about them. I read a
post this morning that several in the
homeschool materials/curriculum communities
have offered their help. You can
read more about this family at a site
that's been specifically set up in response
to this family's loss. We know this
isn't the only loss, the only need, the only
tragedy. We pray for the others who've
experienced loss, tragedy and sickness.
Perhaps even you, who are reading this just
now, are experiencing loss, pain or
sorrow----for these I am sorry and pray for
the LORD's hand and blessing to be with you.
November
16, 2003 We had a
great visit at the doctor Saturday morning.
I'm always a bit apprehensive about these
appointments because of the unwrapping of
her foot: revealing the work. Since
this is the last surgery she'll have on this
foot, what we see now is the 'finished
product' and so naturally, I was anxious for
this day. She had her dressings
changed and will now wait two weeks before
the doctor removes the stitches. At that time,
she'll be free to walk and wear 'normal'
shoes. We've come to understand that
'normal' is a relative term---and through
this year we've become altogether familiar
with with a host of new "normal's" around here!
Ever wonder
if stuff you're using around your home is,
or was at one time, being recalled?
But---oooops, you never heard about that
recall and subsequently, now you've got a
houseful of hazardous materials posing a
threat to your health or safety even as you
read this! Ah... but there's
Safety Alerts and now you can visit that
site and sign up to receive, by email,
notices of recalls. Well, just to
satisfy my curiosity, I did a little
snooping around and found that it's quite a
simple task to search different categories
for recalled items. Once you become
accustomed to navigating the site, you'll
quickly see this and be able to do a
specific product search---and hopefully,
find nothing on their list that you have in
your home!
I remember a
few years ago I was oblivious to the fact
that I was driving around with four new
Firestone tires and someone asked me if it
made me nervous to drive with those tires.
Well, not having heard about the recall, or
rather, not paying attention to the recall
nor even to the type of tires on the van, I
shrugged. In the back of my mind I was
thinking: mygoodness, if they knew the
numerous problems we've dealt with with
that van, *tires* were the least of my
worries. As naive as it sounds, I know
that our vehicles are faith-powered and
frequently there's no mechanical reason why
they're operable---anyway, at that point I
was just hoping it wouldn't rain as I had no
wiper motor and used the manually operated
string method whereby the strings looped
around the wipers on the outside and the
string ends were hooked together on
the inside of the van are then pulled side
to side causing the same action on
outside---it's a rather effective method,
but not one I recommend. Sometimes...
you know... any port in a storm. O, by
the way, once home, Wes checked the serial
numbers and sho nuf, we had the "defective"
tires. It was simple to have them
replaced---Firestone couldn't afford for it
NOT to be!
November
14-15, 2003 More busy days in
our home. Time is limited, or better
stated, it is spent differently when one of
the family members has more needs than at
other times---especially when that member is
one of the main wheels in this well oiled
machine! Ah, my daughter: the daughter
I truly recognize is a gift of God---and
perhaps more: she's gifted of God.
Whatever the case or whichever way I look at
it, she's remarkable and amazing. What
a joy for her to feel well enough today to
play the piano---O, how I've missed her
playing in the last few days! One of
my greatest joys each day is hearing the
beautiful music played on that piano---but
O, how those early days pained me! I
don't know if you've heard the songs to
which I'm referring, and bless you if you've
endured them, but they're pure torture and
pure delight to the budding concert pianist.
Believe me, when hearing: The Indian Song,
one never thinks the next Chopin is tapping
those keys. The only thing I think is
that we're nearer the end than the beginning
of Book One.
I've been
encouraging Kathryn to write an account of
her year, to chronicle the surgeries,
recovery periods and to share the
complexities of pain, navigating and general
living post surgery. I'm recalling
many solutions to predicaments that
casts/crutches/wheelchairs present; one or
all pose problems nearly everywhere we've
been. Her doctor shared that many
times the key to rapid recovery is firm and
unwavering motivation. She's been
totally motivated---and he is pleased!
We'll go to have her bandages removed and
dressings changed. I'm thinking that
the gauze they used initially is too tight
and that a good deal of her pain is
currently a result of that. I'll take
the camera in the morning and snap some pics
of the "main event!"
November 13, 2003 The
LORD is merciful and has blessed abundantly
as Kathryn had a very successful surgery
Wednesday afternoon. While she's in
considerable pain at times, she's quite
amazing to us all as she bravely handles
what comes. It's been a blessing to me
to help her and I look forward to the days
ahead when the pain and swelling diminish
and she's able to comfortably get around
once again. Ahhhh... I suppose, in
reality, what I truly look forward to is
taking her shopping for shoes... pretty
shoes: something that's been difficult to do
most of her life as she's never been able to
wear "beautiful" shoes---but how grateful I
am no matter what shoes she's worn, and
truly, she would say the same thing.
I'm grateful to the surgeons and they know
it as I've shared with them numerous times
the great blessing they are in the literal
changing of her life and helping her to have
corrected feet. I pray that she will
have beautiful feet---that the verse that
inspires her now will characterize her life.
How beautiful are the feet of them that
preach the gospel of peace.
November 12, 2003 No
time for bloggin' yesterday---and, actually,
less time today! We're preparing for
Kathryn's foot surgery at 2 and the care
she'll need for a bit. I think we've
had more visits to doctors in this past year
than we've had in all of our parenting
combined---now, of course, this does not
include visits to midwives/OB's which seem
to number in the hundreds as I've been
pregnant over 100 months of my life! Whew!
Now... this surgery tomorrow is much less
complicated than the others as this is a
surgery to remove the 'hardware' (screws &
wiring), to do a little work on the bones,
and "lift" the scar. So... I've been
chatting with our daughter while she drank
her last glass of water, took her
anti-nausea meds, and antibiotics.
She's been scrubbing her foot 2 x's daily
for five days with an antibacterial surgical
scrub---poor girl---her foot is now quite
sore and looks jaundiced. If you or
anyone you know is contemplating foot
surgery, what a process this is! It's
really and truly a year long process.
Months and months in casts and on crutches;
months and months of swelling and additional
surgical procedures following the initial
corrective surgery. I believe we were
unprepared, initially, as our expectations
were quite high and really, in hindsight,
unrealistic---totally unrealistic.
But---we're optimists and had we known, I
don't know what, if anything, we'd have done
differently. One thing I know, and
that is that the LORD
has surely been gracious and beyond faithful
in His provision, His protection and tender
care of our daughter.
Lots more in
the news... too much to blog today...
seems like time's on 78 speed.
Remember old record players, turn tables,
etc.? We used to think it was so funny
to speed up the player and listen to the
distorted mousey voices. Well,
sometimes, I think that the speed of time
has been increased and the volume's way up
and the tempo's too fast. The rate at
which things are changing is mind boggling
to me... and yet... there are some things
that don't seem to change... the coffee
still drips slow when I'm seeking to have
the study start on time on Titus2 mornings.
I posted the latest
lesson in our study of Titus2.3-5.
We had a good time Tuesday morning. I
look forward to the second half of this
lesson which we'll do in a couple of weeks.
I thought it best to have our Titus2
meetings on the 2nd & 4th Tuesday
mornings of the month so as to allow the
keepers at home to do and be just that:
keepers at home. Some miss the Friday
morning meeting time... I do, too,
sometimes---but this is best for now.
November 8-10, 2003
Ahhh... Boys'
Day. I thought I'd just blog a bit
about the day of days. Everyone ought
to go out for boy's day. I learn so
much on these days from my boys. It
was a blessing, too, to be with my
parents--to have them and the boys together
is rare---generally, we're all together with
all the family and there's often much
commotion and lively conversation such that
one gets lost or cut off in the exchanges.
On Boys' Day, it might tend to get a bit
that way but the topics & conversation
remain: boys' stuff. I wasn't
disappointed in my anticipation of the
traveling to the restaurant and all the car
sounds I'd hear; nor was I let down by their
reaction to "ALL the FOOD!" It was as
I'd anticipated: all good. Now, I'd
not intended to take the five year old as he
might not have enjoyed the day as much as
the rest---but had you seen the expression
on his face or heard his determined joyful,
compliant attitude, you'd have taken him,
too. "When you say to me, "Andrew, you
need to stay by my side," I will say to you,
[emphatically] "yes, ma'am, I will stay by
your side."" Now, you see? Would you
have left that little one behind?
In addition
to the 'best lunch in the world' at the
restaurant, next door at
Gart Sport was also an adventure.
Now, when I saw my thirteen year old riding
around on this 'big wheel' ---just larger
proportions--- looking just like he did when
he was five: I thought... now, if there's
anyway for me to buy that and bring it home
and explain to Wes WHY I HAD to buy it...
well, I stopped at that. Now the next
morning (yesterday) I was telling Wes that I
had so wanted to buy that big wheel---and
that I had thought of many things I would
have told him as to why I had to buy
that big wheel. Well... much to my
shock, when he returned from picking
us his vitamins (C & D) that morning---which
was a rather lengthy time away, by the way,
he told Samuel to run out to get something
from the truck. So... Boys' Day... it
was the best.
Those
vitamins, C & D? Uh, that would be
coffee and doughnut. And the big
wheel? What a blast!
Today's
blog's covering a few days worth of stuff as
there have been few opportunities to blog
and fewer to read what's going on. But
there are things going on alright---lots of
stuff's going on! You know, it's tough
to keep in mind that I might need to be a
bit guarded when blogging. But
then, sometimes I consider this and think:
nah, it's my blog... so I blog. Some
days will be innocuous and others will seem
a bit sharper---caustic even.
Sensational, this blog is not. I hope
it's both informative and entertaining.
I attempt to be factual and forthright.
There's enough pointless drivel in
life---that's not my purpose
My
sister-in-law works for IBM and so, bearing
that in mind, I'm reluctant to ever
think/talk poorly of the company. It has, in
fact, been a very good job for her and her
abilities have been both sharpened and
broadened in her tenure there. But...
and it's a big but, I'm continually
regretful regarding the 'liberal-ness' or
the 'politically-correctness' of the firm.
Big Blue... is really becoming
Big Magenta or something like that.
I guess in actuality it's been a series of
compromises that have transformed the
company to what it is today. It's
amazing to me all of the subtle erosions of
the family, the clever or perhaps
inadvertent attacks on morality. Were
I to seek to be employed outside our home,
I'd be hard pressed to enter or remain in a
situation where there's such compromise to
Biblical standards and thus would likely
have a very limited resource pool from which
to secure employment. I'm not
suggesting an IBM boycott... but there are
other international business machine
companies.
November 7, 2003Today
is Boys' Day Out... Somewhat of a new
tradition with my parents. My mother begins
reminding them well in advance that Boys'
Day is coming... [all this in answer
to the many times we girls have gone out to
lunch or whatever with Grandmother---and
without the boys!]. So, Boys' Day Out.
We'll be meeting them at a buffet restaurant
where the boys will enjoy a meal... sampling
lots of different foods, making their own
sundaes and trying out the various
beverages. This is the sort of day
that makes me smile... for on these days I
drive the van and all of my companions are
male and the conversations, unlike the
conversations of all-female passengers, are
comprised of more sounds or sound effects
than actual words and far more is noticed
*outside* the van than what we're
feeling-thinking-dreaming-wanting to do-
*inside* the van. In fact, I don't
think we have a complete conversation
without sound effects the whole day.
It's a total paradigm shift from a day out
with the girls. While the boys are
gentlemen, extremely courteous and polite,
it's a whole different set of parameters on
Boys' Day. For example, I generally
don't notice the makes and models of
vehicles on any other day. I never
call out, "O, Sweet!" when seeing a new van,
for example. I'm never asked to
speed up to the latest BMW on any other day.
I don't generally have truckers honking (in
response to the "pulling down" hand motion
my boys are making somewhere in the van).
I generally don't ever have young ladies
smiling and waving at my passengers on other
days. I'm never offered a taste of
coke-fanta-orange-sprite-rootbeer at once in
the same glass on any other day. After
a nice lunch with the girls and visit with
my parents... I never go the sporting good's
store and test all the displays and try on
camo gear. No, when the girls go out
to lunch, we don't come home with pocket
knives or flashlights or baseball cards.
But, on the other hand, I never feel more
like the Queen-of-quite-a-lot on any other
day than on Boys' Day Out. With
boys... it's always an adventure. With
boys, it's always the best day ever.
November 6, 2003
Just returned from the doctor's office where
Kathryn had a pre-op appointment. It's
gotten to be amazing to me the length of
time involved for corrective foot surgery.
I'd no idea the length or the intensity of
pain and healing. Here are
some links
on my medical info page regarding
foot surgery. So... another surgery
next week and then another one in a month on
the other foot. In the meantime,
there'll be other office visits, dressing
changes and rewraps, and... life---the
ongoing dailies that make for the seeming
evaporation of days.
I've got lots more to post but no time...
too bizzy for bloggin'
November 5, 2003 A
couple of our "olders" went to see a
movie... not something that's often done in
our family---but allowed on occasion.
The occasion for this allowance was to see
the film: Luther. It's a precarious
position for parents to decide which is fine
and which is completely
inappropriate---there was a space of time in
which we were absolutely not to go or allow
any of our youngsters to go to a movie
theater. Our rationale was that other
patrons at the Cineplex would not know which
movie we were heading in to see or exiting
from. Five or ten years or so of this was
burdensome as there were occasionally one or
two movies we really wanted to see---movies
that were IMHO or in my not-so-humble
opinion, fine---even beneficial. So
rather than allow the pendulum to powerfully
swing to the opposite extreme (blowing off
any restriction whatsoever) we took a more
rational, conservative approach and now
*occasionally* allow a movie to be viewed.
Our [legalistic] fervor was sincere, but it
was: legalistic. So, then, how do you
determine which is best some movies? All
movies under a particular rating?
No movies? No movies where people might
[will] see you? Only mail-order home
videos? Ahhh what a challenge for
parents. A couple of things help us
make our decision... the first and foremost
being: will Jesus be comfortable sitting in
on the viewing and will this do harm to the
testimony of Christ? Ways we
utilize to make decisions are through
reviews either in print, or on the net.
Two sites help us:
Plugged In Online and
Screen It. Now, my EXTREME caution
about Screen It is that it is very very
graphic about describing scenes in
movies---the number of incidents, words,
partially spelled swear words, etc. I
used this when seeking discernment on a
'war' film---understood, then, the nature of
the movie, etc., etc.
November
4,
2003 I'm thankful to live
in the area we do---not only because of the
beauty, but also because of the proximity to
so many places we end up needing to go.
Today I'm grateful to live near to the
Children's
Hospital in Seattle our little daughter
had an appointment with an Audiologist.
She's been to several docs in an attempt to
ascertain & diagnose her problem.
She's deaf in her left
ear
and the thought was that she might be a
candidate for a sort of "FM" system whereby
a person [teacher, speaker, etc.] would wear
a microphone and our little one would have
an aid that would allow her to clearly hear
what the speaker was saying. Trouble
is... in her life, there are so many
'speakers' that we'd constantly be switching
the mic and it would be more of a problem
than a benefit. So, after hearing what
the
audiologist
suggested, we came away feeling like we
would just continue our course. As we
understand it, the other alternative, a
hearing aid for the 'good' ear would be
cumbersome and she'd quickly reject it.
I'll be reading over the literature they
offered us, and hopefully, I'll post the
highlights on our Medical page soon.
Think you don't have an impact on what goes
on in the media?
Think again! Your voice is not obscured
by distance or by the walls of your
home---if you're willing to do a little
calling or writing, that is. From the
little I've heard about the contents of the
miniseries on the Reagan's I'd say the
character assassination and inaccuracies
portrayed on film is reprehensible! In
one venue, Some
22,000 people made their voice heard.
O, the bias of the media---the lies of the
enemy, the work to distort and destroy is
appalling. This, with
judicial tyranny, is the sickening,
eye-opening reality of those who oppose God.
It may be that when you have a problem with
your computer and the screen goes
black---the black screen does not care and
hears nothing---but collectively, voices in
opposition to lies in the media will be
heard!
Now, don't just bang your head on the
keyboarddo
something better: use it for good!!
THRILL OF THRILLS!
My son was working with an old computer and
on it was an old hard-drive... ahhh the
thrill of seeing old files... files several
years old, I'd totally forgotten about!
But, oh the LORD is merciful to me... ever
gracious and kind. I smiled as I saw
different old things I'd been disappointed
to have lost. Timothy said now, these
are like hieroglyphics---I don't care they
are old... I'm pleased to have them. I
don't know if this system can read them...
or however that goes ----and this does
nothing for the few year's worth of files
lost--but, nonetheless, it's a joy and
delight to me! So... no time for
bloggin! I've gotta try to sort
through some files... who knows, maybe I'll
come across an article that'll be just right
for you! I'll post things on pages as
I'm able! Here's a pic of our birthday
boy and brother! We were singing a
rousing round of Happy Birthday!
November 3,
2003 Ahhh... a new month---and
is it ever crispy cold!! We've started
the month off at a running pace! We
had the joy of attending a wedding on
Saturday and celebrating our son's tenth
birthday yesterday! I love
celebrations! This particular child is
especially fun to prepare for because his
appreciation is so great and so sincere.
He's a bit more quiet than the rest and yet,
there're always deep thoughts resulting in
profound statements! He's a grateful
child and so my desire or any efforts to
please him are rewarded greatly! We
had a good time the other day as I had asked
him what he'd like for his birthday
dinner... pouring over the cookbooks, he
decided on roast and red potatoes with
garlic & herbs, also ambrosia and Caesar
salad---oh, and garlic bread, too. Oh,
my, all the delicious white food I passed
over!
I must
tell you of a white food I did NOT pass over
at the wedding reception on Saturday.
You must try it sometime! When we
returned home, the first thing I did
[really!!] was to get on the net to look up
this recipe! Russian Cream! Oh, my! It
was just delicious. Near as I can
tell, this is the recipe for
Russian Cream---I can't wait to try it.
It is THE white food I will indulge and eat!
:-) I'll make it for our next
gathering... I know everyone will be just
delighted!
So... now I have been
thinking again of gifts to make for the
holidays ahead... my first stop was this
site for
candle making. You know, I was looking
for easy and safe things... as I have many
eager crafters... and I must guard against
accidents at the hands of curious youngers!
The olders [that's what I call my older four
at home] can handle much more than the
youngers [that's what I call the younger
five]. I am thinking of a gift for
each of our family members... it will sort
of *seem* generic... but that's not my
intention at all... I just think they'd all
really like the gift!
Okay... so here we
go... another month of bloggin... and off to
a good start! ---many blessings,
pamela
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