Journey Journals

Sisters and Snow

2012-01-30T20:01:00.000-08:00

I've discovered that one of the hardest pictures to get at this phase of life is one with both girls, together, looking at the camera AND smiling...here was a recent attempt...

Neither Looking:

Brynna Looking:

Both Looking, But Not Smiling:

So, I opted to take a few of just Brynna...

And here are a few from a recent walk...

Brynna got to be snuggled under blankets in the stroller, and slept most of the time...

Laurel discovered icicles...

And she stopped to make a spontaneous snow angel...

Of Late

2011-12-31T13:18:00.000-08:00

In December, we celebrated two birthdays in our house. For Jon's, I made Snickers Cupcakes. They were pretty much the most amazing cupcakes I've ever made. Everything was made from scratch (well, that is, except for the Snickers bars), and I added a pinch of coarse salt on top for that salty sweet combo. Yep. They were awesome.

We also celebrated Christmas. Here are a few little shots from Christmas Eve.

The girls got to open one present...

which was matching owl pajamas! (Kappas in the making?)

And now that we're home, we're plugging away at some projects around the house. I have submitted one grant and am working on another one (which is taking FOREVER). And Jon has finally finished a project he started in August:

Isn't it great? The picture doesn't show it well, but the color is cranberry. Now we can finally unpack the dishes we inherited that have been sitting in boxes since my parents delivered them in May. We have also finished tiling the backsplash in the kitchen...now we just need to grout it, and I think our kitchen will finally be done! With those things out of the way, we are dreaming of other projects...like building a dining room table, shelving units in the basement for storage, dry walling a room in the basement...things like that. And I'm thinking of goals and projects for 2012: putting together a reading list, making a cleaning schedule, and trying to decide if I should train for a triathlon.

Advent: Days 10-11

2011-12-12T12:11:00.000-08:00

Day 10: Go on a sleigh ride.
This is another reason why I love our neighborhood. At Christmas time they have a community Christmas party/potluck, complete with sleigh rides through the neighborhood. We weren't organized enough (extraverted enough?) to go to the potluck, so we just went on the sleigh ride. Laurel thought it was pretty much amazing. My personal goal for next year is to know enough of our neighbors that we will feel comfortable going to the potluck portion (I know, I know, that's how we meet our neighbors by going to these things). I also think that the sleigh ride will become one of our Christmas traditions as long as we live in this neighborhood.

Day 11: Bake cookies with mom.
I got most of the cookie dough ready while Laurel was napping. She was pretty excited to put on her apron and help. As per my usual m.o. we were crunched for time, so we had to end our project before I could make icing and let her decorate them. Maybe that will happen this afternoon. Maybe. Maybe not. I was hoping for some really amazing cookies in my life this year...so far I think they're only so/so. And I now have lots of only so/so dough left in my fridge.

Advent: Days 3-9

2011-12-10T11:24:00.001-08:00

Our Advent adventures have continued. Here's a quick recap:

Day 3: Put up the tree and put the lights on.
Day 4: Decorate the tree.

Day 5: Make a Christmas card for Grammie.

Day 6: St. Nicholas Day! Open stockings!

Day 7: Open and read a new Christmas book. (We opened "A Star for Christmas")

Day 8: Make a paper snowflake. (note for future years: practice first...it's been a while).

Day 9: Mail Christmas cards. (Laurel and I walked to the post office, and she got to put all of the cards through the mail slot, which she thought was pretty great.)

Day Two: Make Cards for the Cousins

2011-12-03T13:27:00.001-08:00

My sister-in-law started a tradition where the cousins all make Christmas cards for each other.

Making Christmas cards with a two year old is a fun (interesting?) adventure. She definitely had fun using the glue and the stamps. When we asked Laurel what message she wanted us to write to her cousins, she spouted off random phrases. I would share them here, but I don't want to ruin it for the recipients of the cards. I hope that, even though we live miles away from the Boston cousins, our kids will grow up knowing their cousins and having lots of fun when they are together.

Advent Calendar: Day One

2011-12-02T12:47:00.001-08:00

Yesterday we did the first activity on our Advent Calendar: Set up the Nativity Scene.

Our Nativity Scene was a wedding gift from our friends, the Claders. It was made in Mexico (a place where I went a few times with the Claders, and also where Jon and I spent our honeymoon), and depicts the characters in the Nativity Story from that perspective. The shepherds carry sheep as well as chickens. Everyone's clothes are brightly colored. And there is no white baby Jesus. I love it--I think it brings a tiny bit of the world into our living room.

Last night we brought up from the basement the shoebox that it lives in 11 months out of the year. Jon sat at the table with the box, and handed a figure, wrapped in newspaper, to Laurel. She then ran to me, in the living room, to unwrap it and help it find its home on our bookshelf. Back and forth she ran, excited to see what was hidden in each new little bundle of newspaper. As we put them out, we started to name them: This is Mary, she is Jesus' mom. This is a shepherd, he takes care of sheep (and chickens).

I was surprised how much Laurel liked this activity. It was a good reminder that simple things, small things, can become significant things when done with intentionality and in relationship.

Advent Ideas

2011-11-28T19:14:00.001-08:00

Believe it or not, I did actually get some good responses and ideas after my last post...it's just that most of them came in the form of emails and conversations (not in the comments section of the blog).

I love what one of my friends does: Starting on Boxing Day her son is given a clue at breakfast each morning to find the wise men as they make their way to the nativity scene. They are hiding somewhere in the house, and often happen to have a gold (chocolate) coin with them. On Epiphany they arrive at the nativity scene and the family celebrates by giving their Christmas gifts to each other.

As Jon and I have discussed our ideas, here is what we've come up with so far...
I think we're going to do our stockings on St. Nicholas' Day. Because we will often be traveling and in someone else's home for Christmas, this is one thing that we can do in our own space, with just our own little family.

I also came across the idea of giving three gifts, like the Magi did. This year we'll do something to wear (p.j.s on Christmas Eve), something to read, and something to play with. I think this will help us keep the gift buying/giving under control and allow us to be reminded that Christmas isn't about the material stuff we get.

We talked about also trying to give something that we've created that expresses our love for the other person...perhaps a poem or a song or a piece of art. We haven't given this the complete thumbs up yet, but I think it would be neat for our girls over the years to experience something like this.

I made an Advent calendar (pictures below). Clipped to each clothes pin is an activity for us to do that day. Some are simple crafts (make a paper snowflake), some are experiences (go to Candy Cane Lane to look at the Christmas lights), some are opportunities for us to love our neighbors (pick out a gift from the World Vision Catalogue, take cookies to someone in the neighborhood), and some help us tell the Story of Christmas to the girls (set up the Nativity Scene, go outside and look at the stars and talk about the Wise Men). I expect the activities will change as the girls get older.

We're also doing devotions together each night. We're using the Regent College Advent Reader. Laurel isn't quite ready to sit through a reading like that yet, so I think we might do it after the girls are in bed. But we'll hopefully find other ways to tell the Story to her in the coming weeks.

To be honest, the real reason I wanted to write this post was to show you this:

Christmas Traditions

2011-11-11T12:13:00.001-08:00

I love the season of Advent. I love that we have space to prepare to celebrate Jesus' birth. I love the quiet space in worship, the candles, the familiar scripture passages that proclaim that in the darkness a light will shine, out of a stump, a shoot will grow. And I love the cookies and the music and the decorations.

But somehow, Advent seems to get away from me every year. One minute I'm handing out Halloween candy and the next I'm realizing that it's too late to decorate for Christmas because Christmas is only two days away. What is meant to be a season of waiting quickly becomes a season of rushing.

I want my girls to grow up with a sense of the rhythm that Advent offers, a sense of waiting, hoping, anticipating. A sense of light glowing brighter, even as our days grow darker. A sense of turning our attention away from ourselves and towards God and others.

I've been trying to figure out how to cultivate those things in our family; how to create some family Advent traditions that will slow us down and shift our focus.

I've seen some great Advent calendars to make where each day the kids pull out a card that has an activity for that day written on it. Most of the activity ideas I've seen are the opposite of where I'd like to go, though. I am on a mission in the next few weeks to try to come up with a list of activities that will be both fun and meaningful, outward focused and age appropriate. If you have ideas, please send them my way.

I'd also love to hear your ideas for other family traditions during Advent. Do you have an Advent wreath and light candles? Do you drive around and look at Christmas lights? Do you have ways of teaching your kids about generosity rather than consumerism?

The other conundrum I'm facing is the whole Santa/St. Nick thing. Jon grew up in a family that didn't really do Santa Claus. I grew up in one that did. We've talked about the values and drawbacks of both approaches. Some of you are probably thinking, "How could you ever be so cruel as to consider NOT doing Santa?" And others might be thinking, "Of course you shouldn't do Santa--it misses the whole point of Christmas." To both of those responses, I would say: "Yes. I know." I don't want to go into all of the reasons on either side of the issue--they all have validity. (Perhaps one of the biggest for us is wondering if we're comfortable creating a false reality for our kids.) The real question I have is: how do we create meaningful and fun Christmas traditions for our family that keep our focus on the true meaning of Christmas? What have you done in your family that you have loved?

And if we don't do Santa, how do we help our kids not ruin it for others (like their classmates or their cousins)?

I welcome your ideas (but not your judgments on whether or not Santa is good or bad).

Halloween Hooplas

2011-11-04T13:25:00.000-07:00

This year was Laurel’s first real experience of Halloween,complete with costume, a glow in the dark jack-o-lantern bucket, pumpkincarving, and trick-or-treating. Her adventure began on Saturday when our neighborhood hosted a totsHalloween party. I had finallyborrowed a costume for her two days earlier, so we were ready. She made a very cute little bumblebee. As often happens in our lives thesedays, though, we showed up for the party about 30 minutes before it ended. Most everything was winding down andbeing cleaned up. I don’t thinkLaurel noticed. She didn’t reallywant to go inside to begin with. Iconvinced her to go in, but she didn’t want to make any crafts or stick herhand into any gooey bowls. She wascontent to eat a cracker, drink her juice, and watch the little dancingFrankenstein.

We explained trick-or-treating to her, and her eyes grewwide when we told her that people would give her candy. You must understand the context. We don’t give Laurel juice except onspecial occasions, much less candy. On the morning of Halloween, I said, “Today is Halloween! Tonight you get to wear your bumblebeecostume again and go knock on people’s doors. And do you remember what they are going to give you?”

Her eyes again grew wide, and a huge smile of anticipationspread across her face as she exclaimed, “JUICE!”

I laughed and said, “Well, you might not get juice, but youwill get candy!”

“And juice?”

Our household had been busy in the days leading up toHalloween, so it turned out that at 4:00 on Monday afternoon, we still hadn’tcarved our pumpkins. Of course thethought occurred to me that Laurel is two and probably won’t remember if weskipped the whole thing. But Ifelt like it was one of those things we should do. So, we started into the project. Jon and I quickly realized that this was one of those thingswe were doing more for us than for her when we kept asking her to stand back soshe wouldn’t get hurt and then she eventually wandered off to play, while we triedto finish our carving in time to get supper on the table. Eventually I called things to a halt sothat I could feed Brynna and make supper.

By the time we left for trick-or-treating, we had a pumpkinmess on the kitchen floor, but no jack-o-lanterns on the porch.

(are you still reading this story?)

So…off we go to trick-or-treat. Here are our two favorite moments from the night:

At one house the woman put a little bag of M&Ms inLaurel’s bucket. As we werewalking away, Laurel stared at those M&Ms and proclaimed (in a very loudvoice), “M&Ms…POOP IN THE POTTY!”

A little while later she said she wanted to eat hercandy. We explained that we wouldwait until we got home. She thenexclaimed that when we got home, she wanted “Two M&Ms. NO, 5 M&Ms!” It will probably be the only time inher life that she will think we’re giving her a big treat by letting her eat 5M&Ms from her Halloween candy stash.

Moments of Grace

2011-10-03T11:41:00.000-07:00

Last week was overwhelming. Between lots of things on the calendar, shuffling childcare plans, Brynna's 4 month shots, and getting some hard news, I found myself exhausted. It didn't help that Brynna was opting for the "every two hours feeding plan" some nights. I'd tuck Laurel into bed, snuggle up next to her to read her a story, and find that I had to motivate myself to get up afterwards and not just drift off to sleep.

It's in those moments of being tired and overwhelmed that I am most likely to snap at the girls. I find that packing them up and heading outside is exactly what we all need to keep from going a wee bit crazy.

And so on Friday, that's just what we did. We went for a walk and ended up at our local coffee shop. Laurel and I sat on a bench out front, sharing a gingersnap, sipping our drinks, and watching the cars go by. It was a lovely, damp, overcast day. The fall colors were muted, but beautiful. And I felt my soul fill back up with life. When we made our way to the park, Laurel and I climbed and laughed together, while Brynna slept peacefully in the stroller. It was a moment of grace for me.

This morning was another morning of exploring for us. We headed inside this time, to the Muttart Conservatory. As we were leaving, Laurel said, "Thank you, Mommy." I replied, "Thanks for what?" "Thanks for taking me there." Yep, that's enough to melt my heart.

Other things that are making me smile these days...

We have a tiny (invisible) elephant living with us. I'm always excited to hear what the elephant is doing, because you never know when the elephant (whose name, apparently, is Elephant) will show up next.

At night we've been telling Laurel stories about "Laurel Bear." She's now started calling Jon and me "Daddy Bear" and "Mommy Bear."

And, I have to be honest, one thing that is really making me happy right now is that Laurel seems to be having a breakthrough in potty training. I never knew I would get so excited about one person's ability to poop in the potty.

Oh, and Brynna slept through the night last night. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Brynna!

Projects

2011-08-20T13:31:00.000-07:00

Our office/toy room/dumping ground was getting way too unorganized for my liking. We needed a desk, but only had a table. What was I to do with pens and post-it notes and random scraps of paper, not to mention paper clips and stationary and envelopes? A big craft desk with abundant cubbies and drawers would be perfect. But. Not quite in the budget. So, I found a used desk on kijiji and bought it for a whopping $20. An afternoon spent sanding, and two mornings with a paint brush gave me a nice little desk with ample space for my doodads. (Did you know that "doodads" is an actual word?)

Here is a before picture...

And an after picture...

I've also been wanting to make a little sundress for Laurel. Much like the beloved bunny, I was hoping to do this sans pattern. I think it turned out okay...it might be more of a shirt than a dress, though--I'm not sure if it's going to be long enough for her. I am definitely learning as I go.

And speaking of sewing...here is a little apron I made for Laurel for Christmas this past year.

Four Mini-Posts

2011-08-18T13:01:00.000-07:00

I've had various blog entries rolling around in my head for the past month, but haven't had space to put words to my thoughts. And now that I have space, I don't seem to have any thoughts! So, here is a series of mini-posts.

1. Of Reconnecting with Good Friends

We spent some time in a cabin in Glacier with our dear friends from Regent for our second annual covenant group gathering. Three of us are women in ministry in the Presbyterian Church. In the mornings, the women would gather on the porch for opening prayer (guided by the Book of Common Prayer), sharing stories from the past year, and praying for each other. The afternoons would find us on adventures with the husbands and kids. In the evenings we would gather around the table for good food and lots of laughter. And then, with the kids in bed, we'd move to the porch for ice cream and banter. It's good to be with people who understand your story, who have been shaped by many of the same ideas and experiences. We arrived before our friends and left after they did. I realized that an empty house filled with expectation feels very different from an empty house filled with goodbyes. It was sad to say goodbye to our friends, knowing it will likely be another year before we see them again. But we are glad for the tradition that will keep us returning to the little cabin in the mountains each summer.

2. Of Camping

We spent three nights camping in Banff with Jon's sister Pam and her family. Many of you think we're crazy for camping with a two year old and a two month old. Maybe we were, but we had a great time. We had lots of help with the wee ones, and I think they slept better in the tent than they do at home! A highlight for Jon was an afternoon spent mountain biking with Pam and Owen. A highlight for me was the opportunity to kayak on Two Jack Lake. A highlight for Laurel was probably when she swallowed a quarter.

3. Of Laurel's Crazy Antics

We are in the midst of potty training Laurel. Just when I think she's starting to get it, the next day will be filled with accidents. (I know, I can hear your advice, "Wait until she's ready.") We've been putting her in pull-ups at night. Last night, we had one pull-up left, so we put her to bed in said pull-up. Jon went out to go swimming and was going to pick some up when he got home. Well, Laurel wasn't too keen on falling asleep, so she was trying all of the usual stall tactics. She had been quiet for a while and then I heard, "Mommy, POOP!" As I was climbing the stairs, I asked her if she needed to go or if she had already gone. She answered that she had already gone. Sure enough. I look in her room to see her holding her pull-up in her hands, and yes, it had the poop in it. I'm still not sure how she managed to get it off without making a mess, but that's neither here nor there. I was then in a bit of a conundrum as to what to do next, since that was, as you'll remember, our last pull-up. I then remembered that we had one diaper left in the diaper bag. I got the diaper on Laurel and she refused to have pajamas on, so I tucked her into bed in just a diaper. When Jon got home, he went upstairs to check on her and came back laughing and shaking his head. "You should go look at your daughter." I peek in her room to find her in bed with pajama bottoms on, and her diaper lying right next to her.

4. Of The Dark Haired Child

Brynna is loud. I think she might end up being our outgoing child. She squawks and squeaks and likes to be where the action is. It doesn't take much to make this little one smile. And, for better or worse, has recently decided that she'd like to suck on that soother after all.

A Smattering

2011-08-02T21:54:00.000-07:00

Theology with Laurel

2011-07-23T07:51:00.000-07:00

During our vacation, Laurel and I had some good conversations. Here is a snippet.

Laurel: Mommy poop?

Me: Yes, mommy poops.

Laurel: Daddy poop?

Me: Yes, daddy poops.

Laurel: Jesus poop?

Me: Yes, Jesus pooped.*

Laurel: The Bible poop?

Me: No, the Bible doesn't poop.

Laurel: Why?

*I think Laurel was really starting to understand the full humanity of Jesus (fully human, fully God). Notice that I answered in the past tense. I didn't think she was quite ready to grapple with the questions of a resurrected body (questions like: Does Jesus still poop? When we experience the new heaven and the new earth, will we poop? Is poop a result of the fall or part of creation before the fall?). We'll save those conversations until she's at least three.

Everybody Needs a Sam

2011-07-07T11:02:00.000-07:00

Six years ago when we lived at King's, we started a small group Bible study for students in Rez. In our group was a first year student named Samantha. The next year she became one of our student leaders. And in the years that followed, Sam and I worked together on programs for Rez, planned worship together, and practiced our mad conversational Spanish skills together. When I was overdue with Laurel, Sam showed up at my house with the game Boggle and kept me occupied for an afternoon. I had the privilege of performing her wedding a year ago. And last fall, she started babysitting Laurel every week and quickly became one of Laurel's favorite people. When we moved Laurel into her big girl bed, and Laurel was struggling to adjust, Sam gave her a big girl pep talk and from that night on, Laurel went to sleep without issue in her new bed!

On Saturday, Sam's husband, Josh, left for a tour of duty in Afghanistan, and while he's away, we get to have Sam live with us. Josh tells us that he feels so much better being away knowing that Sam is staying with us. But, really, I think we are the ones who are benefiting the most from this situation. Sam volunteers to take Laurel to the park when she sees that I am needing to get something done (or even just needing some rest). She has already made us dinner twice (and she happens to be a really good cook). She told us to go out on a date night last night while she stayed with Laurel. And yesterday. Yesterday when I said I needed to get some cleaning done while Laurel napped, she cleaned with me! Not only did she clean with me, but she cleaned our bathroom and washed our windows. Seriously. Do you have a Sam? Because everyone needs a Sam. And the best part? The best part is that she is so easy to live with and fun to be around. So, welcome to our family, Sam!

And, on another note...these two girls are making me ridiculously happy these days...

Notice the pigtails? All of the sudden Laurel is asking for them AND sitting still while I put them in. A few months ago she would scream if I tried to give her pigtails!

Brynna's hair is still crazy curly when it's wet! She's starting to smile and look around a lot more now. Pretty fun!

And who wouldn't want to walk around in a diaper with a bucket on their head?

Behind the Scenes

2011-06-29T11:19:00.000-07:00

If you had happened to walk by our neighborhood park today, you would have seen me playing with Laurel and carrying Brynna in a sling. I might have looked like one of those hip, have it altogether moms. Before you jump to any conclusions about my have-it-altogether-ness, let me give you a glimpse of the 40 minutes prior to that moment...

A friend called this morning to say they were going to the park, asking if we wanted to join them. I didn't have tons of energy (due to being sick), but I knew it would be good for Laurel to get outside and run around a bit. So, we made a plan to both leave our houses as soon as possible and meet there.

Laurel was already dressed, and I had just taken a shower. I got myself dressed. The easy part was done.

Then I got a snack ready.

Found Laurel's shoes and tried to hold her still long enough to get them on.

Start looking for Laurel's hat.

Filled water bottles, put sunscreen in the diaper bag.

Stocked the diaper bag with diapers. I took out Laurel's cloth diapers because she's in disposables until I get her covers washed (which won't happen until our washer is hooked up). Jon had told me he put disposables in the diaper bag the last time we went out, so I checked, and saw some disposables. Good to go.

Still looking for Laurel's hat.

Brynna was sleeping. Woke her up, changed her bum, put her down.

Can't find Laurel's hat.

Realize the diaper bag was out of wipes, so I grab the box from the change table.

Search upstairs, downstairs, outside. Can't find Laurel's hat.

Walk by Brynna and hear her completely fill her diaper. sigh.

Back to the change table, start to take her diaper off, and realize there are no longer wipes there. So, I take her to the living room, put her on the floor, and grab another thing of wipes that was nearby...only it's empty. Run to the basement for a new box of wipes. Back upstairs, sit down to change Brynna and realize the clean diapers are at the change table. Sigh.

Get Brynna's bum changed.

Call Jon as work to see if he knows where Laurel's hat is. He doesn't. But I assume it must be his fault that I can't find it.

Find a sun hat for Laurel that is really too small, but will have to do. Put it on her head, and send her into the back yard.

Put my shoes on.

Go outside to move the stroller to the backdoor and begin loading it. Discover that Laurel has taken her hat off and put it in her water table. I had dumped the water out earlier, but apparently I didn't get it all because the hat was now wet. Great.

Came inside. Banged my head against the wall. (over and over)

Picked up the diaper bag. There's Laurel's hat, sitting right under it.

Got Brynna, gear, and Laurel into the stroller. And we were off. Brynna is crying. And please imagine the above scene with the background music of Laurel asking me "why" every 2 minutes.

We get to the park. Our friends are there. This is fun.

Wait. Laurel has pooped and needs a diaper change. Brynna is crying and needs to be fed.

Get Laurel ready for her diaper change...only to discover that all of the disposables in the bag are actually Brynna's. I have enough diapers for Brynna to be gone until bedtime, but not one diaper for Laurel. I put one of Brynna's on Laurel, and sent her off to play, but quickly realized it wouldn't work. Luckily our friend had one that was a little more appropriate.

Get Brynna fed and into the sling.

And that's when you might have walked by and thought that I was a hip, have it altogether mom!

I won't even tell you about coming home, pulling the watermelon out of the fridge for lunch, having it bump a shelf on the door, the front of the shelf coming off and the bottles all crashing to the floor.

Laurel's Prayers

2011-06-27T16:09:00.000-07:00

Our bedtime routine with Laurel is pretty simple. We read a few books, say prayers, and then she gets to choose what song we will sing as we leave her room. When we pray, I always ask her what we should thank God for. Every night for the past 4 or 5 months, we have the exact same dialogue. It goes like this:

Me: Laurel, what should we thank God for tonight?

Laurel: ABCDs

Me: Okay, we'll thank God for the ABCs. Anything else?

Laurel: Rory and Lisa

Me: Okay, we'll thank God for Rory and Lisa. Anything else?

Laurel: Jack and Jonas (the other half of Rory and Lisa)

Me: Okay, anything else?

Usually she doesn't say anything or she goes back through the list.

So, we thank God for the gift of language and the fun of learning, and we thank God for our friends. Every night we have this same exchange. Until last night. Last night Laurel switched it up a bit...

Me: What should we thank God for tonight?

Laurel: 1234

Me: Oh. 1234? Okay, we'll thank God for 1234. Anything else?

Laurel: Big books.

Me: Okay, big books. Anything else?

Laurel: Tiny books.

Me: Okay, tiny books. Anything else?

Laurel: Books. Big books. Tiny books.

So last night we thanked God for books of all sizes and for numbers. Children remind us to be thankful for the everyday things. They remind us that we don't have to wait for the big, impressive events to be thankful.

And speaking of Laurel's prayers...when my parents were here, each night before we ate supper, I would say to Laurel, "Who should pray tonight?" And every night, without fail, she would say, "Elmo." I love it!

Table

2011-06-22T18:00:00.000-07:00

Here is a little table I made for Laurel for her birthday...

No, it wasn't from a kit...I bought the wood, cut it, built it, sanded it, painted it...

al-didi-telf (That's Laurel's way of saying "All by myself.")

What Will Probably Be My One and Only Hockey Blog. Ever.

2011-06-16T11:21:00.000-07:00

I am not a hockey fan. In fact, Jon and I have a joke that if our kids ever start showing an interest in hockey, we're moving to someplace where hockey is unheard of. When I moved to Canada, I gave it a fair try. My friend Jane (who is a legit hockey fan) invited me over to watch a hockey game. I went, ready to learn the ins and outs. During the evening, Jon stopped by. Jon and I weren't yet dating. He scanned the room, saw a lots of guys, Jane, and me. He loudly proclaimed, "Julianne Fraley, since when do you watch hockey?" and later accused me of only going to Jane's house to meet guys. He might have been right.

I have probably watched hockey three or four times. In my whole life.

But, I am always up for jumping on the bandwagon, so I was rooting for Vancouver this past week. (When I say rooting, I mean I was rooting from a distance--I didn't watch a single game).

They lost. I was disappointed. I no longer live in Vancouver, so I couldn't go join the riots.

The what? Yes, the riots.

I really don't get it. I understand being a sports fan. I understand the mob mentality. But, really, people, riots? What happened is that a group of overpaid men didn't manage to get a small disk into a net as many times as another group of overpaid men. That's all. Is that really worthy of riots? They didn't plunder your village. They didn't rape your women. They didn't set fire to your fields.

Of course I get that lots of the rioters were probably just looking for a reason to get drunk and act stupid, and probably would have done similar things if the Canucks had won.

But, really, of all of the things in this world that might be worthy of such emotion and such an active response, I'm not sure that a sporting event really makes the list. (I know, I know, it's more than just a sporting event--it's the Stanley Cup, for Pete's sake!). What if we put that much energy into something that mattered? (I know, I know, this matters--it's the Stanley Cup, for Pete's sake!). What if the statistics on global poverty or human trafficking actually got us fired up enough to rally in the streets? If we cared as much about others as we do about sports, this might be a very different world.

That's all. That's my hockey post.

Just Because

2011-06-11T18:38:00.001-07:00

Here are a few random shots of the girls...just because I feel like posting them.

Brynna and Laurel in the same getup...do you think they look alike? (And do you know who is who?)
Brynna's hair gets crazy curly when it's wet...and then dries straight....here's a picture after a recent bath...

It was a warm day today, so Laurel put on her "timming toop" and played in the water. How could I not post a picture of this cuteness?

ABCs with Laurel

2011-06-09T19:17:00.000-07:00

Favorites

2011-06-03T11:00:00.000-07:00

Here are a few things that are bringing me joy these days...

Having Brynna sleep on me while I type this.

The songs Laurel sings. She gets the basic idea of the song, but skips words here and there--it always makes me smile.

Our new friend, "W." Not really sure who this W character is, but yesterday Laurel was pretending to talk on the phone. I asked her who she was talking to, and she said, "W."

When Laurel says our friend Emily's name, it comes out "Enabee."

"Timming toop" = swimming suit.

The way Brynna's hair gets crazy curly when it's wet.

Laurel puts herself in time-out when I start to question her about something she's doing that she shouldn't be.

Laurel wants to do "tummy time" next to Brynna.

Now the once sleeping baby is awake and protesting, so I must conclude this post.

What's In a Name?

2011-05-31T12:54:00.000-07:00

Jon and I are somewhat picky about names. I don't want anything that is too trendy. He doesn't want anything that is too strange. Many people have asked questions about Brynna's name, which makes me wonder if it's stranger than we realized. Well, since you asked...here are some answers....

1. How do you pronounce it? I didn't realize this would be an issue. It's pronounced like it's spelled. Think Lynn, only Brynn. Not Bren, not Brine. Now, I apparently have issues with my "i"s sounding like "e"s, so if I pronounce it wrong, it's just my unsophisticated tongue.

2. Where did you find the name Brynna? We liked the name Brynn when we were going through name books. When we looked back on the short list of names we liked when Laurel was born, Brynn was on that list, although neither of us remembered it being there. The name stuck with us, but I am drawn to names with more than one syllable, so we kept playing around with variations of Brynn. One day Jon suggested Brynna, and we both really liked it.

3. What does it mean? Well, like most names, I've seen a few different interpretations. One I've seen is "raven or dark haired," which definitely fits at this point in her life. The one I like the best, though, is this one: One who is strong, virtuous, honorable and exalted. The feminine form of Brian. A name which has existing since the 1500s.

4. Why Martha? No one has actually asked us this because most people know that Martha is Jon's mom's name, and we were delighted to honor her by giving Brynna the middle name Martha.

5. Now that you've explained Brynna, can you explain Laurel's name...in an abridged version? We stumbled upon the name Laurel a few weeks before she was born...as I was reading a book that had the word laurel in it. Most websites say that it means "laurel" (deep, I know), but I also read that it means to be crowned with wisdom. Her middle name is Katherine, after my grandmother, who was a strong and classy lady.

6. What other names did you consider? That's top secret information at this point.

7. How much sleep did you get last night? Not much. Not much at all.

Boys Names

2011-04-27T06:34:00.000-07:00

Jon and I have two girls' names that we really like. And a smattering of boys' names that we don't completely hate. We are still looking for boys' names, which has meant reading through a book that boasts over 40,000 names that have actually been used. Here are a few from that book that we know for sure we will not be using...

Christ

Lake Charles

Ro'Mance

Boy of Shantay

Boots

Jacob-Don't

Sonny Boy

Redeemed

Sir

Uno

Call us picky, but the above names are not making the cut.

The Checklist

2011-04-22T14:58:00.001-07:00

This baby is due in less than two weeks. So...I could have the baby tonight. Or I could have the baby in three weeks. Or anytime in between. Here is how things are progressing in terms of my "readiness":

Freezies: CHECK

Meals in the freezer: CHECK (about 16 meals)

Muffins, bread, and homemade energy bars in the freezer: CHECK

Baby's clothes washed and in the drawers: CHECK

Diapers from diaper service delivered: CHECK

Hospital Bag packed: Kind of, not quite done

Car seat installed: Nope (but the cloth lining is being washed as I type this)

Crib ready to go: Check

Names picked out: um....working on it.

Laurel's bag packed: Nope

Guest room ready for grandparents: Nope

Haircut and pedicure: Check (I have my priorities)

Thank You cards purchased: Nope

House renovations completed: I don't think we'll ever get to check this off the list.

Desk at work cleaned out: Check

Am I forgetting anything?

Life These Days

2011-04-12T13:25:00.000-07:00

Spring....

The snow is melting, the air is warmer, and I feel like we are finally emerging from a winter slumber. Life these days is feeling pretty good. Even though this picture of Laurel makes it look cold, it's been quite nice here. We've been able to get out for walks and puddle splashing.

Pregnancy....

I am almost 37 weeks pregnant...which means we're getting down to the end. Technically, this baby could come at any time. To answer the question everyone asks, no, we're not quite ready. Of course, I don't know if we'll ever feel ready, nor do I think it matters if we're ready. Once the baby comes, we'll switch into ready mode, whether we feel it or not! But for right now, I don't feel ready. For one thing, we still don't have names picked out. We have some girl names we like. We have some boy names that we don't hate. But we don't have any names that we love. I've done a bit of baking and a bit of cooking for the freezer, but I want to do more. We've got some baby clothes washed and in the drawers. I still need to dig some more baby gear out from under the stairs. The house needs to be cleaned. The guest room sheets need to be changed. But, really, the thing that is stressing me out the most (other than the lack of names) is that we don't have freezies! I know, right? Three weeks until the due date and I don't have any freezies.* It's not that I haven't tried. I asked today at a store and they haven't gotten any in yet. I looked at a store the other day, and they only had a generic brand...and I am a bit picky about my freezies. Do I really have to wait until the snow melts completely before I'll be able to find freezies?

Laurel...

Laurel continues to delight and entertain us. One of her frequent phrases right now is "Laurel do it." This morning as I was trying to get us out the door, she was picking things up on the way that she wanted to take with us. By the made it to the back door, she had in her arms her tiara, a Dora doll, a baby blanket, her bike helmet, and a small block. All, apparently, were very important because she wouldn't part with any of them. She's also asking "why?" a lot, and I am struggling to come up with answers that satisfy her.

A couple of weeks ago, a friend of ours said to Laurel, "You're a monkey." Laurel responded with, "No! Owl! Hooooo!" Apparently we have a wee little owl on our hands. She also loves bunnies, the ABCDs, and "Elmo Music."

Sewing Adventures...

In my recent burst of pregnant energy, I decided that I wanted to make a little stuffed bunny for Laurel's Easter basket. I was determined to not use a pattern. Why? I'm not sure. I was also determined to only use things in our scrap basket. The result? Hmmm. Well. It's pretty much the ugliest stuffed bunny you've ever seen. It's poor little head is lopsided and won't stay up. Jon's response was, "Well, they have dolls called Ugly Dolls, so maybe it's not so bad." Maybe it's not so good, either. When Jon casually asked if I had considered using a pattern, I responded with, "I didn't want to. I was going to make a small fortune with this bunny." For some reason he doubled over laughing. Odd.

On a more successful note, I have also been replacing the velcro tabs on our diapers.

Pampering...

Tonight I'm getting my haircut. Saturday I'm getting a pedicure and manicure. Now I just need a massage, and I will feel sufficiently spoiled.

That's what life is like for us these days. Thanks for checking in.

*For those of you who are scratching your heads, wondering why I need freezies, they're great to suck on during labor. Will the baby come without them? I think so. But for some reason this feels like the big thing I need before I will feel ready. Weird. I know.

The Bathroom: Before and After

2011-03-21T11:20:00.000-07:00

When we moved into our house last July, one of the projects we felt was urgent was to update the bathroom. What was wrong with the bathroom, you ask? Well...nothing, I suppose. There was the little issue of the cupboards on the wall in the tub area where you would expect a shower head to be. If you prefer storage over showers, then it would have been perfect. Except for the pinkness of the decor. And the general ugliness. Other than that, it was fine.

Anyway, before we moved in Jon and a bunch of guys gutted the bathroom. In so doing, they discovered that the tub had been fitted with a facelift tub surround type thing. In reality the tub was a cast iron beast that they could hardly move. They managed to get it out of there and rip apart the rest of the room. We had new electrical put in, the plumbing changed (so that now the toilet is next to the tub, rather than having the sink next to the tub. We took out the linen closet in the hallway to open up more space in the bathroom. We changed the way the door opens. We basically changed EVERYTHING.

I, in all of my naivete, believed that we would be able to completely renovate the bathroom in a few short weeks. Not so. It's been a long 8 months, but I think we can finally say that the bathroom is pretty much done. Now, it's not "done done" as my friend Mike Moffitt would say. We still need to hang towel hooks and maybe some art or something. But, it is close enough for me to post some before and after pictures. Maybe one day you can come and stand on our heated tile floor and use our dual flush toilet.

BEFORE

DURING

AFTER

Part Princess, Part Movie Star, Part...Bag Lady?

2011-03-03T17:57:00.000-08:00

The Christmas Letter We Never Wrote

2011-02-11T11:57:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure what has happened in the past three months, but I have had neither motivation nor inspiration to add anything to our blog. Apparently I also didn't have enough motivation to send a Christmas letter. I had great intentions. I even bought cards early this year (early for me means before about December 20). But I could never decide which picture to print, so the letter never got written, the cards never got sent, and you don't have a photo of our family hanging on your fridge (or filling your recycle bin). In the spirit of it's never too late, here's the letter we didn't write.

Dear Friends and Family,

Merry Christmas! We hope this Christmas finds you filled with joy (etc., blah blah blah). 2010 has been a year filled with learning and adventures for the Gilchrist clan. This year we've learned...

How to buy a house without really looking for one
More about safe asbestos removal than we've ever wanted to know
Renovations will always longer than you anticipate
How to walk (Laurel learned this one, Jon and I already knew how)
How beautiful Kelowna is
How to get rid of pink eye
How to tile a backsplash, refinish hardwood floors, and install baseboards
How to say lots of new words, like: mommy, daddy, no, up, open, orange, blankie, eat, sit
How much we love the splash park in our neighborhood
That we're expecting baby # 2 in May

Our adventures have included lots of long bike rides, a weekend camping and biking trip in Banff, our first stay at the Banff Springs Hotel, a trip to Kelowna, a friend's wedding in Colorado, great conversation and fellowship with friends for a week in Glacier, a trip to Boston for Christmas, and Julianne returning to work.

We're looking forward to lots more learning and adventures in 2011. We hope that some of our adventures include you!

Jon, Julianne, Laurel, and Baby

More on Living Simply

2010-11-10T13:41:00.000-08:00

The past 10 days have been so filled with mishaps that it's almost comical. Our washer and dryer stopped working...on the same day that our dishwasher started leaking. Then we dropped our computer and the screen cracked. We now have a black spiderweb stretching from the top left corner to the bottom right corner. That could have been enough. But then Jon was in a car accident. And then, what came next? Oh yes, we both ended up with fevers and aches and the chills yesterday.

So in the midst of all this, as I have been researching appliances and new cars, I have been reflecting on what it means to live simply. And, in the midst of all of this, we have been surprised by goodness and generosity.

I began to shop for appliances online. I pictured a new washer and dryer with all the latest features, perhaps even in a fun color. They would be expensive, but wouldn't they look good!

And then a coworker of mine, who happened to see my facebook post, offered us a washer and dryer he was getting rid of. For free.

After the car incident, Jon's parents called. We were supposed to drive to the farm for the weekend. They decided they would come to us, instead. Not only would they come to us, but they would bring Jon's mom's car for us to drive while ours is in the shop.

And then, just this morning, Jon's dad called and said he has a dishwasher for us that some friends are getting rid of. For free.

And we've had family offer to help us with buying a new appliance, if we need to.

So do we buy new appliances because they are newer, with more bells and whistles? Or do we accept offers of used appliances that are free? We are opting for free. We think that this is part of what it means for us to live simply--not getting wooed by allure of the new and flashy. We know that these used appliances won't last forever. They might only buy us a few more years before we have to buy new ones. But that's a few more years of being able to save, rather than going into debt.

Our appliances won't be shiny. They won't come in fun colors. I don't even know if the dishwasher will match the rest of our kitchen. They won't make our friends ooh and ahh when we host our fancy dinner parties. But they will get our clothes and our dishes clean.

As I think about the crunched hood of our car, which will likely be enough damage for the insurance company to declare it a write-off, I can't help but think of my friend Sarah. Sarah is a nurse, working in Haiti. And I wonder, would it matter to her and her friends if the car they were driving was ugly? If its hood was dented and smashed, but it still ran well? Do we buy a new car or make due with what we've got? If we buy a new car, do we buy the one we've been dreaming of or do we buy something smaller, something still reliable, but less expensive?

We are part of a generation of entitlement. We believe that we can have, even more, that we deserve, the newest and the best. But what if this generation of entitlement has it wrong? What if it's not about having the best? What if it's not about having at all?

Living Simply?

2010-11-07T13:10:00.001-08:00

When Jon and I got married, one of the things we said we valued was living simply. To us, living simply meant not getting caught up in materialism, not believing that we needed the newest, shiniest things, not trying to keep up with the Joneses. It meant trying to avoid debt, especially credit card debt.

We wanted our lives to be filled with the richness of friendships and experiences. Of good conversation and lots of laughter. We hoped our home would always be a place of hospitality, even if we didn't have fancy furnishings.

It was easy to live simply in our first year of marriage. In some ways, we didn't have much of a choice--we were broke grad students. Our first apartment was a tiny basement suite in Vancouver. It was basically a rectangle: you walked through the little living room to the galley kitchen to the bathroom to the bedroom. (That's right, you walked through the bathroom to get to the bedroom). We had such little storage that we built an extra tall bed frame so that we could put a few boxes underneath. We didn't have a dresser or a closet in our bedroom, but we did have a few shelves with baskets on them. And we had a tiny little deep freeze in our bedroom because that's the only place it would fit.

Our little home was a few minutes walk to the beach and two blocks from all kinds of little local stores and restaurants. We started playing tennis that year because we lived across the street from some tennis courts, and it was a free date.

We turned a falling apart Ikea dresser into a shoe rack and a very small coffee table.

It was a great little place. And we tried to fill it with friends as often as we could.

If we were to try to move back into that place at this point in our lives, we would have to sell most of our stuff. And figure out where Laurel would sleep.

We've noticed that the more stuff we acquire, the more difficult it is to live simply. The easier it is to believe that we need more and better stuff.

To Be Continued...

For Grampa

2010-11-06T13:21:00.000-07:00

More Halloween

2010-11-06T13:11:00.001-07:00

We have had quite the week. I'll share more in the next few days. For now, though, here are some pictures from Halloween.

"Don't tell Mom that I let you help with this part..."

Getting all the goo out...

Hey...I'm a chicken!

Jackpot!

Dancing Queen

2010-11-01T05:55:00.000-07:00

This video is a bit long, but here is a glimpse of what happens in our house when we turn on music...

Trick or Treat!

2010-10-31T12:34:00.000-07:00

Today we will carve a pumpkin, hand out candy, and hang out with our favorite little pumpkin...I mean chicken.

Fall Fun

2010-10-19T16:37:00.000-07:00

Here's Laurel enjoying a nice fall day...

We had some family and friends over for Thanksgiving dinner...

Laurel got to pick out her pumpkin...

and she has a cute pumpkin hat that her Great Grammie made for her...

Walking and Laughing

2010-10-04T17:40:00.000-07:00

Birthdays and Weddings and Reunions and...Home

2010-09-29T13:46:00.000-07:00

We have been traveling a lot lately. As I type this, Jon is heading home from a two day work trip. Tomorrow we will pack for a weekend getaway, and I feel like we finally just got unpacked from our trip to Colorado. The travels have all been filled with life and friends and family. We have loved being in beautiful places, celebrating beautiful people. But we are tired. Tired of getting back in the car. Tired of asking Laurel to adjust to a new routine. Tired of not having space to breathe.

We were planning on traveling for Thanksgiving weekend (which is just over a week away here in Canada), but decided the other night to just stay put. We need to be home for a while....which is funny because, in many ways, our travels have taken us home. They've taken us to the farm, Jon's childhood home. And they've taken us to Colorado, a place that is very much a home for me. But even with our house being in a constant state of renovation chaos, it is still good to be in this home, in our bed, in our own space.

Here are a few highlights of our recent adventures....

Our trip to the farm was to celebrate Jon's Grandma's 90th Birthday!

Jon and Laurel holding hands...

Decorations for the big party...

The girl cousins...

Our trip to Colorado was for Emily Clader's wedding! What a great wedding...complete with bright yellow aspens, a rolling river, old friends, dogs, and even kazoos! Dan Clader married Jon and I six years ago! Emily wore her grandmother's dress...

My friends Annie and (the) Becca sang in the wedding...

Hannah Clader was the beautiful maid of honor...

The wedding was at the family's cabin. The weekend allowed us time to hike, visit, and relax...

Catching up with my friend Annie...

Back at home, Laurel enjoys a fall day in our front yard...

Caught With Her Pants Down!

2010-09-01T17:51:00.001-07:00

Jon wasn't home for supper tonight, so Laurel and I dined on Chicken Vera Cruz. She gobbled it up, and when we finished eating, it was only 5:30. So I gave her a bath, got her in her jammies, and we read lots of stories. She seemed like she was heading to dreamland, so I put her in her crib and went downstairs to clean the kitchen. I had the kitchen cleaned by 6:15 and was feeling pretty proud of myself that I did all of that by myself.

But then Laurel started making lots of noise. I thought I would go check on her to make sure she had her soother.

There she is, standing in her crib with neither pajama bottoms nor diaper on! I couldn't help but laugh.

Why My Bread Refuses to Rise

2010-08-25T15:18:00.000-07:00

This afternoon I had onions, garlic, cremini mushrooms, and meat simmering in red wine and beef broth for what will become stew.

I was just starting to kneed an Italian bread dough.

Laurel was banging on pots and pans with a wooden spoon and expressing her displeasure in the fact that we were inside.

And then an alarm went off. Thinking it was the smoke alarm, I began to wave my dish towel in front of it, but it didn't seem to help. I stood on a chair and took the cover off to discover there is no battery inside. The alarm continued to beep, causing me to panic.

I frantically tried to figure out where it was coming from. I even called Jon at work, and when he answered I practically yelled, "Where are our other smoke alarms?"

He calmly reminded me that we have a carbon monoxide detector in the living room. Sure enough, the beeps were coming from it.

We evacuated and called 911.

Two fire trucks later, they determined that all is well.

But now my bread dough doesn't look as if it is going to rise.

It Made Me Smile

2010-08-20T14:50:00.001-07:00

The other night we held hands as we prayed before supper. Laurel must have thought holding hands was a pretty good idea because she wanted to hold both of our hands all through supper. She'd let go long enough to put some food in her mouth and then she'd reach for our hands again. It made me smile.

These pictures make me smile, too.

On Going Back to Work

2010-08-17T12:41:00.000-07:00

I have loved being home with Laurel this year. I have loved the rhythm and the restfulness. I have loved the play and the laughter and the changes that seemed to come way too quickly.

Tomorrow the rhythm will change as I head back to work. I'll be working a day and a half a week, which I think will be just about perfect for me. It will allow me to continue to do college ministry, which I love, as well as spend gobs of time at home with Laurel, which I also love.

I don't know what this year will hold. One friend told me that he didn't think I could do campus ministry for a day and a half a week--ministry is way too relational to only be around a couple days. Perhaps after this year I'll end up agreeing. Other people ask me, as if it would be an insurmountable task, what I will do with Laurel when I'm at work. Maybe after this year I'll conclude that it's too complicated to coordinate all of that.

Or maybe it really will be just right.

On Sunday someone I had just met told me it's good that I am only working part-time because I need to take care of my family "properly." It was followed by the comment, "God gave you a family, you need to take care of them properly." Apparently "proper" care of ones family, if that "one" is a woman, means staying home. I responded with something like, "Well, it's a partnership, and my husband and I both need to care for our family."

It reminded me of comments I heard this past winter, in the middle of my angst over what to do about work. These comments weren't directed at me, but the basic idea is this: "Anyone can be a ________ (teacher, accountant, nurse, lawyer), but you're the only person who can be your child's mom." The conclusion we are meant to draw, of course, is that to be our children's moms, we need to stay home.

Why doesn't anyone say that to the dads? "Anyone can be a ___________, but you're the only one who can be your child's dad."

I don't think that being Laurel's mom means that all of my other callings in life are erased. I want Laurel to grow up watching me, as her mom, live out my gifts and my callings. I hope that as I seek to be obedient to where I think God is calling me, that she will learn to listen for God's voice in her life, too.

I Found It!

2010-08-16T17:38:00.000-07:00

I found my camera charger. So, here are some pictures that have been sitting on my camera, waiting to be shared!

Laurel on her birthday, showing her solo standing skills:

In the new house, Laurel loves to help mom and dad with the renovations:

One of the many beautiful scenes we saw in Glacier:

Laurel and Daddy on a hike. Despite her expression, she really loves riding in the backpack:

Some flowers from our backyard:

5 Reasons Why I Haven't Blogged

2010-08-15T08:13:00.000-07:00

The little voice in my head keeps saying, "You really need to update your blog."

"I know, I know," I reply.

(Come on, tell me you don't have conversations with yourself.)

But there have been plenty of reasons why I haven't blogged....

1. I was in Montana for a week and didn't have internet access. Jon, Laurel, and I met our friends the Arntzens and Heather at a little cabin just outside of Glacier for a week of relaxing, catching up, and good conversation. Heather, Courtney, and I are all women in ministry, so it was a great time for us to talk about ministry, pray together, and encourage each other. This was the first of what we hope will become an annual event. It was the first meeting of our covenant group. I've told people in the past that the whole reason I wanted to go to seminary was to find a covenant group. It might not have been the WHOLE reason, but I was pretty envious of my pastor friends who got to go away for a week each year to spend time with their covenant groups. I would post some pictures of our trip here, but my camera battery died in the middle of the trip, and I cannot find my charger.

2. When we came home, I had three days to prepare for a wedding in Calgary. It was my second wedding of the summer/ever. And what a fun wedding it was. If I had had a camera (see above) I would have some pictures. The reception was here and was very fun! I think the ceremony went well. It is really a cool experience to walk with a couple as they prepare for marriage and then to be the one to usher them across this threshold.

3. As soon as we returned from Calgary, we met up with Jon's sister Pam and her family, who were in Edmonton for the weekend. We went to the legislature grounds to splash in the fountains. (I think Pam took some pictures, so we might have some to post soon. For now, imagine Laurel in a swim diaper and a sun hat having a great time.) That night we left our niece in charge of the kids and headed to The Melting Pot, which has some seriously good eats.

4. The next day Owen headed back to Lethbridge while Pam, the kids, and Laurel and I drove to Saskatchewan to the farm. We met Jon's other sister Jenn and her kids there for cousins camp. Cousins camp was a week of playing outside, riding dirt bikes, pulling weeds in the garden, picking raspberries, swimming, eating good food, playing kick the can in the dark, campfires, and sitting on the deck drinking coffee. Jon's dad drove to Edmonton to work on our house, so it was just the girls and the kids. This is another event that we hope will become an annual tradition. (It's also another time I had neither internet access nor a camera).

5. Jon and Armand came to the farm on Friday night and joined us for a round of kick the can on Saturday night. On Sunday Jon's parents drove us back to Edmonton and then stayed with us until today to help us work on our house. This past week we have worked like crazy. We now have a new kitchen counter, new kitchen floors, the house is painted, the trim is painted, the kitchen cupboards are painted (although we still have to re-install the doors), drywall has been installed, shelves have been built in a pantry. So, this week I was either too busy or too tired to post anything. And I still haven't found my camera charger.

There you have it, folks. Five reasons I haven't blogged.

Catching Up

2010-07-18T17:24:00.000-07:00

We just spent the weekend on our church's camping trip. It was a very laid back weekend (I think almost all of us took naps on Saturday). We got to share a tent site with our friends Ian, Sally, and baby Ruth. The trip ended this morning with two baptisms in the lake. A great moment for our church community.

It poured rain before we left Edmonton on Friday, and now that we are back, it is pouring again. It's been a wet summer, which makes staying inside to do renovations not feel so miserable.

Here are two videos from the past 2 1/2 weeks. I must confess before you watch them that they are neither edited nor are they very high quality. (Read: unless you are Laurel's grandparents, wasting time at work, or REALLY interested in our new house, you might not make it to the end of each video. That's okay. The creative side of me hasn't had space to work lately. This blog and the videos on it won't be neglected by me forever).

The first video is in our old house and features Laurel playing with her little car that she got for her birthday. The second one is part two of our 100 part series on the renovation process. I can't remember when this one was taken, but our house is already looking different. Maybe I'll try to video an update tonight. Or maybe not. We'll see.

Some days we laugh...

2010-07-15T14:53:00.000-07:00

and some days we cry. Here are a few pictures of Laurel expressing her sad/angry emotions over the past year. Due to lack of internet at home over the past two weeks, I've got some catching up to do. More pictures and videos coming soon!

Birthday Girl

2010-06-26T13:51:00.000-07:00

In case you weren't able to join us for Laurel's party today, here are a few videos. (And, here are my confessions: we have been so busy moving that I had her present unwrapped in the backseat of the car yesterday...all of the sudden I heard music playing and realized she had discovered it and was pressing the buttons. AND...I bought her a card...but Jon and I haven't signed it yet. AND...her party was supposed to start at 11:30 and we showed up at 11:50. Okay, that's all of the confessions you get.)

Yay!

2010-06-24T18:03:00.000-07:00

Today is a new day! In this video Laurel pretty much sums up how Jon and I are feeling. (And a few minutes after filming this video, Laurel took about 6-7 unassisted steps!)

Can I Come Back Tomorrow?

2010-06-23T17:55:00.000-07:00

The other day I had to get a blood test. (Don't worry, I am not dying...and before you jump to conclusions, I am not pregnant. If you really must know, it was just a test to see if I'm immune to chicken pox).

An 11 year old boy also had to get some blood tests done (I don't think he's pregnant, either). When they called his name, they asked him if he would rather do the urine sample first or the blood tests. He opted to pee in a cup.

Then it was time to get his blood tests done. And it soon became very apparent to everyone in the waiting room that he was extremely scared of needles. He cried. He begged. He bargained. Then we all heard him say, "Can I come back tomorrow?" Those of us in the waiting room knew what he hadn't learned yet: tomorrow wouldn't make it any easier.

They called my name, they took my blood, and I left before his saga was over. I don't know if he finally faced the needle or if he convinced his mom to bring him back tomorrow. I hope, for his sake, that he just got it over with.

As much as we all know he'd be better off to face his fears rather than wait another day, I think most of us have moments in life when we respond in similar ways.

Like today, for example, when Jon told me he was going to have a sample of the dry wall tested to see if it contains asbestos. I might have pulled the neck of my shirt up over my head and proclaimed, "NOOOOOO." It was basically the emotional equivalent of sticking my fingers in my ears and yelling "I can't hear you!"

Please, not one more thing to worry about!

Unlike the boy who wanted to come back tomorrow, though, I would rather come back in a few weeks. I would be happy to go on vacation and come back when the floors are out of our house and the air has been tested and the bathroom is finished. (If any of you would like to send me on said vacation, I am not picky about a location).

But, as with most things in life, this is a battle that can only be won by trudging through it. I trust that things will look better on the other side. And I have to keep holding onto that hope, rather than worrying about what else might happen. In a month or so (maybe less, if I can dare to dream), these headaches will be gone. So, here's to July 23rd (a month from today).

Clapping for Emus...and other stories

2010-06-21T19:18:00.000-07:00

We are in the midst of what feels like chaos. Our new house has the bathroom torn apart, some of the flooring torn up, the paneling taken off the walls, and a giant bookshelf removed (which revealed a need for new dry wall behind it). The house we're renting is filled with boxes. We discovered that our floor has asbestos in it, which is going to require some intentional care and caution to remove. And we need to get the electrical upgraded. We can't move in until the floors are done, nor can we move forward with any other projects until they're done. In a little over a week from today, we are supposed to move in. In the meantime, Laurel's first birthday is tomorrow, and Jon's family is all coming into town later this week to celebrate (and help us move). Oh, right, and I am marrying a couple in less than two weeks.

So, needless to say, there is plenty of opportunity to feel overwhelmed. And, believe me, I have had those moments.

But this past weekend we packed and moved boxes in between some family time. On Saturday morning we went to Wild Earth Bakery. This bakery has been a favorite of ours, but we hadn't been since they remodeled. If you live in Edmonton, you need to check out the renovations--it is such a great space (and we even found a place to sit on a Saturday morning, which used to be unheard of). And please, try their white chocolate raspberry scones.

On Sunday we celebrated Father's Day by taking a trip to the zoo. Laurel had her first taste of ice cream (she seemed to be a fan) and loved watching the animals. We sat in front the emus for a while. From my perspective, they are not as fun to watch as the monkeys, nor are they as impressive as the tigers. But Laurel loved them. She clapped and clapped for them. And as we were sitting there, watching her clap, I was struck by the goodness of my life. Right there by the emus, I had a moment of gratitude.

Ugh Oh

2010-06-18T07:17:00.000-07:00

"Ugh Oh" is Laurel's new word to say. It's ridiculously cute when she says it. She'll drop something on the floor and say "ugh-oh." It seems an appropriate thing for her to say with our current situation. Jon's pink eye is back...ugh oh. We found asbestos in our house...ugh oh. We might have to rewire the house...ugh oh. Somehow when I hear it in her little voice, it makes everything seem a little brighter, especially when I see her shrugging her shoulders. Her "ugh oh"s help me put things in perspective because they aren't "woe is me, the world is ending" ugh ohs. They are "oops...oh well" ugh ohs. Things are what they are and we get to make decisions in how to respond.

So I've decided to approach things the way she does, with sweet little "ugh oh"s.

Here are a few pictures from our trip...just for fun.

Laurel met Ogopogo...

and got her picture taken with a pig...

and a goat.

It was cold in the mountains...

but Kelowna was beautiful.

And Laurel had fun with her cousin Maddie and Uncle O.

Our New House (Part One)

2010-06-16T21:03:00.000-07:00

My apologies to Jenn--I promised this video last night, but last night I was too busy obsessing about whether or not we'd just exposed Laurel to asbestos. So, here is the first in our house renovations video series. We took possession yesterday and immediately started ripping things apart...kind of funny when I think back to a few months ago when Jon said, "I don't want a house that we're going to have to do work on before we move in."

We've already had three of our neighbors come over to introduce themselves. I think this is going to be a great neighborhood! Enjoy our first video. I'll post some pictures soon, as well.

Touchdown Jesus

2010-06-15T08:53:00.000-07:00

There are so many things I could blog about this morning: more details from our trip, pictures of Laurel, the fact that we get possession of our house in A FEW SHORT HOURS.

But then I saw this, and how could I resist? We have driven by Touchdown Jesus many times on the way to my parents' house. It really was unbelievable--I'll leave it to you to guess whether that's a good thing or a bad thing. But TD Jesus is no more. There are so many potential jokes in this story...but I'll refrain.

Ride Report

2010-06-14T10:55:00.001-07:00

So, if you read yesterday's blog, you know that we didn't do a three day, 100 km a day, bike trip. Instead, we camped in Banff and did two shorter rides. The first ride I did with my amazing sister-in-law, Pam (or Bernice, for short). Pam and I rode the Lake Minnewanka loop. It was a gorgeous ride. We met a big horned sheep and his kids, as well as a large elk. We stopped for a power bar at Two Jack Lake. It was a short, but great ride.

The next day, Jon and I biked to Lake Louise together. We rode the Bow Valley Parkway and faced a lot of climbs and a little rain. It was beautiful and had some really fun downhill sections. We stopped along the way for our peanut butter sandwiches. We met Pam and Owen and the kids at Lake Louise, although we didn't do the final climb to the lake--4 km of steep hills--and I was glad for that.

Pam and Owen rode back to Banff, and Jon and I drove the kids and our bikes back. Laurel and I were in our car and decided to take the Bow Valley Parkway home, instead of the highway. Here are a few things we saw on the way...

Backup Plans

2010-06-13T10:23:00.000-07:00

It's Sunday morning--make that almost afternoon--and I am lazily snuggled in bed. I've already been up, showered, and made pancakes, but now it's time to rest--it's our recovery day. We got back from our two week trip last night around 10 (and it was still very light out!) after driving for about 12 hours. The car is still crammed full of sleeping bags, suit cases, snacks, a tent, and all sorts of random things that you end up taking with you on long trips. It needs to be unpacked. Clothes need to be washed. Groceries need to be bought. But not right now.

Our trip was not what we had planned, but it was good. I'll write about it and post pictures over the next few days. For now, here is a glimpse into the first part of our trip:

Plan A: Go on a three day bike trip that's a fundraiser for a camp, bike 150 km a day, raise $1500.

Plan B: Go on a three day bike trip with our family, the same weekend, bike 100 km a day, don't raise any money. Get Jon's parents to watch all the kids.

Plan C: Shorten the lengths of the rides a wee bit.

Plan D: Jon's parents can't watch the kids--find this out the day before we are supposed to leave. Go anyway, but rather than the four adults biking together, we'll have to go in pairs. Shorten the lengths of the rides even more.

Plan E: Get a low grade fever and aches.

Plan F: Add some rain.

Plan G: Ride for only two days, with fever and rain, make rides shorter, and enjoy the beauty of the mountains.

More to come...including Laurel's new tricks!

Sometimes you get the bear...

2010-06-02T09:13:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the bear gets you.
We have started our two week trip.
And the parade might be on hold today...because of too much rain.

Rain

2010-05-25T09:30:00.000-07:00

Over the past two weeks, it seems that Jon and I have had plenty of opportunities to use the phrase "Why are you raining on my parade?"

It felt like rain when I found good airline tickets and wanted to snatch them up, but Jon insisted that we reconsider whether or not we can afford the trip.

It felt like rain when I dropped the car off to get the winter tires taken off, spent two hours walking around the mall with a very tired (but not sleeping) Laurel, only to return to the tire store to have them tell me they didn't put the summer tires on because they were too worn. These are the same summer tires that they returned to us last fall, telling us we could get one more season out of them. It felt like rain to realize we need to buy new tires.

It felt like rain when we went to get homeowner's insurance, only to be told that we'd have to rewire our house in order to be insured.

It felt like rain when I figured out a budget for our upcoming house renovations, only to have Jon remind me of a large list of things I hadn't accounted for.

It felt like rain when they announced on the radio this morning that the U2 concert in Edmonton, for which we have tickets and Jon's whole family is coming into town, has been cancelled.

It felt like rain. But the parade will keep on marching.

Because we're leaving next Monday for two weeks of camping, biking, traveling, swimming, and sun (I hope).

Because we've got this great little house we just bought--ugly linoleum and all!

Because Laurel is going to be 1 in a few short weeks, so I've got a party to plan (that is, if our family is still coming to Edmonton now that the concert is cancelled).

Because the days are long, the sun is starting to feel warm again, our hammock is hanging in the back yard.

Because, as our niece Kait says on her facebook page: "Whoever said happiness is sunshine hasn't danced in the rain."

We're choosing to dance as the parade marches on!

Big Tent

2010-05-23T15:15:00.000-07:00

I don't think that having a baby necessarily means that you have to move from a small and simple lifestyle to a big and chaotic one. Yes, there are suddenly more toys in the living room. Yes, there are more details to think about before you walk out the door (do we have diapers? snacks? wipes? a soother?). But babies don't really take up that much space.

Or do they? Laurel is definitely taking up more space in our hearts than we could have imagined.

And when we started to think about all the camping we'd like to do this summer, our little tent suddenly began to feel small.

So, we have crossed over the line from the small three person tent to a family tent. I think this also means we have crossed from "let's pack less" to "how are we ever going to fit all of this in the car?"

Here is a little (okay, so it's kind of long) video that we made as we put up our new tent for the first time. I think there's enough space!

Playing at the Park: Slides and Sand

2010-05-19T12:04:00.000-07:00

Okay, one more day of shots from the park. Then I'll try to get a new video posted because I heard a rumor that Laurel's cousins have been asking for one.

I love her expression in this one--I must have been telling her something really cool.

Playing at the Park: Serious Faces

2010-05-18T09:08:00.000-07:00

Here are some more pictures from the park...Laurel can be quite the pensive little peanut!

Playing at the Park: Happy Swinging

2010-05-17T21:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we headed to a park near our house, and I brought my camera along. We got so many great shots of Laurel that I can't decide which ones to post. So, over the next few days you'll be seeing lots of them. Enjoy.

Adventures in Banff

2010-05-14T11:36:00.000-07:00

We just spent three days in Banff where Jon was attending a conference for work. As luck would have it, the conference attendees were put up at The Banff Springs Hotel. If you're not familiar with The Banff Springs, imagine a castle in the mountains. Laurel and I had fun exploring while Jon went to his conference. We went swimming every day (sometimes twice a day) in the heated outdoor pool, surrounded by trees and mountains. The last morning we were there, we were the only ones in the pool. We looked up and about ten feet away was a deer, eating her breakfast. We watched her eat, she watched us swim.

The hotel has a stable with horses, so Laurel and I visited them a couple of times. Laurel wasn't sure at first if she should laugh or cry at them. She eventually decided to laugh and seemed to enjoy our visits.

One of the days was so beautiful that I couldn't stand the thought of staying inside the hotel (as nice as it is), so I reclined Laurel's stroller seat and snuggled her in for her nap. Then we headed outside where she slept and I read a book.

The only drawback to the trip was that Laurel and I were hit pretty hard with a stomach flu before we left home and Jon picked it up once we got there.

Because of not feeling so hot when we were packing, I didn't bring the camera. So, here is a picture of the last time Laurel was in Banff, when she was 2 1/2 months old.

Now that we are back home, we are starting to pack boxes for the big move. We are also getting excited for our bike trip and our trip to Kelowna. We're going to Kelowna for another conference for Jon. Here is where we'll be staying.

The weather here is beautiful and we're eager to spend time outside. Which means I should get more boxes packed while Laurel sleeps so that we can head into the sun when she wakes up.

Look At Her Go!

2010-05-05T13:22:00.000-07:00

Our Life These Days

2010-04-27T10:04:00.000-07:00

The big news in our lives right now is that we bought a house! It's not quite official yet--we still have to have the inspection done. We somehow missed the work of having to view dozens of houses before we found one we liked. We really only looked at four--and the other three we didn't even need to walk into to know we didn't want them.

We looked at this house on a Saturday afternoon. I thought that would be the end of the adventure. But throughout the week we found that we kept talking about the house.

So on Friday we walked through it again with our friend Jack who knows a lot about houses. He gave the thumbs up.

Now, if you know Jon and I, you know that we talk about EVERYTHING--sometimes we probably talk too much, weigh the pros and cons for too long, deliberate until there's nothing left to deliberate about. We don't jump in. We test the water with our pinky toes and then talk about the that test for weeks before we let our big toes into the water. Okay, maybe we're not that bad. But it was a bit out of character for us to make an offer on Friday night. Sometimes, though, you're just ready.

Well, we heard back from them on Saturday evening. We did all of the haggling and negotiating. And things were not looking so good. We had to crunch more numbers to see if we could go any higher. I, being the dreamer in the relationship, was convinced that we could. Jon, being the realist in our relationship, was convinced that we couldn't. We opted for realism and put in our final offer. I expected a phone call within 5 minutes turning us down. But the phone didn't ring. And it didn't ring. When it finally did ring, they said they needed more time.

So we waited. And waited.

And just as we were walking out the door for church on Sunday evening, the phone rang. And it was good news!

I think I am still in shock! At the end of June, we are moving into a cute little semi-bungalow.

Other than that, we are continuing to try to get bike rides in. (On Saturday we burned off some of the anxious waiting time by riding 60 km).

And we are continuing to have fun watching Laurel change and grow. Here is a little video that I like to call "fun in the kitchen."

Me Think She Doth Protest Too Much

2010-04-22T11:16:00.000-07:00

Laurel has just developed the art of saying "no" and has displayed that talent quite a few times today.

And Just Like That...

2010-04-20T19:09:00.000-07:00

The buds are on the trees in the river valley.

Laurel is suddenly signing "more," "please," and "all done."

Her naps went from a few short power naps to two long naps a day.

She wants to stand and walk along the furniture.

She had a bit of a face plant...okay, a big face plant...today.

She's got lots more teeth than she did three weeks ago.

She likes to swing at the park.

I'm pretty sure she said "mum" and "Dada" yesterday.

We aren't doing the bike trip, per se.

But we are doing a different bike trip. (same weekend, different route, no fundraising!)

And just like that, life keeps moving by quickly.

TGIF

2010-04-16T09:05:00.001-07:00

Well, friends, it's been a long week. We started strong--Jon took Monday off, and we had a bit of a family day. But Tuesday brought with it the challenges of a teething baby. Added to her discomfort is the fact that she is ready to explore the world, but hasn't quite gotten the hang of crawling. So, she gets frustrated that she can't move around or she ends up pushing herself backwards and gets backed into furniture or walls. Much of this week has involved her crying.

And she quit nursing, cold turkey. Just like that, she was done, wants nothing to do with it. That brings interesting challenges for mom.

Last night we watched our friends' 3 month old daughter. Laurel was fascinating by this little baby. She might still have a few things to learn about how to be a good friend, though, because every time little Ruth cried, Laurel laughed. Laurel seemed fine with the fact that her parents were spending time with another baby...until I put Ruth in the sling. Then Laurel was some upset!

Well, it's Friday. And Fridays are good days, even when the week has been tiring. And this Friday brings with it sunshine and warm weather, painted toe nails, promises of a long walk outside, and a babysitter tonight so that Jon and I can go to a movie.

Here's to Friday!

Holy Smokes

2010-04-08T19:17:00.000-07:00

Jon is sitting at the kitchen table, pouring over a calendar, trying to figure out how to get in the miles of training he needs for the bike trip. I just heard him say "holy smokes...what have I done to myself?"

I can relate.

I made my training schedule two days ago.

We discovered over the weekend that the trip is not 300 km over 3 days. It is 400 km over 3 days. And they say we should be able to maintain 20 kph.

Are we crazy? Is it even possible?

The first two days are 140-150 km each. Um...last weekend I did a 30 km ride and was tired for the whole day.

(Jon is shaking his head).

Should we bail?

I know there are other trips we could sign up for, but this one is with our family. (By the way, family, if you guys decide you're not doing it, you MUST let us know as soon as you decide).

So. I have broken my training into bite-sized pieces. Each week I add 50 km to my total, so that by 2 1/2 weeks before the trip, I have a total of 300 for the week. And each week I do a longer ride, so that I will have done a 100 km ride before the trip. That's all happening in the next six weeks. (I ask again, are we crazy?) And the hard thing to swallow is that even with all that training, the trip itself will still be way more than we've ever done.

I might be panicking right now.

On Wednesday I did two hours on the trainer. People, I have other things to do during the day--like take care of a 9 month old girl!

You can track my weekly kilometers over on the side of this blog.

Here's hoping this all works out!

Easter on the Prairies

2010-04-06T07:22:00.001-07:00

We spent Easter weekend in Saskatchewan. It was a beautiful weekend--I was even able to get outside for two bike rides. By Sunday afternoon, though, it had gotten colder and windy. We had a few minutes to snap Laurel's Easter pictures. I love the contrast between the bright colors of her dress and basket and the duller colors of the earth. I also love the drama of the sky behind her.

We moved into the yard to block the wind. Notice that she has an Easter toque, not an Easter bonnet.

And I got a few fun shots with Jon and Laurel.

Then we moved inside.

The weekend was fun and relaxing. Laurel enjoyed being with her Grandparents and seeing her cousins for a short visit. For Easter, she got a new tooth!

We also found out more details about our bike trip...and things are not looking so good! (More on that tomorrow)

cute

2010-03-29T19:56:00.000-07:00

Recent Firsts

2010-03-29T09:04:00.000-07:00

First Ride

Yesterday Jon and I rode in our first ride with the bicycling club. It was 25 km, with an intended average of 15-18 kph. There were probably 40-50 other riders. It was wonderfully cold when we started out, and I was thankful for our trip to MEC the day before to get geared up. As the ride progressed, the air warmed up, as did our bodies. The leaders pointed out interesting things along the way--a little cafe that looks like a couple of train cars where you can get lunch and watch the trains go by, a tea house, the amount of paved secondary roads in Strathcona County, etc. They also gave us tips for riding and a few riding etiquette bits. It was a slow ride, but it was so good to ride outside, instead of on a trainer. I think I'm hooked.

First Relinquish

Laurel and I have a little routine we go through when she wakes up, if she has her soother in her mouth. I pick her up and say something like, "Okay, we need to put your soother in your bed so that it's waiting for you the next time you go to sleep." Then I ask her a few times if she'll put it in the bed, and then if she'll give it to mommy. She never does, so I take it out and put it in her bed and we wave bye-bye to it. Last week she waved bye-bye to it before I even suggested she do so. Yesterday, when I asked if she would give it to me, she pulled it out of her mouth and put it in my hand. It sounds like a small thing, but it's just so cool to watch her taking in and understanding so much around her.

Why I Hate Alarms

2010-03-26T13:29:00.000-07:00

A few months ago Jon and I were watching our friends' house while they were out of town. Usually Jon checked on things, so I didn't pay much attention to how to set the alarm. Well, one day it fell to me to go by myself. Jon relayed to me how to turn the alarm off when I got inside. It sounded easy. I did what I thought he told me to do. And then the alarm went off. I don't mean it turned off...I mean it WENT OFF. As in the loudest noise I could imagine blaring through the house. I frantically started pressing buttons and couldn't figure out how to shut it off. My heart raced, my palms began to sweat. I realized then and there that I am not the person you want with you in an emergency. I tried to call Jon, but it was like so many nightmares I've had where I press the phone buttons, but they don't work. Finally, I figured it out and got it turned off. And then the police called. I hate alarms.

Today I had to go to the church. We rent the building on Sunday nights from the congregation who owns it. I got the key from our pastor and he told me the security code to punch into the key pad to turn off and set the alarm. I unlocked the door, believing no one was there. I was ready to punch in the code. I turned to the wall where I believed the key pad was. Instead there was this large box with a long handle. hmmm. The key pad must be behind it. Of course, knowing my hate for alarms, I wasn't thinking clearly. I felt rushed. I had to punch this code in, stat! So, I grabbed the handle and turned it. The box didn't open. But someone did scream. Odd. I turned. On the next wall, not 3 feet from the box, was the key pad. It registered in my mind at about the same time it registered that someone had screamed. "Hello?" I called. Out came the secretary, saying that the power had just gone out. Hmmm. Could it be because I just turned the handle on the large box on the wall? Yes. Yes, that is exactly what happened. I cut the power to the church. I hate alarms.

Nine Months

2010-03-23T19:08:00.000-07:00

Laurel Katherine is nine months old. Her days involve lots of play time (she loves the jolly jumper, standing up, and playing with her toys on her quilt), trying new foods (chick peas, mangoes, fruit smoothies, yams, and yogurt are some of her favorites), and nap time.

Here is a short video...a glimpse into playtime.

Discovered. Returned. Checked Out.

2010-03-23T17:26:00.000-07:00

Discovered:

The first year we were married, Jon and I lived in Vancouver. Because of some random Canadian law, we discovered (at the border) that Jon could not drive my car unless I was in the car with him because it had US plates. We were told that if he got pulled over without me in the car, they could tow the car to the border and leave it in the States. All of this amounted to my needing to drive him to and from work. I got into a listening routine as I drove because, much to my delight, there was a certain stretch on Southwest Marine Dr. where the radio would pick up NPR. I only caught bits of programs, but I loved that I got to listen to it at all.

Now, because we live much farther from the border and thanks to the wonders of the internet, I occasionally listen to NPR podcasts. But in the past few years, I have discovered CBC. It's what we wake up to when the alarm goes off each morning. It's programmed into our car radio. And its podcasts might be quickly replacing NPR podcasts on my ipod. (Especially the Between The Covers podcasts, which are audiobooks by Canadian authors). But our most recent CBC discovery--and the one we are most excited about--is The Vinyl Cafe with Stuart McClean. How have I missed out on this for the past 8 years? Jon and I are quickly becoming addicted. The bad news is that they only have the four most recent episodes on itunes, so we have to wait until Saturday night to listen to another one. You should check it out. Seriously.

Returned:

Library books. They were due today. I didn't finish As I Lay Dying. It was my first (I'm ashamed to say) attempt at reading Faulkner. And I failed. I will try again. But not this week.

Checked Out:

Library books. Acedia & Me by Kathleen Norris. Who Do You Think You Are? by Alice Munro. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett.

Coming Soon...another video of our 9 month old!

First Lines

2010-03-18T12:49:00.000-07:00

Pam is my sister-in-law. She and I share a love of words, knowing that well written words have the power to stir up laughter, reflection, and deep longings. Words can expose and heal hurts we didn't realize we carried. They can expand our imaginations, challenge our preconceptions, and offer the safe harbor of home.

Because of this love of words, Pam and I have undertaken a four month writing project. Each month we complete a different assignment, email it to each other, and then offer feedback. January's assignment was to write about a "first" we've experienced. In February, we wrote a poem. Now it's March, and the assignment is to write a short story. A month ago, I honestly believed that writing a poem would be the hardest assignment of the project. But now, with under two weeks left in the month, I am convinced that the short story is more difficult. My mind is blank. I can think of no story worth writing. Hasn't every story already been told?

To try to get started on this assignment, I did a little internet research on short stories. One website I found said that the first and last lines are the most important--they have to be great.

I've thought of some first lines of stories I know...

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth..."

"Call me Ishmael."

Well, those are the only two that I know off the top of my head. So, I grabbed a few books off of my bookshelf and looked at their first lines:

"By now the other warriors, those that had escaped head-long ruin by sea or in battle, were safely home."

"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife."

"I am ninety. Or ninety-three. One or the other."

"In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I've been turning over in my mind ever since."

(Can you identify any of the above books without goggling them?)

Each of those lines written above make me want to keep reading the story. So, I've been trying to think of good first lines. I've all but given up thinking up a plot or characters--I just want a first line that a story will grow out of. I've had a few first lines pop into my head over the past few weeks...and I was about to share them with you...but then the phone rang, and I talked for 30 minutes, and then Laurel woke up and wanted to eat...and I've come to my senses and decided not to share my first lines. And, to be honest, I'm not sure I remember any of them.

So...the clock continues to tick...the pressure is on...I need to write a short story.

I am reminded of something I had hanging on my wall in college, written on a piece of notebook paper, copied from some poem or story we had read...

"'Fool,' said my muse to me, 'look in thy heart and write!'"

Gearing Up

2010-03-17T10:15:00.000-07:00

Even though there is a threat of snow, spring is in the air. And with spring, come hopes of summer. One of our summer hopes is to ride in a three day bike trip with Jon's sisters and their husbands (and a whole bunch of other people we don't know). The trip is a fundraiser for Southern Alberta Bible Camp and, we are told, will take us from Canmore, AB to Lethbridge, AB, which is about 350 km (depending on the route). I was an English major, not a math major, but even I can figure out that this trip will mean over 100 km of riding a day. What this means, basically, is that I need to get my riding butt in gear!

To that end, Jon and I have joined the Edmonton Bicycling and Touring Club. And can I just tell you that I am excited about this? Through the EBTC, we have signed up for a Cycling 101 course, which will not only get us out on our bikes, but will also teach us some of the basics about bikes, bike maintenance, riding, etc. And, I am tentatively signed up for a series of rides called Train for the Tour. The "Tour" is the Tour de l'Alberta, a one day ride that takes cyclists through some French towns in rural Alberta about the time that some other big ride is taking cyclists through some French towns in, well, France. We haven't signed up for the Tour, itself, yet, but I have officially added it to my list of things I'd like to do this summer.

I currently have my bike on a stationary trainer in our front room. I've been trying to ride 5 days a week for about the past month. Some days I do 30 minutes, some days 50. It's a good start. But let's be honest--I need a whole lot more pedaling under my feet to be ready for the bike trip in June.

Right now I am optimistic, imagining how great this will all be. But I know there will be moments, perhaps many, on the road when I will have the same thought I distinctly remember having during labor: "This is crazy. Whose idea was this??"

I'll keep you posted on my progress.

A Good Day

2010-03-07T08:20:00.000-08:00

It has been beautiful here lately. Even the second half of February was nice, which was a delightful surprise. Yesterday it was 9 degrees (Celsius), and we had a wonderful day. We started the day by trying a new bakery. As seems to be the case with the little places we love around here, there were no empty tables. So, we took our lemon blueberry scone, our orange chocolate scone, our hot chocolate (for Jon), and our latte (for me) and drove around a neighborhood we love. We ended up finding a place to sit outside that overlooked the river. There is something so good about breakfast outside, when the air is warm and the snow is starting to melt.

That afternoon, we took a walk in the river valley. It was a day that just wouldn't allow us to be inside--when we got home from our walk, we sat on the front step and talked and watched the cars go by. Maybe I've become a pessimist, but I am not holding out hope that winter is gone and spring is here to stay--I suppose I've been disappointed too many times! But I am soaking in every minute of warm weather that we get, trying to live in the moment, no matter what may come tomorrow.

Last night, we got Laurel to bed and pondered how we should spend our evening. Jon was generous enough to indulge me in a few rounds of Boggle. Then we did what most young people do on a Saturday night...we broke open a jigsaw puzzle, poured ourselves some root beer (because it doesn't have caffeine and wouldn't keep us up), got out the pretzels, and it was a party! Seriously. If this is our idea of fun in our mid-thirties, think of how crazy we'll be when we're 60!

A video. Just for fun.

2010-02-23T14:03:00.000-08:00

I know what you're thinking...two posts in one day MUST mean that Julianne is procrastinating. Well. That just might be true. Or maybe I'm just inspired. You decide.

Blues and Reds and Books

2010-02-23T12:54:00.000-08:00

"Blucy" is a favorite toy right now...

And Laurel has just discovered the fun of a big red ball...

Reading about farms because her Daddy was a farm boy...

Fun with Mommy's scarf...

Do Not Covet Thy Neighbor's Elephant

2010-02-19T12:01:00.000-08:00

If only we had a bigger house, maybe we could get one of these.

Artwork and Scrunchy Faces

2010-02-15T09:55:00.000-08:00

Here is a little something I made for Jon. We are in a period of discernment, trying to figure out some next steps in our lives. Sometimes it can be overwhelming as I imagine all of the possible options. And so this was a creative outlet as I've been processing all of that.

Around the edges are these words:

and a cord of three strands is not so easily broken,

so i will stay tied to you

and we will weather whatever storms might come

not because we are exceedingly strong,

but because we are together, aligned, rooted.

and over all these things, put on love,

which binds them all together in perfect unity.

"I know a love that will not let me go,

my heart is bound and happy to be so."

**********************************

Jon is working on a presentation about non-compliant patients. He wanted a good picture illustrate non-compliancy...so Laurel complied...

Snippets

2010-02-12T09:25:00.000-08:00

So, these days I know it will be a productive day when I have showered, put on deodorant, AND brushed my teeth before noon. Well, today I have not only done those things, but I have also exercised, cleaned the kitchen, and started washing diapers....and it's not even 10:30.

*****

Yesterday we were at the pool for Laurel's swim class. Jon had Laurel, and I went to sit on the bleachers. A woman said to me, "Is that your little girl in the pink swim suit?" "Yes." "I'm sure you hear this all the time..." (I am getting ready to say thanks, because I'm sure she's going to say that Laurel is beautiful) "but she looks exactly like you." What? No, I don't hear that all the time--in fact, the only person who has really told me that is my Aunt Barb. It was fun to hear from a stranger!

*****

A few weeks ago Laurel and I rushed to get out the door to catch a bus. I scrambled trying to find enough change and finally found it--mostly in quarters. When we stepped onto the bus, the driver wouldn't let us pay. "Someone has already paid your fare." I scanned the passengers on the bus, trying to find someone I knew. I saw no one familiar. I don't know who paid my fare, but it was greatly appreciated.

*****

Okay, off to get something done!

Swim

2010-02-12T07:42:00.000-08:00

Laurel just finished 5 weeks of going to a swim class on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Laurel and her friend Scott on the raft:

Daddy and Laurel:

Such a good swimmer...

"And then they stuck me in a box."

"But they do let me play with toys...do you think I have enough?"

Blowing Bubbles

2010-02-02T07:08:00.000-08:00

Seven Months

2010-01-23T09:24:00.000-08:00

Odds and Ends

2010-01-21T07:42:00.000-08:00

A few snippets of life in Chez Gilchrist...

Middle of the night last night, I awake to Jon crawling into bed. "Where were you?" I ask. "In the kitchen," he replies. Strange, I think. Why was he in the kitchen in the middle of the night? I make a mental note to ask him in the morning. This morning, I slip in and out of sleep as he gets ready for work, and I remember to ask him why he was in the kitchen. His response: "I heard some noises in the kitchen. I think our little friends are back." NO. Not our little friends. I HATE our little friends. Here we go again.

I started going to an exercise class called "Strollercise." Yes, I know, the name sounds a bit hoaky...and reminds one of "jazzercise," which brings to mind women in pink and purple full body leotards, leg warmers, sweatbands, and big hair. Rest assured, my friends, I don't own any leotards (full body or otherwise). Strollercise is basically one of the best exercise classes I've been to in a long time. (Okay, let's be honest, it's the only exercise class I've been to in a long time). It's an hour and a half of intense workout. I went two days ago and my muscles are still sore today. On Tuesday we were working with weights. The instructor told us at the beginning of the class to grab two sets of weights--a heavy set and a light set. Because this was only my second class and we hadn't worked with weights the last time, I asked her a clarifying question. She then asked me if I had worked with weights before (she must not have noticed my well-sculpted arms). I said no, so she gave me a light pair and told me to use these for the entire class, even when she would instruct the class to pick up their heavy weights. SO, the class continues and we work on and off with the weights (and run laps, use the medicine ball, do squats, etc.). At the end of the class, everyone is supposed to do one more lap around the track and then go back to their places and get their heavy weights. Well, as I am nearing the end of my lap, I can see two little kids playing near my mat. When I get back there, I find that my weights are gone...but there's a little boy playing with them (That's how light they were!). So, I ask him if I can have my weights back. He stares at me. I ask again. He continues to stare. I ask if I can play with those weights for a while. Still staring. Then his dad notices (yes, men are in this class, too--I'm telling you, it's a good class) and says, "oh, here, you can use these weights" and tries to hand me some heavy weights. Ugh oh. "Thanks, but I was really hoping for the light ones." So the dad has the little boy give me the weights. Now I don't think the dad knew that the little boy had taken the weights from my mat. SO, I am not only the woman who needs the wimpy weights, but I'm also the mean one who takes weights from a little kid. Sigh.

Jon, Laurel, and I have been taking a swim class two times a week. Laurel loves it. She doesn't seem to notice that the water is cold. Tonight we're having her friends from her swim class (and their parents, who are our friends) over for a chili supper after class. I suppose I should clean the house and make the chili.

Laurel and I are getting ready to go to Michigan next week. That's the news from here. I will try to post some new pictures soon.

Bath Time!

2010-01-09T18:10:00.000-08:00

Laurel loves bath time, as you can see...

And after bath time is bed time...apparently not as fun, but she does have cute ducky p.j.s

Rocks

2010-01-08T11:17:00.000-08:00

It's Friday afternoon. Our house is seriously in need of cleaning (especially because we have friends coming over tonight). And, let's be honest, most of what needs cleaning is a result of my craft projects. Maybe one day I'll have a craft room. Anyway, rather than getting busy cleaning while Laurel naps, I thought I should write a blog entry. So, here I am.

This past Sunday our church service consisted of a time of worship through music and then a time of quiet reflection, aided by 5 different stations around the sanctuary. Each station had a series of thoughts and questions listed for us to think about. Laurel was very tired and not really interested in quiet reflection, so Jon and I took turns walking with her while the other one spent time at a station. Even with our scatteredness, we both walked away grateful for the space to think.

At home that night we shared some of our thoughts. One of the questions that had stirred something in both of us was this simple question: "If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be?" It led us into a conversation about our priorities and whether or not we live the things we say we value.

That led us to talk using the metaphor of the big rocks. I'm sure most of you are familiar with it, but just in case you're not, here's how it goes....Picture an empty jar that you need to fill with a pile of different sized rocks and sand. When you put the sand and the little rocks in first, you'll find that there isn't room for all of the big rocks. But when you put the big rocks in first, the sand and the smaller rocks can fit in around them. So, the idea is that we should put the things that we really value in our lives first and let the smaller things fill in the gaps, rather than the other way around.

As Jon and I talked, we realized there is one big rock that never seems to make it in our jar. After deciding that we do, indeed, want this big rock in the jar, we started making plans to make it happen. In the big scheme of things, it's probably not a big deal. But I'm excited to see how we will start to live out our values more consistently, just by making intentional space in our lives.

And...in unrelated news...Laurel's first tooth has broken through! And, I believe she is now awake...no cleaning got done during this nap.

Spoiled

2010-01-05T11:45:00.001-08:00

Our Christmas tree is sitting out by the garbage cans, waiting to be carted off to the Christmas Tree graveyard. Our decorations are put away. Even our gifts have the tags off and are stored in their places as if they'd always been part of our lives. So, I guess Christmas (at our house, at least) is over. But we did our best to stretch it out by opening our presents on January 1 and mailing our Christmas cards yesterday. And just today a box of gifts arrived for Jon! So, maybe Christmas isn't over quite yet.

I did get all the stockings made just in time for them to be filled by New Year's Day.

Jon pretty much wins the prize for rock star husband this Christmas. In my stocking, I found:

A set of metal measuring cups (they were on my wish list)

A pastry cutter (also on my wish list)

Scrapbooking tools (when I asked him if he'd asked his sister for suggestions, he said "No, I've just been paying attention).

Two little books: Book of Common Worship Pastoral Edition and Daily Prayers

The game Boggle. You have to understand that this is quite a sacrificial gift because I love playing Boggle and Jon does not...but he knew that giving me the game would also mean playing the game with me!

I would have been very content with just my stocking. And there weren't any other gifts under the tree with my name on them. But then Jon brought out one more little box. It's the kind of box that you know contains something good. And indeed, it did. Two thin, beautiful, and classy gold bracelets. I feel pretty spoiled.

And I feel very spoiled to have shared this little girl's first Christmas!

A Few Christmas Highlights...

2009-12-29T07:31:00.000-08:00

My camera battery died on Christmas Eve, before we could get a family picture. This is as close as we get!

My nephew Cole shows me his dinosaur:

Guess who is sitting up by herself these days?

One of the best lines I overheard during Christmas: "I handcuff you in the name of the Lord."

Laurel had a great time hanging out with her cousins and grandparents.

On Christmas day, Laurel wore her new reindeer dress that her Ohio Grampa sent.

Our time in Lethbridge was great! Besides the normal eating and card playing, we also went wall climbing (where I realized how out of shape I am) and took Laurel for her first swim! She seemed to enjoy it, even though the water wasn't very warm. She looked so cute in her little swim suit.

We're home now. We'll celebrate our little family's Christmas on Friday. Which should give me enough time to finish making the last stocking. (I finished Jon's last night). Yesterday I bought Christmas cards to mail--better late than never, right?

Hope you had a great Christmas.

Day 12: Too Tired to Write

2009-12-24T22:04:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas!

Day 11: A Wee Little Game

2009-12-23T20:23:00.000-08:00

I am struggling to write a blog entry after a day filled with activity. (well, the main activity might have been eating). So, here's a little game I like to call "If I could only choose two things in each category, here's what I choose." Why two? Because one feels too final, and I don't like to play favorites. And three, though a more Biblical number, might just be too difficult for me to think of at this late hour (9:30 p.m. is late for me). Okay, are you ready to play?

Christmas Movies

A Charlie Brown Christmas

Little Women (okay, so it might not technically be a Christmas movie, but it feels like one to me).

Christmas Treats

Peanut Butter Cookies with the Hershey's Kiss in the middle (not sure if that's the technical name for them or not)

Chocolate Covered Cherries (homemade)

Christmas Dinner Items

Cranberries

Sweet Potato Casserole

Christmas Songs

O Little Town of Bethlehem

Joy to the World

Christmas Decorations

A Christmas Tree

Anything that involves candles

Christmas Eve Activities

Church

Eating snacks

Okay, that's all I've got this time. But fill me in on your two choices for each category.

Day 10: Traveling and Traditions

2009-12-22T16:03:00.000-08:00

Since graduating from college, my Christmases have involved traveling. I kept thinking that one day, when I had my own family, I wouldn't be traveling for Christmas anymore. But when you live in a different city, not to mention a different country, from your family, Christmas involves long car trips or multiple flights and waiting in airports.

Today we packed the massive suv* we rented and headed five hours south to Lethbridge. I love coming to Lethbridge because I love our family. I've been looking forward to this trip since the last time we were here, about three weeks ago. I know that whenever we are here, and especially at Christmas, we will eat good food, have great conversations, laugh a lot, play games, and just enjoy being together.

With this being Laurel's first Christmas, I find myself thinking about Christmas traditions and wondering what kind of traditions she will grow up experiencing. I loved that I always got to wake up in my own house on Christmas morning. Our traditions were simple, but they were ours.

We might think traditions are the things of older generations, but I think they are especially important for children. Yes, traditions can have a way of becoming stale and void of meaning. But traditions can also have a way of grounding us and reminding us of who we are and where we fit in this world. They provide a rhythm to our lives, giving us markers along the way.

Each year as I was growing up, I knew that Christmas would include the Advent wreath, getting a new Christmas ornament, a bayberry candle, church on Christmas eve (as long as we weren't sick), reading T'was the Night Before Christmas, waiting until we were all awake to go downstairs, opening stockings before gifts, the random greeting of "Christmas gift" (don't ask me to explain that one), and seeing cousins and grandparents later in the day. Later we added the tradition of going to a movie on Christmas day.

How do we develop Christmas traditions for our family when we won't be in our own space? Yes, there is the tradition of traveling (and, after all, the people who celebrated the first Christmas had traveled and weren't in their own space). But what are other traditions that we can share and pass onto our kids?

*we requested a crv and ended up with a tank.

Day 9: One Finished Stocking

2009-12-21T09:10:00.000-08:00

Laurel's stocking is finished! The hardest part was figuring out how to attach the solid colored top to the stocking. It made me realize how glad I am that I have a husband who had to take home-ec. I never had to. In fact, Ursuline didn't even offer it. I guess they figured they were educating girls for college and careers, not for sewing and cooking. Jon's the one in our family who knows not only how to change a needle on a sewing machine, but when a different sized needle might be needed.

Now I just have to finish two more for Jon and me. Luckily we aren't celebrating our little family Christmas until January 1, so I have some time.

Here's the back:

And the front:

The snow is falling in Edmonton. I am sipping a chai and eating a biscotti. I would like to stay home all day and work on the stockings. But...I have a meeting and laundry and a few more presents to wrap and packing to do and soup to make.

Day 8: A Christmas Pageant

2009-12-20T20:04:00.000-08:00

I've always suspected that not only was Mary gentle, obedient, and reflective, but that she was also strong. I mean, she'd have to be to deal with the gossip of being unmarried and pregnant. And think of the physical strength she'd have needed to travel (by foot or on a donkey) at nine months pregnant. Yes, she must of have been strong. And tonight, if there were any doubts, I have been convinced.

Our friend Rory, who happens to be three years old, had been excited all week about his role in the Sunday School's Christmas play. He had a few short lines, which he had memorized. And. He got to play Joseph. Which means, he would get to walk around the sanctuary and then down the centre aisle with his friend Hannah, who had the role of Mary.

The Sunday School Christmas play was tonight. Rory's mom and dad had prepared a simple costume for him (a towel on his head, and a big brown t-shirt with a big belt around it). But Rory wanted nothing to do with costumes. Nothing. In fact, he wasn't so sure he wanted to be part of this crazy play at all. As his mom tried to convince him to wear the costume and play the role of Joseph, Rory's last ditch effort to get out of it was this: "Mom, funny guys don't wear costumes." And Rory is, definitely, a funny guy. He couldn't risk his funny guy reputation by wearing a costume.

No problem. Just get one of the other little boys in Sunday School to step in and play Joseph. Wrong. There are no other little boys in Sunday School. Seriously. But, there are little boys in the nursery, including Rory's little brother, Jonas, which almost sounds like Joseph. So, 1 year old Jonas, who can't really verbalize his protests against costumes, was suited up to play Joseph. Someone else read Rory's lines, but Jonas got to walk around the sanctuary, hand in hand with Hannah (age 6).

Jonas was doing great. But just as they were about to head down the centre aisle to join all the little animals and angels on the stage, Jonas got distracted and started to head in another direction. Well, Mary couldn't really have her husband desert her, not after all they'd already been through. No way, Joseph, you're in this with me! Mary did what she had to do. She picked up Joseph and carried him the rest of the way.

I can just imagine Mary thinking, "You mean carrying the Lord of the universe isn't enough? Now I've got to carry you, too?"

Day 7: An Early Christmas Dinner

2009-12-19T18:18:00.000-08:00

Tonight I ate Christmas dinner with a wonderful group of women. Some of them are friends from church and some are part of a place called the Dream Centre. The Dream Centre women are part of a program that's helping them get their lives back on track, whether they're coming out of addictions or abusive relationships or just need a second chance in life.

We had Christmas dinner with all the fixings--turkey AND ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potato casserole, veggies, buns, and pumpkin pie. The men in our church made it all--and they did a fantastic job!

It's amazing how sharing a meal can foster community. Sitting at a table and passing platters of food takes away the "us" and "them"--there was only "us," a group of women and a few children, gathered to enjoy a meal together. Conversation and laughter filled the small room as we crowded around the table and heaped seconds onto our plates.

I don't know the stories of any of the women I met tonight. I don't know what challenges they've faced or what pain they've lived through. But I'm grateful that they let us laugh with them and ask questions about the Dream Centre and joke with their kids. I'm grateful that they let us be part of their lives for a couple of hours tonight, and that they were willing to be part of ours.

Day 6: In My Kitchen

2009-12-18T10:30:00.000-08:00

We leave for Lethbridge on Tuesday and have a few Christmas tasks left to do before then. If my days between now and then are anything like this morning, I think we'll be okay.

It is 11:33 a.m., and it has been a very productive morning here. Let me give you the run down...

I spent 30 minutes on the exercise bike, ate breakfast, showered, fed Laurel, started washing Laurel's diapers, changed the sheets on our bed.

Then the real fun began:

I baked a "Chocolate Lovers Cheesecake" for Jon's birthday celebration tonight (we're having another couple and their kids over for dinner...which evolved from having 3 couples over for dessert). It is currently cooling, waiting to have the topping made and put on.

I took the chicken breasts from the freezer to thaw for tonight's main course--chicken vera cruz.

I baked 5 potatoes so that they will be ready to "twice bake" later for dinner.

I boiled 6 eggs to contribute to a meal our church is doing for a program that helps women who need a second chance. (I don't know what the eggs are for--I was just told to bring them...and the ingredients for sweet potato casserole).

And, finally, I now have orange almond biscotti baking in the oven.

And this is all before lunch!

Still on the agenda for today:

Finish laundry

Clean bathroom

Make dinner

Order family photos

Find babysitter for Monday afternoon

Reserve rental car for Tuesday

Clear stocking project off of table so guests have someplace to sit.

In other news...guess who got her very own highchair?

That's right, solid foods are just a few days away!

I know I promised an update on the stocking project today, but I haven't had a chance to get very far on them. Soon. Maybe this afternoon? (probably not)

So, what's going on in your kitchen?

Day 5: We Wait

2009-12-17T07:04:00.000-08:00

...continued from yesterday...

In the season of Advent, especially, we are reminded that we are waiting. We are waiting for the day when all that was accomplished in the birth and life and death and resurrection of Jesus will finally be fully realized. We are waiting for the day when our friends won’t get cancer and when people won’t be sold into slavery, for the day when relationships will be healed and the earth will be, too. We wait for the promises of Isaiah—for the time when the wilderness, barren and desolate, will burst into bloom; for the day when the eyes of the blind will be opened and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped.

We wait and we long. And in the meantime, we live. We live into that future, we live as if it were already here—because we know Christ has already done the work to make that all happen. Because, even though we don’t see it yet, the promises of Isaiah have already been fulfilled in Jesus.

Joy to the world. The Lord has come. Will we receive our King?

tomorrow: an update on the stocking project

Day 4: The LORD Is Come

2009-12-16T08:35:00.000-08:00

continued from yesterday...

Or maybe joy is just under-realized and misunderstood.

A dictionary definition of joy goes something like this: “a very glad feeling, happiness, great pleasure, delight.”

I am not satisfied with that definition. I don’t necessarily have a better one to offer, but I think joy is deeper than a very glad feeling and it’s more grounded than happiness. It may result in feeling happy, but I wonder if that feeling isn’t a product of joy, rather than joy itself. It’s more than just being in a good mood—it’s something that resonates in our souls. Maybe joy is more of a disposition that we root ourselves in, rather than a feeling that changes as our circumstances change.

It’s really hard to be happy in the midst of trials and heartbreak. But maybe, maybe it’s possible to still be rooted in joy—it might be a quiet joy, a joy that whispers rather than shouts, but maybe joy can be present, nonetheless. Joy and pain can be found in the same moment—maybe joy that has known pain is a deeper joy.

This is true of worship—our songs of praise have more substance when they are honest, when we acknowledge the brokenness of our world and of our lives. Praises that are sung after songs of lament are praises that somehow have more depth to them.

Joy to the world can only be sung with honesty in a broken world because of the line that comes next: the Lord has come!

The Lord has come!

The Lord has come to the world that is filled with families that don’t get along and children that starve and wars that rage. The Lord has come to the world where there is brokenness and pain and tears and death. And that is exactly why we can sing Joy to the world. That is exactly why we can know joy—because the Lord has come—he didn’t wait for things to be good here—he stepped into our messiness, he walked into our pain. Joy to the world that is hurting and broken—this is the world that Christ was born into, this is the world that God so loves that he sent his only son.

The Lord has come. He was born in a dark and smelly stable—if that doesn’t remind us that we have a God who enters into our brokenness, I don’t know what does. And can you imagine, after the whispers and the sideways glances Mary received when she had first started to show, after the hard travelling that Mary and Joseph had to do to get to Bethlehem, after being told there was no place for them to sleep, after the pain of labor, can you imagine the joy that filled the hearts of these young new parents when they heard this tiny baby cry for the first time? In some ways, maybe it was like the joy that most new parents feel. But in other ways, it was probably so different—because they knew who this little baby was.

The Lord has come. And nothing will ever be the same again. Our joy is rooted in this—that God is present and active in our world, that God created and is re-creating our world. Our joy is rooted in the fact that Jesus showed up and proved that death does not win, that evil does not get the final word. No more let sin and sorrow grow, or thorns infest the ground—that line in the song gets me every time I sing it—he comes to make his blessings flow far as the curse is found.

to be continued...

Day Three: Joy To The World

2009-12-15T07:50:00.000-08:00

Here is part of the reflection I gave on Sunday night at church:

Joy and loss can be so intermingled during the Christmas season. When the decorations come out of the attic, for some of us, so does the pain—loss and heartache and depression are often felt much more poignantly during the holidays—somehow the pain feels so much bigger, so much more penetrating. There are some of us who would much rather fall asleep on December 1 and wake up on January 1, skipping Advent and Christmas altogether.

For some, talk about joy sounds trite or distant, elusive and other. And yet, this week, we lit the Advent candle of joy. Why should joy be more of a focus at this time of year? Does it have any more substance than the shiny tinsel on the tree? Where is joy for those who are hurting or lonely or busy with a long list of parties to attend, presents to buy, a house to clean and decorate, and an extended family to try to contend with? Is joy just another empty word we toss around?

Joy to the world.

Joy to a world where families will fight this Christmas and daughters will use all of the strength they have to sit through dinner with their mothers?

Joy to a world where 13 year olds will open piles of gifts and still feel like they need more stuff?

Joy to a world where homeless shelters will be filled to capacity on Christmas eve?

Joy to a world where wars are raging?

Joy to a world where every five seconds, a child dies of hunger related causes?

Joy to a world people are sold as possessions?

Joy to a world that is polluted?

Joy to a world where churches split, leaving hurt and damaged people in their wake?

Joy to a world where bullies and gossips seem to win?

Joy to a world where our friends get cancer?

Maybe joy is overrated.

to be continued...