(This post will be a bit long because I'm catching up from last week and won't be blogging again until Thursday!) PICTURES BELOW!!!
It's the third week of summer and we are loving it! This is the first summer both my kids sleep late...Therefore we have been sleeping in almost every morning. I could get used to waking at 8:30 all the time! But I feel guilty sleeping in when Rob gets up and heads out at 7:30. (after throwing papers from 3-5 AM every morning might I add!) So, starting tomorrow, I am setting the alarm for 7:45 ! Big sacrifice, I know! :) I have never been a morning person!
Last week was our VBS. The kids loved it. Our children's ministers, Jan and Dana, do a great job every year. This year was no exception! The decorations in the rooms and halls were amazing! And boy, do they know how to carry out a theme! They even had a live Zebra the last night at the Safari Party! As I mentioned before, I volunteered Rob to tie balloon animals during that last night. My plan was to help him set up and then go around to all the different stations with the kids. Our children's ministry intern Ashley was also helping.
At the beginning there was such a rush that I sat down to tie a few balloons to help get started. Two hours later, I was still sitting there twisting balloons. My sister Sari, who came to watch the kids, was even tying balloons with us. There were still kids wanting more when we quit at 9 PM. Rob and I had lots of fun doing the animals even though we were sweaty and had very sore fingers! Not sure it fit with the animal theme, but I completely mastered making a balloon light saber (sword) by the end of the night. I can do a decent giraffe, flower, and zebra too! Rob is more advanced and can do lions, cats, monkeys, alligators, and parrots. Kolby has even learned to make a giraffe and loves to "practice." I think we might start hiring out! :)
Other big things that happened last week... Both kids got their summer hair cuts. Rhett is just a tad longer than a buzz so his little head doesn't get sun burned. Kolby, who was growing her hair out, had a total change of heart when she got in Ms. Debbie's chair. She told Debbie she wanted her hair above her ears! Debbie and I talked Kolby into just cutting it chin length for now. It looks so cute and is really easy to do. Kolby absolutely loves getting her hair cut! She also wanted to get her nails done. Have I created a monster? :)
Last week I met with the very sweet lady who has evaluated Kolby for dyslexia over the last few weeks. Kolby tests out to be a very smart girl! She also, as we know, is reading way below where she should be based on her intelligence. Is it dyslexia? I am learning that dyslexia is not just reversing letters. These days dyslexia covers a wide variety of reading disorders. Kolby has a reading disorder. She is considered "at risk". We are just not sure that the "dyslexia" label, and all that goes with it, fits Kolby.
Kolby did qualify for the Scottish Rite's Dyslexia reading camp at Baylor this summer. We are waiting for a call to hear that Kolby has made it off the waiting list and into Camp Success. The camp starts July 5th. I was told they would start calling this week. Kolby is very close to getting in from what I have been told. God is probably tired of hearing me pray that this camp works out for Kolby, but I so hope it does!! From what the people at Baylor tell me, Kolby is an ideal candidate for this camp. They think it would give her the reading confidence boost and skills she so desperately needs. We just have to make it off the waiting list! If this doesn't work out, we have other options, but they are not as good and are very, very expensive. Any prayers on our behalf towards this matter would be greatly appreciated!
We ended the week, or started this one, with a great Fathers Day! Rhett took Rob golfing last Friday for an early Fathers day gift. I was worried about Rhett in the heat as he just hasn't been the same since having shigella a few weeks ago. But, he loved every minute of his 18 holes with Dad! It amazes me that Rhett can go golfing at the tender age of three. He watches the Golf channel and talks about "Tiger and Phil" like they are his playmates, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised! Sunday we ate lunch out with my family (just Mom, Dad & Sari) then did presents and ice cream at my parent's house afterwards. It was our first homemade ice cream of the summer! Strawberry sherbert! YUM! It was a quiet, restful, Fathers day!
Since today is "Monday Movie Day" we are gearing up to see Rookie of the Year or The Pacifier. The kids can't wait for Mother's Day Out tomorrow, especially Kolby! She is packing her bag as I type. Wednesday and Thursday we are going to Rusk, Texas with my parents to ride an antique steam engine in the State park. Not sure how this will go, but the kids are really excited!
Have a great week blog world!
P.S. GO BAYLOR! The Baylor Baseball team is in Omaha, Nebraska at the college World Series! They lost the first game but still have a chance to come back! GOOOOOO BBBEEEAAARRRSSS! ( I am slowly becoming a Baylor-ite!)
Monday, June 20, 2005
This and That
Saturday, June 18, 2005
Duro's
We discovered a great new snack this week. Pasta para duros are these little wagon wheels that can be found in the dried area of our produce section. (This may just be a Hispanic thing unique to Texas, I don't know.) ANYWAY you pop a dozen or so of these in the microwave on a paper towel and heat on high for about 30 seconds. They puff up and become these cool chip like things. My kids love them! If you by the package on line it list 3 for $9.50. I bought a package in the grocery store for $2 something. If you can find them in bins like we did at HEB and WalMart, they are just 99cents a pound. We bought a huge bag full the other day for under a $1. Can't beat that! Just felt like sharing! Go see if you can find them in your produce section and tell me what you think! :)
Friday, June 17, 2005
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
Leap of Faith
I was reading an article about a Pennsylvania high school teacher who had been supplementing his biology class Evolution lessons with Creationism for the last decade or so. He was ordered by the school board to stop and has agreed to comply. To the side of the article was a message board. The post below caught my eye for some reason.
fromoz 6/11/2005 3:13:42 PM In my mind Evolution will stand more rigorously against scientific enquiry, Creationism and the Bible won't.What sort of a God would deliberately create a World based on a "food chain" where life for one depends on the death and suffering of others? While I can accept such an outcome from Evolution I can't accept such an outcome from any loving God.God would be redundant without sin, so he made people prone to sin and then murdered his own son so those who believe this tale would be "saved"? Give me a break! I'll stick with Evolution; keep your hocus-pocus to yourself.
I can not address this person from Oz because I am not a member of the message board. But his statements got me thinking. Christianity makes no sense to those who do not believe in Jesus, God, and eternal life. Christians must seem crazy to those outside of faith... Living for a life and a Kingdom we can not physically prove exists. Believing a God who created the world and everything in it has time to commune, and listen to the prayers of each insignificant person who calls on his name. Ludicrous. Illogical. Can't be scientifically proven. What a stretch... Or is it?
Are humans by nature logical beings or beings of faith? Honestly as far fetched as Christianity is, there are other things that all humans buy into that seem just as hard to swallow at face value. For instance ...Parenthood. Who in their right mind chooses to be responsible for another helpless human being? Knowing the emotional, physical, not to mention financial toll brought on by reproducing and bringing a baby into this world, it is a wonder that any of us procreate! Parenthood is completely irrational. It is painful. Draining. Hard. There is no promise of success no matter how much you give. Someone once said "Becoming a parent is like choosing to let your heart live outside your self?" Who logically and knowingly would give their heart away with no assurance that it wouldn't be crushed? It makes no sense. Still 2.5 out of every 4 humans on this planet will venture into the irrational world of parenthood and procreation. Crazy!
Then there is love. Now love has to be the most irrational force on earth. Love can not be manufactured in a lab. It is hard to prove scientifically. Love is at times irrational and unpredictable while at times sure and steady. Love enables people to do amazing things and is blamed for many a downfall. Love is a decision and a feeling, It is a noun and a verb. It is healthy and deadly. Love is irrational, unfair, unstable and yet most of us pursue love for the greater part of our lives.
So really, is belief in a God we can not prove with science and can not fully fathom such a stretch? Is there anything in this universe that can be proved without some degree of faith? Faith in a theory? Faith that the universe has always followed the same laws of nature it follows now? Faith in Science and mans ability to reason? Seems to me all beliefs, proven or otherwise are based on a gamble of a faith .
Truly, I can not explain to the person from OZ why the world is based on a food chain. I don't think that was the intention in the Garden of Eden but then Satan and man got together and messed that up. And would God be redundant without sin? Who gets to define redundant? I sometimes wonder if unbelievers have a harder time believing that there is a God or that there is a devil?If you accept the existence of one, on some level you have to accept the existence of the other.
There are many things one could ask this person from OZ... But it I think it would take more than questions and arguments to convince this Oz-ite that there is a loving, all powerful God. He or she would have to see God for his or herself. And the most amazingly irrational thing about that is, God trusts us, his crazy, believing, weak, adopted children, to represent Him to our doubting world! It makes me wonder, who has the greater faith ~ us in God or God in us? I wonder if the guy from Oz would ponder that one for a while? I know I will.
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Have you hugged a VBS worker lately?
Now I know how the other half lives. For the last two years VBS has been a major event in our lives. I taught 5 and under Bible and went to extravagant lengths to decorate my room. In the past two VBS's I spent many nights at church planning and decorating, many times until 2 or 3 AM. Why so late? It is hard to get much done with Kolby and Rhett in tow, so I would wait until they were in bed and then go work.
Problem was that I was completely worn out by VBS week. I struggled to teach and come up with small illustrations and activities every night. It was exhausting! AND no, I didn't have to go all out on decorations, but I am not good at doing things on a small scale. I just couldn't do it! Even when I thought I was keeping it simple, it was far from simple!
This year I had previously committed to a series of meetings that were scheduled for some of the VBS nights. I volunteered only to decorate this year. As I said in prior posts, I feel a little guilty about that. Although I spent large chunks of time decorating last week, this week Rob and I are free until Thursday night when we will help with the big finale. IT IS SO NICE! Last night we dropped our kids off and went to dinner! Dinner! By our selves! And then we shopped around for a while and just talked. For two hours we were completely kid free! That never happens. As much as I love my kids, it is really good to get a break.
Now I know why parents were so happy when they picked their children up in years past. I wonder if I looked as hot, tired, and frazzled as some of the VBS workers did when I picked the kids up last night? Do they know what a wonderful thing they are doing, not only for the kids, but for many parents? I hope they do! I have a whole new appreciation for VBS.
On top of the free time, I know my kids truly enjoy VBS. This is Rhett's first year. We were afraid he might not go it alone to well because he has had some separation issues in the past, but he is doing great! It is so sweet to hear him talk about the lesson, craft and snack each night on the way home. This is Kolby's first year with the big kids upstairs. She loves to compare what she did with what her brother did. My kids love going to anything at church.
Next year I pledge to be more involved again. I will go back into the trenches. Even if I don't teach, I will do more for those who are teaching. For now however, I am going to enjoy two more nights of freedom! Maybe I will find a way to express my appreciation to all those who are working so hard to make this a very special week for everyone.
Thank you Lord for VBS!
Monday, June 13, 2005
One of those Moms...
OK, I have become "one of those Moms" who gets a little crazy. Today Rhett and I went to two different Burger Kings looking for the R2D2, X-wing fighter, and Millennium Falcon toys. If we had found these three (which we did not) we would have the whole set of 31 toys! CRAZY! That means we have been to Burger King at least 8 -9 times in the last 6 weeks! That is more Burger King than we usually eat in a year! I guess we are one of those "target" families that the people who invented Kids Meal toys are gunning for. It has been really fun to go to BK and see which toy we will get next. Rob and I even order kids meals so we can get 3-4 toys a visit. One of the Burger King employees suggested we go on eBay to get the last three. AS IF! I am not one of those crazy Moms who shells out good money to buy kids meal toys off of eBay...
Do you think they actually sell the toys individually or do you have to get the whole set?
Saturday, June 11, 2005
Things to smile about this week...
Opening my eyes one morning to see Rhett making faces an inch away from me... Great way to greet the day!
Rhett telling someone he went to Sunday School all day long after his first day of Mother's Day Out at our church.
The look of shock and joy on Kolby's face after shedding her floaties, jumping in the deep, and discovering she could swim there just as well as she can swim in the shallow!
Rob getting busted by Kolby for playing Zelda after lights out on a no TV/Video games night!
The excitement in my Mom's voice as she shared plans she has made for our upcoming family trip to Rusk, Texas. Yes, really!
Enjoying some good front yard girl talk with my neighbors Kris and Carrie.
Rhett dancing with his cousin Drake.
The goofy lesson about underwear in the VBS curriculum.
The telemarketer who left a message on our answering machine complimenting my "perky" message.
The thrill of finding the long sought after Darth Vader toy in a Burger King Happy Meal!
The sight of my husband filling our living room with various mangled and malformed balloon animals in attempt to master "the lion" by next Thursday night.
Rhett!
Kolby!
Rob!
These are precious days! Thank you God for my family!
Thursday, June 09, 2005
You say Tomatoe, I say ...perfecto!
During the last two weeks we have harvested about two dozen CHERRY TOMATOES from our tomatoe plants! I love cherry tomatoes! I am very proud that we have tomatoes because I tried to grow them for three years in Ft Worth and it just didn't happen. I thought my thumb would never turn green! You have no idea how happy it makes me to be able to step out the back door and gather some herbs or pick some tomatoes from our little garden!
Have I mentioned that I really like summer? :)
Wednesday, June 08, 2005
Day 3 of the Summer Schedule
So far so good! We may not get everything in everyday, but because we have a plan we are making good use of our time and becoming more balanced. I think the kids would just sit at home and watch TV all day if I didn't have a plan. Actually, we have spent a little more time in front of the TV and cleaning up than I like, but overall it has been a great start to our summer.
Rhett and Kolby had a blast at Mother's Day Out at church yesterday. Rhett goes to a different MDO during the school year, but I love that he is getting to spend the summer with his church buds! He especially enjoyed being around his cousin Scarlett. Yes, Rhett and Scarlett and no, we don't have a Gone With The Wind thing. :)
Kolby experienced her first sunburn this week. "I forgot my Sun Scream!" she said as I picked her up after swimming at MDO. Kolby is seven years old and I still can't bring my self to tell her that it is called sun SCREEN not scream. We also eat ice-scream. I know one day she'll find out she has been saying it wrong and stop, but I'm not going to be the one who tells her! She is growing up so fast that I relish those cute pronunciations left over from her toddler days.
Speaking of growing up, Kolby has been getting several phone calls a day from school friends. WHAT? Is that normal for seven year olds? I don't like it one bit, but I can't just hang up on her little friends. After much thought I told Kolby she can talk on the phone for seven minutes (a minute per year) once or twice a day. She was thrilled with that and has not asked to make calls herself yet. I know that is coming. Am I right that 7 is a little to young to be chatting with or calling friends on the phone? Tell me blog world...Is this normal?
Back to the mundane... Today we went to the library for the Hansel & Gretel Puppet Show. We were pleasantly surprised to see some cousins, lots of church friends, and a few neighbors there. It was a cute show though the little library reading room was packed! Kids everywhere! Afterwards, we headed to Burger King for lunch as promised because we are still trying to collect the entire set of Burger King Star Wars toys! (We are on a mission to find Darth Vader, R2D2, and two or three others.) There were lots of church friends there too. I felt as if we had a full day by noon!
This afternoon Kolby had her third 3-hour reading evaluation. She has been a trooper but, she is glad it is over. My Mom kept Rhett while I went to church to work on VBS decorations. For the first time in years I am not teaching, just helping decorate. I feel a little guilty about that. This years VBS is an African Safari theme so I volunteered Rob to make balloon animals during the Safari Celebration the last night. Rob is such a kid at heart that he loves this sort of thing and it eased my "not teaching guilt" a bit. VBS is a wonderful program... Next year I will get back on board and do more.
Not much to report from Hewitt these days. Off to dinner at church and more VBS decorating. We are loving summer! Hope all of you are too!
Saturday, June 04, 2005
The Summer Plan
WALL PAPER WARNING!!!! (See my comment at the end of yesterdays post!)
Ok It has taken me some time, but I finally put our summer plan down on paper. I feel so much more focused! For those of you who are curious...Here it is!
Monday: Movie Day
Tuesday: Summer Fun Days (MDO at church)
Wednesday: Library Day
Thursday: Free Choice or Stay Home Day
Friday: Fun Activity Day (Zoo, Museum, Park or Swimming or other)
Here are the other things we are going got incorporate into our daily schedule:
20 m Outside Work : Clean up toys, Pull weeds, Water, Sweep, Garage clean-up, pick vegetables etc.
40 m Outside Play: Walk, Bike, Fort, chalk, ball etc
20 m Inside Work: Vacuum, Sweep, Clean Bathroom, Laundry, Dust
40 m Inside Play: Toys or other (no TV or V-games)
1-3 Hours: Weekday Summer Activity from list
30 m Art: Crayons, markers, paint, play dough, clay
20 m Writing Time: Journal, Letters, Numbers, Cursive
30 m Quiet/ Reading Time: In room, on bed, by self
20- 30 m Read To Time: Read together w/ Mom or Dad
60 m TV Time ~ Can earn more maybe
Both kids have a set of three chores in the morning, afternoon and at night. Our "tidy-up" time is from 5:00 to 5:20pm every day. This is the time when we stop whatever it is we are doing, put everything in it's place, and tidy up all the rooms. I will set the timer to see if we can get it done before the 20 minutes is up. It is more fun if it is a race. We will spend the rest of the weekend trying to tidy up and get ready to start our new schedule come Monday morning!
We also made a "Home repair/ Projects list" for Rob and I to work on this summer. The list is long, but do-able. We still have to decide whether to switch and redo Kolby's room. She really wants to move into our guest room because it is bigger and has high ceilings. She is tired of her garden themed room and wants something a little more pink and prissy. The problem is her room now has an attached bathroom and I love her garden stuff! The guest bathroom is the one closest to the living room and the more formal bathroom. It would be a challenge to keep it "company" clean with Kolby using it as hers. As much I love to paint and decorate, the thought of having to redo two bedrooms and bathrooms this summer makes me swoon! I am going to try to see if I can put Kolby off another year or figure something else out. We'll see!
I think this is going to be a great summer! As impulsive as I can be...I love having a plan! Happy Saturday!
Friday, June 03, 2005
The first week of Summer
It has been quite a week! School was out last Friday. Friday night we went to my aunts house to celebrate her birthday and let all the kids swim. Saturday Rob helped my cousins move and the kids and I did NOTHING! It rained off and on all day. Sunday we woke up bright and early and drove to San Antonio to Sea World.
It was really fun until Rhett started getting sick. We left the park around 8pm with Rhett puking in a cup. Once we got him situated, he feel asleep and stayed that way until we got home. As we approached Temple, the sky opened up and we thought we were going to be washed off the interstate! Big 18 wheelers were pulled over to the side of the road with their hazards flashing. Stalled out cars littered the highway and shoulder. We pressed on at a snails pace of 15 miles per hour and made it home about an hour and a half later! (Temple is only 30 minutes from our house.) When we got home Kolby admitted that she woke up during the storm and couldn't hold it!! Lovely! Nothing like a little puke and pee to make the Van smell oh-so -sweet! The moral of the story? NEVER skip church to go to Sea World!
Memorial day was spent trying to recover and clean up! On Tuesday Rob had work, I had McKenna for the last time, Kolby had the first of a three-part four-hour long reading needs evaluation, and Rhett started getting sick from the other end. YUCK! On Wednesday the sun was out and it was hot so we went swimming most of the day at our neighbors.
Thursday we went to Dr Kempers office twice only to find out that Rhett had a major stomach bacteria. He started antibiotics and he feels much better. Kolby went to the second part of her evaluation and the two of us did a little shopping while my Mom kept Rhett. Kolby had a birthday party till 9pm last night while Rob and Rhett went swimming till dark again with our cousins Robby, Justin, and Whitney.
Today it is cloudy and humid. It looks like it could rain any minute. I love summer rain! I am just now sitting down to work out our summer schedule. I am trying to get a good mix of activities and chores scheduled to make our summer run smoothly. Last year we went to the library on Tuesdays, the movies on Wednesdays and rotated between the museum, the zoo, and swimming on the other days.
This summer is shaping up the same, except I am trying to get a little more structure in our at home time. I hope to incorporate a little more time to help Kolby with her reading, help Rhettt learn to write all his letters and numbers, and get me in more of a work-out routine. My friend Elizabeth inspired me to write all this down and make an "on paper" plan. I'll let you know how that goes!
Reading over this I realize this post is about as interesting as reading wall paper! Sorry guys, I just can't seem to get the blog juices flowing! Maybe if I put blogging on my summer schedule....
I love summer!
Thursday, May 26, 2005
The Worm Song
I actually had a really sweet blog about this being "the last day of school for Kolby and how much her teachers have meant" in mind when I started blogging today. But then I heard Rhett trying to sing The Worm Song. You know, THE Worm Song.....
Nobody likes me, everybody hates me,
Guess I'll go eat worms,
Long, thin, slimy ones;
Short, fat, juicy ones,
Itsy, bitsy, fuzzy wuzzy worms.
Down goes the first one,
down goes the second one,
Oh how they wiggle and squirm.
Up comes the first one,
up comes the second one,
Itsy bitsy chunky wunky worms
Now my mind will not go back to my former sweeter deeper thoughts. The ADD has wiped the sentimental teacher blog out of my head and all I can think of is The Worm Song.
JUST WONDERING...who wrote this song and why do we all know it? I have never knowingly eaten a worm. I don't think I would ever get depressed enough to eat a worm...unless maybe it was a gummy worm or a chocolate worm. Is this a code song for drinking tequila or some sort of drug? There has to be more to this song since we all know it. HMMMM?
Random, meaningless trival thoughts..... Aren't you glad you read this blog? :) HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!!
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
Old made new again
When I was little (pre-elementary) my mother went back to school three nights a week to get her masters. Three nights a week I had a date with my Dad. Because microwaves were not around (yes that was just 30 years ago) most nights my Dad would take me to McDonalds (pre- play grounds and happy meal toys) or K&N Rootbeer for dinner. Like all good dates, at least once a week after dinner we would check out a movie. (Yes, in the theater as there were no VCRs ...Yes that too was just thirty years ago!).
We saw all the Disney Movies. We saw The Wizard of Oz. We saw the cartoon version of the Return to OZ with Liz Minelli as the voice of Dorothy. We saw the cartoon Jack and the Bean Stock, The Cat From Outer Space and all the Bengi movies. I even remember some Peanuts Cartoons in the movie theater. But some of my favorite movies were about Herbie the Love Bug. We saw all the Herbie movies: The Love Bug, Herbie Rides Again, Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo, Herbie Goes Bananas. I remember one Saturday my Dad took me for a test drive in a VW beetle because I loved Herbie so much!
Herbie is making a comeback this summer in Herbie Fully Loaded. I won't go buy tickets a month early, have a Herbie party, or go see the midnight movie with a 53 on my shirt...(see last week) But, I still can't wait to take my kids! One of the joys of parenthood is introducing old friends from the past to your children. It is so fun to see some of my favorite things through their eyes. The old is made new again. This joy is multiplied when your kids fall for something as hard as you did all those years ago. I'm not just talking about movies.
Rob's chest puffs up proudly every time Rhett wants to go play baseball or golf. The fact that our kids are very into collecting the Star Wars toys from Burger King and love to fake dual with their light sabers makes both Rob and I smile. The streak of independence Kolby found through learning to ride her bike reminds me so much of myself at that age. I loved my bike! Kolby's 4 year "all things Princess" craze has been fun for me too.
But perhaps the sweetest thing of all has been seeing how my kids view church. When I was little I loved going to church. I felt very at home in our church and with church people. I had no idea that there was anything wrong with our "little tribe." To me church was family, security and the good and right thing to do. My kids feel that way about our church now.
They don't know about the bitter words exchanged when building the community center. They don't know about the teacher shortages and the life groups that just can't seem to get together. My kids don't care what their class mates are wearing or what kind of car they came to church in. They don't see the crisis, the frustrations and the friction. Not that our church is not falling apart or anything, but with all churches there are rough spots and problems. Our church, like all churches, has it's positive and negatives. My kids don't see much negative. That is the privilege of youth.
While I think it would be immature and irresponsible to never grow up and see the church through adult eyes, I wonder if we (meaning I) should try to see things from our precious children's perspective more often. Is that what Jesus meant when he said that the Kingdom belonged to those who can make themselves like little children?
For all the talk of emergents, moderns, post-moderns etc., I think the secret is trying to see church through a baby Christians eyes, and making the old new again.
Monday, May 23, 2005
Schools Out for Summer.....
In just four more days! YEEEEEHHHAAAWW! Kolby was so excited this morning saying that this is the last Monday morning of school! I think she is a little sad to think she won't see her friends as much, but she is so ready for summer to be here. Aren't we all! :)
The only problem with summer is I have much to do outside and in the 97 plus degree heat, and I just don't want to do it! Have I mentioned that I'm not fond of hot hot weather? That I turn beet red and melt at the first hint of high humidity and high temperatures? I know, I know! I live in the wrong state! Well off to straighten up the house for a committee meeting to plan for next year. :)
P.S. Sorry for the short post, but between Episode 3, family day at L3, and the season finale of Extreme Home Makeover and Desperate Housewives... I am wiped out! :)
Friday, May 20, 2005
Star Wars Again
Sorry to any of you who could care less about the whole Star Wars thing. I figure if Mike Cope can blog about it for two days, I can too! I have a time crunch so forgive the spelling and the lack of thought provoked creativeness of this post.
Ok, I really am a Star Wars geek! It has taken time to admit it, but I am what I am. Yesterday between my yawns and longings for a nap (see yesterday) my mind was processing Episode III all day. My cousin and I talked about it on the phone for almost an hour. My sister came over and Rob and I finished telling her what happened. (She was at the midnight showing, but got really motion sick and almost ralphed in the theater so she left about the time Mace Windue went to confront chancellor Palpetine) My last words to Rob last night before I drifted off to sleep were about the few inconsistencies we caught and some other things I am not sure I understand. Isn't it amazing how much a movie can impact your thinking?
Star Wars is not the typical movie though. It is a story that has spanned 28 years of my 35 years of life. Luke and Leia and I go way back. I feel I have vested interest in this story line for some reason. AND it is complex, quirky, fun, dark, deep, cutting edge, creative and artful. How many movies can you say that about?
If you haven't seen the movie DO NOT READ THE NEXT PARAGRAPHS because there are some big spoilers. I want to see how many other Star Wars geeks there are out there.
As to the few inconsistencies in the saga, here are the ones that bothered me a bit. In ROTJ or episode 6, Luke asks Leia what she remembers of her mother. She says she died when she was very young but she remembers mostly images, and that she was very beautiful and very sad. How could she remember that if her mother died at her birth? Or was she talking about her adoptive mother? Or did she know she was adopted?
Why weren't Pademes parents considered when placing the twins?
Obi Wan tells Luke in Episode 4 that Vader was a Jedi that turned to the dark side then hunted down all the other Jedi and killed them. Not exactly true. The clone armies helped with that.
Did any of you catch Obi-Wan picking up Anikin's Light Saber as he left him for the last time? When Ben gives the Saber to Luke he says that "Your father wanted you to have this when you came of age." Well that was a bit of a stretch since his father doesn't even know he exists.
So do we think that the prophecy was interpreted wrong and Anikin was not the chosen one? Or do you think balance was eventually brought to the force by Luke or by Vader/Anikin before he died so it was right?
Lastly, when the chancellor tells Anikin about the Sith, he says that the great Sith Lord (whose name I can not remember) was so great that he knew how to manipulate metaclorians to produce life on their own. Is that what happened to Anikins mother? She said there was no father, he was just born. We know Anikin had the highest metachlorian count in his blood of anyone ever. So was Anikin born of a Siths manipulation?
After all this contemplation, I have to say that I think I need to see this movie again and I really wish there would be an episode 3.5! Or better yet I wish they would pick up after Return of the Jedi and make episodes 7- 9. If they hurry they could start 30 years after Return of the Jedi and use Mark Hamil, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford again. That would be so cool! Ok, I will stop now.
Did anyone else pick up on story tweaks and quirks? I welcome the discussion. OH, I REALLY AM A STAR WARS GEEK!
But as the picture of my husband and cousin below prove, I am far from alone! The rest of you can just gawk at our Star Wars geeky-ness!
Beaner I expect to hear from you on this one!
Jenga Fett and the Tuscan Raider
Thursday, May 19, 2005
Episode III Revised
Tonight at 12:00AM, Rob and I, along with 12 good friends and family members, will take our seats in history to watch the final Star Wars movie debut. EPISODE III! The final unfolding that puts all the peices in place to finish out the Star Wars Saga. Rob (aka Obi-Rob-Knobi) and some of my cousins are actually going to dress up as characters.
We are having a B-day/ Kick off party at our house then it is off to the theater with all the other Star Wars geeks! ANTICIPATION!!! We are all really pumped about this movie. The guys have always done the midnight movie thing, but this time we wives decided to join in the fun. Rob went out and bought all our tickets three weeks ago! Needless to say we can't wait! Tell you all about it tomorrow... May the force be with you!
Anyone else out there in blog world celebrating Star Wars tonight?
OK I just saw the movie. For some who asked about kids seeing it...here is my take
The movie is dark early on. I felt sick during many parts of it. I just kept hoping Anikin would not go down the dark path, but knowing that he would. Rob and I agreed that we will not let our children see it until they are much much older. George Lucas himself said he wouldn't take anyone under the age of 12 to this movie. All my family talked about it while leaving and we agree.The darkness builds quickly, but then at the end it just shocked me. I'm sure lots of kids will see it, but I think all parents should see the movie first before making that call.
Having said that, I really loved it. Yoda was awesome! All the questions I had going in were answered. It was amazing how they wrapped it up so neatly. There are only one or two things that don't jive to well with what was said in episode 4-6, but these don't completely contradict eachother either. As dark as it was, the unfolding of the story was amazing. I think it was the best movie of the pre-quels. Just glad I knew the long term ending! I don't think Star Wars would have been as successful if he had released them in order.
Must go to bed... I am just to pumped up to sleep!
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
Happy Birthday Rob!
Not much time for blogging, but this is a very special day I want to acknowledge. My favorite guy in the whole world was born on this day thirty something years ago! He is by far the best person I have ever known. I am very blessed that he is my husband, my best friend, my rock, and the father of our children.
Rob is the kind of guy everyone likes. He has a great sense of humor. He cares about people. He is the hardest working person I know. He never gives up. His bad moods pass quickly. He is faithful and always loyal. He is fun! He trusts God in ways that amaze, inspire and sometimes shame me. Rob is a great Dad. He shows our kids love every day. Of course Rob isn't perfect, but in my eyes, he is really close!
Rob may or may not read this, as he is not the blogging type. But, Honey if you do read this, I wanted to tell you that there just aren't words deep, wide and strong enough to say how very much I love, appreciate, adore and admire you! I am grateful for every year of your life and I live for the life we are building together. I thank God that we met almost ten years ago and that you took a chance "out of your league."AS IF! :) There is no one on this earth I would rather be partnered with for this adventure we call life. I hope, pray, and believe that it will only get better. Thank you for all you are, all you have been, and all you will be to me and our kids. I love you! HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
Sunday, May 15, 2005
Weekend Words
TGIF
make
b-day cake
out to eat
family shop
target
toy aisle
Rhett
shoes
Kolby
Stuff
Mom
craft items
crafting
finish cake
late night
sleep late
errands
birthday party
McKenna's 2!
sweet girl
so little
big personality
yard work
water balloon fight
first swim
shivering cold
fun neighbors
raspberry rita's
no fear
no floaties
Rhett jumping
panic
long arms
wet shirt
safe child
relief
out to eat again
can't sleep
trading spaces
Kolby up
1:30
2:30
3:30
paper route
overslept
rush rush
smocked yellow dress
hot pink polish
ruined
anger
tears
church anyone?
church
children's ministry sermon
OUCH!
sign me up
lunch with the fam
5 kids
8 adults
Unsuspecting Italian place
big tip
news paper
nap
phone
CLEAN
paint
CLEAN
Extreme Makeover Home
Tears
love it
No housewives
darn!
kid bedtime
tears
BEDTIME!
cleaning again
@%^*&/}
forgot the laundry
late night
still the laundry
weekend workout?
Oops!
week at a glance
busy one
make list
blogging
G'night!
Friday, May 13, 2005
Window into another
I stumbled on a new blog to read a few weeks ago. http://www.stevenkiel.blogspot.com/ Steven Keil is in the reserves and serving in Iraq. I don't know him at all but I am drawn to his blog. It reminds me daily how grateful we should be to the men and women who represent our nation in Iraq. They put their lives on the line everyday in hopes of a better world. No matter what your political preference, you have to respect our fighting men and women abroad.
Most blogs I read are written by people I know, or people who know people I know. Most are Christians. All are Americans. It occured to me the other day that blogs give us the opportunity to gain insight into people who are totally different from us. Maybe that is why I occasionally visit Rosies blog, or the blog of a single girl living in NYC who I have never met , or the blog of a retired journalist dealing with MS that I happened to come across one day. I think it is fascinating to see life from different perspectives. I have this tool of the web and blogs. If I don't abuse it, or let my opinions and prejudices blind me, I have a the chance to see the world through someone elses eyes. It's the techno version of walking a mile in someone else's sandals. Pretty cool!
I have warned and whined before about my experience with "next blog" button. ( see 9-21-04 for that story) The warning still stands. But maybe gaining insight into others is worth the risk. If you have found some blogs that give you insight into a different view of life, let me know. I would love to check them out!
Thursday, May 12, 2005
SAALLUUTE to Summer
Have you ever seen the Office Depot commercial where a Dad is skipping down the aisle to "It's the most wonderful time of the year" putting school supplies in his shopping basket while his two children slowly and begrudgingly follow with very long faces? It usually starts playing mid-August. It always makes me laugh... but I am not that parent at all! I really love when my kids are out of school. I am always sorry to see their vacations come to an end. So just like the kids, I can not wait for summer to be here.
We have big plans, but nothing so big it is in permanent ink on the calendar. I love summer because you don't have to have big plans down on paper. Maybe it is because I grew up the daughter of a teacher, but for me summer is a time to do all those projects there is no time to do during the rest of the year. It is a time to travel, sleep late, and laze around the pool. It is a time to rest, re-do and organize. It is the time to toss the daytimer and just let the days come as they will. Not to sound like a song from Grease, but I long for those Summer nights!
Summer nights have always been my favorite. Summer nights are all about fireflies, baseball games, and star watching. Summer nights are times for watching the sun set over the water with the sting of a slight sun burn on your shoulders and the promise of staying out late and sleeping past breakfast the next morning. Summer nights are for movies, late night strolls and making out! Summer nights are about sleeping with the windows open and letting crickets and toads sing you to sleep. Though I despise heat and sweating, is there anything better than a shaved ice snowcone on a hot afternoon? Ah summer! I can't wait! Just nine more school days till summer!
Monday, May 09, 2005
Senility Smiles
Two elderly women were eating breakfast in a restaurant one morning. Ethel noticed something funny about Mabel's ear and she said, '"Mabel, did you know you've got a suppository in your left ear?" Mabel answered, "I have a suppository?" She pulled it out and stared at it.Then she said, "Ethel, I'm glad you saw this thing. Now I think I know where my hearing aid is."
I got this joke in an e-mail and had to run to the restroom as I was laughing so hard! I know most of you are still trying to get through yesterdays novel long post so I'll keep it short today.
This joke is especially funny to me because I have been surrounded by older people most of my life. Yesterday we went to see Nana at the home for Mothers day. We took her a card, flowers, pictures of the kids. Funny how time changes things. A few years a go we would have carted Nana out of there a made a big to do over the whole day. Yesterday it was a quick visit after church. A few years ago if she had constantly asked where my grandfather was and when she could go home I would have left in tears. A few years ago if I was told that someone had taken her "Beautiful" perfume AGAIN, I would have been fuming. If Nana had not known my kids or my husband a few years ago, I would have been crushed. But yesterday all that happened and we went on like nothing had happened at all.
You have to smile at all this or just ignore it, or you end up crying all the time. I have been down that road and found it leads to nowhere good. So, we make light of it and laugh. Heard any good nursing home jokes lately?
Saturday, May 07, 2005
Catch up
Where to start? So much to say since I last really posted. First a few updates...
The Gate Kids
After posting about the gate kids a few weeks ago, I e-mailed Berkley and Charlotte Hackett who I worked for in Nairobi those two summers so long ago. The Hacketts quickly became two of my favorite people during my first trip to Kenya. I'm not sure what I thought the "missionary type" was when I arrived in Nairobi, but Berkley was not at all what I envisioned a missionary to be. Berkley is bigger than life in some respects. The things God has accomplished through the Hacketts work in Nairobi over the last 30 years is just astounding.
Berkley And Charlotte Hackett
The Hacketts have braved revolutions, uprisings, government sanctions, and many, many legal an political storms over the years. Their work has produced an amazing church and technical college just a mile or so away from one of the worlds largest slums.. Mathari Valley. Their work has not always gone with out controversy. They have ruffled some feathers in Africa and the US. Berkley is a rebel in some ways, but not one with out a cause. Make no mistake, Berkley Hackett's heart is consumed with a God given love for the people, particularly the young people, of Nairobi. He and Charlotte may not be your typical missionaries, but through Christ they have dedicated their lives to the salvation and betterment of their adopted family in Kenya.
Not your typical Missionary
It took about a week or so, but I heard from Berkley. Here is an excerpt from his e-mail:
Njeri is now a senior in high school and Wachira is a sophomore. They haven't had overseas support to help them in over ten years. If you find someone to help these kids it would be great. Charlotte and I have done
what we could but with so much to do we can't do much. In fact we lost a good deal of our support in 2003 and are yet to gain it back. I could, of course, go back to the States for a few months, visit lots of people
and churches and rebuild the support base but we're no longer comfortable leaving the work and the people who depend on us for an extended period. So instead of that we go along the best we can, cutting good works that deserve to be supported. Right now Wachira has a $350.00 debt at the high school and is in danger of being expelled. Njeri is only $200.00 behind.
Eastleigh C of C in Nairobi and the KCITI Campus
I am very happy and a bit relieved to hear that the kids are OK and still in school. Even if they don't get to finish, having some high school education will give them a great advantage over many in Nairobi. Still, I hope they are able to finish school and really rise above their circumstances. It really saddens me to know that Berkley and Charlotte have had to cut good programs and not been able to give aid to the people they have loved and stayed with for so long because of whatever happened in 2003. I'm not sure what all happened in 2003. From the tidbits I have heard, it was an ugly church split that happened between the missionaries in Kenya. Missionaries are not immune to church politics and splits. I hope to find out more and perhaps start actively seeking aid for my precious African kids! E-mail me if you have any thoughts or insights in to this situation.
On the home front
So that's the update. Seems my heart and mind are consumed with my kids..both here and abroad. This post is so long it will take a few days to read. I'll check back in around Wednesday! I have missed getting to "chat" regularly with my blog world friends. I really appreciate the e-mails from those making sure we were still here and OK. We are! Now I am off to surf my blog list to see what the rest of you have been up to. See you soon in blog world! : )
Monday, May 02, 2005
Computer Bug
My computer may have a virus... seems more like a full blown flu! Hope to be back to blogging soon! In the mean time I have heard from the gate kids. I can't wait to tell you all about it! SEE 8th COMMENT!
Thursday, April 28, 2005
Broken blog
My blog seems to be broken! I can not pull it up. If you can, let me know! I e-mailed this in. Thanks!
Tuesday, April 26, 2005
Freaked out
OK, I am officially freaked out! I just read that a High School classmate of mine has a son graduating from High School. Grant it, she was one of those sweet girls who had it all together until she got pregnant her senior year. She married the father, also our age, and they are still together. They have beaten the odds and, from what I hear, are a very sweet family. BUT STILL ...a child graduating from highschool???!!! Stars above, it just can't be so!
It really freaks me out that they have a 17 almost 18 year old son! Kolby is 7. Rhett is 3. I cannot imagine being this age and having a teenager! Isn't 35 still young? What really freaked me out is I just realized that my 20 year high school reunion is in less than 3 years. WHAT??? I think I blinked my eyes and missed a decade somewhere. How can this be?
The older I get, the faster time flies. Just had to share my freak out with you blog world!
Monday, April 25, 2005
Place in this world?
I have been thinking a lot about my time in Kenya since I posted about it last week. I have e-mailed the missionaries I worked with in Nairobi and asked them what happened to my precious gate kids. The second picture I posted of them last week is burned into my memeory. Those eyes! I really did want to pack those two and bring them home with me! I will let you know what I find out. But mainly this week, I have been thinking about the poverty I witnessed in Kenya.
I did a little research. According to this site's data on Gross National Income, the USA has the forth highest Gross National Income, per capita in the world. This means if all our wealth was distributed evenly amongst the population, we would all be making $37,610 annually. The good people of Luxemborg lead the world with a GNI, pc of $43, 940, Norway $43,350, Switzerland $39,880 then, the USA at $37,160. (All of these figures are in US dollars.) Of course we know that many employable people make much less than $37,160 and many make much more. In the US, as in most countries of the world, it is believed that 80% of the wealth is held by 20% of the population. With this 80/20 factor, it is easy to see how there can be so many poor people in the wealthiest of nations.
Now look at a country like Kenya. Kenya is one of the most economically, and politically stable countries in East Africa. However, Kenya's Gross National Income, per capita is about $390. Yes, $390.00! Now apply the 80/20 distribution standard found so prevalently all over the world to Kenya. It does not take a math whiz to understand that many if not most people in Kenya are living in poverty. (By the way, for those of you who are tempted to say that things cost much less in Kenya so the dollar goes further, not so! There is not as wide of a price gap as you would think. For example, thirteen years ago a 2 liter of processed milk in Kenya cost what was equal to an American dollar... only about 30% less than it cost in the US at the time. There are some exceptions, but most things are that way.)
For those of you who are more visual, I think these block graphs explain the Population/Wealth ratio for the world.
Block graph of the worlds population
Block graph of the Global Wealth
So what does that mean to me, a housewife in central Texas?
It means that at my birth, I won the world lottery. It means that I have more economically than a far greater percentage of people in this world. It means it is a privilege to get to choose to stay home with my kids for a few years even if it means driving 10 year old cars, not going to Disney World, and not always being able to splurge on things we want. It means the $150.00 I spent in prescription co-pays last week for my families sinus problems is more money than many Kenyans will make in a year of hard labor. I have a responsibility to live up to all I have been blessed with and to reach out to those with less... for there are so many with less. And today, it means I feel grateful and satisfied, not filling my mind and time with the unending pursuit of getting more.
Then there is the spiritual side of all this. Does God love the little girl born to a poor hungry family of 8 Kenya less than he loves me? Has he blessed me economically more for a reason? Do I have more responsibility to that little girl than she has to me? What would God want me to do for her? Many questions. Most of which are very hard to answer...or are maybe the answers are very hard to live with?
Please don't think I am saying that all of us who have more than most of the world are selfish horrible people. Not at all! I think guilt is a gift of the devil, not a gift of God. What I am saying this: My knowledge of the world and my economical ranked place in it should motivate me to live a life of unselfish service and gratitude. I have to be reminded of that often.
I'm very bad about getting caught up with all I want to do, or buy, or give my kids. Not that that is all bad but, it can not be the center and purpose of my life. This week my memories of Kenya and the incredible people I met there have reminded me that this life is not about our "place in the world" per say. This life is about our place in eternity. For me, that eternal perspective must stay in the center of all my thoughts and actions or I start to get caught up in the woes and woos of this world.
Where am I going with all this? I am really not sure. But, my hope is that my God and Savior will continue to use the people and events of my life to steer me towards the center HE wants for my life. My prayer is that I will not get in the way!
Saturday, April 23, 2005
Not Much
I have often said I enjoy reading blogs more than I enjoy posting. This week that really rings true. When I click down my blog role, by the time I have read to the bottom, I have nothing to say. You guys say it all so well for me! For those who know me, I am sure it is hard to imagine me not having much to say...but it's true.
So, if you came here looking for more than not much, here are some suggestions. If you want to read a "kick you in the spiritual pants" blog, check out what Ms. Judy has been saying the last three days. DJG always has some great analogies. Then there is Mike Cope and Brandon... Geez, there are no better blogs than those! If you want to hear about a fun weird named festival, jump on over to my good friend SJ's blog. If you want fun life stories with kids...well take your pick, as there are so many!
It isn't just the eloquence of my fellow bloggers keeping me off line, its SPRING! For me Spring means perfectly beautiful days and allergies! Currently, I have a sinus infection due to Waco spring allergy season. (Which for me is not half as bad as Abilene's, but much worse than San Angelo's and Fort Worth's spring.) Anyway, when I am not coughing, hacking and talking in a "man voice" as Rhett calls it, I am outside watching the kids ride bikes, pulling weeds, and avoiding all the projects I need to do inside the house. It's just to pretty to be inside.
Bike riding has become my kids favorite thing! Kolby lost her training wheels a month or so ago and Rhett...well Rhett is so kamikaze with training wheels, I shutter to think how bruised his little body would be if we were to let him take the them off! (And yes, at age three, he has actually tried to remove them himself with the pliers!) So you can imagine what I am doing when not blogging. Maybe I will be a better blogger when things will calm down this summer....Hey, I can dream, right! :) Have a great weekend blogworld!
Sunday, April 17, 2005
Kenya dreams
I found an older Bible the other day. This picture fell out of it.
Summer 1991 Njeri, Wshera and me outside the KCITI/ Eastleigh C of C gates in Nairobi, Kenya. Njeri (in-Jerry) was 5 or 6 and Wshera (Wa-she-ra) was 3 or 4.
These two stole my heart. I must say they were the favorites of all the interns. They had a baby brother named Zoom! He was only one years old and so cute. Wshera and Njeri lived in a two room shack just outside the church compound gates with their mother and at least four other siblings. They, along with half a dozen others, were always waiting for us at the gates so we called them the gate kids. I never understood who or where their father was. I'm not even sure of their tribe..Kikuyu maybe. But for two summers of my life these were my kids.
Njeri & Wshera
Many a Sunday night Wshera would fall asleep in my lap at church. Njeri would sit beside me doodling forever. I brought something for them everyday in my bag. Food, sweets, small toys, soap. I think they actually called me the Swahili version of "the bag lady" for a time. I had so many nicknames during my brief time in Kenya.
The second summer I brought them each two outfits from Wal Mart and some tennis shoes. It was the first time either of them had ever worn new clothes. Most of the people I knew in Kenya bought second hand clothes. I am not even sure that you can buy new clothes in Kenya unless you can afford to go to the newer expensive shopping centers. Almost none of the people I knew could afford this. Anyway Wshera and Njeri were thrilled with their clothes. Their mother was too. Wshera and Njeri wore their 'merica clothes with great pride.
A month into my second stay in Kenya, Njeri did something awful to her hand. I am not sure how it happened but the skin was just hanging off her little palm. I was not there the day it happened. I think I had been on Safari for a few days. When I came back, Njeri was no where to be found. Finally a guard told me she had really hurt her hand. I told one of her sisters to bring her to me. She looked very sick. Her little hand was wrapped in dirty torn fabric and was burning hot to the touch. My fellow intern Tonya and I were appalled. But we knew her Mama was doing the best she could. She lived in a corrugated shed, with dirt floors and no running water or electricity. What was she to do?
Mama Zoom and family in front of their home.
Tonya and I had no car that day so we set off on foot to take Njeri to a neighborhood clinic about two miles away. They refused to see her even though we were willing to pay. My Swahili was as bad as their English. We made the trek back to the church in disgust. The workers at the church said the best we could do would be to bandage her hand and give her some chai. Chai! She needed an antibiotic and maybe some stitches.
So Tonya and I rebelled. We took Njeri down to the main street, hailed a proper English cab...Hard to find in those parts.. And asked the driver to take us to the nearest hospital for Wazungus. (visitors or White Men) I didn't care how much it cost. I don't even think I asked her Mom. We just told the guards at the gate where we were going and we were off. God put us in the right cab. The driver took us to a nice clinic miles away on the nice side of Nairobi. It was like a regular western hospital.
We saw an English speaking doctor who never asked us who Njeri was or what happened to her hand. Njeri was so excited and amazed by the clinic and the big x-ray machine that checked for broken bones that she never cried. She would not let Tonya or I out of her sight though. Her eyes were as big as saucers. It wasn't until later that I realized how big of a culture shock that must of been for her.
The doctor said that nothing was broken but her cut was badly infected. He gave her a few stitches and a shot of antibiotics. He asked me if she had had her inoculations. I had no idea. He went ahead and gave them to her anyway. I think it was a tetanus shot. He said she would be fine with little scaring but that her hand had to stay clean for the next two days. He wrapped her bandaged hand in plastic. He also said something about her being lucky to have good friends like us as she could have lost her hand if gangrene had set in.
By the time we were ready to go, we had reached the missionary to let them know where we were. I think Scott Sewell came to pick us up. The whole visit cost less than 50 dollars. Tonya, Scott and I split the cost. Fifty dollars to save the hand of a precious little girl. I would have gladly paid ten times that. This was my second three month stay in Kenya. I had trudged through the filth of Mathari Valley, seen kids play in sewage streams, watched mothers line up at the trash cans behind the meat shop to get the fat cut off of meat by the butcher, yet it never really hit me what poverty was until that moment. Poverty is not the absence of plenty, it is the absence of enough.
The fifty dollars we spent might have been more money than Njeris family would see in a year. Her little hand could have been lost but for fifty dollars, roughly what I pay for a good pair of shoes. That is poverty. Many families in Nairobi had it much worse. Luckily, I was too young and naive to dwell on such things. It would have been too hard.
After we returned to the church, Tonya and I decided that to keep Njeri's hand clean and safe she would have to come home with us for a night or two. We should have asked someone if that was Ok culturally, missionally, ethically, and politically, but I don't think we did. So that Njeri wouldn't be too scared, we brought Wshera too. Her Mama, Mama Zoom, was grateful and never hesitated to send her children off with us.
The gate kids loved to crawl and climb all over us!
I learned more about Kenyans in those two nights than in the six months I was in Nairobi. The kids acted as though we were taking them to Disney World! They had never been outside of their working class lower income neighborhood of Eastleigh. They couldn't speak much English and we couldn't speak much Swahili, but we had so much fun.
As you can imagine, after feeding them, the first thing we did was give them a bath. They had never seen a bath tub. They were a little afraid to get in. They feared the water would be too cold. They were amazed at the warm water and the bubbles we made with shampoo. They slashed and laughed and talked really fast in Swahili to one another. When it was time to let the water out, they were amazed! They kept looking under the tub to see where the water was going. They talked to a missionary on the phone later that night and told him that we had taken them to America where the water goes down the house and disappears.
Every little thing we did was a total thrill. When it came time for them to go to sleep, they were amazed at the bed with white sheets and the pillows. Wshera kept wanting to lay under the bed. He thought Tonya and I would lay on top of the bed. When we showed him our beds in another room he asked were all the other people were who lived in this village? (It was a three bedroom two bathroom apartment we got to stay in because the owners were in that states for a few months. )
Since Wshera and Njeri had no electricity in their own home, they were used to going to bed when it got dark and getting up at first light. Our lights fooled them into going to bed a bit later, but not into waking later! It was a wonderful day and two nights! I learned more Swahili from those two than from all the books and classes.
When we returned to the church/school compound with them, Wshera & Njeri were super stars among their little friends. They told everyone that they had been to America with us, even though we told them we had only gone ten miles away. Ten miles, and two worlds! Looking back I have worried those days may have been too much for them, but at the time it was great. I pray their time with us was positive in the long run.
I have no idea what happened to them. I know a tender hearted intern who paid for them to go to school (no public schools in Kenya) for several years. As cute as they were and as close as they lived to the church, they had a better chance than most to get an education and do well. Wshera would be 16 or 17, almost a full grown man by Kenyan standards. Njeri would be 18 or 19, a woman who might have kids of her own by now!
Sometimes my time in Kenya seems like a far away dream. It seems I was someone else back then, a lifetime ago. I wonder if I will ever go back to Kenya. I would love to see the kids and others I came to love while I was there. I would love to take my family. I would love my kids to see what life is like for these people who are just as good and hard working as we are. People who have a much harder life than we do only because they were born in a poorer part of the world. People who are happy with out what we Westerners deem necessary. I was so shocked to find joy in the midst of proverty. Shocked, ashamed, and comforted all at the same time.
I would love to go back to Nairobi to see if there are any lasting sign that we were there. I know the church has grown by leaps and bounds and there are several other churches that have been planted. I wonder if the youth camps and the VBS we did there had a lasting impact? Or our teacher training sessions? Or our hours and hours of teaching new songs, crafts and BASKETBALL? One of our main focuses was to grow strong leaders in the Kenyan Christian teens that participated in the Boys and Girls clubs operated by the church. I wonder if those kids grew up to be church leaders? I hope so.
I wonder if my going to Kenya helped anyone as much as it helped me? There were times that I felt selfish for going to Nairobi because I gained so much more than I gave. I hope and pray that somewhere in Nairobi there is a Christian man or woman who came to know Christ better because the work God did through us so many years ago. And, I hope someday I will meet Wshera and Njeri again, if not in Africa, in Heaven where we will all be in awe of the marvelous home God has prepared for us. Cu la la!(Swahili for go to sleep!)
Friday, April 15, 2005
Day Dream
Did any of you catch the "Super Nanny" on Oprah the other day? Oh my! I have to say that there were some things that she said that hit me right between the eyes. I was very thankful that my kids are not as out of control as the ones featured. There was one comment she made about kids behavior ALWAYS being a reflection of the parents that sent me to fear and trembling. What am I teaching my kids? What are they going to reflect? But I know there are some good things they could reflect.
Watching the Super Nanny in action just added a layer to that fantasy I have about reality/ improvement TV adopting me and making-over my life. Not that my life is that bad or anything... do fantasies have to make sense?
In my life make-over fantasy Trading Spaces could spruce up my house, and Clean Sweep could sort through all the stuff and painlessly purge and organize. Or Tye Pennington and Extreme Home Makeover could just come gut the house and build the beautiful, functional, organized home of our dreams in its place. What Not To Wear could have a stab at my closet and my "Mommy" wardrobe. Rachel Ray could get me cooking 30 Minute Meals that are light, healthy & tasty. Oprah could help me Make the Connection and get thin and fit. Extreme Makeover could suction, primpt, whiten and exfoliate the flaws Making the Connection didn't solve. Suzie Orman could straighten out all the finances and get us ship shape for a bright financial future. Dr Phil could help make sure my attitude and head were properly adjusted and ( here is the newest part) the Super Nanny could help me be an in-control, scheduled, disciplined Mom. ...And we could win the lottery and all go to Disney World for the summer! What a daydream!
Sometimes I feel like I am not the woman I should be when I day dream such things. Where is God in my daydream? Why do I want everyone else to fix me? This line of questioning could evoke much soul searching and many other questions, but alas, the sun is out, it's 72 beautiful degrees out side, and the backyard has graciously supplied a ton of weeds to pull! Questioning and soul searching will have to wait...or join me out in the back yard.
Any of you dare to daydream? Any daydreams you want to share? (By the way, this blog is rated PG : ) Happy Friday blog world!
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
The things they say
Pulled up to the gas station the other night and Kim Mulkey- Robertson (KMR for short) was pumping her gas. She is a celeb in these parts after coaching the Baylor Lady Bears to a national title last Tuesday. Kolby looks at her and excitedly stutters out "Hey it's ... Makenzie's Mom". Bet that is not what she was expecting to hear!
I brought donuts home for the kids from Shipleys. Each had a chocolate sprinkle and a bear claw. Rhett informed me that he didn't want a bear claw... he wanted a Lady Bear claw.
Yesterday watchng the Super Nanny on Oprah. Rhett turns to me and says " Don't ever, ever let her come to our house Mommy."
Last night tucking Kolby in she asked me if I could name the seven "incontinents" .
Kids!
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
History
"If I were to try to read, much less answer, all the attacks made on me, this shop might as well be closed for any other business. I do the very best I know how - the very best I can; and I mean to keep doing so until the end. If the end brings me out all right, what's said against me won't amount to anything. If the end brings me out wrong, ten angels swearing I was right would make no difference." Abraham Lincoln
SOURCE: The Inner Life of Abraham Lincoln: Six Months at the White House by Francis B. Carpenter (University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, Nebraska, 1995), pp. 258-259
I wonder if every President since Lincoln has felt that way? When I first read this quote I was sure it was going to be credited to our current President. Last week for the anniversary of his death, I watched a documentary on Abraham Lincoln. I was surprised to find out that while in office, he was not popular. In fact many doubted that he would win re-election.
He was described as a "country hick and a buffoon". His detractors doubted the legitamacy of his Presidency. They said he was wrong to go to war to save the union. They said his reasons were economically and politically motivated. They said he had no regard for human life. They said war was not the answer. They said he had no right to free slaves from their legal humane bondage. They said his leadership would divide the country forever and end our fragile union. (Red states/ Blue states? Does any of ths sound familiar?) Although those who supported him were extremely loyal, those who didn't were extremely strong in their opposition. Several attempts were made on his life. Finally, one succeeded.
I love history! History teaches us so much about why people are as they are. History tends to repeat itself. Somehow I am comforted to know that the same arguments heard on Capital hill in 1905 are still being heard in 2005. Somehow I am also frightened and saddened by this. What will history say about our generation? A hundred years from now will there be a Republic of states bound in union known as the United States? What will history say about our President? The war in Iraq? The red state/blue state divide? Though time will tell, history gives us some pretty good hints.
The Churches of Christ have been accused of ignoring history and to some point I think that is a very valid accusation. We are quick to point to the Bible as our history, but we shy away from the period time between today and where the Bible historically ends. There are a lot of years between then and now. I grew up going to church three times a week and have enough hours to have almost minored in Bible at ACU but, beyond the last 60 years, I know very little about our church history. (But how many of us would show up for a class on church history?) I have heard a lot about the Restoration movement, but couldn't tell you (with out looking in a old text) what that was all about. Today many churches are entering a period of emergence. I wonder, if we really look at it, how different this movement is from movements of the past.
I know, I know! Boring History ramblings. Maybe I'll be a History teacher when I grow up! I guess my point is, we think our time is unique to us, all our ideas, revolutionary, all our methods, ground breaking. While some are, a good look at history will show that we are basically the same people we have always been. I do not suggest that history has all the answers for the problems of the country, the church, or even for us as individuals... but it does give us incredible insight.
I have come up against some very personal struggles lately. (Creamed corn, creamed corn ...and no it is not anything life threatening, horrible, or really even worthy of mention) There have been times I felt overwhelmed and wondered where to start or how to get a foothold. My old friend history has really helped. True, one can spend too much time examining yesterday and what went wrong, but before I can move forward, it helps me to know where I have been. Here's to History!
Sorry to be so cryptic and "out there" as of late. Someday I'll explain it all - it's really not a big deal. In the mean time, thanks for reading and letting me air my thoughts! :)
Monday, April 11, 2005
Farewell Candy Season
This post is a few weeks late.
Candy season ended two weeks ago.
What is "Candy Season" you ask?
Candy season ususally starts in September, if not late August, when all the stores set aside a few aisles for Halloween Candy. The day after Halloween, if not sooner, Christmas candy starts to infiltrate the candy section. By early November Christmas candy dominates the aisle. While shoppers are gobbling up after Christmas Sale items on December 26th, stockers are filling the candy shelves with all things, red, pink purple and sweet. High calorie confections are bestowed on the ones we love on February 14th. On February 15, amongst the 75% off candy conversation hearts, the chocolate bunnies arrive. What better way to celebrate the coming of Spring and the resurrection of Christ than with a Reeses peanut butter egg?
Easter candy left early with an early Easter this year. For the next five months, flip flops, bug spray, floaties and sunscreen will dominate most of the Candy season aisles and candy will again be confined to it's regular aisle and the check out stands. Candy season is over. I always feel a bit of relief this time of year.
As the title of this blog suggest, I find myself wondering about a lot these days. I wonder why in a country where 4 out of 10 children age 12-14 are obese, we have 7 month candy seasons? I wonder how much it cost to make M&Ms and Sweettarts take on new seasonal colors and shapes? They would not bother if we didn't buy it. Seems like a lot of money, time and resources spent on fluff. And hey, I am all for fluff from time to time...But 7 months out of the year? I wonder if we are dedicating more of our time and creativity to fluff, while issues of real substance are left far behind. Have we become a Candy Culture?
But what I really wonder about is me. Have I bought the lie that the Candy Culture sells? Do I spend more time, energy, and money on fluffy irrelevant things, ignoring the very things that meet my basic needs for substance? Am I a Candy Christian? Do I stock the shelves of my soul with fluffy sweet pleasures more times than I feed on the basics necessary for a healthy, active, growing faith? Where do I spend my time, my energy, my emotion? Is there too much "candy" in my life? Is life made sweet by the fluff or by the fruits of labor, dicipline, devotion and unselfish love?
Much to ponder as I bid Candy Season a fond farewell.
Friday, April 08, 2005
Supercalifragilisticexpealidocious
Mary Poppins said to use this word whenever you don't know what to say. Well here it is
Supercalifragilisticexpealidocious.
The biggest "issues" in my life right now are completely unbloggable. Not bad or good, just not bloggable. I like how DJG described these moments as trying to ignore the elephant that is sitting in the center of the room. I have found that when I can't talk about something,, that is all I can think to talk about! UUUGGGHHH! So pardon me for a while blog world! Would someone plaese pass the creamed corn?
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
How 'bout those LADY BEARS!!
Ok I am usually not a big Baylor fan. Why would I be?
But that has changed some this year. Kolby started my conversion. She thinks of Baylor as the home team. She loves the Baylor Bear. She loves Baylor football games where she sees all her little friends. Then Rhett started cheering for Baylor. Anytime someone is in a Green/Gold/ or White uniform, he is sure it is Baylor. Rob is such a sports fan... it didn't take him long to adopt the Bears. Our next door neighbor is an assitant coach for the mens basketball team. So the neighborhood( like all of Waco) is very pro- Baylor.
This year Kolby's first grade class has three PALs from the Jr High & High School who come and read with them. This semester, Makenzie is Kolby's favorite PAL. As it turns out, Makenzie's Mom coaches the Lady Bears. So now of course we have had to watch evey minute of every game to see if we could spot Makenzie in the crowd. In the process I have become a big Lady Bears Basketball fan! How could you not love this team and coach? I thought I was going to have a heart attack during Sunday Nights game against LSU when the Bears were down by 15 and came back to win. What a great game!
Rob is wearing his BU polo shirt to work. My kids are wearing their Baylor shirts to school with pride today. Tongiht we will let them stay up to watch the game. Rob has a softball game at 9:30pm but we are praying very hard for rain. ( We even comtemplated a "Bull Durham rain out" but didn't want to get thrown in the slammer. Not that big of fans...yet!)
It's sorta fun to be a fan, especailly when "your" team is playing for a national title. All of Waco will come to a screeching halt tonight at 7:30. We will be here watching with great anticipation as the Lady Bears and Coach KMR play in the NATIONAL Championship game! Just one win away from a National title! WOW!
GO LADY BEARS!!!
Sunday, April 03, 2005
Once adored?
Rosie O'Donnell blogs.
i'm not suggesting
that you read it
you can't comment on it.
everything is a poem-like
though don't think
that is her intention
she writes well, spells bad
to that i can relate
the "spells" part anyway
the blog is called
Once Adored
is she not adored any more
does she think that
coming out
made her unadorable
did it
she really does
not like the president
to put it mildly
i do
to put it midly
i wonder if they ever met if she
would like him more or less
somehow i doubt they ever
meet on common ground
Seems this rose is always sad
Beneathe the laughter
Under the spunk
In the whirlwind of her fight
For homosexual human rights
She just seems a bit sad
mother died of cancer
father couldn't see her
turned to the theater
she let the culture raise her
did she have another option
always make us laugh
does she also make us cry
she seems nice
seems to care about others
seems to want to do good
seems scared.
things aren't always
what they seem
but sometimes they are
Jesus still loves rosie o
doesn't he
i think i need to remember
that the person i judge
is loved by God even if
not loved by me
aren't they
well that's it for my
"rosie" blog
feeling way to weird
it's really not my style
i just like plain
sentence typing
must go rescue
the living room
from small
mess monsters
Happy Monday!
Saturday, April 02, 2005
No Saturday
No birthday parties.
No meetings.
No games.
No traveling.
No dinners or luncheons.
No playdates.
No sleepovers.
No grocery stores.
No malls.
No errands.
This is the Saturday of nothing.
It only comes around once every few years.
I relish every nothing filled moment of it.
No more blogging.
Happy Saturday!
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