Susie Q's game...My Favorite Things

Because my kids are at camp, and I have a few extra moments to focus on, well...ME, I thought I'd join in on Susie Q's fun at Rabbit Run Cottage. Without further ado, "these are a few of my favorite things..."

Sport: Pro Football ('Hawks v. Broncos Superbowl!)
Color: Periwinkle-blue
Movie: Love Actually
Broadway play I have seen: Robin Hood
Broadway Musical I have seen: Les Miserables
Song: It Is Well With My Soul
American city I have visited: San Francisco
Foreign city I have visited: Tie: London/Amsterdam
Book: A Separate Peace
Children's Book: The Giving Tree
Recent television show: Grey's Anatomy
Actor: Hugh Grant
Actress: Meryl Streep
Perfume: Cashmere by Donna Karan
Food: Mexican
Dessert: Warm brownies with ice cream and fudge
Chain Restaurant: Macaroni Grill
Local Restaurant: Galo de Oro
Car: one with a driver
Condiment: hummus
Kitchen Appliance: dishwasher
Home Appliance: DVR
Beauty Product: lip gloss
Piece of clothing: Jeans
HGTV Show: any-not a big HGTV watcher, but love to lurk
Food Network show: Iron Chef
Author: CS Lewis
Male Songwriter: Billy Joel
Female Songwriter: Sarah Groves
Holiday: Christmas
Ballet I have seen: Nutcracker
Disney character: Cinderella
Flower: Pink Rose
Alcoholic drink: Frozen Margarita with salt
Non-Alcoholic drink: Diet Coke
Magazine: Good Housekeeping
Animated movie: Ice Age
Television network miniseries: none
Season: Autumn
Male vocalist: Harry Connick Jr.
Female vocalist: Sarah Maclauchlan (sp)
Day of the week: Sunday
Household Chore: Laundry, i guess
Ice Cream: Dulce de Leche
Candy: Reeses Fast Break
Artist: my children
Quotation: “See everything; overlook a great deal; correct a little." ~Pope John


Now, how about YOU? Are you playing too?

And a bonus topic for you: What's your minimum preparation for going out in public? Are you a quick mascara and lipgloss girl (in the car, no less?), a no-fuss-no-muss-no makeup nor hair production gal, or are you more of a diva, complete with flawless makeup, coiffure, and matching (stain-free) outfit?

I find, as I head towards 40, my cuteness w/o effort is sorely and quickly escaping. I usually put myself last in the old getting ready department, so my car is often my beauty salon. Rest assured, I wait till I'm at a stop light before mascara or anything d.a.n.g.e.r.o.u.s. goes on. I think, though, based on my lack of organic cuteness, I'm going to have to schedule at least 10 minutes more into my daily routine because I'm starting to be a bit embarrassed going out in the facial nude, so to speak. What say ye?

Lorna, I heart you! I just finished the best book!

Lorna Landvik, I heart you so deeply. In the most appropriate way of course.

I just finished The View from Mount Joy. This book. THIS book is so wonderful. So fresh. So sweet. I loved it from beginning to end, and was kinda mad at old Lorna for ending the story.

The book's protagonist is Joe Andreson, a Minnesota home town boy who in a George Bailey-esque (but-not-as-bitter-as-George-Bailey) never really leaves to do the things he envisioned himself doing in life. The novel follows Joe from his class of '72 stint as a school newspaper reporter/hockey star to about the present time. Joe is an every day guy, but he lives an extraordinary life. He faces real life tragedy and loss, as well as incredible blessing and joy. What grabs me so much about this story is the way Landvik paints his humility and his optimism in his relationships with other folks. His family, both in the narrow sense of the nuclear family and in the broad sense of community is everything to him. If you're looking for a plot-filled novel in the extreme, this is not the book for you. Rather, The View from Mount Joy is more of a character-driven look at one man's life amidst unexpected circumstances. It may sound very predictable, and in that sense, it IS a plot-filled book--not predictable. What becomes predictable is that one wishes Joe were her neighbor or friend.

Probably one of my favorite books in the last 5 years.

It's a New Book Review...Fun For All of You...

Sorry...I was channeling a theme song to one of my childhood's lame TV shows, The New Zoo Review. Because the New Zoo Review was...fun for all of you...Get it?


Anyhooo...I don't profess to being a great book reviewer, but I lurrve to read, and I was so tickled when I found a new author who really sparked my interest.


I read the novel sister mine, by Tawni O'Dell. Yes, I know you're supposed to capitalize titles. But Ms. O'Dell chose not to in her book. Who am I to judge?

Again, anyhoo...Don't you just love it when titles have many layers and/or multiple meanings to them ? You'll find that with this book.


Sister Mine is a chapter in the story (I think a sequel, actually) of Shae-Lynn Penrose, a tough-as-nails, yet tender and bruised soul. O'dell uses Shae-Lynn's voice to describe the life and, sometimes, death in a Pennsylvania coal mining town. The characters are all deliciously flawed and real, and very vivid. The main storyline has to do with Shae-Lynn's life and coping skills after the sudden disappearance of her little sister, Shannon. The story revolves around how the abusive beginning of her life yields her constant neediness. Whether needing to serve. Needing to forget. Needing to be safe. Needing to move forward.


This is a quickly paced novel, and is full of the things I like: excellent writing, and redemption. I like that O'dell finds redemption in her characters w/o tying up all the ends in a neat little bow. I will definitely read the first of this series--in fact it's on hold at my library--Mer, you're so not the only one! I luuuurve my library! And the ones on Whidbey Island are in the same region as the one near my house on the mainland, so I can return my books in any old book return. Woot woot! Okay...I really went down a rabbit trail. Good thing I love rabbits...


I just saw on Amazon that if you like Jodi Picoult, you would enjoy Tawni O'dell. I tend to agree. I also saw that she was chosen for Oprah's book club for her previous novels. Now, you may think Oprah is whack--and I don't disagree--but she's a very well read woman. Okay...enough tidbits.


Soli deo Gloria!

It Must Be Time for a Meme...

I saw this little ditty at Boomama's, and I felt like boring you with all my trivia playing along, so voila! Feel free to play along. I won't tag anyone though.

What were you doing 10 years ago?

I had a 1 month old and a 2 year old. Enough said? ;) We were living in Castle Rock, CO and were enjoying the 90+ degree heat w/o air conditioning. But it's a dry heat. Really. We also had 2 rabbits and one crazy lab/span/ret. mix dog named Sara.
Favorite Snacks

rice crackers and hummus with lots of garlic

diet Coke over ice

a scoop of peanut butter with either choc. chips or raisins in it

pretty much any form of cheese--especially from the farmer's market

milk chocolate--okay, Reeses Fast Break. I can't call it a favorite snack because I have a t.i.n.y modicum of control (thank you Jesus!), but if I could eat them all day, I would.

To Do List
My to-do list is the biggest farce! I have a word doc of my day in 15 minute increments, which I sometimes fill out completely. I like a sense of accomplishment. However, 2 things work against the scratching out of items on said list:

• I lose time/misjudge how long something will take to complete.
• I'm sorta d.i.s.t.r.a.c.t.i.b.l.e.

Sometimes, when I'm really desperate, I write down an item I've completed just so I can have something to cross off. I know. Pathetic.

Jobs I Have Had

• babysitter (oh, kill me now), receptionist, baker at Cindy's Cinnamon Rolls, cashier and peon at Daylight Donuts, English comp. tutor, speech-language therapist specializing in the neuro population of patients (e.g. folks who have had brain injuries or strokes), full time mom and volunteer (e.g. school, Girl Scout leader, choir/worship team)

Places I Have Lived

• Born: Iowa City, IA
• Lived: Iowa City; Camarillo, CA; Tucson, AZ; Porterville, CA; Boone, IA; Ft. Collins, CO; Boulder, CO; Castle Rock, CO; Mill Creek, WA

Bad Habits

• procrastination, worry, caffeine, eating too much--especially spicy food which gives me reflux, but I don't care and eat it anyway..., impatience, too quick to speak

Random Things People May Not Know

• My parents divorced when I was five. I went years w/o seeing my dad.
• My mom died 2 weeks before I turned 30, and it was a blessing to both of us. She was a tortured soul, whom I loved so very much. But I would've loved to hate her, too. I'm so glad she's in heaven where God can take care of her. My biggest relief was her salvation.
• I moved around a ton until 4th grade. Then we stayed in the same school district (despite little moves here and there) until I graduated high school.
• I was not a church-goer at all until 7 years ago. God waited so patiently and faithfully for me, and I have n.e.v.e.r. looked back.
• I was resentful for a time re: taking my kids to church by myself. But I got over it. It was hard though.
• I bit my nails until I was 19, and now they're thin--the only thing on me that is!--and sharp, and I have to keep them short. I don't bite tho. Unless, you know, I have to, given a snag or something.
• My ears are hypersensitive to sound, but I love to sing in my choir and on the worship team at my church
• It wears me out though. I usually need a nap after all that praisin'.
• I only wanted one child. But I was so enamored with David that even whilst sitting on my donut for (ahem) my tender hindquarters, I told Big, "We have to do this again! He's a miracle!" And he is. And so is she.
• I'm left handed.
• I love movies. Especially ones like "Love Actually"

CDs I would want if stranded on an island

• Billy Joel "Stranger" or "Piano Man", or "Turnstiles". Mercy Me, John Mayer, Michael Buble, some random 70's K-Tel mix.

What I’d Do if I Were a Billionaire
1) Pay off anything that needed to be paid off.
2) Buy a place on Maui and a beach front place on Whidbey or Camano or in B.C. somewhere--small compounds actually, so our guests could stay forevah...

3) Put aside a chunk-o-money for the kids' college / mission trips / grad school / whathaveyou. 4) Refuse to live extravagantly. Well, beyond having some sweet massages and pedis, mind you.
5) Donate generously to my church and other organizations my husband and I support, like World Vision.
6) Take lessons on guitar, piano, and own one of each. Maybe 2 guitars.

There you have it.

Wisdom from the Spirit?

1Cor2:9-10
However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" but God has revealed to us by his Spirit."

Hmm...

Does anyone but me have a difficult time "picturing" the Holy Spirit? That is, picturing It/Him as clearly as you picture God or Jesus? Is it just me that leaves the Holy Spirit as a less-than-holy-forgotten-step-child? I don't know why this is. He (I'll call it "He") is God's counselor to us, and yet, maybe this is because of my nondenominational church--which is a great Bible based church--or the fact that I didn't really darken the doorway of a church until 7 years ago, but the Holy Spirit doesn't seem so big...so real. And yet, He is all we're left with on earth. Isn't He?

I pray for the Holy Spirit to fill me. I do. I pray for wisdom and discernment. Usually, however, I pray to God or Jesus. I say "Lord", and that fits them both, I suppose. Maybe it fits all three. I mean no disrespect in this post. I'm merely musing about the fact that my triune God seems...well...diune at times. I know in my head that this isn't true. But it bugs me. Jesus gets all the press for coming to earth as a man and leaving his Godness behind--except for being perfect and all. God is the Creator of the universe. Both of them have been around since the before the beginning of time. It makes sense then, that the Holy Spirit has also been around since then. I guess I'm just not feeling it. Does it matter if I feel it? Does it matter if I attribute my wisdom or discernment (yes, I have some of each, but usually not at the same time!) to Jesus or God or to the Holy Spirit? Because they are one, does it matter? I think it must matter to some degree because the Spirit is indwelling me. How is that related to God or Jesus? Is it a representation of both?

I'm not expecting big answers, but in reading some of the Bible--and the above verse in particular--it started me thinking. I know...a mind is a terrible thing. ;)

So...what say ye?

Soli Deo Gloria! xxxooogretchen

Wordless Wednesday

Becky, Becky, Becky...You Crack Me Up

Hi,

If you want a laugh, and have a few minutes to spare, go fill your cup with a hot/cold one, and go here. You won't regret it.

Don't Hate Her Because She's Beautiful: Blog Friends Unite!

Yeah...I had to use that mantra--luckily, not too often. Because we had fun. F.U.N. And her beauty is far more than skin deep. She is genuinely a beautiful person both inside and out.

It was a long day for GGG (God's Guitar Girl), because not only did she have a 75 mile journey, but did so with a puking daughter. Carsickness is not for the faint of heart. Detour to Walmart for new clothes, THEN to Gretchen's.

I won't go on and on here except to say. MIRL was awesome. Some of my friends and my hubby asked me if it was "weird" at all. Nope. I felt like thru email and hearing her voice on the phone, that we were friends already. I cherished our day. From chatting with her adorable children who, as it happens loved Capri Sun that day, ;) to chatting with her about this, that, and the other thing, it was easy and, well...easy is the best description. I didn't feel awkward, and I hope she didn't either. Easy like walking the beach, looking for sand dollars. Easy like sharing a cobbled together junky picnic lunch and diet Cokes...Easy like a glass of wine on the deck whilst the children watched a bit of Noggin.

Thanks for visiting my part of the world, GGG. I had so much fun and can't wait to do it again.

xxxooogretchen

How About Some Brain Lint? Some Rhine?

Last Friday was Big's 41st b'day. I surprised him by asking another couple to dinner at a favorite restaurant for his b'day, so we had fun dining with them. I shared with Big (because he's a man, and a g.o.o.d. man, but still doesn't remember important things) that 20 years ago, I did the same thing. A surprise party at a restaurant. There were a few more friends and we were...ahem...much younger, but still. Being the introvert that he is, I think getting a surprise at 21 and 41 is about his speed. Then, the day after his b'day (yesterday), he went to China.

I try to be a biggest girl whilst he's away. Really, I do. It's just...I don't do it well. I'm okay with the one.less.person.to.cook.for. idea, as well as the looser schedule. But I'm not one who does well with this change every 3 weeks. And I don't like having him gone. I try. I pray. I try some more. I try to get out of God's way. But the truth is...I just miss him and want him here. Yes, the petulant 5 year old in me--sometimes she's more evident than at others, but she's always here--can't quite see why I can't have my cake and eat it, too. There are no support groups specifically for those of us with spouses who travel--unless for example, you're in the same boat with a bunch of others like those who live on or near a military base when their spouses are on deployment. Not comparing myself or my angst with anyone of that situation, except to say that when my husband is away, all my friends' husbands are home, and so we don't really do much in the way of socializing until mine comes back (at least as families). Also, as much as I love the fact that we have emailing and texting and phone calls, our relationship seems reduced to 5 minute soundbites here and there. We don't go too terribly deep on conversations because of the time change. He's tired or I'm tired, or he's running to work, calling me on the fly. He's makes a very good effort at communicating. It's just different than being together.

The problem with all this? He loves and feels challenged by what he does, and it pays him enough that I can stay home. Dilemma, anyone? So...I'm working on this friends. Little by little. The truth is, I'm well OVER his going to China. Beyond finished with it. But...he still needs to go. About once a month. So, I strategize and pray. Strategize with ways to fill my time to occupy the family and me without doing too much or too little, and of course trying to build up appreciation for rather than resentment of Big during this time away from each other. Plan outings. Plan hobbies. Plan a sitter now and then. Pray for peace. At times, though, it's overwhelming.

So, I could belly ache and rhine (rant+whine) all day, but I want to do something a bit more constructive. Help! What do you do when you m.u.s.t. wear your big girl panties and it's a task that you loathe doing? Do you turn that loathe into like? How do you avoid the pitfalls of resentment when your spouse does something that you wish he wouldn't do? How do you turn that frown upside down. I feel like Paul's description in Romans--I know what I need to do, and still fall short. I spin my wheels at times, and that doesn't help anyone. Yes, I pray. Yes, I read the Word. But, when I'm in "the waiting", I still have to live life. How do you cope with this?

Or am I nuts?

I thought so.

For some reason, Blogger is not allowing me to make paragraphs, so you'll just have to cope with everythingrunningtogethersotospeak.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Happy 12th Birthday, David!

Hi, History Boy turned 12 yesterday. And he's okay with his name being public. So, this is David. And here are 12 amazing things to love about him:

12. He loves mac and cheese. I mean l.o.v.e.s. it! No portion is too big or too cheesy.

11. He loves Gus, his one-eyed, no-nosed 11 year old Teddy Bear.

10. He's called History Boy because, funny enough, he loves history. If you have any questions, just ask. He'd like to be a history professor when he grows up.

9. Favorite era in history? All of them.

8. He loves it when his reading of history and reading of the Bible enrich each other.

7. Lord of the Rings freak.

6. Goes barefoot in hopes of creating Hobbit feet. (ahem...he's nearly there--his feet are eeeewy!)

5. The escavation of his room should be a Dirty Jobs episode. A favorite show, BTW. :)

4. No portion size of pancakes is too large, either. Preferably with r.e.a.l. maple syrup.

3. He is a faithful and loyal friend.

2. His bear hugs could crush a small elephant. He's very affectionate.

1. He still loves his momma.

May the Lord bless and keep you, David. May His face shine upon you and give you peace and may He be gracious to you. And may I always be as grateful as I am at this moment for your presence in my life. In Jesus' name. Amen.

It Shoulda Looked Worse

Hi,

We're having a lovely 4th of July weekend. Went to a parade. Temps in the 70s. Saw so many fireworks around the bay, that we didn't even need to go to a public display. Other than breathing through a layer of my hoodie to alleviate my asthma symptoms from the smoke, which were also flaring due to the grass, weeds, trees, and mold, it was a blast. No pun intended. An absolute blast.

So today, I woke up at 8:30, worried that I wouldn't have time for my "quiet time" before the thundering herd bounded to the kitchen. I needn't have worried. History Boy didn't arise until 9:30, followed by Big at 10:30 and Drama Girl at 11ish. Needless to say, I had plenty of time to read the first million chapters of Joshua. I chose to go slowly, though. I read right till after God held back the river Jordan. It was great, though. Quiet time to read, to meditate, and to pray. All good.

Then, we headed to the local Farmers' Market, where we had the most beautiful, delightful, amazing quart of strawberries that $9.00 could buy. Additionally, we couldn't head out without buying some (well, 2 kinds, actually) Gouda, some apple cinnamon coffee cake, and some colon-blow-seed-sprouting bread. All good. Home we went, with feast in tow, happy as little clams.

Well, it had to end...the bliss and all. First, it was the weeding. After taking my allergy pill, I put on my big girl panties and cowboy hat and pulled weeds for 2 hours from the rocks in our driveway. Alas, even beach houses get weeds. Well, I accept that. Wasn't so bad, actually, because Big and I got to kneel, grunt and sweat side-by-side. Oh, get your mind out of the gutter...so mine can slide by. Weeding.

After weeding, we decided to take the kids to the beach. All of them. Knowing, that at least 2 would need baths after we returned because our beach has a mud field to cross before one arrives at Nirvana. Okay, so we set off. Great time. A little mud. Not bad. Spent time just watching the furry kids run and play and yell "leave it!" whenever they tried to drink the water.
Enjoyed the human kids saying, "look at this!", and "Fort Stinky lives!" After all that fun, it was time to get home. After all, it had been nearly 4 hours since we had last eaten, and our bellies were fairly touching our backbones. I took Annie, the Golden Retriever, and leashed her back up, so we could cross the field of muck together. Except I was tired, so I thought I'd go the short way.

Right.

The short way consisted of me wading in mud up to my mid thigh, pulling on my poor, faithful dog for balance. The short way also consisted of my husband laughing from a sand bar, snorting enough to say, "Are you alright?", while our daughter looked for a piece of driftwood long enough to pull me to safety. Oh, I made it alright. And so did Annie. But we smelled of the vilest filth you ever smelled. Black, greasy, stinky, decomposing mud.

After that, the long way was just fine with me. I prefer to die when I'm oooooollld and in a lovely bed with someone holding my hand telling everyone how lovely I was, NOT by quicksand.

So after that, it was time to bathe the dogs and get dinner ready.

And then...sweet Jesus...I got to go to the store...alone. :) Which brings me to the point of this post. As I was carrying my groceries to my car, my little flip-flopped clad foot slipped between the lip of the sidewalk and the asphalt of the parking lot, and my toes were amputated right there and then in a sting of pain so mighty that I uttered a grunt. Not a scream, a cry or a whistle, but a sucking in air g.r.u.n.t. Meanwhile, I'm moving to get myself and my groceries into the van, desperately attempting to smile amidst the blood-curdling wail I held in my chest. Oh, the pain. The pain!

When I was fully seated in the van, I looked down to survey the damaged, amputated tootsies, and to see if I could stop the flow of blood. My eyes must've been deceiving me, as eyes often do, because all I saw were two little scrapes on top of my toes and some scratched off red toenail polish.

But I know the truth. They were amputated on the inside. I felt it. I still do.

I know, I know. The moral of the story is to wear sensible shoes. But, I'm not flylady. I just can't. Unfortunately, I've stubbed more toes and broken them more times than I care to count. Why, oh why are shoes the answer, and yet so NOT the answer??? Does anyone else eschew the good sense of sensible shoes?

Warning: Picture overload.

This is probably about how we'll spend 4th of July...

• Seeing if the 11.5 year old wiener dog can still swim...
• Soothing the Golden Retriever's allergy skin (We call her "Patch" because that's the type of family we are...) in some brackish Sound water
• Building forts; I'll be sure and wear something a bit more flattering. But the cowboy hat s.t.a.y.s.
• Taking too many pictures of bald eagles and thanking God that we live in the land of the free because of the brave.
• Thanking God for my family and His splendor. I can't imagine how He made what He made.
• Thanking God for my bloggy sisters and their families, and hoping they have a delightful weekend.

Genesis 1:31 (NIV)

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good...

The Terror of Chips

Hi,

I went out with my daughter for some lovely Mexican food last night, complete with chips and salsa and (1) margarita--salted, of course. I mean...why bother without salt.? My blog. My opinion. ;) Okay...I digress.

Well...I'm eating and talking when s.u.d.d.e.n.l.y! a rogue chip pierces my upper lip! I am not kidding! I felt the tip spear through the tender flesh, and immediately the eyes started watering as I was trying to listen to Drama Girl's chatter story of her recent sleepover. Well, as I daubed my bloody lip and surveyed the damage, I realized that eating the salsa and (more) chips would be out of the question, as would be my enjoyment of a salted rimmed, deliciously blended margarita.

But...I did not let that pain stop me. NO! I pulled on my big girl panties and rose to the occasion. I ate enough chips and salsa to numb that lip really good, and finished my dinner (and drink) with the pride and joy of someone who loves food too much for her own good.

And...this morning, I burned my wounded lip on my latte. But lest you worry--I managed to choke it down, for a caffeinated Gretchen is far better than the decaf variety.

So...have you had any food-related injuries, or is it just me?