hello stranger

well it is a week for reunions for me. On Saturday I trek down to the Gig to attend my 10 year high school reunion. Whoa (like Joey on Blossom). I am looking forward to it. Should be interesting at the very least. I have harangued some good friends into going so at the very least it should be fun to see them. And meet their husbands :)

I don't know why but I keep thinking that various other people should go to, random people. Like some friends from DTS and Summer Staff and Brad and Brady and Mark and Lori and Mags, basically if all of my small group could come with me, now that would be fabulous.... basically people that have been a part of my last ten years, I want them there too. THAT would make it the complete package weekend of remembrance. Impossible I know but this girl, whose love language is time, can dream right?

I really annoy myself that I don't blog more. Right now the vice that prevents writing is How I Met Your Mother Seasons One thru Three on generous loan from SIL Caren (who has MOVED TO OLYMPIA, PRAISE JESUS!) Marcus and I are currently addicted... he actually just walked in from being gone all day at basketball camp and asked, "Wanna watch some How I Met Your Mother?"

Okay, so you are probably like "blah blah blah Sara, where are pics of the wee ones?" I will post some of those soon too. And give you a couple vignettes. Beau has four molars and can climb onto the couch. This afternoon he actually stepped straight off the couch and ATE it. Poor Dude! He is also very jibberjabbery and has the most expressive lips often thrusting them out in a hyperpucker when concentrating. Bradie got the expressive eyes and Beau has this funny little mouth that tells a story. He also gives real hugs now that are beyond precious.

Bradie is doing well. She is very sassy and disrespectful at times and we are working on that. It is very hard actually. I pray for wisdom all day and for patience and try to ask her "what is going on in your heart, Bradie?" She asked for some privacy to pray the other day and I do all in my power to remember the sweetness of that moment and to let it encourage me to keep runnin' that race! She is also very tan and very blonde and if she looks like this at fifteen we are in for it :)

I think that is all for now. Pictures soon. We really should talk more often.

whoa

If you haven't, please check out Amber and Andrew's Blog about THEIR son, Levi!

So tonight my walk was one of celebration. And the brown bunny was back again in his powerline meadow, enjoying a fuchsia sun sinking into the horizon.

I am still smiling! Here's to believing God!

stop and smell my blog

I just went on a four mile sunset walk. Why this is my first one of the season is an embarrassment and a mystery. But my swollen heart finally forced me out to pound the pavement and sing praise. Sometimes the praise was in my heart and sometimes it slipped out. The brown bunny that lives in the blackberry bushes near my house may have heard me.

Sometimes I feel so giddy with God that I feel...skippy...school girlish... what is the word I seek here? So with all the responsibilities of my life I don't have chances to chase these feelings, to dwell in them, to turn my cheek up and out to receive that holy kiss unique to these sweet moments. But tonight I did.

My thoughts kept coming back to a sweet little boy I met a few weeks ago, without a home, without a mommy and a daddy to cherish him. I stared at that little face, dumbfounded... God where is his mommy?! I could kick my heels still thinking about this little boy NOW- placed by the hand of the Father into a home with a mom and a dad to LOVE him!

And now with the same exuberance of faith I am praying along with so many others for another little boy. He's waiting. In an orphanage. In Ethiopia. And my friends are waiting here for him, their arms empty but full of a kind of faith that seems excruciating and beautiful all at once. The hinge here is locating the birth mom. I know her name and I pray for her everyday, that she is okay, that she is blessed, that God's angels have her surrounded and will lead her to a place where the people that need to locate her can.

Savior,

He can move the mountains.

My God is mighty to save...

Forever

Author of Salvation

He rose and conquered the grave

Jesus conquered the grave

It can be done.

hamantaschen...

I don't usually do this, but Ellen is kind of a blogger hero of mine and I know she'll appreciate a food post.

Half the batch looks like this...

And half look proper like this... please ignore the Life cereal peaking out :)
Man! This dough is crumbly! Not that I was expecting pie pastry but WOW! I kept thinking I should have added more fat, or a splash of milk or another egg... but they taste pretty good. Maybe its the whole wheat flour. Hindsight internet research has shown me my missteps that I can rectify if I ever make this again.

I kind of like these alot....trying not to OD on the prune puree!

Also Ellen, I would like to know what your favorite companion book is to P&P. I'd love to read some professional analysis. Cheers!

Beau's first Oreo!
We went on a hike this past, glorious Saturday. The temperature was perfect, Beau took a morning nap, Bradie was wearing pants... the only hitch in our giddy-up was that we were about 4 weeks early for this hike. Our car couldn't even make it to the trail head because of some deep snow patches tucked into the remaining spring shade. We walked for a while and then hit a snow FIELD and had to turn around. Some hardcore-types told us they used snow shoes for that section. Oh well, it was still a great day meandering on the Mountain Loop highway along the (stillaguamish?) river.

On our way up some glimpse of the north cascades would come into view and I would excitedly point them out to Bradie. Appreciation for beautiful mountains was instilled in me by my parents. That and also birds of prey... yes I am the crazy lady swerving on the freeway because she's sure that's a bald eagle circling overhead! Seriously my mom has lived in Gig Harbor for almost 35 years and she will still tell me "you should have seen the mountain today!" I love it.

***ETA***

After I hustled this post I consumed some How I Met Your Mother and finished my Esther study. I was so inspired that I traipsed (in the dark too, and silently, like a ninja) downstairs and did the prep for Hamantashen, or Haman's hat. Yes, I am two months late for Purim. Yes, I am a Gentile. But Beth Moore has this recipe in the back of her book and I am weak when it comes to NOT trying something new that I have all the ingredients for! I even had prunes! (I tried to tell my anti-pooping daughter that they were giant raisins. No dice.) I am excited to do the cookie cutting and prune butter placing while explaining to Bradie about how God delivered his people from the wicked Haman. Haman was hanged on a gallows he prepared for Mordecai, an upstanding Jew. There's that saying about eating your hat and all.

On an unrelated note: I have been really into Pride and Prejudice lately. I watch segments here and there. I cannot get enough of this story. The night before last I paused during a scene so I could explain a theory to Marcus about why Caroline Bingley is such a nastigram. I was very into my analysis and I am sure you can picture his incredulous look. I informed him that this is like how Star Wars is to some people and my enthusiasm is healthy. Or maybe I need to find a new book to read.

But I just cannot get over the grace. The unearned, self-sacrificing covering over is transcendently romantic to me. I catch my breath every time. So it is much more to me than Colin Firth and his bedroom eyes. So roll your eyes world (Marcus?!) but P&P is here to stay!

I reckon you don't know the Sheriff of Cute. Beware folks he's not a crooked cop but he does have his price... bananas, yogurt and your cell phone might save your life should you dare to cross him. Here's a rare shot of him in his birthday uni. After the bottom photo was captured he actually said to me:

"Lady, you take one more shot of me and I will unload on this couch that is a promise!"

It is serious, Chuck Norris-grade cuteness.

***

There are so many things lately that have crossed my life and mind that I found myself saying to, uh, myself pay attention this is excellent blogfodder. All sorts of quips and nuggets... maybe I do need an iPod touch to record these wims... just kidding, Marcus!

First an update: Thanks to my dear husband and Maggie's frequently flying aunt, I was able to go to Spokane by myself a couple of weeks ago. There I met and snuggled the sweet Lucy baby. SO precious! But even more important I got spend many uninterrupted hours conversing with my dear Maggie. I always walk away from time with her enlightened and blessed- she has a great deal of wisdom and wonderful stories that she never seems too busy to share with me. I could go on and on about Maggie, but I might start to get a little sad that we are so far apart and flood the keyboard!

So what about today? The men folk in our small group decided to play some hoops and take the kids with them! A couple of the corresponding ladies and myself dined at a quaint restaurant in Snohomish and did some meandering. I didn't have to help either one of them finish their breakfasts nor watch them like hawks while in the antique stores- I can't tell you what I treat that is!

Then Marcus replaced one of our back gutters. This is huge. The old gutter produced a drip that sounded like a Barbie was outside hanging pictures in her dream house ALL NIGHT LONG! He had invaluable help from one of the men folk, Troy and I was able to make a dairy free Boston Cream Pie which is actually quite tasty. In case you are curious (Deena!) soy milk custard sets up quite nicely, although soy milked cakes STILL taste dry to me. Whatever. That chocolate top makes up for it. Marcus also found a screen door that fits our back slider and I will most likely have to give up my summer sport of fly swatting to actually scrap book or use my sewing machine.

Oh and Happy Mother's day to all the moms out there! I guess this made up holiday's not SO bad.

:)

zoo? why for?

baby birds nesting in the laundry basket.

Okay, simmer down, baby birds!

Do NOT feed the wild animals. It will cause them to become aggressive and assumptive.