Everything's Amazing

Louis CK said on Conan O'Brien, "Everything's amazing, nobody's happy."  (I urge you watch the video at the link.)  We have so many wonderful things available to us.  We live in a very prosperous country, even if we are having some hard times.  I still think that things may get harder, but we still fly through the air.  We have cell phones and internet.  We have the ability to talk to more openly than ever before about difficult, sensitive subjects.  I don't think that unplanned pregnancy was talked about in newspapers (or even in families) in the 1950's!  We have a black president in a country that went to war over slavery just 150 years ago.  The British haven't had a black prime minister.  And they practiced slavery as well!  We have washing machines and soap that doesn't burn your hands while doing the wash.  I can't believe I complain about doing laundry.  My great-grandmother would box my ears if she heard it.

Is the stimulus bill a hard one to swallow?  Yes.  Is it the end of the world? NO!  The mortage bailout plan is hard too, but we will all live.  We may lose some freedoms, but maybe that's good.  It, hopefully, will help us realize what we have lost.  Then we will have a chance to fight to get those things back.  

Isaiah 58:6-11

Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:

To loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke,

to set the oppressed freee and break the yoke?

Is it no to share your food with the hungry 

and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter-

when you see the naked, to clothe them,

andn not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

Then your light will break forth like the dawn,

and your healing will quickly appear;

the your righteousness will go before you,

and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.

The you will call, and the Lord will answer;

you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

If you do away with the yoke of oppression, 

with the pointing of finger and malicious talk,

and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry

and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,

Then your light will rise in the darkness,

 and your night will become like the noonday.

The Lord will guide you always;

he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land

and will strengthen your frame. 

You will be like a well watered garden,

like a spring whose waters never fail.

Look what I made!

(EDIT:This is a tutu.  Thanks for pointing that out Mom!:)  I wouldn't have realized my mistake!) It is a bit too big for Esther since I tied the knots too big, but that can be fixed.  I also learned that the best tulle for these are found on spools.  The internet is so wonderful!  Much less cutting is required since the spools are 6 inches wide.  I think that I can even wrap it in ribbon.  How wonderful will this be?!

I have to thank my lovely model.  My pearl barley container stood in for a form since I have none!  Too bad I haven't figured out how to get the orange out of photos taken indoors at night!  This is the result of trying to fix the color after the fact in Elements.  Though I did figure out that my card is not big enough to shoot in camera raw.  

He's 9!

He's half way to adulthood.  Have I taught him everything he needs to know?  Will he be the man God wants him to be?  How am I going to finish the job correctly?  He is such a wonderful boy, I so much desire for him to be a strong Godly man.  

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans for good and not for evil, plans to give you a hope and a future."  

Jeremiah 29:11

When he was born this was the verse we had on his wall in his nursery.  I think it's fitting for his life.  What an amazing promise!  

Reluctant Mother

I finally did the Facebook "first born quiz."  I have to say that I have been putting it off because of the shame that goes along with my memories of my first pregnancy.  Abraham wasn't planned.  He was a "honeymoon" baby.  I got pregnant within weeks of getting home.  I was embarrassed and angry.  I saw all my plans went up in smoke.    

Before we got married I told Peter I didn't want kids.  Funny how things work out, huh?  I realized that kids take a ton of work and I believed that kids need a stay at home parent.  I say this not to shine a light on others parenting, but to inform you of how I came to my emotions.  I had all these plans for life that didn't include kids.  I made the immediate decision that I was going to keep going to school and have my career.  Too bad my stomach didn't agree.  Within days of finding out I started having "morning sickness."  What a cruel lie, you know what I mean?  I actually had all day and all night sickness.  When I had my next appointment a week later to have the first meet the nurse time I had lost 10 lbs.  I eventually went into the hospital the first week of school.  I had to withdraw from college which essentially ended my plans for a career. 

Somehow I decided that I would be a good mom to a girl.  I spent almost every moment after I found out I was having a boy trying to deny the truth.  Eventually I decided that he was going to be someone special.  Happily that part turned out to be true.  During that time I was so scared that I wouldn't love him enough.  Happily I was wrong.

When Abraham was born I felt a whoosh of love.  It felt like it was pouring out of me in a warm encapsulating hug.  I wonder even now if God was showing me in just a small portion of His love for us.  I know that it can be explained away with some doctor prattling on about hormones or something like that, but I've had three other kids and it never happened again.  Having Abraham changed me in a profound way.  I wanted to be a good mother rather than just getting by and existing.  

On Monday I spent the day with the kids playing, doing laundry and truly enjoying them.  It helped me remember and reflect on my journey so far as a mother.  What joy God has given to me in the form of four children!  The person I was 9 years ago would be so surprised at who I am now.  I am an unabashed mother who finds such great joy in my role as mother.  I lost it for awhile, but I am so glad to be back in this place.

Waterford

The first time I saw this village ten years ago I was sad.  Not because of any emotional thing but because I didn't have a camera.  Fortunately this time I brought a camera.  And I am so pleased that it didn't change in the past ten years.  The city is starting to encroach but hopefully the village will be able to keep it at bay for as long as possible.  It was in 1733.  The first thing I noticed ten years ago was the height of the doors.  And the charm of the village spoke to me in general. 

This is the schoolhouse there, I wonder if the children might still use the school.  

Look at how short the doors are on these houses.  Most of the houses in the village were built before 1840.  These I believe were most likely built before 1800.  

 

Going on a trip!

I get to go see my mom in Virginny.  Actually I will quite close to DC.  Be still my beating heart!  I always wanted to say that even though it is not really applicable here.  I am so excited.  I most likely won't get to go do any touristy things, but just being there somehow brings history to life.  And this time I will have a camera with me.  Oh, the fun!  I can't wait to take wonderful, beautiful pictures of our awesome capital.  I have been trying to talk Peter into moving to DC since we got married.  Poor guy, he thinks I'll stop one day. I am taking Esther and Samuel there with me.  They have second cousin's once removed or something like that there.  I will have to figure that out.  Oh, and I get to see my cousin Abby.  What joy!  It's been 7 1/2 years.  She in 6 weeks younger than me and we grew up together.  I am beyond excited.  

There is only one hitch.  I am totally entrenched in a "western" (Ruth slang for underdeveloped) wardrobe.  Oh, the shame!  I mostly have fleece, yoga pants and tanks.  Okay so I have a bit more, but not much.  Well, I will just have to keep my "good" clothes mess free to be in optimum usage.  Right? Right!!