Under the Weather

I started out this week feeling a bit under the weather.  Did you ever stop to ponder that phrase, "under the weather"?  Where did that come from?  Anyway, I guess there was weather and I was under it.  Actually, the weather was lovely but I wasn't really enjoying it much.  Nothing dramatic was going on, just a typical upper respiratory infection (nurse talk for a common cold).  It gave me some down time but I couldn't waste it so I crocheted. I did finish the tunisian crochet baby blanket I showed you a week or so ago.  Not to brag, but I was pleased with the final result.

As I crocheted I also spent nearly an entire day watching Netflix.  I just finished the series "Life".  It is about a cop who is framed, spends 12 years in prison, is exonerated and wins a multi-million dollar settlement and then goes back to work as a cop again.  It was entertainment for me anyway.  

Being sick now is sure different than it was for me a decade ago.  Many of you know that when you are raising kids you don't get to just watch tv and crochet when you are sick, you just keep moving anyway.  Also, if my job were different, I'd have kept working.  However, I don't think it would be kind to pass even just a common cold on to our hospice patients.  They have enough to deal with and there were healthy nurses available to take my place.  Anyway, if felt weird to just sit down and relax.  

Who I Am

Jessica Andrews sang a song quite a few years ago that I just loved.  Check it out here.  In this song she is singing about self-confidence derived from knowing who she is and knowing she is loved.  She refers to her family tree and how it is all a part of who she is.  I am fascinated with genetics and this song puts a pretty spin on that.

Maternal Grandparents

Maternal Great Grandparents as Homesteaders

For the most part, my family tree makes me proud.  I don't find perfection but I can find kindness and goodness.  I can find evidence of a good work ethic and strong spirituality.  I can find gentleness and humor.

What if a part of your lineage is a bit painful to examine, though?  I think it is pretty common to look at your family tree and find parts that are a bit shadowy.  It may be hard to see yourself as a direct descendant from someone who's life you do not admire.  How do you deal with that?  It's not like you can carve out pieces of your own DNA.

Or what if you are adopted and don't have the stories or photos of those to whom you are genetically linked?  Does that make you any less YOU?

As fascinating as genetics is it is not the end of the story for any of us.  I know it plays a big part but we have choices.  We have options to who and what we want to be, which part of our genetic heritage we wish to perpetuate.  We have paths to healing.  For me, that path has always been my faith.  I've been chosen to be a part of God's family.  I am wanted.  I am noticed.  I am cared for.  I am strong because I am not alone... ever.

Cupcake Dress for a Cupcake Girl

Cordy LOVES cupcakes!  She like to  make them.  She likes to eat them.  She likes to talk about them.

So, when I saw this, I pretty much had to get it for her now, didn't I?  Last night, when I showed it to her, she was shrugging off her other dress almost immediately.  The cupcake was definitely a hit!

When was the last time something made you that pleased?  Were you able to express your joy or did you feel inhibited?  

Yy

We are about to wrap up this ABC's of Bible Memorization business.  Today I present to you the verse for the letter "Y"...

Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet 

and a light to my path.

Hospice Hilarity

Just so you know, people are allowed to have fun at hospice.

This week we had a training day.  It is mandatory and I rather expected it to involve a lot of sitting and squirming.  Those who planned the day, though, put a tremendous amount of effort into it.  They came up with a circus theme.  When it was time to change workshop locations, circus music would be played overhead.  When we met in the conference room we found animal crackers and those orange candy peanuts set out at our tables.  People were asked to bring white elephant gifts (although some brought nice gifts) to exchange.  There were juggling and balancing acts; we even got to give it a try ourselves! I wasn't good.

Of course there were serious sessions on such topics as public safety, personal wellness, medication titrations and equipment training.  We were given helpful knowledge to enable us to be better prepared to serve our patients.  But, silliness was interspersed in a fashion so as to keep us balanced.

We were all asked to wear a costume of a circus character.  I couldn't come up with any grand idea that I wanted to do and was just going to blow that part off, but then had an idea.  I decided I would be an animal rights activist protesting the carnival.  Sneaky,  huh?  That way I did not have to spend the day in an uncomfortable costume, but I gave the illusion of participation.   I carried a sign.  That's all I did.

OK, I admit that it was rather a feeble attempt to make it appear I was being cooperative.  Perhaps I felt guilty about that but for some reason I did cooperate with a photo opportunity that presented itself.  Actually, one of our hospice aids painted this scene.  I was impressed.

Other people did get into the spirit of the day, though, and even allowed me to take their photos.  

Do any of you have such silliness at your place of employment?

Indulging the Grandmas

I am not Cordelia's only grandma but I am the only one living in the same town.  This is why I must post cute Cordy pictures a lot.   You see, it is kind of my obligation to give the other grandmas a peek at her.   Therefore, I'm not just a bragging grandmother.  I'm only being thoughtful and trying to share.  :-)

Earlier this week I went with Maria and Cordelia to story time at our local library.  Cordy used to be really timid at these events.  Besides the stories there is usually singing time with actions or dancing involved.  We all start sitting on the floor and Cordelia would tell us she was shy and then smoosh herself into either of our laps to just observe the other kids.  Those days have changed!  When we first arrived at the children's section she said she was shy but soon she announced that she wasn't going to be shy after all.  It turns out she was right. What a fun little person to observe!

I tell you what, though, that friendly stuff takes a lot out of a girl!

Birthday Season

It is birthday season in our family.  Do any of you have those times where it is about a birthday a week for awhile?

Last night we gathered to celebrate our daughter, Maria.  She is beautiful, isn't she?  She's just as kind as she is pretty...just so you know.

We had people working on our shower in our bathroom, which had to be replaced.  I've also had the refrigerator repairman here and we replaced the dishwasher and microwave, among other patches and improvements.  I guess it is not just birthday season but also repair season.  Anyway... we just let the bathroom people (not their official titles) work and carried on with our party anyway.

When it comes to decorating, I have been known to go all out.  Actually, that is just a big fat lie.  This little banner is the extent of it for me.  I've used it for years and probably will continue to do so forever.  Oh sure, I've decorated a bit more when the kids were little but not much.  Maria is so much more into that sort of thing but it just didn't seem right to ask her to come over and decorate for herself.

Cordelia helped set the table.

I'd been at work all day so Pizza Hut brought us our meal.  It was so nice of them to cook for us!  I did make vegan cupcakes the night before and frosted them before I left for work.  They were kind of sad looking but they tasted good.

Cordelia is always helpful.  She enjoyed helping Maria blow out candles on the cupcakes. 

Mike was out of town, actually already on his way home, after having been gone a few days.  Since he didn't get home for the party, Eric took photos to send to him.  More specifically, Eric took photos of each of us, separately, wearing Mike's jean jacket and Case Tractor Hat.  That wasn't weird enough.  He also dressed each dog up in Mike's attire as well.  If you are crazy enough to want to see such photos, go here.  I'm not sure how much of that operation was observed by the people working on our bathroom!

No matter how we celebrated, I'm just so very grateful for the chance I had to mother this beautiful person.

Celebrating our Starter Child

Today marks one of the top most important days in my life.  Our first baby, Maria, was born on this day!  I love remembering how I felt as I saw her for the first time.  Meeting this little person that was a mixture of me and Mike was such a remarkable experience!

Maria was an active baby, a precocious toddler and an advanced child.  I once told Mike that she was like a little adult just trying to pretend to be a child so as to fit in with the other children.  She's always been inquisitive and concerned about the world around her.  She was such a joy to raise!

Maria is a wife and mother herself now.  She's an artist a writer and a teacher.  She's creative and kind and beautiful and loyal and forgiving and honest and she's my friend.  She adores her  brothers, laughs at her Dad's jokes and always makes me feel special.  She's funny and knows how to let loose and be silly.  She has deep compassion.

Although she was our starter child, we must have done something right because she turned out to be someone who makes us so very proud.  I hope she knows that.

I thank God for this lovely woman in my life, my daughter.

Recycling Ziplocks

A confusing thing happened recently.  I was visiting with a group of women, very nice women.  They were chuckling about odd things people saved and quaint things people did to save money.  It was a charming little conversation that suddenly took a twisted turn.  One friend, expecting shock and laughter, told how her mom even washed and recycled ziplock bags.  Everyone laughed.....everyone but me.

I just didn't see the humor.

Do you?

Turner, MT and the Wall Street Journal

I grew up a bit like a gypsy child, moving a lot.  Mike,  however, grew up living in the same house.  In fact, after we were married, we lived for about 4 years in that same house.  That house was on a farm about 7 miles away from Turner, MT, very close to the Canadian Border.  I moved to Turner when I was 15, attending 3 years of high school there.  When someone asks me where I am from, I usually just say Turner.  However, among my former classmates, I am likely still known as the "new girl".

The first time our family pulled into Turner I saw a vision that still sticks with me today.  The last several miles into Turner weren't yet paved and all streets in town were gravel only.  It was a windy summer day and tumbleweeds were blowing down main street.  I was instantly charmed!  Looking back I am kind of surprised that I loved it so easily.  I'm guessing most 15 year old girls would have thought they were being punished to have to move there, but I was very excited, not sure why.

My first day of high school I found that I made #13 for our class.  There were only 3 other girls and they all lived about 30 miles from Turner so I usually only saw them at school or school functions.  The boys had known those 3 girls probably their entire lives so I got more attention than I deserved.  Those girls could have hated me but they were nothing but sweet and welcoming to me.  I still think of them quite fondly.

There are some serious advantages to attending a small high school.  In Turner I was able to play basketball.  My first year there was their first year to have a girl's basketball team and there were only 7 girls on the team.  I did not make the starting 5.  I really didn't have a full understanding of basketball and I also had very little natural ability.  Nevertheless, I was welcome to play and I came to really enjoy it.  We didn't win a single game that year but we had a blast!  I do want to tell you that the girls' basketball team did end up having some very good athletes and some very good years.

I was also a cheerleader for 2 years.  Although some of the cheerleaders were truly athletic, I couldn't even do a cartwheel!  I got to run in track and I'm not a runner by anyone's standards.  One the way to one track meet I remember the coach saying he had no one entered in the long jump.  I volunteered.  Then, I asked him to tell me how to do it.  No, I didn't do it well but I did indeed do it!  What do you know?  Sometimes sports can be about fun, even for those who aren't particularly talented.  What a concept!

When Turner held a prom, everyone from junior high age on up would come.  Yes, kids went to prom with their parents and grandparents.  That was the only way to be able to afford a band!  I don't think that was necessarily a bad thing and I imagine to this day it is still open to all.   Like everything else, the whole community is involved.  I've never lived anywhere that knew how to develop a sense of community like Turner, MT.

When Mike & I were ready to be married, my Dad had been unemployed for a time and my parents had struggled financially.  That was no problem.  One kind lady, Bella Sanguins,  made our wedding cake as a gift.

  I think anyone would agree that it was absolutely beautiful!  She even incorporated some of the little silk flowers I'd made for the wedding party bouquets and boutonnieres.

Another lady, Darlene Erickson, volunteered to play for our wedding without charge.  The church ladies put on the rest of our reception in the church basement.  Money doesn't matter so much when you've got a whole community helping you put on a wedding.  Weddings out there are a big social event and everyone comes; funerals are the same.  You see, in a small community, every person is important, valued and known.

To put into perspective a bit of how isolated we were in Turner, we had to drive about 80 miles to get to the nearest McDonalds.  It was about that far to deliver our first baby, Maria.  I will tell you that it is not a fun drive when in labor, but I made it to the hospital.  Not all mothers have been so lucky.

The weather up in Turner can be pretty brutal.  The first year I lived there I remember high school graduation was postponed for a week because a big blizzard had knocked out the power.  That was when I learned how to melt snow to put water in the toilet tank.  Another year, after we were married, Mike & I were snowed in for quite a few days in June!  I guess that is why Turner produces such sturdy people; they grow up learning how to handle tough situations.

Everyone from Turner has stories of people helping each other out there.  My favorite from Mike's family is the story of his Mom driving a bunch of kids to Vacation Bible School or something and having a flat tire.  I may have mentioned that before but it is worth a re-mention.  A local farmer, flying overhead in his small plane, spotted her.  He landed to help her change her tire!  Although the community has built a nice little airport, people out there also land on the roads or homemade runways alongside fields of wheat when needed.

Recently we learned that Turner was given some national attention as it was discovered to be the town in the contiguous US furthest from a major league baseball team.  What a funny thing to discover!  Apparently author Craig Robinson published a baseball trivia book called Flip Flop Fly Ball.  I don't really understand why but sports bloggers then started making some less-than-flattering remarks about Turner and the Turner Community spoke up about that.  I guess all that internet action is what led to the Wall Street Journal's interest in Turner.  It looks like they even sent a reporter out to get info and shoot this video.   The video itself made me a bit homesick, but I also realize it makes Turner look a bit bleak.  The things is, though, in the winter much of the character of the town takes place indoors and wouldn't be seen from this video.

I'd have never guessed that Turner, MT would end up as the lead story for the Wall Street Journal but here it is.  What a weird claim to fame, huh?

Now, having learned all that about Turner, MT, isn't it strange to know that particular town produced this particular fan?  You can read more about him here.

Xx

OK, let's get back to it so we can finish up the ABC's of Bible Memorization.  Is it possible that anyone is actually memorizing them?  Not to worry.  Even if you aren't memorizing them, they are all great verses to at least read.

This week we are on the letter, ummmm, wait a minute.....OK.  Sorry, I had to go back a few weeks to remind myself where we left off before Holy Week.

So, we are on the letter "X".  When Mike made up this list he had to stretch it a bit to make it work but here it is...


2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves 


to see whether you are living in the faith…

Mike's Birthday in our Rear View Mirror

We had a BUSY Friday but I think we got Mike pretty well celebrated.  He was treated to cake/cupcakes on 3 different occasions by different folks.  That was fun and he was very sweeeeeet by the end of the day!

First, some kind ladies brought cake and strawberries to a morning coffee at church.  Maria, Cordy and I joined in.  While there, Mike and Cordy got in a quick game of golf.  Yes, Mike is golfing in his office using a Shepherd's Staff.  That doesn't seem right, does it?  The worrisome thing is, he looked like he'd done it before.  Hmmmm.... well, a lot of people wonder what pastors do all week.

Mike had a lunch committee meeting and there he was treated to a birthday cake as well.  He's sure spoiled!

Late afternoon we had visitors to our house.  Cordy had been planning Mike's cupcakes for awhile.  She was disappointed to learn her Momma wasn't going to let her make them pink, but she managed to get into the fun even if they were blue.  She told us she helped make them and I believe her, even though Maria claims Cordy's "help" was to lick things.  No matter what, they were YUMMY vegan cupcakes!

I just noticed that Eric and Cordelia both folded their hands while we sang "Happy Birthday".  Interesting...

We enjoyed a lovely dinner at a Chinese Restaurant and later went to listen to music at a local coffee shop.   It was especially fun because the band that night, The Blots, features Eric (son-in-law) on the drums as well as vocals.  It was fun watching him!  He's very, very good and we all enjoyed ourselves.  Cordy did some fun head-bobbing and a little dancing.  She was pretty proud of her Daddy.  She doesn't say he's a "member of the band".  She says he's a "bander".  That makes sense to me.

Did anybody else do anything fun Friday night?

I Chose Mike

The best gift I ever chose for my children, and now grandchildren, was a gift I picked out years in advance.  I chose Mike.  Coincidentally, it was also the best choice I ever made for myself.

Mike is a man of integrity, a quality I greatly admire.  People are naturally drawn to him because he is honest and real and kindhearted.  Over and over I have seen him put the needs of others above his own needs.  In fact, his life's work is based on that premise.  He put aside his own dreams when he felt he was being called to be a pastor.  He worked hard for many years, studying through college and seminary, in order to be well-prepared for that calling.

Most people who know Mike do not realize that he doesn't think of himself as a people-person.  That's an odd thing for a pastor, I suppose.  Mike is seriously an introvert, probably also not common for a pastor.  One explanation I read comparing introverts and extroverts said that extroverts get their energy amped up by being around others, whereas introverts are refueled by their time alone.  Yes, Mike is definitely an introvert.  That makes it all the more impressive to me that he spends his days giving of himself to others!

People who get a chance to know Mike quickly learn that he's funny.  He generates a good time like nobody's business!  Our children learned this very early.  Last night Maria, Eric and Cordy were at our house.  It was after 8:00 pm and Mike had been on the go, away from home, since 6:45 in the morning.  I'm certain he was tired.  When he walked in the door Cordelia no longer cared about anything or anyone else; she wanted Grandpa!  She was not to be disappointed.  Grandpa fell right into a game of "chase" and Cordy's squeals of delight made us all smile.  Maria commented that she remembered Dad coming home from work and playing with her like that.  All children should have such memories!

Mike is a man more comfortable in his jeans than anything else.  Recently a friend from church saw him in jeans helping clean our church building.  She chuckled and said how strange it seemed to see him in jeans.  It really brought home to me how differently others see him.  She didn't realize how quickly he puts on his jeans when he's not at work!  Mike at his most Mike-ness wears jeans and holds a guitar.

People from church likely don't think of Mike as an introvert either.  They see a guy who freely and easily preaches to them in a manner more like a friend talking with you.  They see the man teaching them with authority.  They see the man called by God.  They aren't wrong, but there are more sides to Mike than people can see from the church pew.

As a husband, Mike is very supportive.  One of the best examples I can think of to help explain what he is to me is to tell you about the day Sara died.  Sara was my patient when I was an oncology nurse, but she'd also become my friend.  She was a fellow nurse and she was fun and good and kind.  I'd given her chemo off and on for years, from her very first diagnosis, through her relapse.  I'd been part of her palliative care as she slipped toward her death.  I cared about her and her family.  Her husband told me mine was the only non-family photo on her fridge.  The day she died I called Mike to tell him.  Of course she wasn't the first patient I'd had to say good-bye to, and certainly not the last.  Mike knew I had a deep connection with Sara, though. I'd obviously known it was coming and I was relieved for Sara, but it still hurt so much.  When I got home that night, Mike met me at the door.  He didn't say a word but just opened his arms to me and held me while I sobbed for Sara and for all the patients we couldn't save.

Now, before you think our marriage is all about hugs and sweetness, I should tell you how mean he is as well.  You see, today is Mike's birthday.  It is also a very happy day for me.  The thing is, I am 8 weeks older than Mike.  He makes sure those 8 weeks are grueling, often bringing up our age difference.  Today, he turned 54, the same age I've enjoyed for 8 weeks.  He didn't miss a beat, though.  This morning he already pointed out that next year I will be able to order off the senior menus for a full 8 weeks before he will qualify to do so.  See?  That wasn't a very gentlemanly comment now was it?

Nevertheless, I wish a happy birthday to my husband, the jean-wearing, funny, charming, supportive, goofy, honest, kind and sometimes mean introvert!  I love you.  I still choose you.

My First Linky and Blog Hop

First of all, yes, this is my second post today but it is really for tomorrow.    I want to try something new so just ignore this post until tomorrow.  I've been working on this while I should have been finishing up our taxes but tomorrow I ABSOLUTELY will finish up our taxes...maybe.  I've reverted to my old style of posts for the next week.  That is because, after hours of trying, I discovered that the style with the flipcards for some reason will not work with a blog hop/linky set up.  I did not know that.

OK, So I really DO NOT KNOW WHAT I AM DOING but I want to try a Linky.  The problem is, I am not sure what a Linky really is or how it works.  That is not going to stop me from trying, though!

(Yes, that is a photo from an old post and yes, I just wanted to 

use it again because my hair doesn't usually look that good.)

I went to several sites for instruction. They used words like "meme" and "technorati tag".  Huh?  I was about to give up when I found the Linky Tools Site.  I still don't know quite what I am doing but again, that isn't going to stop me.  I have seen blog hops on other people's blogs but I didn't really know what that meant.  Well, the Linky Tools Site shared this explanation...

blog hop is a linky list that is SHARED ON MULTIPLE BLOGS. When several blogs put the same linky list code on their blog, the exact same list appears on each blog. Blog visitors can submit their entries on any blog that contains the list. The entries will appear on each blog where the list resides. Blog readers see the same list on each blog, and can "HOP" from blog to blog seeing the same list of links to follow: BLOG HOP! By designating your linky list as a BLOG HOP, a link will appear below your linky list where your blog readers can get the blog hop code for your linky. If you want to do a 'PRIVATE' blog hop, then do NOT check the blog hop checkbox, and simply share the code PRIVATELY with the other blog owners. Brent Riggs & Linky Tools create the concept of the "blog hop" as it is used on so many blogs today.

OK, so then I had to think of a purpose for this blog hop.  Some people share a "photo of the week" and every blogger that wishes to "link up" to share their photo.  Some blogs have great questions that every blogger that links up answers.  All the bloggers posts show their own answers and the links to the other bloggers posts just show up on all the linked blogs...at least that's what I think.  Those look kind of fun and maybe I will try that in the future.  

For now, I decided maybe I'd ask bloggers to share one of their most thought-provoking posts.  Will that work?  I am just saying "one of" instead of your very favorite thought-provoking post.  That way you won't have to spend too much time deciding which you prefer.  Maybe down the road I'll go for funniest post, most embarrassing post, etc.  Today, though, I am asking for one of your most thought-provoking posts.
Here's one of mine.

For my followers who do not blog, maybe you could leave a thought-provoking comment or quote?  For those who are still having trouble leaving comments, send me a thought-provoking e-mail at onlythemanager@yahoo.com.  OR, I read that you can copy the linky and put it on your Facebook site as well.  I'm not sure but be brave and give it a try!

Remember Who's You Are

Mike went to seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota.  His third year of seminary was his internship year.  After a lot of years of schooling it was exciting to think of where we'd be sent for internship year.  We knew we'd be back at seminary for another year after internship but to experience a year in the real world, away from academia seemed like a big deal at the time.

I admit is was not convenient to uproot our little kids again for that year to move away.  Maria was just a first grader and Ben was only three years old, but things worked out well.   "Away" turned out to be to Wyoming, to the very town where my Mom and most of her side of the family lived.  My brother and his family were there as well as one of my sisters, my Grandma Rose and quite a few of my aunts, uncles and cousins.  I was thrilled!

The congregation to which Mike was assigned was vibrant, to say the least.  It was absolutely FULL of young families and soooo much fun for us.  Mike worked HARD, though.  He was paid very little and put in very, very long hours but the pastor who was his leader, Pastor Hillman, was a great teacher for him.    Our kids loved him.

Maria named him Pastor "He-Man"!

One of the things that Pastor Hillman taught us was actually a parenting phrase.  I remember he and his wife saying that when their teenagers would leave the house to go with friends, they'd say to them, "Remember WHO's you are!"  I loved that.  I remembered that!  Our kids were just little, in fact Sam wasn't even born yet, but I saved that little nugget and used it when they were older, so did Mike.

To me, it could be taken two ways.  It could be a simple reminder that they are part of our family.  They are loved by us and we wanted them to make good choices.  However, our kids knew that we meant more than that.  We wanted them to remember that they were Children of God.  As such, they were loved completely.  Of course, I wanted them to also remember what was expected of them as they made choices of how they wanted to lead their lives.

I don't know if we were just being manipulative parents or if we were on to something truly inspiring...or both.  When you are watching a piece of your heart walk out the front door, though, I think you will try whatever you can to cloak them with your love.  Did our kids make teenage mistakes like everyone else's?  Well, they did make some mistakes and like all teens, they were a "work in progress", but all three developed character strong with integrity.

I still love those words.  I see now that they are words for all of us, not just teenagers.  Every day I know that I face times when my first instinct is to act regrettably.  Maybe I want to snap a snotty comment at the person or tell a less-than-flattering tale about a person so that I will look better by comparison.  I fight those types of urges daily.  I don't always win but I want to try harder to remember Who's I am.

Here's a current song that kind of touches on this subject.  I hope you like it.

Special Orders Don't Upset Me

Do you remember that advertising song that went...

"hold the pickles 

hold the lettuce 

special orders 

don't upset us..."

I could clearly remember the song but wasn't sure who's commercial it was.  It used to be that when you were trying to remember something like that, you had to ask around until someone else remembered.  Often you were just left frustrated.  It's not so anymore.  If you want to know something, just Google it (or Yahoo hit, Bing hit, whatever...).  I typed in those words and this is what I found.  It is so nice that I didn't have to be frustrated wondering, "Was that McDonald's, Hardee's or Burger King's commercial?"

Anyway, I think that song was going through my head because I've been working on some special orders a lot lately.  Sometimes people ask me or Maria to make something special for them.  I love it!  I especially like it when I'm told to do it however I'd like.  Recently my friend, Kim, asked for a girl's baby blanket.  After several false starts I finally realized I really wanted to do some old-fashioned granny squares with some updated colors.  I took a quick photo before delivering it to her.  I made it like a prayer shawl, that is I prayed for the baby who would be using it as I crocheted.  Well, that is not to say that I was praying the WHOLE time I crocheted.  As a matter of fact, I watched several episodes of LOST on Netflix as well.

Apparently Kim knows lots of people having babies.  Now I am working on a blue baby blanket for her.  I chose Tunisian Crochet for that one.  Have any of you ever done that?  It is sort of a cross between crocheting and knitting I'd say.  I'm not sure if I'm supposed to call the tool a hook or a needle.  It has a hook on one end but a stopper like a knitting needle on the other end.  I also have one that has kind of like a soft tail for the back end but I'm not sure where I put it.  Maybe I will do a Tunisian Crochet Tutorial someday...because I'm so good at tutorials. 

Anyway, all I know is I feel kind of cool when I am doing that kind of crochet.  It's kind of a smallish sized hook/needle so this one is taking me some time.  I like the way the stitches look, don't you?

I'm so lucky to have Bode to supervise me.

Actually, he is just watching, hoping I will forget and leave it unattended so that he can chew it up.  I won't!

Simultaneously I've been working on a special order poncho as well. 

 I kind of like having more than one project going at once.  I am never bored!

Do you do things that way... multiple projects at once?

Sunrise Service, a Twirly Dress and Artificial Deviled Eggs

Yesterday was just delightful.  We started out VERY early, leaving for church at 5:30ish in the morning.  The Worship Team was to meet at 6:00 a.m. to wake our voices up for the 6:30 service.  After that early service we were treated to a pancake breakfast put on by our youth.  The Worship Team stays for the second service as well.  I don't mind at all.  I love singing Easter songs...and I have a crush on the pastor. (OK, if you are new to this blog, don't be creeped out.  I am also married to the pastor.)

After church we went to Maria & Eric's for an Easter meal.  While Maria put on the finishing touches, Cordy entertained us with her twirly dress.

Sam talked on the non-functioning decorative phone, which kind of concerned Cordy.  She kept telling him, "There's nobody there Sam, there's nobody there."

Maria prepared a yummy vegan meal for us, including Tofurkey (a soy product that tastes a lot like turkey), asparagus, and the best couscous I've ever eaten.  Note the deviled eggs.  They aren't really eggs at all!  I couldn't believe she made them out of agar powder, soy milk and such!  They were tasty.  I ate waaaaay too much, like I always do at a holiday meal.

After our pie we watched as Cordy checked out her Easter basket.  When she saw the paints she said, "I absolutely love to paint!"  She's just two and I wasn't expecting to hear "absolutely" from her little mouth but it was cute.

Then, it was out to the backyard for the Easter Egg Hunt.  

I invite you to go on over to Petra's blog.  You won't be sorry.  Petra writes beautiful poetry, something that is becoming more and more rare.  She has an especially thoughtful Easter poem posted.

I hope your Easter was as lovely as our's.