Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Like Mother Like Daughter!

Who is who?



I love the fact that we look exactly alike, now that I am the old one!







If I slipped my mother's photo in there we would really get confused!!!





This one is me!

SURPRISE,Surprise!

God knows what He will do for us just like the surprise of the double yolked egg!
We don't know how He will deliver, but He does!

Monday, September 29, 2008

Love and the DISHES!

Auntie spent alot of attention on her dishes. Maybe it was just for my benefit, that she did so. She said, if you are Amy's great-granddaughter, you are a horrible dish doer. It seemed that she took every dish out of the cabinet when I came over. I said Auntie, there are only 3 of you in the house, how do you have so many dishes? She never talked much. She just went about separating all of the dishes from one another so that she could spend specific attention on each dish and each piece of silverware. I remember her concentration and attention to detail and today, I am going to attack that huge pile of breakfast dishes as if I were Auntie. Auntie never had children, herself. That is probably why her dishes were such a concentration. She had no distracting thoughts. Amazing in her mind and thoughts but she shared mostly by doing.
Go do your dishes, Jayne!

Saturday, September 27, 2008

2 teens, 1 fourthgrader and 1 kindergartener watch the debate with mother and father!

Just like the family in the old days sat around the radio to listen to the debates, we sat around the computer. We found out that we could watch it that way and even though we have a huge tv and only a regular sized computer, it was more comfortable for us to sit on laps and search out the expressions on the faces of the "debateurs".
Like a sword fight or a boxing match, back and forth they bantered, using high speech and big words and emotional dialog and political jargon and we were glued. Every 4 years it happens in this fair land. We all get to participate and listen to the issues of the day articulated through the election process. We get to see the problems, we get to pray about the problems and we get to put another layer of history on the building which we call America. Who we choose and why we chose him, says alot about our time and ourselves.
I think that Obama is a very articulate man, but very young and aggressive. That scares me and it looked like it scared McCain also. Older people know that young and aggressive means war and violence, usually. That is what Obama seemed to say. If I'm President, it is my way or the highway!
McCain, on the other hand was a little battle scarred and timid about foreign affairs and maybe his battle scars will make him timid to handle the hard issues with a strong hand. We need both of these men in one way or another and the experience that they both have had during this new millennium in government will help us find the way out of the conflicts, back to a time of peace. Peace is more important to us than the economy. The economy is more important to us than earmarking and pork barrelling and the like(whatever that means)



I love learning new terms and using them where I can.
Our family was blessed to get to hear these men pontificate about the affairs of the day. Food on the table and a roof over our heads and the ability to do the things that we need to takes a fight and I love how the founding fathers developed a way to keep us fighting to maintain the right to govern ourselves. Every 4 years we fight with each other to maintain unity and peace within our shores.

God bless America!

Friday, September 26, 2008

Let's go fly a kite!









What a superb day it was to fly, yesterday! I missed it, but they captured it for me on the camera. Rain came later, but the brisk breeze swept up the kite and the family had a sweet time

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Brother-in-law, Brother-in-love!
















It is a pleasure to have so many wonderful men shower you with love in these days of life. Earlier years, it was about concentrations on the next generation and now it is about self-preservation, if that is possible. One of the means of grace in that respect is the love of the brother-in-law. Occasional visits from delightful brothers of my husband to occupy my husband's affections and give us emotional attachments very similar to the emotions that I used to spend on my father. I must stop comparing how I miss my dad with how I enjoy these many men in my life.

This visit, I got coconut macaroons and a set of yellow mums for my yard. I ate my macaroons and I planted my mums and I hugged my brother-in-law.
What a blessing!

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Lactate intolerant!

I held a beautiful baby on Sunday. Oh my, these little babies make me lactating intolerant. He cooed at me and I cooed back. What a little sweetface? My Elyse thought I was going to steal the baby, but ere long the mommy came to rescue me from my precious little one's gaze. How could anyone see those eyes and live? He slew me, the little rascal. My precious husband knows how I get when I am around babies like that.

Monday, September 22, 2008

My husband made the best spaghetti sauce, Yesterday!


You talk about male liberation! It is so freeing for a man to be liberated enough to jump whole-heartedly into the cook-pot and show off. There is very little more attractive than a holy man in the cook-pot! I, for one am grateful for the wonderful sight and delicious tastes that male liberation lends us these days.
I remember in "Christmas in Connecticut", Mr Yardley wanted to see a beautiful woman flipping hotcakes in the morning and she "had no clue"...
Now I am the woman getting the thrill of seeing my wonderful, man of my dreams enjoying a season in the cook-pot. What a beautiful and wonderful dimension to the marriage enjoyment. I would imagine that very few things are as beautiful as waking up 403 months later to a new dimension of the same wonderful man you married.
Halleluia!

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Chocolate Muffin, Birthday Kisses!

Where did that baby go? He's not a baby anymore. Ezra is 5. 5 and sweet and growing taller and smarter and sweeter with age. Son of my old age. Child of the wake up time. Good morning! You are the boy of the hour, Ezra!

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

"A huff and a puff is not ENOUGH!"

says Evelyn, this morning. I guess they can feel the breezes of the big bad wolf, attempting to blow down our house. A huff and a puff is not enough, God will get us through, we trust. In whatever state, learning to be content starts even in our youth. I know they know that we are concerned and dad is out of work and stuff is going on with bills and things, but a good word makes the soul glad. Often, these days I can find that amusing, if not good word from my Evvy. She is named the right name like Evvy, "Come on ring those bells". She finds just the right word to say to complete the sentence in faith. A HUFF AND A PUFF IS NOT ENOUGH, not because we are so brave; but because "the Lord will fight for you". Halleluia

Monday, September 15, 2008

Mother Superior is out

of the Big House. In the Coventry Chronicles, the story of my upbringing as a young novitiate in an all-girl's home with "Mother Superior" and The "Father", before the novitiate became co-ed. We laugh and laugh when we start talking about the house as a convent.
I, for one am very glad that Mother Superior decided to end her private prayer journey and join us in the rest of the world. I hope she chooses her next prayer mission to NC.

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Why do you praise walk, mommy?

I asked the same questions of the mothers in the church, when I was a young girl following them around the church at 6 am prayer. Mother, why are we walking around the church in prayer? Why are we clapping our hands? Why do we dance in the spirit? Girl, we are taking authority over our sloth and over the devil; was essentially the theological answer, in translation. I can't remember verbatum the words that were told to me. I just remember that my conscience was carried that this was a spiritual exercise and continued it.
Today, my Enoch followed me in my early aerobic prayer and praise and I answered his silent question; with the reminder of the mothers in the church who raised me on the word of God pablum. God comforts my soul. Grandma Ruth used to say "a rolling stone gathers no moss." One of her cliche's that meant get up and do something already. Praise walking is more than a rolling stone. It is a moving body worshipping God in the beauty of holiness for the life's breath that is lent and for salvation of the soul, which came at the most extreme sacrifice of the life's blood of the only Lamb of God which was a suitable sacrifice. That is why we praise Him exuberantly, son!

Friday, September 12, 2008

Prayer Warrior Ben!

The men are gathering and my "Manned" of God is armed for the spiritual warfare and out there in the throng of spiritual battle against the forces of evil that threaten our lives and spirits. Thank God, even though I may be late for work as a result :) Hopefully not!

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Full tummies don't play well!

I wasn't playing my best today mom, stated Enoch. I really hadn't noticed, because the level of difference between us makes me blind to the better days and the good days. He can hit a rally with me and that is enjoyable to me and we are usually having a good time. This time he was comparing himself to some real "players" gentleman who were socking the ball again and again. It challenged him and I was very glad that it did. He was tying his shoes again and again and hit the ball way out of the courts a couple of times.
I ate too much, he said and I really shouldn't have eaten before I came out here. I am glad to hear that word from a growing boy, who holds his own in emptying the fridge, regularly. Next time, I won't eat before I come out and maybe I will play better. With Enoch, I am not sure if that meant that he was tired when he was playing or if it means that he didn't have a good time because he wasn't as good as the other boys. I will have to wait and see with him about that.

Monday, September 8, 2008

Election Year remembrances...

Why do we listen to the election news and the speeches? Why do we participate in the process of elimination of the election process. The government of the people, by the people and for the people. Getting to know what is important to the other people on the planet at the same time as we are is what the election process is all about. People from all over the country have opinions about who to vote for. This is good men people doing something...God bless America!

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Lactical Errors?

Night feedings and night sweats, baby hands and baby feet, there are so many parts of the growing process that are painful and yet beautiful. We cry because every part of our body is engaged into the process of bringing and growing life. There seems to be nothing else left and then they wean and we are left. A sense of uselessness abides for awhile, until the next mission is envisioned and undertaken. God's will and our wills collide and we are taken up into the process of life. Amen!

Saturday, September 6, 2008

The sun was setting and the cool of the day

was comforting and delightful. The clouds were swirling around in the sky like ponies and animals on a carousel. The colors were grey and purple and going into black. The neon lights on the tennis courts were invigorating, reminscent of the first time I had spent an evening playing under the lights. Then, I was the 14 year old and in some kind of tourney. I remember my eyes adjusting to the artificial lights the glare of the ball on the lobs and the blind spots every so often where the ball passes a spot where your eyes can barely see it. The lights are beautiful and I am reminiscing again, but this is today and the handsome prince on the other side of the net is my Enoch. He is hitting better and better. I can't remember a better time that I have had under the lights. I must have won and lost 100 matches under the lights and win or lose there is no better feeling than hitting with my children on the courts. The children know that the courts are my living room and the lights bring out an interesting combination of remembrances. From tourneys at the armory to the bubbles at Alley Pond or Cunningham or just outdoors under the lights at Rochdale. I love that feeling of partial vision hitting. Its not the lights its the feeling of limited, vision. I turned around and one of the cloud ponies seemed to wink at me... almost?

Monday, September 1, 2008

It was raining cats and dogs

when we left church last night. Lightning and thunder and still no hail like we had a few months ago. I am very grateful for the rain. A small sickness is making its rounds in the house. Sniffles and crankiness and soreness, Not a pretty picture at all. It is soup time. This is the time of year when I take out my vegetables and throw them in the pot and make the healing brew that gets us out and about our business. We'll see...