A Bike Ride & Otherwise

 Yesterday we attempted a bike ride. Jane can ride without training wheels, you know. It was a little tenuous, at moments, those nasty sidewalk curbs and all. But sparkle shoes help keep up morale and soon we were at the path entrance.

It's crazy steep, so we (mom) insisted on walking the bike down. About halfway down we ran into Pops, who had zipped ahead.

 Turns out Pops blew a tire. So we just applauded Pops' man-strength and turned around for home. Jane's method was to pedal ahead, wait, run back, and skip about Pops in intervals.

 Lucette and Peter made a dash for home, but Jane and I wanted to keep an eye on Pops.

I know I sure did. Wink, wink.

Ahhh, Drat! I Don't Live in Marrakesh

 He's always doing this to me. I'll look at the weather forecast and catch my breath ... "What?! Sunny skies? Eighty degrees? What luck, what joy!!"

And then. I notice. Marrakesh. I don't live in Marrakesh.

Peter views humor as a covert operation. He almost always wins.

(And yes, the clock is set for Mumbai time and the calculator has a most impressive computation. Why? I guess because it is just cool to know these things ...)

Keepin' It Straight

I'm not a big fan of sponges in the kitchen ... to hard to keep clean and all ... but I do find appreciation for them in the bathroom. But how to keep the sink sponge separate from the toilet sponge? Different colors? I always get confused which is which.

However, years ago I started snipping off the corner of the toilet sponge. Regardless of color, I always know which sponge goes with the gross job! What a relief. This is no time for a mix-up!

I Need a Smile and a Hand-Pat

A primrose that looks like a geranium in a happy coral-pink that seems to be thriving in an old pot on my hearth? Yes, please! Best three dollars I've spent in a while. It's been a lovely splash of cheer to punctuate my rather jumbled and chaotic days of late.

My mind has been a muddle of things to do. Must get international driver's license, must make baked chicken for dinner, must fold rumpled pile of laundry, must help with school project on Alaska's natural resources, must find decent walking shoes that aren't too granny-looking, must scrub bathroom sink that is disturbingly pink around the drain-stopper ... Blaaak!

I'm a bit of a nut-case lately, in truth. In fact, all I really seem to be accomplishing is fretting and blitzing about appearing to be getting things done.

Please smile at me, pat my hand and tell me I'm not the only one who gets like this...

He Is Still Risen!

 We decided to make a new tomb this year, as our old tomb was suffering from some structural damage. Our new display was most fancy. Replete with wooden crosses (complements of Peter), grass, and a sunken tomb. The kids had a lot of fun putting it together, but I think we were all a little sad not to seal the tomb with an onion (don't have a stone big enough, use an onion!), as we have in the past. Funny what becomes tradition, no?

But something that didn't change? The risen Jesus! Still the same, happy Jesus that shows up at every Easter. Appropriate, I think.

To Rely Upon

 Lucette has been learning how to deal with friend challenges this year. A necessary, but difficult part of growing up. There has been plenty of talking, praying, strategizing. Successful attempts and failed efforts on the friend-front. It's been a challenge for both of us.

But what I came to realize, for myself, was I couldn't fix any of it for her. Our talking creates open communication and bonding between the two of us. It doesn't necessarily create solutions. And that is okay. Our relationship, our security together, is far more important than any 8 year-old friendship. It just is. And so we talk. And we cry. And we hug. And we smile at each other. And we pray together.

Lucette, I tell her. We will pray. God knows. God allows. God instructs. God loves. You get to learn to take these issues to Him. Develop your own faith walk and prayer life. And I get to stand beside you and pray right along, every step of the way.

This afternoon, while emptying out her lunch bag, she says to me, "Mom, you know these friend problems I've been having? Well, I've realized something. They make me rely on you more." She throws out her trash, puts away her lunch bag, and looks at me. "I love you, Mom."

My heart melts. And I am so grateful. And as she learns to rely on me, I get to point her to the One that is always reliable. What a gift.

And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

   God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 

I John 4:16

Jane Conquers Boredom

 Someone got into the tape ... of the "Caution" and "masking" varieties. Masking tape is a life necessity like can openers and doormats. But the caution tape? I have no idea where it even came from.

But there is certainly plenty in this household to behold with caution! And plenty of amusement as well ...

House-Plant Green

While strolling through the enormity of Home Depot the other day, one of my least favorite stores ever, I spied this happy little indoor plant. Chartreuse-y in color and good for a family game of "Is it real or fake?" It's oddly perfect in it's cuteness.

I have no idea what it is, but it nicely fills the home of it's predecessor, which I killed due to neglect. It happens.

I am so delighted with my bit of house-plant green, I am on a quest for more. Life, it all it's forms, does lend a spirit of joy to a room, don't you think?

Planning a Trip to Europe, First Things First

Image via

Thank you for all of the kind thoughts and well wishes! It has been fun to share our good news. With all of the planning that has been taking place for the trip, I haven't been as frequent with my blog posts. I've decided to be okay with that and just allow my focus to go where it needs to be.

And due to location my mind often drifts lately, my successive posts may be heavily travel-plans related. Bear with me, if it gets tiresome or self-focused!

So. How to plan a trip to Europe for a young family of five? Uhhh .. well probably not how we are. We are definitely learning as we go. But here is how we started.

First, start with the tickets. Our research showed booking 6-4 months in advance was advisable. We chose six, as booking 5 tickets is more tricky than two. Next, you've got to select a general date range, but be willing to fudge if you can. We originally planned to go in June, but between summer prices and the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, we saved over $2500 on airfare alone by going in May. We also knew the general region we wanted to travel in, but looked for the best deals to determine our entry and exit point/country.

**As a side note, do some research on the area. Some countries may have some current instability that could raise questions for you when traveling with children.

We found an online site that had good prices on decent airlines (we decided that off-airlines with horrible reviews may not be worth the savings while traveling with small children) and then ... and here's the kicker ... call them on the phone. Do this late at night (11:00pm Pacific time worked for us) when the call load is lower. Call several times, if you have to, 'til you find an "agent" that seems friendly and helpful and get his direct line and give him your number, as well. He will be able to find deals, caveats, and potential issues that you will not find online.

Take his suggestions and do some more research on  you own, since you will now have a reliable baseline to go from. Once you've found your deal (I found an even better deal than our agent and got a "wow" from him) book it over the phone. Again, deals are to be had and fees to be waived when dealing with a real person. Ask for a 24 hour risk-free cancellation window.

So now you have your tickets! Whew! That was stressful and exhausting! But it means that for sure you are going! Hee, Hee. Now it's time to start clapping your hands wildly and prancing about the room.

**Any tips of your own? I'd love to hear.

Full of Dreams

Ever had a dream that you've had to let go of ...

Fifteen years ago I took a college trip to Western Europe. That initial trip was a catalyst of sorts for me. Like part of me opened up that I didn't know was waiting to blossom. The travel, the culture, the vistas, the people, the history ... so quietly powerful it felt private, like a secret. In a strange sort of way, it was like falling in love.

In that time since, I feel as though I've traveled Europe many times over. Amazing what books, good movies, and an over-active imagination can do. I plotted and dreamed of many pretend returns. But there came a season where I had to stop taking the travel magazines and watching that darn Rick Steves on his magical PBS adventures. It was too hard. I was flat out jealous and covetous of the opportunities of everyone else. Nevermind that I had three healthy babies at home, a kind husband, and a cozy roof over our head. Wanderlust can be a brazen intruder. Covetousness wreaks havoc on contentment.

So I released the dream.

Before my grandmother died, she called me over to the sofa beside her. Having lost her voice to Lou Gehrig's Disease, she sat with her little typy-machine, Lillian. In her hands, with the familiar knuckles and veins that look so much like my own, she had an envelope. Without words, from her hands to mine, it was passed. Inside, from my frugal and simple-living grandparents, was a check. A completely unexpected chunk of change that left me with my mouth agape. "What do you want to see me do with this?" I asked. She looked at me with her ever-determined eyes and typed one word on her machine: "Invest."

Invest.

But in what? So many ways to interpret that word.

It's now been almost three years since she went home to the Lord. And the gift has been sitting, waiting for the right opportunity. I didn't want to just buy stuff. I wanted it to go towards something that we could say to the children "This was from Great Mother and Great Father." And I wanted it to have purpose in each of our lives. So I waited. Waited for the purpose.

And then one day last summer I was musing over Peter. His love for history and ancient cultures continues to grow and I couldn't help but wonder how God would have us fan the flames of interest that He had placed in our boy. Then it hit me. Family. Invest the gift in the family. Travel. Experience. Bond. Tie ourselves together through a shared journey. Open up God's world to the children and have them wonder what is His intended purpose for them in it.

Since that day, God has given confirmation time and time again. I am so excited I will randomly break out into tears at the very thought of our impending trip. It's like that long-ago blossoming is occurring again. There is springtime in my soul right now and I am so, so overcome with gratitude.

In two months we will take a three-week trip to Europe. And I am full of dreams once more.