February

 

Feb 3: Who knew the library could offer the hope of green, growing things?

I've been silent for a whole month again; I guess that's what happens when I stop having a monthly reading goal to report on. I listened to one whole audio book in the month of February: Watership Down. Looks like I still don't do very well at reading when there's no goal! 

A couple of February highlights...

I turned a year older on the fourth

(Yep. That's me and my birth announcement.)

Jasmine turned a year older on the eighth

We ended this year's Bible quizzing with a third place win for Isaac's team. They memorized the book of Ruth and John 6 and 7 this year.

He got to coach two of his sisters and their friends this year. After a kind of discouraging year, I was so proud of them that they made it to the finals! 

Following the quiz retreat weekend, was our school's week of winter break. We stayed at an airbnb for the weekend and spent a very laid back week at home the rest of the time. We took one day to go to the Carnegie Science Museum as a family. I remember how, as the youngest of six, I was convinced my family did everything fun before I was old enough to remember! Now, as a parent, I see how easily that happens -- Charles didn't remember all the times we've been to science museums in the past. 

It was a fun day... even though I hardly took any pictures. 

Today is a grey, wintery day. I woke up with a headache and the grey skies make me feel dull and listless. On a recent sunny day, when I felt bright and energetic, I got all caught up in a fun and exciting brainstorm about posting a picture on my blog every day in the month of March. Now the idea seems like a drag, and I have serious doubts about it being either fun or exciting. It seems much more probable that I'll start, and wish I'd never begun, long before 31 days are past! 

Does your brain do that too -- offer 559 reasons why a bright idea isn't a good one at all? I feel like my brain is way worse about that than it used to be (or maybe I've just gotten way worse about listening to it?) At any rate, whether it ends up being dull and boring or not, I'm going to act on the brainstorm. 

So, coming in March, one picture every day. It won't be anything phenomenal, just a way to stop and take notice of things -- funny things, pretty things, inspiring things, boring things, interesting things, dumb things..... my head is feeling less dull already!

A New Year

Happy New Year.... this third day in... 

End of the year / New Year posts are always hard for me to write. I always think I need the perfect words and the perfect way to say them. Somehow I can't quite just not write them either!

First things first: my 4 books a month goal is finished!!

December's books:

Top Left: The Other Half of Church.                        Fascinating ideas about Christian community and brain science, a lot of which was a bit over my head. 

Top Right: Do Let's Have Another Drink.               Another book to add to my list of 'Royal Family' books - all kinds of interesting stories and tidbits about The Queen Mother. 

Bottom left: The Queens Of Animation.                 Super interesting history about the world of Walt Disney Studios and the unsung heroes who worked behind the scenes. 

Bottom right: The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert.                                                         Inspiring story. I kept taking pictures of pages and sending them to Chris. 

I'm so glad I made my reading goal last year, and right proud of myself for actually keeping it! I don't think I'll make a new goal, but I hope I'll be inclined to keep reading in 2023. I still have a long list of book ideas that I kept adding to throughout the year. I think I will keep noticing book recommendations and wanting to check them off my list; we'll see. 

How can a year seem to have gone by so fast that one can hardly believe there were twelve whole months in it, and yet January 1, 2022 seems like so very, very long ago? Not sure how that works. 

Personal highlights from 2022 include...

Our trip to Florida over our school's winter break...

And Chris and my Anniversary trip in June.

There's been some big changes in our family in 2022 as well -- Isaac being gone for six weeks and then teaching school here this fall; Jasmine heading to Boston in August, to attend Sattler College for the school year. There is nothing quite like having your first child venture out into the world on their own! So many and conflicting emotions..... and this stage is only just beginning. I don't feel at all like I should be the mom in this story, but here I am!

I don't think there's a person alive who would claim to love change, and yet we are made to adapt to it. It's amazing how quickly we adjust to new schedules, new places, new people, new responsibilities, new ideas... It's actually pretty incredible the way God created us with the capacity to learn and grow and adapt! Our thoughts control so much of our life experience, including the way we respond to change. 

One of the biggest gifts of 2022 has been the huge step I took outside of my comfort zone when I joined a coaching program four months ago. I am forever grateful for all I have been learning through that experience. Contrary to what we tend to believe, it is worth it to invest in yourself!

And now, before this new year progresses any further, Happy New Year! 

A Bit of Nothing

It's a crisp, sunny, December morning. I have a sick child in my bed, sourdough bread dough rising, and piles of laundry to take care of. For the first time in a while, my week feels mostly empty, and I am not one bit sad about it! I think every single week in November had some Big Thing I was planning for or working on. December will have its share of busy, so I'm planning to enjoy this breather to the fullest. 

I wasn't planning to start the week off with a sick child, so we shall see how empty the week actually remains. 

November was a good month, in spite of all the things going. A few highlights were: being with most of my family for Thanksgiving day (and only needing to travel an hour and a half to do it!), hosting several different members of my family throughout the week of Thanksgiving (we were kind of a revolving motel and it was fun!) and -probably best of all- Isaac and Jennifer flying to Boston to be with Jasmine for several days and completely surprising her by Jennifer being along when she thought it was just going to be Isaac. 

I read/ listened to four books in November

Top left: Another one in the series that I've been listening to. 

Top right: Interesting story by Paul Stutzman about his hike of the Appalachian Trail

Bottom left: Another book to feed my intrigue with The Royal Family

Bottom right: A light, easy read about a young couple and the first hard years of their marriage

I have one, last month to complete my goal of reading four books a month in 2022!

 * * * * *

Take two. 

It's a dreary, grey, December day. I have a still sickly child napping in my bed, a clean load of laundry in the dryer and a sewing project scattered around on my dining room table. My week has gone from empty to possibly multiple days of going away and the few things I thought were on the agenda have all been re-arranged. Sounds about like normal life, right?

I have absolutely nothing of great importance to say and no pictures to show you of it either. Just a few random things....

Last week, in preparation for my Sunday school class, I listened the Chained to the Chariot sermon that I shared with you at the beginning of this year. It spoke to me just as loudly now as it did then. Maybe you would enjoy it again too?

Speaking of my intrigue with The Royal Family --

My daughter got to see the Prince and Princess of Wales while they were in Boston last week! Pretty sure it was worth standing out in the rain, perched on top of a trash can, to be able to tell her grandchildren someday, "I heard Prince William speak in person!"

I just saw that Daughter's of Promise is running a sale on their inventory of old magazines. I'm not a great fan of promoting myself, but I did write an article for their last issue. The theme was "Commitment", and I shared a bit of my story with foster care. If you're interested in their sale, you can find it here. Look under 'shop magazine issues'.

Last but not least. Wanna do something to make your significant other's day?

First, buy them a nice card. Then, get yourself a pen, a paper, and a stamp, and send them a good old fashioned letter in the mail. Doesn't matter how long it's been since they've seen that handwriting on an envelope in their mailbox, the sight of it will cause them to grin like a fool and may even bring a dampness to the eyes and butterflies to the heart. Or maybe that's just how it affected me. I think it does things to the heart of the writer as well. 

I think that's about enough random-ness. Maybe I'll go fold that load of laundry that's in the dryer and call it a day. 

A World Where There Are Octobers

I am not necessarily in the Anne of Green Gables quoting crowd when it comes to October -- you know the one, where you share her famous sentiment of being so glad you live in a world where there are Octobers. I will say though, October has been quite nice this year here in Guernsey County Ohio. Sadly, I didn't take nearly enough pictures of the beautiful leaves this year but you know how it is -- pictures don't do justice anyway!

I feel like October disappeared in a blink! I'm not sure where the days went or why they passed so quickly, but here we are in November. I did manage to keep my goal of reading/ listening to four books...

Top left: An old, L.M. Montgomery classic that I read years ago. 

Top Right: Listened to another of The Cottage Tales Of Beatrix Potter on Libby. Great series when you just want a book to read for pleasure. 

Bottom left: Amazing story of life after attempted suicide. 

Bottom right: An interesting story from 9/11, when all the planes were ordered to land and flying was restricted. 

What else did I do the past 31 days? Let me see.... looking back through my planner I see a lot of "laundry" on my to do lists. Also a lot of "study for lady's SS class". I see that I...

- sewed a dress for my mother-in-law

- canned some pumpkins

- listened to memory verses at school

- went out to eat for a friend's birthday

- relished texts and conversations with my daughter in Boston

The unique sights in the city...

- took my girl's thrift store shopping when they had off of school for a day

- baked and then baked some more for the school auction

- snuggled Chris's new nephew

- and made his three year old niece an "Elsa cake" for her birthday

- deep cleaned my tiny laundry room that collects allllll the things

- started cleaning out kitchen cupboards and never finished

- re-did a school bulletin board for my son's classroom

- met a friend for breakfast

- drove the road between here and church/ school many, many times! That included several foggy morning drives, which always makes me think of Arkansas and my growing up years. We often had heavy fog - the kind where we couldn't see buildings across the road for a whole day, or maybe even several days. I tried to capture some pictures but dirty van windows and limited cell phone cameras don't produce anything real spectacular. 

And now, here we are in November, and the sun is streaming in through my windows (that should be washed) and there is a clean pile of bed sheets staring at me (that should be put back on beds) and my microwave beeping to remind me that my meat is thawed (that should be fried for tonight's chili soup) and the clock is ticking on toward school pick up time (when I will need to go in and talk to the 5th and 6th grade teacher about subbing tomorrow afternoon and pick up the remnants of the food I supplied for Isaac's classroom's party yesterday afternoon). 

What do you do at home by yourself every day, you ask? Well, let's just say it's not a boring life. If all else fails, there's always "laundry" and "study for lady's SS class" on my list...

Happy November!

  * * * *

PS. I must be perfectly honest and add that, while I've listed a lot of things I did in the past 31 days, I do a lot of 'nothing' around here too. I'm grateful for that privilege. It's a gift that my brain does not do well without. 

September Books, A Recipe, & Other Tidbits

I'm making myself sit down and write this post before I gather my things and trek off to town. I have no burning urge to write, but it's a new month, and I should at least tell you about the books I read in September. I can hardly believe this year, with the goal to read four books a month, has only three more months in it!! How?

1. Top left: Enthralling, inspiring, heart-twisting read. 

2. Top right: Interesting in a "I never thought of it like that" kind of way. 

3: Bottom left: Oof. One of those books I could turn right around and listen to again and learn just as much as I did the first time. 

4. Bottom right: Another one of the Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter. 

I also listened to Excellent Women and The Vanderbeekers and the Secret Garden. I'm finding that with school back in session, listening to books is my go to. I ended up with a lot of audio books coming in that I had holds on, so I listened to more!

     **********

Our family has always eaten a fair amount of rice, and I generally felt like I could produce a decent kettle with the preparation method I grew up using. Occasionally it wouldn't turn out right though, and I would be frustrated with not being able to figure out what I had done wrong? Sometime this summer, when my stove was occupied with canners and I wanted rice for supper, I googled 'recipes for making rice in the oven'. I'm not sure that I'll ever make rice on the stove top again! Every person in my family declares that it tastes better, and it turns out perfectly fluffy every single time.

Easy Oven Baked Rice:

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.                          2) Place 2 C rice and 1 1/2 tsp salt in a 9x13 pan. 

3) In a saucepan, bring 3 1/2 C water and 3 T butter to a boil.  

4) Pour boiling water over rice in pan.          5) Cover tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes.  

6) Remove from oven. 

7) Allow to rest 5-10 min.    

8) Fluff with fork and enjoy!

(Notes: For Sunday lunch, when I wanted chicken in the oven while we were at church, I made the rice in the morning, left it covered, and wrapped it in a heavy towel. Worked great. Also, for 1 C rice use 1 3/4 C water, 2 T butter and 1 tsp salt.)

     **********

Other September tidbits.....

Lillian had a birthday and made herself a tiny, layered, pumpkin cake...

Sometimes we feel very watched...

Took a little day trip to meet up with my sister from Indiana. The only two pictures I have to show for it are the one above (seen along my way) and the one below (bought at a thrift store we went to). Those were not necessarily the highlights of the day!

Our church spent last weekend together

 at a retreat center.

Favorite memory made was connecting with other puzzle lovers around this table...

I am not the biggest fan of Fall

but the weather this week has been absolutely gorgeous!

     **********

In closing, a favorite quote from Braving The Wilderness (one I will be reminding myself of over and over): 

"Stop walking through the world looking for confirmation that you don't belong."

August In Pictures

Contrary to the sound of my last post, I have not been spending all my days with tears in my eyes and a tissue box close at hand. As usual with me, the dreading of change is often worse than change itself. The last couple of weeks have had their share of adjustments and change, but they have also been good ones. Re-telling August strictly through pictures, it appears that the month wasn't all that bad either...

We got two kittens from our former foster girl and her family. They have provided so much entertainment this month! I love cats. 

We spent a lovely day at the lake. It's been ages since I took all five! Have to say, it was quite a bit easier than it used to be, but just as good for the soul. 

I tried a couple of new recipes...

Had a sleepover one night...

Discovered at supper time one evening that our water wasn't working.

 Between kind neighbors (who brought us water and watermelon and parts for the pump) and a kind church friend (who came over and worked in the dark) the problem was fixed before bed time!

Just Jasmine, painting a picture for a friend instead of working on packing, as one does...

We went on a family bike ride one evening. The short story is that it was a gorgeous evening and the trail and family time were idyllic. The longer version is that by the time we arrived at the bike trail and got everyone situated and on bikes, I was wondering why I ever thought it would be a fun thing to do? In spite of the hiccups, it was an absolutely lovely and fun evening. 

The 'moral of the lesson'? Don't let the hiccups stop you from doing things. 

I grew up in a family of school teachers, and helping Isaac with bulletin boards, etc has been nostalgic and fun. 

(I title this picture: "When you could literally spend two minutes writing the jobs out, but instead you spend an hour drawing pictures to illustrate them." What can I say? Some of us can't help ourselves.)

Jasmine left for Sattler College

Not pictured - me, in the back seat of the car in the Walmart parking lot, while my girls film for their YouTube video. You can watch it here. Their little hobby has turned out to be a very effective tool for forcing them to get along. The process hasn't always been fun, but I love watching their creativity and seeing the ways they have learned to navigate their differences.

School started!

Fall is coming... Pulling out this one, ginormous, cucumber plant!

The mom and fawn that visit our

 yard most mornings...

And last, but not least -- 

my four books in August:

1. Top left - the second book in

The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter

great books to read just for fun

2. Top right - A book that I waded through, and felt like I was in over my head 

most of the time

3. Bottom left - Listened on Libby & enjoyed

4. Bottom right - The brand new book about the Haiti kidnapping! Fantastic writing, as usual, by Katrina Hoover Lee

And now... Hello September!

Dear Mom

How I've wished I could talk to you these past few months, mom! 

Back in June, when my oldest daughter trekked off to Boston for Sattler College's High-school Week, I was happy to let her go. I must confess, I was also secretly happy that she already had the perfect job secured here at home, and multiple places she wanted to go in the next year. That, coupled with my oldest agreeing to teach at our church school, ensured me another year with all five at home. When she called at the end of the week, and informed her dad that she'd really like to return to Boston in the fall of this year, that's when I started thinking of you, mom. 

Your oldest went off to teach school out of state when she was 19 -- how did that feel, mom? Did you want to tell her to wait a year; that she had lots of time to do these things? Did you want to caution her against impulsiveness? Did you mourn the loss of one more year with everyone home? As your youngest, at three, I don't remember anything about how you felt, mom. But I can imagine!

How did you handle the feelings, mom? From the initial jolt of 'No, this can't be happening' to 'It is happening, and I want to be supportive', how did you navigate? Mothering adults is a whole new playing field, and I've spent this whole summer floundering, and thinking of you over and over, mom. 

When I watched my 20 year old drive off to Pennsylvania for five weeks of training in preparation to teach school; nerves on high alert, dreading the unknown. When I took his phone calls, and tried to troubleshoot an unfamiliar washing machine and listened to long, excited explanations of the books he was reading. 

When I sent my 18 year old off on an airplane for a week in Boston; eyes bright, and excitement high. When I absorbed the news that the next school year was not going to look like I had pictured, and I wrestled with fear and uncertainty and sadness.

When our summer became consumed with flurries of red tape and preparation, and I mourned the loss of a "normal" summer vacation. When it became apparent that, in many ways, children leave the nest before they're ever actually gone. When I caught my heart distancing itself, so as not to feel the pain. 

When I listened to my son, bubbling over with school ideas, and heading off to the classroom day after day to prepare. When I felt, all in the same moment, the warm fuzzies of pride and the gripping hand of anxiety -- "He's so creative; I love to see him shine!" "But these people all know him too well; what if his students don't like him at all?"

You watched your children leave/ begin new adventures many, many times over the course of their adulthood, how did you do it, mom? 

Boston Bound!

I remember some of how you did it. I remember you cutting out letters for bulletin boards, and fixing finicky sewing projects. I remember you helping to pack suitcases, and slipping in little extras. I remember you ironing the shirts, and buying all the things, and helping with last minute details for school activities. I remember you being there, and doing all the things; what I don't remember, mom, is how you felt. 

Did your heart twist at the changes? Did you resent, even just a little bit, all the time you poured into helping us get all our ducks in a row? Did you sometimes want to remind us that you had a life too? Did you sometimes want to say "If you're going to leave, let's get it over with?" Did you sometimes wish we'd be around a little more to pitch in with all the ducks you needed to keep in a row? Did you sometimes feel so much love, and pride in what your children were pursuing and becoming, that you wondered how you could ever feel anything but gratitude and humility? Did your eyes spill tears at the oddest times and stay dry as could be at others?

I can't ask you any of these questions, mom. But the truth is, I have a sneaking suspicion you wouldn't really have many answers anyway. The fact is, it would probably be kind of like when young moms ask me about pregnancy and tiny babies -- so much of the drama of those times has faded in my memory. None of the details seem nearly as exacerbating now, as they did in the moment. I'm guessing someday the events of this summer will seem much the same. 

So, while I've thought of you often these past months, mom, and I've wished I could ask you a myriad of questions, I guess maybe the things I remember are more important than the things that I don't, and your example is all the answers I really need. 

Love, Bethany

Back to School...

Charles - 4th grade

Lillian - 8th grade

Jennifer - Freshman

Isaac - 7th & 8th grade Teacher

And Jasmine, 

And her new home in Boston, 

Where she will be attending 

Sattler College for their 

One Year Certificate in Biblical Studies