Thanksgiving 2017

Oh sweet memories.  Making pies with Leah before anyone else got up.  Emmet in his orange striped footsie Jammie's.  Emmet stretching his little arms up asking to come "up".  Emmet wanting down the little step to the new room and standing there quietly repeating "up" til someone came to hold his little hand.  Emmet running along the sidewalk to the park as fast as his little legs would carry him, the little ball on the top of his hat bopping.  Emmet yelling "ome" out the back door at the dogs.  Emmet patting Rex gently.  Emmet moving almost constantly but comeing over multiple times to lay against me with his little head on my shoulder and just letting me hold him awhile.  Of course, good food, and two moms, dominion with Joel on FaceTime, FaceTime with Hannah and Kent.  Naps on the couch.  Yummy pies.  A loving family.

Singing

I still can't believe I get to sing at TRU!

About a year ago when Natascha was leading worship, I set up an appointment with her to have her hear me sing and see if she thought I could do it.  I loooove to sing at church, always have.  I have always wanted to sing up there.  I knew I had a good ear but never thought I had a good voice quality. Natascha said that we could train my voice but not so much the ear.  But I chickened out and cancelled the appointment!  

This summer, I took mom to rehearsal and sat and sang along in the back.  pD walked by and said, are you harmonizing?  He said to try singing.  I said no, then thought about it and said I'd try.  He handed me the mic and I sang, pacing back and forth in the back.  The song was Good Good Father and I know the harmony really well.  They all said it sounded good!  Shortly after that Natascha announced she was leaving so I waited.  One week, Dave had me rehearse and I could mostly hear the harmonies and that Sunday I sang with him!  I looooved it!  He only gave a few suggestions and not a lot of feedback but people seemed to like it. 

The next week, Dave came to the house to work with me.  Scott sat and watched and between the two, it was pretty intimidating.  But I did it and surprised myself!  Dave said if I kept doing well, he'd let me sing with him at Praisefest!  By the end of that practice, he said I was in for Praisefest!

So I sng a few more weeks and then got to sing at Praisefest!  I was very nervous all day and thought too much about it but it was very fun!  It was hot up there and the people seemd far out there and not really listening, but my family was there and they enjoyed it.

I've been singing every week since then and I finally feel comfortable up there!  Dave gives me lots of great feedback.  One funny story is at a rehearsal he turned and said, I like how you sing just some of the lines, it layers it.  I said, well, I'm only singing the harmonies I can hear!  

I sing in the car almost every time I'm in it, sometimes working in the songs for Sundays, sometimes not.  

I love being up there with mom.  And the rehearsals with the guys are fun.

This last wek I finally tried without music and I stood on the other side of Dave over by Mom.  It took awhile to be able to lose myself in the worship without seeing everyone looking at me, or worrying if they were worshipping or not, or worrying about when and what to sing.  This week I just stopped worrying and thought about the words and just sang.  But I continue to feel surreal.  I can't believe I actually get to do this!  

Emmet 18 Months

I had SUCH a hard week at work, I needed some Emmet time!  So I took Friday off and traveled to Newton!  What a fun day!  

Just before I left the house, I opened my email and saw that my favorite shop had buy one get one half price!  

Got to Leah's and Emmet was excited to see me as evidenced by giggles.  We played a little then headed on downtown for lunch at Ptairie Harvest (I had Shepherd's pie, Leah had tortilla soup, and Emmet ate zero of his Mac and cheese.  Then while I shopped at Mainstreet and Company (and bought tons of fun things!) Emmet played with the dressing room curtains, went behind the counter and buzzed around the shop touching things.  Then as I was checking out, he repeatedly grabbed Leah, face with both hands and planted sloppy kisses on her lips getting more aggressive til he was biting her lips!  He kept saying mama, mama!  And grabbed and kissed her.  She said he never does that.  

Buddy was tired when we got back to the house so I got some snuggles before he went down easily for his nap.  While he napped, Leah and I napped and then had a great talk.  She's 18 months along!  

After naps we folded some clothes and played then decided to walk over to Mojos for some coffee.  On the way, we walked through the leaves and played at the park.  Emmet likes to go down the slide.  At Mojos, there was a string group playing and Emmet was memorized.  He stood still and watched and occasionally nodded his head and danced.    Then he ate a warmed chocolate chip cookie and got chocolate all over his hands and face.  On the way back to Leah's, we grabbed his wrists and counted to three then swung him up in the air to squeals of delight.  He'd pull his hands back and run a few steps then stick his arms up and say, "oooone".

I love my Emmet time but not saying goodbye.

Delightful weekend

If you delight in The Lord, He will give you the delights of your heart.  Proverbs 3:5-6

What makes a delightful weekend?

A Friday night must include a hard workout followed by Chipotle or Qdoba chips and vegging after a long week.  And usually in bed by 9 reading and asleep by 10.  Very needed, especially after this week.  

Saturday mornings are for my quiet time outside in my favorite chair, then getting needed things done. It feels so good to get the cupboards and fridge refilled with food and the closet filled with clean clothes.  When the fingernails a re painted and the dog groomed, it's icing on the cake.  Following an afternoon nap, Saturday night I'm usually ready for some mild entertainment.  This weekend, it was taking Mom to see The Big Sick and sharing buttered popcorn (while Scott went to the k state game).  

Then this Sunday morning, I got to do something I have secretly wanted to do for years.  I got to sing to Jesus from the stage as a back ground vocalist!  No one but God knew I had this secret wish.  A few weeks ago, Pastor Dave overheard me harmonizing and handed me a mic.  I belted out a harmony and he liked it!  What???  A few weeks ago he put me up there and I did ok!  He worked with me this week more and I sang again on Sunday.  I really really liked it!  I have a lot more work to do but it is so much fun!  AND he said I can sing back up at Praisefest!  I am so excited about that I can hardly stand it!  

Sunday afternoon, we drove out to Lake Wabaunsee, Mom, Scott and I.  I floated around on the lake on an air mattress soaking up the sun (trying to stay on the floatie with all the boats making wakes) til Leah and Emmet came!  We received some delightful news (will hold for now) then out Emmet in the water.  He didn't mind his life jacket and squealed with delight.  He splashed and kicked and tried to swim, all the while laughing.  In the house, he played and squealed and laughed and jibbered in his private language.  All the adults, two grandparents and three great grandparents watched him, thoroughly entertained.  Emmet ran to me several times with his arms out.  Once when I was holding him, he squished his nose up against mine while holding both sides of my face and then gave me an Eskimo nose kiss.  Such a delight!  My heart almost burst from joy.

I braved riding the jet ski with Scott. I've always wanted to.  It was really rough and crowded so maybe next time I'll be braver.  

We ate and drove home and watched Emmet play some more.  He sat on the couch and put 4 remotes in a line then put then in a box and took them out, over and over.  This weekend he played with Scott a lot and didn't cry once!  Emmet says help and water and this.  He gave his mama kisses

and hugs.  He snuggled me a bunch of times without being asked.  

Leah and I and Emmet went to Early Edition and Target together and then they went home, leaving me time to rest up for another work week.  I hope to talk on the phone with my other babies today, too.

My heart is full of delight!

Cleveland

I flew to Cleveland for the Midwest School Social Work conference this week (paid for by KSSWA!) and enjoyed it very much.  I was impressed with the city of Cleveland or what we saw of it.   The downtown has a bunch of tall buildings but unlike Chicago, New York, LA, and any other big city I've seen, the streets were not all straight and the buildings were placed uniquely.  And there were some gorgeous ones mixed in.
I left work on Wednesday mid day and drove to Aberdeen for a quick hello to the papa.  My buddy and fellow School Social Work friend, Alexis, picked me up at Aberdeen and then we drove to the airport and flew uneventfully to Cleveland, arriving there after taking a Lyft from the airport, at 10pm.  We changed planes in St. Louis and didn't get to sit together due to the new boarding methods at Southwest.
We stayed at a hotel in the famous Playhouse square area.  It was a nice room in a decent hotel.  We got up and found a cool vegan coffee and juice bar for Alexis (I ate and drank and enjoyed also) and spent Thursday in workshops.  Lunch was on our own and we found a super cool grocery store/deli that was in an old bank.  It had tons of food to choose from, deli, salad bar, bakery, soups.  We sat outside and people watched.  After the afternoon workshop, we napped then went on a long walk up and down Euclid ave seeing the stores, Cleveland University, beautiful churches, etc.  Then we changed clothes and walked a few blocks to a pedestrian alleyway full of restaurants and bars.  We ate outdoors at Pickwick something or other which is a comedy show place and restaurant.  Alexis had vegan meatballs and I had meatball flatbread pizza.  Yum.  I also discovered blueberry Smirnoff and gingerly and sucked down three of them which made my toes numb and my laugh louder.  Then we walked back to the hotel and spent two hours by ourselves in the hot tub, pool, and sauna having our fabulous girl talks.
Friday was a day of learning with a luncheon at noon to honor the 11 state School Social Workers of the year award recipients.  I was given a corsage to wear and they had my name and pic on a huge power point.  They read off what Cheri had sent and I walked up, stopped to get my photo taken with a plaque and then said a few words at a podium.  I also had a power point I'd made playing at a table in another room.  I don't like recognition but I was honored by all this.
Friday after the workshop we were pooped so we got a smoothie and sat out and people watched some more before our lyft to the airport and uneventful flights home.  I then drove alone from midnight to 2 am to get home to my warm bed and family.

Mini Vaca Girl's Retreat

What a wonderful two days at Lake Wabaunsee!  So needed and sooo enjoyed!

Met my dear friend Alexis at the turn off to Lake Wabaunsee yesterday morning.  We both had worked so hard to clear our busy schedules to get some very needed time together.  We had researched places to go that had water, wasn't  too far and didn't cost too much and bing!  We had the idea of Lake Wabaunsee and Larry and Joanna said sure!  

It rained pretty much all day yesterday and was warm but not hot.  We thoroughly enjoyed sitting on the patio, looking out across the lake and watching the rain.  We had so much catching up to do.  Alexis is so genuine and easy to be with.  When the rain let up a little, we sat on the dock with our feet dangling in the water.  (I did see a snake yikes!).  And also in Alexis' hammock.  After dinner we put our swimsuits on and sat in the tube floating on the water for awhile til the sprinkles started again.  

Late evening we watched an oldie but a goodie DVD, the Sure Thing.

Today the sun came out and it was awesome!  We hit the water first on the tube then on floaties at 10 and didn't get off the lake til 415!

I'm realizing as writing this that it's nearly impossible to capture in words and even pictures how wonderful this two days were.  Guess you had to be there and I bet you wish you had been!

Day 4 LA

Apparently I wore out my son.  Or the sun did.  I slept til 8 which is late since LA is two hours earlier.  Joel slept til 10.  So while he was sleeping, I walked to the neighborhood coffee shop, Sabor y Cultura.

after showering and got the iced latte. Yum!  I did my quiet time and read til Joel got up.  We hung out and read together in the apartment which I quite enjoyed then walked to a cafe about 10 blocks away for brunch.

More pics of Joel's neighborhood and apartment.

Street view of Joel's house.

He lives in the back unit, ground floor.

View from Joel's window while lying in bed.  

Friends and Family Cafe, appropriate, huh?  

We walked the hot sweaty walk back to the apartment and laid around and read (enjoyable!) until we decided to drive the route that Joel drives every morning, down Los Feliz and a short jaunt on the 5, about 20 minutes to Glendale.  Joel works in the Grand Central Central Creative Campus or GC3.

 His section is just one floor.  It was very modern and very clean and impressive.  There is a large quad area with cartoon statues and a cafe with indoor and outdoor tables, more life a cafeteria.  

Joel's desk:

Snack area:

On the way back to Joel's apartment, even though it was very hot and Joel is very sunburned, we stopped by Echo Park Lake for the Lotus Festival.  This was a celebration of SouthEast Asian culture and had food and ware booths.  It would have been more enjoyable without the heat so we didn't stay long.

More resting in Joel's comfy cozy cool apartment. And watching Joel watch Game of Thrones was a trip.

And then....dinner at Stout Burger with birthday boy nephew Jc, Kristi, and Ryan and his friend who were visiting from Kansas!  

Next morning, up,early, Joel got up to say goodbye and move his car.  It was soo hard to say goodbye.  (Looking forward to seeing Leah and Emmet who,are picking me up at the airport helps).

So I leave you with these random thoughts of LA:

Random LA thoughts:

Anything goes in terms of style including just wearing a towel draped over your head

Homeless people can sleep anywhere

There are no perfect bodies on the beach 

LA people don't greet one another on the street

Joel has a hairy man chest

People eat healthy here

Parking is a bitch

There are lots of palm trees

No one is concerned about all the trash and weeds sprinkled in the succulents and flowers. 

Sidewalks occasionally randomly smell like urine

Grass and open spaces are not necessary for owning dogs. 

Tourists stick out like sore thumbs 

There are waaaay too many restaurants to choose from