One of the activities at N’s preschool rodeo day was for the kids to stamp their name on the side of a cow to learn about branding. One child had as longer, more difficult to spell, name. Nonetheless, he set out with enthusiasm to spell his name. He was on track for the first couple of letters but soon thereafter, either became confused or just gave up. Then finished product?
Confiscated immediately.
Thursday was rodeo day at N’s school. I volunteered to help which was a dream come true for J who wishes more than anything that she also went to N’s school!
J is so proud to share a name with this beautiful girl. The highlight of visiting N’s school is always getting to play with her.
The kids looked so cute!
N loved the barrel race.
J was more of a lasso girl.
All in all, rodeo day was a huge success; except for one humorous debacle which I will share with you tomorrow!
This week, we stumbled upon preschool morning at Chick-Fil-A. We were just passing through to buy ice cream at 9AM after N had a traumatic doctor’s visit where he had to unexpectedly give blood. (He always adds, “Well, not all of it.”) It’s funny how many things you do once you’re a parent that you thought you’d never do.
After making no less than 4 different crafts, it was time for singing, dancing and bible story. I was stunned when I realized that the kids were learning a Christian song at Chick-Fil-A about obeying and praying! During our last year in Central Asia, our family was the only believers in our city. Our church times took place in our home with a J and I, a 1 year old and a 3 year old. Sitting there in Chick-Fil-A, I was overwhelmed once again by the differences here that we all too often take for granted. I loved our church times together as a family during that last year and the Lord was gracious to really bless them. But, our appreciation for gathering with others will always be tinted by this experience.
So, I found myself crying in Chick-Fil-A as I watched my children worship. I quickly regretted this, as if I could have had any control over my free flowing, pregnancy tears! The sensitive moms in the group started trying to get to know me and be my friend so that they could reach out to this pregnant lady who must have had issues to be crying in the middle of the kids song. I remember watching American Idol, during the last pregnancy, and crying after every contestant. Some because they were just so good and others because I felt so sorry for them. I knew J was going to make fun of me each time and I tried my best to hold it in but the tears just flowed! I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised by the Chick-Fil-A tears. In my mind, they were much more warranted than the American Idol ones anyway.
After the songs, the kids’ story was about the life of St. Patrick. I had never heard before that he was captured and enslaved by an Irish raiding party around the age of 16. Torn from his family and homeland, he was forced to labor in Ireland, tending sheep and swine. It was during this time that he became a follower of Jesus. Legend has it that he escaped captivity and was able to return to his family. After becoming a priest, he had a dream in which he heard the voices of the Irish people asking him to return to them. He left his family once again, this time as a missionary to the very people who were once his captors.
Now, this is worth dying rivers green, drinking lots of beer and celebrating. Just kidding about the rivers and the beer. A little joke for those who have read this far! 
Really though, consider a man who took the Gospel back to the very people who hurt him more deeply than any other. That’s forgiveness. That’s devotion. That’s obedience. That’s an example we should follow. I’m inspired. Happy St. Patrick’s Day.
N and J enjoy things that help them understand time. Spring break is a new concept around here and I was trying to explain why N didn’t have school. N was asking me what we were doing next week and I told him day by day what our plans were. Afterwards, he said, “You’re the bestest mom and you’re my only mom!” I realized how much he appreciates looking forward to things. So, I decided to plan a small outing for every day of the week to celebrate spring break. Today we did a craft together to help them look forward to our spring break fun.
Baba was helping J eat breakfast on Sunday morning. He lovingly pushed her hair out of her face so she could eat.
J said: “Baba! You look like you want to marry me!” (darn. too much Little Mermaid.)
Baba: “Well J, I’m your Baba. I can’t marry you. Your going to marry someone else.”
J: “Who am I going to marry?”
Baba: “I don’t know. You will pick when you get older.”
J: “Will you pick for me?”
Baba: “Sure.”
This conversation is forever recorded. J, when you’re 16, we’ll remind you that you asked your Baba to pick your husband!
We have always looked forward to the day that we had our own garden. In Turkey, the soil was amazingly fertile and many people had small gardens but we didn’t have the land to do it. The only thing we ever grew were jalapenos on our porch to make salsa. And, over our time there, as with many other things, eventually you could buy jalapenos in the store making our porch ones no longer necessary.
Last year, we attempted a garden but we were late in planting due to just moving in and it wasn’t very successful. Well, I’ll be honest. We spent hours together in that thing and nothing grew. Nothing. Sad but true.
This year, we have much higher expectations. With the help of garden-wiz-friend Matthew, J learned about Ecology Action . In their own words, this is “ Sustainable Mini-Farming — that nurtures soil, produces high yields, conserves resources and can be used successfully by almost everyone.”
Did you catch that last part? “Can be used successfully by almost everyone.” Too bad they put the almost in there but we are thinking we have a chance.
Step 1 is to dig a hole 1 ft deep, 5 feet wide and dig the dirt out, saving it for later. Then, break up the ground another 12 inches below.
Step 2 continue with another 1 ft. deep, 5 ft wide hole immediately adjacent to the first one, this time filling the first hole with the dirt from the second.
Ernie spent the majority of one afternoon with his head in this hole. He looked like a headless fuzzball and he made us all laugh!
J finally finished the digging process this afternoon, just before the rain hits tomorrow. The finished product is a 5 ft. x 20 ft. ‘double dug’ bed.
Phase 2 involves a 2 inch layer of sand mixed into the current soil and then a 2 inch layer of compost also mixed in. That’s about all I know about the next phase. To be continued….
While reading a book recently, the beginning of a poem by Rudyard Kipling caught my eye.
God gave all men all earth to love,
But, since our hearts are small,
Ordained for each one spot should prove,
Beloved over all.
I immediately thought of Central Asia. Our friends, the natural beauty, the slow paced and warm culture, the food (which I am craving right now); all the things we suprisingly grew to love. The only reason two small town Texas folks love these things is because God loves that land more. He is the one that has allowed Central Asia to be the place we find ’beloved over all’.
This reminded me of something our pastor said a few weeks ago. He asked for a show of hands as to how many people in the audience had all their life dreamed of living in our current city of several million. The response was laughable- maybe 10 people raised their hand out of a few hundred. No one really wanted to be there. He went on to challenge us to put down roots in this place. To see these roots as an ‘investment in hope’. Hope of the things to come in our city, our church, among our circles of influence.
I was challenged by this. Challenged to acknowledge this place as the one that God has currently ordained for me to love. If I’m not choosing to interact with my drug selling neighbors so that they can experience Christ’s love, who is? Until God leads elsewhere, I’m gonna love this place, put down roots, and as my Faith grows, my investment in Hope is bound to grow too.
“But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
whose confidence is in him.
He will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.”
Jeremiah 17:7-8
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Here are the first and last stanzas of Sussex by Rudyard Kipling. I was going to post the whole thing but it is pretty long. Sussex is a little town on England’s coast that surely is easier to love than where we live now.
GOD gave all men all earth to love,
But since our hearts are small,
Ordained for each one spot should prove
Belovèd over all;
That, as He watched Creation’s birth,
So we, in godlike mood,
May of our love create our earth
And see that it is good.
So one shall Baltic pines content,
As one some Surrey glade,
Or one the palm-grove’s droned lament
Before Levuka’s Trade.
Each to his choice, and I rejoice
The lot has fallen to me
In a fair ground—in a fair ground—
Yea, Sussex by the sea!
Today’s post was going to be about making our own pizzas. I had heard that you could buy dough from Little Cesar’s and then make your own pizza with their dough. After buying the ingredients and getting the kids all excited about our fun lunch adventure, Little Cesar’s said they don’t sell dough. Try telling that to a 2-year-old and 4-year-old. I’ll have to do some more investigating on the pizza dough thing.
Instead, here’s the recipe for the cinnamon rolls we made this weekend. (Thanks Michelle!) This is the last of my baking for a while since I have 3 months left of pregnancy but am only 5 pounds off what should be my final weight. These cinnamon rolls were worth it though. The recipe was from Pioneer Woman and that lady can cook. Like her doughnuts, the dough for these rolls can also be made the night before allowing the morning process to go much quicker. It also made enough to freeze a pan. I don’t know if they will keep well and we’ll have to wait until April to find out since March is ‘no sweets month’ around here. This one was a keeper. Click here for Pioneer Woman’s cinnamon roll recipe and enjoy!
