The Other Big Event This Weekend

Attending a Christmas parade on Friday night and having Josiah's choir concert on Saturday night and again on Sunday afternoon just wasn't enough excitement for us this weekend.  No, on top of all of that, we had to go to our favorite tree farm and get our Christmas tree, too.  ;-) 

Actually, if there had been any other time to get it, I would have much preferred to not cram that activity into this busy weekend; but as it turned out, there didn't seem to be any other feasible time, so on our way home from a church service yesterday morning, we swung by the farm and participated in what has become for our family a cherished holiday tradition.  

First, the walk up the big, big hill...

Not surprisingly, Josiah and David raced ahead, Tobin and Jeff followed at a fairly quick pace, and Shav and I brought up the tail of the procession.  In the picture below, I love how Tobin is turning around to see where we are.  We were way behind him (much further back than it appears here because, thanks to the wonders of modern technology, I could zoom in on him to see his expression).  :)

When Shav and I finally got to the top, I saw David and took a picture of him.  I'm not exactly sure what he was thinking, but it's likely it was something along the lines of "I don't really want to stand here for this picture, so please stop so I can go search for the candy cane tree."  :)

So I let him, and he and Josiah dashed off to find it.

It would have been nice if I had followed so that I could take a picture of it or something, but laziness (or common sense, take your pick) prevailed, and I stayed where I was.

It wasn't a total loss though.  At least I got to take pictures...

...of Shav...

...and of the two of us together.  :)

At that point, I didn't even know what part of the field Jeff was in; but after a while, I saw him coming, his little shadow Tobin tagging along behind.  We always get two trees--one for our house and one for Jeff's barbershop--and when I saw Jeff here, he had already cut one tree down but was indecisive about which other one to get.  One of the secrets to a great marriage, I've discovered, is to, by all means, NOT be picky about which Christmas tree to get.  There's more to having a great marriage than just this, but it's not a bad place to start.  ;-)  So when Jeff said, "I don't know which one to get," I quickly pointed to one and said, "How about this one?"  "That one?" he asked, "Are you sure?"  "Well, OK, maybe not that one," I replied, then nearly as quickly pointed to another one close by.  "But this one looks fine to me."  :)

With that, he dropped to the ground and almost faster than I could raise the camera to snap a picture, he had cut it down.  Mission accomplished.

One of the friendly employees was driving around with a cart, so he took both our trees back down the hill and Jeff went with a very excited Josiah and David to see the famous candy cane tree that they had finally found.  Once again, I stayed behind.  I really did a lot of standing still during our adventure there.  ;-)

Then it was time to head down the hill...

...to visit the old springhouse, drink hot chocolate, and get free ornaments.

I admired the view of two of my boys walking along with their daddy, then I stopped to take a picture of Shav and I...

...well...our shadows, that is.  :)

I also paused on the descent to gratefully notice that the people who run the farm were kindly strapping our trees onto the roof of our van for us.  In years past, we've gone to get our tree on a Wednesday, which is convenient because Jeff is off work and there are not very many people at the farm; but during the week, buying a tree there is a self-service operation.  This trip convinced me of the pleasure of going on a weekend when employees are there to help, and they happen to be very friendly, which makes it all the nicer.  :)

Right before we left, we had to stop and take a picture outside the springhouse.  Jeff helped to get the boys arranged...

...then I started snapping pictures.

But the sun was so bright that it was impossible to get a great photo there.  I knew the boys were having trouble even looking at me because of the glare, so in a moment of inspiration, I said, "Everybody look at the willow tree!" which was away from the sun.  So they started to...

...and then David decided that would be a good time to drink some more hot chocolate.  Thanks, David.  I was really hoping to get a great picture...of that cup!  ;-)

The picture didn't turn out quite like I had hoped.  (But neither did Emily's of her sisters.)  ;-)

Oh well, that didn't stop the boys from enjoying their candy canes...

...which we let them eat BEFORE LUNCH!  :)  (And no, I don't know how Tobin got that scratch on his nose.  He happened to wake up with it one morning recently.)

As we neared our home, we saw a buggy...

 ...and ya know, it's crazy.  For as many years as I've lived here, you'd think I'd be used to buggies by now.

I am, I suppose; but I still get a little excited every time I see one.

I love this part of our local culture.  

A welcoming, familiar tree farm and horse-drawn Old Order Mennonites - just two of the things that make life in the Valley so special!  :)

If There's Anything I'm Craving...

...it might be this.

This pregnancy has felt like such a regular part of life that, even in the area of food, I don't discern much difference between how I "normally" act and how I am currently acting.  The same things I always love and crave in the wintertime (juicy clementines, homemade hot chocolate, delicious chocolate raisins which are good for my iron level ;-), Lay's Tangy Carolina BBQ Potato Chips) are still on my love-the-most list.  But recently, a new drink has been appealing to me.  I had had a few Raspberry Zinger teabags languishing in my cupboard for quite a while, but not too long ago I realized how very tasty it would be to have a cup of that.  Soon I had used up all those old teabags and was putting Raspberry Zinger on the grocery list.  

In this chilly weather, there's something very comforting about a cup of hot tea; and it seems this little girlie inside me prefers the raspberry flavor.  :)

What She Chose

I'm smack dab in the middle of a busy SVCC concert weekend.  First of all, of course, there's the obligation (a happy one!) to be the proud mother of Josiah, a Treble Choir member!  ;-)  Second, there was a dress rehearsal this morning to get Josiah to and pick him up from.  Third, there was a wonderful concert tonight to be an usher for (a very fun job!).  Fourth, there are cookies to bake for the reception after tomorrow's concert (and since they're currently in the oven, I'm stealing a moment to blog).  Fifth, there is a concert to attend tomorrow afternoon!  

So...yeah...busy...not much time to blog...or write down anything very profound.  But I do have time to share a few quick photos.  :)

Ever since Jeff's sister Kim told me that she went straight out and bought girl clothes as soon as she heard the results of our ultrasound, I've been curious to see what she chose.  :)  A package arrived this week from that familiar address, and I eagerly opened it to find this:

A VERY cute little dress that I can already picture my little girlie wearing.  Can you say "photo shoot"?  ;-)

Kim included four shirts/bodysuits...

 ...I love the little rosebud detail on them.  Girl clothes are so much fun.  :)

She also sent a pair of tights--white with little "shoes" printed on them.  I had no idea I could get so excited about a pair of tights, but they are just so adorable.  I had never spent much time looking at tights before.  This whole girl thing is opening a whole new world!  ;-)  I'm not sure how one actually puts tights on a little eight-pound lump of wiggly jello (a.k.a. baby), but I guess I'll figure it out.  ;-)

Thanks, Kim, SO much!  I love what you chose, I love your excitement about this girl-child, and I love YOU!  :)

Lesson #1: Imago Dei

I know very little Latin.  I never studied it in school; and although many homeschooling families incorporate it into their curriculum, we have not chosen to do that.  As a result, about all the phrases that I know of that language are "veni, vidi, vici" (I came, I saw, I conquered) and "carpe diem" (seize the day) which happens to be my personal favorite, when it comes to Latin phrases, because it encouraged Jeff to pursue me back in '96, even when the odds were stacked high against him!  :)

But there is one other bit of Latin that I know, and it has repeatedly winged its way through my mind this year.  It's the phrase, "Imago Dei."  Translated simply, it means "Image of God"; and (because Wikipedia expresses it more succinctly and eloquently than I could, I'll quote from there) it is "a concept and theological doctrine within the Abrahamic religions which asserts that human beings are created in God's image and therefore have inherent value independent of their utility or function."  

The classic Imago Dei reference in Scripture comes very early in the Bible, the 27th verse of the first chapter, as a matter of fact.  "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them."  But the verse I like even better, because it penetrates my heart and convicts me more, comes later in Genesis.  After the flood, in the ninth chapter of Genesis, God speaks to Noah and reminds him that "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man."  In the first chapter, before sin had entered the world and altered the inherent perfection of creation, I would expect no less than to read that mankind was created in God's image and, as such, occupied a high, honored place in the order of things.  But after the flood?  After humans had shown the shocking and terrible extent of their wickedness?  To still be told that we are made in God's image?  That surprises me, delights me, and challenges me.

It's easy for me to look at some people and recognize the image of God.  When I see, for example, Josiah showing kindness to one of his younger brothers, I see God in him.  When I hear David's heartfelt, contagious laughter break forth, I hear an echo of God's voice.  When I feel Shav's little arms around my neck and his head on my shoulder as he clings to me in a hug, I feel God in that.  When I watch Tobin joyfully sprint through the fallen leaves around a maple tree, just for the fun of being alive and able to run...

...I sense the energy of God at work in him.  It's very easy to think, "Ah, yes, this child was made in the image of God."  

But let me tell you when it's not easy.  When I see someone throwing his life away because of an addiction to alcohol or drugs, I think, "What are you doing?"  When I walk through a grocery store and see a woman who looks like she came to the store in her pajamas, I think, "Why did you choose to wear that out in public?  Where's your self-respect?"  When I sit in a restaurant and watch a man with a belly so big he can hardly keep it covered with his shirt and yet he goes back to the buffet for the fourth time, I think, "Have you no self-control?"  It is in times like these that I really need to be reminded of Imago Dei.  Yes, that addict was made in the image of God.  That woman who looks like a mess was made in the image of God.  That man carrying his obesity around wherever he goes was made in the image of God.

I can't tell you how many times this year, I've driven through the parking lot of Walmart, for example, and seen something or someone that makes me think, "How could that person do that...or wear that...or look like that...or be that?"  Though the doctrine of kindness was drilled into me at such a young age that I wouldn't dare put my critical thoughts in such circumstances into spoken words, I have been guilty, time and time again, of thoughts so prideful and condescending and hateful (it pains me to write that, but yes, they are hateful) that I would blush the deepest shade of crimson and hang my head in shame were anyone to look inside my head and read my mind.  Some "sinners" wear their mistakes on the outside--the chain-smoker whom is never seen without a cigarette, the overweight person whose very appearance announces a lack of self-discipline (although let me hasten to add that I know that some weight issues are caused by physical conditions, side effects of medicine, etc...however, we in America are facing a huge overweight epidemic, much of which has been caused by a basic lack of self-control).  But many sinners--myself included--carry their sins on the inside, deep in the recesses of the mind, where no one, but God, can see.  These sins are the hardest of all to conquer.

In my struggle against the sin of prideful thoughts this year, one short Latin phrase has been the most effective weapon in my arsenal.  Imago Dei.  This reminder has popped into my mind countless times when I've seen someone and been faced with the choice to have a prideful, insulting thought or a humble, righteous response: each man, each woman, each boy, each girl is made in the image of God.  That's not to say that all of us are walking in the full brilliance of His image or displaying His glory as brightly as He intended!  But somewhere, within each soul--from the woman who dresses and acts so provocatively that she seems to have only one thing on her mind to the dirty, smelly, homeless man on a street corner who has lost his way through the journeys of this world--there remains a spark of the divine.

Imago Dei.  The image of God.  It's there, in you, in me, in all of us.  

Look for it.

Baby Blessing: Weeks 20 & 21

Golden.

That's the word that often comes to my mind during this stage of my pregnancies.  As I contemplate the relative ease with which I waltz through pregnancy, I'm reminded of what a blessing that is; and I consciously pause to thank God.  I do not want to take this for granted.

This pregnancy, in particular, feels so easy.  It's surprising, really!  I didn't necessarily expect to have a difficult pregnancy; but after all, this is my fifth child...and I'm getting older...and I have four other children to care for. Shouldn't this be hard?  In many ways, it's not.  Oh, to be sure, there are a multitude of areas in which I constantly fall short and feel challenged to do more and be better; I don't want to in any way give the impression that my life is all put-together and I'm doing great on all fronts (you should see the dishes on my kitchen counter! that's my next project).  :)  But when it comes to nurturing this little one, I'd have to say it's one of the easiest parts of life right now!  :)

Adding to my joy is the special knowledge that comes from knowing it's a girl.  Have I mentioned before how glad I am that we found out this time?  ;-)  I was thinking this morning, while dealing with some behavior issues with the boys, that so far, this little girl is perfect.  Now I know good and well that she won't always be; in fact, it won't be too long after she's born that I'll realize just how much of a fallen creature she is--just like the rest of us!  But during these remaining weeks of this pregnancy, I'll cherish these days when she's done nothing wrong.  :)  

Speaking of remaining weeks, it feels funny to be on the downhill slope of this pregnancy.  Twenty-two weeks tomorrow, and it's zooming along!  As eager as I am to meet this sweet one face to face (and believe me, I can hardly wait!), I'm also more than content to hang onto these months when she's still inside me.  It's pure joy to have her with me always, to feel her kicks and nudges, to know that we're connected in a bond that's impossible to duplicate.  I'm sure when I hit nine months and her kicks and nudges are threatening to break my ribs and leave me gasping for air and it takes me a full two minutes to hoist myself out of bed or simply roll over, I'll feel a little differently about all of this.  But for now, I am loving every single day of this, and don't want it to pass by too quickly.  

For my pregnancy picture, I was DELIGHTED to have it taken by my kind friend Lisa.  The day after Thanksgiving, she emailed and said, "We're in the area!  Can I swing by?"  Absolutely!  Not only did she bless me with the most adorable baby girl clothes (I really can't get over how cute they are!) passed down from her daughter Annabelle, but she also happened to mention that she would have her camera with her, and would I like her to take a picture of me? Would I??  :)

Yes!  Yes!  And to answer her question, YES!  ;-)

I don't often feel beautiful; but when I see these pictures from Lisa, I feel that way a little bit.  :)

Not only did Lisa bring herself, her camera, clothes for Baby Girl, and some maternity clothes for me, she also brought her oldest, Isaac, to play with my boys.  He fits great in our family: loves Star Wars, Legos, the trampoline, air hockey, etc.  It was so much fun to watch these guys playing together.  :)

While Lisa was here, David did a quick costume change and turned into a pirate.  Lisa snapped this picture of him; and although she told me she wasn't satisfied with it because it's a little blurry, I'm SO glad she passed it along to me anyway, because I love it.  David does, too; in fact, the first time he saw it, he exclaimed in his typical enthusiastic fashion, "I LOVE IT!"  Me, too, David dear, me, too.  :)

Let's see...what else should I say about weeks 20 and 21?  Oh, I know!  On the pregnancy ticker at the bottom of my blog, I read this during this past week and was amazed: "If baby is a girl, she now has a lifetime supply of eggs."  Is that not incredible to think about?  The miracle of conception, prenatal development, and birth is wondrous to me.

As far as her first name is concerned, we chose it long ago.  Before Josiah was even born, we knew what we would name a daughter; and we haven't wavered from that during the past 10 years.  Her middle name, however, has given us some food for thought.  I have four choices for it that I would be more than happy with.  I suppose that's what comes from having four sons and then finally having a daughter; you store up all the girl names you like, and then slap them all on her!  When she's born, if we announce her name and she's got four middle names, you'll know why.  ;-)  But seriously, I think we've decided on what her middle name will be.  :)  

With both Tobin and Shav's pregnancies, we didn't definitively decide on a name until later in the pregnancy, so there wasn't as much time to get used to it before the baby was born.  Even after birth, I still remember thinking things like "the baby is crying" rather than "Tobin is crying."  It took a little while before the name rolled right off my tongue, instead of Baby or New Baby.  In this case however, it is SO natural to call this girlie by her name.  I'm half-afraid I'll slip up and spill the beans here on the blog, just because it's so easy to use her name.  I'll have to proof-read my pregnancy posts an extra time, to make sure I don't let the cat out of the bag.  ;-)

Two mornings ago, Jeff was able to feel her move for the first time.  That's always a special moment.  :)

If I could sum up this pregnancy in one word, it would be "unreal."  If I could sum it up in five words, they would be "too good to be true."  :)  From the beginning, I've had the strongest sense of "wow, this can't be happening! it's too wonderful!"  From getting pregnant right after the miscarriage at a time we did not expect it to happen, all the way to finding out we'll have a daughter, the whole experience has felt surreal, like an extra bonus that God has lavished upon us.  He didn't have to do this for us, but for some reason He chose me to carry this child, and He chose this particular time to give her to us.  It's mind-boggling and, frankly, unreal; but then I look at pictures like the ones Lisa took and I realize that it must really be happening!  :)  

I don't deserve this blessing; but oh, how grateful I am for it!

It's December! Let the Introspection Begin.

When the twelfth month of the year rolls around, something within us says, "Aha!  It's time to reflect!  And categorize!  And summarize!  And make Top 10 lists!"  Suddenly the news headlines are filled with articles about the Top 10 Fascinating People of 2011...or the Top 10 Songs...or the Top 10 Business Trends...or the Top 10 Smartphones...or the Top 10 New Species...or the Top 10 Lipsticks...or the Top 10 Brands of Toilet Paper (OK, so I haven't really seen an article about that.  Yet.)...or the Top 10 anything-you-could-possibly imagine.  It's as if we need to wrap up this year in a succinct fashion before we can freely move on to the coming year.

I'm not making too much fun of the people who do this because...well...I'm one of those people.  I like a year-in-review kind of post, and I imagine that I'll have one ready when this month draws to an end.  But it does make me pause to reflect when I realize that to God, who is outside the realm of time, there is precious little difference between December 31 and January 1, whereas to me, it feels huge.

In years past, I have noticed how other women of faith who blog will often choose a single word to be their theme for a new year.  I myself have sometimes chosen a particular verse of Scripture to be my theme verse, to help me focus on a particular area in which I wanted to grow; but I had never participated in the one-word challenge.  I really liked reading about others' choice of words, so I thought I would do the same during 2011.  I even had a blog post in mind that I wanted to write about it, but that never happened (like so many blog posts that never make it out of my mind and into my computer!).  From time to time during the past 11 months, the-theme-word-that-I-didn't-really-choose-but-would-have-if-I-had-chosen would enter my mind, but it was in a mostly casual way.  I wouldn't say that it was responsible for causing me to focus or to do much growing.

The word was LESS.

Inspired by John 3:30, that word meant for me that I would strive to make meaningful steps along the path of full surrender to God's will for my life and His hand working in me.  Less of me, more of Him...here at home with my family, and in other realms of life, too.  Less also meant that I would weigh less and would have less clutter in my home.  ;-)  A return to simplicity in order to reach higher heights of devotion to and "lostness" in the majesty of God.

So, how did I do?  Honestly, I'd have to give myself mixed reviews.  For one thing, I don't weigh any less now.  ;-)  And I'm adding to the number of children we have which doesn't contribute to the concept of "less."  :)  Do I have less clutter in my home?  Yes, I think a little bit less; but new clutter continues to spring up perpetually.  Much more importantly, have I become less so that He may become more?  I don't know.  Not as much as I would like, that's safe to say.

But here's what I do know:  along the way, I have learned a number of other lessons, things I didn't plan to learn but apparently God planned to teach me.  :)  During this month, I'd like to share some of those lessons learned.  Of course, I'll still keep having "regular" posts--baby news, household happenings, holiday festivities, etc.  Maybe I'll even finish my Thanksgiving series.  :)  But I do want to take some time to reflect on the deeper things I've experienced and learned from this year.  I'm not sure that it will turn into a Top 10 list; as a matter of fact, it might be a Top 5 or maybe a Top 12.  How many lessons did I learn this year anyway?  :)  Or, better said, how attentive was I to the Master Teacher and the curriculum He laid out for me in 2011?

Perhaps by the end of this month, my introspection will pay off, and I'll be able to begin to answer that question.  :)

It's All because of the Greens (and Other Christmas Tidbits)

One of the (MANY!) aspects I enjoy about blogging is changing my blog look each month.  A new header and a new background thrills me.  It doesn't take much, does it?  ;-)  

When I was thinking ahead to December's look, I definitely was not considering a black/white/gray/red color palette.  No, instead I had plans for the traditional red and green, with a single photo for the header...but...I ran into a problem.  I could not get the greens to match.  The green in the grass (the header photo I was planning to use was taken outside), the green in the pine tree, the green in the blog background, the green in the fonts--all of that green was just too much, and I could not make it coordinate to my satisfaction.  So, I threw that plan out the window and changed tactics altogether.  A collage for the header, a completely different background, the classic color combination of black and white and red, and I was set.  I liked it much, much better.  If you happen to be a blogger who makes seasonal or monthly layout changes, maybe you'll have green in your new look.  If so, I'll be sure to enjoy it on your blog.  ;-)

In other Christmas news, my dearly beloved took all four boys out this morning, running errands and finishing with lunch at Country Cookin'.  (Here's a shout-out to Jeff for his excellent parenting skills: toward the end of their meal, an elderly gentleman came up to Jeff and remarked on how very well-behaved the boys were.  For Jeff to single-handedly care for the boys at a buffet restaurant, and then receive a compliment on our sons' behavior, is definitely something to be applauded!  He's my hero, but you already knew that, didn't you?)  :)  But back to Christmas...  Jeff took the boys so that I could have peace and quiet and privacy to wrap Christmas gifts.  But you know, it's actually too simple to just say "wrap Christmas gifts."  First, I had to go searching in my closet for the gifts I had been stashing there, and then I had to try to remember which gift was for which boy (sometimes it was obvious, but not always), and then I had to write down a list of what gifts we're giving them (mainly so I don't forget between now and Christmas and buy a duplicate gift!)  ;-), and then I had to make sure we were giving roughly equal amounts of gifts to Josiah and David (and to a lesser extent, Tobin, although he doesn't keep track of his present count quite as ardently as the older boys!), and then I had to write in the front of the books we are giving the boys (they love opening a book and reading their name in it and the occasion when they received it), and then I had to wrap them!  And while I was at it, I also did a tiny bit more Christmas shopping on Ebay.  Despite all the steps of the process, it was all a joy to do, especially because of the aforementioned peace and quiet and privacy.  :)  I LOVE giving gifts to my boys.  I used to love receiving gifts.  Maybe I'm growing up, because now, rather than get, I would much rather give presents.  Christmas shopping for these precious little men is a delight to me, and the wrapping part is pretty fun, too.  :)  Here is the evidence of my project this morning:

It was a morning well-spent.  :)

One more quick Christmas item for tonight...

Some folks put a star at the top of their nativity set, while others top it with an angel.  But we?

Well, we put a cowboy hat on top of ours!  :)

I'm not sure which of the little wise guys running around here was the one to put the cowboy hat in this place...

...but when I saw it, I smiled and decided to leave it there.  If Jesus had come to earth a couple thousand years later than He did, I bet He would have loved to be a cowboy.  ;-)