Grammie H Sends Warmth

New mitten sets and PJs are keeping these boys toasty this winter!

Fabulously Silly

Steve and Matthew love watching the Super Heros on U-Tube. Tyler decided to join in the fun and cause trouble!

Anestrophic Anticipation

My good friend Kym sent me this phrase and definition when we were discussing Into the Wild and it really got me to thinking.

Anestrophic Anticipation Definition: No sense of catastrophe. You walk through the valley of the shadow of death and you fear no evil – not because you are fearless but because you have no awareness of what may happen. Quoted from Coming Into the Country by John McPhee

That makes me go Hmmmm. I'll have to think about that for a while. The first question that comes to mind is which is better, to know the the possible threats and have to control your fear or relinquish the fear, or to be niave and remain innocent? Because the dangers may materialize and then again they may not.

How many things do I choose not to do because I do now the possible dangers? Is it better to remain safe and risk free, or should I step out more and just try to be as prepared as I can?

Then I think of my kids - they are constantly in "anestrophic anticipation" and it is my job to point out the possible dangers and protect them from the potential harm. And what about the spiritual world - what does God protect us from that we have no idea of? Wow, that word and definition really set my mind spinning.

Wild Adventure

I finished reading Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer and there is one section that I've been mulling over in my mind.

The book is about the life of Chris McCandless who decided to spurn societal norms and follow his own path. He decided after multiple adventures that his path was leading into the Alaskan interior where he wanted to survive off the land near Mt. McKinely. Four months after his mecca trek to "freedom" his decomposed body was found by a moose hunter - he had starved to death.

I don't propose in the least that I understand this man or his quest just from reading a 200 page book written by someone who never actually spoke to Chris McCandles. I will say that I came away with a sense that Chris was running from a sense of loss, but also desperately seeking meaning to life. The fact that he starved to death is tragic, especially considering the nearness of food and help available to him had he been in the possesion of a topographical map. And that, I guess, is my biggest hang-up with his quest. He seemed foolhardy in his belief that he could survive the elements with so little preparation and equipment.

My opinion aside, the section that I've been mulling over is about the adventurous spirit. The excerpt is from a letter written by Chris to his friend Ron.

"...I think you really should make a radical change in your lifestyle and begin to boldly do things which you may previoiusly never have thought of doing or been too hesitant to attempt. So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventerous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man's living sprit is his passion for adventure."

My mulling has gone in circles at times.

On the one hand I yearn for adventure again. I miss the spontanaeity afforded to the single life when I could, seemingly whenever I wanted, choose to wash my cares in the mountain stream or loose my worries to the meadow breeze, surrounded only by the beauty of nature and the smell of pines. But, I don't miss the lonliness of those times, for even Chris McCandles wrote in the margin of one of his books "happiness only real when shared."

I also am struck by the last sentence "the very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure". I would argue that the passion for adventure is the pull that God has placed in the heart of every man to know the freedom of a life wrecklessly abandonded to knowing Him and doing His will. Adventure would be wonderful for a time, and I am willingly led into adventure whenever I do get the opportunity, but adventure without relationship and a larger purpose seems shallow.

So I wonder...
Have I become "too conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism" that I am fearful to change the circumstances in my life, to find the missing adventure; or am I wiser and more responsible in my choices?

Am I seeking to be lost in the adventure of knowing God, willing to surrender my own will to the will of the one who loves me unconditionally?

Am I teaching my children to love life to it's fullest - to find the right balance between adventure and responsiblity?

Am I teaching my children healthy communication (something I don't think Chris learned) so they can handle the hard conversations in life?

I think I'll keep mulling.

No Nap - Day 3

Help!!! Matthew just decided out of the blue that he no longer needs a nap. He went from taking two hour naps to NOTHING! It is a struggle to get him to stay in his room for at least an hour and half just so I get a break. I have been so used to him being a really great sleeper for the last four years that this sudden change is throwing me for a bit of a loop. If you have any suggestions I'm all ears!

Matthewisms

"Mommy, let's make a tent!" as he climbed into my bed this morning. He brought his flashlight and said "my flashlight is magic". I asked him what it did. "It turns into an action figure."

"Mommy, I need my morning cup of coffee." (coffee = warmed up rice milk that I froth and add a little sugar). Then while he was sitting at the table drinking his "coffee" he says "I need a newspaper." The funny thing is I rarely drink coffee at home and neither Steve nor I read the paper so I have no idea where he got this.

"There's the moon." Yes, I reply and it's almost full. Then Matthew asks "Does it have cryptonite?" (Always the superhero)

Matthew here's your apple. "I'll eat after I finish my Kung Fu lesson."

What have I been up to??

I've been quiet for a couple weeks as I've been busily organizing and re-evaluating various aspects of my house and heart. The organization comes easy to me, I just don't always take the time to do it the way I want to. This is what I've been up to:

1. I finally cleaned out my storage room so that I could walk in there and access the closets and shelves.
2. I have a pile of baby and maternity stuff to consign at a local shop and the rest was taken to Goodwil (or will be, the back of my car is still waiting to be emptied of another pile).
3. I went through paperwork on my desk and Steve's desk and starting preparing for taxes.
4. I re-organized my stationery - vowing to write more personal notes.
5. Next I'll tackle the boys' closets to see what can be moved around to facilite easier room cleaning. I already got rid of some toys before Christmas and Matthew's birthday.

This is what remains on my list:
1. Research school options for Matthew
2. Research Natural Childbirth Education training courses
3. Clean carpets
4. Finish the process of Estate planning.
5. Repot my house plants

It is good to clean out, both literally and metaphorically. To purge my house, mind, and heart of the excess stuff that gets cluttered there and impedes efficiency and effectiveness. I find it much easier to organize stuff than to face the condition of my heart before God and the areas of my relationships with family and friends that needs work. I look forward to 2008 to see how God will work on all these things to shape my life and the life of my family to honor Him.

Happy New Year

I've gotten three viruses in the last three weeks. I'm tired of being sick! Unfortunately I was sick today, but found the energy to help Matthew make his gingerbread train like I'd promised.

Making Pizza

Matthew loves to help me make pizza. The hard part is getting him to just knead the dough, not eat the dough.

Winter Wonderland

We went for a walk down to the elementary school to play in the snow. The boys hats were made by Grandma H.

Merry Christmas

We had a beautiful white Christmas this year - only the 13th in 106 years. The snow started Monday night and snoed all Christmas Day. Unfortunately I was so busy with the kids that I didn't get any photos of us opening gifts, but I did get a few after.

Matching PJs made by Grandma H.

One of his favorite toys. The robot lights up and talks.

Happy 4th Birthday!

Today Matthew turned 4!!! We had a great day. This morning we played at "Fat City" for a couple hours. They have a three story foam factory full of multi colored foam balls that can be thrown, shot, sucked up and rained around the room. Matthew had a blast and I think Daddy was a close second. Our little monkey climbed up the lattice ropes, slid head first down the chute slide and vacuumed up as many balls as he could so they could fall from the sky.

Birthday gifts had a creative theme ranging from playdough and paint to the John Deer apron from Grandma and Grandpa.

Matthew was actually so excited about his presents that he opted to wait 'til after dinner for his cake!

We thought this monkey cake was quite appropriate for our very mischievous little man. He enjoyed it as well!

We love you and are so proud of you, Matthew! We are so thankful that God gave you to us as our son. We love to see you learning and growing and can't wait to see who you are growing up to be. Love, Mommy and Daddy

Christmas Parties

Our Management Team at work did a nice dinner at The Fort for our Holiday Celebration. We had Buffalo Tongue, Rocky Mountain Oyserts, Elk, Bison Steaks, Quail, etc. It was a lot of fun!

Left to Right: Tammi Abt (Technician Manager), Steve, Joanna Rump (Luke's wife and also a Veterinarian on sabbatical to raise kids), Me (Business Specialist), Luke Rump (DVM Manager and part owner), Mary Romano (owner's wife and bookkeeper), and Sam Romano (owner and my boss).

Entertaining Themselves?!?!

Yup, that's tape on his face.
Yes, that is a collander on his head.

Isn't that the cutest smile you've ever seen!!!

Duck!

I looked out the window last week to see a cute pair of mallard ducks sitting in the snow in my front yard. Apparently they found the crab apples that the squirrels hadn't got and were enjoying a snack.

I looked a few minutes later and they were gone...but not for long.

They came back with all their friends and settled in for a long feast.

Steve had other plans for the ducks!

He chased them off and then called me the next couple days to make sure they weren't back. Matthew and I got a kick out of it.

The Dichotomy That is My Child

So.....I was getting ready for work Tuesday morning and was doing great on time. I went to find Matthew to get him dressed for preschool and this is what I found.

The white stuff is a whole box of bisquick that was given to us the day before and I had left on the table. Oh, and I was dressed all in black and somehow managed to keep myself clean while vacuuming up this mess. Needless to say we were 15 minutes late to preschool.

That same day was Matthew's preschool Christmas program at Trinity Lutheran. Guess what he was playing? An Angel!!!! He sure did look cute - what is that saying about looks being deceiving?

What did you say???

I'm referring to my voice. I caught the nasty cold that's been going around and ended up loosing my voice. I gotta say, it's tough trying to direct a house of boys (husband and sons) with no voice. I have to make sure they are looking directly at me since all I can do is whisper. I can't exactly yell "Matthew Stephen, get over here right now" in a whisper. Maybe it is a blessing in disquise and they all will realize how much they don't listen to me. Or maybe not! :-) Anyway, the added benefit was that Steve took the boys to Pre-school and childcare today so I could stay home alone and rest. It was amazing to be in my own house by myself - that rarely happens. It was sooooo quiet! I kind of didn't want to sleep 'cause I didn't want to waste this precious alone time. But alas, my bed won the arguement and I slept for a good part of the day. I'm feeling better tonight, but I still don't have a voice. Tomorrow should be an interesting day.

Shootings

I'm feeling rather anxious about this last shooting at two churches here in Colorado. Press conferences about all the details of people's lives lost when a gunman goes nuts should not be something we are used to. First Columbine High School, then the High School in Bailey, and now a YWAM base and a church. All of these places should be safe and welcoming, not riddled with bullet holes.

I pray for the familes and friends of the victimes who's lives have been permanently altered. I pray for their comfort and healing.

The Tree Came Tumbling Down

We have, or rather had, a 80 foot 70 year old cottonwood tree in our back yard that provided fabulous shade in the summer. That tree was one of the selling points for this house. But the tree met it's demise when canker moved in. We ended up having to pay a pretty penny to get it removed last week.

There's another pile of wood just as big on the other side of the driveway.
Matthew and Steve had fun in the snow.

Parent Job Description

(Forwarded from a fellow parent - we both agree we still would have taken the job)

POSITION :
Mom, Mommy, Mama, Ma
Dad, Daddy, Dada, Pa, PopJOB

DESCRIPTION :
Long term, team players needed, for challenging permanent work in an, often chaotic environment. Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call. Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities! Travel expenses not reimbursed. Extensive courier duties also required.

RESPONSIBILITIES :
The rest of your life.
Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs $5.
Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly.
Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 m ph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf.
Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers.
Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects.
Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks.
Must be willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next.
Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices.
Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst.
Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product.
Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.

POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION :
None.
Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you.

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE :
None required unfortunately.
On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis.

WAGES AND COMPENSATION :
Get this! You pay them! Offering frequent raises and bonuses.
A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will help them become financially independent.
When you die, you give them whatever is left.
The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.

BENEFITS :
While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered; this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth, unconditional love, and free hugs and kisses for life if you play your cards right.

Forward this on to all the PARENTS you know, in appreciation for everything they do on a daily basis, letting them know they are appreciated for the fabulous job they do...or forward with love to anyone thinking of applying for the job.

** AND A FOOTNOTE 'THERE IS NO RETIREMENT -- EVER!!!

Brothers

It was 76 degrees in Denver today. We went to the park on the hill hoping for a beautiful sunset, but there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Oh well, we had lots of fun playing anyway.

Football at the Park

We were out enjoying the beautiful weather yesterday and Matthew and Steve threw around the Football.
Tyler had fun just playing in the sand and sliding down the slide.

Sleepy Boy

Tyler just couldn't get through his lunch. My sweet sleepy boy!

Friends

There is nothing better than a visit with a friend! My dear friend Lisa came to town from NM for a few days. I'm so glad I got to spend a little time with her and the kids got to play. They were being quite silly - as evidenced in these photos.

Matthew, Shiloh, Tyler and Landon

Landon, Matthew and Shiloh

Leaves

Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all.- Stanley Horowitz

I love fall. In fact, I think it is my favorite season. Steve was raking leaves today and the boys had lots of fun.

Matthew made a "gimongous" pile of leaves.

Pumpkin Power

Matthew and Tyler both loved their costumes! Matthew the Power Ranger and Tyler the Pumpkin (he wouldn't wear the hat). They got to got to a Fall Festival at Matthew's school and then go Trick-or-Treating. The last couple years we have gone early and then used the extra candy to hand out to the loads of kids that come to our door. It's great, then we have less candy around. The little guy in the "Blue's Clues" outfit is Connor O. - Matthew's little buddy from pre-school.