I think this is the first week since I have started blogging that I intentionally missed a Monday post. But many of you worry when I am a day late - so here it is: It is not that I have nothing to say but that I have too many intense emotions and scattered thoughts and not ANY time to organize them into a coherent thought. But that needs to end soon because I just found out that we are moving to the jungle here there will be no internet or phone access in the foreseeable future... so I need to catch you all up on the insanity soon... but we'll see...
maybe I could tell you all about Dru, our 15 year old friend, who is return to Honduras with us.
I could tell you about Lucy beginning to talk
or the hours Jude has spent playing with Grandparents, friends and cousins... and the 100's of times he has told us he doesn't want to return
or I could tell you how that makes me feel
I could tell you about my dear friends getting married or friends and family who are struggling
but right now Jude is dog-piling his sister and the laughter is reaching the level where you KNOW someone is going to be crying any minute.
I'll go switch the laundry over... now how is this possible that with a washing machine I feel as though I have less free time than I did in Honduras?
All this to say... my consistency in communication may wane... don't worry... but write me. OFTEN.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
around the world without a camera
So some little blue dot on the LCD on our camera is being repair, and meanwhile we are traveling to the roots of our current character and back. Jarod is spending the week in Iowa on his grandmothers farm (where the kids and I dropped he and a 35 year old motorcycle off for a 400 mile ride home - please pray). I am in DC visiting my cousin whom I haven't really had a chance to connect with in the last decade but who was practically joined at my hip throughout childhood summers. If we we could just get a couple of tickets to PDX we would have visited almost all people and places that have unequally formed who we are today. And since i can't share pictures I thought I might share a little from the book shelves of the people we have been staying with. Grandma Mary's house is a wash in her normal Catholic literature but on this visit I was struck in awe with magazine titles like "Countryside," "Mother earth news," and "Grit". Solar showers anyone? Living off the grid? May be an option. We'll see how Jarod is doing in a week. And I just woke up to stare at a bookshelf that contains the title , "The Singularity is Near." It is going to be a full day if he has actually read that. I'm stoked.
As if to prove that our life is continual travel at this point I "bumped into" my mother and Grandmother on layover in Memphis. You know you are traveling to much when you are making social calls on layovers. Also we have purchased our tickets back to Honduras for May 11th... and with no set place to live when we get there it doesn't look like the instability has an end in sight. As far as how the children are taking it. I wouldn't call it child abuse, although Lucy is going to need an overdose of her inhaler with all the climate change and I am sure Jude is getting an overdose of candy while staying with the Grandparents for 3 days.
As if to prove that our life is continual travel at this point I "bumped into" my mother and Grandmother on layover in Memphis. You know you are traveling to much when you are making social calls on layovers. Also we have purchased our tickets back to Honduras for May 11th... and with no set place to live when we get there it doesn't look like the instability has an end in sight. As far as how the children are taking it. I wouldn't call it child abuse, although Lucy is going to need an overdose of her inhaler with all the climate change and I am sure Jude is getting an overdose of candy while staying with the Grandparents for 3 days.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Tradition
I love Easter. It doesn't seem to have the stressful hoopla that other holidays get overrun with. Sure there are eggs and bunnies... but when you put that up to someone raising from the dead to make the whole world right again - there just isn't much of a comparison. I don't know, maybe there is for other people, but we spend enough time at church on Easter that it will be pretty hard for our kids to miss the point (well - until they turn the cross into a gun anyway). We started the weekend off with traditional egg dying with cousin Maysyn and an Easter egg hunt with "the guys" out at my parents place.
Then Easter day started at 6 am and footsie PJ's at the Sunrise service and breakfast. Then we came home to get in our "Easter best" that Grandma had purchased for the kids and back to church we went... for 2 more services a big dinner and the Lord's supper. When we first came back to Hays and drove by our church, Jude, from the back seat - with arms and legs flailing said, "I LOVE that church."
"Good" we responded, "We are glad you love church."
"Not those other churches," he said, "Just THAT church."
As sad and as wrong as his comment was we understood in our souls where his sentiments originated.... Who wouldn't rather sit around a table with all of your best friends in the world? Now hopefully we will be able to figure out how to make the whole world our 'best friends' - because if we could take just a little bit of the feeling of belonging, love and peace that is in that church basement to those around us... that would be a good way to live. But I have a feeling that it has less to do with the traditions than the love through which they are carried out - and the hope of the resurrection that makes it all possible.
Then Easter day started at 6 am and footsie PJ's at the Sunrise service and breakfast. Then we came home to get in our "Easter best" that Grandma had purchased for the kids and back to church we went... for 2 more services a big dinner and the Lord's supper. When we first came back to Hays and drove by our church, Jude, from the back seat - with arms and legs flailing said, "I LOVE that church."
"Good" we responded, "We are glad you love church."
"Not those other churches," he said, "Just THAT church."
As sad and as wrong as his comment was we understood in our souls where his sentiments originated.... Who wouldn't rather sit around a table with all of your best friends in the world? Now hopefully we will be able to figure out how to make the whole world our 'best friends' - because if we could take just a little bit of the feeling of belonging, love and peace that is in that church basement to those around us... that would be a good way to live. But I have a feeling that it has less to do with the traditions than the love through which they are carried out - and the hope of the resurrection that makes it all possible.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Easter disturbance beyond words
"Look at my Easter cross mommy"
"Now it is a sword."
"Now it is a gun... puchowowo.. pmpmpmpmpm..bbbbooooommm... I love guns mommy."
Really? This is so NOT how I pictured parenting...
"Now it is a sword."
"Now it is a gun... puchowowo.. pmpmpmpmpm..bbbbooooommm... I love guns mommy."
Really? This is so NOT how I pictured parenting...
Monday, April 6, 2009
1/2 way between Denver and KC...
on I-70. This is how I have become accustom to placing Hays for people. And surprisingly enough about 50 % of people say something like, "I've been through there.." "one time on a trip to..." "stopped and got gas..." "got snowed in..." etc. etc. And that is why I have decided you can't say you have 'been' somewhere until you have stayed in a home somewhere... or maybe even until you have HAD a home somewhere... it just isn't the same.
But even for those of us that call Hays home the travel can be trying. Jude has had a few extra difficulties in adjusting. Although when he saw our church for the first time he said, "I LOVE that church." When we responded that it was good to love church, he quickly clarified, "No I love THAT church - NOT those other churches." Oh dear.
Lucy, of course is emotionally fine but her breathing issues have escalated with the change in climate and new allergens. She really can't breath, so we are going to the storage shed today to look for Jude's old inhaler spacer. Oh dear.
We have attended my Grandma's 93 birthday party since we returned and my friend's first bridal shower. Went to the dentist and Jude officially has a dead tooth. The Dr says Lucy officially has RAD (baby asthma). And well.... there is plenty more going on... so I have to go. But we look happy and surrounded by friends don't we?
P.S. Our point and shoot camera had to be sent in for repairs and Jarod is forcing me to learn all kids of new things with the 'big camera' so maybe next week's blog will just be a photo exhibition.... that will be good 'cause I can't form a consistent thought stand anyway.
But even for those of us that call Hays home the travel can be trying. Jude has had a few extra difficulties in adjusting. Although when he saw our church for the first time he said, "I LOVE that church." When we responded that it was good to love church, he quickly clarified, "No I love THAT church - NOT those other churches." Oh dear.
Lucy, of course is emotionally fine but her breathing issues have escalated with the change in climate and new allergens. She really can't breath, so we are going to the storage shed today to look for Jude's old inhaler spacer. Oh dear.
We have attended my Grandma's 93 birthday party since we returned and my friend's first bridal shower. Went to the dentist and Jude officially has a dead tooth. The Dr says Lucy officially has RAD (baby asthma). And well.... there is plenty more going on... so I have to go. But we look happy and surrounded by friends don't we?
P.S. Our point and shoot camera had to be sent in for repairs and Jarod is forcing me to learn all kids of new things with the 'big camera' so maybe next week's blog will just be a photo exhibition.... that will be good 'cause I can't form a consistent thought stand anyway.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Waiting for Wichita
Gate C6 smells like greasy beef. Very few people visit Wichita Kansas unless they are going 'home.' This explains why our waiting area in the Atlanta Airport has far more of a homogeneous feel to it than say the LaGuardia or LAX, which are of course flooded with vacationers – people going to see the 'sites'. You can tell by the crew waiting at c6... that there's no 'site' on the other end of this flight.
All around me is flannel, a surprising amount of flannel – but even more camo. So there is cold waiting for us.. and work... and hunting... or at least the talk of hunting. The cluster of men around the trashcan, waiting to drop their double bacon cheese burger wrappers and large coke bottles are wearing almost fitted jeans and I could guarantee you that if one of them took off their ball cap the line on their skull would prove overly consistent wear.
Our accessories vary from the other gates as well. We have as many knitting needles among us as i-pods, handmade bags and women in Mennonite head coverings were sprinkled amidst the t-shirts and sweaters... not a suit jacket to be found. Our reading material is light and the smiles are large. Kansas is like your big brother who dropped out of school but who can still fix any car and answer any question on jeopardy while drinking a Budlight and eating Ruffles. Or like a woman who “isn't good at anything” but makes the most delicious pies without a recipe and can play any church hymn by ear. And we are comfortable with that. We were as foreign to Florida as we were in Honduras. Now we are really beginning our journey home, and now I understand why my Aunts, on both sides, transplanted for more than 30 years, to both coasts and foreign lands, still call Kansas 'home'.
Our waiting area is heavyset and calm with an occasional burst or laughter or baby cry. People in chairs chat with other people in chairs as I turn to see the other waiting rooms aflutter in one-way electronic conversations and business deals that are too important to wait through a flight. There is just nothing that urgent about Wichita.
My parents always told me that Kansas was the 'best kept secret' but I was sure the only secret around was how BAD I wanted to leave. As we return I am confident that Jude has found out that Kansas secret, and it is good enough for him. There really is nothing in Kansas... except our friends and family... and all that 'nothingness' only secures the fact that there will be plenty of time for him. Plenty of time for us. We are now boarding a half-empty flight to a half-full state... and it is my first return to see it that way.
All around me is flannel, a surprising amount of flannel – but even more camo. So there is cold waiting for us.. and work... and hunting... or at least the talk of hunting. The cluster of men around the trashcan, waiting to drop their double bacon cheese burger wrappers and large coke bottles are wearing almost fitted jeans and I could guarantee you that if one of them took off their ball cap the line on their skull would prove overly consistent wear.
Our accessories vary from the other gates as well. We have as many knitting needles among us as i-pods, handmade bags and women in Mennonite head coverings were sprinkled amidst the t-shirts and sweaters... not a suit jacket to be found. Our reading material is light and the smiles are large. Kansas is like your big brother who dropped out of school but who can still fix any car and answer any question on jeopardy while drinking a Budlight and eating Ruffles. Or like a woman who “isn't good at anything” but makes the most delicious pies without a recipe and can play any church hymn by ear. And we are comfortable with that. We were as foreign to Florida as we were in Honduras. Now we are really beginning our journey home, and now I understand why my Aunts, on both sides, transplanted for more than 30 years, to both coasts and foreign lands, still call Kansas 'home'.
Our waiting area is heavyset and calm with an occasional burst or laughter or baby cry. People in chairs chat with other people in chairs as I turn to see the other waiting rooms aflutter in one-way electronic conversations and business deals that are too important to wait through a flight. There is just nothing that urgent about Wichita.
My parents always told me that Kansas was the 'best kept secret' but I was sure the only secret around was how BAD I wanted to leave. As we return I am confident that Jude has found out that Kansas secret, and it is good enough for him. There really is nothing in Kansas... except our friends and family... and all that 'nothingness' only secures the fact that there will be plenty of time for him. Plenty of time for us. We are now boarding a half-empty flight to a half-full state... and it is my first return to see it that way.
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