Let's shut this month down

Life rating A.

So we went ahead and did a second round of the stomach flu this week – just for the heck of it. I am actually hoping we got it out of the way for the rest of the year. But... I seriously doubt it.

Jarod did pass his kidney stone right before … (wait for it!)... he and I went on a wonderful 3 day trip ALONE!! Ohhh... how romantic (and RARE). We went even though Kingson says we are too old to be romantic and kissing in the kitchen makes nine out of ten people in our family uncomfortable.

Sadly, the one it doesn't make uncomfortable is Lucy – not because she is too young to understand it but because she is ALL OVER romance. The other day Jarod and I and the kids were having a little private lunch and the topic of romantic love came up. Jude said the obligatory “yuck” - looked down into his soup pretending not to hear us, and Lucy proudly (and swooningly) proclaimed – “ROMANTIC LOVE - that is what I have for Isaac!!” It was disturbing. Especially because at age 5 this is her fourth proclamation for such emotion (fifth if you count her love for her oedipal father).

So ANYWAY.. we had a great time in Kansas City and Lawrence attending our friend Pete's wedding. And we were all alone – except for the constant companion of Suri. Which I am proud to announce that after the weekend – Jarod has officially dumped his electronic girlfriend. The upgrade apparently makes her entirely useless to him and since she is also not very romantic – I WIN. Also, I think it is good they broke up because he was very abusive to the poor thing. He treats me much better even when I can't find the nearest Starbucks.

In other news - we have pumpkins and gourds coming out our ears and though the beautiful fall weather is delightful enough to put me in a chipper mood even while scrubbing my bathroom floor – it has really kept people away from farmer's market. These people are missing the best of the summer produce, I tell you, but then again with the ½ in of rain we got we have time to put up produce for winter.

Today I am making a big batch of beirocks in honor of Oktoberfest weekend – We made a 20 foot marshmallow roasting pole in preparation for the upcoming bonfire – mom and dad both enjoyed their 45^th class reunions – Jarod yelled at only one poor drunken crowd outside of our house throughout the entire homecoming weekend - Jude is pre-testing for his next belt in Aikido – and laundry, bills and October await... 

... and against my better judgement I am considering trashing a bit of time watching our government shut down.  I hate getting political... (mostly because I am nihilistic about the whole thing) - but WHAT IS WITH THESE people??  That last comment I heard was that congress could not accept the healthcare it is placing on others because it would in effect be a massive pay cut and they would have to quit their jobs because they wouldn't be able to "make ends meet".  Who are these people - and did I miss the memo on what ends we are all supposed to be meeting?  So bring on October... with or without a government I guess.  If all of civilization collapses - head on out to the farm - we've got butternut squash soup, some common sense, and we love company.  

Here's the fam for the fall.

The great romantic... milking a fake cow at the state fair.

Hey look - my kids are being nice.

Surprise. Surprise.

Hey look - we are being romantic.

Surprise. Surprise. Surprise.

hard curve

Life rating:
I'm going with a B-.
Here is why.  I grade on a curve - and by comparison and my life is so generally wonderful that a kidney stone, a sinus infection, a knee surgery, and two cases of the stomach flu in the family within ten days qualifies as a plague.  I know - for the general population it is nothing.  For modern medicine it is a laugh... but I'm telling you it felt a bit like a plague.  Also - two kids in 3rd grade common core math homework. That is a plague as well.  Seriously - I'm calling all math teachers - WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS SYSTEM???


My mom is the chattiest sick patient ANY hospital employee ever met.  She should get an AWARD of some kind.

Who is living with us:
I introduced them already so I'd like to do a highlight the birthday girl.  Bianca turned 20 this week!  She told me the most beautiful story about how her mom called in tears on her birthday saying she never imagined it would come to this... her little girl so successful studying in America.  Doctors told her that Bianca would never make it and the pregnancy was a danger to her life so she should terminate the baby.  She chose life for Bianca - and the preemie little Kenyan girl now stands six foot tall proud in my kitchen laughing while washing dishes - holding a U.S. high school diploma and making her way quite nicely through college.  She has blessed my world.  So Maggie of Nairobi - thank you for making such a sacrifice 20 years ago - may God continue to bless you greatly!!



State fair fun




Sorry Maggie - I totally enjoyed scaring your daughter to DEATH on YE OLD MILL

One hilarious or horrible thing the students have said this week:
So pretty much we have had some pretty sassy dinner time conversations recently.  It boils down to this.  There are people in my house who "generally assume that the United States motivation is to take over the world!"  Let's just say in a global household there are some opinions - well thought out and not - about motivations in global interventions.  It also boils down to this.  There are people in my household who think that the best years of life are those which one's face looks the most charming.  It all goes down hill from there. Period.  It doesn't matter the quality of one's life if the face is wrinkled.  I get strange visions of botoxed nations in eternal cold war some times when I leave the dinner table.


Also - at the state fair they learned we could get one gallon of milk a day from a goat and now they want me to get a goat.


How the children are:
Other than the stomach flu - they are doing well.


Ok - this photo is old but was just given to me and it is my new favorite photo.


Or - maybe this one .. from a wedding in May.  This is what the professionals capture folks - so the bad photography of my children is not my fault.


But sometimes circumstances do help :)


Best friend sleepovers.


And crazy hair nights


And cheese billboards at the State Fair where Maysyn had the stomach flu.  AWESOME. That was a B- moment. Poor kid.

How work at Bethesda is going:
Only three weeks of salsa bags and now we are moving into pumpkins and butternut squash.  And it looks as it the butternut squash will last until the next century. Actually - I hate parties but I am considering throwing one for 300 people just to get rid of some squash.

The watermelons are now AWESOME!

About the house:
My cousin Paul is SUPER excited to power wash my garage so I may actually get some stuff painted!! And we are going to get the dormers sided... and maybe the gates finished... so the work carries on.

One thing God is teaching me:

We had our church missions conference amidst our household chaos... and it was beautiful.  To learn about what God is doing in Papua New Guinea and Japan... and church dinners... can't beat those.  Even if my son licked every single cheese ball and put them back in the bowl.  Yeah - so I'd say humility - is what God is teaching me :)

 

Rediscovery of the template

So... I stumbled across the blog template the other day and thought: “Stick to this. Just do this. It needn't be creative – just a record.” 

So I did. Also – my cousins say my blog color scheme burn their retinas.

Sorry about that. For years.

The Template.... take 4.

Life rating:

A. I'm on vacation with family I love and now I am sitting alone in a quite house at 10:00 p.m. - with nothing to do but write. Totally an A.

(Later realized that said house had no internet.  Even better for solitude but bad for catch up blogging... so finishing this up at Aunt Vonda's kitchen table after our flight got canceled.  Poor Jarod... another day of holding down the fort... poor Vonda... another day of my crew... totally an A for me.

Who is living with us:

Alice – China. This is her second year with us and she will be finishing her master's in Communication in December

Annie – China. Also in her second year with us and has another year to finish her communication major

Seonjin – South Korea. Seonjin is back with us after spending May 2012-August 2013 back home earning money for her final two years in English major with an education emphasis.

Bianca – Kenya. First month with us but was previously a student at TMP. She is studying nursing at NCK.

Edward – China. He came to live with us in May but we have know him since he came to the U.S. Last August to work on a IT degree.

Sami – Saudi Arabia. He came to live with us in May and is in the ESL program, hoping to work into a science master's. (But I just found out on this trip he may be leaving and we will be getting another of Salah's cousins this week.)

Salah – Saudi Arabia. Salah has been with us 2 ½ years and will graduate in May.

I could go on and on about each of these students... and in fact I plan to once I have a good profile pic of each one.

1 Hilarious or horrible thing the students have said or done this week:

It is the ongoing assumption in our household that I do nothing. This week Edward thought perhaps I could volunteer to be a full time nanny for a one year old in need of child care. I visualized it. Life just like it is now with a baby on my hip. I giggled a lot and passed.

How the children are:

Good. They started school. After a 3 hour experiment in home schooling requested by Jude (that ended over limited freedom in “free choice books”), they are both settled in at Washington... other than the fact that I just pulled them out for a week for vacation :). Jude and I ran the 5K color run with Sommer, Izaac and Alie. Jude has also taken to wearing a safari hat to bed and his pajama shorts to school. He's a little strange, but it's the cute one in the frilly pink dresses you really have to keep an eye on.

I just need to record this.

1 Hilarious or horrible thing my children have said that week:

Well, I'm still holding my breath on this one. They are Kansas children and as they were chasing pigeons in the baggage claim and wondering aloud where the pigeons pooped I thought, “It may not be good to bring the country kids to city before they learn to speak with a bit of tact.” We have no tact. Period. (Follow up on this is that they did surprisingly well and I think we MAY EVEN get invited back.)

How work at Bethesda is going:

I wouldn't know. I left it all to Jarod. Oh – how guilty I feel. I remember when mom and I used to escape to NJ and leave dad to batch it at Bethesda. I remember mom feeling bad for all dad had to do. But secretly I think dad just let plants die and ate at McDonald's every day so it really wasn't a big deal. So I am guessing they are all fine without us. I know we had a TRULY great summer. About 20 days of rain and 80 degree weather sure helped. As did an AWESOME summer crew of workers. Mary and Darrren are both back in school but we sure did get a nice taste of what it would be like to have a full crew of hard working staff who the guys LOVED to work and have fun with.

1 Hilarious or horrible thing my parents or the guys have said that week:

Mostly we are just thrilled that Carl is finally chewing with his new teeth!! (Follow up on this is that Carl threw the teeth and cracked them.  I guess I was holding my breath on the wrong front this week.)

And also – my dad could run a day care. These kids love him!!

(Follow up on this is that he is wonderful at insuring a good time... not so great at getting them any amount of rest.)

How my house and yard are holding up:

Let's just say... it's back up to 98 degrees... and oh yeah – I'm gone for a week. Yikes! (Jude keeps calling the rain they get in NJ "magical stuff that makes things grow!!!"

1 Hilarious or horrible thing I have thought that week about my house and yard:

Well it is kind of about my house, but more specifically about our home placement. I realized this last month that I am raising my kids in Kansas. SURPRISE!!! I know: - who would have guessed, right? I guess it FINALLY sunk in... in a happy sort of way. As we watched the water levels of Lake Wilson fall and rise this year I embraced the childhood we have chosen for our children. My dad remembers the topography before they damned the valley. He hunted the bottom of the lake. He knows the coves from his days working at the marina and has skied almost every inch. I grew up hearing about which bluffs were preferred depending on wind direction and crowds. I've backed the trailer at every boat ramp and remember low water levels and the year the water was so high that a jump off the bridge was more of a “step down”. And now this year with the drought and then sudden rains Jude was recognizing water level changes. Knowing that we probably shouldn't get too close to the shore over there because earlier this summer we saw the rocks that lie under neither. They know where the hidden clay is and when the water is high enough to cover the beach. They have seen where the waterfalls and rivers are when it floods. To me – this knowledge means you “belong” somewhere. It is nice to belong to Wilson lake. It is nice that my kids have a history with a piece of nature. It's nice that I finally realized my kids' home will always be Kansas. They belong.

1 thing God is teaching me:

Belong

... and do good there.

Major events past or upcoming that I covet your prayers over:

Probably just that we get on the plane tomorrow.  Not for my sake or the kids - but for poor aunt Vonda and Jarod... we need to get back where we belong.

But for a moment we can belong anywhere... among people we love.

Cousin's camp. New Jersey Style 2013 + trip to Washington's Headquarter's and Edison's Laboratory.

Next Time - Statue of Liberty.

The last of the GREATS

Last week we made our yearly trip to Iowa to visit Grandma Mary on her little farm outside of Lakeview, IA. Jarod and I have been visiting his grandmother as regularly as we can for the last 14 years, but this was our first visit to her home since both of my grandmothers have passed away. She is our children's last living great grandparent. 

The weight of the trip was a beautiful thing for me as I watched Grandma search for kittens with the children and cook up farm fresh meals like a storm for our group of 13 on Saturday night. We visited on a festival weekend where we experienced everything from a small town talent show to a nighttime boat parade. And as we made the 3 mile drives from town around the lake back to the farm we listened to her stories. She was raised on this same property and has loved this land for eight decades. As she shared her stories of houses being built, businesses closing, families transforming, farms dividing, and city limits expanding I couldn't help but think, “This is the best America has to offer. My children are connected to and the international students are experiencing the most beautiful and rooted ideals America has.”

Grandma Mary still puts in longer days than most Americans my age would ever be able to manage. She came from the generation that built their own homes, grew their own food, sewed their own clothes, educated themselves, and in their free time learned how to dance skillfully and play card games that required serious math skills. They "tinkered" - they created. Evolutionarily speaking they are pre-consumer.

Yesterday a friend of ours admitted that he had tried drastic medical measures because his shoulder was so sore from playing video games. Seriously.

My 8 year old has eaten out more in his 8 years than Grandma has in her 80. I'd bet on that.

Lucy has spent more time in her five little year of life painting her nails and taking self-pics than grandma has spent time imagining such frivolous stupidity.

Every international student I meet thinks that they see the heart of America when they visit LA and NYC. 4 have visited Grandma Mary in Iowa. They have seen the true heart of America.

As Jarod and his brother stayed up late one evening talking “shop” with grandma I was amazed at her ability to not only to keep up with but lead conversations on crops, organics, pesticides, and mechanics with these two very technically minded young men... one of whom works in a CO-OP.

With the amazing health she is in, I wouldn't be surprised if she is around for another dozen years or so... shoveling her own paths through Iowa winters. And if she is - I would HANDS DOWN advise our kids to spend 4 years living with her over attending ANY university.

Now – to be completely honest they would probably go crazy from all the conspiracy theory jargon compounded by the “save it ANYWAY – no matter what” reusing/hording mentality. But in the apathetic and disposable society they are growing up in I am sure they would come out with a well rounded appreciation for all things religious –governmental – recycling – and otherwise.

I wish we could keep the Greats around forever. I miss my grandmas so much now. But I am FOREVER grateful that we had them... and that my children have had them... and that we have laughed long and hard over gluten-free muffins, puff-pastry inquiries, technical difficulties, and all of the space and differences between us. The greatest gift of the Greats has been the grace with which they have met each generation.

THE GREAT.

The waffle feed. Have you ever seen so many waffle makers?  Me either.  

I think they will all be in heaven when we get there.

I have this theory about food grown in Iowa.  It is all better.  I don't know how but it just is.

I think it is called rain water. (which we got 6 inches of in Hays this week YEAH!!!!!)

The Model-T --- of course.

I love that the students all just call it, "The old car"

Cousins from Omaha --- loved, loved, loved that they came to visit

Bingo at the carnival in town

Lucy appointed herself to "take care of Arnie"  - by which she meant:

 force-feed-him-all-the-apricots-from-off-the-ground-because-he-is-too-slow-to-run-away.

Dou-Dou and Jude pitting the 5th gallon of cherries

(PS - Jude is into the "surprise/dumb" look for photos... we may be seeing this face for awhile.)

DouDou says, "You know Amanda, Grandma really loves us. She is such a good woman. She works so hard for us."  

Yes, yes - she does.

schedule as art

I was going to blog this morning.  But I scheduled August instead.  I am sure there will be complaints and at least one unforeseen conflict - but I see ART:
31 days for 22 people (Bethesda and our home.)

4 BBQ's
1 lake trip
1 zoo/water park trip
4 dr.'s appointments
5 people's requested vacation days approved
1 going away party
1 re-licensing
deep cleaning of 4 houses
2 sets of fire drills
2 orientations, (household and FHSU)
1 person moving out
5 people moving in
guiding a bus tour of Hays
school supply shopping
2 birthday parties
First day of kindergarten and 3rd grade
A five K race
2 play dates
8 farmer's markets
.... and all the stuff that I forgot to put on the calendar.
.... I probably won't have a chance to blog about it
... and right now I have to see if we can fit in a random white-water rafting trip :).

An amazing life is ART.

After-life as a shepherdess

This week Lucy turns 5.  Next month I will no longer - ever again - be a mother of a preschooler.  And everybody keeps asking me what I will do with all of my time.  I think it is a polite questions but for some reason it just sounds like they think I have been sitting and staring at my children for the last 8 years - and now I am out of a job.  Because I am generally a mean sarcastic person my pat response has been that, “at least now I won’t have to share my bon-bon’s.”  

But yesterday I realized that I need to paint my garage... and that will be so easy - like a one week job to scrape and paint if I don’t have to constantly dismount the ladder to take people potty, break up fights and run munchkins to and from preschool. 

Also.  After I am done painting the garage I think I will become a shepherdess.  

For real.

I already spend 5 hours a week preparing things for farmer’s market and 5 hours sitting in Dr’s waiting rooms, and 5 hours filing paperwork that no one will ever read, and 5 hours shopping for and cooking meals that are devoured in 10 minutes flat. I figure my time is really only worth about 10 cents an hour.  So shepherding should fit right in with all the other monetarily pointless things I do.  Also, the 300 international students in Hays will be so happy to have access to lamb.  And considering they drive 2 hours now once a month to have a slaughtering party on some farm in St. John - why not bring the fun a little closer to home? And I have like 8 years of practice herding people who are more complicating to deal with than herding cats and slower than herding turtles.  So how hard can sheep be?  And besides... my poor husband will probably end up doing most of the work anyway... and he LOVES it when I sit on the couch and eat my bon-bon’s and think of things for him to do with all those hours he used to spend sleeping.  Like going to a gym.  He LOVES going to a gym with me at 6:00 am.  Right honey?  You want us to get a herb of sheep right?

Well, speaking of herding... there are 4 children trying to catch 5 stray kittens in my back yard and it starting to sound a little violent out there. Gotta go.

By the way-

The going rate for one lamb is $120.  

Jarod says that the way that the guys feed the chickens - each egg we get costs Bethesda 50 cents.  I figure you will be getting a $1,000 lamb for a steal.  Place your order now.

Resume for herding:

This guy - he has more energy than 10,000 sheep. And is less cooperative - FOR SURE.

I have herded students picking and pitting cherries.  And look - they are even smiling!

I herd other people's children in my time off.  baby lambs aren't even as cute as these two.

I know the answer for all problems too - MORE FOOD.

I herd children with snakes.  Like - at least once a week this summer

I herded a 4 year old on a 2 mile bike ride in 100 degree weather.  Not the brightest idea.  But we made it. So there.

We even have the shepherding clothing.

I find free food.  Daily free ice cream cones on the way to Aikido.

I can do small groups.

Swimming groups.

 And large groups.  And large groups swimming. Oh my.

also - sheep don't have clothing.  Which is good, because apparently I don't do so well with clothing.

And finally - I do cats.  But let's no mention that I just found the children swinging the cats in the hammock.  No - let's not mention that.

Not the first rodeo

So this month we have welcomed our 20^th student into our home. Outgoing and ongoing students have completed their yearly evaluations and we are contemplating the changes that have been made to us, by us and in us – as well as the changes we need to make. The evaluations are always a shock – completely proving to us how truly terrible we are at reading the student's unspoken opinions, needs and emotions. So... we are working on it. Constantly working on readjusting our expectations and interpretations of our cross cultural interactions. All that being said – that fact remains: This is no longer our first rodeo. We know now that the semester is going to flow like a roller coaster or a raging rapid – not a steady stream. We know that unspoken frustrations are going to fester and it apparently takes more than the jaws of life to pull them out into the open where there is healing. We know that each and every day the students are going to be EXHAUSTED from operating in a second language and foreign culture. We have invited in 6 people who have no choice to live in survival mode. We know that now. The buck of that isn't quite as shocking. Neither are the bruises from truth spoken in broken-blunt English. We know how cleanliness and quality time rank on their list of priorities – and how far pre-planning is out of their mode of operation. We know how late the nights get and how early the mornings come. We know that personality differences and family background take longer to unpack when intertwined with a culture not our own. We know that often times the culture and family differences are so OVERWHELMING they don't even know where to start with the questions... don't even know what piece of the puzzle to pick up first. We know that we are not what they expected. We know we are often not the people they hoped we would be. No matter what. Money gets in the way, time gets in the way, food gets in the way. Period. And because this isn't our first rodeo: we must be a little crazy to keep coming back... because you see – you know before you start all you can really hope for is a good 8 seconds and to not get kicked too hard in the head. And probably – eventually – you will. Get both – I mean. And I guess we think it is worth it still.

And I was thinking about Jesus... and I was thinking about all that the students have taught me about Him. And I was thinking that I am not His first rodeo either. When He invited me into his home... to adjust to the culture of His kingdom... he was not surprised to find me exhausted and operating in survival mode. He knew from days one that my mode of operation is completely contrary to the good and beautiful plan He has for my life. My bucks and bruises do not surprise him, my priorities and poor planning do not overwhelm Him. He was not surprised to find me an ungracious and ungrateful tenant of His universe. He is not surprised that I spend more time and energy trying to hide my emotions than it would ever take to share them. He is not surprised at how seldom I ask for advice... and then only in a REAL pinch. And He – just like us – would just like to help. He is so available to work things through... bit by bit... surprise by surprise. And He's got all the 8 seconds in the world... to go over it again... and again... and again with me... but maybe the statement he made to Saul on the road to Damascus was really meant for me, “It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”

It is. It is. And one day... this wild heart will be broken... not to pieces – but to peace. And I will not buck and I will not kick. I will not operate in survival mode but one who has truly found her Sabbath rest.

And I am so grateful to have found the One who thinks I'm worth it still.

Take #20... today.