There are a million moments from this week that I never want to forget:
The moment that, while running on a dark cold Tuesday morning, Seonjin and I found ourselves, in an instant, flat on the ground, clotheslined at the knee by an unexpected fence. We have bruises this week and I laugh out loud each time I flench in pain. In the moment I thought, “Too bad no one was around to enjoy that view!”
The moment that I realized that Saad, our flying monkey, was dancing a frenzied hop on the front porch while taking a smoke break before the Halloween festivities got into full swing. There he bounced, waving to every single staring car that inched by. In the moment I thought, “If we do stuff like this too often the city may just buy us a fence to keep us IN.”
Our beaming boy as his “Frankenstein's monster” gourd made it into the finalists.
The four hundred moments that I have taken time to enjoy Lucy's speech that is ever so lacking in “s” sounds. One day there will be no more, “'picy” food, “cary 'piders”, “out in the 'treets”, “big 'ticks”, “ “'poons” and “everyone goes to 'chool but ME” . And speaking of pronunciation – Alsi is leaving and I am going to miss all her “t'inking” and “vater” and “vells...”... Oh, I will miss them.
And I never want to forget the moment she asked when we would visit her and when we honestly faced the reality together of our roads parting for good. We made all our plans to Skype in for her wedding – and pick up where we left off, someday,– and knowing we love one another none-the-less for it.
I don't want to forget Sunday morning when I taught 2 Japanese girls to make Sushi. It may have been my proudest culinary moment. Ever.
Looking over the congregation at church and thinking – “We Americans are out numbered. What happened?”
Our entire household in plastic hair nets and aprons – packing food for Somalia... but only after Lucy had sufficiently shaken each package. We were beautiful Saturday.
The moment when Seonjin finally caved and began to enjoy being the “bad witch” even with the dermatologically damaging face paint. And the moment she told me in complete honesty that I was kidding myself if I thought my face only had ONE ugly blemish. Maybe I need daily green face paint.
The moment the Saudi's insisted on buying bag after bag of candy and treats for Halloween – for the “festival”. “We like this festival – for you – happy Haloween – it's ok, it's ok!”
I don't want to forget the moments where Jarod and I actually sat down and talked about how we wouldn't trade this life for anything... but we have got to figure out a way to catch each other with more than a “hi and bye” from one week to the next. I don't want to forget that we are working on a game plan here and that it is important to each of us.
A friend over coffee, reminding me to breath: a friend on the phone laughing at my darkest thoughts – knowing they were fleeting. That grace.
I don't want to forget that Jude finally voiced that he does, “love school – just hate getting up so early!” - we can work with that. Really – not a problem.
Kingson as a Ninja was classic. Next to the American Nome family was even better.
My mom in full Saudi garb... I really thought she was beautiful!
The aimless teenage neighbor boy down the street beginning to catch a vision for the world through our home brings hope.
When the Saudis handed a Korean guest a cup of steaming tea, and she inhaled a thrilled breath and then in her most complimentary voice said, “ah, this smells like a public bathroom!” Yes – that was priceless. Of course she meant that it smelled like an aromatic spa – but still for the moment, I thought, “you did NOT just say that!” But she did. Our house is full of things none of us should ever say – but it works anyway. And that grace – I never want to forget.
Asli as Dorthy in a Kansas field at sunset.
The whole Wizard of Oz crew laughing in my parent's driveway.
Tony's family name carved in a pumpkin, readying it to take a picture to send to his son – us both silently wishing he was at our side... down on the floor with my flying monkey.
Enough Pumpkins on our porch to make the mail man stumble.
Watching the first snow of the year through the door of Jude's class with 20 excited little ones who were “trying to focus” on math.
My husband, at the end of one of the longest weeks ever, standing tall amongst 40 screaming kids on a Wednesday night... smiling - truly happy... when I know he'd rather be anywhere else on earth.
It's been one of those weeks... one of those very good long weeks.

Big groups

I haven't been blogging much lately. I think I feel reclusive. I feel tired. I am too tired to share one more thought - one more moment with anyone but myself. I have gone back to journaling instead of blogging. I wasn't sure why.
Then I looked at my photos and I realized.... I don't like big groups. Ever.
SO..... I might be in trouble.
Actually... I looked at the photos again and I wouldn't have changed one moment for anything.
I'm not in trouble ... just adjusting.


A month or so ago Marrina shared with almost all the sixth graders in Hays about Chinese culture and cultural adjustments. She did amazing... and I have high hopes that she planted seems of acceptance and compassion into those little heads.



Washington school has been fabulous at allowing me to participate at least two days a week in Jude's class and kindergarden. Last week was this fun field trip to the "Old Fort" - and this week we sunk homemade ships with clay tiles. I am loving these kids already... but honestly - who teaches kindergarden - 23 5 year olds - 40 hours a week - for 25 years?? That's nuts!



Ahh..... last weekend was Octoberfest. It found us prepared for the drunken insanity, where we sold hot dogs on the front lawn at midnight. We made $75 which we will send through Numana for Somalian food shortages. The following photos are two of our wonderful salesmen in the parade, and a group of the students preparing the signs.




And.. as if our family doesn't make escaping "the crowd" hard enough - our best friends have a crowd of children. Here they are enjoying their ice cream cones - which were promised to them on July 4th for when we got our first 1/2 inch of rain. Yes folks... we don't get much rain around here... so this was a big deal!


And finally, this weekend we took an amazing trip to Castle Rock. SOOOO... memorable for all 22 of us I think.









And last but not least... a rattle snake from castle rock. I hear they are reclusive... like to hang out where there aren't any people. So I guess I am pretty safe.

Where I eat fried food

I eat fried food at the State fair. All kinds of fried food. When I go visit my grandma in the nursing home I ear fried chicken. Last night the girls and I randomly attend a “Party with a Purpose” at a campus restaurant and eat 8 trays of fried appetizers: green beans, mushrooms, corn fritters, chips, tacitos, pickles, and doubles of most. I ate fried fish at my parents house and fried squash at our house during family dinner. Jarod is planning an “all things fried” party at our house after Halloween. He has plans for Reese's and twinkies. Oh he has plans.
And we find joy in our fried food and the laughter that surrounds the “fried Koolaide” signs and at watching me try to eat the horribly burned chicken with my grandma... amazed that she can eat it with only 2 teeth. And so I was thinking – with all this frying going along with our fun family and friend times this month.... it might be healthier if I took up drinking.
But it is getting cold here... so I am going to try soup first. It is cheaper. If that doesn't turn into our party indulgent of choice... I really might have to take up drinking for health's sake, because we are just having we too much fun around here to be frying with every event.

Through Beautiful Eyes

About the time that facebook was taking over the world and I was vainly refusing to join, my sister-in-law “friended” my friend Andrea. After a few months of watching her comments, my sister-in-law commented that Andrea's posts were always so positive – no matter what. I was not surprised. Andrea might be the only “positive” person that I don't find gratingly annoying. And I guess, that is because I don't ever think it is fake or easy for her to do so. She chooses to view the world beautiful. She is an amazing photographer but I think that this requires little skill compared to how skillfully and intentionally she looks at the world around her.
She is able to find beauty because she knows it has to be there. She knows it has to be there because she know her God. She knows He is good and all that He does is good... sometimes it's just very out of focus or poorly lit, or hidden, or in fleeting glimpses. She has made an art of living, looking for it. That's why I wish she lived closer... so she could see my life beautiful every day. But since she doesn't – I learn to see it beautiful for myself... just like she teaches me ISO over the phone, she processes my day over the phone – and she helps me bring it into focus.

Thank you.

A few of her captured moments from her trip in July. Those days were WAY easy to view beautifully.