Pear Tasting

We were sent a box of pears.  The story behind the box of pears is that we were originally sent a cheesecake, as a gift, that was delivered, unbeknownst to me, late one afternoon on a 60+ degree day.  Since, I didn't know it had arrived, it sat out there...all afternoon and all night.  Needless to say, it was inedible when we found it the next morning.  So, the company told us to throw the cheesecake away and they sent us a box of pears instead.  

I was so, super excited for the pears to arrive.  I had read, in Martha Stewart Living, about ordering lusciously perfect peaches at the peak of ripeness.  It seemed absolutely luxurious to receive such perfect fruit all boxed and delivered right to ones front door.  When it arrived there was even a paper wrapped pear and (be still, my beating heart)a gold wrapped pear!  

We happened to have a bag of Sam's Choice pears on the counter when the elite boxed pears arrived.  A blind taste comparison just had to take place.  Plus, A, needed to make a graph chart for his math, this was the perfect way to do it!  

I labeled plates on the underside, where the tasters could not see, and set up three plates.  One plate held slices of a boxed pear, one held slices of a pear from the bag and one held slices of the gold wrapped pear.  By the way, if you notice in the photos, the wrapped pears were more bruised than the other pears, other than that I didn't notice a difference in them.  Disappointing.

So, what pear won?  Well, we started with B and he was certain which was the best pear. Then C tasted and selected a different pear.  L tasted and pointed to the same pear plate as B.  Then A tasted and selected the same plate as B and L.  So the winner...it was a pear from the bag!  All the pears were good, but certainly, the boxed pears were not as amazing as I had previously expected specially ordered fruit, arriving in a nice box to be.  So, my curiosity was satisfied.  I don't believe I will continue to secretly want to order specialty fruit "ripened to the peak of tastiness, straight from the farm to my doorstep."  Although it was still very thrilling to have that wonderful box arrive at my doorstep.  So, maybe peaches would be worth a try...someday... 

"If You've Raised Kids, You Can Manage Anything"

While certainly not the best book I have ever read, If You’ve Raised Kids, You Can Manage Anything,by Ann Crittenden, did have some thought-provoking sections.  In reading this book, I found myself alternating between wanting to quit reading it and wanting to continue reading.  Just when it seemed not worth my time, there would be some quote or bit of information that I found interesting.  Interesting enough to keep me reading and to find myself in that same situation repeatedly, thinking I should just quite, but continuing on.  Here are some of the parts that stood out to me: 

“…We must let our children meet their own difficulties, find their own solutions to knotty problems and gain experience for themselves.  It may seem hard but what a sense of satisfaction there is when one feels sure of the ability in oneself to meet a difficulty…” ~Eleanor Roosevelt

 “To win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill.  To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill.” ~Chinese General Sun Tzu

 “Dealing with three-year olds is great training for dealing with executives.  They all have short attention spans, short fuses, and are prone to pout.” ~Female executive at AOL

 “Leadership is not just about delegating power, it’s growing human capabilities.  This is exactly what we do when we raise children.” ~Shaunna Sowell Senior Vice President, Texas Instruments

 “Integrity is the essence of everything successful.” ~Buckminster Fuller

 “A weak mind blows fleas into elephants, and shrinks elephants into fleas.  A strong mind sees things in their true perspective.” ~Lord Chesterfield, in his letters to his son

 “The clerk was obviously a career civil servant, poised, efficient, and possessed of a title like town registrar.  “What is your occupation?” she inquired.

What made me say it, I do not know.  The words simply popped out: “I am a research associate in child development and human relations.”

"The clerk paused, ballpoint pen frozen in midair.  She looked up, and I repeated the title slowly, emphasizing every word.  Then I stared in wonder as she wrote my impressive occupation down in bold black ink on the official questionnaire.

“Might I ask,” said the clerk with new interest, “just what you do in your field?”

Cooly, without any trace of fluster in my voice, I heard myself reply, “I have a continuing program of research (what mother doesn’t) in the laboratory and in the field (normally I would have said indoors and out).  I’m working on my masters (the whole darned family) and already have four credits (all daughters).  Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in all the humanities.  (Anyone care do disagree?) And I often work fourteen hours a day (twenty-four is more like it).”

There was a new note of respect in the clerk’s voice as she completed the form, stood up, and personally ushered me to the door.  As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants-ages thirteen, seven and three.  Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model (six months) in the child-development program, testing out a new vocal pattern.  I felt triumphant.”"

I found this book at a $1 store, so it must not have been a huge seller, but it does have a section in the appendix that talks about how to describe skills gained through being a full time parent in a resume friendly way.  I have no current plans to need a resume, but should I, at some point, pursue employment, this section will be extremely helpful.  For that reason, it will have a spot on my bookshelf. 

John Piper - Abortion: As Unthinkable as Slavery

Play Foam is All the Rage in Our House

We were sent some Play Foam recently.  The kids love it!  All of them.  A toy that works for all the ages of my kids is a big plus.  And it isn't as messy as I had thought it would be.  That is always a good thing!  

C decided to make a mask.  She really startled me when I walked into the living room and saw her face like that.  But the best part of the whole deal was watching her try to get all the foam out of her hair and off her face.  That night when I tucked her in, I pulled a few more pieces out.

2 Soups and A Sandwich

This first recipe is adapted from one in Wondertime Magazine(from February 2009, I believe).  The original version sounds great, but due to a lack of some ingredients, I improvised. 

White Bean Comfort Soup

olive oil

a diced onion

Saute the onion in the olive oil in  a soup pot.  Or, skip this step and go on to the next part and just toss in some dried onion with the rest of the spices.  I have done it both ways, both are tasty, but the second way works better since we have a non-onion eater, who doesn't seem to notice a light dash of dried onion.

2-6 garlic cloves (depending on preference)

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoons cumin

the real recipe calls for cayenne and allspice, not having either on hand, I just omitted them one time and the other time I sprinkled in some crushed red pepper-that added a kick.  the allspice would be a nice addition and one to try in the future.

chicken diced or shredded, I have made it without chicken and with shredded roast chicken, diced chicken breast would work too.

4 cups chicken broth

white beans-the original recipe calls for 3 (15 oz) cans, I cook up dried beans and freeze them, so I guessed at the right amount.

16 oz frozen corn

Basically mix and together, heat and serve.  I let it simmer for a while.  

Soup #2 Curried Split-Pea Soup from Beth.  My mom does not like split pea soup and it always sounded reasonable to me to not like it, so I had never tried it until I made this soup.  It was a good introduction to split peas!  A unique and tasty soup.  The little ones weren't thrilled with it and it didn't appeal to M, but I enjoyed it, as did C.  I think this would be nice to make for a lunch with girlfriends.  

And the Basiled Chicken & Brie Sandwich...Wow is this good!  And simple, which is extra nice.  Everyone loved this.  I have made it twice, the first time, I made some french bread, then while is was still hot, sliced it in half and placed shredded roast chicken (that had been mixed with olive oil and basil, as per Kelly's recipe) on the bread along with brie.  I then placed it back in the oven to melt the cheese.  I thought it was really good.  

And, I broke the "don't try new recipes when you are having people over for dinner" rule and made this when I had someone over.  Either she liked it or was quite gracious.  But I think she liked it.  You really can't go wrong with warm bread and brie.  I later made it for M, panini-style.  I improvised by putting it on our griddle and placing a skillet on top-we don't have much kitchen equipment here with us. 

There Are Days Like That

Today I had planned to post a recipe that I recently tried and have enjoyed.  Or I considered posting on a yummy sandwich that Kelly blogged about and that I made.  Or I thought about posting about…anything…happy, because today was crappy!

A funny from today…one of my kids was particularly cranky at lunch today and was trying to have a better attitude, this child was playing with their bowl of soup-trying to make us laugh and then accidentally dumped part of it down on their head.  I could not help but laugh at the horrified expression and soup dripping off the hair and onto the shirt.  It was just one of those days.  

I have felt like just when I was about to be able to breathe normally, something else happens-the kids argue, someone dumps soup on their head, you know that type of "mini-crisis" occurs.  I have a head cold and feel like I am in a fog and my compassion is lacking.  I find myself wanting to be alone for just a bit, but when it actually happens it doesn’t seem to be long enough.  Everyone seems to want something from me, or wants to complain about something.  And, frankly, I'd like to be the one doing the complaining!  So, since this is my blog, I will complain here! =)

And the guilt…I feel guilty for not being more present, more of what everyone seems to need right now.  I find the condemning voice in my mind out doing the reassuring voice that reminds me that it will all be okay.  I know it will all be okay.  In fact, in the midst of all the events, really, life is still okay in many ways.  Life is, in fact, pretty good.  We are so blessed.  But sometimes life just feels like there is a dark cloud lingering for a bit.

I find myself looking for all sorts of comforts, something to make me feel happier.  I want extended quiet-not very realistic in my house, if I hadn't just gotten my hair cut-I would be wanting a hair cut-that is always a good thing to want when life feels stinky, I want a long heartfelt, uninterrupted conversation with my husband-but he is in the field and we get mere minutes to talk and the reception isn’t great, I want everyone to just get along-and often they do, they really do enjoy one another, but right now, I seem to only hear the irritated words and the whining.  I overlook the “I’m sorry” spoken between brothers, the “Mom, I love you” and the joy of little ones who really do love me and want me around.  I feel suffocated rather than enveloped in their love.  

Kids are so resilient, the don’t seem to even be tuned in to the fact that I feel edgy.  They just keep needing me, loving me and living normal life in the midst of it all.  And for that I am thankful.  As I tell my kids so often, "The real problem, right now, is your attitude not the external circumstances."  I know the real problem is my attitude, not the external stuff.  The real problem is that I am making the negative really big and important and dwelling on it while diminishing the good stuff.    

So, Where Is the Red Bird?

We decided to watch Where The Red Fern Grows.  If you haven’t seen it, this post gives away important info.  So, consider this your spoiler alert.  But, come on, who hasn’t see this movie or at least read the book?  If by chance you haven't seen it or read the book, put that on your "to do" list.  M and I watched an older version when we were each younger.  This last weekend we watched the 2003 version and it was very good.  

I was a bit concerned about it being a little too sad for the boys.  Both M and I recall that as one of the saddest movies we each watched when we were younger.  We started it Saturday night and then decided to finish it Sunday afternoon.  My thought was that then we wouldn’t have to send the little ones off to bed after the trauma of emotions the movie was sure to conjure up in them.  

Well, first off, we watch movies on our computer.  We didn’t bring our television with us here.  So, watching a movie where important events take place in the dark causes us to, at times, miss things.  The screen is a bit darker so dark parts of the movie don’t show up as well.  It is a little distracting and doesn’t let one get sucked into a movie quite as much.  Still, M, C and I all were tearing up as the sadness took place, first the death of one dog, then the death of the second dog-it really is moving.  

We were at the part in the movie where it is showing the tomb stones, the red fern between them, we are all choked up, except the boys.  They just weren’t really tracking with it all.  And then A, finally asks, “So, where is the red bird?”   That was it.  M, C and I started laughing so hard we couldn’t answer.  B seemed to think it was a legitimate question.  A was a little hurt that we were laughing at him.  Finally, I was able to choke out, “fern, not bird!  It’s a red fern!”  I think A wasn’t really moved by the movie too much because he was waiting the entire time for a red bird!  And when the movie ended without a red bird, it just didn’t make sense to him.   I don’t think I will ever be able to watch that movie again without thinking of the missing red bird.   

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FYI, some comments (about 4-6) have not been posted in the last month or so because they contain personal info that I don't post on my blog.  I love your comments, even the ones with personal info, but I don't post those.  Just remember, I use my name, and M, C, A, B and L for my family members and I don't don't typically post about specific locations.  Everyone has their own blog style, that just is mine.  I'd love to post comments, but I am trying to be consistent in what goes up.  Thanks!!!    

NW/SE Conversations

This week I had to call a business back home and that conversation highlighted a huge difference between the NW and the SE.  The NW phone answerer sounded like this: 

“Hey, how ya’ doin’ you have reached _______ and my name is ______, how can I help you today?”  Now this was all said in a casual, “what’s up” tone.  

A few weeks ago I received a phone call from a business here in the SE and it went something like this: 

“May I speak to Heather?” 

“This is Heather.” 

“Oh, Ma’am, I am so sorry to refer to you by your first name.  I didn’t have your last name here.”   

“It’s just fine.” 

“Well, Ma’am, I kept putting off calling because I didn’t want you to think I was rude by calling you by your first name and acting like I have known you my whole life.” 

“Really, it is just fine.  It actually makes me feel quite comfortable to have you call me by my first name.”   

But she wouldn’t do it!  The rest of the conversation I was “Ma’am” or “Mrs.________”  Those manners run deep.

Well, That About Says It

I love you, M!

Hope you have had a wonderful day!

The Things My Kids Say

B came up to me yesterday and asked, “Mom, are you going to grow your nails so long that they curl?”

“Ummm, no, I have no plans to do that.”

“Okay.”

Where did that come from?  Talk about random!  My nails are generally on the shorter, to slightly long side.  Right now they are short since I cut them a few days ago.  I wonder what inspired this question.

 

Today we were getting our oil changed.  While the van was being worked on, the kids and I were waiting in the waiting area.  A man entered and then exited the men’s restroom and as he was walking out of the waiting area, L said, “Did that man just go potty?”  I answered, “Yes he did,” in my “what a normal thing to discuss” tone of voice.  Then after the man had left, I called L over and explained that next time she should whisper that question in mommy’s ear so we don’t “embarrass people.”  To clarify that would be so we don’t embarrass mommy.    

Back to the garden...

We visited the butterfly pavilion at this garden awhile back, but since we were all recovering from colds we cut that day short.  This last weekend we went back and re-visited the butterflies and enjoyed the horticultural center.  It was all so amazingly beautiful.  And we were there in the off season.  I can only imagine how impressive this all would be in the Spring and Summer.  

The kids enjoyed seeing bananas and papayas on trees-not something we see too often! 

The Day After He Left for Iraq

The cool thing about a library that is located on a military base is that there are lots of books like this one.  When I saw it, I was wowed, you mean people actually write about this sort of stuff?!  Maybe I just don't get out enough, but it was a new thing to me.  

This memoir was enjoyable, if a little fear inducing, to read.  To start with, the cover is great!  Who couldn't love a cover like that?  Here are some excerpts from the book that I am still thinking about:

Upon saying goodbye..."There has to be a way to push the pain aside, to make it run in fear, to be a fortress.  Otherwise I risk falling into a terrifying canyon filled with glimpses of his destruction or images of him in a coffin.  I need to cut my heart from my chest to ensure that I never fully feel the pain of telling him goodbye again.  Maybe for the last time." 

On her husband’s two week visit and his relating with the kids…”He stumbles through the day.  He doesn’t know what either of them eat, or what size clothes they wear.  He doesn’t know if Amelia needs help on the slide.  He tries to put her in a booster chair for dinner.  She revolts.”

 

“Memorial Day used to be about men before my time.  Now, there are men and women years younger than I am dying every day.  I see them more clearly now.  Their sacrifices and bravery.  I can see the mother kissing her babies goodbye.  The father walking away from his teenage son.  The sister telling her brother she will return.  The brother asking his little brother to take care of the family.  The aunt explaining to her nephew why she has to go away.  The uncle sending letter to his niece.  The son waiting in line to call his mother.  The daughter e-mailing loving words to her father.  The friend standing over a wounded soldier.  The lover waiting for a letter to come.  Now, I see them as people.  Not as nameless soldiers.  And not as stenciled letters on a tombstone.”

 

“There is no avoiding it.  People send e-mails that are meant to boost morale or to show how the soldiers are living or to remind the public that they are still there.  I guess they want me to know that they remember.  But I don’t want to be reminded that they could ever forget.  They are sent in good faith, and I know there is a shred of me that they see in these e-mails.  I understand they are thinking of me, but I cannot read them.  I delete them.  Pictures of fathers reading letters from tiny hands and wives sleeping next to the caskets of their husbands don’t make me feel loved or remembered.  They only bring new painful images to my already filled brain.”

 

“I am defined by my husband’s rank, his job, and his presence.  I have to quote his social security number at the Army clinic.  I have to show an identification card with his information just to enter the base.  I have to show that card to prove I am his spouse in order to buy groceries.  Where I can live on base is determined by his rank.  I need his social security number to get medication.  I need it to identify his kids.  To take our cats to the vet.  His social security number is imprinted on my brain.  Mine is fading into the background.  My identity is dwindling and nonexistent.”

 

“He is being bombed.  Being shot at.  Being hated.  He could be kidnapped.  Tortured.  Beheaded.  Burned.  Mutilated.  For months on end, he has been facing and accepting the reality that he may never see us again.  He has been pushing through each day with strength, determination, and dignity.  He accepted the truth of this deployment long before he ever left us.  It is my turn to face that reality.  It is my turn to accept this life.”

 

“Every job is now mine.  I take care of the truck.  I take care of cutting the grass.  I take out the trash, care for the kids, pay the bills, care for the cats.  I take care of the doctor appointments, our loans.  I take care of the food, the laundry, the cleaning, the runny noses, the diaper changing, the singing, the rocking, and the cuddling.  I do it all by myself.  I don’t need help.  Everything is where it is supposed to be.  Everything has a place.  Everything has a purpose.  Everything but him. 

We are a well-oiled, functioning machine, and I am afraid he will come home and be the wrench in our system.  Will we recognize one another?  What if I haven’t done a good enough job of making sure the children know him?  What if Amelia is afraid of him or mad at him again, as she was during his two weeks home?  What if I cannot hide my fury or harshness from him?”

 

The author’s final paragraph is (this was written after he returned and was gone to more schooling)…”I thought I would be angry again.  Or depressed.  But I feel none of that.  I am thankful he isn’t in Baghdad, patrolling the streets and writing of his attacks.  I am content in my quiet nights and child-filled days.  I am peaceful in our separation and our life.  I have to be.  I can’t think of what is ahead, or of the pain behind.  I choose, instead, only to concentrate on the husband who hates to leave my side and who loves me “more every day,” and the children who need me to be happy, content, and strong.  His laughter echoing through the house from the computer speakers and their infectious smiles are all I need.  They are, when it is all said and done, all that matters.” 

I just love an ending that is full of contentment.  This book gives a very personal look into the life of one army wife.   

Churches and Cemetaries

These photographs are some of my favorites of this trip so far.  I thoroughly enjoy old churches and old cemeteries.  These churches were so simple.  Most had only one room, a couple had a small foyer at the entrance that led into one room.  Seeing the lanterns that hung in the churches reminded me of times past when light came from a flame instead of an outlet.  I smiled at the sign that posted the attendance and offering amounts.  The cemeteries were fascinating with the lines and textures.  The oldest headstone I saw was dated 1820.

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Yesterday L was sitting on my lap as I typed on the computer.  She turned, looked at me and said, "You have something on your nose."

Me: "I have something on my nose?"

L: "Yes, and she looked more closely."

Me: "Is it a buggar?"

L: "YEAH!  Get it out!"

I continued typing and she finally turned to me and said, "Get your buggar out!  You need tissue!"

Well, okay then.  When did she get to be so observant?

 

Canyon Coolness!

This is the hike we went on last Saturday.  It was beautiful.  The winter weather here is spoiling us!  We love the sunshine and the outdoor activities that we are able to do. 

This hike was perfect for the boys.  It was a quarter of a mile down into the canyon.  At the end of that was a streambed.  We walked down the streambed and into the canyon.  That was impressive.  The kids loved it!  They felt like they had done something big by hiking down there and seeing the beauty of the canyon walls. 

C hiked on ahead so I didn’t get as many photos of her.  I think she was enjoying some quiet “alone time” without family being too close.  =)  She hasn’t had much of that since we began our travels.  She has been a trooper and had a great attitude, but getting away from everyone for a few moments is still refreshing.   

On the way back up, B was tired.  M and the girls were way on ahead and the boys were behind me.  At one point I looked back and saw them sitting on the ground.  A was helping B fix his shoe.  I over heard this conversation:

B: “I am tired, this hike is hard for me.”

A: “That’s okay, I will be with you.”

B: “This hike is hard for me because I am little.”

A: “Well you know, B, little people can do big things for God.”

See, those Veggie Tales movies do pay off!  

These conversations are precious to overhear.  I love watching the friendship that is growing between these two brothers.  When they finally started walking back, they walked hand in hand for the rest of the hike.  I walked on ahead so they wouldn’t see the tears on my eyes, oh how my mother’s heart wants to wrap up moments like that and save them forever! 

Strawberries!

These are the strawberries that we ate for breakfast on Saturday.  I was amazed to be eating strawberries that tasted like summer on the last day of January.  Yummmmmmmmm!

What M is up to, the kids playing and the Sovereignty of God

Our house is located right by a playground.  It is wonderful to have that so close!  The other photos were taken when Mark took his camera with him to his training.  As the photos show, his activities are much more exciting than ours =).  But you couldn't pay me enough to trade places.  We are each in our element, him being a soldier and me being mom.

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I know that God is sovereign.  But sometimes I forget and face situations that cause me to pause and consider the sovereignty of God.  Some situations bring me face to face with God's sovereignty.  Typically, when thinking of situations like that, difficult circumstances come to mind.  It is in difficult times that remembering that God is sovereign brings strength and a reminder to keep on.  It is a reminder that although life may bring challenges, those challenges are not out of the control of a loving God.  

Then there are the really great things that happen and stop me in my tracks because the circumstances so demonstrate the sovereignty of God.  I don't just mean things like getting that really good parking space, although that is cool and does boost my spirits.  What I mean are times when there are steps of faith, decisions made, prayers said (but not necessarily more prayers than normal) and just moving ahead.  Then stopping to look at where the road has led and realizing how a sovereign God brought it all together in such an amazing way.  

That second view of sovereignty sums up how we came to our church here.  I did a little on-line research into churches in the area.  There was some criteria, like the church would have to have a web site.   I am not opposed to churches without websites, not at all, but since I was doing research online from a couple thousand miles away, that became part of my criteria.  Any church with a name like "Rivers Flowing From the Holy Spirit"just probably wouldn't be a good fit for our family.  A super large church was not what we were looking for.  

I was partial to Presbyterian churches, for a completely silly reason on one hand and for a good one on the other hand.  The silly reason is that M and I told each other, along time ago, if we ever ended up somewhere else we would go to a Presbyterian church.  I am not exactly sure why we decided that.  The good reason has to do with theology.  I really enjoy Tim Keller and some other great Presbyterians.  

That was what I was working with in looking for a church.  I am sure there was more, but that is all that I can verbalize.  Oh, the other thing was that we wanted to select a church before we arrived here.  We didn't want to visit a bunch of churches.  We are here for such a short time, we wanted to get plugged in soon and we wanted the kids to have as little added change in the midst of all our major changes.  

So, I found the web site of a little church that looked fine.  And it had links to blogs.  The pastor had a blog and he linked to some resources that I find credible.  His wife also has a blog.  And reading about her love of bargains, their three kids and picking up on her sense of humor through the blog, I thought, this is the one!  This is our church!  We emailed ahead of time and the pastor was above and beyond helpful to some family he had never met and who had plans to head this way.

We attended there our first Sunday and have attended ever since.  It has been a great fit for our family and I hope we are able to be a good fit to those that are already there.  From the first Sunday all of the kids enjoyed their Sunday School classes and attended without any problems-no separation issues at all.  It feels like a bit of home for us while we are so far from home.  I am in awe of God's goodness and sovereignty to bring us to the right place so easily.  I am humbled that I am in awe that God would do such a thing.  Of course God is in control, this was no big deal for Him!  We are so thankful for how he has provided for us in this way.  

As my mom told me on the phone the other day, "You have a good church.  That is like having family there."  She is right.  It is fun to look around at the faces on a Sunday morning and to think that these are some of the people we will spend eternity with.  How cool will that be?!  So, even when the time comes to say our goodbyes, it won't be forever!  These will be more familiar faces once we get to Heaven. 

Sometimes I really miss home, our church, and all that is familiar there, but I am so thankful for this time here.  And the more I build relationships, the more I become familiar and comfortable in this place, the more I am reminded that this Earth is not our home.  There are places that offer familiarity, comforts and places that seem to suit us more than others, but this is not our true home.  It is so exciting to think of being in Heaven when all the precious people that we have met on this Earth that are scattered across this country and sometimes across the world, will one day, in Heaven, be together.  How cool is that?! 

In the meantime, we are so deeply thankful for God's provision for a church family for our time here. 

Butterflies

These photos are a bit old, they were taken over a week ago.  I am trying to get caught up on photos here!  We enjoyed a morning at a local garden.  These photos were taken in the butterfly pavilion.