"I'm Fwee!"

Says the boy who had a birthday yesterday.

"I want a guitaw, a keyboard, and dwums." This was the birthday boy's list this year. He managed to get 2 out of 3...not bad, not bad! The "dwums" will be saved for a later date since big brother has been asking for a set for about 3 years now. (Which will most likely be happening this Christmas...Mommy is trying to type this without wincing.)
It was a nice, quiet day. But from the excitement-producing soprano notes reached by Josiah's voice all day, you would have thought we spent the day at Disney!

Caution: Curvy Road Ahead

From the very beginning, our family's "straight and narrow" path has had some interesting curves, twists, and turns. The Lord has always kept us on our toes and we would not have it any other way! I have become settled in the fact that I believe He created Seth and me to love adventure, to not live the 9-5 existence, to always look ahead with hope that something new might be on the horizon. This has been a little more of a stretch for me than for Seth. To love the unknown. I love adventure as long as there is a handy list to go with!
We have had a new "curve" in our road this year. At first, it actually felt like a sharp right turn that knocked me off my balance. But now as some time has passed, the first jolt has mellowed out to yet another Macchi adventure. Friends, I am pregnant. Yes, it was a total surprise and No, it was not planned. (At least by us.)
And yes, we are still planning an adoption. I hope that answers all of your initial questions. I will be posting more on this subject. But for now, this is just the happy announcement of LIFE.........

Sweet Boys

I have been a mom for some years now. Every once in a while it still kind of freaks me out that there are 2 people on this earth who will always know me as "Mom". There are still times when, for a split second, I look for my own mom when one of the boys calls for me. Even weirder? When the boys ask me a question and I hear myself say, "Go ask your Dad". But I just have to say- I love my boys! They are kind to each other (okay, maybe not all the time. maybe about 70 percent of the time.). And they are kind to others. Something I fully appreciate!
A couple of days ago, I walked outside. I turned to come in and this is what I saw. Can you blame me for running for my camera?

Sorry, I couldn't decide which one I liked the best. So there you go.

Meet My Friends

This is Clyde. How do I describe Clyde? Clyde is like that big, gangly kid in your class who doesn't quite know his own strength yet. The one who is sweet yet would never pass up any opportunity to play that practical joke on you. You can't help it but he actually becomes your favorite because he's so funny and you know he won't take things too far. Yes, this is Clyde.

(Doesn't he look mischievous?)

Aaand this...is Solo. I actually imagine Solo with a British accent. He is such a gentleman. Solo is my friend's horse. She is guiding me through Natural Horsemanship training and is generously letting me learn with him. He is much older than Clyde so he carries himself quite differently. He and I have quickly become buddies, even more so when I have a pocket full of cookies!

Mama is Down

I repeat. Mama is down. Best flu remedy around here? Well, isn't it obvious? Tigger and the warm-up puppy, of course!

On loan from a very sweet and very concerned 6 year old boy.

It Has Begun

The trucking of children from practice to practice. The Saturday morning games. Yep, you guessed it. Elijah joined a soccer league. His first team sports experience. Practice began this last Wednesday and his first game was this morning. A very unorganized, chaotic almost 2 hour (when all was said and done....the actual game was 45 minutes) soccer game on an early Saturday morn. Every mom's dream, right? Better still, it was in the gym of a local school. We do things right around here...indoor soccer leagues!
Elijah was adorable. He was nervous so there was a lot of quirky shirt twisting and fumbling. (Good thing there wasn't any grass to pick at, huh Mom?) But he warmed up pretty quickly. You know, I've always known my son is a pretty big kid but today it was more than obvious. He stands about a head taller than all of his teammates. I guess I'd better keep feeding him his Wheaties!
They did great. In fact, they won. We're pretty sure the score was 5-1. It's kind of hard to keep track in the middle of pure chaos.
Elijah's biggest fan was, of course, his little brother. We heard "Go Eli" a few times from the munchkin man. His turn is still a few years away. Thank God!
So, there you have it. The beginning of the end. I see a future of endless practices, stinky shorts, deadly socks, and adrenaline-filled games.


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Please excuse the quality of the pictures. I am going to attempt to use the "sports setting" next Saturday. Maybe that will save me from all the blurriness...

Drumroll Please....

Exciting news in our little world. We have begun a new blog specifically for our adoption process. Another blog for you to check =) I posted the link on my sidebar. Hope you enjoy!!

Togetherness

When Seth and I got married, our friend gave a tidbit of wisdom that has stuck with us over the years. "May you know the joy of togetherness". I can honestly say that through our ups and downs, this is something we have guarded. Our joy of being together. These last couple of months, we haven't had much of a chance to be together. So the joy started dwindling slowly but surely.
This last weekend we remedied this by going away for the night. We booked a room here.
In the Castaway Isle suite. Who doesn't like their bed in a boat stuck in a tree? We had dinner here. And then played here.

Looks like we got that joy back after all.

Long Overdue

The boys and I had a great time in South Carolina with my parents. My grandma even came to visit from Ohio. It was really special to see her and for the boys to meet their great-grandma for the first time. I'll let the slideshow do the rest of the talking for me.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Home

Seth is due to land within the hour. His first flight to Kansas City was cancelled because of the ice that is currently being dumped over Missouri. Somehow they are keeping the runways clear. Yah!
We get to see each other for less than 24 hours before we all part ways. The boys and I will be in South Carolina for the next week visiting my parents. Seth will be in Philadelphia working on a show.
Posting will be non-existent for the next week with the promise of pictures and stories from our visit with Nana and Grandad...

Peace Out.

Mistah Jones!

I had my doubts. All of these "old man" comebacks were beginning to disturb me. Okay, mostly Mr. Stallone's comebacks. Indiana Jones? Could Harrison Ford really pull it off? Well, we shall see come May 22nd. In the meantime, this trailer does give a bit of hope!

I Love Technology....

I finally did it. I set up a blog reader feed. It was so much easier that I expected it to be....just typed in all the sites I frequent and Voila!! It lets me know who has written anything new, so I don't have to check their site every time I am on the computer, wondering if they have any new posts. It even shows me new posts on Craigslist, something I am shamelessly addicted to.
So, go ahead, try it. If I can do it, so can you!!

What is This World Coming To??

I know there is a huge attack on marriages, family, children, etc. But this article just made me ill! They make it sound like they are doing an act of service....ugh.

By the way,

Happy Valentines Day!!

Go give that "someone" a special hug....you know you want to =)

Grateful

I just want to write a quick note to say how much I appreciate my husband. He works SO hard (since last Sunday, he has worked about 100 hours...no joke!). He doesn't do it because he has an inner drive competing to be the best. He works hard because he loves the Lord and desires to walk in His will. He works because he loves his family with all of his heart. I watch his heart break a little more each time he is called to be out of town, away from his boys....who happen to adore him.
We know this is just for a season and we all feel God's grace as we are walking through it. We know that he is called to a ripe mission field. So we wait, longing to see fruition of seeds planted. We understand that is why he is where he is. Not to necessarily become a better audio engineer but to keep sowing in hope of that one day when one of his co-workers comes to him and says, "What must I do??". It's worth it, isn't it?

What I Did Last Night

I ate this.

Traditional Ethiopian fare. Two words- SO GOOD!
Maybe Seth can take me on my birthday to the lake for an Ethiopian picnic??

Snow IS Fun

As much as I complain about the cold, relentless winters of Missouri, I do have to admit that I really enjoy the snow. At least the first snow. This Christmas when all the Macchi clan came to visit, we were blessed with a beautiful blanket of white. Here are some pictures from our snowball fight!!


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Conversation

"Mom, what is a baby horse called?"
"Well, a girl horse is called a filly and a boy horse is a colt."
"How about a grownup girl and boy horse?"
"That would be a mare or a stallion...oh and there is something called a gelding."
"What's that?"
"Well, it's a boy horse that can't help make babies." (Now realizing the hot water that the mother has just put herself in, she is trying to pedal forward very quickly through this conversation.)
"Boy horses can have babies??"
"No, they just can't help make babies anymore....."

(The car is silent. The mother begins to cringe waiting for the inevitable question.)

6 year old boy says, "Mom, I like horses."
(WHEW!!) "Me too."

Dream On

I love the cartoon version of this photo because that is how this part of my life feels right now- unreal. I think the Lord plants seeds in everyone's hearts from conception. Some seeds begin to fruit very early and others take their time and show their sprouts much later in life. My dream of horses is one of the latter. I always knew I loved horses but it never occurred to me that it might be possible to come in close contact with them. And here I am, learning how to partner with these majestic, 4-legged creatures.
Just to be down at the barn- listening, smelling, touching- fulfills something very deep in me. It has not been super easy thus far. Learning from ground zero is definitely a challenge as an adult! Be prepared to hear lots of "horse-y" stories from me. Because it quickly has become a big part of my life =)

Winter White

And no, I'm not talking about snow on the ground. The boys and I just got back from the park because the temperature shot up to 72 degrees!! I wore short sleeves (something I haven't been able to do for a couple of months now) and noticed my glowing white arms. Pale, pasty, winter white. I'm seriously questioning my heritage here. Filipino? That's not what my skin is sayin'.

Tomorrow's forecast : High 32 with a Wintry Mix.
Translation: Cold and Wet.

Ugghh.

What's the SuperBowl?

Without the great commercials? I actually did not have the privelege of watching the big upset. Who needs to when the very next day, Yahoo posts all of the ads for my viewing pleasure?

This one is Hilarious! Screaming forest creatures...C'mon!!

I LOVE the Budweiser horses...

The Justin Timberlake/Pepsi ad was pretty funny, too. I won't post it, though. Somehow it feels like I would be betraying some inner moral about pop stars...(please note the sarcasm).

Profound

I found this quote on a blog I read frequently. She's a mother of 5 boys (!!!) so I can always read her postings and be thankful for my 2. She puts life in a great, humorous perspective. Anyway, this quote is very appropriate for the community in which we live here in Kansas City. Jesus truly is coming soon but before that happens, we will face situations we never thought possible. How is He preparing us for the time to come?

"Do not desire crosses, unless you have borne those already laid upon you well—it is an abuse to long after martyrdom while unable to bear an insult patiently."

--Introduction to the Devout Life, St. Francis de Sales

By calling us to live our life without offense.

Florida, The Call has Come to You!

Tomorrow, February 2nd, the Call will be happening in Orlando at the Silver Spurs Arena at 10am. Read the following letter from Lou Engle and see if it doesn't spark something in your spirits. The Lord has a plan and purpose for Florida and I don't think we have any idea what it looks like!!

Urgent - TheCall Florida

Dear Florida,

Four years ago we launched a prayer movement for the ending of abortion, elections, and spiritual awakening in our nation. For 50 days and nights, up to a hundred young people gathered together for continuous fasting and prayer. During this time, we received a very significant dream from a prophetic leader in the nation. In the dream, the letters F-O-C-U-S-S were seen. They stood for Florida, Ohio, Catholics, Universities, and Swing States. For those 50 days and nights, we cried out to God for Florida for the turning of the elections. The prayers of thousands in Florida and the voice of the church turned the tide in 2000.

Once again, we are in a critical moment, and Florida is a swing state. Not only is Florida a swing state for the elections, but also it is a swing state for revival in the nation. Great moves of God have come out of Florida in the last 30 years. The sounds of prayer that birthed those movements are rumbling again.

I just got off the phone with two key pastors in Florida, and the first pastor I talked to has 24/7 prayer in his church and twenty full-time intercessors. The second pastor’s church is in 21 days of fasting and they hold three prayer meetings a day. When I hear this, my heart is stirred. I believe history books may well record that 2008 was a year of the great prayer reformation in America.

We look back a hundred and fifty years, and 1857 is recorded as the year of the great prayer meeting revival. A million souls were converted, and four years later, the civil war began. The great harvest was swept in, preparing for 600,000 men to die on the battlefields of the civil war because of the shedding of innocent blood of the slaves. It was America’s day of reckoning. I believe that we could be headed into times like these again because of the shedding of innocent blood of 50 million babies. We are in a crisis. America is desperate for revival and righteous leaders to be raised up who will overthrow the covenant of death of Roe v. Wade.

In the land of Terri Schiavo and Baby Rowan, and in the land of colliding ideologies in your great universities, Florida is once again ground zero. In times of crisis, God’s remedy is united massive fasting and prayer. It is in the faith that God will hear the cries of His people when TheCall comes to Orlando on February 2nd at Silver Spurs Arena. It is not a festival, it is a fast. For 12 hours, we gather not for entertainment but to turn to the Lord with fasting, brokenness, and worship.

Twenty-five years ago, I read Derek Prince’s book called Shaping History Through Prayer and Fasting, which he wrote in 1973 because of the passing of Roe v. Wade. A Brit was burdened for America. That book became a textbook for my life, and TheCall was born out of Derek Prince’s vision. The basic premises of the book are that kings and rulers are raised up and removed when God’s people fast and pray and the latter rain outpourings are precipitated by collective gatherings of fasting which become the hinge of history. It was out of Florida that Derek’s ministry exploded.

I met him in Ft. Lauderdale when he was 86 years old, and I thanked a father for giving a son this revelation of the power of fasting from which TheCall was born. We wept together in one of the most precious moments of my life. This is a part of Florida’s heritage. What will you do with this legacy?

I am determined to carry forth Derek Prince’s legacy, and I believe it is for such a time as this. I have personally launched into 21 days of fasting for Florida leading up to TheCall because I am deeply burdened by the significance of the moment.

We are in a Haman-Mordecai moment. Esther was promoted and Haman was promoted and a 3-day fast determined whose voice would be heard. Haman’s court was overruled by the Supreme Court of Heaven and a Mordecai was raised up.

I would like to call those whose hearts are stirred in Florida to 7 days of fasting leading up to TheCall with the first 3 days in an Esther-type fast for your primaries on the 29th. Let us, for those 7 days, prepare for TheCall by cleansing ourselves and crying out to God for a great awakening in the state. When you hear the sound of the trumpet, gather to me there and there the Lord will fight for us. (Nehemiah 4)

For TheCall,

Lou Engle

Oh, and if you have some time, I totally urge you to watch this video. Seth and I watched it the other night, expecting to only watch a little of it...we ended up watching the whole video. The intensity doesn't even begin to match what is on God's heart for this issue of Innocent Blood!!

Luv Notes

"Saru, I LUV UW."

"Pol, I LUV UW."

"J, I LUV UW."

(Elijah came home from school today with these little notes on his papers. He said he did it during quiet time. I guess you could call us a "progressive family" where we don't get letters addressed to Mom and Dad but to my first name and Seth's middle. I love this age!)

What the Wind Brought In...

Cold Weather!!! Yesterday, it was 60 degrees here in Kansas City. Today it is 21 degrees and blizzard-y. Does that sound crazy to you? I'm telling you, it plays games with your mind!

In other news, my new computer has arrived. An apple green Dell notebook. I'm quite happy with it. Now, I know all of you Mac fans out there just scrunched your noses with the faint derision that automatically appears on every Mac users' faces when a PC is mentioned. I'm with you. I understand the snobbery. All I'm sayin' is that this Dell is pretty rockin'.

How exactly do I announce this next one? Okay, here goes- we are going to have another baby. But I am not pregnant. We are in the very beginning process of adopting!! This is something that has been on our hearts for years now and Seth and I feel like this is the year to move forward in it. We are in a major decision making process now in which direction to walk in this. We know it will be domestic. We are just waiting on the Lord for the next step to take. We are excited and nervous and overwhelmed and thrilled all at the same time. Kind of like being pregnant...I'm just not nauseated! So, if you think about us, please pray that the Lord will give us wisdom and clarity this year. He has had a baby in His heart for us since the beginning of time...we want to just be led right to [her].

Updated pictures are my next project for you devoted readers. I just need to figure it all out on this here new computer.

Peace Out.

To our Devoted Readers

It has recently come to our attention that we have been a bit sluggish in our posting. Our true apologies commence forthwith. With the acquirement of new computer shall
many new posts be written.

Thank you and Goodnight.

RIP

This holiday season, 2, yes 2, hard drives have kicked the bucket in this house. Actually my hard drive is on its deathbed so we are hoping for one last breath to transfer out 3 years' worth of photos. Seth's called it quits and refused to recover after being frozen for a day. It truly is amazing how much you rely on your computers for everything. Lesson learned...must. backup.

Quotes from a 6 Year Old

"Eli, what is your favorite number?"
"7."
"I want you to practice writing your numbers 7 times each."

(a few minutes later...)
"Mom, I should have said my favorite number is 1."

Oh Blessed Sunshine...

Where art thou been? Be? Have been? Your absence has caused a lethargy in me. Your very dull counterpart, Cloudy Coverage, has done quite a number on this Midwestern Land. Dumping every kind of cold precipitation one can think of. Snow, yes. Freezing rain, yep. Sleet, I think so.
Just now, I see you Mr. Sunshine. You are peeking your sleepy face through the clouds. No doubt you have been busy warming other parts of this world. And I just read that your appearance today will be short and sweet. Good on you, Mr. Sunshine. You have officially sparked my imagination, my ability to daydream. Of warm beaches and humid evenings...

MY REALITY

MY DREAM

My last Bryton Post...I think

Dan and Misty posted pictures of their little man on their blog. He is a cutie, isn't he??

He's Here!

Okay, so I'm jumping the gun a little bit because I'm blogging it before they are but Bryton is home now. Seth and I were asked to be the "camera crew" for the big event so we had the privelege of seeing it all first-hand. It was such a beautiful moment. To see 2 loving, expectant parents meet their son for the first time was indescribable. And can I just say- Bryton is the cutest little baby ever! He has a full head of hair and the sweetest little face.
This whole experience has definitely stirred something that has been in Seth and me for a long time now. We'll just see what the Lord wants to do with it...

Go See a Movie

Something is happening in the world of movies. Has anyone else noticed how many films are being released that are all about adoption? I'm totally excited by this. You know why? Because this group, this ministry, these people, and countless others have been praying for years now for the message of LIFE to blow across this nation.
I saw Bella the other night. It's an indie film that won an award at the Toronto Film Festival so if it's playing in your town, go see it. I heard Martian Child is great. That's the next one on my list. August Rush is coming out soon. It looks really good! And next year, Horton Hears a Who, will be out for everyone to see.
Spirit of Adoption and LIFE. We must keep praying.

The Singing J Bird

J's Twinkle from ssmacchi on Vimeo.

Great News

Our friends, Dan and Misty, just found out today that their son Bryton will be flying here from Korea next Tuesday evening. What an amazing journey this has been for them and for us as friends watching them walk through it all. I am so beyond excited to meet the little man! One thing I know for sure, he couldn't have more loving parents than the ones waiting so (im)patiently for him!!

Toofless Wonder

This is tooth #3. Two on the bottom, now one on the top. It's just so cute to see him smile these days. Speaking of cute, I thought I would throw this one in for good measure...

What We Did Last Night

Yesterday Elijah caught a grasshopper. Not one of those little green ones but a honkin' big one that moves slowly and can hop from here to California in a single bound. We haven't named him yet. Not sure why...maybe it's because we don't plan on keeping him for more than a couple of days. Last night we sat there in front of his little bug home mesmerized, watching our grasshopper eat big pieces of hearts of romaine. We watched him for a very long time. Long enough for my legs to fall asleep. Nature is pretty cool. So are boys. Put the two together and you get interesting, sometimes creepy things to look at.
I am admitting an addiction, friends. It's called The Office. Seth and I haven't really been into TV much for the last year or so but this one show has caught us real bad. It all started by a DVD rental, a random disk from Season 2. After a marathon of Season 3, we now jump to watch the webcast on NBC.com the day after it airs on TV. It's awesome. Anyone else think so?

Race Photos

Here are a few photo proofs from the marathon last Saturday. Now that there is a little time between running the race and not being able to move, I am amazed at this journey the Lord has taken both Seth and me. It began last year at the KC Waddell and Reed 5k and ended this year with the KC Waddell and Reed marathon. Although I have a feeling that this really was not the ending but just the beginning....
How's that for mystery?

Six

Dear Son,
Today you turn 6. How can this be? Wasn't it just yesterday that I held you on the couch, a three day old baby, and wept because your arrival filled a part of my heart I never knew existed?
I looked at you tonight, on the last evening of your fifth year, and saw shadows of the little one I held so many years ago. Your face has changed so drastically from little boy to boy. Your thoughts are ever so intriguing just as I knew they would be long before you had a voice to spill them out.

Wasn't it just yesterday you called dinosaurs "dintohores"? That you told us "I can't reeeaach it" when you sat on the potty and couldn't manage to take a poo?

I am so proud of your mind, your gentleness, your compassion. You have a heart to protect the little ones as I have seen you jump to protect your brother.
I love you and am so proud to be your Mom. Happy Birthday, my little man. I have a feeling it's going to be a great year!

THE END

It is finished. The hours and hours of training, the hours and hours of running the race are all in the past now. I think I am going to stick with the vow made yesterday at mile 22 that I will never, ever do this again. And even though I am hobbling around today like a 95 year old woman, the thought of running a half marathon in the future doesn't sound so bad. Anyone want to join me?

**I just want to say a big huge thank you to everyone who was so encouraging through all of this. Friends and family who prayed us through the race and all of you who even took the time to babysit the boys while Seth and I trained the big runs...you are so awesome and so appreciated! We love you!**

Countdown...

It's T minus 3 days now, my friends. The big race is coming up fast and I actually think I am excited about it. Last night, we took the boys for our last longer run. It's interesting how different a run can be when you are staring a marathon straight in the face. It was good...a little confidence booster for me.
In other news, my family is flying in on Friday!!! My parents, my uncle, and my brother will all be here to see Seth and me run and also to celebrate Eli's birthday next week. It's going to take a whole 'nother post to describe what it feels like to be the mom of a 6 year old.
The boys have watched this video a couple of times and are now running around the house doing the "haka". I'm not even sure what the word "haka" means but it definitely speaks to the testosterone driven. How else can you explain an almost 6 year old and 2 1/2 year old running into my room completely naked to show me their haka dance? And in my defense, they were getting ready for a bath. We don't usually condone the running around in birthday suits in 65 degree or less weather...

Autumn Days

It is officially Fall. Totally a favorite time of year since we moved here to Kansas City. Seth came back home late last night so today we took a little field trip/family day. We all had a great time. Please enjoy the slideshow that just took me a good hour to figure out! =)


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

And To Your Left...

I have updated my "check 'em out" list. Our good friend, Dan, recently put up a site that gives updates of their adoption. They're still waiting for the little guy but he is going to be here before we know it. Our other good friends, Jason and Chassy, joined IHOP full time this last summer. They are an amazing family. Yeah, we like 'em!

Peace Out.

What is Your Name?

After a year of being married and living in Tennessee, Seth and I felt that it was time to move back home to Orlando. In 1998, the Lord began to do much in the both of us. Freeing us from the guilt and cynicism that still runs rampant in a whole generation of "church kids". Not long after our move, Seth and I began to get involved in the church. Which was a pretty huge step for us. I began to attend a woman's group called Titus which was started by Seth's mom. I had never really experienced anything like it. The discussions, the praying for each other...it was all new to me. One particular night, I had asked for prayer for some direction in our lives. The women prayed very sweet prayers. I actually remember many of them. Towards the end, the leader asked one of the ladies there if she had heard anything from the Lord to say to me. I had never met her before. She said she only had two words for me..."Precious Jewel". Something about these 2 words just shot deep into my heart. I had never really felt precious before and I certainly did not think myself a jewel yet I knew it was the truth. I tucked this phrase away and pondered many times over it. A few months later, I happened to go through some of my old treasures. I have a large, black trunk filled with things from my childhood, precious things I would never trade for the world. That day I opened an old photo album given to me after my grandmother passed away. They were all baby pictures of me. The very first photograph made me almost physically jump. It was a picture of me, on the day I was born. Written on the bottom was the phrase, "Precious Jewel". Out of all the things my grandmother could have called me, these were the words she chose. Or was it she who chose them?

Only a very loving grandmother or an even more loving Heavenly Father could call this newborn face "precious"! =)I looked like I just stepped out of a boxing ring! Onto Part 2...

Over the past couple of years I have had an idea. An idea I have discussed with Seth extensively. I even ran it past my mother at some point. I have thought much about it and prayed about it. I wanted a tattoo, a permanent reminder that tells me this truth every day of my life. It was so special how the Lord gave me this message. I am still far from totally believing this truth about myself but I trust Him to teach me. It is a message not only for me, but for every person out there who struggles with his/her identity. We are precious to Him, each uniquely designed. So Saturday I finally did it. I will have this reminder all the days of my life and for that, I am grateful.

The Week that Rocked

'Twas a week of music. That's right, friends, I attended two shows. Something I have never done before, unless you count me going to Seth's band shows back in the day. I'm sure they played 2 times in a week at some point in their illustrious, albeit short-lived career.
So the first band, Over the Rhine...WOW. I have been a fan since the year I graduated high school. Nothing like a good, old Over the Rhine song to take me back to the crazy emotions that filled me that year. This was my first time seeing them live. They were beyond amazing! Deep, sultry sounds interrupted only by a few drunken yells from fans who should have stopped at drink #4.
The second show was the. best. show. we. have. ever. seen! That's about all I am going to say about Mute Math. It was one of those performances where you just couldn't help but smile. Because they were incredible.
My social life is now coming to a close. Seth will be out of town for the next couple of weeks so you could say I took my opportunity when I had it. And what opportunities they were!

Introducing....

Clyde

You may be wondering why I would be introducing a horse, ridden in this picture by a complete stranger. As of yesterday, Clyde has a new name....Clyde Macchi! My mother-in-law, Pam, has had a lifelong dream of owning a horse. And now she is the thrilled owner of a 4 year old half paint/half quarter horse. He is beautiful! Welcome, Clyde. I think all of us have a special place in our hearts reserved just for you...

I want you to notice the people in the background of this particular picture. Yep, that's Seth and me! Our very good friends actually live here where Clyde lives. This ranch hosts horse shows periodically and our friends invited us out to watch this particular day. Little did I know that just a few months later, this horse that so obviously caught my attention would become part of the family.

Training

For the past months, Seth and I have been training. Lots and lots of running. Our lives have revolved around running. Can we go out and have dinner? Nooo, we have to go out and run. It's the weekend. Can we sleep in? Nooo, we need to get up and run.
It has been an interesting journey, this marathon training. It simply began for a half marathon but somewhere in there, it changed. The call to go higher, I guess you could say. Now 26.2 miles looms before me like a mountain I'm not sure I am able to climb. But inside I feel the challenge and say "Okay, let's do it."
Last night, Seth and I ran almost 18 miles together. It's a terrible process to go through. The breakdown of physical, mental, and emotional capabilities. Until all that is left is the resolve to get home. One foot down...good...next foot down...good. There are also the nice parts. The second and third and fourth winds that come unexpectedly and you think you can run forever. The moment of finish when you cannot believe you have run that far.
I will save you the plethora of spiritual analogies the Lord has shown me through this training. All I will say is that Paul spoke of "running the race" for a good reason. It makes total sense to me why he would use this as a picture of our lives in the Lord.
Seth and I will be running this race on October 2oth. Goal? To cross that finish line in whatever fashion seems fit, although I would like to stay away from the hands and knees crawl. Too dramatic for my taste...

Out of the Blue

"Mom, do you have a baby in your belly?"
"No."
"Well, when are you going to have one?"
"I don't know."
"I bet Heaven is just filled with babies."

I bet Elijah is right.

How Old Are You?

2
Dos
Deux
Zwei
Due
Two

Here it is...The Pout

Aaannd we are back to normal

First Day of School

It was not quite how I have envisioned it for the last five years. There were no tears, no moments of "my baaaby", no shuffling off to kindergarten bright and shiny with new school clothes and a brand new backpack. Instead, Elijah and I sat down at the table with a pile of workbooks and a pencil. We began kindergarten in our kitchen at 9am.
If I have not made it obvious enough, I am homeschooling Eli this year. For five years I took a pretty opinionated stance on this subject. I believed that it just would not happen. I could never have the patience for it. Elijah loves being around other kids. As he grew older, I became more and more convinced that traditional school was definitely the path we were going to take. And it all changed this summer.
We tried every door available to us. We took a tour of the brand new public elementary school 2 minutes from our house. As we walked through the school, the discernment that we had prayed for gave us a pretty solid "no". We checked into private schools in our area. We decided that $4900 was a bit too much for, um, kindergarten!
So we prayed and prayed and prayed. The Lord finally put me in a place where I said that if He wanted me to homeschool, I would do it. Truthfully, I didn't really mean it. But then no other doors opened up. So I said it again and this time, I kind of meant it. Which surprised me. Time was running out. August 16th (first day of school in our district) was quickly approaching and we had no game plan. My one last hang-up was Eli and how he felt about going to school. So I asked him what he thought about homeschooling. Within five minutes of not much convincing on my part, he told me he "decided" he wanted to homeschool. Not to uber-spiritualize it all, but when he said this, I totally felt a peace. I knew that this year, we were going to do this thing. And it was cool.
Yesterday we began. And it was fun. The best part was the reminder of what an amazing kid Elijah is. Despite the stubborn-ness (I can't EVEN imagine where he got that from!) that rears its head on a pretty regular basis, there are so many layers the Lord designed in my son. What a privilege to be able to spend concentrated time this year, gently opening these layers up, revealing the beauty of Elijah's personality and giftings.
Yes, it's going to be a good year.

Ya Think So?

Yeah, he's pretty cute.

Camping Weekend

This is what a 2 year old looks like after a weekend of camping. Notice the location? Yeah, he crashed in the middle of the living room after sleeping in the car for 2 hours!

We really had a great time. Our new friends, Mark and Priscilla, accompanied us along with their three adorable kids. It was so chaotic and fun all at the same time. When you have 5 children running around, how can it not be?? Here are some more pictures of the kids. Unfortunately, I think the camera came out only once during the weekend so there were not many pictures. Oh well, what we did get turned out really cute!

Eli thought it was pretty funny when Josiah fell asleep in the middle of the room.

The Five Amigos minus One. Elijah and Cahira were inseparable the whole weekend. There were mentions of marriage and weddings. Ummm, yeah, I think Dana's wedding (see next post) did some "damage". The other two, Eranae and Josiah pretty much did what all 2 year olds do....ignore each other or repeatedly say "no" for no apparent reason. Trevan missed this picture but he is definitely one cool kid. He and Eli had some killer sword fights.

Snackin' in the new screen tent. Visited by Mr. Raccoon the first night. The 2nd night, Mr. Raccoon almost got his tushy blown off by Mark's BB gun.

We are definitely doing this camping thing again before it gets too cold. We have 2 boys. What more can I say?

My Life

Okay, so we made it back from Colorado in one piece. It was an amazing trip filled with so many memories. We actually survived our hike which turned out to be unbelievably fun. Not to sound cheesy, but our anniversary was perfect. It totally fit our lifestyle right now and our budget (very important these days!!). I posted a little slideshow of our vacation here.
The weekend after we returned, I got to do a little part-ay-ing with some dear friends of mine. My friend Dana was going to get married the next weekend so, of course, we had to celebrate with a little dinner, a fun scavenger hunt down at The Plaza, and some chocolate covered strawberries and gifts after. Here are some pictures of that night...

Here is the beautiful bride, Dana. She wore this all night!

The girls.

The night was a bit steamy. We opted for air conditioning.

Fun, Fun!

That evening preceded a gorgeous wedding. Dana watches Elijah and Josiah every week while Seth and I go to our care group. So she and the boys have an awesome relationship. They LOVE her! They were very excited to see Dana get married...Elijah couldn't stop talking about it. A bit too soon, don't you think? (says the overly possessive Mama...)

The land is rugged. As we drove up to the mountains yesterday, I thought of the pioneers who had travelled hundreds, maybe thousands of miles and then faced the Rockies. And they kept going! The giant rock formations with trees sparsely covering them, beckoning and taunting.
It is a landscape I am learning to appreciate more each minute I am here. I grew up camping in the Pacific Northwest, green and lush. I lived in Tennessee, just minutes from the Smoky Mountains. Also densely covered with giant green trees. But the Rockies. They are different. A harsh beauty. I can see our family spending lots of time in this area in the future.
Today we went on a 4 hour horseback trail ride. Our guide took us up a mountain and down a mountain, through meadows and fields. It was amazing! It gave us an opportunity to sit back and enjoy our surroundings. My horse, Elmer, was a trooper. Blazing through muddy trails, making his distaste for puddles of water very known by choosing other paths every time, even if it meant sending his rider through tree branches. Seth's horse, Cutter, was the poky one. He had paid his dues, done his time and wasn't going to take "no" for an answer. If he felt like stopping to take a nibble on some tasty nettles, who was going to stop him? I think he and Seth got along perfectly. They understood one another.
During the ride, I asked our guide if we would see any wildlife. He said "probably not" because in the summer, the larger game stay up higher where it is cooler. I was a bit disappointed by his answer because I really wanted to see some kind of animal, maybe bigger than a squirrel. You know what the Lord did? Nestled in a patch of trees was a big herd of Elk. HUGE males with big ol' racks and the females eating peacefully. Do you ever get the feeling that God just gets a kick out of blessing His children? I do.

Well, friends, I have had a long day and that hot tub is calling my name. Tomorrow is our 10 mile hike. Pray for us =)

Trip Advisor?

I think they forgot to put the "Qua" at the Quality Inn here in Colby, Kansas. Of course, when you stumble in at 2:30am, bleary-eyed, you don't have the normal resistance of a sane person. It's one of those rooms where you cannot look at anything too closely. I made that mistake last night. The light switches have enough grease and grime covering them to send Mr. Clean on the warpath. If this is any indication, I have not taken off my sandals except to crawl in bed. The carpet has a non-plush squishiness to it. I won't even mention the bathroom. I should have taken the warning when I read the front sign that said "We serve homemade and Mexican food".

We are about to take off for our short drive to the Rockies. Last night's drive was a breeze. Night-driving through Kansas farmland is actually quite ethereal. Especially when you have just the right mix on the iPod!

And We're Off...

Tonight we leave for a gloriously planned trip to Estes Park, Colorado. That's right, friends, just Seth, me, and lots of nature...as in National Parks and horses and hikings. But, lest you think we are "roughing it", we will be staying at a condo that looks like this. Hot tub on the deck, here I come!
We are so very grateful to Seth's parents for agreeing to watch the boys while we are gone. I do believe a few more jewels will be added to their crowns this weekend! Eli has been looking forward to this looong stay with Grammy and Papa for months now. They already have a "list" of things they want to do. Elijah loves "the list".

So, my dear ones, stay tuned next week for the many pictures that will follow....