Traveling Tutelage

I love traveling with Grace. On the return trip from Missouri Memorial Day visits, Grace and I filled our driving hours talking, singing & story telling. Winding away the the miles, we talked about the story behind the Star Spangled Banner and why I often cry when we sing it.  I explained why grace and mercy are my most favorite  words.  We decided friends should be chosen based kindness, not the color of their skin, how they look, or how well their body works or doesn't work.  Grace wants to visit the place where Jesus died for our sins. She wants to see His body.  In her disappointment and tears that even if we go to Israel (and we will go), she won't see His body; but rather an empty tomb because He rose from the dead. We talked about heaven and how we will see Jesus, face to face; and that He knows her name.  This is how we teach them; day in and day out,how we teach them.  This is how we live our faith, passing it from one generation to the next. 

Memorial Day

We headed home for the long weekend to be with family.  We also caught some time to visit with a dear friend, Val, on the way back to Chi-town. Always good to visit friends who love like family, or fremly, as some say. Aunt Helen was tearing down a house. We helped out, mostly by keeping out of the way. Auntie Val was moving the office. We helped out, mostly by keeping out of the way. =)  Just kidding, we did help really. Thinking it was actually Labor Day weekend, instead of Memorial Day. 

The weekend was hot, full of work, beds were sparse & the air wasn't working. Ah, but I'm not complaining. The kids played, explored, rode horses, climbed on tractors, swam, played with puppies/kitties, and visited Grandma's grave to say, "We love you." It was a bit emotional.  Gracie laid down on Nana's grave, cried, & prayed. I love her tenderness. We bought flowers to put at her headstone, but Gracie willed hers to Haddon to place.  She said it hurt her heart to go back so soon. Sigh~ I know. 

 

 

Chicago Turkish Festival 2011

What an opportunity to experience other cultures right in your own front yard?! Gracie and I visited the Turkish Festival downtown. Though it was chilly (we had to buy a little coverup for Grace), we enjoyed meeting new friends, as well as the tastes and sounds of Turkey.

Eager for a hands on experience, Grace made a gorgeous print using a paper marbling technique. Forget the flowers, butterflies, stars and such; Gracie wanted a horse. There's a first, according to the master painter.  It was a fascinating process indeed. What a great way to experience the other side of the world right here in our own front yard. It'll do until we can get there in the flesh. =) After all, we have an Uncle Volky and his sweet pea to visit first chance we get.

Bathtized

Gracie was recently baptized on Mother's Day. She calls it "bathtism" for obvious reasons. I think it's because we are washed from the inside out! It was the most amazing gift! They say joy shared is twice as nice. Thanks for celebrating with us.

Celebrating Christmas

After spending several weeks in close company with a real life Grinch from my first clinical rotation, I was elated to finally relax among nice people - people I love dearly.  We enjoyed pre & post Christmas hangout time with friends & roomies, as well as family.  

I'm so far behind I think I'm ahead...

Geez, Louise! I haven't posted since February & that was a post from last year!  Needless to say, life has been a-changing since I last visited blogspot....not that the days have been any less FULL! Indeed, we have moved to the country, lost two more teeth, survived a computer crash (laptop should be back by Monday), resurrected a desktop 14 months dead, & thoroughly enjoyed another Spring Break at Auntie Val's in the big MO! I'll put up a few pics from her country adventures.












It is true, I am at the library attempting to study (cough, spit, sputter). Actually, my first priority this morning is to finally pull all pertinent data off my laptop hardrive that's conveniently nestled in a smooth, shiny case at my side. THEN, I can take the laptop down to this GREAT place in Manteno for fixing up! So excited! What I'm not excited about is returning to T-Mobile (boo, hiss, & more spitting) to get ANOTHER web stick; hoping my first one isn't the culprit of my crashed computer. I can't go through this again. Sigh~

So not much time to update, but I want to record this loving moment before I forget it. Actually, I don't think I could forget it as it's written on my heart. Several weeks ago, Gracie woke up singing a little song she made up. "Sing it with me, mama." She sang it again & I was supposed to catch on THAT quick, but alas my tongue was tripping over that little praise melody. "I need to hear it a few times & then I'll get it for sure."  Frowning at my request, she jumped up & now standing on the bed, runs her fingertips to the tippy top of her curly mass all the way down to those tasty toes.  "Look," she said, "I've got songs from here (curls) to here (toes) just waiting for words." I suppose she meant that we really didn't have time to dawdle over this one because there are dozens more to be sung. So sweet, I could just eat her up toes & all!

Country Girl City Talk

Last April Grace spent spring break with some friends who love like family. Auntie Val hosted the little miss so mom could concentrate on final exams and such. The absence of any postings from that time might indicate that I indeed was engrossed in study. Au contra ire~ But, it's over & done with, but here is an exchange with the Gracie girl worthy of a few giggles & grins.

Grace enjoyed fun filled days of horse riding, puppy loving, cake baking, tea party going, runway stomping, trampoline jumping, bubble blowing, running, swimming, park & Barbie play in the country. However, the nights brought sadness as mama's lullabies just weren't the same via T-Mobile. Taking the party on the road, the grand adventure took her from southeast Missouri to Kentucky for a Sweet 16 celebration like none other at Auntie Mel's house. Yes, more friends that love like family. I heart my college roommates.

After catching up with my friends & recovering from the sugar (SWEET 16, did I mention?), we were on our way back home & back to normalcy. Though ready to come back home, she was not ready to go back to school. Grace, then a kindergartner, had already begun with the "I don't wanna go to school" bit about an hour into the journey.

We took a potty break just before crossing the Kentucky/Indiana border. It was quite the quaint little town at a decent enough looking gas station. The attendant's accent was very thick, but then again it doesn't take much communication finesse to score the key when the girl is clearly doing the potty dance.

Once inside the tiny, yet clean, bathroom Grace indignantly said, "I can't wait to get out of this country & back to the city where people speak our own language."

And we went glee, glee, glee all the way home where we all speak "city".

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TWO-gether is Better

What a lovely weekend after surviving the blizzard this week. We enjoyed a snowy play date with one of our BFF. Gracie was much for snow play until we got to Em's house. Indeed two are better than one! The girls didn't last long in the cold, but managed to pack in dozens of giggles while climbing, digging, sliding and sledding.

Discontent that school resumes tomorrow, Gracie complained of a "tummy ache" that may certainly keep her home. I confidently reassured her the tummy ache was likely due to the super bowl snacks and she WILL return to school to which she replied, "Well, at least then I might just need a wheelchair tomorrow." =)

Blizzard 2011

We're all snowed in here in the southland. Folks are calling it Snowmageddon 2011 or the 2011 Blizzard.  It's pretty snowy out there with drifts quite high.  School is canceled the rest of the week. We are making the best of things by baking some of our favorites: chocolate chip cookies & brownies. I have ribs cooking in the oven now. They smell sooo good. Yum! We gathered some fresh snow for snow cream from a recipe I solicited from friends on Facebook.  Would love to have mom's old recipe. =) This tasted like snow cream I remember, but I might be willing to try another recipe. 

Snow up 1/2 up the back door

It's a snow day

  

Ready to make fresh snow cream

Mixing in the cream

Scooping up the snow cream

Inspiration

Rushing in to rehearsal Wednesday evening, Gracie slowed to take a peek at something or another. "Don't dawdle, Gracie. We have to get inside quickly." Unruffled, she replied, "I'm not dawdling mom, I'm finding inspiration."

That's my girl.