Monday, June 8, 2009

Forty-Eighth Step

Well, we tried to create some free family fun today and go to a hot air balloon festival, but found it had ended the night before despite what the website said. So we found a restaurant in the area and went for a walk along a river. We rolled with the punches, but the festival sounded really neat, so we have it on the calendar for next year. C'est la vie, mes amis!

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Forty-Seventh Step



Today we had a picnic at an arboretum, just me and the kids. We needed to find something to do while Daddy works on a landscaping job for friends. It was a peaceful afternoon! The best part is that the kids can RUN AND RUN without me having to worry too much about cars. Charlie built a fire by gathering sticks, and sister made some yummy soup. Then she climbed a tree. I felt proud that we did something fun without daddy with the little energy I had.

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Forty-Sixth Step

I've been working on my life story and how God's worked in my life (testimony) for Celebrate Recovery, and met with my sponsor for this step. It's hard to be vulnerable, but I feel pretty good about sharing what God's done through CR. I'll be giving it June 16!

Friday, June 5, 2009

Forty-Fifth Step

This was a stay-at-home-and-pray-to-God-that-you-actually-clean kind of day. So I vacuumed the LR, stairs, and the upstairs (dear hubbin had already done the rest of the downstairs). I did not, however, empty the 4 clean laundry baskets and rumpled suitcase from the Utah trip that were on the bed in the office. I decided that boycotting it isn't working, though, and need strength from the Lord to conquer this mountain (literally).

Food and clothes are so boring! You know what I mean, don't you? My two main responsibilities, everyday: getting food in people, and clothes on people. Jesus said the body is more than food and clothes, so it seems the opposite of spiritual to always be working on those very things, guilty about late or unplanned meals, trying to provide clean underwear for all. That last part sounds so noble!

But we all know that there were superheros ON underoos, but never an "Amazing Underoo Woman" superhero. You have to admit, I've got you there! But I - am - that - hero! Providing peace and underwear for all. I think as I was saving the world I'd have to say over and over, "No, not wonder woman, underoo woman!" I guess I need to read more of Brother Lawrence and remind myself there can be peace and communion with God even while spending hours in the kitchen or doing laundry in the basement, in my incognito disguise, of course. Please don't reveal my identity, RNM readers.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Forty-Fourth Step

We had a picnic outside for this step, and enjoyed the sunny day...we started out in the sun but none of us could see so I unloaded our plates from the blanket and dragged it into the shade. I considered pulling the blanket over with the plates and drinks still on top of it, but my ninja skills might have pulled the blanket out from under the plates anyway, which would have defeated the purpose. My ninja skills always create awkward situations, such as with blanket tricks or with karate chopping, say, a cashier when she forgets to put in a coupon and tells me to go to the service desk to get 70 cents and my 2-year-old is completely done with the store. Just hypothetical, of course.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Forty-Third Step



This step was to drag out the big baby pool, clean it out, and get it functional for the summer. And let the kids take a dip, of course! Here's to cheap summer fun! And the pool itself was free, so double bonus. They were more daring than last year, so the slide was making me nervous, and they might feel a little more crowded, especially since they like to have a million toys in there, but they seemed to enjoy it just fine. Another bonus was reusing water--they decided to water plants with the pool water, because it was clean enough for plants to drink, right?



What is it about water, anyway? So refreshing and fun, yet dangerous or messy when in the wrong place at the wrong time. We are mostly made of water, but we can drown in water. We need to drink water, but we can die from having too much (like you read about in those marathons). We get rid of water by sweating out little pores (how odd!) or eliminating it; but we always maintain some kind of homeostasis. We ride across the water in boats; we swim through it but don't naturally belong in it. It's kind of addictive, especially during pregnancy, and I want to drink as much as possible and be immersed as much as possible (weightless! Very attractive right now). Everyone wants to live by the water and the houses are priced accordingly. I want to be attracted to the living water of Christ as much as my waterbottle or a rushing river. And it's free to live near Him and drink from His neverending stream...

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Forty-Second Step



Time to say goodbye to the mountains that I barely explored, and the river that I never jumped in. Maybe next time. The rapids and freezing temperatures were a little daunting this time around. Traveling went well, although I was just surviving and not being natural (got a drink on every flight in those plastic cups). I had a 1.5 hr drive to the airport, then 3 takeoffs and landings, and then the drive back home from the airport. All in all, a 12-hour travel day. And yes, I was swollen like a marshmallow woman. But a good night's sleep did the trick. Thanks for a great visit, Karin and Mokey! (and Mom for the free ticket!)


Monday, June 1, 2009

Forty-First Step

More hiking for this step, but at 9-10,000 feet. Karin and Mike are SURROUNDED by amazing mountains.

We saw the campus where Karin is a professor and Mokey has his office, then went to Bear Lake,



ate Garden City's famous raspberry shakes,



and hiked a bit in the snow around another lake (Happy Anniversary, K&M!).



There's nothing like snow in your socks in May! I don't have much breathing room anyway (8 weeks until baby!), but I was really having trouble not feeling like I was taking my dying breath (not literally). I can't wait to go back after my belly is empty of baby. But because of my supersonic pregnancy schnozola, the mountains smelled AMAZING.
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