A Prescription for Inscription

July 14, 2014

Our love is like the sunset because…

There are so many titles I could have titled this tale.

“Golden Gifts of our Golden Anniversary”

“Magical Moments in Michigan”

“10 year trip!”

“5 days of celebrating our decade long marriage”

And even more…you’ll have to read to the very end to know why I went with the title above. But perhaps now you know this post is a travel log of the trip Drew and I took last week to celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary which happened on July 10th! (hence “golden”)

When valve misfunctions sidelined our Honda Accord 3 days before we were to leave, we decided we had best rent a car to drive the 600 miles to our destination: St Joseph, MI. The flexibilty and length of a road trip was one of the selling points of our plan to drive ourselves to a beach vacation; we took full advantage. We worked out Monday morning together at our gym and then showered and headed to pick up our cherry red Chevy Cruze chariot. From there we dropped off our sad and sluggish car, and left the worries and woes of car troubles, the constant reality of parenting, and the rigors of our work lives behind. Having secured loving childcare for the days we’d be gone, we were excited to leave our kids so that we could give them a gift: better parents, in more love with each other. We were very, very blessed to have April (Maama), Michelle, Aunt Christine and Uncle Zach, and Gayle and Steve (Geeg and Pops) on point to have the kids. The village was assembled.

The gift of getting away was much anticipated and preciously enjoyed. Young Life connected us with a generous and gracious family who had a guest house on their property that they offered to us for the week. We met them the first night as we arrived at 7pm and they walked us the two blocks to “their” almost private beach and our first sunset. We had arrived!

We picked Michigan because it had all we wanted to do in a week away: lay on beaches, pick fruit, and taste wines. We did it all on our first full day there. Tuesday we visited two wineries, picked Michigan sweet cherries, and went to Warren Dunes State park where we hiked and laid out on the beach. That night we had the most amazingly yummy pizza and another sunset for dessert.

Enjoying precious time alone and relaxation, in addition to day long conversations about deep and playful things as a couple, we split up Wednesday morning: Drew golfed and I wandered the down town and found an Aveda salon for a pedicure. We reconnected to spend the rest of the afternoon at the beach…ahh… We were treated to a sunset boat ride by our hosts that evening- a very sweet family with daughters 15, 12 and one more due in August. Being with them was a great reminder of God’s generous and surprising ways. Our hostess said at one point, “All of a sudden we are doing life on Plan B…and we’re finding life on Plan B is perhaps the best.”

Thursday was our actual anniversary and the first we’d spent together since 2010. We did a 10-1 ladder Crossfit workout (thematic sweating!) and then had breakfast out- nothing says 10 years and erases a work out like a chocolate croissant! Yum!

We drove up the coast to Saugatuck and enjoyed browsing art galleries and taking in the weather, lunch at a park, and reading “our book” aloud on the grass- it was a beautiful 76 degrees! (We were- and still are- reading A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken aloud together. It’s a love story about enduring love and so far, its been a beautiful and conversation stirring read. ) We traveled back down the iconic and scenic Blue Star Highway with one detour- Crane’s Restaurant and Bakery. We had found it: the perfect way to enjoy the fruit and berries we saw growing all around- in a pie, a la mode!

Peeling ourselves off the beach, we took sand and sun back to our house around 6pm on the anniversary afternoon- sun still high, heat warm and bearable. Getting ready, we enjoyed a pre-dinner toast of Saison-Brett- a special local brew Drew had saved for such a time as this.

The Brett had us loose and the love shared had us close. We didn’t care what time it was or how long we’d wait to eat at the Lakehouse patio. We played games while we waited, and enjoyed the live music- a guy, his Mac and a microphone- he was really good in fact. We were seated around 8:30 with a great view of the lake and the sun heading towards it. Dinner was really tasty- steak amd salmon- shrimp appetizer and a bottle of red from Italy. We were treated to dessert. The sun set around 9:30 while we continued to sit and listen to the singing.

Friday was the last full day we had and we lived it to the fullest. I walked another 9 holes with Drew before slow and enjoyable beach time that afternoon- like all the days, we spent some of it reading, some of it talking, and some of it taking walks or swimming in the clear, clean waves.

Over Mexican for lunch that day, we talked about parenting and what it is to support and challenge, and change and do our best. Tears and angst revealed some things tender and helped grow us a little bit for sure. Dinner was once again wonderful tasting and full of quality quiet as well as deep chats and cheer.

Friday night’s sunset walk down the pier, along the beach, on a bench, and off the bluff, sunset was award winning. The sunset lasted almost two hours, changing colors, composure, casting light, and capturing the attention of any and everyone on the beach that evening.

While taking it in, “Our love is like a sunset” we mused,

because it’s happening even if nothing beautiful is visible on the outside.
because it’s long and enduring
because it looks different in different parts
because it’s worth slowing down for
and because it will happen every day.

The colors were arresting and we almost missed the very end- the hot pink sun sinking into the blue water of the way out lake.

Saturday morning we were ready (and also not) to go home. We missed our kids- wanted to know lots about what they’d done, how they were, and share our stories too.

We woke up without an alarm (major gift of this trip) and worked out. We cleaned ourselves and

Oaks got a haircut from Mom and Dad Sunday after they got home. Those precious curls were getting tangly! Hope they grow back!

the house and got on the road. Just because he loves me and because I drank lots of coffee- Drew stopped at the beach 30 minutes away in New Buffalo where we could walk the small dune, use the bathroom, and sit on our towel in the sand. We read our book, and didn’t mind the light but consistent rain drops.

It was a week well lived. A life together well celebrated. There were NO disappointments. No bad food, no stress, no fights, and lots and lots of conversations, freedom, memories, intentional care, and crazy love.

Filled up, we can pour out what we’ve been given: love, forgiveness, care, joy. We can’t wait to share life together for decades ahead and hope we get back to Michigan soon.

June 23, 2014

by Lindsey
in Children's Chatter, Kitchen Conversations
Comments ( 0 )

Summer Shapes Up

Right after school got out, the kids and I made a list of what we wanted to do with our summer. Eli and Andi had lots of ideas right away. They passed a notebook back and forth and wrote down the list:

-go to Oceans of Fun

-play with William

-have the garden give us dinner

-make new friends at the pool

-have a sleepover at our house with Duke and Lena

-ride the 48in rides at Worlds of Fun

-win a swim meet

-do lots of water things

-play at GG’s

-doing art

-playing at friends’ houses

-Everyday we will:

cheer on someone else
poop
spend 90 minutes in “room time”- quiet play, reading, rest time- using “my OWN room” for all it’s worth!
get 30 minutes of electronics time (most days)
Thursdays: we will do some home school together in the afternoons

Around Memorial Day, we had noticed the kids’ demeanor’s dipping into negativity. Each espoused some entitlement or discouragement- selling themselves or some experience short. We also heard their language getting dirty- literally. Repeatedly, they would talk of poop/pee/butts or spell out “bad words” I prayed, thought about, searched for and talked to Drew about having a scripture spoken over our summer. I wanted to be a good mom, not overwhelmed or stressed out. I wanted summer at home to feed my kids health and wholeness. We wanted them to control their thought life even at this age. In the end, we laid out that we would add,

Be shaped by Philippians 4:4 and 8 to the summer list! In the Message translation, it reads.

“Celebrate God ALL DAY every day. Make it as clear as you can to everyone you meet, that you’re on their side, working with them, not against them…Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.”

I’m finally documenting the list about a month into summer, and am excited to report we have accomplished some of our aims- collectively or individually.

Game face, good food.

This guy has mastered a great dive!

Andi especially has blossomed on the swim team. She has made a lot of little girl friends and tackles the challenges of her assigned swims. She is strong and courageous, sweet, and getting more and more tan and well-read each day.

Eli has absolutely no fear of anything high, dangerous, spinney, or fast. His trips to Worlds and Ocean’s of Fun with GG have given him ample opportunity for thrills and excitement. He has devoured books and news about the World Cup in the newspaper- keeping that busy brain at work.

Oakley didn’t contribute to the list but has brought lots of joy and smiles to our summer. He is talking with intelligible words and babbling sentences. He put his first sentence together to say, “Shoot ball” and spends most of the days shooting hoops, kicking soccer balls, or tossing beach balls. He loves his “waters”, the water table toy from Maama for Christmas, and overachieves by taking wonderful 3 hour naps during his 90 minutes of room time!

Our garden is growing! What was dirt and weeds and seeds is now tall stalks and big leaves and green fruits! We have tomatoes on the tomato plants and tiny squashes and peppers popping up!

Oakley squats for water play

All the blueberries Oakley picked went into his mouth, not a bucket!

Andi went with Grandpa and Drew for the Father’s Day weekend driving range trip

We of course added the arcade without even dreaming it up on the list. Our friend Melissa bought a house nearby with blueberry bushes we got to pick from last week. We’ve been able to help Laura and James with some home remodeling and Geeg and Pops with their move. We’ve laid low at home and hosted guests. I’ve started a new summer job of coaching a couple women in 1:1 Crossfit classes. Drew has started the drywall repairs of the holes in the wall and ceiling with great motivation and skill. He works all day and then comes home with energy to play with kids, mow the lawn or mud a ceiling! I’m married to a good one. We’re each getting better at fixing bikes and enjoying the kid’s ability to get places on two wheels!

Their arcade employee shirts!

It’s been a great summer so far. We’re looking forward to a Henke Family reunion here over the 4th of July weekend, an anniversary trip for our 10 years of marriage to Michigan July 7-12th, and four weekends in a row in late July and early August where we just do mostly NOTHING but stay home and hang out! And maybe, hopefully, scrape popcorn ceiling and eat lots of tomatoes!

June 16, 2014

Scotch Tape Sanity

I don’t mean to allude or suggest that I struggle with actual insanity. However, I do feel like I “lose it” from time to time,

teeter off the edge of calm and cool into the abyss of stress and angst, and as previously mentioned, I let little things get me, overwhelm me, disorient and distract me, and on the worst of days, defeat me.

Andi and I are saying, “Beat Defeat! Hold Hope!” this summer as mantra for us both- we’re reminding each other that neither tangled swimming suit straps (Andi) or spilled grease cans (Linds) will win- we will win, have fun, move on, and not melt down.

To let you in even further, invitation accepted?, to the conversations I have in my head, I often have to tell myself, “This is not a big deal…It’s just”…OR…”It’s ok”…OR…”They are little kids.” As a result of these chats with myself, I have some coping mechanisms to avoid small stuff sweating.

1. Lots of pairs of scissors

2. Lots of rolls of scotch tape

Yep, that’s all it takes.

Having scissors in my bedroom for the removal of tags, tape in Andi’s room because she loves to tape “bandaids” on Barbies, scissors in the kitchen for meat, scissors in the kitchen for crafts, scissors in the garage for tomato stake ties, tape on every level for projects and kids with new ideas.

I used to get really angry if I couldn’t find my blue scissors. Then I just bought two more pairs of scissors- problem completely solved, anger and angst gone! I used to stress out if the kids took the tape from the kitchen drawer and didn’t bring it back, if Oakley grabbed the tape and pulled out 5 yards, or if Andi stuck all the pieces I tore off to each other instead of a present. Now, I just buy lots of rolls at a time and think, “If Oakley finds it, uses gobs of it, and it’s all gone… Scotch tape is cheap! We have lots!”

The latest use of plenty of scotch tape and multiple pairs of scissors is the cardboard ARCADE in our basement bonus room! Eli, Andi and neighbor Will started construction one rainy day last week and the arcade officially opened this weekend! Just in time for weekend visitors, Grandpa and Judy, and Laura’s birthday party guests Saturday night- more family!

The sign over the entrance

The arcade has been a jackpot of creativity, team work, and family fun. The arcade has been a jackpot of sibling squabbles, Eli’s imagination making demands that just aren’t possible but still make me feel horrible for saying “NO”,and a bit of stress just because there’s a big mess and lots of crazy kid energy in my basement. Mostly however, it’s awesome. There are 6 games (bean bag toss, plinko, football throw, soccer shoot, basketball “pop-a-shot”, and the claw machine. You can (and the kids would LOVE for you to!) come and buy unlimited plays with a $1 fun pass! (We just got back from buying prizes for ticket redemption- it’s really ready. Please come by!)

The other coping mechanism I have as of now, is SPACE. Our new house can hold so much more than the old one. The space removes stress- there is a whole room downstairs that can contain the cardboard arcade construction, and there’s space to leave it up indefinitely!

Saturday night, the space of our new house held a party that brought together a mix of families. The space held relational reunion, introductions, celebrations, the energy of children, conversation among adults, and a feast of food. People could move to different locations for a new play mate or conversation. There were many places to sit, stand, tour, play, gather dishes, and open presents. At multiple times during the night, I said aloud, “This is so great. Our house can hold all these people, all these emotions, all of this event.”

Sanity can show up or stay put quite simply

Football toss- this is a tough one folks.

. I’m grateful for my tools-

Bean bag toss

small and cheap, big and blessed.

June 9, 2014

Great Ideas

A few years ago, when Drew and I were trying to work out a marital squabble, I told him, “I’m not trying to be bossy, I just have a lot of good ideas.” I can’t remember exactly if this helped to clear anything up.

Last night, we got back from a whirlwind, weekend, wedding trip to Wisconsin. Ah the alliteration is too easy and so fun! We trekked via minivan with brave, gracious, and flexible traveling companions Uncle Zach and Aunt Christine. 7 bodies, 1 Odessey.

After our trip to Hermann, MO three weeks ago and umpteen trips to Colorado, I am finally wise. My great idea on the way back from Hermann was to bring our grabber tool from home, on the road. The grabber goes where strained arms, twisted backs, and grasping fingers cannot go: t0 the abyss that is the passenger side door cavity. Oakley sits facing backwards in the car and when bored or mischievous, throws his binky, monkey, blanket or toy over to the unreachable depths of the skinny space between his massive car seat and that sliding door. To reach it, one adult must pry themselves out of their sitting position between two booster seat shoulder supports in-between Eli and Andi in the back, and reach basically upside down and over Oaks’ seat. If no back seat riders, the front seat passenger has to unbuckle, climb back and reach over and down…waaaay down. The pursuit of Oakley car comfort can be very uncomfortable.

Eli demos the grabber

Back to my great idea. If we bring the grabber, anyone from front, middle, or back seat can reach the sneaky object without moving their own buns. With a reminder on my phone that went off Friday morning, we grabbed the grabber for the trip. Success… within reach. Oakley had what he needed…retrieved with love and blue plastic.

Madison, Wisconsin was wonderful. As the state capital, it boasts an active populous, bikes and boats galore, and a beautiful and accessible capital square, open to the public on Saturdays.. We walked around the capital in the throng of people (1000s upon 1000s) moving slowly along as if they were in a lazy river: one direction, a slow pace, bumping and pushing at times, who were there for the country’s largest farmer’s market. We had cheese curds from a food truck- obviously.

Our hotel was close to attractions and the bride and groom were thoughtful and considerate hosts- offering a Friday night rehersal dinner hook up and ideas on what to do while in town.Madison is surrounded by big lakes and hosts the University of Wisconsin student population- lots to do and lots of local fare. Their ceremony was sweet and reception vibrant. We danced til they kicked us out and then went down the street to Ian’s Pizza- it’s a thing in such a college town, to eat pizza with macaroni and cheese on top- so we did.

Back to great ideas. The thing about great ideas is that they come from past experience or a sudden burst of inspired genius. They rise out of the ashes of mistakes or bubble up from a musing. Great ideas can come from anyone and should be grasped and instituted whenever possible. The Wisconsin weddding weekend will from this point forward be referred to as “The Weekend of Gayle’s Great Ideas.”

After swimming Saturday afternoon, Eli was missing a shoe. There had been games and antics in the pool including swimming some laps with your shoes on. Eli came up with one shoe on and the other completely lost. Drew retraced the steps back to the pool but found nothing. That’s when Gayle (GG) had her first great idea of the weekend: “Check the filters”, she said. Indeed- there floated Eli’s black Keen sandal- in filter trap of a hotel swimming pool. Whew! The lost found- Drew and I don’t know if we would have thought to look there. We are so grateful for Gayle’s Great Idea #1.

Less than 12 hours later, Gayle’s Great Idea #2 struck. Yesterday morning, Steve Osborne (Poppy) was in the hotel breakfast area when Oakley and I came down. Pops said GG had a great idea in the middle of the night: they could fly Oakley home with them on the hour long flight from Milwaukee to KC at 11am that day. Oakley would get to skip the 8 hour drive, arrive home to KC in time to take a nap, and our van would have an extra seat- no back seat smashed adult!

Gayle and Steve were flying Southwest and could just add Oakley as a lap infant. What ensued, were a few harried moments of working out details, moving a car seat, wondering if it could really work. In less than 30 minutes, Oaks was packed up and headed off to Milwaukee in the rental car to fly home! We drove home after a fun breakfast with friends and enjoyed the break from the grabber shinanigans and the extra space. As fun and animated and wonderful of a traveler Oakley is, it was best for him and us to take Geeg up on her great idea! What a gift!

We got home at 7pm and picked up the happy Oakley, who had taken a 3 hour nap after schmoozing with the flight attendants and enjoying extra bags of pretzels. He yelled “Hi” and blew kisses as he flew home in comfort with his wise and capable grandparents.

For great ideas, we are grateful.

June 2, 2014

Things I learned because of Kindergarten

Andi’s first day 2013

Eli’s first day 2012

Today is our first day of summer. Not the technical one that delineates the actual season (that’s June 21st- thank you for the literal accuracy Elijah), but the first of the next 72 (including weekends) that starts without school!

As the mom, I am approaching summer with great expectation and excitement. I’m also wondering how I’ll get my work from home work done with so much kid energy around. I hope not to lose my temper or get overwhelmed by long days of messes, sibling squabbles, or silly things that I sometimes let get to me.

Trepidation aside, I’m so glad Eli and Andi will be home every day. Oakley is excited to have them around and interacting with him. Eli and Andi are relieved and ready for the change of routine, for a break from being away and “on”. Despite asking sleepily as she stretched, “Do we have school today?”on any number of Thursday mornings, Andi did a whole year of day long kindergarten so well! Despite liking time alone, quiet and by herself, she went to a long day of loud, crowded, and social kindergarten!

For two years in a row I went through the pile of registration requirement paperwork, toted tough kids to get that shot, and emotionally felt the weight of giving my kid to the world. Sending them to kindergarten was a welcome gift for us all- they were ready to learn, be social, engage their brains and bodies in routine, adventure, and education. And we were ready as parents for them to be age-appropriately stimulated and taught things we weren’t prepared to teach them ourselves.

Sending them to kindergarten was at the same time, a repeatable agony. I lost the almost complete control I had over what they did, heard, saw, and learned. I missed knowing what they were doing and how they were faring. We didn’t get to do whatever we wanted together all day. I had to trust that what we had built into them in the first 5 years would stick, and help them absorb the information they’d gather out there on that rumbling yellow bus and in that big brick school.

Through two years of kindergarten in a row, I’ve learned lessons of my own.

I have learned deep appreciation for the tenacity of my children– they persevered through days of not wanting to go, being tired, frustrated by the content, bored by the monotony, or left out by friends.

I’ve learned great admiration for kindergarten teachers. Both Mrs. Crawford for Eli, and Mr. Richards for Andi, gave tirelessly to welcome little tiny kids to the school experience and shape them with structure, tools, and patience. Andi’s teacher was especially perfect for her personality. When Andi would shut down in frustration, Mr. Richards would woo her back with silliness- a language Andi speaks fluently. His quiet, patient, deliberate, and kind demeanor could dissipate chaos and invite effort. Mr. Richards believed in Andi, gave her chances to excel in reading and math, but also in her desire to help and host the class. Also, he gave her gifts- suckers, hair bows, leftover cookies, and hugs for the times she showed extra efforts in cleaning up, stacking chairs, or listening. Gifts communicate care to Sister-Soo, she knew where she stood with her teacher.

I’ve learned the stress of so much social interaction on a very immature soul and psyche, is a real burden. Both Eli and Andi had to put themselves out there as a friend and classmate. They entered knowing no one and tried to make friends, measure up.

As every friend carried their life into the kindergarten arena, worlds collided. My kids learned new words, some of them unhelpful, and different ways of being a family. They endured scorn for eating beef jerky and broccoli one day, and then asked for extra red peppers to share with their friend so they could trade for her cookie, the next. They wondered if in fact they’d rather go to Adventure Club after school care instead of coming home with their mom. They had to weigh what they saw and heard in the experiences of their friends with what they knew from growing up in our family. I cannot imagine the conversations going on in their little heads.

Eli’s kindergarten Halloween

Andi with her friend Avery at her 6th bday party in April- almost through kindergarten, she had two school friends as well as some church and neighborhood friends come to the party.

As their parents, we tried to be attentive, safe, and unconditionally loving. I failed often at one or all three- only adding pressure, instead of alleviating it. Sometimes our expectations were too high that they would be respectful bus riders, attentive and hard working students, and caring friends for 8.5 hours a day. Other days, we felt sure we could encourage more effort in any direction- believing our kids to be capable and sturdy- smart and sweet, but sometimes lazy or distracted kiddos.

I learned about labels. Kids call each other names or assign levels of prestige at very young ages. Labels like, “She’s my BEST friend”, “He’s the MOST POPULAR kid“, “They have to go to the safe seat almost every day”, “She has ‘autitism’ and I really like her”, to “No one likes me”or “They said my hair looks silly since it’s short”, would sound out of after school stories. My kids were guilty perpetrators and bummed out victims. I saw Andi’s self confidence shake and Eli turn to silliness instead of face the pain.

Kindergarten challenged Eli and Andi in their belief that they are beloved. That no matter what and always, they are God’s child and our kid, and are so, so loved. Rooted and established in Love, we pray they would be free to give love extravagantly, that they would have eyes to see kids who are left out and all alone and come alongside to help and befriend. We pray they would care about how others are feeling and how they can help more than want to win. It’s here that we have hopes and here that we remember how little and young they are. Time will offer chances for them to choose to grow, to care, to help, to love.

Kindergarten helped me learn humbly how many ways there are to do family, friendship, and faith. Kindergarten helped me learn to let other people help me with my kids in ways I lack expertise and energy (ie: using scissors, writing forward 5’s, or amphibians).

Kindergarten helped me learn to trust my kids to live out what they know deep inside best they can. Kindergarten helped me learn how tough and smart and helpful and friendly (teacher words for them) they are when they’re trying their best, engaging their minds, and wriggling their buns while waving their hands high in the air.

I’m thankful we had Tiffany Ridge to wade us into the elementary school waters. We will change schools next year since we moved. However, since I’ve learned so much because of kindergarten, I’m ready to move on.

May 27, 2014

by Lindsey
in Children's Chatter, Kitchen Conversations
Comments ( 0 )

Memorial Day Weekend Hash

A “hash” is a culinary dish comprised of a slew of ingredients in a tossed together, baked for flavor and texture maturation, yummy sort of way. In the Paleo/Clean Eating world, I’ve come to enjoy a Tex-Mex breakfast Hash and a Sweet Potato/Green Apple Hash. You gather the ingredients, cut, chop, spice and mix. It’s layery and mixy and comes out delish.

Today, I’m taking the blog into the kitchen, but not really.

Here’s my recipe for an excellent Memorial Day Weekend Hash- the ingredients and mixing instructions to cook up a really great holiday weekend in May.

This past weekend was our 3rd such weekend in 3 years, so I feel I will not lead you astray.

Feel very free to nuance the following to your own tastes.

Ingredients:

family (immediate, extended, and best of all- someone you love who has come from out of town- this year, we had our Maama)
friends (any! many! or few!)
some planned things, some space for spontaneity (loved having Sollars (sans Dustin) over for spontaneous Friday night dinner on our deck!)
equal parts tradition and trying something new (this goes for both the food/drinks consumed and activities planned)
a challenging bit of physical fitness (bike, hike, enter a race, or our style: complete the Crossfit Hero WOD: Murph)
pool time
grilled goodies– brats, dogs, burgers, veggies
eating outside
watermelon– cut up and cold
some time to get something done around your house– with a set stopping point to enjoy the 3 activities listed just above
a patriotic pause– engaging in the meaning of the day- to remember, thank, and honor those who have and continue to serve.
rest and relaxation

Compile all ingredients. Mix together over 3 days- Friday-Sunday. Enjoy every bit.

Fireworks at Celebration at the Station- patriotic pause, tradition…simply awesome.

We went to church on Sunday which covered family, friends, and traditions. Oakley climbed atop the sign for the first time- something new.

Something new, family, relaxation: We took our kids to Celebration at the Station this year. Here’s E at the instrument petting zoo.

Celebration at the Station continued: Traditional food- pulled pork and orzo salad- Laura is an amazing hostess at this event! New additions of Mom and Jim and Jan who each added fun and good food to the party!

Andi spent the first night of the weekend with our new neighbor, 12 year old Maya who can play the flute. New friends, spontaneous flute concert. Good times.

Oaks climbed the stairs of the lawn at the Liberty Memorial (physical fitness pursuit) and ate his watermelon, pork and “chips” -his new favorite word!- outside at the Celebration. He was totally engaged and happy the whole time after enjoying a 4 hour nap (rest…check!)

Family visits and snuggles. Oakley’s first fireworks. On Maama’s lap. Laura’s baby enjoyed them as well- on the inside!

MOV_0678.MOV

The movie shows Andi riding her bike on 2 wheels! Her spontaneous, physical fitness challenge of something brand new! Way to go balanced Sister Soo!

May 19, 2014

Cultivation- growing over [summer] time

To cultivate something by definition is:

1. to prepare and use soil for growing plants; to care for and grow plants

2. to try to acquire or develop (a quality, sentiment, or skill)

I planted a garden 10 days ago now. The weather has been pretty consistently inconsistent since the seeds and starters went into the ground. There was heavy rain, some humid mornings, and many cool days with night time lows around 50. I was gone for 4 days during which much of the soil dried out. So far, no seedlings have sprouted, but the starter plants remain green and lively looking.

I’m not sure if I should be discouraged- perhaps it has all already flopped, or if I simply need to wait. Drew said yesterday, “Maybe one of the hardest things about gardening is the waiting. Being patient as we wait and see.”

Indeed, growth takes time. Developing strength and health happens over time, with long, slow, and deliberate cultivation.

This summer, in the garden, I’m hoping we grow the following:

-tomatoes

-green beans

-zucchini

-squash

-carrots

-peppers

-cilantro

-cucumbers

What is buried and empty now, will hopefully blossom, bloom, mature, and produce real, consumable food. As the caretaker, I promise to provide attention, water, weeding, and pleads of “please grow.”

We are staying put this summer. No Castaway in July. This breaks a 5 year streak of getting to go serve, work, enjoy, and learn through ministry in Minnesota. Instead, we will stay home, settle into our new house and neighborhood, look for what God has for us here, and feel what Missouri feels like in mid-July! We hope to cultivate strong roots, healthy habits, and by the end, bear some quality, organic fruit in our selves and souls.

This summer, in our family, we hope to cultivate:

-fitness– summertime Crossfit for Drew and me, Oakley and his ball kicking and chasing games, and Eli and Andi swimming! They are on the Coves Crocs Swim Team which includes daily practices (starting tonight!) and weekly swim meets with kids from our neighborhood who will also be attenders of their new elementary school.

-community– around our new house, with our dear friends, and through deliberate attempts to host and have people over

-rhythm– I yearn for some sort of rest and connection time with just our family. Some 20 or so hours off of work, school, cleaning and chaos- a Sabbath type of movement where we are all together, paying attention, having fun.

-inner peace– where Andi feels defeated, overlooked or angry, where I feel overwhelmed, Drew feels overly responsible, Eli feels pressure to preform, and Oakley feels left out, I pray we replace it with peace that comes from knowing God sees us, knows us, and loves us just as we are.

-marital growth- Drew and I will celebrate 10 years of marriage July 10th. We have a trip planned to celebrate and feel so blessed to have been best friends for so long. We also know now better than ever, what trips us up, hurts our connection, and harms our heart. We hope to find some help and tools as we pay deliberate attention somehow over the summer.

As the caretaker, God surely offers us attention, weeding out what isn’t good, and watering with new energy and life through the bliss of summertime.

In pictures, we want to cultivate in our family whatever it is that brings this amount of joy and life to Oakley’s face- to all of us!

–

May 12, 2014

Woes and Wins

This might be the last post about the move, moving process, and new house. Or perhaps not. A completely new place to call home (which is actually a pretty OLD place with sneaky surprises, quirky noises, odd smells, and quaint uniqueness) impacts about every part of our lives at this point.

We’ve lived in our new house for 12 days. Our stuff has been here for 19 days but our bodies and a few suitcases, left after 4 days of living here, for a much needed, and previously planned and paid for vacation to Park City, Utah.

My mom invited her four children, and their families, to celebrate her 60th birthday by gathering in a place we’ve never been before with opportunities for connection and fun. Park City in late April was perfect. Surrounded by mountains on every side, bathed in 73 degree sunshine, spread out in an awesome condo, and playing, hot tubbing, and conversing with siblings we don’t see nearly enough, Park City was wonderful. We got to tour the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics sites and the Tabernacle. We shopped and wandered. My kids were loved on by aunts and uncles. Most of all, we celebrated my mom for her 60 years of life lived with love, deliberation, hospitality, conviction, hard work, strong traditions, deep faith, and so much service.

I loved being away from the new house chaos for a few days. Right before we left, things got a little exciting.

Literally, and I mean literally, right after I hit send on the previous post about how awesome our new house was two weeks ago, I heard a drip of water drop on the kitchen table next to my computer. I looked up and saw a giant yellowed stain on the ceiling. Best I could guess, there was water coming from the master bathroom somehow. We called the plumber who did some repairs for the seller in the inspection negotiations, and he came out by 7pm. He cut the kitchen ceiling drywall which drained a ceiling full of water onto the floor. He determined the problem to be a faulty faucet in the tub upstairs. He was able to fix it quite easily and left us very apologetically for the mess and hole. We were relieved the issue was resolved. photo 1 (10)

Tuesday, April 29th was Andi’s 6th birthday; we had some family over for Andi’s birthday dinner. I cooked in my kitchen for the first time! I was overjoyed to host 9 people around my kitchen table!

After dinner, Christine went up to check out Andi’s new Barbie dream house in it’s nook between her two closets. On her way to Andi’s room, she stopped and said, “Um, Lindsey or Drew, can you come up here?” We went up to discover a hole in wall at the top of the stairs. The story came out: Andi had tripped while running down the hall, spun, and fell which somehow sent her little elbow right through the wall! Drew and I shook our heads slowly and took a deep breath. Then, we crossed our fingers, got on airplanes, and really enjoyed Park City.

Arriving back, we focused in on some unpacking, projects, and people. It feels good to have some familiar things in place:

-my fridge is covered with pictures of people we love

-the family room floor is covered in balls, cars, books, and toys

-we have 4 squares of ice cream in our freezer

-Laura and I planted flower pots Friday afternoon

-we had a family dance party, complete with disco ball, Friday night.

We’re also experiencing all things new:

-I pulled out the tree-sized weeds from the garden on Tuesday (thanks to a surprise visit from Lauren Meystedt- a very appropriate blessing since I’ve now moved 1 block from her childhood house!), and planted seeds and small starter plants Saturday afternoon. I’ve never attempted to grow so much before. Now, it’s wait and see and hope and hopefully eat!

-the lawn mower has worked twice for Drew to mow the lawn! but elected not to work the other 3 times Drew has tried.

-we’ve met some new neighbors. The family to our left has two really sweet kids. The daughter, 13, came over to play Barbies with Andi and the son, 11, has 2 bike/scooter ramps. Eli’s heaven lives right next door- an older kid with an adventure apparatus! There were 5 kids in our front yard having a water fight yesterday afternoon. Good, clean, wet, fun.

-I do not have to stack 5 small plates on top of 8 big plates, in front of 3 bowls, when I unload the dishwasher. The cabinet space is so spacious. I’m loving it!

-Oaks can run in a circle around the first level of our house- being chased and giggling, he motors from the kitchen, through the dining room, to the living room, and wheels around through the entry way for lap 2.

-We have a play area in the basement where lots of toys and fun can live. The basement did NOT thrill me when we moved in here, but I’m enjoying and appreciating it more and more each day.

With so many great new blessings, and a few set backs, we are very grateful for our new house and excited to have people over soon!

Thankfully, no one was here Saturday night when we experienced just one more first: using a fire extinguisher to stop a kitchen fire.

Drew put nachos in the oven and then went outside to meet a couple new neighbors. I was in the kitchen working on salsa when I saw smoke in the oven. Holding Oakley, I peeked in and saw flames! I screamed, Oaks cried, and we ran to the front door. I yelled, “FIRE! DREW, FIRE!” He came running and I handed him the extinguisher we keep under our sink (something Drew got intentional about a year ago). One short shot and the flames were out. Smoke poured out of the oven and all over our house. The neighbor Drew left mid-conversation, was at the front door, making sure we didn’t need help. Eli was asking, “But do we still get to eat nachos?” We cleaned up white foamy mess and hustled to get dinner going again. We ate outside on the deck just before dark.

Adventures, woes, “Oh nos”, wins, “Yays!“, holes, floods, and fires…its all part of a little Osborne family homestead.

And its only been 19 days.

April 28, 2014

Moved by Moving

Who’s sick of hearing about me, our new house, moving, and life in chaos? I completely understand if so and yet I write on. I must record the weekend that just was. Holding onto the moments of the move is a must!

Drew and I, per tradition, match on moving day.

Right now, I’m writing in my new kitchen looks out a huge window to my green backyard- it’s a wonderful new “office”. I am estactic that the plug in for my computer is near, not opposite, the wall outlet! Just one of very little things I am absolutely excited about! Mostly, there are great big things for which I’m giddy, grateful, and saying, “This is such a gift” around our new house.

We closed Friday at 11am and started moving our goods from the generous garage space at Steve and Gayle Osborne’s house. Mike and Carol Graves met us in heavy lifting clothes

Keys in hand! We were so grateful to have Judy Lane as our realtor.

and moved all that stuff all the way into the new house.

Drew and I both kind of wandered around, delerious with joy and paralyzed by the packing up that needed to be done. We picked small tasks and started in. The house was in great shape, clean and ready to go- the garage and basement were a bit spider-webby so I vacuumed and wiped some surfaces we would soon pile stuff upon. We created a label system for assigning boxes and furtniture to rooms. All rectangle stickers went upstairs to color coded bedrooms, different colors of circled dots designted the dumping into family room, living room, and dininig room. There were oodles for the kitchen “price” stickers and plenty for basement “price-B” stickers. No sticker? Stick it in the garage please.

It was double sister doings at the new house Friday night with Laura and Christine and I lining cabinets and drawers until after 11pm. The boys, Zach, Drew and James, went to the “old house” and loaded both big couches and a ton of other stuff into the truck. We went to sleep at 5408 for one last time.

Saturday brought a bounty of help and the movement of our entire life from one house to the next. We were expecting some of the blessings, but surprised by others. There were slight mishaps and some discouragements but mostly, Drew and I worked alongside the crew who gave so generously of their time and gifts to help all day in so many ways!

The truck was HUGE! The truck ramp was FUN!

Some moving moments to mark:

Carol Graves came at 6:45am with coffee and bagels and help with loading all the stuff we didn’t want in the truck (clothes, toys, pictures in frames etc..). Carol’s help was constant and generous throughout the day!
Geeg took the kids for a day away from the craziness- offering them familiar solace and care in the midst of a huge change.
I met the fridge delivery men at 8:45 at the new house. They dropped off the new black frigde but said the water line was cut so they wouldn’t/couldn’t install the ice maker. Bummer!
Literally, 15 minutes later, Jim and Jan Bruce knocked on the door with orange scones! Without knowing they were coming, I was completely surprised by their thoughtfulness. A quick scone delivery became a 3 hour manual labor commitment as Jim offered to install the fridge water line! He worked himself into soaked pants and sweat serving us- we are so grateful.
The fridge was not coooling off…perhaps it just needed more time.
The moving truck arrived with all the contents of our house in one load. The moving crew (Poppy, Zach, James, Shane- a Park Hill YL kid, Keith (a friend from the gym), and Tom Meyer) had met Drew at the old house around 9. They loaded and then unloaded, following my stickers upstairs and down and had it all done by 11:30. There were worker bees building beds, vacuuming spider webs (thank you Dustin Sollars), making up beds (Carol) and unpacking my kitchen (Laura and Christine). Drew and I were everywhere but in the same spot. It happened so fast I am sure I’ve grossly underestimated all the help I received.
Our muscle movers.
After pizza lunch picked up my Keith’s wife Sara, James and Drew holed up in the garage to install a garage door opener (first time for both of them!) and Laura and I headed upstairs to bedrooms. In the end, Laura and James gave 12 solid hours to the Osborne cause on Saturday…pregnant and busy themselves and yet they stayed all day . We love them and loved working with them…they must really love us too- it was a gift!
Jan Bruce brought a microwave by late in the afternoon that she had in her basement. We didn’t know when she dropped it off it would be the key to eating anything that night. Turns out the fridge never did get cold so we ended up with a smograsboard of what we had to eat from the fridge and a few HyVee chinese entrees. Sunday morning, Drew discovered the fridge was stuck on “store mode” so now, it’s all fine! A scary start with a chill ending.
I went back for one last walk through of our old house. I was struck suddenly with overwhelming emotion and sat on the floor of my empty bedroom and cried. Sad, grateful, amazed, and full of emotion. That house held our life well for almost 8 years, I brought all my babies home there, and Drew and I grew up in that space. I was leaving a lot but ready to go.
Kristin Sollars, an amazing women who does so many things AND wields wicked drill skills!, came to help install window coverings so we could put kids to bed that night.

Saturday night was the first night in our new house as a family. Oakley went to bed sick and sad- bothered by an ear infection we’d discover at the urgent care clinic Sunday morning. Drew suggested doing something special with E and A who had patiently been told, “No I can’t right now” for most of the afternoon. Quick thinking (and the Holy Spirit surely) gave us the idea to walk around the house and do “Blessings and Wishes” in each room.

We started in Eli’s room and said something we were grateful for about that space or what we hoped would happen there through the years. Despite it’s spontaneity, it became precious quickly as Eli and Andi dove full into thanking God and sharing silly and serious hopes.

In Eli’s room, E said, “I can’t wait to fill up my shelves with all my books- like put Harry potter on there!”

In Andi’s room, I prayed, “She would Grow up looking in her own bathroom mirror knowing how beautiful she is in Christ every day.”

For Oakley, Drew prayed, “That Oaks would feel brave and beloved, and have space to play, laugh and grow.”

Eli prayed for Drew and me in our room: “I pray that Mommy and Daddy have lots of fun and are happy no matter what together here.”

Downstairs, in the living/dining room spaces, Andi prayed, “Dear God I hope we have lots of cheers’ here and have people to our house in these rooms”. She absolutely articulated my dream for those rooms!

In the kitchen, I said, “I hope we use this space to continue special traditions, and host great conversations around the table”. Drew prayed it will be a space for the kids to land after school and Eli and Andi both prayed for lots of feasts, snacks, and favorite foods.

In the family room, we were grateful we had a place to watch shows, wrestle with Daddy, play a lot and hang out together.

We ended in the basement where we marked their heights on the door frame next to the washer. I promised to pray for them, remembering how small they are, while I do the laundry. Andi has asked me twice as I’ve headed down for a load if I’m praying for her. I so wish we could have recorded it more specifically. Instead, we will count on our minds and Spirit to remind us of the dreams and prayers coming true throughout the house.

When we went to bed that night, Andi slept back on her bottom bunk under Eli instead of her new bedroom. Oaks slept alone for the first time ever, and Drew and I chose to keep our sides of the bed. We snaked around on the floor while shirtless because of these great windows in our room and bathroom!

And now for the unpacking and settling. Already I feel so good about how settled we are. There are beds and clothes and food for all. Boxes? Yes- tons. Joy? Yes- tons!

Eli’s room- new desk and dresser!

Andi girls room!

The master..master closet for sure!

The basement. Eli and Andi were able to scooter and create a stunt room down here yesterday! I’ve done 4 loads of laundry

kitchen with view of my “desk”

The Living room…a holding area…

Oakley’s room. The rocking chair is back!!

April 21, 2014

Jesus is OUT of the grave, My house is IN boxes!

I am a sucker for a great Lent and Easter season. There’s no better reason to celebrate than to mark the moment God’s redemptive power consumed even death and birthed the promise of new, restored, resurrected, and eternal life. Love that surrenders wins the ultimate and always victory. He is Risen Indeed!

We littered this year’s Lenten season with contemporary and momentous movements. From the Crossfit Clean-Eats challenge, to work trips and tax season busyness, to listing, selling, and packing up our house and finding and buying a new one, about the only thing we truly fasted from this Lent was calm. And yet, we experienced Christ, soaked in the story with our kids, and stayed connected to our community.

Must keep this week’s post brief…the list is long, cabinets still sprinkled with stuff that needs boxed up, and the baby sure to wake soon.

In a few more prepositions, here the long and short of it right now:

-We move IN 4 days

-Andi had a fun birthday party Saturday. Party Perks:

OUT OF town Aunt E and Uncle Q were IN town to celebrate
master baker and talented decorator (who knew!?) Melissa Graves made a cake for Andi’s 6 years WITH 6 pink layers!
friends from school, neighborhood, and church mixed well and blessed our sweet birthday girl BEYOND expectations.
Amazing cake inside and out for our Amazing Andi Girl

-Oakley’s favorite thing is to walk and run freely. Unfortunately, he falls DOWN often…poor Boo is getting lots of boo-boos on that sweet, soft baby skin! This week, he’s running across our cul-de-sac…next week, he’ll be in our new fenced backyard! WOW!

Boxes of the kitchen contents

-Everything, LIKE everything, from our house INTO a box?! Oh my, so many. I’m pretty much down to the details, the awkward bottles of cleaning supplies, medicines, clothes, and junk drawer.

-It was completely worth the wait to let Oaks finish his 3 hour Easter nap and then join the egg hunt ALONG WITH his older siblings yesterday. He loved finding eggs! Also, he loved eating chocolate! Lucky day for this 1 year old!

Egg excitement!

– Eli is ever perceptive. Didn’t encourage any Easter bunny believing, keeps the moving day count- down in mind, and carries excitement in his body about what’s new while also mourning the loss of the house and neighbors he loves so much.

Who wants to play egg volleyball?

-Spring is IN the air! Perhaps the best part of the house we’re leaving is the back deck. This week and last, the deck has hosted many a spring love session. There were squirrels “wrestling” last week that Drew pointed out to the kids. “Squirrel wrestling?! I love it when they do that!” Eli said. Today, there are two birds necking (literally!) and offering “piggy back rides” on the deck railing. I’m happy to host procreation…Get it ON my nature friends.

ON that note, I’m saying goodbye from 5408 and will write again from 4501.

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