tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3664541097021799952024-03-13T14:24:39.026-05:00By Fidelity and FortitudeMusings of a Christian wife, mom of five, high school English teacher. Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13031531421081313802noreply@blogger.comBlogger253125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-366454109702179995.post-62271888176975481992021-03-20T10:05:00.003-05:002021-03-20T12:46:12.423-05:00What I'm Loving Now<p>"...doth not the appetite alter? A man loves the meat in his youth that he cannot endure in his age." </p><p> - Benedict; <i>Much Ado About Nothing</i><br /></p><p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EjdQ3zxofPM/YFYTG33Yv1I/AAAAAAAAChQ/SnZ4lNodrBgQVUdZcBkHuzHDHY7HPTB-wCNcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="136" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-EjdQ3zxofPM/YFYTG33Yv1I/AAAAAAAAChQ/SnZ4lNodrBgQVUdZcBkHuzHDHY7HPTB-wCNcBGAsYHQ/w242-h136/image.png" width="242" /></a></i></div><i><br /></i>Things change. People change. The things we love for a time are not always the things we love forever. <p></p><p>I am, of course, speaking of the shallower things of life - dumping one movie for another on your Top Ten Movies I Love list. Things like that. No deep philosophy today. </p><p>Rather, I'm going to talk about the things that I am loving right now, in March of 2021. I may not love them by March of 2022, or I might. Or maybe what I'm loving right now will lead me to something else to love and enjoy down the road. </p><p>First, podcasts. Although they have been around for quite some time, in the past couple of years, I have caught on to the trend and found some that I really enjoy. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2OAUHQbF_OI/YFYPxGZsvoI/AAAAAAAACgo/hkajP5trfpYZr78fU8hw-dZXn73A6f3kQCNcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="182" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2OAUHQbF_OI/YFYPxGZsvoI/AAAAAAAACgo/hkajP5trfpYZr78fU8hw-dZXn73A6f3kQCNcBGAsYHQ/w182-h182/image.png" width="182" /></a></div><p></p><p>My favorite teaching podcast is "Brave New Teaching." They have a realistic but creative and rigorous approach to teaching in the English Language Arts classroom and share <i>the</i> best ideas. Sitting down with that podcast is like sitting in the teacher's lounge and laughing over the day - the good, the bad, and the ugly - but then getting some terrific ideas to make the next day better. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--_85qVLALuw/YFYQCFJbVNI/AAAAAAAACgw/L8BR2ChpmpIIXw927fMSVGA5pwisuVlggCNcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1400" height="163" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--_85qVLALuw/YFYQCFJbVNI/AAAAAAAACgw/L8BR2ChpmpIIXw927fMSVGA5pwisuVlggCNcBGAsYHQ/w163-h163/image.png" width="163" /></a></div>My favorite podcast, the one that first got me interested in podcasts and the one I come back to most consistently, is "What Should I Read Next?" When I started listening to WSIRN, my TBR pile exploded! Pretty quickly, I learned how to find the show notes, and to go immediately to Goodreads to learn more about the recommended books and put them in my virtual TBR pile. I will never get through all of the books on my Goodreads list, let alone all of the books in our house, but I'm okay with that. I just like to be surrounded by books and by people who like books, and that is what WSIRN does for me. Teaching teens and trying to instill a love of literature in them can seem like a Herculean task some days, so sometimes it is fun to slip into Book Nerd mode and hang out with fellow Book Nerds. <br /><p></p><p>This leads me to my favorite books at the moment. (Again, this is not my "All-Time Favorite Books" list, just the "What I'm Enjoying Now" list.) </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jqSSSz8TxQk/YFYQUihwrRI/AAAAAAAACg4/uw8NWOiGZvQbktA9-kvq-SRvL1INEeQsgCNcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="612" data-original-width="612" height="169" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jqSSSz8TxQk/YFYQUihwrRI/AAAAAAAACg4/uw8NWOiGZvQbktA9-kvq-SRvL1INEeQsgCNcBGAsYHQ/w169-h169/image.png" width="169" /></a></div>First, I devoured the first three books of the Mirror Visitor Quartet by Christelle Dabos, translated from French by Hildegarde Serle. Yes, it is translated so I feel very cosmopolitan and fancy. The fourth one is not out yet, but I plan to eat it up as soon as it pokes its nose out of the publisher's warehouse. This might be considered YA, I'm not sure, but it tells a terrific yarn with complex and memorable characters, and a fascinating world. I will confess I am a little concerned about the "character" they call "God;" sacrilege is not something I want to recommend to anyone. But I am reserving judgment until I see where Dabos goes with this. <br /><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PRqIjg1bzEA/YFYQmEBSFmI/AAAAAAAAChA/HHJT6VgTaHQXXKciyJqyi8g50x8iBhbdACNcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="400" height="213" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PRqIjg1bzEA/YFYQmEBSFmI/AAAAAAAAChA/HHJT6VgTaHQXXKciyJqyi8g50x8iBhbdACNcBGAsYHQ/w160-h213/image.png" width="160" /></a></div>Second, in a much different vein, I just finished <i>Passing</i> by Nella Larsen. Larsen was among the intellectual elite of the Harlem Renaissance, and that intellect is evident in this stunning exploration of the lives of two women, each of whom are light-skinned enough to "pass" in white society, and who make different uses of that ability. It is told from the perspective of Irene Redfield, who, we gradually realize, may be ranked with some of Poe's best "unreliable narrators." Not only is it a good story, though, it is a fascinating exploration of race in the 1920s, but with clear relevance to the 2020s. I highly recommend it. <br /><p></p><p>My final favorite for March is crochet! Still a favorite. I finished a lovely little shawl with a variegated blue/green/purple cotton yarn in a simple "granny square" stitch - clusters of three double crochets. Finishing a project is always fun and makes me feel like I'm making progress. I also finished a bunch of Easter eggs and a jellyfish in cotton pastels. I am team-teaching a crochet elective at school, so this has kept me working on new and different projects. The big project I'm working on now is a throw blanket with a simple stitch (sc and dc alternating) in a gingham pattern. I am stalled on it at the moment because I had to order more yarn, but I am eager to get back to it! Crochet continues to be the simplicity and order my mind craves at the moment. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-sv1oRVsHP3U/YFYSheN8shI/AAAAAAAAChI/F439y4PeAcwhzmPRPLKLO6KcVPwYpCoWACNcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="313" height="192" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-sv1oRVsHP3U/YFYSheN8shI/AAAAAAAAChI/F439y4PeAcwhzmPRPLKLO6KcVPwYpCoWACNcBGAsYHQ/w121-h192/image.png" width="121" /></a></div>Actually, a favorite which relates to books and crochet are audiobooks. I love to listen to audiobooks while I crochet. Recently, I listened to books #5 and #6 of the High Society Lady Detective series by Sara Rosett. Enjoyable, well-written, and fluffy enough that I don't have to invest a lot of emotion, they are perfect for some light entertainment. <br /><p></p><p>That's it! Those are the things filling my non-school time and brain-space. What are you enjoying these days? I'd love to hear! </p>Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13031531421081313802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-366454109702179995.post-61350312729942527812021-01-30T08:06:00.003-06:002021-01-30T08:32:06.260-06:00A Doozy of a Month<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kvlB4fYuhcs/YBVsswmyeMI/AAAAAAAACfE/X8h221LyQq4HROUvXTKDKihBFILd65fpACPcBGAsYHg/s6176/20210114_214146.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2640" data-original-width="6176" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kvlB4fYuhcs/YBVsswmyeMI/AAAAAAAACfE/X8h221LyQq4HROUvXTKDKihBFILd65fpACPcBGAsYHg/s320/20210114_214146.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Whew! January was a doozy over here at Chez Shaw! </p><p>After the chill (figuratively, not literally, surprisingly enough) days of Christmas break, we dove into school again, online for a week (waiting/hoping for covid germs to clear out of the general school population) and then in person. And then...</p><p>we jumped into full-on musical production mode. If you have ever been part of a musical theater production - at ANY level - you know how crazy those last two weeks are, and these were crazy. Particularly so since we went from zero to a hundred miles an hour in about a day's time! </p><p>Typically, our school musical is cast in early September, rehearsed throughout the fall, and performed the weekend before Thanksgiving. It gradually builds until it hits its crescendo in November. Then, we have the next week off to recover and stuff our faces with turkey and pumpkin pie before we are back at it, auditioning for the next production in early December. </p><p>This year (darn covid), we made the difficult decision to postpone the performances. I won't go into all the reasoning, but it seemed like a prudent and necessary decision. We rescheduled for the second week of January and then set rehearsals to simmer throughout December. </p><p>The musical we did was <i>Working. </i>We chose it on purpose for this year because it is basically a series of monologues and solo and small-group numbers. It is based on a series of interviews conducted by Studs Terkel in the 70s and explores what it means to work a job. Doesn't sound very interesting, does it? Well, of course, the focus is on the people who work those jobs: how they feel about the job, how they got there, what they could have done with their lives instead of what they're doing now, etc. Some of the songs are laments, some are manifestos, some are exuberant expressions of a career well-suited to its worker. Actually, quite timely for this year of job insecurity. </p><p>The episodic nature of the show meant that if someone had had to be out for illness or quarantine, we could relatively easily eliminate that number and keep moving with whoever we had. (Providentially, they were all healthy for the performances.)</p><p>As that January date approached, our team of directors met (on Zoom) to discuss the pros and cons of moving forward with that date. The pros outweighed the cons, so we plunged into rehearsals that first week, even while school was still virtual. </p><p>Now, as you may know, if you have reluctant or ill-prepared performers, no amount of excellent direction can make a good show. Well, our performers came back ready. to. go. They had lost almost nothing in their memorization of lyrics and choreography AND they were eager to make this performance happen. </p><p>And it did. Beautifully. </p><p>We had to curtail the performances, leaving off the usual Wednesday morning matinee for homeschool families and local elementary schools (aka guinea pigs!) as well as the Saturday matinee, but we had the usual Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night shows, with Friday and Saturday being shown on live-stream. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FnNlmZK7-ts/YBVtC1EeuuI/AAAAAAAACfM/hqCuNnyEtfEnp70NrbJdWS-mj8l2W5jiQCPcBGAsYHg/s4032/20210114_194440.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FnNlmZK7-ts/YBVtC1EeuuI/AAAAAAAACfM/hqCuNnyEtfEnp70NrbJdWS-mj8l2W5jiQCPcBGAsYHg/s320/20210114_194440.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>One thing that amazed me was how uncomplaining the kids were about wearing masks. Early on, we had some hope of performing without masks, but we all know how those covid numbers have ruled our lives, so masks were required, except for soloists who were able to socially distance on-stage. Through it all, the students kept their eyes on the goal and just carried on, masks and all. In fact, I think the masks forced some of the ones who resist our constant exhortation to "speak to the deaf old lady in the back row" to actually speak up and articulate better than they normally would have. </p><p>Mixed up with my assistant-directorial pride in our students was a good bit of motherly pride in Sam. He had a couple of big solos and did wonderfully, if I may say so. It is so wonderful to see one's children work hard and really nail something they love. Great job, Sam! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V0vF7macyLs/YBVs3XO2yCI/AAAAAAAACfI/hXLd4j8BUzMLgrMTfYZNhiJb_IhmcSGlACPcBGAsYHg/s4032/20210114_211507.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="1908" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V0vF7macyLs/YBVs3XO2yCI/AAAAAAAACfI/hXLd4j8BUzMLgrMTfYZNhiJb_IhmcSGlACPcBGAsYHg/s320/20210114_211507.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p>So, after a crazy, exhausting, exhilarating weekend, we had Monday off for MLK, Jr. Day, and then we were back at school. No time to slack off, either, as midterms were the next week (this last week). </p><p>As we close out January, I am so thankful. We always end January with birthdays for two of my favorite people, Micah on the 29th and my dad on the 30th. Ending the month with cake is always reason for rejoicing, right? But in addition, I am thankful for three amazing musical performances, a healthy family (not taken for granted these days!); for uninterrupted employment for John and me (again, not to be taken for granted!); for a new job for our son, Will; for a meal around the table with all of my kids home; for co-workers who make me laugh when I want to cry (looking at you, Katie Trego!); and for so much more. Not gonna lie: there have been plenty of moments of discouragement and frustration, but by God's grace, I choose to focus on the joy. </p><p>On to February! </p><p><br /></p>Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13031531421081313802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-366454109702179995.post-88707137139849323802021-01-05T21:02:00.002-06:002021-01-05T21:03:14.164-06:00Hooked on a Feeling<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PesLRlwGLV0/X_UjoNG13DI/AAAAAAAACdA/St6BgjG3jzUU9MVbQtt7872py85pA1FfwCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210105_213440.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PesLRlwGLV0/X_UjoNG13DI/AAAAAAAACdA/St6BgjG3jzUU9MVbQtt7872py85pA1FfwCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/20210105_213440.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I don't know if this is a sign that I'm getting old or what, but in October, I picked up crochet again and am loving it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My first project was a puff-stitch hat, made of light blue "hygge" yarn. It is slightly too large for my large head, but lovely in my eyes. All the warmer and more comfortable - or comforting? - because I made it myself. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">As I crochet, I've been thinking about why this simple, repetitive task is so appealing to me at the moment when it never really was before. For one thing, my lap was so often full of baby and toddler that the idea of trying to keep track of, let alone actually finish, a project was mind-boggling, more stress that I didn't need. I also didn't want to inflict homemade scarves on all of my long-suffering relatives but I didn't know how to read a crochet pattern so that I could make anything more interesting.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I still can't read a crochet pattern, but that's what YouTube is for! My grandmother taught me the basic stitch long ago and now all of the crafty (in a good way) YouTubers can teach me the next level. Thus I can make more than just plain old single-crochet scarves. Rather, I plan to inflict fancy stitch scarves on all of my unsuspecting relatives! And a few dishcloths, as well. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Also, I have come to appreciate the slight imperfections of homemade and/or handcrafted items. I care less than I used to what other people will think of my imperfect projects; if they look pretty good and I enjoyed making them, then that's enough for me. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Beyond these things, though, I suspect it has to do with where my life is at the moment, specifically mom to five still at home, teacher, and like everyone else, a passenger on the current crazy train of a global pandemic and sin-crippled culture. Crochet brings a little peace and order to the chaos, even for just a few moments. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So, excuse me, please. You are interrupting my crochet time and I have a dishcloth to finish! </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-APRJvqDRZU4/X_UjoEUjHxI/AAAAAAAACdE/2X2lopL8ugYExEBaITGc1o1T_0bxX0UxQCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/20210105_213335.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-APRJvqDRZU4/X_UjoEUjHxI/AAAAAAAACdE/2X2lopL8ugYExEBaITGc1o1T_0bxX0UxQCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/20210105_213335.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13031531421081313802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-366454109702179995.post-9878664464207271762021-01-02T09:17:00.011-06:002021-01-02T09:33:50.068-06:00Books of 2020: A Brief Analysis<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-v2vZgda7__s/X--WvUmrBfI/AAAAAAAACcg/wAlvI1zvNz4m-pvVAk3XifA5WrggWbdewCNcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="1845" height="127" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-v2vZgda7__s/X--WvUmrBfI/AAAAAAAACcg/wAlvI1zvNz4m-pvVAk3XifA5WrggWbdewCNcBGAsYHQ/image.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div>One of my new year's "intentions" last year was to read more. I'm not entirely clear on whether the pandemic helped or hurt that goal, but either way, I reached it. I had read very few books - maybe twelve - the year before, so the bar was pretty low. I like that in a bar, though, since it means I can hurdle it with little effort and feel accomplished. Plus, it's not exactly painful to sit down with a good book! </div><div><br /></div><div>A note on what I mean by "reading" a book: many (more than half) were physical copies in my hand and the rest were enjoyed on audio, so if you don't consider listening to the audio as having "read" a book, you will no doubt be severely disappointed in me and will dismiss my list forthwith. B'bye! </div><div><br /></div><div>But if you agree with me that audio "counts," read on! </div><div><br /></div><div>You can see from the list that I much prefer fiction to non-fiction, but the non-fiction I did read was stellar: <i>Adorning the Dark</i> by Andrew Peterson, <i>Don't Overthink It</i> by Anne Bogel, and the compulsively readable memoir <i>Educated</i> by Tara Westover. </div><div><br /></div><div>I have a smattering of YA lit - The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyers and <i>Words in Deep Blue</i> by Cath Crowley - and a lot of mysteries - The High Society Lady Detective series (Books #1-3), the confusingly similar Posie Parker Mystery #3, a pair of Agatha Christie classics (incl. <i>Death on the Nile</i> in preparation for the film version by Kenneth Branagh), and <i>The Silkworm</i> by Robert Galbraith (aka J.K.Rowling). </div><div><br /></div><div>What else? I made it through one book I've been meaning to read for a long time: <i>The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time</i> by Mark Haddon. One book is a retelling of a classic - <i>Tristan: How I Found True Love and Married Someone Else</i> by Luke Robertson reimagines the tale of Tristan and Isolde in 1960s Nebraska. <i>Stay with Me</i> by Ayobami Adebayo, a Nigerian author, tells a fascinating, strange tale of a troubled family. <i>Right Ho, Jeeves</i> by P.G.Wodehouse is one I've read before, but is always good for some light-hearted "piffle," as Harriet Vane would say. I read (highly recommend listening to this one) a very different kind of classic, <i>Their Eyes Were Watching God</i> by Zora Neale Hurston, by way of review to teach it in my 11th grade American Lit class. I enjoyed two fluffy, summer reads - <i>Beach Read</i> by Emily Henry and <i>Big Summer</i> by Jennifer Weiner - but they're kind of like cotton candy, a little bit is fun but too much is sick-making. I read <i>A Man Called Ove </i>by Frederick Backman because John loved it so much and insisted I read it. I perversely steer away from popular books like this, often to my loss, and this was a lovely book, so I'm glad I gave in and read it. Another book out of the ordinary for me was <i>The Housekeeper and the Professor</i> by Yoko Ogawa, translated from the Japanese; touching, fascinating, and memorable. </div><div><br /></div><div>Finally, the slow burn from two of my most admired authors: <i>Home</i> by Marilynne Robinson and <i>Virgil Wander</i> by Leif Enger. Robinson is certainly the better-known, more-celebrated author, but both she and Enger write so beautifully that I have to stop and re-read sentences just to enjoy the artistry and let it sink into my mind and heart. I suppose these are the books where having long stretches of nowhere to go was helpful as they require longer stretches of reading to let them simmer, time to release the deep, rich depths they offer. </div><div><br /></div><div>So, that's what I read in 2020. Fiction, non-fiction, classic, brand new, literary, fluffy, American, international, in translation, recommended, stumbled upon, mystery, romance, YA, best-sellers, prize-winners. Not a bad list. Have you read any of these? What did you think? </div><div><br /></div><div>Now. I already have a few lined up for the year, but what should I put on my reading list for 2021? </div>Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13031531421081313802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-366454109702179995.post-38466359387955193842021-01-01T17:44:00.003-06:002021-01-02T09:21:06.680-06:00Out with the Old; In with the New<p> It has been a year. A year to remember...for all the wrong reasons. A difficult, discouraging, bleak year in many ways. Much has been written and will be written about it by abler pens than mine. Honestly, I feel unequal to the task of trying to summarize it in some meaningful way, so I will merely say that, despite all, for me personally, I am so grateful that the losses my family has experienced this year are really just disappointments, like the loss of graduation ceremonies and the loss of ease and freedom we usually enjoy. So many in our country and around the world have suffered in ways I cannot fathom. Each of those losses - loss of life, of health, of jobs and businesses, of rights, of respect - affected forever the lives of individuals with a face, a name, opinions, aspirations, and others who love them. This is the reality, despite the enormous, clinical statistics which necessarily reduce each loss to an intangible, mind-numbing number (how do you wrap your head around numbers like that?!). For me, as I step into a new year, I can only commit 2020 to God and trust Him to find the gold among the dross. </p><p>Now, as we step into January of a new year, I think of the Roman god for whom this month is named: Janus. Janus, as you may know has two faces, one to look back and one to look forward. We have looked back - with a shudder - and now let's look forward - with prayer. </p><p>Years ago, I stopped making new year's resolutions since I always failed to keep them and they only produced guilt, but as we look at the new year, it is useful to renew intentions and commit them to the Lord.</p><p>1. Less time on my phone. I love to scroll Instagram and get lost in a curated world of my own choosing. But basking in the reflected glory of someone else's artistry, while relaxing and enjoyable in moderation, can give me a false sense of accomplishment, leading me to neglect the call for my own artistry in my own family, home, and classroom. A separate but related issue is the amount of time I spend researching and reading about the incredibly creative, rigorous, and compelling lesson plans of other teachers on the 'gram. These resources have been invaluable in developing my own lessons, but at some point, they leave me exhausted and overwhelmed, feeling the pressure to make each lesson more fabulous than the last, and it's exhausting! And then there's the doom-scrolling. The less I have of that in my life, the better. Am I right?</p><p>2. More creativity. I definitely flex my creative muscles in teaching and will continue to do so, but in recent months, I have been craving less heady, more hands-on endeavors. I picked up my crochet hook again and, who knows? I may dig out some old cross-stitch projects or add a scrapbook page or two to somebody's abandoned baby book. Somehow, creating a tangible hat or dishcloth is immensely satisfying. </p><p>3. More simplicity. Maybe it is the effect of staying home so much this year, or the fact that all five kids are still here at home, but I am drawn to the minimalist aesthetic these days, the clean lines of Scandinavian interiors, the freedom of a clutter-free home. I am not - and never will be - a minimalist in any recognizable sense of the word, but I can strive to bring the number, quantity, and value of possessions in my home to a smaller, more manageable scale. </p><p>4. More writing. Even if it is just a few paragraphs in a blog entry, those writing skills must be practiced to prevent rust and atrophy.</p><p>5. More time in God's Word. To my shame, I find that one of the things I most struggle to maintain in my life is consistent time in God's Word. The spirit is willing, but the mind and body are very weak. I need to be tethered to the unchangeable Word, and all the more so as the world fluctuates moment by moment. I want to want to be more like Christ, but how do I do that if I am not in His Word consistently?</p><p>So, those are my intentions for the year. A beach bod, a successful million-dollar start-up, and an impeccably decorated home would still be nice, but I will start with these intentions. </p><p>By God's power and grace, may 2021 be a year to remember for all the <i>right</i> reasons.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qe9zrPRl6X4/X--z1AJWNmI/AAAAAAAACcs/ii-eOtmica0UvoCJvGD1ZF0tIPd_p1X5gCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_9017%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qe9zrPRl6X4/X--z1AJWNmI/AAAAAAAACcs/ii-eOtmica0UvoCJvGD1ZF0tIPd_p1X5gCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_9017%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Our family: summer of '20</div><br /><p><br /></p>Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13031531421081313802noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-366454109702179995.post-75254175173742286692017-02-01T09:24:00.003-06:002017-02-01T09:24:37.021-06:00February<div style="text-align: center;">
Hello, February!</div>
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January went by in a bit of a blur!</div>
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Recovering from the holidays, basketball, play rehearsals, driving, eating, cleaning, growing, learning - all the stuff of daily life. I'm thankful for it; thankful that we can have a routine and keep doing all these really good things. I know not everyone has the luxury of a regular routine, so I am taking the time to be thankful!</div>
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With it being the evaluate-your-life time of year, you have probably heard somewhere about being "mindful" in our lives and this is a good thing, particularly if it reminds us to be thankful, not just aware.</div>
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One of the ways I am trying to be mindful these days is by keeping a bullet journal. Ideally this functions as a planner, art notebook, and journal all in one. So far, I am doing pretty well on the planner part, occasionally good with the art part and not so good with the journaling part. By the end of the day, I just forget to write down all the busy things we've done that day!</div>
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But that's okay. Just seeing my calendar and to-do list will remind the future me of this time and place.</div>
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It is a fun way to be a little bit artistic and a little bit more organized. </div>
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I love that I can customize it to how I think and function; I can keep track of the things I want to track, keep a to-do list, etc. and do it in a way that makes sense to me, not some planner expert at corporate. I know by now that I don't think like planning experts! </div>
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Through trial and error (not really error, just less helpful), I came up with a layout that I really like and, just to make my life a little easier, I made some photocopies of it so I can just cut and paste the bare-bones layout each week. Then I can dress it up as I have time and inclination.</div>
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Wow. Only 43 years old and already I've found a way to stay sort of organized!</div>
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Oh, well. Better late than never, right?</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00183304770921310725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-366454109702179995.post-69274527129783320422016-10-11T11:12:00.002-05:002016-10-11T11:12:43.371-05:00Refuge<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Syrian refugees, Hurricane Matthew, U.S. politics, Black Lives Matter vs. Blue Lives Matter vs. All Lives Matter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Poverty, abuse, selfishness, ignorance, arrogance, heartbreak, stress, sin: i</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">n our homes and schools and churches as much as in the world.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">A small Christian school in crisis; a toddler with equal measures curiosity, personality, and energy; a well-loved church family divided against itself; friends and family members hurting physically, relation-ally, and spiritually; children who need and deserve a more pro-active, discerning mother.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I have to confess that while I am truly thankful for some of these things, they all have been weighing on me recently. Weighing heavily.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And while I appreciate all of the inspirational memes on Facebook and Instagram, and even Bible verses in pretty fonts with beautiful seascapes or sunsets behind them, I have to confess that I am still left burdened, as heavy-hearted as ever.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Clearly there is no long-term, ultimate hope in politics, or causes (however worthy they may be), or do-good-ing, or even - dare I say it? - theological rigor. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I am weary. Weary of sin and brokenness. Weary of being offered solutions which are not solutions. Weary of quick fixes, self-help slogans, and "buck up, buckaroo" kind of thinking. And I suspect you may be, too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">In His grace, He brought Psalm 33 to me last week and I've been soaking in it ever since.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">"He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord." vs. 5</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We seem to see so little righteousness and justice and steadfast love in our world. But here I am reminded that righteousness, justice, and steadfast love ARE found in Him, and no matter how much stuff is screwed up here and now, ultimately, He's going to prevail. In the end, He wins. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And, by his infinite grace, though Him, I win. We win. Everyone who finds their rest in him..</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> wins.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And that's just verse 5! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Go read it. You need it. I need it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And isn't it amazing that He gave it to us thousands of years ago? Just so we could read it today and remember His righteousness, His justice, and His steadfast love and find hope where there seems to be none. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So, taking up my cross and following Him is not so much a burden but it is the only chance of surviving this sin-sick world.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I'm never sure I make complete sense and whether or not my theology is all kosher (so to speak) but it helps me to write out some of what I'm thinking. It takes vague emotions and half-formed thoughts and helps me pin them down - a little bit anyway.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00183304770921310725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-366454109702179995.post-42554322269496914782016-09-28T08:48:00.000-05:002016-09-28T08:48:46.493-05:00What's for Dinner?<div style="text-align: center;">
So, this is just to kind of keep track of a new recipe I tried/adapted and want to keep handy for another time!</div>
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I am not ashamed to admit that</div>
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I love my slow cooker! </div>
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So, any time I find something super easy and delicious for my slow cooker, I am going to write it down. And when the whole fam eats it without complaint, it is definitely a keeper. </div>
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This is a version of Rice and Beans which will offend purists, but which is delicious nonetheless. If it offends you too much, you could think of a new title for it and just put it in a different category in your head!</div>
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The original recipe is here: <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/69173/ranchers-beans/?internalSource=rr_recipe&referringId=85063&referringContentType=recipe&clickId=right%20rail%208&AnalyticsEvent=right%20rail%20nav">Ranchers Beans</a></div>
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And here is my adaptation, made according to what I had in the house last night:</div>
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1 pound lean ground beef (preferably already browned and waiting in the freezer!)</div>
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1/2 pound spicy pork sausage (I used chorizo. Could be browned with the ground beef and fresh onion and garlic if you have more time.)</div>
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1/2 Tbsp. onion powder</div>
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1 Tbsp. chopped garlic</div>
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1 large can (30 oz.) pinto beans, rinsed and drained</div>
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1 can (15 oz.) diced tomatoes</div>
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1/2 cup ketchup</div>
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1/2 cup barbecue sauce</div>
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2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce</div>
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1 tsp. chili powder</div>
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Put all ingredients in slow cooker and cook on high for 1 hour, then switch to low for 3 hours. (I actually cooked it on high for 4 hours but that was because I am paranoid about the chorizo getting cooked and then I was out of the house.)</div>
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Serve over rice.</div>
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A note on rice: I love the Fit & Active instant brown rice from Aldi. It's got the healthy aspects of brown rice without the long cook time. Win - win.</div>
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I do not by any means set myself up as a slow cooker expert. I break the "rules" all the time. But I think that's one of the best things about slow cookers: they don't care about rules. They are rebels. Rebels with a cause: delicious, easy dinners.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00183304770921310725noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-366454109702179995.post-45240296991606118142016-08-18T18:15:00.000-05:002016-08-18T18:17:10.238-05:00Books: 2016: Update<div style="text-align: center;">
In January of this year, I gathered ten books and set a goal to read all ten before year's end. </div>
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Here we are, half way through the year already, so how far have I gotten?</div>
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<i>A Praying Life</i> by Paul Miller was a little bit of a cheat because I had begun it months before the start of my reading challenge, but I did finish it! So cross off one!</div>
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Meanwhile, I read the first two books of Game of Thrones and got stuck half-way through the third. It got more and more gruesome and I have a weak stomach. I don't think I'll be watching the mini-series for that reason - it's one thing to read about it, another thing to see it! - although I am interested to watch a little bit and see how the makers imagined the characters and their world. Anyway, cross off another!</div>
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I read <i>A Chance to Die</i> by Elisabeth Elliot. It is the story of Amy Carmichael, missionary to India, and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Amy was wonderful, but still human; an amazing example of a life given over to the Lord's will, not without struggle both physically and spiritually, but truly surrendered to Him. I am generally not a fan of Elisabeth Elliot (*shock*gasp*) but this was a lovely read: challenging, encouraging, uplifting, inspiring. Cross off number three!</div>
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Just today, I finished reading <i>7 Women and the Secret of Their Greatness</i> by Eric Metaxas. It contains brief biographies of seven women (hence the title!), putting them into historical context and illuminating the incredible impact each one had on her time and on ours, and how her faith impacted her actions and attitudes. Most are well-known: Joan of Arc, Susanna Wesley, Corrie Ten Boom, Rosa Parks, and Mother Teresa. Hannah More I had heard of but knew almost nothing about, and Saint Maria of Paris was completely unknown to me before this. Each biography is well-crafted and enjoyable. I am certain there is much more to know about each of these women, but Metaxas has managed to give us a fair glimpse into the life and faith of each of these remarkable women. He ends his Acknowledgements page with <i>Soli Deo Gloria</i> and I think that is how these women would want it. Cross off number four!</div>
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And that is the list so far!</div>
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Four down and six to go!</div>
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To be fair, I have taken detours into a few other books, including <i>Thrones and Dominations</i> by Dorothy Sayers and Jill Paton Walsh - a fast and very enjoyable read! - which picks up where <i>Busman's Honeymoon</i> left off, with Lord Peter Wimsey and his wife, Harriet Vane, moving into their newly renovated London home, and, of course, getting mixed up in a murder investigation. </div>
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Any others have been unremarkable enough that I can't think of them at the moment. </div>
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I have started <i>Far from the Madding Crowd</i> and hope to make more progress when I need a break from packing up Will for college, and hunting and gathering school supplies for everyone else!</div>
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So, that's me. What have you been reading? Share in the comments below!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00183304770921310725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-366454109702179995.post-18258977148093951162016-01-12T22:28:00.000-06:002016-01-12T22:28:18.329-06:00Colorado Trip, part 3: Family Reunion<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Finally, we got the the main purpose of our trip out west: the Copeland Family Reunion.</div>
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This reunion included the descendants of my great-grandparents, Bernard and Margaret Copeland. Bernard and Margaret raised six children on a bustling farm in Idana, Kansas. From Bernard and Margaret has grown a mighty crowd! I don't remember how many there are at the moment - children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren - but as you'll see from the photo at the bottom, there are a lot, and that wasn't even all of them! </div>
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(Dad? What's the number? Dad is our family historian!)</div>
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We had a number of family photos and artifacts on display, including Grandma Margaret's wedding dress, which she stitched herself. Beautiful, amazing work!</div>
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We had a number of activities available each day, including hiking. (This was Colorado, after all.) Someone found a family-friendly hike - small beans compared to what John and Will did later in the summer! </div>
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The picture above is a favorite of mine - Will helping Evie to navigate the path when she was tired of riding on his back.</div>
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One evening, Dad gave a presentation about our family's history - what an amazing feeling to know so much about where we're from, to have roots in such a rootless world!</div>
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I don't mean to say, of course, that we find our worth or any ultimate value out of knowing who our great-great grandfather was and where he lived! But it is good to know where we came from, and makes us appreciate God's working throughout many generations to bring us to our current place in the world. </div>
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A couple of nights, we had talent shows - we're a talented bunch! - and here, Katie and Sean were singing some American folk songs such as Grandpa Bernard and Grandma Margaret may have known. Always lovely to get to hear them sing!</div>
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This is one of Dad's first cousins, Kathy, thanking another first cousin, Beth, for all she did to bring about this family reunion. Beth did a TON of work and really made it happen. Thanks, Beth!</div>
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Here's the whole gang. We are divided by family groups, each color representing one of the original siblings. Our branch - Wilbur's descendants - are in red. </div>
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It was a wonderful, once-in-a-lifetime moment and we are so thankful we could be there! </div>
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From there, we headed back to Pennsylvania and a week at family camp. That trip back east was longer than usual because the a/c went out on the van we were borrowing. Kansas in July can be...a tad warm. Scorching, in fact. John kept checking his phone - 98* one place, 101* the next, cooling off to 99* in the next place. Thankfully, the kids were too wilted (and dehydrated?) to complain!</div>
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But we made it. And the family that swelters together, stays together. </div>
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That's a saying, right?</div>
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Well, whatever. We made it and now we have war-stories to tell and that certainly counts for something.</div>
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We are thankful for safety all the way there and back, for family near and far, and for a Godly heritage. God is good.</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00183304770921310725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-366454109702179995.post-75448098619351718842016-01-12T10:49:00.001-06:002016-01-12T10:49:08.797-06:00Colorado, part 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I'm not even going to bother apologizing for not writing since September! What else do you expect from me by now?!</div>
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I'm just going to pick up where I left off...in Colorado.</div>
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The day after we went to Hanging Rock, we went to the Royal Gorge.</div>
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Many of us walked across the bridge, facing a deep-seated and life-long fear of heights. This wasn't made any better by the fact that if you looked down, you could see between boards, down the dizzying distance to the river below!</div>
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Will decided to face his fear and just go. Sam dealt with his fear the way he deals with most of life, by talking all the way. My dad - who has long wanted to walk across this bridge - took his time and enjoyed it all, placing his trust in engineering. And figuring that if the bridge had held up all this time, the odds were in our favor for it lasting through our visit.</div>
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It did.</div>
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These two crazy kids took a zip-line across the gorge! Nothing but a canvas sling between them and a thousand foot plunge! </div>
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(That number is merely symbolic. I don't remember how far down it really is.)</div>
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When we were all back on the visitor's center side of the gorge, we took this family photo.</div>
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Don't we look gorge-ous?</div>
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You didn't think I could resist THAT, did you?</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00183304770921310725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-366454109702179995.post-81238004465151787532015-09-23T09:50:00.000-05:002015-09-23T09:50:22.861-05:00Colorado Trip, part 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
This summer, we took a trip to Colorado for a big Copeland family reunion.</div>
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Before meeting up with the larger Copeland clan, we met my parents and siblings and their families for a couple of days of sightseeing and hanging out.</div>
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The day we were in Colorado Springs was rather disappointing as the mountains were completely obscured by fog!</div>
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Standing in front of our hotel, Mom pointed up and said, "Pike's Peak is <i>right there</i>!" But all we could see was a wall of gray!</div>
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We headed to Garden of the Gods anyway to see what we could see. It is less impressive without the mountains for backdrop!</div>
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We visited Hanging Rock which did not require a long-distance view.</div>
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Here are my kids with their cousins, one of whom was very amused by pretending to fall backwards off the rocks.</div>
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We had fun climbing the rocks and pretending to hold up the Hanging Rock.</div>
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Mostly because we were all together, and that's fun even without a gorgeous mountain view!</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00183304770921310725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-366454109702179995.post-24537629022682643872015-09-14T12:15:00.001-05:002015-09-19T07:34:26.810-05:00Sierra Nevadas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Some of you know that John and Will went on a backpacking trip to the Sierra Nevadas a few weeks ago. It was, apparently, one of the hardest and most exhilarating experiences of their lives.</div>
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I can't provide much detail on exactly where any of this is and John and Will are both gone at the moment, but you can just admire the beautiful scenery.</div>
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The sun can be pretty intense, especially for a couple of pasty white boys.</div>
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God's amazing creation!</div>
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They came home with many stories, of both fun and pain. And at the very least, they could say they had done it, they had endured, and survived.</div>
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I, for one, am very thankful for the survival part! I tried not to, but couldn't help imagining all the things that could go wrong on a trip like this with precipitous heights and crumbling mountain faces. But the Lord kept them safe and brought them home!</div>
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As for whether or not they'll ever go again, Will says a definite, "No!" John knows that Micah will want to go in a year or two so he hasn't said absolutely not, but perhaps it's too soon to contemplate going again!</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00183304770921310725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-366454109702179995.post-88053618635111663632015-09-13T21:04:00.000-05:002015-09-13T21:04:09.878-05:00September<div style="text-align: center;">
Hello again!</div>
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I was thinking the other day about why my blog lies abandoned for such long periods of time. It certainly is not because we're not doing anything! I identified a couple of common reasons, though:</div>
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1. I am too lazy to download the pictures on my camera and who wants to hear about something fun we've done without a few pictures?</div>
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2. We're busy but we're not doing anything that is really "blog-worthy" - whatever that means.</div>
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3. At the end of a long day when I finally have a minute to sit down, the last thing I want to do is to craft an entertaining/amusing/thought-provoking/inspiring/whatever post. I use up a lot of words in a day and even I run out of words at some point! I don't need the pressure of that demanding little cursor blinking at me from the top of an empty page!</div>
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And so I don't write.</div>
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And then pretty soon I look and see that it has been four months since I last posted.</div>
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I know it's not like anything seriously depends on my writing my blog, but I like to think that it helps us to stay in touch with those we love, plus it lets me flex my writing muscles! And since I don't scrapbook anymore, this is a good place to keep track of the kids as they grow. </div>
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Grow up. And up. And up. And then leave me! Alone and desolate! </div>
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I may be having the mommy version of senioritis. My baby, my first baby, the most beautiful baby in the world (declared so by my grandmother and she would know), is a senior in high school!</div>
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Almost as hard to believe: Micah is in 10th, Johanna is in 8th, and Sam is in 4th.</div>
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***</div>
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I wrote all that several days ago. As so often happens, I start in on something and then get called away by one thing or another and there it sits, abandoned, waiting for my return!</div>
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Well, I'm going to post this before I get called away again!</div>
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The above picture is from the first day of school. Amazing how relaxed and even happy they were this time - so different from two years ago! Praise the Lord!</div>
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And just to be sure Miss Evie doesn't get left out...</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P9AnB84DEts/VfYq6v8QVrI/AAAAAAAAJdE/FZBSYkL8_HY/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P9AnB84DEts/VfYq6v8QVrI/AAAAAAAAJdE/FZBSYkL8_HY/s320/001.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00183304770921310725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-366454109702179995.post-36850026490171480752015-05-07T22:06:00.001-05:002015-05-07T22:06:19.301-05:00Catching Up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
In the immortal words of Ferris Bueller,</div>
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"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."</div>
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And you certainly miss a lot of blog posts! January to May this time!</div>
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Let me catch you up, just a little.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HJhc20w2BxY/VUwiV_qltPI/AAAAAAAAB44/YySLemEkxIQ/s1600/Phone%2B507.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HJhc20w2BxY/VUwiV_qltPI/AAAAAAAAB44/YySLemEkxIQ/s320/Phone%2B507.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
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Easter in Wisconsin, visiting John's parents and his brother's family. </div>
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This visit also included seeing Great-Grandma LeMahieu (Mary's mother), Great-Aunt Gladys, and Great-Aunt Lorraine (Bill's sisters-in-law). In God's providence, Grandma and Aunt Gladys passed away on the same day, a few weeks after we were there, so we were especially thankful for the time we got to spend with them at Easter time. </div>
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Minnesota friends.</div>
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John, Evie, and I travelled to Minnesota to help Mission OPC celebrate its 10th anniversary. We saw many friends and acquaintances, some going back to our first days in Minnesota, and enjoyed celebrating the Lord's goodness there. One particularly fun evening was had with three other couples from Mission - these ladies are my tribe.</div>
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New sunglasses - ready for summer!</div>
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Jr. Sr. Prom.</div>
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Will and his friend, Abby, who was very pretty in pink, attended together. Everyone seems to have had a great time. Will's vest and bow tie matched Abby's dress, and he was oh-so-handsome, if you will permit a very biased mother to say so.</div>
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That same weekend, we helped to celebrate my sweet niece's first birthday. We also got to stay at Sean and Katie's new house and see their fine new digs. </div>
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In between all of our travelling, we have enjoyed the spring colors here at home. Spring is perhaps Philly's prettiest season. I must say, though, that I'm not a fan of the allergies which are plaguing me as a result of all the unfurling, blooming, and sprouting. I suppose I must be comforted that at least I can feast my itching, watery eyes on the spring finery.</div>
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Now we are into the merry month of May, where the school year winds up before it winds down! Softball, track, concerts, practices, rehearsals, drama...oh, yes, and schoolwork...keep our days full and the weeks flying by!</div>
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So, that's a tiny catch-up on what's happening here!</div>
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We are looking forward to summer and hoping for a little time to catch our breath and maybe chill a little. Maybe.</div>
<br />Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13031531421081313802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-366454109702179995.post-23294346047968062732015-01-28T22:20:00.001-06:002015-01-28T22:20:47.089-06:00Miss Evie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Miss Evie turned 2 on New Year's Eve.</div>
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And what a two years it has been!</div>
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This girl has changed our lives, for sure.</div>
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Sometimes I look at her and can't believe how God has blessed us. </div>
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I do that with all of my kids, but her arrival in our family was a very different journey from the others and all of the bumps in the road to making her a Shaw makes her all the more precious.</div>
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New Year's Eve was not only the second celebration of her birthday, it was the first annual celebration of the finalization of her adoption. I think December 31 has become my favorite day of the year.</div>
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This one above is such a precious picture. I gave it kind of a washed out effect to play up the natural light already there and up the sweetness factor of the love between these sisters.</div>
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Happy birthday, Miss Evie. You are loved beyond human ability to measure.</div>
<br />Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13031531421081313802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-366454109702179995.post-55909931177613685442015-01-26T13:01:00.000-06:002015-01-26T13:01:57.387-06:00Movie Review: Boyhood<div style="text-align: center;">
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Last night, John and I watched the film, Boyhood.</div>
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It is the story of a boy (duh) and follows him through his formative years, from about 3rd grade to going off to college.</div>
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What makes this film unique is that it was filmed, a little at a time, over the course of those years, using the same actors throughout. </div>
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It had lots of bad language and things that make it inappropriate for kids and people who can't hear a story if it is wrapped in bad language.</div>
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(I have a similar problem; I can't hear a story if it is wrapped in bad grammar.)</div>
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It was, I'm afraid, an all too familiar story in America: single mom, there/not there dad, drunken step-dads, "poor choices," bad advice, drugs, pre-marital sex, heart-breaking consequences.</div>
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On the other hand, nothing ever seems <i>that</i> bad. Many situations that could have been tragic were merely sad bumps in the road of life and everyone moves on, moves forward, makes the best of things as they come.</div>
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Toward the end of the movie, the main character has just graduated from high school and he asks his dad - who has turned into one of the most steady, positive influences in his life - what it all means. If we're just going from one life event to the next and if by the time we're 40 we have no more idea of what it all means than when we were 18, what good is it all? </div>
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A good question.</div>
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His dad's answer? I can't remember exactly what he says, but it's basically, "D***ed if I know."</div>
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And yet, impossibly, the movie ends on a positive note, the boy's life seemingly full of possibility.</div>
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And the secular world claims that Christianity is based on faulty reasoning and wishful thinking!</div>
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The movie is well-done, the acting convincing, the characters engaging. I'm sure it deserves any awards it receives.</div>
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But it is flawed in the same way everything is flawed apart from the gospel of Jesus Christ. </div>
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If we are only working to be as comfortable as possible before we die, then we should all just quit right now. </div>
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If, however, we are working for the glory of Someone bigger than ourselves, Someone who created us and planned for us, Someone who has called us, Someone who equips us to do what we are called to do, Someone who has gone before us, Someone who will call us to our true home when this life is done, only then does anything make sense, </div>
Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13031531421081313802noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-366454109702179995.post-30205139258589800352015-01-18T11:41:00.002-06:002015-01-18T11:41:39.145-06:00January Reading List <div style="text-align: center;">
One of my goals for this year...</div>
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(Notice I say "goals" and not "resolutions." This distinction is important as a goal is always there no matter how often I fail, but a resolution is broken as soon as I fail. And I will fail. But I'll try again because my goal will always beckon and never shame me for failing.)</div>
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...is to read more books. I do read and always have, but more and more I find that my attention span doesn't last long enough for me to finish a book. Non-fiction has always been particularly hard for me to get through. </div>
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So, I go play on the internet - pinning pretty pictures on Pinterest takes much less attention than following an argument or even a plot through a couple of hundred pages.</div>
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I was killing time before picking up a kid from basketball practice the other day and picked up a book from the sale rack. It is called </div>
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<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/summer-at-tiffany-marjorie-hart/1103176737?ean=9780061189531">Summer at Tiffany</a></div>
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and is the story of two girls from the University of Iowa who went to New York City in the summer of 1945 to find work and ended up as couriers on the sales floor of Tiffany & Co.</div>
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It is a fun, quick read and a lovely picture of a brief moment in time. They see many celebrities, like Judy Garland on her honeymoon with Vincente Minnelli, and meet a few; go "clubbing" at the Stork Club and La Martinique; eat lunch at the automat; watch the parade for General Eisenhower from the steps of the New York Public Library; and have all sorts of other adventures, only some of which make it into their carefully edited letters home! </div>
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In a completely different vein, I am also reading </div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2824405-ms-understood">Ms. Understood</a></div>
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by Jen Hatmaker. She takes the five women named in Jesus' lineage and encourages women to see themselves as our Creator sees us, not as others see us. I'm only two chapters in, but so far it's very encouraging. </div>
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I'm always leary of books like this because authors can so easily use Scripture as proof texts for their own agenda, and someone like Jen Hatmaker can do it while making me laugh (although I don't think she has done it. Not yet, anyway.). It takes a level of discernment I hope I have.</div>
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My list of books to get to is long and only getting longer, but hopefully this year I will be diligent in using what down time I have to knock out a few, learn something new and extend my rapidly dwindling attention span.</div>
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Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13031531421081313802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-366454109702179995.post-30819385756929253822014-12-24T23:39:00.003-06:002014-12-24T23:39:45.056-06:00Merry Christmas!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A throwback to 2009 </div>
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and a new photo from 2014</div>
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to wish you a very merry Christmas!</div>
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We wish you God's richest blessing on you and those you love as we celebrate the birth of Jesus and the gift of his coming to earth!</div>
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Soli Deo Gloria!</div>
<br />Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13031531421081313802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-366454109702179995.post-52255847414733392952014-11-07T15:31:00.001-06:002014-11-07T15:31:54.777-06:00Adoption Update, Two Years On<div style="text-align: center;">
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<b>The short story:</b><br />
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We are still paying off the legal debts incurred by Evie's adoption and are making some more fundraising efforts to help reduce that debt.<br />
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<b>The long story:</b><br />
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A little over two years ago we got the call we had longed for but had nearly despaired of ever recieving: an expectant mother had chosen our profile and wanted to place her baby in our family.</div>
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We were torn between joy and doubt, but because the Lord had brought us that far we decided to continue to suppress those doubts and trust Him some more.</div>
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One of the major factors in every family's decision to adopt (or not adopt) is finances. On the one hand, we don't want mere money to hinder us from following such a necessary and noble calling as adoption. On the other hand, we are to be responsible stewards of the money the Lord has provided, staying within our means, staying out of excessive debt. I don't know of a single adoptive family who has not struggled mightily with the question: can we afford to adopt?</div>
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For our family, in the end, we decided to take that leap of faith, trusting that the Lord - through means we could not yet imagine - would provide the funding we needed beyond what we already had in our meager bank account.</div>
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In the previous few years, while we applied for and then renewed our home study, we had already applied for many (and recieved a few) of the adoption funds, grants, and no-interest loans offered by charitable organizations. <br />
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During the months leading up to Evie's birth, we pursued other fundraising options: Just Love Coffee sales, an on-line auction, and a whole lot of direct giving. We were overwhelmed with the generous outpouring of love and funds from our friends, family, acquaintances, and a few complete strangers!</div>
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Through all of these means, we ended up with the amount we needed. Whew! Immense joy, immense relief, immense gratitude.<br />
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Just as we had gotten Evie home and the dust was settling, though, we got a phone call that sent a ripple of fear through us: a potential birth father had shown up and wanted a DNA test. <br />
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Okay, we thought, this could be a good thing. <br />
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Or this could be the disaster we most dread.<br />
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We were told by a number of reliable sources that birth fathers rarely show up and even if they do, they rarely push for their rights.<br />
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Evie's birth father pushed for his rights.<br />
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This is where adoption gets even more complicated, where you have to truly come to grips with what you believe and why, where you wrestle with legal definitions and God's providence.<br />
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As parents, we support parental rights and would never want to unfairly tear apart a family. On the other hand, as the pre-trial and then trial proceeded, we realized that this man was in no way fit to care for this precious baby girl. He is not a particularly bad man, but he is not equipped to father a child in any way more significant than through biology.<br />
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Here, I must add that Evie's birth mother gave us her unwavering support from the moment she chose our profile book. To our knowledge, even in the face of opposition from friends and family, even through a legal trial that brought out the ugliness of old and broken relationships, she continued to stand by her choice, to stand by us, in our mutual desire to see the best for Evie. She knew all too well the brokeness in her own life and fervently wished for a different life for her daughter.<br />
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By God's grace, the judge in the case ruled in our favor and terminated the birth father's parental rights. A little more than three months later, the adoption was final; Evie was - and is! - a Shaw forever. <br />
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All of this legal wrangling took a large emotional toll on all of us and we will long remember the joy we felt and the party we had when we learned of the judge's decision, and later when we learned of the finalization of the adoption. Many of you rejoiced with us at those times, and sharing our joy with a community of like-minded people only sweetened the moment.<br />
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The other effect of the legal proceedings was financial. If any of our children had a medical need, we would do whatever was necessary to preserve his life and quality of life, regardless of time and money. Similarly, we committed to doing whatever it took to keep Evie where we felt the Lord had placed her in his perfect timing. This meant, though, that our initial financial number fell far short of the eventual cost of the entire adoption process.<br />
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And that brings me back to "the short story" above. We are going to be making some more fundraising efforts over the next few months to help reduce that debt at a faster rate than we otherwise could.<br />
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If you gave two years ago, we thank you sincerely and heartily, and if you have no more desire or ability to give, please know that your contribution was very important and we very much appreciate what you gave before.<br />
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If you are in a position to help us now, whether or not you gave before, we thank you in advance!<br />
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I have opened an Etsy shop with a few items of handmade jewelry, photography, and household items. Go to etsy.com and look for AnneGirlStudio.<br />
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Watch for more adoption fundraising efforts coming soon!<br />
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Soli Deo Gloria.</div>
Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13031531421081313802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-366454109702179995.post-33787991155278919852014-11-03T09:01:00.000-06:002014-11-03T09:01:10.895-06:00Halloween/Reformation Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
We missed out on our church's Reformation Day Celebration last weekend and our hearts missed the old days of Mission OPC's Reformation Celebration and going with Pat and Katie to "the main building" to trick or treat with the elderly and infirm there.</div>
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In order to comfort ourselves, we went out and gathered candy from the neighborhood.</div>
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This stealthy ninja was rarely seen, but his bag of candy seemed to grow steadily.</div>
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Johanna went to a youth group party rather than trick-or-treating, but she posed for pictures with the others. She was "Margo" from Despicable Me.</div>
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Evie was the sweetest little purple fairy you ever did see!</div>
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Enough pictures, Mom!</div>
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Will declined to participate in the festivities this year; too old, apparently, even for his favorite Darth Vader costume. </div>
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Micah and several friends dressed as nerds for a party. He said that everyone was going as nerds, but he was the only one who needed a costume. Funny, Micah.</div>
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Here's a throwback to 2010 (?) - Sam pinning the 95 Theses to the Wittenburg Church doors. </div>
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<br />Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13031531421081313802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-366454109702179995.post-66318405458653565412014-10-14T21:42:00.000-05:002014-10-14T21:42:30.695-05:00October<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Oh, how I love October!</div>
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Last week, I processed several pounds of apples. From them, I baked my grandma's apple cake (the caramel sauce makes it sooo yummy!) and made several batches of apple pie filling which are now in my freezer, awaiting pie dough at the proper time.</div>
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Yesterday was John's birthday and we got to spend the day out together which was a treat for both of us! We had hoped to get a good hike in but had trouble finding the right place to park and enter the hiking trail, and by the time we did that it was raining and anyway we had to get back to pick up the boys from soccer practice. </div>
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In the short way we did go, I was able to get a couple of pictures of the lovely fall color in Wissahickon Valley Park.</div>
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This cobweb (below) was in our backyard this morning. Evie found it and was fascinated by it.</div>
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What a smart girl! She's probably some sort of genius.</div>
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<br />Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13031531421081313802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-366454109702179995.post-59284301533438151162014-09-28T22:38:00.002-05:002014-09-28T22:42:10.423-05:00Aaaand...One More<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
In Minnesota, Johanna played volleyball for Liberty, but when we moved here, we found that Phil-Mont does not have a volleyball team (!), so Johanna switched her fall sport to soccer.</div>
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She plays a variety of positions, but most often plays defense.</div>
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Not surprisingly, she is a fierce competitor.</div>
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She has a great team; can't wait to see what these girls do in the coming years.</div>
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They won this game last Friday and have a winning record.</div>
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This coming week, Johanna has two games and two practices, Will and Micah have four games and one practice, and Sam has one game and one practice. I plan to take long naps every day to prepare. I just hope Evie cooperates with that plan!</div>
<br />Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13031531421081313802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-366454109702179995.post-43425861538813006842014-09-28T21:44:00.002-05:002014-09-28T21:44:53.335-05:00Another Soccer Post<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Soccer dominates our lives right now, so, yes, here is another post about soccer.</div>
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Well, really about two particular soccer players.</div>
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Here's Will, leading the pack. He plays defense - stopper - and does a bang up job bootin' it out from in front of our goal. He is a formidable presence back there, as you may imagine.</div>
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Micah plays left wing. Basically, from what I can tell, his job is to run up and down the left side of the field like a crazy man for 90 minutes. </div>
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He claims it's more complicated than that, but I'm just callin' it like I see it.</div>
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This picture's caption is something like, "Mom, quit taking our picture."</div>
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And this is the moment right after. Goofballs, the both of 'em.</div>
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The bandaging on Micah's finger is from a few weeks ago when he had stitches. All better now, thankfully.</div>
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I must say, I know way more about soccer now than I ever expected I would, and, yes, more than I ever wanted to. But sometimes we have to sacrifice a little ignorance for the sake of our kids. I'm all about the sacrifice.</div>
<br />Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13031531421081313802noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-366454109702179995.post-23104383691316770152014-09-23T12:39:00.000-05:002014-09-23T12:39:18.563-05:00September Sunlight<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Even before the leaves really start to turn, and trees put on their brilliant autumnal mantle, the sunshine of autumn, more relaxed and mellow than summer sunshine, less eager than spring, makes me catch my breath and see the world afresh.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qE9TFr-Emiw/VCGT4Kz84OI/AAAAAAAABvo/P57MkX55Jgk/s1600/IMG_1882.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qE9TFr-Emiw/VCGT4Kz84OI/AAAAAAAABvo/P57MkX55Jgk/s1600/IMG_1882.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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The first three pictures were taken near the field where Sam plays soccer on Saturday mornings.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-93rthVefaWs/VCGTjndw1yI/AAAAAAAABvY/IggsoLSu22Q/s1600/IMG_1885.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-93rthVefaWs/VCGTjndw1yI/AAAAAAAABvY/IggsoLSu22Q/s1600/IMG_1885.JPG" height="217" width="320" /></a></div>
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In contrast to piping voices and fast-forward motion on the fields across the stream, this quiet cemetery sat in the sunshine, contented and still.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vkKp5_wFuM0/VCGTy6cJkfI/AAAAAAAABvg/rcn0picJ_xA/s1600/IMG_1887.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vkKp5_wFuM0/VCGTy6cJkfI/AAAAAAAABvg/rcn0picJ_xA/s1600/IMG_1887.JPG" height="223" width="320" /></a></div>
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The last two pictures were taken in our own backyard.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IAeG6pMg6Nc/VCGSB0iZEmI/AAAAAAAABvI/RWMyLco-UiU/s1600/062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IAeG6pMg6Nc/VCGSB0iZEmI/AAAAAAAABvI/RWMyLco-UiU/s1600/062.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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In September, beauty dwells, even among us.</div>
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<br />Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13031531421081313802noreply@blogger.com1