A trippy trip

 

Last weekend, Marky and I went on a little mini-trip to Portland, Oregon. 

The 3 day "Get-away" was a gift for her 16th birthday

and it included just the 2 of us making our way to the Northwest. 

This quote above describes what I got to experience with my daughter while we were away.

 

She has depth.

She is so creative.

She is her very own unique person.

She has tastes that are her own.

She has interests that are quirky and wonderful.

She is her own kind of beautiful.

We shopped - thrift stores, farmers market, specialty boutiques, consignment, Saturday market, and even the Goodwill.

We ate ice cream.

We got pedicures.

We walked.

We laughed about how much Grandma would have hated some of the stores we went into.

We sat in silence.

We chatted.

We tasted yummy food.

We smelled delicious smells.

We marveled at the urban, chic, city-folk. 

 

 I loved being able to focus on just this child,

watching her watch the world.

The lens she looks through

is different than mine.

It was such a joy to see what captured her attention.

What she wanted to buy, what she wanted to capture in a photo,

what made her laugh, what made her think.

 

 Many times during the weekend, I thanked God for the privilege

and delight it is to be her mom.

And her friend.

I asked God to help me love her better. More.

 

And mostly...

 

I just REALLY loved being with her.

 

 

 

 We sat at the counter at this bakery, and we watched this lady build a fire.

She was graceful in her movements and so attentive to her task.

Her beauty held our gaze much longer than we first expected.

It was as if we were momentarily mesmerized by the choreography of her job.

She made it look like a dance.

 

 

 It was a joy to get to know my sweet 16 year old

in a new a different way .

To appreciate our sameness... our differences.

To hope for a happy future for her.

 

 

 

And though she be but little,

She is Fierce.

 

 

November

Its November.  This is a special month for me as the Mama around here because it is the month that I FIRST became a mama (16 years ago!)!  Everything about the month reminds me of those very first feelings of giving birth, having a newborn, being engrossed in the newness of motherhood.

It is a month to be focus on being grateful.  I am so grateful for my life.  It's a life that is a pleasure.  It is a life that requires work and prayer and an attentive heart.  There are days that have the fragrance of joy all over them, and then there are the days that well... they don't.  And for those days, I move deeper into grace and thanksgiving.

I am drawn towards certain Christmas music even during the Thanksgiving season.  I just love
this song, and this one .  This second song reminds me of this walk that I took with my dad when I was a very small child, 3 or 4.  Quite possibly it was on Christmas Eve.  Also possible was that my sister and mom were with us.  All I remember is that we walked in the snow, at night, down to this church that had this nativity scene set up on its front yard.  I remember it being so very cold, possibly snowing, and dark.  And then ... there was moonlight.  The light from the moon was enough to guide us down the uneven sidewalk as we slowly made our way to the manger scene.  The anticipation makes my heart flutter still when I think back.   What I remember the most was how quiet the walk was.  Our destination was the nativity scene that we often drove by, but were going to see up close for the first time.  The moonlight seemed  reverent,  as if the moon itself knew that what we were about to view was sacred.  This song always brings about that memory.  


For some extra special beauty, go here.


I hope that wherever you are at, gratitude is near you.

I find that is helps me change
*my grumpy heart
*a sad spirit
*an overwhelmed schedule
*a dissatisfied longing

Psalm 100:1
"Enter His gates with Thanksgiving and into His courts with praise."

Family Business

I have gotten the amazing opportunity of working with the business that members of my family started.  My brother, my dad, my sister and my brother-in-law started a company to help OTHER families gain access to MORE (and BETTER) technology in their homes.  

Sometimes, as a family, it can be hard to keep up with technology.  And if you succeed in keeping  up with the  technology (which changes more often than a teenager's mind),  you will inevitably fail at having the latest and greatest tools and devices because, lets be honest... who can afford to have everyone in the family have their very own computer??  

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