Let Us Adore HIM!

Simply Christmas

If you haven't seen this elsewhere, now you have seen it here...



MERRY CHRISTMAS!

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like....

CHRISTMAS!!

Tea tights in origami Lilly pads (red, reminiscent of poinsettias) lined the walkway to our Open House last Friday night.

The regal reindeer graces us with his presence again this year.

Giant origami snowman!

Xee and I don't have an established Christmas tree tradition. Some years it was up just days before Christmas and was left for the entire month of January. Timing has varied, but we have not ever put it up before Thanksgiving....until this year.

Xee was a little anxious to get the tree up early this year. He was bugging me to put it up the first week of November! I finally caved in two days before Thanksgiving. I had come home from my Pilates class to a magical surprise of being surrounded by snowflakes. While I was busy exercising, Xee and Phoebe had been busy snipping away with their scissors to create our own little winter wonderland.

So I couldn't resist. I told Xee to go ahead and get out the tree. (Of course, it sat there for two days before I got the gumption to start the trimming.) Now, over the years I have been bothered by the increasing commercialism of Christmas and the decorations popping up at department stores as early as October. But maybe the excitement and anticipation of going back to California got us all into the spirit a bit early this year. And since we had plans to jump on a plane mid-December, I was happy to oblige Xee's request.

Phoebe and I hit the beach for one last day in the sun this afternoon. Phoebe said, "Mommy, the beach is going to miss us." Yes, we will miss you too! But we are so exited about being home for Christmas and it may even turn out to be white (if we can get there, it will be Phoebe's first time seeing snow). Since my sister moved back to California, it will be the first time in years that we will be together for the holiday. Though it will surely not go unnoticed that we are almost all there.

With our busy lives and the distance, Christmas was usually the one time we were sure to see my Dad. As the day approaches, I am already missing his strong affection for eggnog, his totally infectious laugh, the way he oohed and awed over my mom's desserts...still, all these years after they divorced. And most of all, the look on his face as he took it all in, cherishing each moment with us, loving those around him, joy shining through in his eyes.

My dad had a few nervous habits. Most of you know that he smoked. He also jingled his change and his keys in his pocket. He moved around a lot. They are just quirky little things that made him...well, him. I will feel their absence as well. It will be wonderful, but it won't be the same.

We leave at 6:30 tomorrow morning. We are packed and ready for our trip. I don't know how much I will chime in here in blogland, if at all. Things will be super busy. We will be visiting family and friends in Orange County, then heading up to Fresno for a few days, and back to Orange County again. For those of you who don't know, they are about a 5 hour drive apart...and I still have to address and send out our cards!

So in case I don't get back soon, we wish you all a very Merry Christmas and we pray that you will be keeping Christ at the center of your Christmas celebration. For He truly is the Reason for the Season!

Oh boy, I'd better get some sleep...

It's a Honu Miracle!

Neither Xee or I have ever collected stuffed animals as adults. But on our "last hurrah" together, pre-Phoebe, we were staying here in Ko Olina (where we now live). I was pregnant at the time. We were walking by a little shop at the Marriott, when an adorable turtle caught Xee's eye. He went into that store as if this little guy was calling his name. I had never really seen Xee so excited about a child's toy.

I think something happens to us when we become parents. Something magical turns on inside and we are able to tap into, if only a wee little bit, that child-like quality that still resides in us all.

Needless to say, we bought the turtle. Xee wouldn't have left the store without him. He named him Honu, which means "green sea turtle" in Hawaiian. Honu has been with us ever since. He was at the hospital when Phoebe arrived, on the plane ride when we moved here. He's part of the family.

Recently Honu went missing. I figured we would find him in a day or two...I found myself panicing a little when I had checked the car, Phoebe's toy closet, under the sofas, under Phoebe's bed. Honu was nowhere to be found!

Have you ever lost something meaningful? Something that in itself, has little value, but is quite important to you?

I began to remember this one very special item that still haunts me today. A card. Not just any card. THE card. The one that sparked it all between Xee and I. He had written a lovely card to me the day after our first date, and when I moved out of my apartment and into our home together after we got married, that card disappeared. I went on a crazy rampage looking for it for months...to no avail. I still look for it. I pray it will show up one day. How could it go missing? How could I have let it happen. It was just a thing. But it meant so very much to me...

And now Honu was missing! Okay, not at all the same when you weigh the two against one another. The amazing card on one hand...the stuffed toy on the other? Regardless, I was worried. And I wasn't the only one. Xee and Phoebe were distressed as well.

I had looked in every possible place for our little turtle with the adorable smile. Oh boy, maybe he's gone. Maybe he fell out of the car without our knowing. Maybe he got run over by a car!

(So dramatic)

Then the other day I was putting away clothes in Phoebe's room, when I was suddenly compelled to look for Honu in a spot I knew I had already checked several times, up and down, and all around. Under the bed.

I lifted the skirt on Phoebe's little bed, and who was lying there, in plain view, just hangin' ? Unbelievable...our very own little Honu miracle!

I am telling you people...I had searched under that bed! Where did he come from?

Well, we are just glad to have our little guy back, safe and sound.

THE END

GIVE THANKS!!

THANKSGIVING PROCLAMATION

"Now therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country ...."

(Note: the entire Thanksgiving Proclamation can be viewed at the Library of Congress website: www:http://www.facebook.com/l/3939e;loc.gov)

Oh, give thanks to the LORD! Call upon His name;
Make known His deeds among the peoples!
Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him;
Talk of all His wondrous works!
Glory in His holy name;
Let the hearts of those rejoice who
seek the Lord!
Seek the LORD and His strength;
Seek His face evermore!
Remember His marvelous works

which He has done...

Sing to the LORD, all the earth;
Proclaim the good news of His
salvation from day to day.
Declare His glory among the nations,
His wonders among all peoples.

For the LORD is great and
greatly to be praised;
He is also to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the people are idols,
But the LORD made the heavens.
Honor and majesty are before Him,
Strength and gladness are in His place.

...Give to the LORD the glory due
His name;...
Oh, worship the LORD in the
beauty of holiness!...

Let the heavens rejoice, and let the
earth be glad;
And let them say among the nations,
"The LORD reigns."
Let the sea roar, and all its fullness;
Let the field rejoice, and all that is in it.
Then the trees of the woods shall
rejoice before the LORD...

Oh, give thanks to the LORD,
for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever...
Blessed be the LORD God of Israel
From everlasting to everlasting!

And all the people said, "Amen!"

and praised the LORD.

1 Chronicles 16:8-36

Little Aching Heart

Yesterday we drove our dear friends and neighbors, the Hulse family, to the airport. This is not the first trip Phoebe has made to the airport to drop off friends that would likely not return to Hawaii anytime in the near future.

This place is quite transient. We meet lots of vacationers that we would possibly hit it off with...if only they weren't leaving the next morning. And we have said more goodbyes in the last couple years than ever before. With people coming to Hawaii for short-term jobs and military assignments, this is part of life here.

Just the same, my heart broke a little for my dear, sweet Phoebe. This time, it really hurt. Having known Gwyn since she was 10 months old, she has been sad over this loss since I first mentioned that she was moving. Phoebe has had more than one of her "best-good-friends" move away. Up til now, it has phased her a little... But now she is older. She is growing up and her little heart grows attached.

Phoebe cried on the way home from the airport yesterday. And she expressed, over and over, her sorrow over not being able to play with Gwyn, that she wanted them to stay, that she wanted to play with her every day, and in her own sad (and dramatic) words said, "I only have one really friend left."

Sadly, she's right. Well, maybe two. Yes, she has two. My little social butterfly. Relationships are important. And maybe my heart ached for her because I too, have known that loss. Haven't we all? This is not an easy thing, saying goodbye. It never gets easier.

No, we don't like goodbyes. We have met some wonderful people here in Hawaii. Many are no longer here. But we feel blessed to have shared a little bit of our lives with them, and to continue in our friendship from a far.

We will miss you Rob, Laura, Gwynneth, Victor, and little tiny baby in the belly!

The Simple Truth I'm Clinging to Today...

There's no dirty laundry in heaven.

Can I get an Amen?!

A Few Kinks

I hate ironing. Okay, hate is a strong word. I don't enjoy ironing. I don't know anyone who actually enjoys ironing. I have clothes in my closet that don't see the light of day for months at a time because of my lack of enthusiasm toward this chore.

I often wonder if my aversion to ironing is that it is simply such a bother, or that I did several months worth of ironing as a punishment, or rather I should say, a "payment" for a few speeding tickets I acquired my senior year in high school. Man, I remember just slaving away, ironing piece after piece until my debt had finally been payed.

So I iron when I feel that I must. Or I use a little steamer...still feels like ironing to me. Of course, there is the wonderful invention of "wrinkle-free" clothing. I have this jersey-knit dress that I just love. I can sit in the car for an hour and come out looking perfectly smooth. And then, there's linen. Everybody likes linen. It is soft and casual, and it looks great in the store. But you get it home and it's a mess! You try desperately to smooth it all out, but you just create more and more kinks in the process.

It would be nice if life was jersey-knit. May I have just one wrinkle-free day please?

I've come awfully close, but there is always something. An unattainable parking spot, a glob of goup on a favorite shirt. Quite often it just comes down to my attitude. Sometimes, I am the wrinkle in my day. Call it what you want. I've gotten up on the wrong side of the bed? I need an "attitude adjustment"? I've got the grumpers and I just can't seem to shake 'em. I'm creating more and more kinks as the day progresses. Oddly, what seems like a deep crevice today, may be but a mere dimple tomorrow. Life is funny that way.

A few years ago, we were getting together with some dear friends. We arrived at their home and my girlfriend was in kind of a last-minute scramble to pick a new outfit for the evening. You see, she had asked her dear husband to iron the casual pants she'd picked out. Being the wonderful husband that he is, he did an outstanding job...only, he added sharp creases when they had not been required! She and I got a good laugh.

Have you ever had times when you're walking around with a crease that doesn't belong? It seems impossible to smooth it away? Life has wrinkles. Sometimes we're not presentable in our current state. Sometimes we be need to be pressed.

I suppose if life were jersey, it might not be as exciting afterall. Sure, kids would be well-mannered, houses would always be spotless, and there would never, ever be traffic.

But there would be no lessons learned. No growth. No need or quest for faith.

I am so thankful to have a God who smooths out the wrinkles in my life. Who is strong when I am oh so weak. Who is faithful when I am faithless. Who gives hope to hopeless, joy to the sorrowful...

And laughter to the grumpy!

Unexpected Potty Breaks

Ah, a nice relaxing day at the beach. You sit and relax, take a dip in the ocean, and have a picnic lunch. You're watching the the waves and reading a nice book. And then your three-year-old suddenly announces, "I NEED TO GO POO-POO!"

You glance back at the nearest public restroom and resolve, "No way!" You shuffle your little one out to the parking lot, and take a quick little golf cart ride around the corner to the Marriott resort. You jump off the cart. You are both running, and she says, "Mommy, I can't hold my poo-poo..."

You are mumbling something under your breath and then you suddenly find yourself shouting it out loud, while looking directly at her tight little face as she runs..."Don't you dare poop your pants. I DO NOT want to clean that up!" You keep running and flashbacks of your earlier potty-training days are now running through your head. And you're surprised because your child has been trained for well over a year and is quite proficient at all of this...and should know by now that she must let you know as soon as she gets "the feeling".

So you've scooped her up by the armpits and thrown her on your hip, determined to get to that potty NOW. You are panicking a little because you're remembering that one "incident" at Target several months ago....

(Oh, I never told you all about the incident? Some of you may remember receiving a text message with a picture I snapped with my phone...I had gone in with Phoebe to grab just one item. Just one!

Well okay, Target had just arrived to the island and I may have gotten a little distracted.

Apparently, so did she. She had been potty-trained for about a year, so there were no worries about accidents in my mind...

Well, put a girl in Target and her eyes light up, the world is at her fingertips. She gets too busy exploring the gloriously colorful, beautiful toy aisles and neglects to tell her mommy about "the feeling" until it is just TOO LATE! She is running down the aisle, holding her bottom and well, I just have to say, thank God for the family restroom!! You know, the private one designed with kids in mind, for such a time as this.

We run in and I am thinking we've made it just in time...until Phoebe grimaces and says, "Yucky, mommy!" I look down at the poop on her shoe and realize it must have come from the poop on her leg...which of course, came from the poop in her pants!

Eeew. I was in a state of shock because I thought I had dodged this scenario. I mean, her first public poop accident and it happens a year after she's been in panties. Hunh?! After sanitizing the child and the restroom floor to the best of my ability, I realize I've gotten lax about keeping extra clothes in the car. Do I take her to the car and head home? Do I just buy her an outfit and continue with my shopping? Well, we are already here and I really want to just buy that one thing already. So I put the stark-naked girl on my hip and head back into the store.

Now, the plan is to nab an outfit for her, grab the item, pay for it, and go. Easy enough. Yet, the fiery little munchkin had another agenda, as soon as the corner of her little eye caught the glitz and gleam of....the accessory department. She pushes her way out of my arms and now people are starting to notice this totally naked child, minus the shoes....because in a matter of seconds, despite my efforts to catch the little bugger...she is donning several necklaces, a hat, and a sparkly purse!

Am I mortified? Embarrassed? I don't know. I am laughing out loud and rummaging my purse for my phone, lest I miss the chance to document the whole thing. I eventually bought the item we came for. I never got around to clothing the child. We got lots of stares and giggles, and a few tisk-tisk-like shake of the head (give me a break!), but I resolved that it was not anywhere near as bad as the nightmares I've had, where I am the one naked in a store. Nope, not so bad. Just another notch on my glamorous, golden belt of motherhood.

Yes, okay. Right. Back to the present time....

You burst through the doors while simultaneously grasping to get her swimsuit off. She's looking at you like you're a crazy lady. You frantically get a seat cover positioned, throw her on the seat and...phew! You made it!

You wait. Two seconds later she says, "All done."

"What? You said you needed to go poo-poo."

"Nope. Just pee-pee."

"Are you sure?"

"Uh huh."

Big sigh from you.

She shrugs her shoulders and giggles, "Oops...Guess I just had a big toot!"

Ah, yes. A relaxing day. In a matter of seconds you went from gloriously basking in the sun, to dripping with sweat. You look out at the beautiful blue ocean and decide that it is the perfect time to take a dip.

And so you do.

Weekend Wisdom

I was chatting with a neighbor this afternoon and we were talking about some things our families have been through this year...from deaths, to financial difficulties, to the joys of parenting, and more. It is true, that as we get older, we realize what really matters in this life. Faith, family, friendships.

With the economic struggles we face as a nation, now more than ever, I place the highest value on these precious gifts. We are a consumer nation, so many gadgets and gizmos, so many have-to-have-its, so much STUFF. We are on a much tighter budget these days, and I am reminded to hold tight to what is dear to me...and keep a lighter touch on everything else.

1 Timothy 6:7 reads, "For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out."

and in Matthew 6:20-21, we are told to "...store up your treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

So this week I decided to host a blog hop. If you have words of wisdom to share, write your post on your blog, then grab the code for the hop and paste it at the bottom of your post. Any of your readers can grab the code and join the hop as well. It's really not all that complicated...read more at the MckLinky site. Find a link with directions below.

(Okay Strang family, you're up!)

Weekend Wisdom

I have been hosting "Weekend Wisdom" every friday on To Your Health, and I am thinking of hosting it here instead. Hopefully you all will be interested in participating. Give me some love and leave a comment, would ya? Here is this weekend's post.

It's Friday night. I am posting a bit late...the week goes by so quickly! When it comes to wisdom, there is no better source than the infallible Word of God. So I look to the Bible daily, for wisdom, for hope, for truth.

This week I quote a passage from the book of John, chapter 6, verse 31 (also found in Matthew 7:12). We have all heard this quoted many times. The "Golden Rule" existed before Christ, in the rabbinic writings and also in other religions. All other versions cast the rule as a negative command, like Rabbi Hiilel's version, "What is hateful to yourself do not to someone else." But Jesus made it a positive command, saying,

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

Now the meaning of the saying comes to life, and we see this one command sum up the whole gist of the ethical principles provided in the Commandments. We see that we ought not to just avoid hating or hurting one another, but instead be actively loving one another.

A Change??

I'm taking it back-my excitement over the tradewinds return was a bit premature. They were here. It was glorious. Now they are GONE. And the past week has been one of the hottest, stickiest, muggiest weeks we've had all year.

So now I am looking forward to November. No. Let's just make it a real change and say December. Then we will have the change we truly long for. We'll visit family in a mild, yet cold enough for us, California winter. We might still wear short sleeves by day, but we'll have a guaranteed necessity for jeans and sweaters every evening. We'll relish our two weeks of winter...then return home and head for the beach! Ha ha!

Blog Award

It's official. I have received my first blog award. I didn't even know these existed until recently! Well, it is an honor to be nominated.

Thanks to Ronnie at But Such Is Life for this award.

The rules of the "One Lovely Blog Award" are: Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link. Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you’ve newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

I must confess that many of these are not newly discovered. Here are my picks...in no particular order:

1. The Tea Party Place

2. Mom's Best Bets

3. Marina Masini Handmade

4. The Thrifty Home
5. Ebenezer Forest Farm
6. Alright...
7. DVFblog
8. Min and Noah's Ark
9. The G Line
10. Mark and Jana (invite only)
11. Gluten Free Betsy
12. Raising My 4 Sons
13. Confessions of A Domestic Diva
14. Clever Homemaking
15. Cupcake Kitteh

Welcoming A Little Change

A change is in the air. I have been longing for October to arrive...well, since late June. Here in Ko Olina, we get "tradewinds" throughout most of the year. But during the summer months, the trades disappear and are replaced by humidity. Now, I am not about to complain to you all about life here in Hawaii. That would just be silly. But when you live this close to the equator, it is basically summer year round. We get excited about a little change.

Our weather is mild. It doesn't snow, the sun almost always shines, the thermostat never registers a triple digit, and the humidity is less intense than other tropical spots. We are incredibly blessed. You all know that I am fond of autumn. I have always loved it. Crispy orange and burgundy leaves, a chill in the air, sipping hot tea, and snuggling up with a cozy blanket. Well, those things may not typically describe the fall here in Hawaii, but I will say this:

The tradewinds are back! The tradewinds are back! Hallelujah-the tradewinds are back!!!

Tonight we went for an evening golfcart ride and since we were going against the breeze, we had to wear our hoodies! We were so excited to pull them out of the closet. We had to dust them off a bit, but we are so happy to have an excuse to need them...even if we still wore our shorts! Hey, last winter we had a couple nights dip into the fifties. We had hot cocoa and everything. Very exciting!

Weekend Wisdom

Find Weekend Wisdom every Friday on To Your Health!

The Gift

Men have the gift of sleep. I know a few women who have this gift too, but mostly men. I think God gave men the capacity to sleep just about anywhere, anytime. It is this special gift that allows them to totally "check out" for a bit, turn off their brains, and escape from the stresses of work and caring for a family. I remember after Phoebe was born, being sleep-deprived to the point of insanity, desperate to somehow acquire this ability to spontaneously sleep like the dead. We women just cope differently. God gave us the gift of gab-which we use freely to vent out frustrations to one another, or to share a funny story that ends in a fit of side-stitching, teary-eyed laughter with a friend.

But men? They can fall asleep in anything that moves-cars, trucks, trains, planes. You might find them asleep on the couch, in your favorite rocker, outside on the patio furniture, in the park, or in a chair at the mall, while waiting for their shopping wife. And if they really need a nap, they may even doze off while watching football, reading a book, getting a haircut, OR...widemouthed in the dentist chair!

Okay, maybe those last two are exclusive to my husband. You see, as far as the gift of sleeping goes, this guy is blessed! This is a man who walks past a park or a field and says with great admiration, "Ooh, nice sleeping grass." I recall one Saturday afternoon back in our California home. Xee noticed the sunlight streaming through the french doors in the kitchen. He layed down in the sunlight and sort of jokingly said, "Ah, I could just take a nice nap right here in the sun." I ran upstairs to toss in a load of laundry, and when I came down he was passed out, flat on his tummy, in a tiny pool of his own drool. I mean, who does this? Who falls asleep on a hardwood floor? Um...apparently, my husband does! (Too bad the battery in our camera was dead when I went to capture the moment.)

Right now Xee is is his office, enjoying a blissful little slumber while the landscapers are blasting away with the mowers and the leaf blowers. And I am out here admiring this gift. I have stopped coveting it, because it it shall never be mine to attain. So I am happy for him. Let him sleep. Let him drift away and escape for just a little bit. He needs it. He deserves it. If the gift of napping keeps him going and going, doing all that he does for us, each and every day...I too, am blessed by the gift!

Fashionista Does Modern Dance and Princess Praises!

I thought I would share a few clips of Phoebe in action. She is such a little dancer, continually exploring her improvisational style of movement and experimenting with new moves!

Just before this video, Phoebe was dancing and she stopped abruptly because she decided that she needed to wear every piece of jewelry she has. Then she asked me to start the music again...

In this next little clip, Phoebe is doing a little impromptu worship (and watching herself in the window reflexion). So cute!

(Translation: "God you are awesome! God, you have your Holy Spirit in our hearts!")

Okay, now I have asked her to turn around and do it again for me. She gets a little sidetracked. This one cracks me up! Be sure to read the translation :)

(Translation: "You're awesome. Your Holy Spirit......I AM DOING MY STRETCHES... I think, God, do you not mind me doing my stretches? GOD-Do you not mind I am doing my STRETCHES, Lord?.............Jesus, You're awesome!")

:)Ha ha ha! Silly girl!

Pictures of the Kiddo!

I was on the phone with my sister the other day and I mentioned Phoebe's new haircut. Then I realized she hasn't seen it...and neither have any of you! I have been a bit behind on posting pictures, so here are a few from the last few months (both before and after the new do-which is absolutely adorable by the way!).


Carefree, blissful, kiddo fun!


A special girl's lunch on my birthday with my very best girlfriend!


Sand play is serious business around here...

We love tea parties so much that we even have them on the beach!!

Cozy with Daddy after a beach day :)

Just chillin'!

It is so fun to create in the kitchen....

Checking the computer for a recipe-just like Mommy.

While sporting matching jerseys with her daddy, she also wanted to wear the tutu...that is just so Phoebe!

Breakfast has her seal of approval.


The girl rarely naps these days...but sometimes a little quiet time in front of her favorite show can induce a sudden, temporary comatose state. You can't fight it every time, little Miss!

Blowdrying her hair!!

A little light reading.

She's looking more and more like a little lady these days. Slow down, would ya Phoebe?

Blissful Mommy Moments And One Not So Lonely Chair

For most of Phoebe's young little life, we have spent a portion of our day in our rocking chair (actually it's a glider, but we call it a rocker). When she first arrived, the glider, then strategically placed in the living room, was often my saving grace. Little ones change so quickly. The bedtime techniques that Xee and I have employed have shifted with her various stages.

When Phoebe stopped nursing and was sleeping through the night, the rocker was a place for winding down. I'd read her a couple books and sing to her while she soothed herself by sucking on her fingers...and loving on "booey". More often than not, she'd fall asleep in my arms. The days have gone by so quickly. I'm not sure when it happened, but our recent phase of winding down has shifted to Mommy and Daddy's bed. Phoebe loves to enjoy a book or two...or three, in our bed, snuggle up next to me and drift away before she's gently transferred to her own bed.

A few weeks ago I was walking past her room, and a lonely rocker caught my eye. I stood there and looked at it for a while, with a sweet longing in my heart. That night I nonchalantly asked her if she wanted to read in the rocking chair. She thought about it for about a second and said, "Nah...Can we read Curious George?"

Last night the little munchkin was having a bit of a hard time settling down for bed. She tossed and turned in our bed, kicking her legs, restless and wide awake. I didn't ask. I scooped up that great big baby girl and headed for the chair. With her head off to one side and her legs dangling way off to the other, we rocked as I hummed. Within a matter of seconds, my sweet girl was completely out!

Funny. Seconds earlier I had felt exhausted from the day. I couldn't wait to have a little personal space. Yet here I was glued to that chair. I sat there for the next half hour, just staring at her precious face. Watching her chest move up and down and running my hand over her silky hair. Pressing my face into hers, feeling her breath on skin...time stood still for just a minute.

Then a fluttering thought came and went, but a reality nonetheless. The inevitable. She's growing up. Though I can hardly imagine her ever being taller than me...one day she will be. One day she will rock a baby of her own in a chair much like this one. Of course I stuffed that thought into a deep, deep place in my mind and went downstairs to wash the dishes.

Tonight I tried to recreate the magic. Phoebe tossed and turned and declared, "I can't sleep Mommy!" Off to the rocker. After a few minutes of snuggle time, she said, "I'm sleepy now. Let's go back to your bed." Alright, I'll take what I can get. She's not going anywhere just yet. So for now, at least for now, I will rock her. I will sing. I will stare at her and smell her hair. And I will relish every moment!

Almost September

I know it's almost September...when suddenly I feel a little blue. A sublte, but not subtle enough to go unnoticed, melancholy settles over me. I felt this happening a few days ago and normally I recognize it sooner, but I just couldn't figure out why I felt this way. I mean, sure, I've been having a little mommy burn-out here and there. It happens. But this was different.

Then I went to check my calander and it clicked. It's almost September! There is something about September. Xee and I have always found it to be nostalgic. Maybe it's because we started dating in September. Or maybe it is that September has come to represent change in our lives. We associate childhood memories of summer ending and school beginning. There was anticipation and hesitation and excitement, and a little fear. Fear of not knowing the full spectrum of things to come, yet a compelling desire to jump in and find out!

There is the inevitable change of summer to Indian summer and then to fall. Ah, the fall. One of our very favorite times of year. Now, I know that California doesn't have extreme season changes, but when we compare it to our current tropical home in Hawaii, the seasons in Southern California are noteworthy! Whatever it is, we seem to get a little home-sick around this time of year.

We miss our people. Sure, we have people here. We love our Hawaii people. But there are people, people we have history with, been-through-some-places-with-us people...that is who I'm talkin' about here. We will hopefully be in California for Christmas this year and already, the list of people we will try to see is growing unrealistically long. When we lived there we couldn't see everyone often, but just the possibility of it drew us close to one another.

And when I think about it, many of our people aren't even in California anymore. Life changes. People move on. Families grow. Responsibilities shift. Life gets busy. Okay, okay...forgive me, this has been an emotional year. I think it's safe to say that growing-pains are a life-long process. Seasons change, all throughout our lifetime. I find myself stopping periodically and asking myself, "How did I get here? When did I arrive in this place? How will it feel at the next destination?" How will I feel? Those same insecurities and the same sense of wonder still lurk on the edge of September.

Is it possible, I wonder, to love two places at once, with all of one's heart? If not, surely my heart is divided. We have great people. We love our people. And so there are little pieces of me...all over California, in Oregon, in Connecticut, and Colorado...in Arizona, New York, and of course, here in Hawaii. And since my sister just moved back to California, she brought the Utah pieces along with her.

I just want to take the time to say thanks to you people. We love you dearly. Thanks for meeting up with us via the blogsphere, email, facebook and other techie places. Oh, and my personal favorite, snail mail. There might be an ocean between us, but the kinship we feel with you all keeps you ever so close to our hearts. No, I don't mind this feeling at all. Welcome, September!

Be Amused

My dear friend over at the Tea Party Place posted this on her blog and I got such a kick out of it! I just had to post this clever practical joke here for our readers. I think you will enjoy it, especially you Mom.

Phoebe Prays

Another sweet prayer from my Phoebe this morning had me choking up a tiny bit-

"Dear God, please bless my mommy," she said as she layed a little hand on my shoulder (so sweet)."Please help Mommy to forgive me and me to forgive her. Amen."

Ah, this age is amazing. She is growing into such a little lady, looking at herself in the mirror this morning and declaring, "Wow, I look so fancy!" Then she grabbed her purse and we headed out the door. Later she was all tomboy, climbing up on her little step stool and pretending to ride a skateboard. Some days I don't think I am going to make it through age three. Today was in part one of those days toward the end. Sometimes I feel like I've just barely got my head above water. I am thankful for faith and oh so thankful for prayer. Where would I be without it?!!

While I don't usually treat this blog like a journal, I have something on my heart so indulge me for today.

Dear Diary,

I went for a run this morning...it seems that every time I do, I find myself thinking of Dad. Maybe it's the music on my iPod, or maybe it is the fact that he's the reason I started running in the first place.

Or maybe, just maybe, it is the sailboats. You see, God has given me a special gift, a sign of reassurance, since that first day of running at the beach. I always see a lone sailboat out on the water. It's not always the same one, but it doesn't matter. It is hard to explain how I knew that first time-that it was there for me-feeling a stillness within that could only come from my Creator, a peace come upon me as the boat sailed across the horizon. It is funny, because my dad didn't sail or even live near the water. I just find comfort in seeing that beautiful vessel, floating freely. I cannot touch it, or climb aboard...but it is there. And then it sails out of my site line, but I know it is still out there...

And maybe it is that the last weeks with my dad went so quickly, and I hardly believe he is truly gone. We weren't always very close and the recent distance in miles made it even harder to see one another. So I find myself thinking of our last times together-gaps were bridged and only unconditional love remained. So I cling to the last memory I have of us together in the hospital room, as I touched his head through a latex glove, and removed my mask for the first time to give him a real kiss on the cheek. And I said, "Okay Dad, see you Monday. I love you."

When Monday morning came and as I gathered my things to head over to the hospital, and I got that phone call, I immediately mourned for the loss of a hope I had been holding onto...a longing for just a few more memories to be created-in what little time I had imagined we might have left with him. And I was touched so deeply, holding my daughter tightly as she patted my chest and said, "It's okay, Mommy. I'm here." But it hurt, oh how it hurt, dear Diary.

I suppose I think of him during this time because I can. Running focuses me. I can be a bit flighty at times, my mind in a hundred different places at once-thoughts of my little one, my grocery list, unfinished projects around the house. But when I run, with my heart pounding in my chest, my legs pumping, my eyes narrowed ahead...I am moving forward. Everything else is behind me. Today I wipe away the sweat and the tears that have mixed in with the rain, and I am thankful. My mind is uncluttered and I can pray or think of someone special, or just enjoy the world around me. Yeah, I'm still running...And I'm still healing...And I'm still missing you, Dad.

Amen!

Phoebe's sweet little prayer before our morning Bible reading went like this-

Dear Lord, thank you for the day. Thank you for the Bible. Please bless us. Please bless my mommy. Bless me and her. Please help me to obey Mommy. Amen.

Random Thought

I just got back from the dentist a little while ago, not my favorite thing to do, but not all so bad. I was in for a cleaning last week when the doctor found a chip on one of my molars. Anyway, I was laying there, thinking about how our bodies function and how automatic things are. We get a feeling and we know we have to pee. We need to swallow, and our mouth and throat just do it. And it involves this very strong, has-a-mind-of-it's-own muscle...the tongue. As soon as the dentist sticks an apparatus in my mouth, I tell you, it is like a puppy, running around sniffing everything in sight. Good thing the dental assistant has two hands available, one for suction and the other to hold down my curious tongue!

I also find it odd that every time I get work done on my mouth, I am told the Novocaine will wear off in a couple hours or so. Really?! Because it has been three and a half hours and not only is the right side of my mouth and tongue still numb, but the Novocaine has spread to my chin and part of my nose. What's up with that? Maybe some people are more sensitive than others. Yeah, I realize this is a random post, but I was just thinkin' and I had the time to tell you all about it. Maybe I just needed something to take my mind off my growling belly...I tried eating. It feels weird and it takes forever to chew my food. Go away numbness. C'mon already!

How Free Is Three!

Three is a marvelous age! I want to be three. I want to bottle up everything about three (okay, not everything) and take a drink. And mostly, I want to freeze three and keep Phoebe this age for a long, long time. But even if I had the power to freeze time, I would only do it for a short while because it just gets better. It is amazing how quickly kids go from babbling to ridiculously grown-up sentences and thought-provoking questions. I love how Phoebe's artistry has transformed from mere scribble to drawing. Here are a couple of her recent works:


An awesome rendition of her daddy that is proudly displayed in his office at work.


Phoebe loves to write and paint her name!

To Your Health!

With a little push from Xee, I have been inspired to turn this into a regular thing with my new blog-To Your Health. As a busy mommy, I hope to be able to post regularly and keep up with both blogs. It is still in a bit of a rough stage, but if you want more of To Your Health, check it out at www.to-yourhealth.blogspot.com.

Happy Anniversary

Nine years and counting...we are so blessed!

Things I Know

It's my birthday...yeah, yeah, happy birthday to me. And I was thinking about what I have experienced in my life and what I now know to be true in my thirties. There are things I can do now that I couldn't do ten years ago...like non-girl push-ups for instance (flex, flex). And there are things I have experienced that have shaken things up a bit-like having a baby, and losing a parent. Life is constantly changing and I am along for the ride. There is still much to be discovered, but today I am focusing on the important stuff... So here are a few things I know:

Thirty Somethings

1. It is absolutely essential to own a good bra!

2. Same goes for undies...I don't care if you say that you only wear cute and silky (liar), somewhere in your drawer lurks a pair of control-top somethings to help slim and lift you into that special-occasion dress.

3. My current motto-40 is the new 30. I guess that means I am technically in the new 20's.

4. Before I had a baby, I still felt like a girl...now I am a WOMAN.

5. The gravitational pull is getting stronger.

6. Chocolate is the fifth essential food group.

7. The term "raging hormones" doesn't quite mean what it used to.

8. Exercise yields around ten percent improvement and ninety percent maintenance-gravity!

9. I don't pretend to know something I don't, nor do I care that I don't know. Instead of nodding my head and going along, I just admit that I haven't got a clue. (Hey, I spend most of my waking hours with a three-year-old. Who do I need to impress?)

10. It just gets better. Okay, so I have a few battle scars from pregnancy and a little deflation from breastfeeding, but other than that, I think I actually look better in my thirties. I'm healthier. I'm stronger. Marriage is sweeter. Friendships are deeper. Family is cherished. Life is abundant!

Island Getaway

Where do you go to get away when you live in beautiful Hawaii?...Beautiful Hawaii, of course! Last month we did a little island-hop over to Maui. The best part about taking a three day trip like this is that we could pack very light and much to Phoebe's excitement, take a plane ride...and to ours, a very short plane ride. Here are a few highlights from our trip.


The view from our room-gorgeous. Every night, we fell asleep to the soothing sounds of waves crashing on the shore.


Time to relax!


Ready for a little crab hunt with Daddy!


Beach babe, digging in the sand.


The crab learned rather quickly that you just don't argue with a three-year-old...and so he gave in and participated in a little pretend play. Here he is driving the mini bulldozer.


A beautiful sunset in front of Mama's Fish House. If you go to Maui, you HAVE to go to Mama's...the setting is lovely and the food is divine!


Phoebe loves to take pictures with our camera. She is actually getting pretty good. One out of ten come out without a blurry shot of her hand in the mix-not a bad shot here of Mommy and Daddy. Yes, Phoebe really took this pic!


Phoebe and Daddy being a little silly.


Family pic just before the sun went down.


Sweet dreams!


Maui Ocean Center


Cool starfish!


A very long day with no nap, Phoebe has a little meltdown.


After it all, she said she needed some "alone time".


Phoebe chills out at the airport before heading home to Oahu.