just because.

last night i went into hannah's room to turn off her light after she had fallen asleep, and this is how i found her...



and because it is cold outside, brody wanted to watch "his shows" after preschool today... he loves to decide which show to watch, without any other input from brothers and sisters.

definitions

brody: hannah sucks at wii fishing.

me: what does that mean?

brody: it means she is HORRIBLE. but isaiah doesn't suck. he rocks.

lunch...

and my favorite kid oreo. :)

signs of fall...

WE LOVE WATER

another local opportunity to get involved with bringing clean water to the people of Liberia, West Africa.




This is so cool..
another person, another advocate, another activist.
water moves.
please join tom, in painting driveways for water.



watch this short video, and do something.
twenty dollars gives clean water for twenty years.
twenty years.



these are what they look like up close...
really quality work.
and for a great cause.



contact tom today, harley20@machlink.com
to set up a time when he can come paint your driveway,
and in so doing,
give life,
and restore hope and dignity...
all with a little spray paint.
how cool is that?

neighbors

the umpire

the mark of a really good umpire, i have come to discover, is this:

not even knowing he is there.

if he is doing his job, the way it should be done, then he should just blend right in on the field. he makes his calls, governs the game, but because he is doing everything right, treating every player fairly, and making the right calls, his presence, his authority, is not even noticed.




my father is the best umpire i know.
he parented me, as if he were himself, an umpire. his authority was always there, and when a tough call needed to be made, he made it. and it was fair, and just, and right.



it was not until becoming a parent myself, that i realized what a difficult job that really is. and what an amazing job my dad did.
his quiet confidence, never arrogant or self righteous, but firm and steadfast.



happy birthday dad.
i love you, appreciate you, and respect you.
i am proud of you.
and i am so honored to be called yours.

never give up.

another weekend.

another weekend for soccer and football.

hannah's team won their game on saturday, 2-1.
and of course, i let steve take her... so i missed it.

i was at the football game on sunday though,
which state farm also won.
12-2.

thursday night...

my mom and aunt debbie came over for dinner on thursday night,
before they headed out for a couple weeks in virginia.

so there.

Run/Walk for Water

(straight from Jody...)

OK, local folks. Or those of you that want to walk, drive, crawl, swim or fly here.

Here is your first opportunity of the season.

We are having a 4 mile Run/Walk 4 Water on Oct. 24th.

8:00 a.m. at the Riverfront path.

It will be a great opportunity to gather troops and start making a splash about clean water. We want people to take notice of the exciting opportunity we have to change lives around the world.

Plus, it’s going to be fun.




We are guaranteeing t-shirts (like above) to the first 100 registered with a $20 donation. (we are hoping to find another sponsor so we can get t-shirts to 200 participants..for now, you better hurry. ).

Go here to print out the registration form. You will mail it into Brenda with the check made out to Charity Global (aka charity: water).



So it’s a pretty good deal.

$20 tax-deductible donation, that literally changes the life of one African person by equipping them with clean water for 20 years.

T-shirts to the first 100.

Plus good times.

Gather your friends and family.

Come walk or run with us as we rally around a life-changing cause.

(And a shout out to the most fabulous race team of Jodi, Brenda, Randlemans, Riveras for putting this all together. It’s no easy task. )

Go. Register.

I’ll see you there.

beach combing...

took some time this morning for myself,
and went beach combing alone.

i was telling a couple of friends i was going,
and they didn't know what beach combing was.

i forget, so often, that i am not from here.
that they are not from there.

so, just to clear things up...
wikipedia says:

A beachcomber is someone who "combs" (or searches) the beach, and the intertidal zone in general, looking for things of value, interest or utility.





now i rarely find anything of utilitarian purposes, or even value, for that matter.
but interest... yes.. that is what i find.
things of interest.



to me anyway.
and i guess, to me, they are valuable as well.

so, i think i am going again tomorrow morning.
maybe i will take a nap on the rocks,
in the sunshine,
along the banks of the river,

and i will find value and interest for sure.

emily's cake

emily has been into baking lately.
brownies, cookies, cakes,
all the time.
it seems like we always have an endless supply of sweets
thanks to her.

she made this one on tuesday.
the kids ate it on wednesday.
and i had it for breakfast this morning. :)

proud.

last night our social worker came to our home to interview our children.
when interviewing both emily and isaiah,
she asked them what they enjoyed doing...

BOTH of them, with out knowledge of the other,
said they enjoyed raising money for a charity
called Water for Christmas.

My heart swelled.

We can make a difference,
in Liberia,
and in our own homes.

big things are coming for water.
big things that you can be a part of...

and by your involvment,
in that nation,
you can change the heart of THIS nation.

balance.

something i need.

something i seem to be failing in.

but i really want to master it.

so, if you have figured it out,
could you let me in on the secret?

thanks.

war weary

so much in my heart.

reading cassie's post has given me a bit of courage,
that push i needed to share it, to explore it, to own it.

my mantra these days has been,
obedience produces blessing...

but i am not sure i really believe that.
i want to.
more than anything, i want to believe it...
but i just don't know.

this world is so broken.
i am so broken.

and it hurts.
it hurts to care.

so many people make bad choices, and still do well.
they are still happy, still blessed.

and at times, i want more than anything to be okay with that.
to be okay with easy.
with what feels right at the moment.
with following my dreams, and forgetting about reality.

and in the end, i am in a constant battle.

a constant battle.

a war between my heart, and the heart of jesus.

i wish i wasn't so competitive,
that i didn't want to win.

wishing i could wave the white flag, and say, you're right...
but that is not my nature.

so i battle.
and i lose.

thank god i lose.

first football game of 2009

isaiah was so pumped up for this game

number 23, (which was steve's number in baseball).
he had a great game..
and they won.
14-8

might i be reminded...

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.


O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen
-St. Francis of Assisi

clouded clarity

do you ever have those times
when things are so clear,
but the answers are muddy?

make your glory known

Ache for the World from Overlake Christian Church on Vimeo.

this song was written and sung (accompanied by rachel) by our worship pastor in seattle.
yah.
i get it jesse.

and after school...

brody's first day of preschool 2009

so it went a whole lot better this year than last.
he didn't cry.
didn't tell me how much he hates school.

but he also didn't let me take pictures of him.
so i had to snap a few,
on the not so sly...
by the last one, he was pretty much done.

and it is almost time to go pick him up.
can't wait to hear all about it.

one big frog

a few of my favorites

and more fun

anything for water...

more fun at the park

church in the park

so much fun this morning...
we had church in a local park,
and then a HUGE picnic after...