Great Adventures and the New Normal

Last Tuesday, Jared and I loaded up the girls and took a road trip to Niagara Falls where we met my oldest sister and her family (who were about 3 days into a drive/camping adventure from Houston, TX all the way to our house in Vermont and then back a different way.) FUN! PLUS we also picked up Grandmom and Granddad (my Mom and Dad) at the airport in Buffalo so that they could enjoy Niagara Falls and then ride back home to Vermont with us for a few days. It was a spectacular adventure! Everyone LOVED Niagara Falls and had such a great time enjoying the views and the fresh weather (which they are certainly not accustomed to down in Texas.) Our time there was absolutely perfect--brilliant weather, light crowds, and lots of hugs and laughing. Awesome.

Then we all came back to Vermont together for even more adventures. This was the first visit for my oldest sister and her family, which includes my 20-year-old nephew, almost 17-year-old niece, and 8-year-old niece. I'm pretty sure they had as much fun exploring my old house and the big barn in our back yard as they did enjoying any of our other adventures. They investigated the cellar, including finding their way into a garage that has been sealed up for decades from the outside (my Dad was just SURE they would find an old classic car in there that someone had forgotten about ;-). Then they wandered through the attic, fascinated with all of the old books and pictures and furniture. THEN they set out for the barn, which almost made their heads explode. Josh saw an old sharpening stone--the wheel kind with a manual crank--and some other old tools, but I think their favorite part was the "basement" part of the barn, which for some reason just screamed mystery to them. It was pretty fun watching them experience our new world. Leah (my 17-year-old niece) said at least 5 times, "If I lived here, I would never be bored." Awesome. Also, I'm pretty sure they love our waterfall almost as much as I do. :-D

The house is now empty again. Mom and Dad flew back to Houston, and the Maywalds have continued their camping adventure back toward Texas. I miss them. I love having my family around. But I don't grieve "going back to normal" like I used to. It used to mean going back to work, feeling rushed all the time, only seeing my kids and husband a few hours a day (on good days), etc. Now it means spending all day with my kids, cooking and baking for my family, loving on my friends, spending time in prayer, planning adventures for my family, actually having time to do my chores every day, and even fitting in some reading and hobbies. This is my new normal, and I LOVE it!

So Far, So Good!

Our little tadpoles have legs! There are about 20-25 of them. Pretty soon our back yard will feel like a plague of frogs, but it is fun watching them "grow up." :-D

Asking for Prayer--and Lots of it!

Since the very first day our house was listed on RealTracs (actually probably a few days before even), my biggest prayer was (and continues to be) that God would send a buyer who would see the house as a blessing and a huge need met. Almost a year later, we still own our house, but we are still trusting to the best of our ability that it is because that one person who really needs it just hasn't seen it yet.

Yesterday we got a message from our realtor saying that a lady just a few miles down the road from where we live lost her home in the recent flood and needs a new place as quickly as possible. We're told our house is "in her top 2" and that she may be looking at it again tomorrow to make a final decision.

Please pray with us that she will decide to make an offer, and please pray with us as always that if she does, our house will indeed be a blessing to her and meet a huge need in her life during what must be a very difficult time for her. Thank you!

The Good List 6-23-10

***in no particular order
10. All You Magazine
9. Family Game Night. So fun!
8. Gigantic hydrangea blooms.
7. Wasting much less food and finding much less mold/rot in my kitchen now that I have a little more time to manage the grocery list/fridge/pantry situation.
6. Twitch on SYTYCD.
5. Vibrant, happy old ladies.
4. My weekly phone call with my sweet Trish. Love that girl!
3. Grace's eyelashes.
2. Macy's freckles.
1. Grace + Forgiveness + Reconciliation. So gorgeous to see.

Today's Agenda Brought to you by Macy and Grace Wilson

Grace just enthusiastically declared today the best day ever. And Macy wholeheartedly agreed. This makes me happy for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that today really wasn't that "spectacular" by most standards. We didn't even leave our house. But it was indeed a fabulous day.

We flew a kite, planted flowers, redecorated Webkinz houses, did art projects for Father's Day, painted nails, snuggled in the hammock, read our books, tended our veggie garden, played the piano, cooked and baked and just generally played together. It was awesome. And then we happily enjoyed slow-cooked brisket, braised red cabbage, rosemary bread with balsamic dipping sauce and cherry almond chocolate clusters. YUM! The fruit of our earlier work. :-D Now we are watching a movie together.

Sweet and uncomplicated, and I love everything about it. Don't get me wrong. I'm certainly not opposed to exquisite adventures sometimes too. I love Disneyworld and visiting New England castles as much as anyone. But since those things don't happen every day (or even every year necessarily), it's special to see my kids finding joy in the simple days. Awesome.

Toy Story 3--Gigantic Yes!

I remember seeing Toy Story in the theater. It's kinda crazy how long ago that was. I loved it.

About 5ish years later (I think?), I enjoyed Toy Story 2 even more.

Yesterday Jared and I took the girls to see Toy Story 3 (in 3D), and it was easily my favorite of the 3. Fantastic movie! Funny, sweet, action-packed, entertaining, well-cast, well-written and beautifully illustrated. Thoroughly enjoyable for kids of all ages! ;-)

Zach Anner--I would totally watch this guy's show

So apparently Oprah is hosting some sort of contest at the end of which she will give someone their own television show. I have no idea who else has submitted proposals, but I would totally watch this guy.