Joanne Heim

I love the internet!

(Monday morning)

 Say what you like about the internet and social media, I love it! While there are dishonest people out there who misuse it and misrepresent themselves, I have benefitted enormously from it and have met some wonderful people. Through blogging especially and Facebook too, I have made friends online and then have had the joy and privilege of then meeting in person and finding them to be every bit as wonderful as I believed.

At first, I mostly met people who were somewhat local, but have also met up with people further afield as we have traveled. For a season, there was a good-sized group of bloggers and social media friends who got together in and around the Denver and Colorado Springs area for girls' lunches, backyard picnics, tea parties and fun in general. 

Some friends I've made live far away  and while we've dreamed of meeting in person, it just didn't seem likely to happen.

But sometimes it unexpectedly does and what a delight that is! I spent yesterday with my dear friend Susan from Virginia who was in Colorado for a wedding. She and I have been online friends for more than 10 years, regularly emailing and  writing letters and texting and talking on the phone occasionally. Our hearts connected in those early years, but with almost a whole country and the mighty Mississippi between us, meeting in person seemed like an unlikely dream. Her husband went  hiking with friends yesterday, so I picked her up at her hotel and "dragged her to church" with me (or so she teased though it was a mutual idea and she loved it!), we went out for brunch after church and came home to sit and talk for the afternoon. The hours flew by until her husband picked her up to change hotels before flying back to Virginia today. 

She and my parents really wanted to meet each other, but since Mom and Dad have been out of town, that didn't work out so they'll just have to come back or we'll have to go visit them!

All that to say, internet friendships are a gift and I hope you have some too!

With love,

Joanne

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In other news, it's  supposed to snow today, My parents get home from their trip (almost two weeks on a cruise in Canada on the St. Lawrence River plus some days in Quebec) tonight and we leave for Phoenix next week to spend a while and to get our new house there furnished and ready for next winter. We'll be home for Christmas and then back in Arizona for January through the end of April.

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I will check in again soon with more of an update about the Bible study I've been teaching, my apartment  search for next summer and anything else I can think of. As always, I post a lot on Facebook, so you can connect with me there. Please send a private message with a friend request so I know you're a blog reader. Thanks!

 

Such a good day

(Wednesday evening)

I had such a good day today!

My dear friend, Shanna picked me up around 11 and we headed to the new campus of Denver Christian--the school our kids used to attend together--in fact, we met each other on a third grade field trip to the Denver Zoo the first year my family was in Denver after moving from San Diego. We've been good friends ever since. My oldest and her middle were best friends for a couple of years. The school moved a couple of years ago and we've been meaning to visit the new campus for the past year. It is a great school if you are in Denver and looking for a school for your kids.

We found it without trouble and took a tour as if we were prospective parents. The new school building is marvelous--big and bright and open and beautiful. We walked every hallway and ran into teachers our kids had and loved, who sent their love to our five kids (her three and my two). We reminisced about the good times we had at the school. We even saw some students and parents we knew, which was an unexpected treat.

And when the tour was done and our tummies were growling quite loudly, we left and had a huge lunch at Macaroni Grill--a place neither of us had been in years.

It was a terrific day and I am still full. Instead of a meal, I may just eat some yogurt and watch a movie before taking Maddie out and going to bed early (after all, it is dark and getting cold--perfect for an early bedtime!)...

Sweet dreams, friends!

Joanne

 

t-w-e-a-k-i-n-g

Do you love the movie You've Got Mail? I do. And usually watch it every fall. To me, it's a fall movie--all because of the bouquets of freshly sharpened pencils. Something I've actually received from a friend who loves the movie as much as I do. Or maybe more. (Hi, sweet Janna!)

(On my, I have just realized that I haven't watched it for the past two years. Hmm...think I may need to put it on today and spend some time in the basement being crafty. Hooray! A plan for this wide-open Saturday!)

Anyhoo...

We've just finished our first quarter of school, and the past 10 weeks have been really good. We've found a groove, hit our stride, established a routine that's working. 

It's been a good season of life in general too. A season of nesting as we've settled back into our favorite-est little yellow house. Finding a church we love. Getting back in the comfort of having family nearby.

I've been reminded (and how could I not, for it's everywhere I turn, which is a whole other post) of Psalm 16:5-6:

You have assigned me my portion and my cup;
you have made my lot secure.
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places...

Pleasant, and getting pleasant-er by the day, it seems.

Our focus has been on our little family of four as we have settled in with school, with Toben's working in Colorado Springs, with my being back in seminary.

So... t-w-e-a-k-i-n-g.

Not big adjustments, but slight shifts in focus as I ponder those boundaries--especially as they relate to friendships. 

Friendships within the geographic boundaries of Denver. Being intentional in those friendships. Starting Bible study (Kelly Minter's Ruth) on Monday with dear women whom I love. (And, yep, Psalm 16 showed up in the first week's homework!)

Considering what those boundaries mean for the girls, how we can be intentional with their friendships too.

Tweaking. Not the huge rearrangement of everything that sometimes happens in life, but the little fiddling here and there in which there is still joy and delight. 

Elk Fest, Memory Monday, cleaning off my camera

Get ready for a little bit of random...

We went up to Estes Park for Elk Fest on Saturday, leaving the house by about 8 and getting home just as it was getting dark. Such a fun day! We went two years ago and stayed for the weekend with some friends--and went with the same friends this weekend.

Two years ago, we saw lots more elk and lots more rain and it was lots more cold.

I love looking back to see how much the girls have grown. Though it makes me miss my pigtails.

This year, it was sunny and beautiful and we had a picnic by the river, walked around Sprague Lake (well, Emma and Alec ran around the lake), and oohed and aahed at the leaves.

While we were in town this year, the nice gal at the great coffee shop told us about a glassblowers we had to go see. So we did. And we all agreed it was one of our favorite parts of the day. While we watched, she told us all about what she was doing. Fascinating! And HOT. Makes me think about Shadrach, Mesach, and Abednigo. (I think I totally spelled those names wrong.)

On the way up, I downloaded the Hipstamatic app for my phone and played with the different options all day. Kinda fun. The sky was not nearly this ominous in real life, but it sure looks neat.

This is an elk jam. When the traffic does this inside Rocky Mountain National Park, you know it's time to get out your camera.

As fun as the effects are, sometimes you just need a picture to show what fall in Colorado really looks like!

***

Moving on...

We'll be adding the next two verses to Psalm 91 for Memory Monday this week and practicing Psalm 91:1-10. And I need to change it on the sidebar before I forget!

***

And here's some random photos from my camera, just because...

Saw this out the window the other day and it just made me so happy!

This is my Greek study buddy:

And this helps me learn--putting blank charts and such inside sheet protectors so I can write on them with a dry erase marker. It works great for learning maps and multiplication tables too. Anything you need to test again and again without wasting tons of paper. Going to use this for the girls and grammar, I think.

Okay, think that's it for today. Toben's stirring and I'm off for another cup of coffee.

Hope you had a great weekend and happy Monday!

 

O so swirly!

This here's what my friend Marla calls a "swirly" post--this, that, and everything all mixed up together. I've got just a few minutes before I want to head out for my run, so let's see if I can get it all down.

We had a fabulous weekend. My friend Ali and her girls (who just happen to be my girls' best friends in AZ) came to visit. I loved it. There's something about moving and having friends come visit so I know they know where I am and what my home is like. Somehow I need to know they can picture where I am every bit as easily as I can picture where they are.

We drove up to Rocky Mountain National Park for a picnic on Friday, which sounded like such a good idea but then didn't seem so great as we got stuck in traffic for-stinkin'-ever and then in the midst of rain that made it impossible to get out and walk around Bear Lake or see any wildlife beyond ducks and squirrels. 

But.

We had a lovely picnic by Sprague Lake and it only started to pour after we ate and made it to the car. Then we stopped in Estes Park at the Family Fun Center and went down the big slide, drove the bumper cars, and watched Audrey and Madie do the bungee trampoline thing. Caramel apples for the way home for the kids didn't hurt things either!

And by the time we got home, it was POURING rain. I love rain. We piled out of the car and I sent the girlies outside with strict instructions to dance their little hineys off. So they did. Laughed, "swam" in the gutters, splashed, and had a ball. Something tells me it's a memory they'll never forget. Ali and I stood in the garage and laughed our heads off at them. My face hurt from smiling so big.

 

(There are lots more photos of the day and videos of the big girls flying and flipping through the air on Facebook if you're my friend there.)

Ali and I got up and walked together every morning and we talked and talked and talked about so much: living in the moment, motherhood, being the girl I long to be, transformation, decorating, contrast, why we make things harder than they need to be, learning to bend and be flexible, and so so much more. 

From my journal this morning:

"This is the first day of the rest of your life..." Can't remember the next line but woke up with that one lyric in my head over and over. 

What do I want my life to be? What kind of disciple do I want to be? What kind of wife? Mother? Friend? Sister? Daughter?

Will I be her today?

Reminds me of Beth's teaching on "is to come" [The God Who Was, And Is, And Is to Come--from a Living Proof Live weekend with Beth Moore--so good!]--is that I how I live today? Because how I live in the present defines/shapes/determines my "is to come."

O Shepherd, help me live life w purpose and passion!

...I don't want to be a girl who talks a good game but never does what she says.

Spirit, please energize me. Cause me to act according to God's will. Grant me a spirit of cooperation and trust.

It is in you I live and move and have my being. Please make me active! Prompt me and give me courage. For I need you in this. Without you I am simply talk and a step or two before quitting. But with you? I can run and not grow weary. How I long for that!

And yesterday I read this from Jesus Saves (love, love, love this quick devotional and underlined the WHOLE thing yesterday):

"My grace is sufficient for you, but it's sufficiency is for one day at a time... Your job is to recognize your neediness and receive what I offer."

And somehow I ended up in Psalm 40:17, which is what I'm going to memorize for Memory Monday this week:

Yet I am poor and needy;
may the Lord think of me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
O my God, do not delay. (Psalm 40:17)

I've also been reading Hinds' Feet on High Places and its sequel, Mountains of Spices. So wonderful. Hadn't read them in years, but my friend Christy was reading the first one and I decided to reread it so we could talk about it! I am finding so much to learn in their pages. Which is a whole other post since this is getting long.

(They are allegories--stories of following the Shepherd to the High Places and being transformed. And definitely books to read with a pen in hand to underline and make notes in the margin.)

One thing I love is that Much Afraid (who is transformed into Grace and Glory) lives out this verse so beautifully and cries out for the Shepherd without shame. And he comes! Quickly. With joy. Willing to help. With tenderness and care. Delighted to be called upon.

O my Shepherd, I need you so much. You are my help and my deliverer. Come quickly to me and let me live this day relying upon your grace. Help me be present in each moment today. Let me reflect your love to my family, find joy and delight in your presence, speak words that affirm and encourage. Let me not forget that you are near.

 

Alrighty then. Love you loads. Have a great Monday! 

The Lord is near.
 Philippians 4:5

If you only knew...

Toben's Uncle Jim always says that there's a story behind every story. Don't be so quick to jump to conclusions, he'd tell Toben. There's a reason why that person dresses that way, looks that way, did that thing. There's a story behind every story. 

But how often do we rush past, not taking the time to look beyond the cute haircut, the great (or not so great!) outfit, the cute shoes, the well-designed blog to see who is really there.

The truth is, many of us often look like we have it together on the outside. We present ourselves to the world around us as put together, made up, coordinated, and confident. And maybe that's true. Maybe there are people out there who are that together--both outside and inside. I've just not met any of them yet. But for most of us, I'm guessing that it's only partly true. 

Maybe some of it is an effort to control the controllable when other things feel out of control. Maybe some of it is an effort to make ourselves feel better on those days when we don't feel okay, when the truth is simply that a cute outfit or a really good hair day or a new pair of jeans goes a long way to help us overcome sorrow or weariness or heartache or grief. (It may be shallow, but it's true.)

It's not like we want to wear masks. And I don't think that's what we're doing really. I think it's more a matter of learning who is safe, what is private, where the boundary line is drawn when it comes to revealing the nitty gritty of what's going on underneath the outward appearance of things.

That and the fact that there is always--always--more going on under the surface than people can see at first glance.

And ultimately, the details of my struggle--of yours--are on a need to know basis. It's enough to know that struggle is present and that God knows the details and we can pray and love and support without knowing them ourselves. All too often we get caught up in wanting to know the details and the ins and outs of who said what or did what to who rather than just accepting the fact that there's hurt or sorrow or conflict there.

I had coffee with a friend this morning and we talked through some of this. Of the careful process of learning how much to say and to whom. Of the huge importance of looking beyond the surface to really seeing others as more than just an outward package. Of the difficult place when you realize you've said too much and feel exposed and vulnerable and unsafe.

Of course, we need those friends who do know the ins and outs. All the details--the good, the bad, and the really, really ugly--and love us anyway. I guess I'm talking more about casual friends, acquaintances, the people you know, but not really. That's more where this gets worked out, I think. Those relationships based more on perception than actual knowledge.

I'm feeling melancholy today. It's just on my mind, what I'm thinking about today. A reminder to myself that things aren't always as they seem, that the same grace I want others to give me is the grace I need to extend.

Feeling like this is sort of random, not making much sense. But some of blogging is journaling and figuring stuff out as I type. So this is what I've got right now. Wondering how to be more careful about what I say, what I share, and still be real.

How do you navigate this? Where's the balance between being private and being stand-offish?How do you know what to share and what not to share? Thoughts?

Being known

I've been thinking about this verse a bunch lately...about how God knows and understands me so well. Better than I understand myself, even. Which is a blessed relief some days. Because some days I don't understand myself at all. (Can I get an "Amen!"?)

 

My friend and I were so pleased this morning to find our drinks looked like this underneath the little drink sleeve thing-ys:

 

No one asked this morning, "What's your name?" They remembered. 

In fact I wasn't even there when Christy ordered them. So he not only knew her name, but knew I'd be there too. Yes, we're there every Friday and have given our names in the past, but one of us always orders for the other so we only ever give one name each week. 

The thing is, being known feels really, really good.

And if being known at the Starbucks down the street (to the point that the guy knew who got which drink and even spelled our names correctly!) makes us giddy, how much more giddy should we be to know that God knows us?! 

Inside and out. Up and down. Back to front. Sideways and in between. And loves us like crazy in the midst of knowing every single big and little thing there is to know.

Pretty darn giddy. Super-duper giddy, in fact. 

Connecting

I cannot begin to count how many times the word "connecting" has come up in the past week or so!

I blogged last week about the friendship Christy and I share, and then Lisa Whelchel spoke at our church on Mother's Day about friendships for women. Since then, I have heard again and again that women are lonely, longing for friends, wanting connection.

As I spent time with Lisa and talked to women waiting in line to meet her on Mother's Day, I saw so many women with tears in their eyes and heard so many comments about wanting close friendship with other women.

 

(I loved getting to meet her in person. She endorsed Living Simply for me when it came out, but this is the first time I met her face to face. I also had the opportunity to meet her entire family--hi all!)

Toben and I have been talking about it a lot too. Because it's not just women, it's couples who long for connection too. And as we think about twoignite, the marriage ministry at our church, one of the things we've been talking about is how to foster connection. How to encourage couples to connect with each other. Planning events is fun, but I'm starting to think that couples need time just to talk without an agenda in order to connect. So we've planned something fun to provide just that in June--and I'm so excited about it.

And I think women need space to connect too. I love, love women's Bible study--don't get me wrong. But I think women also need time and space to connect where there's no agenda beyond just hanging out and getting to know each other.

I've been thinking a bunch about the Wednesday mornings I used to host back when we lived in San Diego. And missing that time. And as Toben and I have talked, I've decided to start doing something similar again. (Without the knitting. Since I don't have any of my knitting stuff here in Arizona.)

(You can read bits and pieces about those Wednesday mornings with what Toben dubbed "the knittin' yahoos" here and here and here.)

So for any of you I know in person--or who live close enough to meet in person--let's have coffee at The Coffee Shop next door to Joe's Farm Grill in Agritopia on Wednesday, May 26 from 1-2:30 p.m. Just hang out, maybe have a cookie or a piece of pie, and chat. 

If you want more information, check out my Facebook profile page. I posted it as an event there too.

And as for couples connecting, Toben and I have something fun up our sleeve for the summer. But that's a post for another day.

I'll end by saying that Audrey and Emma were super excited to meet Lisa Whelchel too. They've watched lots of The Facts of Life on Hulu and so they were totally ready to meet "Blair" in person.

 

 

Okay, that's it for today. Went a little link-y crazy. Enjoy the rest of your Saturday!

 
 

Intentional friendship

This is my friend Christy. Isn't she beautiful? She makes me smile every time I think about her.

(And yes, I have a tiara on my head made from foil wire stuff and curling ribbon--it was one of the projects for girls at our church's House Party for Grand Opening a few months ago. And I wasn't about to say no to a tiara of any kind! Though I wish I'd taken it off for the picture because I look kind of dorky, but this is the only picture I have of the two of us.)

 

Anyway. 

This is my friend Christy. She is a gift from God, just for me, and I love her dearly. Our friendship is something special, something we are intentional about. This is the friend I meet for coffee every Friday morning at the Starbucks down the street--for at least an hour and a half, and sometimes right up till lunch. 

We drink our lattes (tall nonfat chai for her, tall soy vanilla for me), laugh, cry, pray, and talk about everything under the sun. Somehow our conversations always come full circle and reveal what God is teaching each one of us that week. 

Christy inspires me, encourages me, loves me, prays with me and for me, delights me. And I hope I do the same for her.

Our friendship is something special--because we have been intentional about it. Friendship doesn't just happen. Doesn't grow without some time and effort. We clicked when we first met, but we have chosen to be friends, chosen to make our friendship a priority.

There have been times in my life when I've felt lonely, when I've longed for friends face to face. When I've needed the kind of love and support that comes from a girlfriend. And every time I've found that kind of friendship, it has grown because we've been intentional about it.

Talking on the phone. Meeting for coffee. Doing Bible study. Leading Girl Scouts together. Hanging out in each other's homes. Girl weekends. Taking our afternoon walks together. Meeting for lunch. Girls night in.

Friendship is important. We need each other. We can't just wait for it to happen. We have to make it a priority, give it our time. Too often it feels like we fit friendship in when and where there's room. But I'm not sure that really works. We have to be more intentional for friendship to grow and thrive. It doesn't happen by chance.

What do you and your girlfriends do to make your friendship a priority?

Today's gonna be a good day!

(Why isn't that song on my iPod? Think I need to fix that pronto.)

I did just about everything on the list yesterday. With the exception of dinner (went to P.F. Chang's for happy hour appetizers instead), movie with the girls (read a couple of chapters of our read aloud book for school--Cheaper by the Dozen instead), and the bubble bath (would've fallen asleep and drowned so went to sleep instead).

The girls' rooms are mostly done--I'll take pictures later today when the light is such that you can actually tell what you're looking at. :)

I loved reading your lists! 

I'm off to breakfast in a bit with my Bible study gals, and then racing off to meet Rachel for lunch and shopping or lunch and hanging out by the pool. I'm sorta hoping for the pool and a nice long conversation. (Note to self, pack suit!)

In the little bit before I need to jump in the shower, I'm working on Bible study, which feels never-ending. I suppose that's the nature of it--there's always more to learn, more to discover, more to find in Scripture. That leaves me trying to figure out when to say "that's enough for now." Much easier said than done!

We're going to be talking about contentment for this first week. And confronting our discontentment. Because that's what God told me to teach. Because if we're going to choose to be content, we're going to have to deal with our discontentment. Nice, easy, light topic, huh?

Want to tell me about your discontentment?
 About how you choose contentment in the face of it?

Bible study + sassy shoes = happy Joanne

That was my Twitter update earlier this evening--along with this picture, which is kinda blurry, but you get the idea. I LOVE these shoes. Red gingham and embroidered cherries? And a ruffle? And a super high heel? 

It just doesn't get much better than that. Unless of course you're wearing them to the first night of Bible study, which I was.

 

We started Bible study at church tonight--Priscilla Shirer's He Speaks to Me. I'm so excited to get up and do my first day of homework tomorrow. Even though it's already 10:19 and way past my bedtime!

I love my group already and took lots of notes on the intro video session. I've never heard Priscilla before and I loved her right off the bat. It doesn't hurt that she and Beth Moore are friends--cause I typically love the people my friends love. Priscilla has the loveliest smile, don't you think? It's making me want to get my teeth whitened.

Study finished at 9, but I sat around talking to my new friend Kristin with an "i" (Hi Kristin!) about books and Beth and studying God's Word and passion and so many other things. We could hardly talk fast enough. She's definitely what Anne would call a kindred spirit, I think! 

Okay, I've really got to head toward bed. The kitchen needs cleaning first (hate that when all I want to do is go to bed) and the coffee needs prepping. But even though I'd rather go straight to bed, I'll have an easier time getting up in the morning if the kitchen is clean and the coffee already on. It's the little things that make the morning run smoothly, you know.

So, have you started Bible study this spring/winter (it's hard to tell what it is in Phoenix!)? What are you studying? Inquiring minds want to know (which is really a nice way of saying I'm being nosey!). So do tell!

"Exactly."

I talked to a friend yesterday who's feeling like so many of us. (Thanks for all your comments on Monday's post. Amazing how many of us are feeling the same sorts of things, isn't it? Is it this time of the year, do you think? Have we all had PMS this week? Is it in the water?)

Anyway. The circumstances are somewhat different, but she and I are feeling so many of the same things. We've had our feelings hurt, we're feeling unappreciated and taken for granted. Feeling like we gave something only to have it tossed aside. Left wondering what it means. What to do. Wanting to lash out, lash back. Holding out, holding back. Waiting. Asking. Praying. Questioning.

And in the midst of our conversation, she said, "Exactly." 

What a gift to have someone understand and know. To get it. To accept it.

Exactly.

And in offering hope and encouragement to each other, we both said some things to the other that were exactly what we needed to hear ourselves. The kind of things that you say and then think "I didn't want to hear that!" because it hit a little close to home.

And then something freaky happened. 

A verse popped into my head from nowhere (well, not from nowhere, from God really, but totally out of the blue). So I said, "This verse just popped into my head." And she said, "I don't mean to freak you out, but EXACT THE SAME VERSE popped into my head right before you said that." And then we both got goosebumps.

Stand firm and you will see
 the deliverance the LORD will bring you today...
 The LORD will fight for you,
 you need only to be still.
Exodus 14:13-14

Exactly.

A picture of grace

The UPS man rang my doorbell just now and handed me a box from Antropologie. I was confused, because I hadn't ordered anything. 

Today, this is a picture of grace:

 

An unexpected gift from a darling friend. Out of the blue. Unsought. Beyond my wildest expectations. Undeserved. Given in love at another's expense. Received with joy. With tears. With humility. With thanks.

Grace.

New friend, Crab Cooker, and three separate Anthropologie stops

I love Rachel! That about sums it up.

We had such a blast in our too, too short time together today. The good thing about not having enough time is that we can't wait to do it again!

We met at Fashion Island up in OC and wandered through Anthropologie before heading over to Newport for lunch at The Crab Cooker. 

She's exactly what I expected--but shorter. That's okay, though, since she told me I'm much taller than she expected. :) And her little Kensington? Well, let's just say I was pretty tempted to tuck her into my car when it was time to say goodbye. 

Look, Rachel! You made the last picture as we were driving out!

We stopped at Irvine Spectrum to look for swimsuits for Audrey, who can't find one to fit to save her little life. Hello, Anthropologie #2. No swimsuit luck.

Then we stopped at the Forum Shops in Encinitas and found a suit for Audrey--finally. And on super-duper clearance at Tilly's. And since there was another Anthropologie, we went for it.

The amazing thing? I didn't buy anything at any of them!

I did love to see how each store did their windows differently with maps and travel stuff. I'm loving their current window/store theme thing. And I'm desperate to make a giant bird out of book pages. Maybe that's what we should craft next time we get together, Rachel. Whaddya think?

IRL

One of the joys of blogging is getting to meet bloggy friends in real life. I have a whole passel of friends who are face to face friends as a result of this wonderful world of blog.

Today, I'm off to Fashion Island in Orange County to meet Rachel and her darling little girl who reminds me so much of Audrey at that age. I cannot wait.

So I'd better make sure the camera's in my bag and go get ready.

Next trip out to San Diego, I'm going to meet Antracia. 

Two Ignite "2Play" pool party!

We hosted our pool party on Sunday night and had a blast. The chicken tacos were a hit, and since I over prepared and got ready way to early (it's a sickness...I just can't help it!), I was able to sit and visit with everyone rather than run around like a crazy person. My only task was to whip up another batch of sangria mid-party.

Of course, after I looked at the pictures, I realized that I should have taken more. No picture of the line of food, no pictures of the people who came (though we did takes some video for the Two Ignite ministry site if they want to use it).

(I feel funny about putting pictures of people up on my blog sometimes. I ask first and so in a party situation where I don't know everyone, I just don't. Those of you who blog, how do you handle it?)

Anyway, the deal is that we didn't know everyone who was coming. The church posted a bunch of different "2Play" opportunities (the theme for the month for the Two Ignite marriage ministry) for people to get together and have fun and couples could sign up for whatever they wanted. Everything from wine tasting to motorcycle trips to skydiving to bowling to cards. No excuse not to get involved!

It was a great way to meet some new people--some who even live in our neighborhood. We had all ages, all stages, and it was fun to see people connecting left and right. And it'll be fun to run into people at church and know who they are!

We hosted the party at the clubhouse in our neighborhood, reserving the Queen Palm Patio and its gazebo for the evening. There are small tables all around it, a circular bar in the middle, and fairy lights for when the sun went down. So lovely with candlelight flickering too!

And look! There are mountains here. Little ones, but mountains all the same.

I can't wait to do it again. When it's cooler. With hot cider and cocoa. And a sweater. Someday...

Dear Beth Moore and all my Siestas...

Can you believe San Antonio and the Siesta Fiesta was one year ago this weekend? Wow, has this year flown by!

Missing you all...

Joanne

Can we play?

It became pretty clear pretty quickly that to fit in with most of the staff at church, we need to learn to play Settlers of Catan. As Toben would say, it's what all the cool kids are playing.

I first played when I went to Seattle for Sarah's wedding. I had no idea what I was doing, but there were enough people around the table and the company was so terrific that I didn't really care that I lost. Badly.

So we invited our friends CJ and Renee and Mike and Patty for dinner last night. (And everyone actually showed up--no crossed wires this week!) CJ and Renee brought their friends JT and Ashley along--they are in the process of moving to Phoenix. And they brought along their baby girl, Azzi, who's only six weeks old. So sweet!

(Toben told me it makes him want another one while we were doing dishes after everyone went home. WHAT?! Don't think that's gonna happen.)

We figured out how to seat 10 people by putting our tables together. It was tight, but it worked great. We could have put the girls in the kitchen at a kids' table, but they wanted to be part of the evening, and who can blame them?

We ate, laughed, drank a gallon of iced tea, polished off a loaf of bread that had just come out of the oven, and had napoleons for dessert. (Recipes and such coming soon!)

Then we gathered around the coffee table to play.

(I have to stop and say that it was Toben's idea for them to bring the game and teach us. My husband who HATES to play games. No cards, no board games, no video games. I was astounded and this proves that even after 18 years of marriage, your spouse can totally surprise you. So keep the hope alive!)

CJ taught us how to play, and then undermined every decision we made. "Are you sure you really want to do that?" See that fiendish look in his eye? He didn't really want to help; he wanted to WIN. (Which he didn't. Shout out to Ashley who won for the first time! We decided we need some sort of a trophy to pass around; I'll have to think about that.)

Poor Mike. He's allergic to cats and forgot to take allergy medicine (oops!) and had to sit next to CJ who yelled at him through the whole game: "Just build something!" And he would have, but kept rolling sevens and losing half his cards.

 

It was so much fun. Something tells me this night will be repeated a lot in the next year. Are you a "Settler"? Is there even a name for people who play this game? Seems like there must be because the people who play, really PLAY. Like all the time.

It was a late night (for us, anyway). But it was worth it to stay up and finish cleaning up the kitchen so I could wake up to order this morning. The girls stayed up late too, so we'll have having our first "one-hour delay" for school today. 

***

Thanks, by the way, for all the homeschool info, encouragement, and wisdom. I'm still way behind on my email--I'll catch up over the weekend.

Our first company!

We were supposed to spend the beginning of July in Pennsylvania for a family reunion, and on the way stay with my friend Marla. But then we moved to Phoenix instead. No family reunion and no meeting Marla face to face. 

But then her family decided to take another zoo trip--one that included both Denver and Phoenix. We missed the Denver dates by a week, but they came through Phoenix this past weekend.

Marla and I have emailed back and forth for years, skyped, and talked on the phone. So meeting each other in person--along with our families--felt totally normal. Toben and Gabe have talked on the phone together, and our girls have even emailed back and forth and skyped a couple of times.

I had to keep reminding myself that this was the first time we'd been face to face because it feels like we've known each other forever!

Our girlies became instant friends and were only too glad to pile together for a slumber party on the floor. 

(Hey! Where's Olivia?)

Gabe and Marla took my girls to the zoo with them on Monday morning--I couldn't believe I couldn't go! (I had to get my picture taken with Toben for his job--the ONE appointment I've had in the past three weeks!)

The zoo was a hit, but I think they need to come visit again so I can go too--and when it's not 110 degrees. After the zoo, we headed over to the pool and the girls swam while Marla and I sat in the water up to our necks talking about this, that, and everything in between.

And while Nina took a nap, we were sure it was hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk...

...but not quite. It just sorta dried up and got gross. (I remember doing it--and it working--when I was a kid one summer in Memphis. I think we'll have to keep trying.)

Anyway, we had a great time. And if you were one of the lucky people to host them on one of their zoo trips (they've visited 52 in the past year--you can read all about it here), you know what I mean.

Gabe, Marla, Olivia, Ava, and Nina--we love you all and can't wait to do it again!

Indulge

Last night I went out with Kristin and Yvette--they're the gals with whom I have secret club meetings (staying in our pajamas and watching movies all day while our kids are at school).

We went to Indulge--and if you live in south Denver, you might want to make a reservation soon.

We sat outside on the patio--they have couches and fire pits out there--and watched the sun set over the mountains, drank a glass of wine, ate some yummy food, and chatted. For four hours!

Yum.

While things like chocolate-orange fondue and Brie with a balsamic reduction may be an indulgence, friendship is not. It's a necessity, a staple of life.

I am blessed to have such great friends and have been thinking about that as I've been saying goodbye (or "See you soon!") to many of them. Making time to be a friend and to have friends is a necessary part of life.

As busy women, I think sometimes that we think we don't have time to have friends. To get together, to hang out with our girlfriends.

But having friends with whom to share life doesn't take away from my family, instead it enriches it. My friends challenge me to grow and change, to be authentic and honest, to be a better mother, a better wife, a better person.

So go make some time for your friends today. Send a note in the mail, make a phone call, meet for coffee, or at the park, or for dinner. Call someone who may not be a friend--yet--and invite her to come over for a cup of tea.

And thanks, gals, for a great time last night. I love you both!

Swirly Saturday

My friend Marla does a thing called "Swirly Saturday" each week and I'm going to copy her, because that's how I'm feeling and I think I've already used every blog title that I can think of with the word "random" in it.

(If you don't know Marla, go visit her. She has the most amazing-looking blog--just love her design, it's so very her. And she's an amazing author, and well, while we're at it, let's give away some of her books. I have two to give away--Is That All He Thinks About? and Expecting. So leave a comment telling me which one you'd like and I'll do a drawing when the comments fizzle out sometime next week. So, for that, leave a comment with your name and the book title you want. And if you're tricky, you can leave one for each, but they have to be two separate comments or it gets confusing to choose them and make it fair. And if any of that made sense, well, you've had more coffee than I have so far this morning.)

Okay, long paragraph and in parentheses too. On with what's swirling around in my head.

~It's snowing. Total blizzard yesterday and still snowing this morning. Think Narnia, is what I told twitter yesterday. See?

Wet and heavy and so soft. And giving us the moisture we need. Don't you just love that blue light from about 6 o'clock this morning? Lovely, lovely, lovely.

As I was having my quiet time, I was thinking about the fact that God makes each flake so small and different and perfect. And that no one ever sees most of them to appreciate them. Snow is moisture, something totally functional that MELTS! And yet he takes the time and care and creativity to make each one beautiful, each one a work of art.

Makes me want to be excellent in even little things and tiny details that no one will ever see or know about. Just because. 

~Toben got home safely last night. He's been in Branson and I wasn't sure he'd make it home given the weather. When he called to say he'd landed at DIA, I told him to be sure to get something to eat. Sure enough, it took way more than an hour to drive home.

~I'm going to the movies with a couple of friends this morning. So excited. We've cut back hugely around here--down to gas and groceries and paying bills and tuition--so this feels like a big treat. I love going to the movies--especially during the day. Feels so decadent to come out to daylight rather than dark. (And let's get real, it's been YEARS since I've been to a movie at night, cause who can stay awake? Not me!)

~Lisa has some great Simplify Me stuff over on her blog. So I'm going to let her have the floor this weekend. Go check it out.

~I'm working away on this retreat--and will do a drawing sometime this weekend from all your comments. Thank you again for all your help. Would you pray that I be bold? That God would speak through me? That I would step out of the way and let him take over? I'm going with the "prepare like crazy and then let the Spirit lead" method of getting ready! 

From all your comments, I really want these women to be blessed and encouraged, but also challenged to go deeper in their relationship with God!

~School has been incredible lately. I'm learning so much and am working hard on a couple of big papers. Like I've said, I want to share it all with you, but need to figure out how (and when!) One topic I've been challenged by has been worship. I'm still sorting it all out in my head (and on paper for a paper!) and it's really making me see some things differently and in a new light. Good stuff.

~Okay, I really need to wrap this up. Go do something fun! And may God bless you--because you bless me like crazy!

Quick encouragement

I know that this makes three posts in less than twelve hours, but I just had to share this with you this morning.

I've been in Psalm 131 this week during my quiet time. It's a short one--just three verses. Seems like not very much to spend seven days on, huh? But yesterday I spent some time looking up the meanings of the original Hebrew for verse three, which says this:

O Israel, put your hope in the LORD

both now and forever more.

Here's what I learned.

The word for "hope" is actually a verb. It means "to hope, to wait, to expect. To tarry, to wait for." The lexicon added this "to remain, to delay."

"Now and forever more" is a combination of a conjunction and a noun. The first part means "as far as, even to, until, up to, while." The second part is this: "long duration, forever, everlasting, evermore, indefinite or unending future, eternity." The lexicon added this: "the beginning or end of which is either uncertain or else not defined."

So with all that in mind, here's the encouragement I have for you today--based strictly upon God's Word.

"O [insert your name here], put your hope in the LORD
both now and forever more."

Wait for him, even when there's no end in sight, when it seems like all hope is lost. When all else is uncertain and unsure, wait for God with the expectation that he will arrive. When all around you is moving forward or in another direction without clear leading from God, wait and be still. Tarry a little longer, delay whatever plans you have made. Wait for him, trust him to keep his word. He has promised to come and he is worth waiting for.

Just look at the very last verses of Scripture found in Revelation 22:20-21:

"He who testifies to these things says, 'Yes, I am coming soon.'
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen."

May God bless you abundantly today, my friends. I love you dearly!

Gifts for girlfriends

Now that Christmas is past and all the gifts have been mailed and opened, I can share what I made for some girlfriends for Christmas. A girl can’t have too many little zippy purses in my opinion (ipod, tissues, lipsticks, giftcards—the possibilities are endless!)  and a monogram makes it even better. Plus, most of these are lined with vintage hankies that have been sitting in a drawer for a year or two waiting for inspiration to strike.

Of course, I think of someone new I should have made one for just about every single day...so I may be making them again next year! And, really, I wish I had the time, money, and steel fingers required to make one for every single one of you!

Sweet friend

Emma walked in the door the other day after school with a present for me all wrapped up in calico. My sweet friend Yvette sent it to school with one of her daughters and home with one of mine.

Just look what was inside:

Look! Recipes! and excerpts! and illustrations!

So, naturally, I made apple pies yesterday. Turnovers for a meal for a family at school and a pie for us. There was one extra turnover and I wanted to make sure it tasted okay, so this was lunch yesterday:

The girls and I had apple pie for snack yesterday after school, for dessert last night after dinner, and again for breakfast this morning.

I love autumn.

"You haven't made much progress..."

That's what Toben said when he brought the girls home from school this afternoon and found Janna and me sitting in the same spot we were in when he left hours and hours earlier.

Janna and Anne and Jack came for the day, arriving just after 10. We got comfy on the couch and did stay there pretty much the whole day through, getting up to eat lunch and put Anne down for a nap, and then getting right back to our comfy spots.

We listened to music, talked about books, shared what God's been teaching us in our quiet times, discussed worship and revival, chatted about parenting and our kids, exchanged birthday presents (finally--just about a month after our birthdays!), and had a delightful time.

True, we didn't make progress on any projects, but that's okay. We've been known to have marathon crafting days in which we crank out tote bags filled with gifts and goodies for nine people--plus have lunch and sort of watch a movie. Which we both think is pretty fun. But this was a nice change too.

Here's my birthday booty from Janna:

A handmade sleeve for my tall vanilla soy lattes, a little pouch for my coffee money, and a great vintage birthday card. Plus there was a bracelet hiding in the pouch--one just like hers that I've admired. Pretty neat, huh? Thank you, friend!

Today was a good day

Do you ever have those days that are just good? I had one today and I'm just praising God for it. I'm in my jammies, snug in bed. Daisy's stretched out next to me, snoring her little soft head off; Toben's happy as a clam watching basketball; and the girls are getting in and out of the bathtub.

I got up this morning and spackled with my new wrinkle cream. I followed the directions, but decided that if a little was good, more would be better. So I applied three layers--letting it dry/soak in/whatever it does between each one. (See, I know something about spackle and paint--and since three is the number of the Trinity I figured I should go with it.)

I got all ready to go and realized I'd really wanted to paint my fingernails. Since I had a good drive ahead of me, I went ahead and got in the car, fastened my seatbelt, started the engine, and painted my fingernails, resting my hands and balancing the polish bottle on the console in between my front seats. That way the paint could dry while I drove and I wouldn't mess it up with the seatbelt buckle or my keys. Smart, huh?!

I may have mentioned it before, but I love the "Greatest Hymns" CD by Selah. I dialed it in to my ipod (before I painted my nails) and sang the whole way down the road. One of the reasons I love it is that my church doesn't sing enough hymns in my opinion. So I have to sing them on my own. The other reason I love that CD is that I can really sing with it. Do you have songs you love, but for whatever reason you just can't sing along--the key is too high or too low and it just makes you sound weird? Well, I can sing along perfect well with this CD. Not well, but without sounding too weird and off-key.

By the way, one of the hymns on the CD is "It Is Well With My Soul"--a really great hymn for Easter, I think. When I got to the part of "that glorious thought that my sin, not in part but the whole, has been nailed to the Cross and I bear it no more--Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul" I couldn't get the words out. I was just completely overwhelmed and sobbed. How incredible to be loved so much. I can hardly fathom it. But Jesus does love me like that--and he loves you like that too.

(Luckily by that point my nails were dry enough to rummage around for a tissue to wipe my eyes before my mascara ran. I really didn't want to get up and speak looking like a raccoon.)

If it's been a while since you've heard that hymn, go listen to it--especially since tomorrow is Good Friday. You'll be glad you did.

Anyway, it was such a gorgeous day and driving south on I-25 you come around a curve and come face to face with the whole of the Front Range. That's one thing I miss about living in the Springs. The mountains aren't off in the distance, but right there. Like this--ignore the light post, I took it out the window while going through an intersection.

That blue, by the way, is called Colorado blue. If you've ever been here or lived here you know just what I mean.

So, I got to the church this morning and found my friend Kelly. I would have recognized her anywhere. She introduced me to two of her daughters and I realized that it's been 13 years since I'd seen her--because her 13-year-old was a baby the last time I saw her!

I had such a sense of deja-vu that I had to reach up and touch my hair to make sure it wasn't in the horribly tight curls of the awful perm I had when I first met Kelly that summer before ninth grade. It really is good to get older!

(That funny mark, by the way, is where I burned my forehead on Monday while I was curling my hair with my new curling iron. It's been years since I've used one and I had a little mishap. It sizzled when it touched my skin. Youch! It didn't look too bad on Monday, but it's looking a little bit worse as each day goes on...)

Her MOPS group was just wonderful--such lovely women. I feel like I had a chance to talk to almost everyone. It was fun to participate in the discussion and to hang out with everyone while we made the craft. (Which, by the way, is the coolest thing. Trish, their craft mom, is super creative and had the cutest idea for today. I will tell you about it, but not yet because I'm going to totally copy it as an Easter gift and I don't want to give away the surprise! So maybe on Monday.)

Anyway, Kelly and I were able to visit and I'm looking forward to more time together soon!

When I left church I met Holly for lunch at La Baguette--the all-time best French bakery ever. Their French onion soup is perfect. Really. I've had French onion soup in France and La Baguette's is better. We talked and laughed and shared and before I knew it it was time to go home...

...because Audrey and Emma got out of school early today--spring break has begun! The alarm is turned off--for the next ten days--and I may not get dressed tomorrow. We'll have to see how desperate I am to get to the fabric store.

The day just kept getting better. Angie stopped by tonight to drop off a CD for me from when I spoke at her church (and when I popped it in my computer I saw that I talked for 55 minutes--waaaaay over my time allotment--sorry!) and to pick up a copy of Living Simply. She's going to be doing a giveaway on her blog sometime soon--so go check it out.

She had her sweet little girls with her and so our girls got to run around the front yard together for a while. Her Emma and my Emma were delighted to share a name! They compared spellings and thought it was amazing that they both spelled Emma the same way. So cute.

We headed to Buca di Beppo for dinner to celebrate the beginning of Spring Break and to eat too much. We always have the same thing when we go there: caesar salad, fried mozzerella, baked ravioli, and pizza margharita. (Somehow I think I spelled that wrong.) Eating there always makes me miss California. We had one just down the road and ate there often with a bunch of other families. So Carter family and Corsi family--we're missing you and wished you were there to have dinner with us tonight!

Well, I think this post is quite long enough. And if you've persevered this far, well, I'm impressed. Thanks for letting me ramble on. I hope you had a good day too!

FTF BFFs

This has been a good week for making blog friends FTF (face to face) friends too. Yesterday, Teri came to my open house (which was perfectly lovely, if I do say so myself--smaller than I'd anticipated but I just told God that I'd cleaned house and made food; he'd have to do the rest of bringing people and orchestrating conversations) and it was such a delight to meet her face to face. Another Colorado blogger! Holly came so they got to meet face to face too.

And in the midst of talking and introducing everyone, it was just so amazing to see what a small world it is when God is involved. We're all family in him--and it's such a small, tight-knit kind of big family. I just love it!

(And before you ask, I totally forgot to take pictures though I did set the camera out in hopes that I'd remember!)

Then today I met Trish, Holly, and Meredith in Castle Rock for the day. We met this morning at Trish's hotel (she's from Arkansas) and immediately exchanged big hugs and started talking--and kept right on talking through coffee at a little coffee shop and then lunch at Black-Eyed Pea (mmm...fried okra!).

I've spent time with Holly and Meredith before, but none of us had met Trish in real life yet--though we've all "talked" a bunch. As Trish said, it's just so fun to meet women who are exactly who they say they are on their blogs and whom you love even more in real life than you do on...well...whatever it is the internet really is. (I just don't understand how it all works, but I'm very thankful it does!)

And Trish blessed us all--including our daughters--with lovely crocheted twirly scarves. Warm and soft and fun and happy. Don't you just love presents? Especially hand-made ones?

(And, yep, I left my camera in the car. I'll "borrow" a photo from one of the other gals and insert it when I get it!)

(Here we are: Holly, Trish, Meredith, and me--thanks for the picture, Meredith!)

By the way, Susan, everyone loves my necklace and wants you to put a link to where you got it. Trish wants to know, as does my regular check-out girl at the fabric store. Plus my friend Lisa who's getting ready to go to Israel.

On a last note, tomorrow is my retreat day for this month. I'd planned to go use the prayer room that DOES exist at my church. But Toben's going to be gone much of the day and I'm feeling worn down and tired. (I haven't slept well in more than a week--taking forever to fall asleep and when I do, sleeping for only an hour or so and then waking up for a while. Then repeating. Not good.) And, as much as I hate to admit it--like I might be fighting off something chesty and throaty. So I may just spend my retreat day in my bed, drinking tea and orange juice. I NEED some rest.

Wish ALL of you could have come with us today. I think you'd have had as much fun as we did--though we would have needed a much bigger coffee shop...

If I could...

...I would sit down and write each of you who comment a long letter on pretty stationery with my favorite fountain pen. I love hearing from you and learning about your lives. I appreciate your prayers and am humbled by them. Thank you.

Please know that I read each comment--usually more than once. That I look forward to them and cherish them. That I lift you up in prayer and visit your blogs (if you've got one).

So while I don't have time to respond to each and every one, please keep them coming!

One last vacation thing...

On Saturday night, our friends John and Stacey had an incredible dinner party and we got to meet so many of their friends. Toben and John have been working together a ton on a book that John is writing, and Toben usually has dinner at their house on Wednesday nights when he's in Phoenix.

Among the friends I got to meet was my blogging friend, Linda. Linda and I have emailed back and forth and commented on each other's blogs quite a bit. It was so fun to meet her in person! Yet another blog friend I've now met face to face. See? Think it won't happen? It will. It's just a matter of time.

Anyway, Linda has the most amazing craft room ever--I have total craft room envy. Go check her blog to see the pictures.

Next time I'm in Phoenix, we're going to go shopping together and she can teach me how to thrift. She gets amazing things--and the best I can find is sewing patterns. I think I must be doing something wrong. As I told her, "Teach me!" (You can see the amazing apothecary jar she got recently for only $12. Yes, $12!)

I also had another small world experience. Before we left, I got an email from Stephanie, who lives in Denver but moved here from Phoenix. Turns out she's friends with Stacey. And Angie, another blogger I sat with at dinner on Saturday. Hey Stephanie, Angie says hi!

Thank yous and comments and such

Oh, you all are such a blessing to me. Knowing you were praying made all the difference today--I felt so encouraged and excited and comfortable. Thank you a million.

Traffic was fine, it didn't snow, and I had such a good time meeting some wonderful women and sharing with them this morning at Angie's MOPS group. I started talking, and the next time I looked at the clock I realized that I'd been talking for well over 45 minutes and needed to wrap it up--quickly!

The past four or five days have just been crazy. Not bad, but so very full. Most of it is seasonal stuff--Girl Scout cookies to be delivered, parties at school--or last-minute random things, but even after a great night of sleep last night I'm still tired and ready for our trip to Phoenix tomorrow. I'm going to float around the lazy river, lay by the pool, and enjoy not being cold!

My email box is full again--though I really did have it all cleaned out last week some time--and I keep thinking I'm going to have time to respond to each one of the sweet comments ya'll have left. But I don't think it's going to happen before we leave--there's still laundry and packing and housecleaning to be done before taking Daisy and Joey to the kennel and heading to school for Valentine parties and getting the girls.

So, thank you for your kind words, your prayers, your friendship. I cherish your comments and love hearing from you. I know I say this a lot, but I really do love you all and am blessed beyond words to "know" you!

Time for a little open house...

You may sew or crochet or embroider or knit.
You may patch, darn, or mend—or just chatter and sit.
You may sew a fine seam or make a dress fit.
Whatever you do, please come and do it.

Wednesday, February 27
8:30-11:30 a.m.

If you would like to learn to knit, you will need to bring:
Size 15 straight knitting needles
1 skein of Wool-Ease Thick & Quick Yarn

Wanna come?

I think you're great!

Do you know how much I love you all? I'm so blessed to "know" you and I appreciate you so much. I love getting comments from you, hearing about your lives, reading your blogs (if you have one), and I just can't wait to meet you someday.

Thank you so much for praying for me yesterday. While I didn't sleep very well on Monday night, I was up on time on Tuesday, had a great quiet time, and was dressed and made up and everything by the time I woke the girls up. (I bought a great new dress to wear--waaaaaay marked down at Anthropologie--and thought about putting on compassion and kindness and love and all that with it. Things that just go with any outfit, don't you think?) We ate breakfast together and read some more of The Boxcar Children mystery we're reading at breakfast each day. We got out the door and to school happy and looking forward to the day.

I popped in a Beth Moore CD that Holly gave me for Christmas (Wisdom for Women) and hit the road to drive up to Arvada. I figured that if I listened to Beth, my mind would be occupied and I wouldn't be nervous. And I'd learn something!

I hummed along for about 10 miles and then traffic screeched to a halt. The road was a sheet of ice and I traveled the rest of the way going 10-15 miles an hour. Strangely, I wasn't worried. I'd planned to arrive early--by 8:45--and have an hour to visit and get ready before I was supposed to speak at 9:45. Let me just say, it's totally unlike me not to freak out at a delay like this. But I couldn't do anything about it, had a number to call if the time got too tight, and just kept on listening to Beth preach it.

I rolled into the church parking lot at about 9:20...just as the CD ended. I guess God really wanted me to hear what he had to say about wisdom. (If you've not heard this CD set from a Living Proof Live weekend she did, go get it. I'm through the second CD now and can't wait to hear the last one!)

Anyway, I rushed into the restroom--drank way too much coffee to sit on an icy road for that long--noticed my dress wasn't zipped up (not sure how I forgot that), zipped it up, sprayed myself with some Static Guard, and got up to speak.

It meant so much to me to know that ya'll were praying.

So I started by praying too--for God to calm my anxious heart and help me--and he did! I ended up talking for almost an hour and I think it went pretty well. I'm definitely more comfortable communicating on paper than in person, so while I'm not scared of public speaking, it's not as comfortable as writing for me. But I've prayed long and hard that if God wants me to do this, he'll have to do it. I haven't pursued speaking at all, but have let opportunities come to me. I figure any request is a door he's opened.

Because I'm more comfortable writing, I'm pretty attached to my notes--and I'd love to be able to fly by the seat of my pants a little more. When I write, I feel like I'm just having a conversation with you. But talking to a group doesn't feel as much like conversation to me. Maybe I need to walk around more and ask people to talk back!

I loved meeting Erin and Charlotte (the MOPS coordinators) and they even invited me to come scrapbooking with them--the one craft I just can't seem to get the hang of! I got to talk with some other moms too and see some darling little kids that make me miss that season of life. Especially having a stroller to cart your stuff around in. I tell you what, I think someone could make some money selling "strollers for stuff" for moms whose kids have outgrown the need for one. I could definitely use one!

I knew a couple of the moms who go to this church's MOPS group, and I got to have lunch with Amy afterward. She lives in my exact same house--but all the way on the other side of town. It was so fun to see how our homes are similar and different and to see how she's arranged all of her furniture. We had fun!

I also got to swing by my friend Janna's house and meet little Jack, her new baby. Oh, I love holding babies who are just a few days old. He was all swaddled up in a flannel cowboy blanket and just as sweet as could be. Oh, time flies...

All that to say, thanks again for praying. I just love you to pieces! Know that I pray for you too--for God to bless you right back for blessing me.

I *heart* mail

My email in box is FULL. My goal is to sit down tomorrow and respond to the email I've received the past few days. From friends, new blog readers and commenters, people who've read Living Simply and sent me the nicest letters. I love hearing from you and will get back to you soon--promise!

My real mailbox has been full too. Yesterday was a particularly great mail day. Fun stuff for me (bills go straight to Toben!). A lovely note from Shonda thanking me for the Beth Moore Bible study cover she won (she's going to be doing Stepping Up next too!), this notebook cover from Lisa, which I'm excited to use for my menu plans and grocery lists:

this necklace from Susan, which combines a menorah, the Star of David, and the icthus (I think that's how you spell it) fish, and a sheet explaining the symbol:

and this order from ReproDepot of Alexander Henry fabrics:

Thank you--real notes coming in the real mail soon!

Back from Fall Fest

Oh, what a wonderful weekend it was! Thank you, Janna, for such a fun and relaxing time. It was great to spend time together and to make some new friends in such beautiful surroundings.

The drive up along Highway 40 and over Berthaud (sp?) Pass:

Gift bags waiting for everyone:

Delicious food that got better and better with each meal (thank you, Joy!):

Crafty projects on Saturday (tutorial coming tomorrow!):

The slow and snowy drive home Sunday afternoon:

Kristen was there too and took more than 500 pictures of the weekend. So I'll have to see what I can add once I see hers...

***

This afternoon I talked to my friend Terri in San Deigo who has left her home because of the fires there. Keep all those people in your prayers please!

More, please

Oh, it was such a fun day. Meredith is thoughtful and genuine and I'm so glad to have her as a new face-to-face friend. Holly is just brimming over with laughter and smiles. I was incredibly blessed to have the two of them at my table.

We talked and laughed and worked on a few projects and they left me wishing they could have stayed for hours and hours longer. As much as I hate it when time together with friends come to an end, I love that feeling of wanting more. (Holly, I know EXACTLY what you meant!)

We ate chicken salad (in honor of Anne and Diana, who said, "Wouldn't it be lovely to live at a hotel and eat chicken salad every day?") and sat at the table long past being finished.

And I had so much fun putting "Happy Fall" baskets together for them. I baked bread this morning, and had some peach butter I'd made this summer in the pantry. The last of the zucchini from my garden, autumn tea towels, pretty autumn napkins, and fabric pumpkins. (The pumpkins are such a fun project; I'll share directions over the weekend.)

I've realized how much I've missed having women over and providing space and time for them to sit and visit and be refreshed. I know I've said it before, but I really need to find a way to make this kind of thing a more regular occurance. That autumn tea party is still rolling around in my head...

New friends!

I've said it before--and I'll say it again: Making virtual friends is the best! And it's especially fun when you get to meet these friends face to face.

Last weekend, Holly came up for the Sweet William Market on Saturday. It was so wonderful to meet in person and to carry on the friendship we started via email, blogs, and talking on the phone. We've already planned what we want to do next when the kids all go back to school.

Today, Janine and her girls came over for lunch and to play. They live in Chicago and we've emailed back and forth for the past few months. Turns out they vacation in Colorado every year and are staying at a hotel just across the street before heading up to the mountains this weekend.

It was fun for Janine and I to get to know each other better--and fun to see the girls all become instant friends too. I'm thinking they may have to become swap buddies and pen pals. The girls want to see each other again before they leave, so they may come to the Paris Street Market on Saturday with us.

(And Kimberly and her family might be there too--another virtual friend who's now a friend I know in person too!)

Girl time

Emily drove up yesterday afternoon and we spent some time at the pool, then Michelle drove up and we all went to Mimi's for dinner. Emily, Michelle, and I (and Jen and Sarah) all used to take ballet (well, Jen took tap) on Tuesday nights for a while years ago. When class was over at 9, we'd head to the Mimi's down the street for bacon and eggs. It was fun to have weekly girl time scheduled--and saved my sanity during the oh-my-goodness-I-have-two-little-kids-who-need-me-ALL-the-time phase of motherhood.

After dinner we ate the blackberry pie Emily made and brought, and then worked on Josh and Sarah's quilt while watching High School Musical. Emily and Dave don't have kids, so she's just not up on the Disney channel thing. But she was a great sport and listened to us sing along (yes, even Toben, who also loves HSM and knows every word to every song!).

We're off to the Paris Street Market here in an hour or so, then to Denver Fabrics. I'm hoping to find: some old drawers to line and put on wheels to go under Emma's bed; a French laundry basket for under $50 (probably NOT going to happen!); some sort of chest, cupboard, hutch--something, anything--for Emma's room to store all the little, little stuff she loves to collect.

Emma's normally a pretty neat kid--she loves to help me cook and clean and is a pro at folding laundry and sorting socks--but her room has been out of control and we desperately need some help. I'm fine with her having some of these things that she loves, but I'm tired of them being all over the floor. We've discovered that pretty boxes don't work for her--things go in the boxes, the lid goes on, and she never plays with them because she can't see them. So maybe a cupboard with open baskets or boxes to sort her treasures. Mmm...I'll let you know what I find.

Sleepover!

My friend Emily is in Denver taking a three-day class at DU, and Toben's in Mexico for the week, so Emily is staying with the girls and me each night for sleepovers. It makes me think of being a kid!

After dinner last night we ran to the fabric store ("I think I have to make a skirt!" says Emily) and came home to sew, sew, sew. Emily set up her machine and worked on her skirt while I worked on my half of the quilt we're making for Josh and Sarah's (belated!) wedding gift. It was fun to have someone to chat with while we worked until late last night.

Emily's skirt turned out so cute--she's wearing it today--and the quilt top is almost pieced and ready for borders. Photos coming...

Bye Terri

I just got home from taking Terri to the airport; it was hard to say goodbye. But Audrey and I are headed to San Diego next month so I can do a radio show; we'll stay with Terri and her family for a couple of days and see other friends and family too--something fun to look forward to.

So, hmmm...what have we been up to since I blogged last?

Thursday

I went to pray at school in the morning, came home to clean bathrooms and mop floors, and went to Daisies at school. Toben picked Terri up at the airport and brought her straight to school. All the girls met her and yelled, "Happy Birthday!" Audrey showed her around school while we finished up our Daisy meeting; Emma showed Terri her class while I talked to some Scout moms about bridging on Saturday.

We had a birthday dinner of chicken tacos (thanks, Marla, for passing on the chicken/salsa in the crockpot recipe--it's soooo yummy!) and I gave Terri her present.

A totally Terri tote and zippy purse to match. All the fabric in my stash is more me than her, so I was thrilled to find this fabric that is perfect for her. I was planning to do a basic tote, but then saw these bamboo handles and fell in love with them. I made up the simple pattern based on a Trader Joe's tote my mom brought me from her last trip to CA.

Friday

We got up and went on a walk. It was fun to show her the paths I walk almost every day. I'm sure the neighbors were all happy to see me talking to someone they could see, rather than me talking and singing all by myself like usual!

We ate yummy bran muffins for breakfast, got cleaned up, and headed to Vail for lunch. The weather was gorgeous, the food at Sweet Basil awesome as usual, we sat outside and drank coffee, we looked at flowers, and talked and talked and talked.

We got home and had dinner with my whole family (Toben and the girls; Mom and Dad; Wade and Kristen and the kids) at our favorite pizza place.

Saturday

We got up and went for another walk, stopping to look at playhouses and garden borders and poppies and such. When we got home we baked more muffins and sat outside for a couple of hours, drinking coffee and talking while the girls played.

We wandered through Hobby Lobby (she's hooked--and wants them to go to Southern California too!) and picked up the cake for our Girl Scout Bridging Ceremony. We were kind of disappointed with the bakery's decorating job (they only put on the certificiate--and crooked at that--and the light green frosting), so we came home and embellished it! Terri was full of great ideas to make it better and it turned out so cute.

We did a family picnic for the ceremony, and it was great to see our Scout families hang out together and have fun. Mom and Dad came to see Audrey and Emma bridge, and so did Wade and Kristen and the kids. The sky got gray and dark, it rained a couple of drops, but we prayed for God to hold off the rain and he did! Hooray!

Today

Got up and made more muffins for breakfast, headed to church, and came home for Sunday dinner (roast and gravy, oven roasted new potatoes, squash and zucchini, Joanne carrots, grilled artichokes, lemon pound cake). Mom and Dad joined us and we ate and ate and talked and talked. Such a great afternoon.

***

So that's the weekend in a nutshell. Terri said to her husband on the phone that she was here just being part of the family, and that's exactly what it felt like. I'm so glad you came, Terri! Thank you!

Terri

Tomorrow is my friend Terri's birthday...and she's coming to visit! It totally feels like I'm the one getting the present for her special day.

I met Terri for the first time when Audrey was in kindergarten in San Diego. We had lunch duty on the same day and I remember her telling me about the scented geraniums taking over part of her yard. "I'll bring you some," she said. And she did.

We met smack-dab in the middle of finding out Toben was bi-polar; life was crazy and it was all I could do to keep it together. But I remember being so touched by her openness, her vitality, and her thoughtfulness.

It was really at the end of Audrey's first grade year that we became great friends. We began to lead the girls' Brownie troop together and we just instantly clicked at that time. We joke that planning Brownies always took so much time because we always had so much to talk about that it took a while to get around to the meeting plans.

It was really, really hard to move away from San Diego because it meant leaving such a great friend behind. She often calls me on her morning walk along the beach at Cardiff and I'm so excited to take her on my morning walk on Friday so she can picture where I am as well as I can picture where she is.

There's something really important about being able to have my friends really know where I am.

All that to say, Terri's coming to visit tomorrow afternoon and I can hardly wait!

Me and Terri, last spring