Project 365: Week 3

Sunday, January 9, 2011

It snowed!!

Monday, January 10, 2011

Gabe has come a long way since last year when he got stuck on the snowy slope in our front yard, panicked, and decided to stay inside throughout the snow-playing time. Now he's an old pro. And, like a good big brother, he's confident enough to help those younger than himself.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

The Rackleys left for a new life in Uganda today.

One must needs go up and down the escalator a time or two with friends when one has a chance.

The hardest part, by far, was seeing the big brother and big sister goodbyes. The 20-year-old twins stayed behind.

Such precious friends. (I shed a lot of tears today.)

We covered them with lots of prayer.

And will continue to do so...

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

The Christmas Leftovers

Anybody else have this problem? Everything's all nicely packed up and put away in the attic, and now there's this little collection of thingies. A couple ornaments were stuck in the verrry dead tree and found once outside on the curb. (Whew!) There were also several tragedies this year. Heartbreaking ones, unfortunately. (See the tricycle ornament box? That's all that's left of that ornament. The bad thing is it was Gabe's for THIS year! It never even made it onto the tree.) So I guess I'll be scouring the auctions on eBay all year for replacements. But one bright spot: I scored a Prep and Landing ornament at Hallmark marked down to $4.00 from $15.00! Yessssssssss!

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Noah made a board game during school today. It was in his Anti-Coloring Book.

Friday, January 14. 2011

We had dinner with new friends tonight. Noah played soccer with their oldest. And Saylor takes ballet with their middle child. I couldn't get a good picture, because there were too many busy bodies in the shot. Oh, well.

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Saylor had a jewelry-making birthday party to attend this morning. She was excited ALL week about it.

Well, January's flying by like all the rest of the months in my life. I'm grateful to have a photo record of my days. This post is linked at Sara's Project 365. 

Who Are You?

In response to Your Secret Name by Kary Oberbrunner, Chapters 1-4:

Do you know who you are? I mean, REALLY know who you are?? Or do you merely know who you've been TOLD you are? Have you become more and more the person that your family, friends, peers, teachers, circumstances, and/or environment made you? Do you know what it is to strive against a reputation? Or to strive toward it? Have you ever wondered why your parents named you what they did? Or have you ever looked up the meaning of your birth name?

It's a hard question to answer really: Who are you? I'm afraid I don't entirely know what the question even means. I certainly think there are a lot of things that get in the way of ME. Things that I've added to my life unnecessarily. Things that take up space in the picture of "me," and I'm not sure those things ever really belonged there. But neither do I know what DOES. Not with any certainty anyway.

I have a friend who used to theorize that whatever your name means...that is how Satan will choose to attack you. For instance, if your name is Joy, he will try to keep you from having joy. If your name means "pure," well, he will obviously do everything in his power to keep you from being pure. This theory always made me laugh a little, as my firstborn son's name means "rest," and that child gave me such fits with not napping!!

Anyway, our birth names are supposed to give us some form of identity. To some extent, even some knowledge--if only for our own benefit--of who we are inside. I don't know about you, but I've always felt sort of unattached to my name. Not that I don't like it. But just that thinking of myself as being this "Lori" person is something I can only do when I step outside myself. And, frankly, I find that whole process surreal and sort of something on which I'll never quite get a grasp.

Our "given names" are another story entirely. These are the ones which have been handed down to you, based on some known or unknown circumstance. Maybe it was the kids in the schoolyard who "named" you. Or maybe it was an unsatisfied parent. Or maybe it was you, looking in the mirror and seeing yourself falsely; maybe it was you who named yourself. These are the names we have a hard time shaking. There's a whole list of these "given names," and I honestly had a tough time figuring out what mine might be. Because I kept struggling with WHO thinks so: me or others? others or me? Sometimes the two became one, making it a little easier, but mostly I was unsure.

Thankfully, this book is providing a little insight into why I may have trouble knowing myself. 

You see? God didn't name Adam and Eve "Adam and Eve" before the fall. He didn't need to. They found their identity in Him. They knew Him intimately, and He them. They had nothing to be ashamed of; they walked with God. Who were they??? They were His. 

His creation, His beloved, His worshipers, His friends, His family, His people. And all was right with the world. 

But it didn't last. The day Eve, and then Adam, decided they wanted to be like God, they lost their identity in Him. And they no longer knew who they were anymore. They only knew their shame. And their need. Go here and read what Adam did first after being banished from the garden. (I had never noticed that before!) Adam, who had been given authority to name the animals but not his wife (that was God's job), immediately named her. There was suddenly a need for a name--now that they no longer walked hand-in-hand through the garden with their Maker. 

And, in a sense, that is where WE all are today. Because so much of our identity is found in this world, in our upbringings, in the labels people have placed on us, in the struggles we've faced, in our dreams and desires, in our reputations, and, of course, in the names given to us at birth. Yet many of us are still searching. Searching to discover WHO we really are. Why? Because apart from God, our Creator, we have no true identity. Only facades that cover up who we really are--who God created us to be. And it is only THROUGH Him and BY Him that we are truly named.

Now that I have the first four chapters under my belt, I am left with one dangling question. One I'm a little uncomfortable with. Who have I been (all this time)? Who have I been...pretending to be? Because, as Satan had hoped, the one I've pretended to be has hidden the true ME from myself. And only God can reveal her to me.

(After taking part in the Radical Read-Along, I am now reading another book along with Marla Taviano. Check it out: Your Secret Name by Kary Oberbrunner. And I'm starting a bit late. If you know me, you are not one bit surprised by that. Now THERE'S a "given name" (earned name? whatever...) I'd like to get rid of.)

Project 365: Week 2

Sunday, January 2, 2011

These three girls love each other so. It's going to be sad to not have sweet, little Annie with us anymore.

Her family leaves on the 11th for Uganda.

Monday, January 3, 2011

Welp. My computer officially died today. 

Notice what it says about inserting a CD-ROM? Three weeks ago the computer just suddenly "lost" the CD-ROM drive. It was nowhere to be found. I tried downloading the driver from Dell's website, but it wouldn't install because of some sort of glitch. Lovely, huh?

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

We dropped the kids off with my parents last night and then got up this morning to drive to New Orleans with my father-in-law, Paul's sister, and her husband. (Otherwise known as Poppy, Aunt Wendy, and Uncle Mert, respectively.) New Orleans! Yeah, baby! We set the tone for our stay by stopping off at Camellia Grill before doing anything else.  :)

Reasons to like Camellia Grill:

1. Comfort food galore

2. Très cool wait staff who banter with the customers and wear bowties

3. Pink walls

4. Quick, made-to-order food

5. Melt-in-your-mouth burgers

6. Two locations: the original (where we ate) and one in the French Quarter (so when you're hungry after a ballgame and would rather not try the food at some random bar, where you'll have to wait at least an hour for the drinkers to get up from their tables, you'll have a tried-and-true, down-home-good joint to satisfy your hunger). This is foreshadowing...

Then we checked in to our hotel, which was a couple of blocks from the Superdome. Why were we going to the Superdome? To see the Razorbacks hopefully win the Sugar Bowl!!!! 

Hootie (without his Blowfish) sang the National Anthem, but it was unimpressive, at best. The kids would have liked the indoor fireworks, though. Let me just say, the Superdome is definitely pretty.......super.

Okay. So this has nothing whatsoever to do with football, but I was quite awed by Ohio State's band!! I'm a former band geek, and I've always been the type to stay in the stands during halftime to watch the bands perform. Ohio State's band was BY FAR the best marching band I've EVER seen in my life!! 

Now back to football. In case you haven't heard, we lost. It was a heartbreaker. We looked like nervous wrecks the entire game, made bunches of mistakes, but by the end, still managed to get within a mere five points of our formidable opponent. We fans were definitely on our feet a lot. And I may never sing again, I screamed so hard. The game ended LATE, but Paul and I were hungry, so we walked through the Quarter until we found the other location of Camellia Grill. Twice in one day. It's that good. I DID order something different the second time, at least.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Our second day in New Orleans started with coffee and beignets at Cafe DuMonde, though I don't eat beignets. (I know. I'm weird. I also don't like funnel cakes. So I probably need to be committed, right?) I love outdoor cafes...because of the hungry birds. That's the major draw for me. ;)

After a tiny bit of shopping for those we left behind, we took a taxi to the next food stop: Domilise's Sandwich Shop for poboys. A nice walk was just what we needed afterward. And then we took the St. Charles Streetcar back to the hotel.

We rested our bellies up a bit and then went out for dinner at La Crepe Nanou. Oh, my. It was goooooood. This was my dinner: A crepe with smoked salmon, boursin cheese, capers, and a little bit of red onion. FABulous!!

Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, they brought out the Creme Brulee. Mert and I shared it, and we both agreed it was the best we've ever had! That's saying something!!

After dinner we took the streetcar back to the French Quarter to visit Pat O'Brien's piano lounge. I had so. much. fun. They have dueling pianos on stage for the all-request show. It's amazing!!! Awesome musicians. They play, they sing, they do anything. Even beatboxing! I highly recommend this place. Only downside is all the smoke I had to inhale. (YUCK!) Killed my throat. (Again.)

This guy was my fave. He won me over with the harmonica on a Billy Joel song.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

It was a long drive back home, but once we were home with the kids and had had our dinner, we gifted them with their surprise from us: pralines from New Orleans! Deelish!

Friday, January 7, 2011

Today was all about laundry, cleaning, and taking down the Christmas.

Saturday, January 8, 2011

"Missionary Day"

My good friend from college came for a visit with her family this morning. We haven't seen each other since her wedding day over eleven years ago. A lot has happened since then.  ;)  We packed in SO much talking in not very much time. She's the kind of friend you just pick right back up with from where you left off. It's a beautiful thing. And speaking of beautiful, her children are, too!! She and her hubby are missionaries in Germany and are in the States for five more months before going back. (They don't live near here; they were just passing through after visiting family.)

Almost immediately after our visitors left, we got ready and headed over to the Rackleys' house. They leave for Africa three days from now. It's our "last hurrah."

We miss them already.

Wow. Week 2 was a might busy. I'm actually looking forward to next week when things can get back to normal (whatever that means) with homeschool. It's high time. My post is linked up at Sara's Project 365. Happy Snowstorms!

Project 365: Year 2, Week 1

Well, I'm starting things off just swell. This week you're getting the completely UNedited version of our week. Red eyes and all! 'Cause, y'all? My computer is dying a slow. painful. death. As of yesterday I couldn't even turn it ON. So I'm blogging on hubby's computer, and he doesn't have photo editing software. Plus it runs Windows 7 (bleh), so this whole process is moving sloooowly. (I am SO done with Dell and SO in the market for a Mac.)

Sunday, Decemer 26, 2010

Mimi and Da came for a Christmas visit. It was the FIRST time to ever have them come HERE for a Christmas celebration. Of course, Mommy here was all Christmased out by the time they showed up, so we got take-out for supper. The kids took no notice of the food. They only cared about presents. (Shocked?) 

Monday, December 27, 2010

After a big, late breakfast with Mimi and Da and once naps were over, we took the kids to see Tangled. Cute movie, but the villainess was a little too much for our kiddos. (I'm talking about the oldest ones!) We have to be careful about that. (We weren't careful enough this time.)

They're holding their "tickets," which were hanging on the Christmas tree. They were all so cute because they thought they wouldn't be able to get in without them.  ;)

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Noah's enjoying his electric circuits set from Mimi and Da.

See the flying disc?

 

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Our friends who live much too far away (because they never should have moved from Little Rock! hee hee) paid us a wonderful visit tonight. The kids were all being shy with each other for some reason. (It was obviously too long between visits.) We all had so much fun.

Gabe is always drawn to the baby of the family.

 

Well, it wasn't ALL wonderful, ALL the time...

Awwwww...a lesson in sharing.

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Our beloved friends, the Rackleys, came over tonight. They are in the States for only a week and a half more. Then they're off to Uganda. By the way, thank you to those of you who have made a donation to help support them in their Kingdom work. Really, thank you!!! We love the Rackleys and are going to miss them SO much, but it's a beautiful thing God has them doing. Go here to hear (and see!) them tell more about their upcoming move.

I was so busy visiting tonight I only managed to get one picture. This is Benji. He's the kind of kid you just want to BEG to come over and spend time with your sons, because he's kind, smart, and still cool. He played electric circuits with Noah, iPhone with Gabe, and is always SO good with the "baby." He does it all. Well.

(Sorry, Benji. I'll come back and fix your eyes as soon as I can.)

Friday, December 31, 2010

New Year's Eve

This was a weird day. I guess it can best be described as a day of "hanging out." The kids played dress-up, we listened to music, we played with play dough, and then Daddy came home a little after lunch. We were so excited about his presence, that we...............................just hung out some more. We were supposed to go to a party this evening, but we opted to stick around the house instead.

Saturday, January 1, 2010

New Year's Day

I was sad to miss Sara's open house today. But our littles needed another down day today. We shopped a tiny bit. (Had the first of many returns to make.) And then napped. Our dear friend came over tonight and played with the kiddos while we went out to dinner with family. But I forgot to take a picture. Oops. Instead, I'll show you my Christmas gifts...since Sara asked what I got.

This "foodie" blogger is one happy gal.

My man did goooooooood. Didn't he?!

So. That's Week One of Project 365 at Sara's. It's a whole new year! Go live it for the Lord!!