Suddenly Gone

A couple weeks ago we noticed a cough, and some labored breathing. But she was still so happy, eating well, wanting to play ball, playing keep away.
2 days ago I mentioned that it was odd that I hadn't seen Mazy in a couple days. She is always our first and last visitor of the day.
We got news today that Mazy had a cancerous tumor on her throat, and they had to put her down or let her suffer.
I've been crying.
She wasn't ours, but she has definatly a special part of our life in Montana. So much so that I am having a difficult time seeing our days rolling by without her.
Goodbye, sweet girl.

Easter Weekend

Paul and Shari are good friends from a former life :oD

They have joined us in bozeman for the past 2 Easter weekends with their 4 boys, Michael, Mark, Matthew, and Benjamin. The boys have near boundless energy and our house rings with laughter and, of course, sound effects. Star fighters, explosions, sirens, roosters, & phaser blasts...
The boys call J. the "Tickle Monster", but Ben may start calling him the "Head Bonker" - J. can explain that if he'd like. :o)

To get some of that energy expended Paul and J got them outside to run around in the freezing cold while Shari and I stayed nice and snug at home.
We spent some quality time with the dishwasher too so it wouldn't feel left out of the festivities!

We taught them Speed Scrabble (which Paul trounced us at - but it WAS 10 pm and I had been up since 4 AM, so he clearly had an advantage!) The boys taught the kids to play Settlers of Catan (Shaun & Anna gave it to us for Christmas).

I always make Blima for breakfast with company, and it is always as much of a hit as it was with me when Great Grama Rachel made it!

Their last day here, Don and Jen graciously let us crash in on them for a morning where the boys could tackle the climbing wall! I think I can safely declare Matthew and Mark official monkies!

Paul & Shari have shared life with us for more than 8 years. God has given us similar hearts and dreams, visions and goals. It was good to talk about all those, to laugh at ourselves, and to pray with one another.

I was also blessed by my kids and how they jumped in with both feet to love on and bless the boys. Duplos, stories, 3-2-1 penguins, games of Settlers, Sorry, Blockus, hikes, egg hunts, photos and giving up their beds and rooms ~ they showed themselves friendly. They are truly letting Christ consume them fully.

:o) *sigh* ~ it's good to love and to be loved in return...

Daily

I get the feeling she wants to play - how 'bout you?

Corned Beef and Cabbage

I am very proud of our heritage - but I am sure glad my heritage tastes better than J's Norwegian cuisine!

We had our traditional meal, got to eat all together, and listened to the Irish Rovers during it all!

Happy St. Padraig's Day!

When in the Course...

The Declaration of Independence begins:
When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

The ‘south’ of the civil war echoed these words when thy chose to secede from the United States. Though I have never uttered them aloud to anyone for the reason of secession, I have felt them inextricably when it comes to the raising of our children.

20 years ago, J and I disconnected from popular culture – which not only didn’t win us any popularity contests, it set us at odds with family, friends, and even our church. We “assumed among the powers of the earth, the separate & equal station to which the Laws of nature and of nature’s God” entitled us! Very few understood or chose to try to understand why we were walking a different path and we soon found ourselves on the front lines of a revolutionary war.

I don’t want this to be a repeat of past posts (you can look back through the archives if you want to see me standing on my soapbox proclaiming Deuteronomy 6 parenting), instead I want to cross something off my life list and tell someone ‘Thank you’.

I finished “Family Driven Faith” yesterday. It’s subtitled ‘Doing What it Takes to Raise Sons and Daughters Who Walk With God’. Dr. Voddie Bauchaum clearly and concisely communicated our 20 year heart’s cry for our family. I posted awhile back about the podcast we listened to as a family that had me in tears. There were tears again as I turned the pages filled with solid proof & validation of our heart’s leadings all these years. I wish I knew Voddie and Bridget personally. They are kindred spirits. Thank you, Dr. Baucham, for being faithful to proclaim this message.

As for my life list ~ I realized that this has really been a life message for us. It is a cause that I am passionate about and that I have a difficult time being silent over. I want to see God’s purposes fulfilled! I can cross it off my list!!

Things to Do / See While I Yet Have Breath In Me:

· Fall deeply, helplessly, and unconditionally in love with someone who returns the sentiments and marry him. X (11/26/1988)
· Be an amazing friend who has amazing friends.
· Teach someone to read. X (1991, 1994, 2000)
· Ride horses on the seashore.
· Give birth, breastfeed, and raise loving children. X (1989, 1991, 1993)
· Be someone others respect deeply but do not fear.
· Be rescued.
· Memorize a book of the Bible.
· Be hugged by my Dad for no apparent reason & hear him say, “I love you.” For the same reason. X (11/22/06 - he died later that week unexpectedly)
· Bathe in a claw foot tub with tons of bubbles. X (11/26/2000 Anacortes, WA)
· Learn to tell the truth, in love, tempered with grace.
· Take a vacation with no time limits and stop whenever and wherever I wish. Have picnics, explore, photograph everything of interest…
· Make my own jewelry.
· Work in a soup kitchen for a holiday.
· Talk in an foreign accent for an entire day, some place where no one knows me.
· Sit on a jury.
· Milk a goat.
· Meet at least 2 people I do not know, whom I admire deeply.
· Attend a Broadway Musical or a Ballet on Broadway.
· Swim with Dolphins.
· Ride a camel in Africa.
· Send a message in a bottle in the Atlantic Ocean.
· Pet a Harbor Seal Pup.
· Learn to speak a foreign language fluently.
· Learn Sign language well.
· Be covered in butterflies.
· Visit 5 of the 7 continents. (N. America, Asia...)
· Be someone’s mentor.
· Learn to really dance. All styles (except western).
· Write a novel and have it published.
· See the Smithsonian and the rest of DC.
· Watch a lunar eclipse. X (3/3/07; 2/20/08)
· Write my will.
· Experience weightlessness.
· Kayak with Killer Whales.
· Hold my grandchildren, and see them laugh.
· Walk through history in the original 13 colonies.
· See the Northern Lights.
· Ride in a hot air balloon.
· Design and grow my own secret garden.
· Watch a lightning storm at sea.
· Visit the birth places of my ancestors.
· Own one classic, classy evening dress.
· Volunteer at an AIDS clinic in Africa.
· Buy a home near a stream or pond with a big porch & have a “revolving door” for friends, family, and needy.
· Learn to sing so others at least don’t mind listening.
· Spend Christmas in the Alps in a chateau by a fire with the one I love and wrapped in Cashmere.
· Have our family portrait painted.
· Throw a huge party where everyone who has ever been dear to us is invited and attends.
· Watch the sun come up on the ocean embraced by someone who loves me.
· Tour countries by bicycle for a year.
· Become an Auntie X (8 / 10/ 2007!!! to Connor)
· Fly a plane.
· Take serious art classes.
· Be a “mama” to orphans.
· Go white water rafting.
· Be kissed so passionately I get dizzy.
· Have photos published.
· Experience a spa day ~ a total pamper and primp.
· See the Cirque de Soile`.
· Ride a motorcycle. X (beginning in 2002 - 2005, Honda Nighthawk 750)
· Make love in a sleeper car on a traveling train.
· See my children marry someone who loves unconditionally, passionately, and deeply and have the wedding they dream of.
· Help build a house.
· Become knowledgeable and passionate about a cause. X (Doing what t takes to raise children who walk with God fully~ realized 3-16-08)
· Live somewhere without TV / Internet / Telephone / Cell Phone for a year, where there is a tight community of people. (almost like early America)
· Photograph: A birth, a wedding X (10/3/03; 11/13/04; 5/5/05; 8/4/07;11/24/07 ), a funeral.
· Speak at a large conference.
· Wander through: sleepy New England villages; and the fallen leaves, flea markets, ancient ruins, coffee shops, sandy beaches, museums, gardens, vineyards and attics of the Grecian Isles, Scotland, Ireland, Giverny, Tuscany, Madeira, Maine, and Prince Edward Island.
· Give more support and encouragement than criticism and correction.
· Do one thing that scares me to death.
· Get organized.

Chico

About a week ago a friend called J and asked him to come up to Chico for a weekend to see his band play and hang out with their family. We didn't have it in the budget. A few days later he called again and told us that they were reserving us a room and taking care of it.

What an amazing gift. We had a getaway not too long ago, but this was a time to not only be together but to go and be with friends, and hear some tight musicians laying down the funk, sleep for hours and even dance.

Scotty's band is "Big Caboose and The Soul Penetrators"! They are a fixture at Chico. Everyone knows them. The photo above is only about half the band. Guitar, bass, drums, keys, 2 trumpets, sax, & vocals make up the complete group, but even without the other 4, they did themselves proud! Scott plays some raunchy keys! Lots of attitude & soul in every chord! ELO, Tower of Power, BeeGees... and a little "Jesus Is Alright With Me" got people dancing, whoopin' and clappin' the night away!

Toward the end of the night, Scott called his daughter & her best friend up, and "MyMan James" to do the echo (sorry, I have no idea what song it was...). It was great!

Thanks Scott and Sadie for a great night! I wish we would have had more time to hang out, but we feel so blesssed to have been your groupies for Friday's performance and to be called your friends. We love ya!