You Say Goodbye - I Say Hello

Airports teem with emotion.

The hellos dance about in spurts of joy, smiles and laughter while the goodbyes swirl about revealing tears, sobs and muffled pain.

Saying goodbye hurts.

...especially when I was just saying hello.

My Parents' Daughter

Even though I don't spend much time around my family members who live in California, I became keenly aware on this trip of how much we are alike. It caught my attention as I recognized familial similarities in speech, vocal inflection, even stature and posture at times. I am perplexed by this because of the minimal exposure to each other as adults and at the same time thrilled that there are such lineage traits.

I watched my sisters playfully interact with each other and saw a semi-replica of myself and how I interact in my friendships.

Not fully alike. Not completely the same.

But, the same.

So I kept watching.

I looked to my parents. Where are we alike? And, I took note.

My Mom

Coffee lover. Tree hugger. Music lover. Humorous. Humanitarian.
Loves my Dad.

My Dad

Animal lover. Political observer. Technology appreciator. Sentimental. Fixer.
Loves my mom.

And, I've come to the conclusion ...

I am happily and proudly my parents' daughter!

Friendin' Along The Way

Watching Copernicus and his buddy Dell navigate the arduous trails of Devil's Punchbowl , I considered their ways of friendship.

Friend Rule #1:

Find a great adventure together and go for it.

Friend Rule #2:

Run like crazy...and grab a rest stop when needed.

Friend Rule #3:

Allow friends to head out on new adventures.

Friend Rule #4:

Don't be afraid to go solo for awhile.

Leavin'...on a Jet Plane

Join me and Copernicus on our way to California...

It begins in the Dulles airport as we make our way to check in.

Daddy....wait up for me.

Readying myself to put Copernicus in his crate.

Daddy says goodbye to puppy.

Puppy as baggage headed for the cargo spot on the plane

Ahhh...California!

My cross-crountry travellin' puppy waits well as friend navigates LA traffic to the airport. Hurry up, girl!

We're here!! We're here!!

Let the fun begin!!

....and not only am I in friend heaven but schnauzer brother heaven too!

In my attempt to prepare for our upcoming trip to California, I asked Angi and Dell, aka the big brother, to help coach us through understanding all things crate-airline related.

With dimensions in hand, I took off to the pet store to get the brand-spanking new crate that's appropriate for air travel. I set it up in the kitchen and snoopy baby mini runs over ...

...sniff, sniff...

and proceeds to back up quickly with deft, dance-style moves.

uh-uh. nope. no way.

i don't care what you're thinking about...I'm NOT in!

...wait...

I hear Daddy coming home from work.

SAVE ME, DADDY, PLEAASSSEE!!

Mr. Smart Guy gives Cappie lots of lovin' and then begins to negotiate terms of getting near the new crate.

Ok, Daddy....maybe.

Hold the treat there and I might stand close to the crate.

But, that's it!!

No way! I am not going in!

Then Mr. Smart Guy says, "Let's take the top off and see if he'll just check it out. Maybe he doesn't like how closed in it is."

MMpphh...why are you guys so intent on wanting me to see this thing?

Pretty interesting....but I'm not getting in it. No way! uh-uh.

We quickly come to the decision that our approach is not working. We take the crate upstairs and set it side-by-side his normal crate. And, amidst Copernicus' verbal disapproval....put him in the crate.

I'm not happy!!

I don't care about the treat that's right next to me.

WHAT is happening??

...and, now you wanna take pictures of this injustice??

I hurried. I tried to make it painless as possible for him. But, he's spoiled and pouted for the rest of the evening.

After the initial shock of the smaller, more enclosed atmosphere, Cappie did spend more time in the airline crate without further incident.

He's ready to fly.

Am I?

License Plates

Drivin' down the road I spotted a great license plate and I just gotta share it with you:

Hap PGrl

(in case you don't get it....it's happy girl)

Rain

It's a rainy morning.

Not the hard, pounding kind of rain but the softer, more gentler kind. The kind of rain that invites me to relax and enjoy and not rush the day along. The kind of rain that lures me to rest from the hectic pace of life I often find myself in.

It's an easy morning.

Easy to become content with a slower pace and allow the rain to act as my guide for the day.

Loving Clumsily

I initiated two extremely difficult conversations yesterday and I walked away with two surprisingly good outcomes. And, I want to share with you what was on my mind before putting myself into communication with others...

"Every day I put love on the line. There is nothing I am less good at then love. I am far better in competition than in love. I am far better at responding to my instincts and ambitions to get ahead and make my mark than I am at figuring out how to love another. I am schooled and trained in acquisitve skills, in getting my own way. And, yet I decide, everyday, to set aside what I can do best and attempt what I do very clumsily - open myself to the frustrations and failures of loving, daring to believe that failing in love is better than succeeding in pride."

- A Long Obedience in the Same Direction by Eugene Peterson

Lost and Found

Lost.

Completely lost.

Beginning to melt down kinda lost.

...and I was in the grocery store of all places! But, wait, first let me give you the story.

The cashier was scanning my last few items as we continued our pleasant, back and forth conversation. I reach into my purse for my wallet and, **gasp**!!

WHERE is my wallet?

I stopped moving.

A blank stare enveloped my face.

I knew danger was imminent. Identity theft and disaster loomed large in my mind. (and for some wierd reason, the Priceline negotiator theme started playing in my head and a vision of William Shatner appeared)



I looked up at the cashier, and plainly spoke, "I don't have my wallet".

After what seemed like minutes of us moving in slow motion and staring at each other, she asked, "Where was the last time you used a card out of your wallet?"

"Um, I don't know" I replied in a really intelligent way. I was trying to think but no thoughts were forming across the synapses of my brain. I realized the futility of just standing there and quickly began expressing a plan of action of her holding my groceries and me running home for the checkbook and then coming back.

She was patient, calm and just exuded peace.

Me?? Crazy-eyed. No speech but mouth-wide-open-chick. Standing in my hubby's sweatpants, a cute and not-so-ratty tee shirt, day old makeup smeared across my eyelids, flip flops a danglin' and my hair thrown up in a pony tail.

All of a sudden I was becoming very public!

The cashiers had pretty much stopped cashiering and the customers were now looking my way.

I felt lost.

Something precious and priceless of mine was gone and now others in the store were looking on...waiting to see what would happen next.

I scream, "oh, wait....I got it!!"

I yell back to the cashier, "I'll be right back", because I was already halfway out of the store and on the run. I was moving so fast my hair was whipping in the wind, ok, well, maybe it just felt like I was going that fast. lol

I remembered stopping at the gas station before the grocery store. I was thinking maybe I didn't put my wallet back into my purse and it's in the car. I peer into the car window and there it is! My beautiful, shiny, black, Nine-West wallet with a world globe accessory. Aaahhh.....my wallet.

Back in the store, cheers erupted from others and I breathed a huge a sigh of relief.

I looked at the cashier and expressed thanks to her for her service and we ended up thanking God together. Of course she was in the God-family. Everything about her kindness, compassion and willingness to help spoke of her faith.

So, out of my lost state comes one provided by God who's able to assist me.

A lost and found incident that nudged me to remember my very own life story with God. Rescued from being completely lost and now founded in new life with God.

Church Status

Guess what? We're done searching! My family and I have landed in a really cool new church place to call "home". ;)

Check it out .... Crossings Church

I could go on and on and tell you how great it is and why it is a good fit for us, but.... I think you'll get a pretty good jist of the place just by reading an excerpt from the Pastor's Blog:

This Sunday will be a Sunday like no other. It's actually kind of an experiment. Were testing the waters and trying new things. Changing things up and bucking the trends of what people envision church looking like. This Sunday there will be no worship and no message. WHAT!!! Yep.

We will have more food, games, some special elements, and time to mingle and hang out. And that my friend is called church. This Sunday is our small group kickoff Sunday. What better way to promote small groups than strategically allowing relationships to flourish on Sunday morning.

Call me a heathen.

See why we chose it? lol

When they said, "Let's go to the house of God," my heart leaped for joy.

And now we're here, O Jerusalem, inside Jerusalem's walls!

Psalm 122:1-2

All in the Family

DeSoto Dell Dimension

It started with Dell, my bff's Miniature Schnauzer, as we traveled the roads together to Mississippi. I fell in love with him immediately and, upon my return home, had to have one of my own.

Convinced that I, too, needed to be a Schnauzer owner, my hubby lovingly and sacrifically acquiesced and we contacted the same breeder that Dell birthed from.

To keep it all in the family, we brought home Copernicus (who is Dell's half brother - Baylee is their dad). He is super snuggly, easy to train and an absolute joy to have in our family!

Copernicus Magellan 

Even daddy was caught lovin' up on him this morning....

Well, Copernicus is 6 months old now and we've decided it's a great time to get him a playmate ... a brother. The tricky part for us was how to keep it all in the family. We discussed, prayed, looked, eye'd every detail and....now, we're busting at the seams with joy!!

Please welcome our newest addition born on 9/4/08 and photo'd at just a few hours old .....

Newton da Vinci 

Newt is Cappie's cousin (his mom is Trudi, Baylee's full sister).

It really is all in the family! ;)

I-change

My organizational system is headed for change.

My system, a Franklin Covey paper planning system, has kept me organized, on-task, looking super stylish and been ready to help me employ superwoman powers each and every day.

I love my system - we've been changing the world together for over ten years now. I wasn't even aware that I needed change until that day.

One glance.

Wait....a longer look.

An unending stare.

Gorgeous, swift, willing and able to do anything I wanted, whenever I wanted.

I was overcome with fascination and desire and....well, please meet my new superwoman tool ...

the Apple iPod touch.

Please bear with me as I-change.

Sit Awhile

Can I be so quiet
that silence becomes praise
Can I be so still
where clarity forms from haze

Will you let me worship
with nothing more than breath
Will you let me love you
even unto my death?

Please don't try to explain this away
where you've been inside my heart
Just keep speaking whispers of grace
as your truth continues to part

The old me from the new me
I am nothing of what was
One that's been rescued
and it's just what your love does

You love me well
I will be quiet
You love me well
Listen and hear
You love me well
Silence is praise
You love me well
My breath is my worship
To you.