daybook 3/31/2014

 

 

For today

Monday, March 31, 2014

Outside my window... sunshine {after rain this morning}, the faintest hint of green out in the pasture, robins and other birds looking for something in the yard

 

Hearing... the dryer rumbling

 

Pondering... a nap {ha ha}

 

Praying...

Denise – struggling with each round of chemo treatments

Jill – gall bladder surgery tomorrow

Kim – overall she is doing wonderfully, and we still celebrate the miracle that she’s alive! --  but  it’s still a long, long road to recover much of her former life or determine her ‘new normal.’

the Rettigs – missionaries to Prague, currently traveling in the US

Kate, Abby & Daniel – nearing  the home stretch of spring semester {Daniel is done in less than  five weeks!}

 

Thankful... for a good spring break with Kate & Abby at home; for my dad who made the drive to Wisc to bring them home; and for Tim who made the drive to take them back again.

 

Creating... {sharing} a glimpse of Abby’s project for a couple of her college friends:

  

You’ll never guess their nicknames – indicated by the letters used. 

Wanna guess anyway?  or play hangman?  Wheel of Fortune bonus-round style?  what is that – two vowels and three consonants?

G _ _ _ _ _                 S _ _ _ _ _ _

 

Going... nowhere, very slowly, thank you very much. 

Last week/month was a bit non-stop…  Really.  March Madness?  Much. 

• Tax returns {one piece of chocolate remains}
• funeral at church {I baked rolls for the meal}
• the Cattleman & the Cowgirl participated in the Youth Service
• attended a wedding at church – sent the bride & groom off with sparklers!
• sewed a baby blanket… and ironed flannel for several more
• hosted YAC supper {pancakes, egg casserole, apple sauce, etc…}
• planned/dreamed of an outbuilding {protected Morton salesman from Luci}
• bought and sold items via facebook swap pages {mostly fun, but consuming}
• PURGED the To Go Piles at last!
• delivered Meals on Wheels two days last week
• created a queenly crown with the Popper
• stayed up way too late almost every night of ‘spring break’ :o  {I’m too old for this!}
• nagged encouraged K&A to finish their speech assignments!
• allowed/helped the Cowgirl to make/order a few FREE Shutterfly projects {including Volume One of her own ‘baby’ book – yay!}
• tried to follow our beloved Cyclones and Badgers through basketball tournaments {watched part of one recent game- Kentucky v Louisville – heated competition!}  –> Badgers have advanced to the Final Four!  woot woot
• de-activated my face book account last night!!!!  Yes!

 

{{Thinking I am pretty close to the 40 bag goal, Julie G!}}

 

Reading... I did finish the Amy Carmichael biography, but I missed the group discussion. 

Here’s a tidbit from chapter 21:

Good and acceptable and perfect.

Those three words hallow pain.  They take from it all bitterness, all that stings and rankles; they leave it, still pain indeed, but somehow sweetened, chastened.

 

Looking forward to... green landscapes

 

In the kitchen... leftover calzones tonight

     

Last week’s menu:  grilled burgers/hot dogs; pizza; egg rolls; taco salad; turkey packets; Hickory Park Restaurant Mongolian Buffet; calzones, spinach/artichoke dip.

   

  

Saturday morning we had a Big Breakfast before the girls went back to school. :-)

 

In the learning rooms... Oh yes, that.  Spring break is officially over, right…

 

Around the house...  I vacuumed most of the upstairs this morning.  Before/after photos would be quite humiliating.  I spent more than an hour – that should tell you (me) something.  It surely is time for some routine cleaning – on a more regular basis.  Ahem.

 

The Mother Load... Tax returns are done – still need to print most of them and prepare for mailing.  School work to check.  Dusting!  Mop floors.  Clean ceiling fans now that we are inclined to turn them on when the temps are warmer outside and inside.  Finish sewing baby blankets needed soon(!)  Yes, Conny, there is an ironing pile too…

 

Noticing that... our kids sure have fun together! 

 

Something fun to share... {last Wednesday night at K4T}

     

      

 

A favorite quote for today...  Psalm 127:1-2 {Pastor’s sermon text}

Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.

 

One of my favorite things... sleep.

 

A few plans for the rest of the week... bedtime any time before 10pm  :-)

A peek into my world...

Thursday & Friday we celebrated birthdays with the Cattleman & the Popper.

  

  

  

  

     

 

 

~.~.~.~.~

Giving credit where credit is due:

While I am not linking up with anyone, you could read more weekly news posts at other blogs by following any of these links:

• Peggy at the Simple Woman’s Daybook

• Julie for adapting this daybook version as her own ‘Grasshopper Days’ ~ Perhaps I could call it the GHV Daybook. :)

• You can also find a similar weekly meme in Happy Homemaker Monday at Sandra’s

~.~.~.~.~

Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord,

that thou fulfil it. Colossians 4:17

daybook 3/3/2014

 

{the reality of what it looks like here this morning}

For today, Monday, March 3, 2014

Outside my window... White Snow Bright Snow

Hearing... the washing machine

Pondering... something that I need to let go :-\ 

Praying... for Denise in her ‘recovery’ week; Linda has another trip Thursday for her cancer treatment in Illinois; another friend had some tests last week that have the doctors concerned so I am researching with her for healthier alternatives to the usual prescriptions; and Jill is still trying to get in with her doctor to talk about what might be ailing her instead of her gall bladder.  Yikes.  Makes me want to continue my abstinence of ‘routine’ medical exams.  :o

Update:  Denise must have had scans today that didn’t reveal good results.  :-( 

for Kim, Tim’s niece.

for our missionary friends on unnamed foreign fields.

for a missionary family brought home from the field due to health problems.

for the Romeike family… Today, the United States Supreme Court declined to review Uwe and Hannelore Romeike’s asylum case.

for Daniel, who has his last mid-term exam today – with spring break just around the corner! {which he will spend primarily on the shut-down campus}  He also will lead the dorm devos this Wednesday night, then lead the congregational singing at his church next Sunday evening.

for Abby & Kate, who are back in classes this week after last week’s preaching conference.  Three more weeks and they will be home for spring break!  I suppose I should be a good wife and volunteer to go get them by myself – ack.  I guess that requires prayer for myself!

for the Cattleman, who is part of the youth preaching team for next Sunday night.

for daily wisdom, grace and mercy on the home front.

Thankful... for my good husband, who is also one of the best fathers I know!  Here they are for yesterday’s Sunday school hour while we were snowed in at home – beginning an inductive study of 1 Timothy. {see Precept Ministries}

Creating... {last week} a binder full of Christmas cards/letters/photos – three years worth!  It was past time for that life-changing project.

Going...NOWHERE today, thank you very much.  Although I did go outside of our warm house this morning to take pics of the snowy landscape.

Reading...  Amy Carmichael of Dohnavur by Frank Houghton, for a ‘book club’ meeting on March 17.  I’m in chapter 26, but I didn’t make much progress yesterday as I also began recopying my notes into a nice journal I was recently gifted – and I took a much-needed nap!

Looking forward to... seedtime, AKA spring.  Aren’t we all?!

Although some may mock us…

In the kitchen...  On the menu: beef stew, cheddar-baked chicken, turkey taquitos, farmhouse BBQ biscuits, spaghetti, and of course PIZZA.  {The leftover taco soup will warm up for lunch today}  Somehow the cinna-mini cinnamon rolls have all disappeared!  Have I shown you those yet??  I made a couple batches on Friday for Saturday’s bridal shower –

{photo credit and recipe at Barbara Bakes}

I snuck in a bit of fresh whole wheat flour of course ;-)

In the learning rooms...  I read to them about the “Enlightenment” this morning… Voltaire, deism, Rousseau…

“…when seeing the corruptions of the church,, one could either push deeper into God’s Word (Reformation) and reject the humanistic elements the church had embraced over time, or one could throw it all away and simply pursue secular humanism (Renaissance).  Voltaire chose the latter.”

“Whether you’re looking at Voltaire’s reason or Rousseau’s romanticism, their common influence was an elevation of human power, and humanism took a giant leap under their influence!  People could pick their flavor, but humanism was being sold.”

~ Michelle Miller, TruthQuest History: Age of Revolution Volume I, p. 198-199

Around the house... I conquered some of the piles last week, but every room needs de-cluttering and cleaning still.  Always.

The Mother Load... Laundry is under control – even the ironing pile!  But the floors and the dusty furniture and the dirty toilet(s)?  Not so much.

Much more fun: 

• preparing for this month’s birthdays and ‘spring break’
• hosting the college students with our Sunday school class {feeding them supper after Sunday eve service}

Noticing that... They say that time is money, but generally giving the first is a greater gift than the latter – or at least a good way to multiply it.  Know what I mean?  Would you agree?

A favorite quote for today...

“The nearer the soldier is to the Captain the more he will be attacked by the enemy.” ~ Amy Carmichael

One of my favorite things... How often can I list chocolate here? 8-)

A few plans for the rest of the week... It is time.  {Cue the ominous music} 

Tax Returns! 

{This week – I must make a start.  If and when I receive the paperwork I’m awaiting.  I have three weeks to get them all done before the girls are home to sign theirs.}

A peek into my world...

Tim & crew closed in the cattle trailer before he hauled several calves to market last week.

  

{weird coloring due to late evening lighting & photographing through the window glass}

 

And more pics from this morning…  It’s a bit of an S-curve to get in the driveway and into the garage with the big snowdrift to dodge.  And plenty of deep snow to trudge through to tend the cattle.

  

  

~.~.~.~.~

Giving credit where credit is due:

While I am not linking up with anyone, you could read more weekly news posts at other blogs by following any of these links:

• Peggy at the Simple Woman’s Daybook

• Julie for adapting this daybook version as her own ‘Grasshopper Days’ ~ Perhaps I could call it the GHV Daybook. :)

• You can also find a similar weekly meme in Happy Homemaker Monday at Sandra’s

~.~.~.~.~

Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord,

that thou fulfil it. Colossians 4:17

a good day :-)

 

I love it when a plan comes together.

Remember this project?  And my affection for the painter’s tape that has held these photos to the wall the past many weeks?

  

 

Last week I bought frames.  Hurrah.  And was given some wunderbar advice from a distant friend… Thank you, Marianne!  So, today I decided to get the paint out of it’s hidey-hole in the basement.  And white-wash the frames into something better than before. 

Yes-sir-ree-Bob!

Trial run with first frame:  Yes!  I like it!

{frames after and before}

 

And TA-DA!!!

As Amber would say, muy bueno!

---

And, as my facebook friends already know…

• the Wisconsin Badgers beat the Iowa Hawkeyes
• the ISU Cyclones beat TCU
• and we had grilled homegrown beef for supper!

---

Oh yes, it was a very good day in Iowa.  At least in my trivial little world.

daybook 2/21/2014

 

{Aug 2012 ~ Life isn’t the same here with the oldest three off to college}

 

For today, Friday, February 21, 2014

Outside my window...

This was the view to the southeast on Monday morning: privacy glass.

The public schools delayed, but then it was snowing and blowing so they cancelled.  By afternoon it was all sunshine and pleasant.

Thursday morning we were supposed to begin with rain before transitioning to snow… and wind.  So the blizzard warning changed my mind about our usual schedule as well as the extra appointments.  The roads did get quite messy, most schools were cancelled or let our early.  But the wind didn’t really kick up until last night.  The snow was wet enough that it didn’t look much like a blizzard after all.  I was still quite happy to be home.  Inside.

Today it is sunny and bright.  Tim says the roads are clear, but we are staying home anyway.  Tomorrow I will buy groc and see the chiropractor, and piano lessons will wait until next week.

Hearing... the Cowgirl at the piano working on a hymn arrangement. 

Pondering... Are my weeks less productive or more productive when my daybook post gets delayed until Friday?  or should I just blame it all on facebook?

Praying...  Denise is feeling somewhat better, but faces round 4 of chemo on Monday.  She also learned that the doctor’s plan includes a 5th round [surprise! she misunderstood his plan]

… another friend Jill has been having gall bladder attacks (or so the docs think), but today learned she has a kidney infection.  So maybe clearing that up will solve what’s really wrong?

… Tim’s niece Kim did get to go home last weekend – yay!  And showed more progress with appetite and weight gain.  But her lingering effects from the brain injury include a changed personality that is often a challenge to those who love her best. 

…Abby was feeling sick yet again mid-week.  A good night’s sleep had her feeling much better, but it sounds as though she undermines her own health with lack of sleep, water, and protein.  Silly girl.  It’s a big Sunday at church there this weekend, followed by a busy week with preaching conference… so she needs to take care of herself to be able to participate in all that!  (oh yes, and do her school work…)

 

Thankful... for our pastor and his wife.  It’s not always easy to keep the peace with unity.  {sigh}  Also thankful that Daniel’s care package did arrive!  just 7 days after I left it at the local post office (in a priority 2-day shipping box).  I’m glad most of it had a pretty good shelf-life, and that it didn’t get lost for ever.

Creating... recipe binders for bridal shower gifts {last Saturday’s and next Saturday’s}  Red seems to be a common theme in most newlyweds’ kitchens.

  

Going... to check the current pile of school papers – as soon as I hit ‘publish’!

Reading... Psalms, Genesis, To the Golden Shore, and Amos Fortune: Free Man by Elizabeth Yates (read-aloud)

  

 

Looking forward to... my first professional massage next week!

In the kitchen...  pizza (tonight), maid-rites, Madison County chicken

The Cowgirl’s heart-shaped cinnamon rolls are long gone.

 

In the learning rooms... the Cowgirl is progressing with her research paper on author Lew Wallace; the Cattleman is studying some systems of the human body in science; the Popper is enjoying her unit on geometry. 

Tim had us listen to Jan Mickelson’s podcast on Monday with guest author Thomas Fleming ~ Did you know President Jefferson gave Napoleon permission to invade Haiti?  {from which that country has never recovered}  If yellow fever had not destroyed the French army, Napoleon would have moved on to surround our own young republic – instead of later selling us the Louisiana Purchase.  Ironic.  Fleming’s current book, A Disease in the Public Mind, addresses the US Civil War, so they talked about the hatred underlying that as well.  Plenty of interesting discussion.

Last night the Cowgirl gave us a quiz on minerals.  How about you – Do you know which of the following are minerals?

quartz, granite, gold, amber, charcoal, hematite, plastic, iceberg

 

Around the house... I’ve hung my Valentines flowers up to dry.  I vacuumed the floor just the other day, but go figure, it needs it again.

The Mother Load... maybe three items to iron after I check those school papers today; various piles need eliminating, such as Christmas greeting cards to arrange in a book; I still need to sort the TO GO piles to pull out what specific friends might use (yes, those particular piles have been here for months!  ugh – but now I am waiting for some sign of spring that lasts longer than a couple hours before I load the Suburban up and commit to taking it anywhere)

STUFF.  Why do we collect so much stuff?

Noticing that... it will soon be time to start on supper – so much for a quick post!

Something fun to share... my bag of Hershey kisses?  :-)  or how about this cute Valentine?

A favorite quote for today...

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

Psalm 90:12

One of my favorite things... studying history

A few plans for the rest of the week... tomorrow ~ grocery shopping, chiropractor appt

A peek into my world... I found a little something to replace the snowflake.

~.~.~.~.~

Giving credit where credit is due:

While I am not linking up with anyone, you could read more weekly news posts at other blogs by following any of these links:

• Peggy at the Simple Woman’s Daybook

• Julie for adapting this daybook version as her own ‘Grasshopper Days’ ~ Perhaps I could call it the GHV Daybook. :)

• You can also find a similar weekly meme in Happy Homemaker Monday at Sandra’s

~.~.~.~.~

Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord,

that thou fulfil it. Colossians 4:17