Nickname

Some people call him Jesus, and some people call him God. I guess one is His nickname.

Guess who...

A Needle in a Haystack

Sunday night we went to a "Fall Fest" at my sister's church in South County. It was lots of fun, and we were everywhere--riding ponies, eating funnel cake, looking inside a firetruck, changing diapers in the nursery (that's not really the fun part), riding tricycles on the parking lot, watching fireworks. It wasn't until the way home that I realized the diamond was missing out of my wedding ring. Part of the frustration was that I just had the prongs fixed at the end of May. I hadn't worn it for the end of my pregnancy, and when I put it back on it seemed a little wiggly. Hubby got it fixed for me, and I haven't taken it off since. It hasn't even been 4 months!!! We both were silent on the way home. I was on the brink of tears--trying not to put too much weight in material possessions and yet feeling very sentimental about my wedding ring. It's probably the first big purchase my husband ever made, and it was for me. He suggested we go back and look for it, and I didn't want to. It was dark. There were probably a thousand people there. We had been so many different places. It would be like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

Today Hubby took the ring with him and stopped by the jeweler on his way out of town. He was going to see if some kind of warranty would cover the prong repair--or the diamond loss. It was closed. My mom was off work today and came over to help out with the kids (and make some yummy meals). That was such a HUGE help. While she was outside playing with the girls and Little Buddy was still gnawing on his baby biscuit, I started sweeping the floor. I noticed a pile of crumbs in the corner over by the stove and went over to sweep. One of the crumbs seemed a bit shiny, but not shiny enough to be a diamond. I wouldn't have even noticed it if I weren't thinking about my diamond all day. But I picked it up, turned it over, and sure enough. It was my diamond. I guess I lost it before we even went to the Fall Fest. I still can't believe I found a needle in a haystack. Apparently it IS possible!!!

In Memory of Regina

Big Sissy, as you know by now, has a LOT of questions. She is also very sensitive. She cried the first time she watched Beauty and the Beast because the Beast was sad when Belle ran away from the castle (even though his anger sent her away). She cried in Mulan because she thought the bad guy's bird might be sad when he was finally killed at the end.

Tonight we were talking about family relationships. She was asking me who my mommy and daddy are, who all my sisters are, who my brother is, etc. I knew it was coming but I didn't have time to think it through before she asked: "Daddy, who are your sisters?" For those who don't know, my husband had an older sister who was killed in a tragic bus accident in 1985. Her college's freshman class was taking a trip to Eureka Springs, AR, and the brakes went out in the bus, sending it down into a ravine. Four students and the bus driver were killed and 16 others were injured.

I didn't know Regina well. She was 6 years older than me, so at youth camp when I was 11, she would have been 17. I knew who she was, but that's a pretty big age gap when you're a teenager. I remember when it happened, though. I was spending the night with my grandma, and she came in and told us in the morning that there had been a terrible accident. (She went to church with my husband's family.) We all prayed together for the family, who is now my family.

Big Sissy is still asking questions about it, even hours later. I'm sure there will be more tomorrow.

"How come God didn't just take her to heaven before the accident happened?"
"Did the bus driver feel bad when he realized they were about to crash?"
"What did Aunt Regina say when she realized the bus was about to crash? Was she scared?"
"Were Aunt Regina's friends sad--the ones who didn't get dead?"

As usual, I don't have good answers to most of her questions. I just don't know. But one thing I'm sure of is that Aunt Regina loved Jesus and one day we will get to meet her in heaven. I'm mourning in a different way than those who knew her, of course. I wonder what it would be like to have another sister-in-law. Would she live close? Would she like me? How many more nieces and nephews would I have? Would we have things in common? Would she be a typical firstborn? I feel more emotional about it tonight than I have in a long time, just thinking through Big Sissy's questions. Of course I wish God would have spared her (and the scars it has left on my husband's family). I don't know why bad things happen, but I have to believe it is all part of His sovereign plan. Max Lucado has described God's plan as a tapestry. In this life what we see is a tangled mess--knots and mixed up threads. It doesn't make sense to us. But what God sees is a picture where all the pieces fit together and the result is beautiful. Someday we will get to see that side of the picture. For now we long for heaven--where there is no more death, disease, or sadness. And we wait to see the other side of the tapestry.

If I Could Be Any Animal...

Did you ever play those games with the pre-fabricated questions to help you get to know someone? My friend JoAnna loved those games when we were in high school. The main one I remember was, "If you could be any animal, what would you be?" I've had about 20 years to be thinking about this, but my answer has been the same for several years. I would most definitely be a penguin. We went to the zoo today, and we spent most of our time watching them play.

Here are my reasons why I would be a penguin.

1. They get to play in the snow all day and never get cold.

2. They always seem to be having fun swimming.

3. They're a little plump, and they're supposed to be.

4. The male takes care of the babies through the gestational period

(I learned this from Happy Feet).

5. They're just so stinkin' cute!

Puddle Splashers

My girls love it when it rains so they can wear all of their plastic git-up. They especially love their boots, but we call them puddle splashers at our house. After all, why else would you wear rain boots? Notice Big Sissy's "winter collar" again.

White Chili Recipe

It's worth the wait, I promise.

Lewis and Clark's White Chili

3 pounds cooked Great Northern Beans, canned or bottled
2 pounds boneless chicken breast (skin removed)
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium onions, chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground oregano
2 4-ounce cans of chopped mild green chilies
4 cups chicken stock or canned broth
20 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated
sour cream
chopped jalapeno peppers, canned

Place chicken in large sauce pan. Add cold water to cover and bring to simmer. Cook until tender, approximately 15-20 minutes. Remove from sauce pan and dice into 1/2" cubes.

Using the same pan discard water and heat oil over medium heat. Add onions until translucent. Stir in garlic, chilies, cumin, cayenne pepper, oregano, and cloves. Saute for 2-3 minutes. Add chicken, beans, stock, and 12 oz. cheese, let simmer for 15 minutes. Ladle into large bowls and top with 1 oz. cheese. Serve with a side of sour cream and chopped jalapeno peppers.

Random Pictures

This is our beautiful oak table where the kids eat snacks and do art. Notice the marks all over it. Luckily I haven't stained it yet, so I think it will still be beautiful later. Note also the "winter collar" Big Sissy is wearing. It's a stacking ring from one of the baby's toys. She's decided she needs to wear it all the time to keep warm (It's 80 degrees outside today).

This was the "school work" yesterday. She practiced cutting out shapes that I drew and glued them onto the other paper. She also wrote her name by herself. She did really well except the "r" looked like a "G." I'm a proud mommy.

This is my white chili pot after soaking all night and one round of scrubbing. Tonight we're having tuna--you know, the kind that comes in a can and is already chopped up. Then you add mayo and relish (they come in jars) and call it "salad." At least I can say I had salad today. :)