As I sit here looking out my sliding glass door, there is snow falling on the grass. SNOW. It's not supposed to be snowing. It's supposed to be 60°F outside and sunny. Well, okay, the sunny is negotiable, but by the middle of April it should be warm!
And speaking of the middle of April, have you done your taxes yet? Are you waiting for the last minute, googling which post offices are going to stay open until midnight tonight? Or are you like me, nursing fond memories of the tax refund you've already spent?
While we're on the topic of spending, what is up with gas prices? Just a few weeks ago here in Sioux Falls, they were about $3.39 per gallon. This morning I paid $3.59--and that was with a 14¢ discount. I know I shouldn't complain. In Chicago the price is up over $4.00. And my friends in New Zealand are paying US$6.59 a gallon this week. Yikes. I'm feeling richer already.
Plus, in the time it took to look all that up, the snow has turned back into rain. You know what they say, "April showers bring May flowers." At this rate, there ought to be a garden full of blooms come next month.
Showing posts with label Travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Travel. Show all posts
Friday, April 15
Sunday, July 4
Some of the News Fit to Digitize
So much for coming back to post regularly, huh?
I've started a few updates over the last couple of months, but each time I got interrupted before I could finish, then lost my motivation or my train of thought or my seat at the computer. Now, seemingly suddenly, more than two months have passed.
As you might imagine, our son is growing by leaps and bounds. He's already seven months old. He crawls and cruises and he's been fussing the past 10 days or so sprouting four new teeth! Solid foods are his friend and he has started eating at least one full meal a day of nothing but solids. His favorites are avocado, banana, potato, and popcorn (just the soft puffy bit, not the kernel).
Rosi is doing her best to alternately care for him and torment him. She likes the idea that we'll trust her with the responsibility of watching him for a few minutes while we change out the laundry or check on dinner, but that doesn't preclude her desire to bonk him on the head with one of his stuffed toys just because she can.
She's been really making some breakthroughs of her own in the beginning stages of reading and spelling. She's able to pretty consistently sound out simple words, though the process is still slow. Rhyming is a favorite pass time (and car game) here. Her imagination is really been running wild as well. She enjoys making toys and tools from paper and whatever she finds around the house. The other day she came into the room carrying a dowel rod with her belt tied to one end. "Look, Mom," she told me. "I made a fishing pole!"
The whole family is getting ready to visit Adam's parents for the dedication of the New Testament translation they've finished. We've got our passports and we're working on making the travel arrangements. Despite my own experiences traveling to many places around the world--and not all of them easily accessible--it still amazes me that, in this modern age, there are places that require five days travel just to reach.
I'm also a bit overwhelmed at the idea of trekking through the jungle with my kids in tow. In all the adventure travel fantasies I ever had, I was never toting children along with me. Adam, on the other hand, is excited to be going home. He's not had the opportunity to visit since he left for college, which was nearly 20 years ago, now.
Otherwise, things are moving along. We're still trying to find a church home. It's a bit frustrating to visit church after church after church and still not be able to claim one as "ours." It does make for a bit of a sociological study, though. The biggest hurdle, for me at least, is that we show up on Sunday only to be completely ignored. Now, I'm not the sort who wants to stand up amidst a crowded service and introduce myself and my family, but isn't there even one person willing to go out of their way to recognize and welcome a family they don't know? Apparently such folks are few and far between.
Instead of that personal touch, we've gotten brief surveys, a worship CD, a gift card to the local bakery (because, as the enclosed note explained, "Jesus is the BREAD of life"), and an invitation to be included in the next church directory.
The bread was yummy, anyway.
So, we'll keep at it.
Well, not just for the bread ...
I've started a few updates over the last couple of months, but each time I got interrupted before I could finish, then lost my motivation or my train of thought or my seat at the computer. Now, seemingly suddenly, more than two months have passed.
As you might imagine, our son is growing by leaps and bounds. He's already seven months old. He crawls and cruises and he's been fussing the past 10 days or so sprouting four new teeth! Solid foods are his friend and he has started eating at least one full meal a day of nothing but solids. His favorites are avocado, banana, potato, and popcorn (just the soft puffy bit, not the kernel).
Rosi is doing her best to alternately care for him and torment him. She likes the idea that we'll trust her with the responsibility of watching him for a few minutes while we change out the laundry or check on dinner, but that doesn't preclude her desire to bonk him on the head with one of his stuffed toys just because she can.
She's been really making some breakthroughs of her own in the beginning stages of reading and spelling. She's able to pretty consistently sound out simple words, though the process is still slow. Rhyming is a favorite pass time (and car game) here. Her imagination is really been running wild as well. She enjoys making toys and tools from paper and whatever she finds around the house. The other day she came into the room carrying a dowel rod with her belt tied to one end. "Look, Mom," she told me. "I made a fishing pole!"
The whole family is getting ready to visit Adam's parents for the dedication of the New Testament translation they've finished. We've got our passports and we're working on making the travel arrangements. Despite my own experiences traveling to many places around the world--and not all of them easily accessible--it still amazes me that, in this modern age, there are places that require five days travel just to reach.
I'm also a bit overwhelmed at the idea of trekking through the jungle with my kids in tow. In all the adventure travel fantasies I ever had, I was never toting children along with me. Adam, on the other hand, is excited to be going home. He's not had the opportunity to visit since he left for college, which was nearly 20 years ago, now.
Otherwise, things are moving along. We're still trying to find a church home. It's a bit frustrating to visit church after church after church and still not be able to claim one as "ours." It does make for a bit of a sociological study, though. The biggest hurdle, for me at least, is that we show up on Sunday only to be completely ignored. Now, I'm not the sort who wants to stand up amidst a crowded service and introduce myself and my family, but isn't there even one person willing to go out of their way to recognize and welcome a family they don't know? Apparently such folks are few and far between.
Instead of that personal touch, we've gotten brief surveys, a worship CD, a gift card to the local bakery (because, as the enclosed note explained, "Jesus is the BREAD of life"), and an invitation to be included in the next church directory.
The bread was yummy, anyway.
So, we'll keep at it.
Well, not just for the bread ...
Friday, April 16
Back on the Face of the Earth
I know a few of you must have thought I'd fallen off. Not yet. Life has just been a bit busier than I was expecting. Therefore, instead of getting the series of real posts you deserve, you get this lovely bulleted list with highlights from the past month.
- Georgie, my beloved 14-year-old Saturn, broke her steering wheel for the second time since the fall. Given her age, Blue Book value, and the estimated cost of the repair, we felt it was in our best interest to buy a new-to-us car. After three days of test driving, comparing options, and recalculating our budget, we bought Jim, an 8-year-old Saturn with a few additional features Georgie never had, like power windows, cruise control, and a CD player.
- We took Jim on our first road trip since we moved here to Sioux Falls. Over Easter Weekend, we drove to Kenosha, Wisconsin to visit some old friends and have our son baptized. We loved participating in the Easter Vigil service at Light of Christ. Rosi and I went to the Easter morning service as well, but Adam stayed back at our hotel with the baby who was so tuckered out he slept the whole time!
- We are officially church hunting again. We actually were going to check out a new church this past Sunday, but three of the four of us were sick, so we stayed home and slept in instead. Thankfully, we're all recovered now and looking forward to visiting a local Lutheran church this weekend.
- I cut my hair! Well, okay, technically, Adam cut my hair. I was getting frustrated with the time and energy it took to maintain my long hair--not to mention how much conditioner it took to keep the tangles down. My hair is now very short in the back and about down to my cheekbones on top. In my opinion, it looks kind of '80s, but the '80s are hip and retro now, right? I've never been the stylish one on the block. I like it short anyway; the time it saves in the shower is amazing, and I'm convinced my conditioner will now last forever because the tiniest bit conditions my entire head!
- This next week, my dad is coming up for a visit. He was here last year about this time, but he'd flown in to the airport at Omaha, which is about a three-hour drive from us. We only had to drive down once for his return flight, since my brother picked him up when he arrived. This time, he found a flight directly to Sioux Falls, which will make for a much nicer drive to and from the airport. We're hoping to visit the zoo while he's here. We were planning to go with Adam's parents when they were here last fall, but the last several days of their visit were cold and rainy, so none of us felt much like walking around looking at empty animal enclosures.
Saturday, February 21
Wonder Drugs
Attention boys and those of you for whom frank discussion of bodily functions is distasteful: this post is not for you. Save yourself the trouble and just go now. I promise I'll have something else for you to read another day, but you really won't appreciate this one.
Are they gone? Okay, good. Now we can talk about cramps. Period cramps, I mean. The yucky, nasty, I-just-want-to-curl-up-on-the-bed-in-the-fetal-position-and-whine kind of cramps. I've got them ... or rather, I had them this morning. Then I took a couple of Excedrin. Et voilà I'm feeling so much better. And you thought Excedrin was just for headaches!
Actually, I did, too. Then I took this trip to New Zealand. Funny story, really. I was visiting my friend from high school who'd moved there with her family. For some reason, international travel always brings my period early. I don't know why, but I understand it's pretty common.
Of course, while I was visiting for 10 days, my period showed up. I'd had some light cramps in the morning, but nothing bad, so we heading off for our day excursion. There we were, visiting some little touristy village or another, and I found myself suddenly having trouble walking because the pain was so intense. Not wanting to cut our day short, we stopped in at a gift shop to take a look at their selection of pain relievers. I didn't know any of them and my friend only recognized one brand. We asked the clerk which would be the best. She asked what the trouble was. I explained and she decisively set one package on the counter. "You want this one," she told me. "It's the strongest."
The box was labeled Panadol. My friend shrugged, and we paid for the pain reliever and a bottle of water. I took two tablets. Within about 20 minutes, the pain was completely gone. I was ecstatic. We spent the rest of the day walking and wandering and having a blast. I took the box home with me and used the pills with care, trying to make them last.
Several months later, a woman at work was complaining about PMS and nasty cramps. I told her about my miracle medication from New Zealand. I said I'd never seen it here, but it worked wonders. The box listed paracetamol as the active ingredient, but I didn't know what that was. I also mentioned my sadness at the fact that my stash was just about gone. My coworker looked up paracetamol on the internet and came back to tell me it was just another name for acetaminophen. All this time, I'd been hoarding the Kiwi version of Excedrin!
The next time "Aunt Flo" came to visit, and pretty well every time since, I was all stocked up. I don't always get horrible cramps, but when I do, I'm ready. And as an added bonus, Excedrin works great headaches, too.
Are they gone? Okay, good. Now we can talk about cramps. Period cramps, I mean. The yucky, nasty, I-just-want-to-curl-up-on-the-bed-in-the-fetal-position-and-whine kind of cramps. I've got them ... or rather, I had them this morning. Then I took a couple of Excedrin. Et voilà I'm feeling so much better. And you thought Excedrin was just for headaches!
Actually, I did, too. Then I took this trip to New Zealand. Funny story, really. I was visiting my friend from high school who'd moved there with her family. For some reason, international travel always brings my period early. I don't know why, but I understand it's pretty common.
Of course, while I was visiting for 10 days, my period showed up. I'd had some light cramps in the morning, but nothing bad, so we heading off for our day excursion. There we were, visiting some little touristy village or another, and I found myself suddenly having trouble walking because the pain was so intense. Not wanting to cut our day short, we stopped in at a gift shop to take a look at their selection of pain relievers. I didn't know any of them and my friend only recognized one brand. We asked the clerk which would be the best. She asked what the trouble was. I explained and she decisively set one package on the counter. "You want this one," she told me. "It's the strongest."
The box was labeled Panadol. My friend shrugged, and we paid for the pain reliever and a bottle of water. I took two tablets. Within about 20 minutes, the pain was completely gone. I was ecstatic. We spent the rest of the day walking and wandering and having a blast. I took the box home with me and used the pills with care, trying to make them last.
Several months later, a woman at work was complaining about PMS and nasty cramps. I told her about my miracle medication from New Zealand. I said I'd never seen it here, but it worked wonders. The box listed paracetamol as the active ingredient, but I didn't know what that was. I also mentioned my sadness at the fact that my stash was just about gone. My coworker looked up paracetamol on the internet and came back to tell me it was just another name for acetaminophen. All this time, I'd been hoarding the Kiwi version of Excedrin!
The next time "Aunt Flo" came to visit, and pretty well every time since, I was all stocked up. I don't always get horrible cramps, but when I do, I'm ready. And as an added bonus, Excedrin works great headaches, too.
Sunday, November 2
Something Corny
Our camera went missing. I knew we had moved it and I even found the camera box, but it was empty. Adam had taken it out to get some "before" photos of our new place. He remembered putting it on the counter top, which subsequently had been piled high with unpacking detritus. In the process of excavating, we finally found it, just in time for a little road trip to the World's Only Corn Palace.
I didn't take very many photos. Frankly, I was expecting something a little more ... palatial. Basically, it's a small event center decorated in corn cobs and grains. They re-corn the outside every year with different art work. There was a series of display cases in the lobby that explained the process. Those were pretty neat. But otherwise, it was just the outside corn decor, photos of the previous years' art, and a series of additional corn mosaics inside the gymnatorium space. Here is one I got on film (on disk?).
Now I can say I saw Mount Rushmore!
I guess I sort of expected guided tours or something. There was a very nice older couple set up by the door with a table full of local travel brochures. When they found out we'd just moved here from Chicago they told me all about a trip they took there over New Year's 1957. "Of course, they still had Marshall Field's there then," the wife commented, as she reviewed the sights they'd taken in.
I did pick up a couple of regional vacation guides, though, and found all sorts of neat stuff that I never realized would be in South Dakota, like the National Music Museum, The Roo Ranch, and the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary, the Laura Ingalls Home, and The National Presidential Wax Museum.
Now we'll just have to save up pennies for gas. We ought to be able to afford a few gallons by next summer, don't you think?
I didn't take very many photos. Frankly, I was expecting something a little more ... palatial. Basically, it's a small event center decorated in corn cobs and grains. They re-corn the outside every year with different art work. There was a series of display cases in the lobby that explained the process. Those were pretty neat. But otherwise, it was just the outside corn decor, photos of the previous years' art, and a series of additional corn mosaics inside the gymnatorium space. Here is one I got on film (on disk?).
Now I can say I saw Mount Rushmore!
I guess I sort of expected guided tours or something. There was a very nice older couple set up by the door with a table full of local travel brochures. When they found out we'd just moved here from Chicago they told me all about a trip they took there over New Year's 1957. "Of course, they still had Marshall Field's there then," the wife commented, as she reviewed the sights they'd taken in.
I did pick up a couple of regional vacation guides, though, and found all sorts of neat stuff that I never realized would be in South Dakota, like the National Music Museum, The Roo Ranch, and the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary, the Laura Ingalls Home, and The National Presidential Wax Museum.
Now we'll just have to save up pennies for gas. We ought to be able to afford a few gallons by next summer, don't you think?
Saturday, October 18
I Found Rush Hour!
I figured out where they've been hiding it. I guessed pretty accurately last time.
Adam and I actually got stuck in traffic that was clogging up the left-turn lane to go into the local superstore.
Yes, folks, Sioux Falls hosts rush hour at three o'clock Saturday afternoon, right in front of Wal-Mart. Bring your RV and stay awhile! I'll bring the coconut marshmallows for roasting.
Adam and I actually got stuck in traffic that was clogging up the left-turn lane to go into the local superstore.
Yes, folks, Sioux Falls hosts rush hour at three o'clock Saturday afternoon, right in front of Wal-Mart. Bring your RV and stay awhile! I'll bring the coconut marshmallows for roasting.
Friday, July 18
Q & A
I've been looking for something light to write so I wouldn't have to think very hard. I saw this on Lori's blog today and it seems to fit the bill.
7 Burning Questions
1. If you could have an endless supply of any food, what would it be and why?
Just one? Lately I've been craving pizza. Could I get different toppings? Maybe a dessert pizza with chocolate once in a while?
2. If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
I've always wanted to be a tiger. They're so sleek and smooth and powerful.
3. If you could describe yourself using only three words, what words would you use?
Loyal, intelligent, fun (I'll have to ask Adam what he would say)
4. If you could be a super hero, who would you be and why?
Hmmm ... I don't know too many superheroes. Somebody who can fly, I guess. I always wanted to be able to fly.
5. What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you?
I think I've become immune to embarrassment. It's probably a result of overexposure.
6. What is one of your biggest pet peeves and why?
I really can't stand spelling and grammatical errors. I don't like finding them in other people's work and I hate finding them in my own.
7. Out of red, green, blue, yellow and orange which one is your favorite color?
Depends on what I'm choosing. Probably blue or green overall.
If you chose red what is one of your favorite hobbies?
If you chose green what is your favorite place?
If you chose blue what is one favorite memory?
If you chose yellow what is your dream job?
If you chose orange it’s a wild card and you can tell us anything about yourself!
My favorite memory of my favorite place, huh? Well, it may not be my favorite place in the world, but it's definitely a good memory. I was visiting a friend in New Zealand (back when I was single and could afford to travel to exotic places). One afternoon, her family and I took a picnic out of the city to a nearby-ish beach for the afternoon. Karekare is the only black-sand beach I've ever been to. The sand is so dark and fine, it feels like walking through brownie batter. At one point, my friend and I walked to the edge of the water. Turning around, I could see our footprints, side by side. Someday, I'd like to take another walk along that beach.
7 Burning Questions
1. If you could have an endless supply of any food, what would it be and why?
Just one? Lately I've been craving pizza. Could I get different toppings? Maybe a dessert pizza with chocolate once in a while?
2. If you were an animal, what would you be and why?
I've always wanted to be a tiger. They're so sleek and smooth and powerful.
3. If you could describe yourself using only three words, what words would you use?
Loyal, intelligent, fun (I'll have to ask Adam what he would say)
4. If you could be a super hero, who would you be and why?
Hmmm ... I don't know too many superheroes. Somebody who can fly, I guess. I always wanted to be able to fly.
5. What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you?
I think I've become immune to embarrassment. It's probably a result of overexposure.
6. What is one of your biggest pet peeves and why?
I really can't stand spelling and grammatical errors. I don't like finding them in other people's work and I hate finding them in my own.
7. Out of red, green, blue, yellow and orange which one is your favorite color?
Depends on what I'm choosing. Probably blue or green overall.
If you chose red what is one of your favorite hobbies?
If you chose green what is your favorite place?
If you chose blue what is one favorite memory?
If you chose yellow what is your dream job?
If you chose orange it’s a wild card and you can tell us anything about yourself!
My favorite memory of my favorite place, huh? Well, it may not be my favorite place in the world, but it's definitely a good memory. I was visiting a friend in New Zealand (back when I was single and could afford to travel to exotic places). One afternoon, her family and I took a picnic out of the city to a nearby-ish beach for the afternoon. Karekare is the only black-sand beach I've ever been to. The sand is so dark and fine, it feels like walking through brownie batter. At one point, my friend and I walked to the edge of the water. Turning around, I could see our footprints, side by side. Someday, I'd like to take another walk along that beach.
Tuesday, November 6
"All" About Me
I just got an e-mail from a friend of mine with all sorts of personal, but not especially intimate questions. I thought it would make a nice quick blog post.
- Were you named after anyone?
My great-mother, grandmother, and father
- When was the last time you cried?
Sunday night
- Do you like your handwriting?
Yes
- What is your favorite lunchmeat?
Roasted chicken, I guess (I'm not much of a lunchmeat fan)
- Do you have kids?
One
- If you were another person, would you be friends with you?
Yes, but I would probably annoy me
- Do you still have your tonsils?
Yes
- Do you use sarcasm a lot?
I'm trying to cut down
- Would you bungee jump?
Maybe--not by my feet, though
- What is your favorite cereal?
Honey Bunches of Oats with Almonds
- Do you untie your shoes when you take them off?
No
- Do you think you are strong?
I think I have a strong character
- What is your favorite ice cream?
Ben & Jerry's Chubby Hubby
- What is the first thing you notice about people?
I don't really know (according to Adam, it's "whether they're organized or not")
- Red or pink?
Red, almost always
- What is your least favorite thing about yourself?
My belly fat
- Who do you miss the most?
My mom
- What color pants and shoes are you wearing?
Black pants and white shoes
- What was the last thing you ate?
Beef stew and wheat bread
- What are you listening to right now?
Divorce Court (Adam's watching TV)
- If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
I've always liked Burnt Sienna
- What is your favorite smell?
Fresh bread, new books, and warm cider
- Who is the last person you talked to on the phone?
My daughter's Sunday school teacher
- Do you like the person who sent this to you?
Hmmm ... just kidding, Clare!!
- What is your favorite sport to watch?
Football--especially if the Bears are actually winning
- What color is your hair?
No longer blonde
- What color are your eyes?
Hazel, but mostly brown
- Do you wear contact lenses?
Not until I get a new prescription
- What is your favorite food?
Appetizers
- Scary movies or happy endings?
Happy endings, no question
- What is the last movie you watched?
The Prince & Me (Adam picked it because he figured I'd like it)
- What color shirt are you wearing?
Salmon
- Do you prefer summer or winter?
I like the sunlight and carefree attitude of summer, but the snow and holidays of winter
- Hugs or kisses?
Hugs
- What is your favorite dessert?
Chocolate cheese fruit tart (see the recipe here)
- What book are you reading now?
My sidebar says The Blind Assassin, but I'm not really reading anything at the moment
- What is on your mouse pad?
My mouse
- What did you watch on TV last night?
Part of Still Standing and That '70s Show
- What is your favorite sound?
I love the sound of snow, the way it muffles everything when it first falls
- Rolling Stones or The Beatles?
Not really a fan of either; if I had to choose, probably the Stones
- What is the farthest you have been away from home?
8837 miles (Sydney, Australia)
- Do you have a special talent?
I can curl my tongue into three "leaves"
- Where were you born?
Michigan
- Who will you tag to go next?
Angela from Purple Puzzle Place (I think it's time for more of your eleventy-one things)
Thursday, May 24
I Want a Spa Holiday
Last night, as I lay in bed, finally feeling cool after a late evening shower, I was daydreaming a day at the spa for myself.
Imagine a 90-minute massage, followed by a nap on a breezy covered porch. Waking up to frozen frothy yumminess, perhaps a Strawberry Colada. Lunch is fresh, well-balanced, a symphony to the taste buds, and I don't have to cook it.
My afternoon consists of a full-body wrap that exfoliates and moisturizes, followed by a manicure, pedicure, and hair dressing. After all that pampering, what can I do but take another nap before dinner? This time, it's in a cloth hammock on the beach...maybe strung between two strong palm trees.
Ahhh...
I fell asleep before I made it to dinner.
Doesn't that just sound wonderful. A week off? Total relaxation? No responsibilities? Sigh. Maybe next week.
Imagine a 90-minute massage, followed by a nap on a breezy covered porch. Waking up to frozen frothy yumminess, perhaps a Strawberry Colada. Lunch is fresh, well-balanced, a symphony to the taste buds, and I don't have to cook it.
My afternoon consists of a full-body wrap that exfoliates and moisturizes, followed by a manicure, pedicure, and hair dressing. After all that pampering, what can I do but take another nap before dinner? This time, it's in a cloth hammock on the beach...maybe strung between two strong palm trees.
Ahhh...
I fell asleep before I made it to dinner.
Doesn't that just sound wonderful. A week off? Total relaxation? No responsibilities? Sigh. Maybe next week.
Thursday, April 19
Thursday Thirteen #16: Places I've Gotten Lost
I'm back from hiatus with a collection of places around the world where I've lost my way. Thankfully, I've always found it again!
1· Pauanui, New Zealand (1998)
2· Youngstown, OH, USA (1993)
3· Rainforest outside Barahona, Dominican Republic (1993)
4· New York City, NY, USA (1991)
5· Chicago, IL, USA (2000)
6· Pisgah National Forest, NC, USA (1997)
7· Along the border of Illinois and Wisconsin (2003)
8· London, England (1999)
9· Carlsbad, CA, USA (2000)
10·Sydney, NSW, Australia (1998)
11·El Paso, TX, USA (2003)
12·San Francisco, CA, USA (2000)
13·Rome, Italy (2001)
Check out other thirteeners at ThursdayThirteen.com.
1· Pauanui, New Zealand (1998)
2· Youngstown, OH, USA (1993)
3· Rainforest outside Barahona, Dominican Republic (1993)
4· New York City, NY, USA (1991)
5· Chicago, IL, USA (2000)
6· Pisgah National Forest, NC, USA (1997)
7· Along the border of Illinois and Wisconsin (2003)
8· London, England (1999)
9· Carlsbad, CA, USA (2000)
10·Sydney, NSW, Australia (1998)
11·El Paso, TX, USA (2003)
12·San Francisco, CA, USA (2000)
13·Rome, Italy (2001)
Check out other thirteeners at ThursdayThirteen.com.
Tuesday, January 30
Friendship and Hand Gestures
I just read a wonderful quote about friendship on Randi's blog, I Have to Say.... So, I'm officially sending you all there to read about how my wonderful friends strengthen my life.
Go on over and read it, then come back and I'll tell you all about the unity picture I got in Brazil.
I went to Brazil four years ago with a group from my church. We worked with an organization called Project AmaZon, or PAZ for short. They work along the rivers in the Amazon Basin. Our group, we had been told ahead of time, was going to be on a health boat, visiting several villages along the Amazon River.
Our first morning in Santarém we each purchased a rede (Portuguese for "hammock" and pronounced "hedgie") and went down to the public line boat that would take up out to meet the PAZ boat at the first village. And when I say "down" I really mean DOWN. I can't find a photo of it right now, but trust me when I say there was a big huge high sea wall and a rickety spindly little ladder.
Down and I are not good friends. I have no problem with heights, but going down from heights is pretty anxiety inducing for me. I spent several minutes at the top of the wall, watching everyone else head down, including several local workers who carried large boxes on their heads while they fairly danced up and down the steps.
When I finally made my descent, complete with sweaty palms and shaky knees, I realized that there was no way I would be able to repeat this journey later that evening with my luggage. I hadn't even been able to carry down the plastic grocery-sized bag with my rede in it.
On the dock beside the line boat, I spoke with another member of our team, sharing that I was a bit nervous about the return trip down the ladder. I asked him if he would be willing to help me with my suitcases. "Of course," he told me. "We're a team. We'll take care of it for you."
Climbing back up the ladder, it started to rain. I was grateful, because it helped to hide the fact that I had tears streaming down my face. At least, it did until I got back to the van and completely broke down sobbing among the rest of my teammates. Several of them hugged me, told me it would be okay, and prayed for me. I managed to stop crying, but I didn't really feel any better.
That afternoon we had a rest period to recover from our overnight flight into Brazil and to prepare for the overnight voyage on the line boat. I was supposed to be napping, but whenever I tried to lie still and close my eyes, I felt completely unsettled and upset about my experience that morning.
Finally, I asked one of my teammates to please finish up in the bathroom because I needed to be in there right away. My urgency wasn't because I was desperate to use the facilities, but because I really needed some time alone, without anyone else intruding on my space. At the PAZ guest house, the only personal space to be had was in the bathroom.
I sat on the floor and spent several minutes simply crying out the rest of my tears. When I'd finished, I began to pray. "Why?" I asked God. "Why am I so upset about this? It's not that big a deal. What's going on?" As I prayed and pondered, I began to understand that I wasn't so upset about the wall or the ladder or the down, but what was really bothering me was my inability to do for myself.
I'd been raised as a typical American, full of determination and independence. Like a small, stubborn child, I sat there on the bathroom floor saying, "No! I want to do it myself." Yet, I couldn't. The realization left me feeling very vulnerable and frightened. I decided to go back to bed.
While I was trying to fall asleep once again, I heard a message from God. This doesn't happen to me with any regularity, but I was pretty sure God was talking to me, even though it sounded rather a lot like just talking to myself inside my head.
God told me to look at my hand. "Huh?" I looked at my hand.
"Look at your fingers," He instructed. "See how they move? Aren't they beautiful?"
"Okay, sure."
"One finger, all alone, can't really do much, can it?"
"I suppose not."
"But, when all the fingers are together, working in concert as your hand, think how much more they can accomplish."
"Well, yeah, I can see that."
"You and this team are like your hand. On your own, you can only accomplish small things, but when you open yourselves up and work together, you can do so much more."
And that was all God had to say about that. The rest of the trip was really pretty uneventful for me, by comparison. But the image of all my fingers working together has really stayed with me.
Go on over and read it, then come back and I'll tell you all about the unity picture I got in Brazil.
I went to Brazil four years ago with a group from my church. We worked with an organization called Project AmaZon, or PAZ for short. They work along the rivers in the Amazon Basin. Our group, we had been told ahead of time, was going to be on a health boat, visiting several villages along the Amazon River.
Our first morning in Santarém we each purchased a rede (Portuguese for "hammock" and pronounced "hedgie") and went down to the public line boat that would take up out to meet the PAZ boat at the first village. And when I say "down" I really mean DOWN. I can't find a photo of it right now, but trust me when I say there was a big huge high sea wall and a rickety spindly little ladder.
Down and I are not good friends. I have no problem with heights, but going down from heights is pretty anxiety inducing for me. I spent several minutes at the top of the wall, watching everyone else head down, including several local workers who carried large boxes on their heads while they fairly danced up and down the steps.
When I finally made my descent, complete with sweaty palms and shaky knees, I realized that there was no way I would be able to repeat this journey later that evening with my luggage. I hadn't even been able to carry down the plastic grocery-sized bag with my rede in it.
On the dock beside the line boat, I spoke with another member of our team, sharing that I was a bit nervous about the return trip down the ladder. I asked him if he would be willing to help me with my suitcases. "Of course," he told me. "We're a team. We'll take care of it for you."
Climbing back up the ladder, it started to rain. I was grateful, because it helped to hide the fact that I had tears streaming down my face. At least, it did until I got back to the van and completely broke down sobbing among the rest of my teammates. Several of them hugged me, told me it would be okay, and prayed for me. I managed to stop crying, but I didn't really feel any better.
That afternoon we had a rest period to recover from our overnight flight into Brazil and to prepare for the overnight voyage on the line boat. I was supposed to be napping, but whenever I tried to lie still and close my eyes, I felt completely unsettled and upset about my experience that morning.
Finally, I asked one of my teammates to please finish up in the bathroom because I needed to be in there right away. My urgency wasn't because I was desperate to use the facilities, but because I really needed some time alone, without anyone else intruding on my space. At the PAZ guest house, the only personal space to be had was in the bathroom.
I sat on the floor and spent several minutes simply crying out the rest of my tears. When I'd finished, I began to pray. "Why?" I asked God. "Why am I so upset about this? It's not that big a deal. What's going on?" As I prayed and pondered, I began to understand that I wasn't so upset about the wall or the ladder or the down, but what was really bothering me was my inability to do for myself.
I'd been raised as a typical American, full of determination and independence. Like a small, stubborn child, I sat there on the bathroom floor saying, "No! I want to do it myself." Yet, I couldn't. The realization left me feeling very vulnerable and frightened. I decided to go back to bed.
While I was trying to fall asleep once again, I heard a message from God. This doesn't happen to me with any regularity, but I was pretty sure God was talking to me, even though it sounded rather a lot like just talking to myself inside my head.
God told me to look at my hand. "Huh?" I looked at my hand.
"Look at your fingers," He instructed. "See how they move? Aren't they beautiful?"
"Okay, sure."
"One finger, all alone, can't really do much, can it?"
"I suppose not."
"But, when all the fingers are together, working in concert as your hand, think how much more they can accomplish."
"Well, yeah, I can see that."
"You and this team are like your hand. On your own, you can only accomplish small things, but when you open yourselves up and work together, you can do so much more."
And that was all God had to say about that. The rest of the trip was really pretty uneventful for me, by comparison. But the image of all my fingers working together has really stayed with me.
Thursday, January 4
Thursday Thirteen #12
One of the items on my List of Things to Do Before I Die is Visit all 50 states. So far I'm 84% there. My qualifications for a "visit" are that I have to actually set foot on the ground outside, so driving through a state without getting out of the car and stopovers without leaving the airport don't count. When I was in college, though, my friend Joyce and I were comparing states and she pointed out that she only counted visits by states where she's spent the night. So, in her honor, I offer:
Thirteen states I've never slept in
1·Connecticut*
2·Delaware*
3·Idaho*
4·Kansas
5·Maine*
6·Missouri*
7·Nebraska†
8·Nevada†
9·North Dakota
10·Oregon
11·Rhode Island*
12·South Dakota
13·Vermont*
*States I've visited by my definition (for what it's worth, I've not yet visited Alaska or Hawaii by anyone's definition, but since this isn't the Thursday Fifteen, I'll just leave it at that)
† States I've driven or flown through
Check out other thirteeners at ThursdayThirteen.com.
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