Modobject at Home

His Race

2013-05-03T14:01:00.000-05:00

That's my boy leading the pack!
In his first season of track he has... shown courage, worked diligently, pushed himself, endured, never complained, started well, finished well, enjoyed shining moments with humility, faced disappointments with grace, displayed admirable sportsmanship, and found pleasure in the race. My prayer is that he will always run with perseverance the race marked out for him. I am proud of him.

Hide and Seek

2013-05-01T21:52:00.001-05:00

{After lunch.}

Hello Monday

2013-04-29T21:00:00.000-05:00

{7:50 a.m.}

Good Morning, Friday

2013-04-26T08:48:00.000-05:00

Oh, how life has been full this week! I feel like shouting from the rooftop, "Good morning, Friday!"
If you peak out our big living room window into the backyard you'll see grass. It's rather sparse and I'm sure it will be dead by mid-July, but for now we have a bit of a lawn. It makes me happy. When I sit on the couch early in the morning to do my reading I love to look out and see all the green... green leaves, green grass, a veil of green... I am a green girl to be sure, always have been. Sister, who has been feverish this week, joined me early, early one morning, long before the boys were awake. We wrapped up together in a blanket and read Peter Rabbit, and looked out at the green.
Have you tried Magical Breakfast Cream? It's my new favorite breakfast discovery. I found the recipe in The French Women Don't Get Fat Cookbook by Mireille Guiliano. It's lovely and luscious. I've been eating it for breakfast all week; I use plain Greek yogurt and top it with strawberries. Delightful.
The boys are counting down the days until the end of school. So am I! Two weeks to go. Right now life is a flurry of school work and field trips and track and end-of-the-year events. It's been a little exhausting and overwhelming. Every morning I have to give a pep talk to myself and to the boys, "Let's finish strong... Keep going... We're almost there."
Speaking of overwhelming, while I was at the zoo with Little Brother's class the professor tore out all the ceilings on the lowest level of the house. It was a mess. It still is, kind of, but for good cause... first, a new HVAC system and then renovations to follow.
Our roses are in bloom. They grow in the side yard between the driveway and the edge of our little wooded place. I love seeing their bright elegance against the wild tangled green of the woods. The woods don't actually belong to us but we claim them for now. I expect one day the owner will clear some of them away to build a house on the crest of the hill. Until then, it's our little wooded place.
The last two times we've ridden our bikes down the hill to the park we've watched a Great Blue Heron take off in flight from the shore of the little lake. Breathtaking. Refined beauty is lovely but wild beauty... oh, how it declares the glory of God! It's true, what dear Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote:
Earth's crammed with heaven, And every common bush afire with God; But only he who sees, takes off his shoes; The rest sit round it and pluck blackberries.
Oh, that I may have eyes to see heaven and grace and Him! And a heart compelled to worship.
When I saw Fever Girl's bright eyes and big smile I knew she was feeling better. Her morning hair made me smile. This weekend look for Him in the common and when you find Him, take off your shoes.
Good morning, Friday. Good morning indeed!

Lily Looking In

2013-04-23T21:39:00.002-05:00

It's a strange thing to be loved by a cat having never actually loved a cat myself. Our neighbors may have chosen her and adopted her and named her Lily, but Lily chose us {and our patio}, and so now we're the adopted ones. Thankfully the neighbors don't mind. Most of the time we call her RC, short for Rosemary Calvin. Sometimes we call her Lily. She's always around, always looking in. Our patio cat.

New

2013-04-15T17:43:00.000-05:00

And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”

And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.”

Revelation 21:5

Celebrating the April Birthdays

2013-04-12T22:03:00.000-05:00

My sister-in-law brought her own birthday cake, direct from Sugaree's. Swoon. Little Brother added the camellia. Perfect. I picked up the orchid for the professor's mother, but almost kept it for myself.

At Home

2013-04-10T16:01:00.000-05:00

When my family came in November to celebrate Thanksgiving, my sister commented, "I like your dirt yard." Our backyard is a lush, shady, enchanting place. We love it. But there is no grass. A dirt yard, indeed, with a few scrubby weeds. The professor bought a bag of grass seed and spread it. We're running the sprinklers with the hope that we'll have a bit of lawn this spring and summer.

And I bake bread these days. Bread to eat, bread to give. Lots of bread. And Sister and I enjoy our daytime meals at the kitchen table in front of the big window. And the cat... always the cat. Big Brother loves her so. We made post-Easter Easter eggs that make me happy. We used tea bags instead of onion skins. Then I turned them into egg salad and ate them up. Little Brother is reading his first chapter book. Aloud. To me. He has the sweetest voice and reads with delightful expression. When we're not at home we're at track because Big Brother is a runner. While he runs, the other two run wild. It's good for all of them. Fresh spring air in and energy out! The bees buzz in the azaleas constantly and my violet orchid just keeps blooming. She's a total show-off.

We make our share of messes; sometimes more than our share. {The professor is in the process of tearing out the downstairs ceilings. Dust! And the Legos. Always the Legos!} And we have our grumpy moods. But, being at home is still my favorite place to be. It's lovely and I'm thankful.

Cherished Grace

2013-04-08T13:49:00.000-05:00

Our spring has been fickle this year. I suppose she's fickle every year although I tend to forget her teasing ways... sunny and warm one day, damp and cold the next. My little world is painted with bright green and flowers. The hummingbirds have returned, we watch them from the living room window, and our little patch of woods is alive with birds. I walked there the other day. The dogwoods in bloom always remind me of white eyelet petticoats. "If I get married in the summer," I used to say, "my wedding dress will be made of white eyelet lace." I love eyelet. The cherry trees are in bloom, all rosy pink, and the woodland phlox spilling color over our little garden rock walls makes me smile.
It's Saturday afternoon, I tell Sister, "We're going to a baby shower." As I put her shoes on her she says, "I will watch the babies take a shower." She makes me smile, and so does Little Brother who wants to come for the cake. He has a sweet tooth.
We go to the baby shower. The expectant mother is from Cameroon, and her life, I know it's not easy. She works hard in a country far from home while her husband is in school out of state. We celebrate the baby girl she carries in her womb; one whom I think she's waited for longer than I've been a mother. She cherishes each flowered dress, each pink blanket, and each tiny sock with such genuine, overflowing delight. And, she cherishes each giver with deep appreciation.
I watch her lift holy hands in worship on Sunday morning. It's easy to see... she recognizes God's grace in her less than easy life, and she cherishes it, and she cherishes the Giver. And shouldn't they be cherished? Cherished grace is grace savored, cherished grace is grace worth extending, and most importantly, cherished grace commands a worshipful response to the gracious Giver.
At the baby shower I ask her, "Does your baby girl have a name?" She flashes a big, sparkly smile at me. "Yes," she replies in her beautiful French accent, "her name is Cherish." My heart melts. What name could be more fitting? She is experiencing His grace and she cherishes it, and she cherishes Him who gives it.

Birthday Morning

2013-04-05T07:58:00.000-05:00

Be them terrific or terrible {we've had some of both}, Sister decided to finish her year of two's with a bang. The eve of her third birthday went like this...
I put her down for an afternoon nap but she didn't sleep. Typical. By late afternoon she was exhausted. Of course. Big Brother had an evening track practice which meant dinner was later than usual. As I scrambled to reheat Easter lunch leftovers and make macaroni and cheese, Sister and Little Brother began to squabble over a kitchen chair. She tumbled from the coveted chair, becoming so upset she forgot to breathe and passed out. {She passes out easily when she's upset. She always has. Our pediatrician says not to worry. It's always a bit scary.} She "came to" a few moments later and the crying resumed. She passed out again. Pale, tear stained, hungry, exhausted, and pitiful, we fed her boxed macaroni and cheese for dinner, whisked her off to the bath, and tucked her into bed where she slept soundly until almost 9:00 the next morning. By the time she emerged on her birthday morning the men had already left for the day; it was just my girl and me and a hot pink tutu. In that sunshiny, well-rested moment being three, instead of two, suddenly felt really, really good.
So, here's to three with all the delight {and drama} that it's sure to bring!

Spring Strawberry

2013-04-02T22:07:00.000-05:00

Today, she turned three. Our own dear, sweet Strawberry Girl.

Finished and Unfinished

2013-04-01T22:10:00.000-05:00

Hot cross buns for Easter morning : : Sister liked the icing best : : Dogwoods blooming just in time : : My handsome Easter boys : : Icing love, again : : At the creek, what the boys love best : : Sunset hair.
Finished is the theme of my thoughts these days. I'm humbly grateful to God for giving me the grace and endurance to finish what I started; reading the Bible in 40 days was an amazing and rich experience, one that I'm still processing. I told a dear friend, "I feel as though I've journeyed through the heart of God." I've tasted and seen His steadfast love, His faithfulness, His holiness, His great mercy, His compassion, His grace, His wrath, His justice, and His promises in a deeper way. All of it is good. Most of all, I'm thankful for Christ's finished work on the cross, and for His unfinished, but ongoing, work in me. All of this is pure grace... being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6

Let Us Rejoice

2013-03-31T05:00:00.000-05:00

He will swallow up death forever.

The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces;

He will remove the disgrace of His people from all the earth.

The Lord has spoken.

In that day they will say,

“Surely this is our God; we trusted in Him, and He saved us.

This is the Lord, we trusted in Him;

let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.”

Isaiah 25:8-9

Assorted Thoughts

2013-03-29T07:43:00.000-05:00

Here's my theory, jet-lag is contagious. The professor arrived home from France late Saturday night and he has, understandably, been more tired than usual this week. So have I. Like I said, contagious. While a recovery week would be nice, life has carried on at its normal, demanding pace.
And, I continue to read. Only two days and nine books left. Really?! My heart overflows with the assurance and power of the Word. The sureness of God's steadfast love has never been more real to me, the promise of His mercy and grace and strength never more comforting. And, Paul's euphoria over the Gospel... I get it in a new and deeper way. This feast has been rich, a blessing beyond measure.
So, here's a snapshot from upstairs. You're looking at our room on the left and Sister's on the right. I haven't shown you much of this part of the house, mainly because it still needs so much work. Remember, we moved into this place as is. My bedroom is the color of Mary Kay foundation. It's not my favorite. The other night the professor spotted a band-aid plastered over one of the many, many marks on Sister's bedroom wall. We laughed because improvements like wall repairs and paint move slooowly these days. Too bad band-aids aren't a long term solution, they're much quicker and easier to apply. And, the lovely wall color in the hall... that strip of sickly, golden yellow that you see... well, it's really ancient wallpaper glue, a theme that continues down the hall to the stairwell.
A few things that made me laugh this week... Sister, with her stethoscope in hand, wanted to check by "beep." Little Brother, at Grandaddy's retirement reception, leaned over and asked me, "Is Grandaddy getting fired or something?" He also made everyone at the party laugh when, unbeknownst to the professor and me, he took it upon himself to sign the linen matte around a very nice print which was meant to be a retirement gift as well as a guest register. This is what he wrote, front and center, in delightful, first grader print: "{Insert name} - You know me." Oh, how that boy makes me smile.
Today I'm thankful for the grace to carry on, even in weariness, the grace in God's word and its power to change me, the grace of learning to live with contentment, the grace to laugh with my family, the grace to fall into bed each night and to hear the birds sing at sunrise, and the grace to rejoice in the magnificence of Christ's resurrection.

Breakfast Today

2013-03-27T15:01:00.001-05:00

In my continuing quest to savor breakfast, I made Sweet Potato Hash {With ~~Fried~~ Poached Eggs!} for breakfast. This recipe is easy to prepare and tastes amazing, plus it's perfect for those who are paleo inclined... and for those who aren't!

Whilst Ironing

2013-03-26T14:00:00.000-05:00

Sweeter Home

2013-03-25T09:53:00.000-05:00

The professor blew in from France on Saturday evening in the middle of wind and rain. I let the boys stay up late with me as we waited for the familiar sound of his car pulling into the driveway. And then we heard a car door slam. And he was home. And we smiled big, goofy smiles. We missed him while he was away.
The tastes and sights and smells and touches and sounds of home all seem a little sweeter now that we're together again. I savored the flavors of our Sunday morning coffee cake, the box of enticing French macaroons that we opened after lunch, and the homemade pizza we leisurely ate for dinner. I delighted in watching the children play while we pulled a few weeds, seeing his big suitcase empty on the floor, and noticing the warm evening sun slant through the front windows. The smell of fresh air, onions caramelizing on the stove, the scent of him, all comforting and delightful. The touch of his hand, the sound of his voice, the talking, the laughter, the cuddles, the rest, a lovely accompaniment in our song of home and life, of mercy and love. Yes, home is a sweeter place when we're together.
I notice these blessings and suddenly I am the French girl holding a big, beautiful bouquet of balloons. My balloons are grace-gifts. A few may try to float away before I notice them, but I smile and look up with thanksgiving to the Giver. My heart is full.

Late Bloom

2013-03-23T20:23:00.000-05:00

My Christmas cactus popped out a March bloom. Perhaps it's the reason I heard Christmas music in the living room this morning. Perhaps.

Blur

2013-03-22T21:30:00.000-05:00

Hello, friend. Has it really been almost a month? I didn't expect March to pass by in such a blur. My spare moments have been spent reading. And, the professor jetted off to France with handful of students. I've been sewing a bit and keeping appointments {sigh, I have a cavity} and we relished Spring Break. But life is rich and good; God's tender love is steadfast and His grace is abundant.

Simple Elegance

2013-02-28T21:18:00.000-06:00

Living Moments

2013-02-27T15:36:00.000-06:00

This is what happens when I banish the younger two down to the den so that Big Brother can work on a book report in the dining room without distraction. They pull out the Eames House of Cards and a few Hot Wheels cars and play happily together for an hour. These two are capable of producing some ugly squabbles {he can get bossy and she's really good at antagonizing} but when they decide to dwell together in unity it's a good and pleasant sight.
Our days are full and it's good. Not always easy and ever exhausting, but His grace is sufficient. Our plumber is coming on Friday to replace the fixtures in the children's bathroom. Right now a brand new sink and toilet sit waiting in the middle of my bedroom. Lovely! Have we really been in our new house six months? Living here, in this house, we feel the pleasure of God's abundant blessing every day. It's beyond what we dreamed. We are thankful. Slowly, slowly we're working on small improvements while making plans and saving money for bigger projects to come {some in the near future!}.
It seems I read, read, read in almost all my spare time these days. It's been two weeks since I started the 40-Day Lenten Bible Reading Plan. What a challenging and rewarding experience it's been so far. I feel as though I'm running a marathon at a sprinter's pace, but God's Word truly is alive and doesn't go out void. He is blessing me and teaching me abundantly as I gorge myself on scripture. I'm becoming convinced that it's equally important to enjoy the richness of the Bible in large quantities as it is to meditate on it in small quantities. I'm enjoying the feast.
And now I have Cheerios to sweep and laundry to fold and little people to love. The cat wants to be fed and dinner needs to be cooked and the book report that was started yesterday must be finished today.

Something To Give

2013-02-26T14:15:00.002-06:00

Homemade peasant bread tied with baker's twine and rosemary butter spiked with garlic say "Happy Birthday, my friend!" very nicely. It's the simple things... good bread with real butter rarely disappoint.

Random Lately

2013-02-22T21:21:00.000-06:00

Thursday's breathtaking sunrise : : The cat adopted us. We love him. He lives on our back patio. Actually, we live in the house that is attached to his patio : : Clearly I have an affinity for breakfast photography. I don't know why : : If we're not in the woods we're at the creek where there is a sandy beach and plenty of pebbles for tossing : : Abandoned lunch. Sometimes I wonder if she ever eats : : A new-to-us chair designed by Eero Saarinen for Knoll in 1957. We bought it for a song in an Atlanta junk store last weekend. It seems appropriate for us to mark thirteen years of marriage with a mid century modern furniture find; we've been hunting and collecting together from the beginning!

Woodsy Ramble

2013-02-20T21:19:00.000-06:00

Several weeks ago the children and I discovered a winding path through the woods that leads to the park near our house. We were on our bikes that cloudy day and the path's finding was like a pleasant, slightly mysterious adventure for us. Since then we've returned often. The boys always take their bikes, riding back and forth from one side of the woods to the other, winding through the trees that twist and grow over the path like a tunnel. Sister and I usually ramble along at a slower pace.
That path through the woods has become a happy place for us to go on afternoons when homework is waiting but there is energy still to be burned and fresh air still to be breathed before we settle down to serious indoor endeavors, such as math and dinner. We went there today. The simplicity of the woods and the brisk air were good for our minds. When the sun started to hang low we made our way back up the hill toward home. I observed, just as I did this morning, that our days are getting longer.

xoxo

2013-02-14T17:32:00.000-06:00

Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. 1 John 3:18