So Long Ordinary

Last week, Mom, the girls, and I made a whirlwind trip out to Eastern Kansas to visit my precious Grandma. We made a somewhat last-minute plan to go, only to find out the night before we were planning to leave that the weather was supposed to be awful somewhere around the Colorado-Kansas border. The phrase bitter disappointment doesn't begin to describe how I went to bed feeling that Sunday night. Mom woke me up early on Monday morning to announce that the weather had cleared and we still had a chance to go! Praise God! I jumped out of bed and two hours later, we were on the road for a loooonnnggg trip - 14 hours both ways - but it was totally, completely worth it. We only got to stay for one full day before we had to head back to Colorado but it was a great time and I'm so grateful that God cleared the way and kept us safe so we could make the trip. I love my Grandma Jean dearly and to miss a chance to see her sweet self would have been HORRIBLE! The girls sure do love h...

On February 19, my parents celebrated 45 (!) years of marital bliss. To celebrate, Dad wanted to take his daughters and his bride out like old times. Growing up, Mom and Dad didn't often get a babysitter for any reason at all. On special occasions, we'd all four go out for dinner. It sort of became the tradition, even if was likely borne out of the simple unavailability of good babysitters in our area. Last Sunday, Dad took us to a country club up in the mountains and we had the best blueberry pecan pancakes in the world! It was the first time in at least 10 (probably closer to 20) years that I remember just the four of us going out and we had a really wonderful time. It even began to snow and it was gorgeous. Gosh, I love my family. Can I even begin to tell you how blessed I am to have grown up with these people around me, loving me? Can I ever describe how special this little lunch/brunch date was to me? I don't take these little moments for granted - or the fac...

Find out how God is teaching me to value my ministry in Indonesia on the MAF blog today! Click here to read the post.    

I finally have a chance to sit down and blog, so here goes some catch-up!! Last Saturday the girls got to go horseback riding. They had a blast! Brooklyn rode the horse all by herself. I was so proud of her. Paige lasted about three seconds. Maddie was giggling and having fun the whole time. She told Grandpa it was just like riding an elephant! Thanks for the ride, Grandpa! Yee-haw! (Thanks for the photos, Mom!)

I love - really love - farm life. I grew up here, surrounded by big skies, wide fields, blue mountains, various livestock, and the smell of hay. It's in my blood. And it's probably one of the things I miss the most about life in the States. It's also probably the very thing that prepared me for my life overseas. Farm life. What a joy to share with my girls - and, goodness, are they ever into it! The other day we spent over an hour just walking around my parents' little farm, enjoying sunny (but still cold) weather and saying hello to all the animals here. Chickens. I miss having chickens. Sean and I have seriously considered getting chickens in Palangkaraya, actually. Um, honey? I have an idea! These horses are old now - they are getting all sway-backed and toothless. I have lots of memories of riding Camper and Brodie in the mountains with my Dad. Back then, they were skittish and I was usually terrified! Dixie is long-buried, as are several other faithfu...

Pizza Hut! Mountain Dew at Pizza Hut! (Sorry stranger in the background stuffing your face. Didn't mean to.) Shopping at Wal-Mart! (And such huge parking lots there, too.) Fun new things to color and create. The National Anthem and high school basketball games. I cried the first time I heard the National Anthem. I did. Wide. Open. Spaces. Snow and blue sky and mountains that take your breath away. We are really having a great time.  

Sean totally came through and got me roses for Valentine's Day - even though he isn't here and he'd already sent us a great Valentine's package. I am feeling very loved. Dad came through too with white roses for Mom. It's so purty around here!  

 We are really having a great time in Colorado.  We miss Daddy a LOT but it's far better to be awaiting his return here than all alone in Indonesia.  In just 1 week and 1 day, he'll join us here!!!! We have been enjoying lots of Mexican food, cold weather, snow, beautiful mountain views, family time, Mexican food, shopping trips, American foods, good coffee, church in English, libraries, sledding, and Mexican food.  Our schedule has been pretty full.  I brought along our homeschool stuff and today is only the second day we've had time to hit the books. (But I know that our trips to the library and fun "new" experiences are also teaching my girls a ton, so I'm not too worried.  The math, writing, and reading skills are still there, though not practiced as often as I like in an ideal world.) Both Maddie and Brooklyn did a good job today and I was surprised to discover they haven't forgotten a thing.  Brooklyn even said that she likes school!  That d...

Were you  wondering where I went?  I haven't been too excited about blogging with my blog being so difficult and mean, but I think I've fixed the issues I was having....or at least made my peace with a new layout.  I've added an "About" page above and that has taken the place of the majority of what I used to have on my sidebar.  For reasons I'll never understand, The Internet decided I couldn't have a sidebar any more.  Sigh.  Oh well.  This will work too. I have some really great pictures to post!   But I spent my entire Sunday afternoon trying to fix my blog layout and so the pictures will have to wait a bit longer - I'm computered out. I've got to get more streamlined in my picture taking, saving, and posting.  It is such a hassle. We are still having a great time here in 'Merica!  (That's how Paige says it.)  It snowed yet again today - loving the snow and cold weather!  Mom and I did some shopping for Indonesia clothes an...

 I don't know why.  I don't understand it.  I can't fix it.  My blog is going berserk.  I can't make things look like they should.  This is all very bizarre and I'm in way over my head.  Here's hoping I can fix the issues and come up with a new design that I like...eventually.  

Finally, some pictures to show you how we've been spending our time here in Colorado so far! Playing in the snow! Getting over jet lag.  Enjoying breathtaking sunrises. (because we've already been up for hours anyway!)  

It has been a rough week!  The jet lag seems to be getting worse rather than better.  Haven't slept much in the past few days.  Yet somehow it is all worth it.  I love being here, being at home.  As we pulled into my parents' home late on Sunday, Dad played John Denver's "Back Home Again."  It is a perfect theme song to how I feel about being home.   But this jet lag thing is for the birds.  Really, I feel like I'd be totally okay if it weren't for the kids.  They've really struggled to get into a normal sleep routine and we're not there yet.  To make matters more interesting, Paige has been sick with a stomach bug and throwing up at regular intervals.  I think she's better now...at least I hope so! Brooklyn went to the dentist and had a tooth pulled.  She loves the dentist, so it wasn't a bad experience.  Bless her heart, she was really loopy on the "happy air!" It has been snowing today!  Oh, what a joy to see snow ...