Dora -- no I mean--- Campbell, the Explorer

Now that Campbell Hope can get anywhere she chooses,  - she has begun exploring . . .  and found you can get your own snacks by rifling through the diaper bag. 

Campbell now knows  that when Momma puts you down for a nap -- there lots to do instead! 

She has emptied the little shelf at the head of her bed, by taking the
objects off it and putting them in her crib . .. .

Sunday she discovered that there's a whole big world outside her nursery by pulling herself to have a "look see" and stood for an hour -- not knowing how to set herself down and fall asleep.  She decided to yell for Mom.

Even busy little girls have to take a nap sometime.  She finally gives it up after sitting it out for quite awhile

Guess who's crawling now???  I got this video clip yesterday morn at school:

AND -----Guess who's momma is frantically childproofing EVERYTHING?

C's also trying to give up her bows!  Once she said the word, that was all out declaration of her intention to stop wearing them!  She promptly yanked it off her head.

Momma will get over it.

'Seems she is developing her own sense of fashion . . .

I so love the regeneration and resurgence of life that comes in Spring --- I've said that a lot here lately in various ways . . .

  I love lambs -- especially this time of year --if we were sheep herders we'd know it is lambing season----
This year I wanted  Campbell to have a stuffed lamb -- because I LOVE lambs --- they remind me  . . .

It's Passover and it's -- 

It's time for Celebration of the Resurrection

-- you can't do either without a lamb!!!!

In the days of Moses, Passover was celebrated with the sacrificing of the family's best, blemish-free, less than a year old -- lamb
            later . . .

John announced Jesus with the words,

"Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!"

BUT:

. . . . sheep stink.

   . . . sheep can be dumb and defenseless . .  hmmmm . . . . sound like they're needing a good Shepherd.

 but why a lamb?  . . . 

Where does this all fit into the Redemption story???   How can the Shepherd of our souls ... also be called the pure spotless Lamb, laid down for us???

That's what I like about HIS story -- HE gets in the middle of it with us -- showing us HE knows what it's like to be us . . . and going one further -- making the way for us -- by taking on our sins -- as the LAMB SACRIFICE..and the only thing we have to do is:

Our Good Girls Came to Town!

We captured Papa for our getaway to Hideaway Pizza  Friday Night

 Bethany and Campbell Hope arrived on Wednesday and we had a glorious  time getting to babysit and be Nana and Papa.  It didn't take any time at all for her to make up with us and we loved her squeals of delight when we would come near.  She is absolutely a monkey and  clearly loves people -- children especially.  She waits to catch someone's eye and shows her toothless grin -- at that she's "got ya!"  Bethany said people will stop in the grocery store after getting a Campbell smile and tell her that she gave them something they truly needed that day!   That's what our girls did for us!

Nana's gonna teach this girl to sew. . .

 



It was just last Spring Break that I was sewing feverishly for Campbell Hope's nursery and just 12 months later what a miracle we have received!!!!

I got to   sew ruffles and girlie tops for our little sweetie!

.

Playing with Momma's first Christmas toy!

Checking out Momma and Uncle Marshall's toys

Campbell is all about giving the "high five"!

Practicing crawling by working out on the stairs

She is really into feeding herself

She even recognized Nanna in her book "Brown Bear, Brown Bear"!

Teething on her favorite thing -- the remote!

C and her Papa are big buddies

.

Prettiest flower in our garden

Life is Good!

Now that Campbell Hope is down from the high elevation of Vail and back in Denver at her Grammy and Granddad Good's house,  Bethany says she's so much more relaxed. Evidentally, the altitude set off a lot of ear pain for our little lady and she had melt downs traveling through the mountains both ways.  At this point, she seems quite content making her music!

They've all done a great job keeping their Dad and I in the loop with lots of pics of their Ski Week in Vail

Snoozin' in Downtown Vail

These two look ready for some serious skiing. . .

Scanning the ipad for Baby updates!

Uncle Marshall, Read me a story. . . .

Colorado Bound!

Waiting to board at KC airport . . .

Every time we get an airport pic of this child she has this thrilled look on her face -- Campbell's already quite the traveler and her mommy and daddy say she loves the whole process -- endures safety clearance -- loves the flight and coos and goos the whole trip -- grinning at all the other passengers!  'Wish travel were that easy on the rest of us.

The kids are getting together for some "end of winter / bring on Spring" skiing --Katie txt'd yesterday to say how much she'll miss us.  Ooooooh how we'd love to be there in the middle of all their stories and the teasing I guess this trip we'll have to experience vicariously through their pictures-

So glad that Jim and Jan, Mat's folks will be able to spend the weekend with them-- Bethany's gonna be relaxing with Baby C at the lodge--  Mat & Marshall love the black slopes -- Katie loves to snowboard  -- Be safe --Don't forget to wear a helmet! -- you've got a lot riding on those two skinny boards you call skis.

Spring's re-creation . . . our renewal

This was an e-post I read this morn from "Meet Me in the Meadow" I liked it so much and think it is worth the re-post:

 

There will always be a grace that is sufficient;  

a mercy that endures; 

an atoning blood that cleanses; 

a hope that doesn’t disappoint; 

a love that never fails; 

a purpose that works all things together for the good;

a peace that passes understanding;

a joy unspeakable; 

a kingdom unshakable; 

a foundation indestructible; 

a High Priest who prays;

a Savior who lives;

a Spirit who comforts;

a Father who cares.

 Roy Lessin

Isn't that what the re-birth of Spring  is really all about -- reminding us that under the shifting surface of the present situations these concepts are the bedrock foundation stones on which we build our lives?

Therefore, we who have fled to Him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us .This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. Hebrews 6:18-19 NLT

or my favorite for uncertainty: 

He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment. Col. 1:17  The Message

This Week's Favorites!!!!

Campbell's getting everywhere scooting backward. 
Seconds after Bethany snapped this, C got tangled
in the lamp cord -Bethany caught it just in time.

Gettin' in the Gardening Groove

Erica and I got our groove on this morning and started the vegetable garden.  She was here for "Auntie Jan" time and I always think we have to do a project together.  I bought all the seeds, peat pots and soil and had looked at them for a week and done nothing -- I all needed was an inquisitive little seven-year-old to help me get this garden thing on the move!!!  We talked about scouts, her best friend, school and Taylor Swift (her new favorite).  It was just what this teacher needed after a week with high schoolers.

Kids can get so excited about putting  tiny seeds in the ground -- Do  you know how different seeds are??? Beet seeds are really weird -- don't even look like seeds -- well Erica and I had the best conversation about germination and growth and God's miracle that was gonna take place in the dirt and how many plants would come from all those seeds we put in our peat pots.   I think the  transformation of those tiny seed into flowers and then veggies is a whole life lesson itself in this garden process -- (don't know how much of that a little Girl Scout could take in at one setting).

You know, I think that's why I like Spring so much -- all the resurrection examples as my Winter ugly back yard  becomes a beautiful place to hang out this Summer.  It reminds me that we can have a "do-over" and get new life!!!

The Week at a Glance . . .

To be quite truthful -- I was sort of glad to get back to school last Monday -- even though it was really nice to spend the time catching up with lots of projects -- being snowbound can get a little old -- so it only took
the students and me about a day and a half to get our groove back on -- but by Tuesday noon--it was business as usual.
While I was on my 9-day snow hiatus -- a text message from one of my students made me realize that as soon as we finally got back into classes our calendar would resume and all the things I had scheduled pre-snow would come due.   Tuesday my Youth Alive students and I fed some 50-60 visiting French students, their teachers and some of their hosts  at a baked potato / salad bar.   These kids had just arrived at the airport on Monday afternoon, I'm sure were still in jet lag and culture shock, but they hadn't lost their appetites.  (Don't know if they serve chili-stuffed potatoes in their part of France -- but we do in Oklahoma)
Thursday it was time for another Pastor and Pizza day with Youth Alive during both lunches.  111 of us crowded into my classroom.    It's one of my favorite times as I watch them really tuned in and turned on to what the youth pastors are telling them.  One of my youth leaders has a goal of 300 kids by the end of the year -- He says it's gonna happen.  They're raising funds to buy goats for families in a third world country.  The family will be able to build a herd, use the milk and become more self-sustaining.  They want a Youth Alive Herd somewhere in Africa and want to think up names for all their goats (I'm suggesting the weirdest names they can find in the Bible!)

Yesterday -- was all about celebrating the rites of Spring in my backyard -- Wasn't it just last week I was posting pictures of the snow berm halfway up my dining room window?  

This week I am clearing out the dead plants to welcome the daffodils that are about to spread.  

Terry and I are starting  some seedlings in our garden room to transplant mid-April.  I am determined there will be no more snow days!!

Enough of this cold weather -- Jan Bell is ready for cook-outs and flower beds!


Our Baby James parenting support group today was all about family fun -- and building those special moments together.  The group shared ideas on what they like to do with their children for fun times. I slipped in some slides of our family growing up -- (Pulling out the pictures yesterday, Terry and I would ooooh and aaaah as we remembered those days when our younguns were still at home.) 

Aren't they sweet???

Trailer camping at Niagara Falls -- We pulled that old airstream all across the country.

     
Lunch with our parents' group was like a BIG family reunion. We did a build-your- own-pizza lunch which was a little chaotic and then I let the kids decorate a cookie cake.  We had about 20 bazillion kids ages 15 months to 13 years and  40-eleven adults (not really ;-)   -- I found us running out of food -- should have made 5 big pizza crusts for that crowd instead of 3 -- sent Terry across the street for frozen pizza and pizza rolls.   My man is awesome -- he just sees what needs to be done -- does it and finds all the folks who need visiting with and makes them feel special.


Last night at Winter Jam -- (Thanks Denise for the invite to sit in the special suite) -- it was awesome to see the BOK center packed with kids on their feet praising God. 5000???  -- don't know ---but it was an overflow   ---As one speaker termed it "Enjoying Jesus Together".  I like that -- wouldn't that be a great way to describe what happens at Church???


I like something else he said -- We're children of the King and the physical can't dictate the Spiritual.  Hmmm . . . . .that's something I'm gonna think on and apply to lots of my concerns and deadlines this week!

Snow Day #11 for my Nana -- at this rate she'll still be in school and miss  my birthday!!!

Snow Day # 10 -- Florida Here I Come!!!

I think it's time to put the snow village away, take the snowmen off the front door and next winter decorate with pink flamingo and palm trees for the holidays

Blizzard of 2011 - Day 9: - 5-6 More Inches of the White Stuff

How long have we been at this?  Every day of February to be exact!!  Today is my 7th School Snow day of this storm -- 9th since the first of January.  'Wonder when we will be out this Spring?  Why did I think I needed to still get up and tune in to my buddies on Channel 6 this morning like I did all of last Tuesday?  I guess I want an update on how much snow is actually falling -- I could just look outside and see everything was covered up that we Terry cleared off.  Yesterday  was the first day that I thought I just had to get out and drive my little car all by myself.  Good thing, because the roads are a mess again!

Seriously, I have enjoyed this time off to complete several projects that I never seemed to get around to --I even did some deeper cleaning and tackled some work I've put off for weeks, like mending.  I fortified the garden room yesterday against that pesky finch, sealing it off completely -- and did lots of sanitizing and felt victorious -- (only to discover this morning that cocky little bird had found another way in)

 I spent 3-4 hours repairing  completing a couple of the lapblanket for nursing home clients that my students finished in early January.  The kids created their own patterns, coordinated the colors,  sewed the squares together, added the batting and backs and did an awesome job.  We have 7 of these small wheel chair blankets that will go to nursing home residents who have special needs.  It's an effort to help them learn to serve and to give back.  The students  took great pride in their work -- one was even made by a young man.  A young woman shared with me that she'd lost her grandmother last semester to Alzhiemers and that she had passed away in a nursing home.
One  young lady who stressed over hers' the entire time -- working so hard to get it perfect - brought it to me the last day for one final approval.  She confessed that she'd found  three straight pins in the binding and wondered how we'd get them out . . . hmmm -- guess who got to tackle that project this morning.   Can't wait to deliver these to two of the care centers near our school.   I'm hoping some of my students will be able to go along.

I told Bethany I needed more pics to make it through the snow days -- - I promptly got this reply from Campbell:   "Mondays are such busy days --helping with the laundry!

I've enjoyed cooking -- I'm on my third big pot of soup for the storm. .beef stew with a secret ingredient I learned from Adelia.   We enjoyed her recipe for French Beef Stew the weekend before this weather set in.

I've made breads (got caraway rye in the bread machine, right now) it's been a good chance to try out some recipes that I don't get time to cook. Like Bethany says, times like this all you want is carbs!!! May even make some cherry jelly --  I still haven't made the shrimp gumbo I always make for the first snow or potato soup which is my standard cold weather food.  Terry's gonna be glad when I get back to cookin' REAL food. If we don't get back in school soon, I'm gonna be 30 pounds heavier!!!
 
 

that snow berm outside my dining room is taller

With forecasts of 60 degrees for next week, my winter sabbatical will soon be over -- I'll leave this little nest I've made on my couch in the den to return back to the classroom to 125 students to discuss such things as  family values, interpersonal relationships and communication.(Having been housebound for these 9 -10 days -- I'm gonna need some lessons in communication myself!)  There will be papers to grade, projects to launch and my regular routine to resume.  It's been a time to relax, renew, refuel and reassess.

I've even had time to read two books -- John's Grishom's latest -- and another new book by Dr. Mark Sheehan a Denver cardiologist, "Healing Prayer on Holy Ground" which was authored from  his years of watching God work in the lives of his patients. This book gave me something to "chew on" during my "cabin days".

     
    I want to share this excerpt from his book in which he quotes, Peter Kreeft -- Professor of Philosophy, Boston College.
 
I strongly  suspect that if we saw all the difference even the tiniest of our prayers make, and all the people those little prayers were destined to affect, and all the consequences of those prayers down through the centuries, we would be so paralyzed with awe at the power of prayer that we would not be able to get up off our knees for the rest of our lives.


Love God, And above all, pray.    --- Mother Teresa.

Blizzard Day 5 - Busting Out

Spring Thaw came today!!!!  Today was a beautiful sunny day with temperatures above freezing and snow melting all over Green Country -- It gave people the courage to make a run for it and because there is a forecast of two more snows in the coming days with a possible accumulation of 8-12 inches total we all needed to bust out for a while.

 Chad Sandridge and Kristina Reinsch's wedding gave us a reason to celebrate!

These four are really enjoying their coming out party!!!

Blizzard of 2011 -- Day 4

OK -- so now  I'm calling it a blizzard  -- forget the snow holiday!!!  Terry made it to the street yesterday -- only to have the snow cover his path with another 3-4  or maybe it's 40 inches --I  don't know how much -- white is white!!!  The neighborhood streets are a mess and  even the main roads aren't that great.


We got as far as Wal-Mart and stocked up for the next few days of snow -- it was crazy busy -- but people were extremely patient and helpful.  Folks in long lines, let others cut in line who only had one item.  People stop to push other people's cars out of ruts -- nobody seems in a hurry -- everyone seemed glad to be out of the house.

Two young girls knocked on our door last night to ask Terry to give them a push -- they were from Bixby and had come into our neighborhood to feed the pet of a friend who wasn't able to make it home.  He pushed them back down the street, they thanked him, blessed him and he stumbled back through the 2 foot drifts and ruts on our street.

We've done all the fun stuff like hot dogs and s'mores in the fireplace -- eaten up the last of the taco soup -- now my man is asking for apple pie -- I've tried to keep us lower calorie and nutritious -- now it's time for serious eatin'-- PIE and ICE CREAM!!!






Some folks have been stuck at their jobs since Monday -- sorry Letha -- they'd better be treating you well.  I can imagine you're taking care of everybody there --Kristina and Chad we hope this weather cooperates and we have a heat wave before your wedding tomorrow -- I'm getting the rolls going for your little sandwiches as soon as I bake this pie!  

Our friends Janet and John have frozen pipes in their attic and no hot water !!! --

The snow has drifted almost half way up the windows

Tonight's news was all about how to fight the stress of being indoors -- exercising, tackling projects you've been postponing, doing something creative and getting outdoors --

Cabin Fever is a real thing when the weather is like this -- but lookin' at the flip side --aren't we glad we have the "CABIN" to be inside of to stay toasty warm.

God, please take care of those who don't have electricity, warmth and enough food.

Snow Holiday

Terry's quite a snow fan!!!  Growing up in Denver and Colorado Springs -- he's often moaned and groaned that we never get enough of the white stuff. . . . WELL . . . this week has met his every need for a winter holiday!  I feel like we're living that snow scene out of Dr. Zhivago!

 
Yep, it's just me and my man -- old snow bunnies nice and toasty inside --sitting in front of a roaring fire with temperatures of six degrees below outside.

It's interesting what staying indoors days on end will do to you . . .

>> All of a sudden you realize how very much you want fresh air  --  but glad we aren't out in it.  'So thankful for warmth and electricity -- 'praying for those who don't have it

>>We play "chase the finch"  to get that determined little critter out that somehow manages to wedge it's way into our garden room through the snow-drifted doggie door. Each time he can catch a a tiny slit in our den door, he makes it into the house and then begins the great chase to shoooo it outside!  (relieves a little of the hum drum around here)

>>This is my chance to tackle all those projects I put off -- like sorting a truckload of receipts for income tax  -- my office has never looked so clean!

>> I got this desire to cook comfort foods like cheesy garlic grits, and chicken taco soup, loads of hot cocoa and make some homemade bread. We made our traditional buckwheat cakes Tues. morning.  (This tradition started with my mother -- Early in our marriage --whenever we would get "snowed-in" in Illinois -- we'd head to Mom and Dad's and have a breakfast of homemade buckwheat cakes and sausage.)

>>> I find myself glued to the tv for hours  -- Every morning I tune in to see what the roads are like --don't know why -- since we can't make it down our street -- eyes are crossed from seeing that ribbon of school closings.

>>> It's fun to talk to old friends and see what their weather is and brag about our own snowfall.  (My dear childhood friend in the St. Louis area and I compared the snows of our childhood in Illinois and remembered that seldom did they call off school -- that people just put chains on their car -- blankets in the backseat and kept up with life. It seemed like winters were more harsh)

Looks like we're going to have a few more days of this . . .I'm trying to avoid the urge to make cookies and all the sweet stuff  and spending more time working out on my exerciser. . . want to get busy quilting a quilt top my grandmother pieced together . . . need to do some curriculum planning for our upcoming parenting class . . . I'd better grade some student's papers . . .

Terry's got plans, too . .  he's got a scooping project going:  His goal to make it to the mailbox today -- don't know why ---- the mailman can't make it down our street.

Almost there!

We live in a city that has diligent weather forecasters -- weeks ahead they track weather patterns promising us the "big one" of whatever weather is headed our way -- seldom is it as extreme as predicted.  I have to admit that I've become cynical about these forecasts.   I realize that these projections of what our weather could become does save lives and have to admit we have even signed up for these weather alerts to be texted to our cell phones.

It's beautiful outside -- yet with all this talk of Jet Streams, Fronts, Weather patterns, I'm still reminded that Our Father is still in charge of the weather --

He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ Job 37:6


He spreads the snow like wool and scatters the frost like ashes  Psalm 147:16


lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding  Psalm 148:8