After A Long Hiatus...

I've been absent from the blog world for a long time. I got a new job at Kohl's, and that, coupled with the holidays, has completely hijacked my time lately. I finally have the luxury of some time to reflect after the departure of our last holiday guests. 

I can't stop thinking about an acquaintance of mine who, between my last blog post and this one, has discovered that she not only has cancer, but has 3 different kinds of cancer. It makes me so incredibly sad for her. How can one person be so riddled with disease? How is it that such an amazing mom and wife and business woman can be staring down such an ugly and unforgiving disease this early in her life? How is she dealing with this, and what can she possibly say to her 3 young children?

She starts chemo in a couple days. Her surgery won't be until this summer. I can't imagine the long haul she has in front of her. Her community has been very supportive. Still, I feel so helpless to do anything significant. Delivering meals and running errands is helpful, but really; she has cancer and a husband and 3 kids. And of course, I can't help feeling guilty that I am just so glad it's not me. (Hayes woke up with pink eye this morning and it wore me out just to take him to the urgent care clinic and the pharmacy this afternoon. Please.) I just don't know how she will manage, how anyone in her shoes could manage.

Disney Retreat

We suprised Hayes with a family vacation to WDW recently. Can't tell you how glorious it was to be together and enjoy a place all of us adore. We used the dining plan this time and it was FABULOUS! Would totally do it again. And the All-Star Resort was surprisingly nice. I would try all the All-Star themes. It was perfect for Hayes. So many things to look at, and climb on, and don't even get me started about the arcade! He must have spent hours in there (and many dollars to boot!). Loved it. Here are a few shots I took while there. As always, it was so nice to get home and sleep in our own beds!

For The Birds

And in so many words, it did. I went to the Newport Aquarium yesterday with our family friends. They have a really nice aquarium with lots of cool things to see. We even got a special behind-the-scenes tour due to Mike's connections! I hope to post some of those pics to Hayes's blog soon. But I digress.

At the aquarium there is a fabulous exhibit where one can feed the Lorakeets. These are essentially large parakeets. The kids had a blast holding out cups of nectar and watching the birds light on their arms and drink. And then, it happened. One of the birds pooed on my shoulder.

I felt it was no big deal. In fact, I felt lucky to only have been beaned on my shoulder. Just as we were about to leave, a lorakeet decided I was a good target and shat upon my head and face. Oh, to be so close to nature! Dispite this misadventure, we had a great time. The other birds we saw up close and personal were much kinder to us. We had a close encounter with some adorable penguins. Again, I hope to have some photos up soon. For now, I am sure the image of the lorakeets will be enough.

On Children's Health Care....

Pat Oliphant can be so right sometimes.

Harassed

I completed this layout for a homework assignment given in the latest Photoshop Elements class I am taking. We are learning how to use layer maskes even though it's not an "official" part of the program. I am loving it!

Jesus Camp

I watched Jesus Camp last night. It was frieghtening. While it was clear that the makers of the film had an agenda of exposing the radical nature of Christianity, I too, have been a part of that "get 'em while they're young" movement - on both sides actually. And we "knew in our hearts" what we had been called to do. The amazing part of the film is that there is no narration, no real commentary about what is happening. You see folks from a Pentacostal background (called Evangelical throughout the film) doing what they are doing. Proud to have it being made into film. And there is one lone voice - a radio host of a call-in show who seems to be a voice of reason. A voice that is not being heeded by those at Jesus Camp.

It makes me so nervous when I see it this exposed on the screen. What are we doing? It also makes me so greatful for my community. Yes, we are exposing our kids to our views, but it feels more responsible. (Of course, this begs the question: is it really?) I believe that we are informing them and allowing them to take it or leave it; Jesus Camp reminded me of how we preyed on the emotions (fragile as they are) of the kids we "worked with." And the most amazing part is that these people who were homeschooling their kids, and running the camp, were so genuinely concerned for the next generation. They clearly believed that they were doing what was best for them.

Contrast this with the last episode of Boston Legal, in which Alan - a self-avowed filanderer - is confronted with being a father. He has a choice. He notes that he comes from a long line of dastardly fathers, the last always worse than the man before him. Then he says, "I just don't know that I would be a good leader for a young soul." That a "sinner" would be so reflective of what it means to raise a child strikes me as an interesting contradiction to those who seem to be "as sheep" following blindly the dictums of their faith, or doctrine, as it may be. It reminds me of what an enormous job it is to raise a child and how very much we need a village in order to do it. And perhaps a diverse one, at that.

Sabbath

I am not one to really "honor" the sabbath. I wish I was. But today our family was pushed into it a bit. We were all very cranky yesterday and I was a tiny bit under the weather (I knew it was going to be bad when I got teary watching a special about WDW - honestly). I woke up today feeling like I was on the edge and the boys were no better off. Dispite the fact that I was to lead church, we had to take a sick day. I hate doing that. I have really begun to enjoy our church time again. I look forward to being there and seeing everyone.

And so we slept in and had a late, lazy breakfast and took the day rather slowly. I've begun to feel so much better and Hayes seems to be able to tolerate life again. We had so many tears yesterday about so many things, I lost track of them all. Richard still needs some time to recooperate, but over all, I am so glad for the day of rest. I am outside enjoying the day, and my dog, while Richard takes a well-deserved nap. Go figure, the sabbath has been restorative. Things I must try to remember....

Wallpaper

I learned how to use Photoshop Elements to make desktop wallpaper! So excited. It's not so hard really, but now I can put up whatever I want on my wallpaper! I just keep finding more ways to put those digital supplies to use. Love it. Here's my first go round.