A Trip Home

The parents have been asking me to come for a visit for the last several months in order to get away from the chaos of life up north. I have been reluctant to leave my own home abode but this weekend was Mom's retirement party and today is Father's Day, so I loaded up the car, scooped up Granny from her home, and headed South to the coast. And in a lot of ways its been refreshing and healing to be here. 

FRIDAY AFTERNOON

The first night we were joined by my brother about 5pm and so we headed out to dinner to my favorite restaurant. With all that's going on and with potential summer trips, the irony is that this was my fortune:

I also had THE.MOST.AMAZING sushi roll--avocado & cream cheese was A.MA.ZING!

I'd gotten a run in prior to dinner and the rest of the night was spent wrapped up in sweats, the Mariners baseball game on TV, stacks of home decor magazines, and laughter with the fam.

SATURDAY

Somehow on Saturday we were blessed with an abundance of sunshine which led to about 80 degrees. I was able to grab a late breakfast with one of my favorite gals from high school and then I headed to the small, local co-op to pick up a new recyclable toothbrush. I was really hoping to head to a patio somewhere for sunshine and vino...and then it dawned on me that I could do that here at my parents place. Before too long Granny was out in a separate rocker to join me and even the parent's indoor cat, Squeaks, took a few exploratory trips around the patio. Two wooden rockers, a glass of vino, and good company later....it was a beautiful afternoon. 

My sister and two of my nephews showed up about 3pm and then we all headed for the beach. It was overcast but incredibly warm for the southern Oregon coast. The nephews headed straight into the water and Granny wanted to follow suit!

We headed back to change and get ready for Mom's retirement party:

It was incredibly rewarding listening to Mom's coworkers show their appreciation, joy, and respect for this woman. She has blessed and touched the lives of many through her years of working as a SLP. Many in the crowd wore crazy hats and funny painted fingernails to embrace Mom's quirkiness. And the speeches from several reminded me of how blessed I've been to have phenomenal role models in my life. For years, Mom has continuously provided for those on her caseload and for her coworkers who were in need, especially around the holidays. She's prayed for and with so many. It was so evident how much her caring and giving nature will be missed by all those that she continuously touched on a daily basis.

After Mom's party, I headed over to Tall D's "family" where I loved on the adorable baby and caught up with some other incredibly strong and phenomenal women. It was great to spend a few more hours in laughter and sharing, recognizing how fortunate I've been to have the opportunity to get to know these incredible individuals.

SUNDAY

Today's Father's Day and Dad got up to provide us all with a pancake breakfast. Throughout the last several months, Dad and I have been blessed to have some great conversations and this incredible man has consistently shared how much it means to him to be able to "serve" and provide for others. His greatest satisfaction comes from attempting to give more to others than he receives...and to attempt to walk the talk that Jesus instructed us to live. This trip has reminded me how fortunate I've been to have these many significant role models in my life: Dad, Mom, Granny. (Although I've also been reminded that many of my traits I've gotten from those three as well.)

Sis, her kiddos, and Bro are all headed out and the rest of us are headed to church. This evening I'll grab drinks with my gal from high school again. Tomorrow I'll pick up my painting in the morning and then Granny and I will head back up North. Tall D moved the rest of his stuff out this weekend and there's much to get situated in the house....plus I've got to finish prepping one class and apply to that out-of-my-league job! Much to do, much to do....I've got big plans for the house this summer!

Tonight....

Tonight I'm at my parent's house and will be for the weekend. Dad's carrying my brother via FaceTime to check on my furry ladies that are peeking in the back door. The dogs have seemingly befriended the new neighbor dogs and tackled each other multiple times across mom and dad's backyard. For all the moments when I'd feared that my non-dog parents would begrudge my animals, they secretly love to see our furry girls frolicking through their grass and eagerly licking their windows. At night the girls always sleep curled up on their beds that have been thrown in the back of dad's old truck in the garage.

Tonight hub and I showed up in our hometown about 5:30pm. We dropped off our bags and drove to our old high school, where hub took off with a friend to help set up an event and I swam oh-so-absolutely-amazing-many laps in my old high school pool. It was the first time I'd dived in between my old lane lines since our return and it was wonderful to feel my arms slicing and carrying me through the clear water. I embraced the comfort of things being exactly as they were 12 years ago--pull buoys and kick boards are still found in the same bins, and I spent a few moments re-connecting with the lifeguard on duty who had been one of my students back when I was a local sub.

Tonight I was reminded of how much of a natural provider my father is and how fortunate I am for his continual guidance and quiet example in my life. I relished sitting down at the table to a meal produced by dad and enjoyed actual conversation over food with both my parents. I purposefully embedded into my mind the moments of standing quietly by my father's side, being handed dripping clean dishes for me to wipe and dry, all while looking out of the back windows of the house together. I've spent this evening, butt settled into the couch half-ass watching the Mariners vs As game, with Dad pointing out the important points of the game---just like many evenings we spent together in years prior.

Tonight I've enjoyed watching Squeaks, mom and dad's lil cat, who has spent the evening bemoaning changes in her surroundings. ;) I'm relishing her quite nap two cushions over from me, her head twisted into itself.

Tonight I'm looking forward to tucking myself into the guest twin beds in the back corner bedroom and losing myself into deep moments of sleep. I'm eager for morning coffee with one of my best friends, and hopeful for an afternoon beach trip with the dogs and a soul-kid sister and her beautiful babies for a check-in. Tonight I'm ready to settle into the Sunday pews of my youth and remember the hope and promise of a Savior that I so frequently overlook.

Tonight I'm somewhere between frustrated and fortunate......and really just thankful to again be wrapped up in the graces and comforts of the home of my youth. 

Outfits & The Week in Review

MONDAY: Meeting & Errands

Usually I don't formally work on Mondays (I do a lot of emails, planning, and grading at home), but last Monday one of my vets had a presentation to give to the campus president so I wanted to make sure he was there and it went well (he forgot the last time he was scheduled.....). Luckily it also gave me another chance to address some of the campus big wigs on veterans issues and events, so it turned out to be a win-win. However, I also stepped it up a professional notch.....and pulled some of my oldest work wear out of the closet.

(wrap dress & cami: Target; tights & jewelry: Freddies; boots: Penney's; blazer: Macy's)

TARGET PURCHASES

And then I "had" to stop at Target----which led to a big fat shopping fail on my part. :) I stopped to get gift cards for my sister's family (3 of them have March birthdays) and to pick up a baby gift for the front desk worker at the distance campus I also teach at....but I couldn't help but wander over to the clothes section.....

....and cardis & camis were on sale......and then the tweed dress you see above was on clearance....and they all made their way into my basket and out of the door. (Hub was oh.so.glad to see yet another cardigan, but I can't tell you the number of times I've wished I had a gray one......)

That cardi, cami, jean outfit got me through the afternoon and evening though---which included cleaning the house, finishing grading, picking up the yard, having a heart-to-heart with one housemate, attempting to read more, making an awesome take on a curry dish over couscous, and the like.

TUESDAY: Meetings & Teaching

The day started off with my dropping off one housemate at work before I headed to another campus for meetings. I meant to change before I taught, but I ran out of time as my morning meetings turned into a working lunch that continued into the early afternoon.....and then I was left with just enough time to drive to my campus, finishing prepping/make copies, and teach. I sort of feel like this was a bit too casual for the usual vibe I try to give off while teaching however.

(cardigan, cami, dark jean pencil skirt, black ruffled blouse: Target; boots: Penneys)

The rest of the evening was spent doing a P90X work-out, getting ready for the next day, and then keeping one of the housemates company while he made the most amazing gumbo from scratch (including a veggie portion for me!!). It seriously was delish and just may have been one of my first exposures to okra.

WEDNESDAY: Office & Teaching

You can't really see the plaid in the red button-up shirt, nor that it was tucked in. Nor do you see the brown belt that started up around my waist, then made it's way around my hips, then under the sweater as the day progressed (and somewhere in there I also had one of my vets put two more holes in it in order to distract him from whatever was bothering him). Today was my extra long day in the office this last week, followed by my usual late night of teaching, followed by 30 minutes with a student after class, followed by an hour of reading for the next day's meeting in another town, followed by showering/eating/cleaningthekitchen/throwing random clothes in an overnight bag and crashing into bed somewhere between 11pm and 1230am.

(red plaid button-up, brown suede boots, brown tweed pencil skirt: Penney's; cream cardi: Target)

THURSDAY: Out of town meeting

Cue random snow arrival over night. Okay, so the snow had been discussed but I was oh.so.hopeful it wouldn't arrive.....and I was oh.so.thankful for my AWD vehicle as I hauled down the interstate running late for my meeting/conference on veterans issues that was in the town an hour south of us. Waking up at 5:45am on a potential snow day (for a meeting that ended up only leaving me annoyed.....) wasn't exactly my ideal way to start a day, and I honestly struggled with selecting something appropriate to wear. The outfit I came up with above was attempt #3 or so and at that point I was already 20 minutes behind schedule, so while it's boring, it was also my last ditch effort. Beg your pardon of the photo, I had to snag it from Granny's bathroom mirror....... :)

(gray pinstripe pants & black cami: Target; white cardi: Walmart; black suede boots: Penneys; black belt: gifted)

And yep, you read that right. I'd already arranged for someone to cover my Thursday evening class (moved the exam to that date), so I was able to spend a few days with Granny. (First I stopped off at a friends place who I have hardly had the opportunity to see since we've moved back---SO great getting to catch up with her and see her beautiful pregnant belly!) But then I headed over to Granny's and off to dinner for burgers and beers we went. I ended up staying until this morning (Saturday) and it was amazing to go to bed super early both nights (9:30pm!!), eat on a regular schedule, and really just spend some time enjoying and butting heads with Granny. :)

FRIDAY: Errands

And you've seen this outfit before and will see it again.....it's one of my favorites honestly and I've been itching to wear it with my black pencil skirt and boots to work---but it's a standby. Granny and I woke up late, breakfasted, and then headed off to run her errands. She always loves to get cards at Hallmark, so we headed downtown to pick up three months of birthday cards for the family (and to grab me a stronger coffee!). After lunch and a rest, we picked up her groceries and a few other things she needed......and then we decided to see if my sister's crew could celebrate their birthdays with pizzas in their town. Soon enough Granny and I loaded up again and headed over there for pizzas and beer for dinner.....topped off with homemade cake made by my sister. We also got to see my great-niece (Granny's great-great grand-daughter), and it was so cute watching her play with the tea set Granny got her.

(jeggings: Walmart; cami & sweater: Target; scarf: Freddies; black suede boots: Penneys)

SATURDAY: Return Home

You've also seen this outfit before but it's another great weekend standby. This morning I changed the sheets on my bed at Granny's, breakfasted with her and got her set-up with her schedule for the day (2pm Beanbag baseball practice & 7pm Blazers on TV), and then I met my brother for coffee before leaving town. I made it back in record time and then was able to run up to campus to complete a few of the things that I'd scheduled to do this afternoon. Coming home, I did some laundry, unpacked, and picked up after the dogs & chickens out back. Blog completed, hub's dinner eaten (cod fish tacos w/ mango slaw), now it's time to attempt some quality time with hub before bed.

(black leggings & flats (not pictured): Target; purple sweater dress: Dress Barn)

Clothing wise I feel the week was a bit boring, but I'm okay with it. Sometimes we compromise in some areas in order to live our lives more fully in others. The two days of work in Portland were way busier than most, I'm "sharing" more in more ways than I used to, and the end of this week saw me getting to spend time with my gal (who I hadn't seen since last summer), my sister's family (also since last summer), my brother (last seen on New Years), and this was the first time I've spent the night at Granny's in almost three years. I'd say that the lamer outfit choices were well worth the extra time spent with loved ones and the busyness of the work days! :)

Hope you all had a good week too!

Authenticity Might Cause Strife

I've been reading the desire for increased honesty, openness, and authenticity throughout many other blogs in the last two days, and several have shared how at times they too censor their thoughts and/or postings so as not to offend readers. At times I've toyed with privatizing my blog so I can more freely post my thoughts, and then I laugh at the irony of how this blog was never supposed to become so personal but rather be a method to expose others toward a different way of living. So I'm not going to lie because this post might offend some who I hold dear because I want to write about....family--what it means to me, how it differs, and the primary family value that I hold most dear. (Censoring on this topic tends to occur because I have a tendency to be more blunt....so please, know that no injury is ever intended as thoughts flow out of my heart and mind.)

Now let me make it clear: I absolutely LOVE my related family. I feel incredibly fortunate to have been raised by my parents, who so deeply instilled within my siblings and myself a sense of individualism and independence. Without the two of them, I never would have been encouraged to so freely be myself and I never would have learned of the immensity of unconditional love. I enjoy my varied relationships with my siblings, and while each of us is incredibly different than the other three, I seriously wouldn't have us any other way. During the most recent half of my life, my extended family on both sides has taught me numerous lessons, and those that I interact with in my extended family most frequently bring me moments of laughter.

I'm also blessed with a family of friendships: my high school best girl who I consider to be my sister of choice based on a history full of both love and strife. And a handful of others who have been or were similar to surrogate cousins. And this is where a major difference comes in when it comes to my choice of friends: I'm incredibly selective in who I let in because I'm incredibly loyal once a friend transitions into my family circle.

As mentioned before, one of the hardest aspects of moving home this year was the idea of transitioning back into a larger family, although this is something I transitioned through once before as a child. Being raised in a military family, we were used to creating surrogate relationships wherever we were and our parents taught us to foster relationships with each other, with ourselves, and with our friends. People in our church became surrogate aunts & uncles. Our older neighbors were surrogate grandparents, and I, at least, fought like cats & dogs with some of my childhood friends as they become surrogate cousins & siblings. When we moved back to Oregon in my childhood, suddenly I had new aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents that I had never really had the chance to know......and at times it was an interesting transition (add on to this the fact that I will finally admit that I was/am a bit of a brat.) It took years for real relationships to develop with some of these relatives, some never did, and others blossomed and later withered. Trying to decipher this larger family image and understand my role in the bigger picture was something I still struggled with in my mid 20s.

Additionally, I generally find that my relationships with my family are different than others I talk to. I come from an immediate family of various ages. I'm closer in age to my two eldest nephews than my sister, but somewhere in my late teens/early 20s I developed great relationships with my two older siblings, while my middle brother had long been one of my dearest friends. I come from a long line of stubbornness, which also led me to stop talking to my maternal grandfather in the few years before his death--although being a stubborn soul himself, it's not something I imagine he held against me. The way I remember my paternal poppa is a different vision than the version I hear most frequently from other members of my family. To me, he will forever be a builder, a dreamer, a lover, a gentle creative soul, a man of quirky dreams, a deep laugh, and a twinkle forever in his eye. It is because of him that I am such a lover of my fellow human and education. Its rare that I talk to my parents or siblings more than 1-2x a month, although this doesn't mean we don't think of each other or deeply love each other. Some of my favorite high school family memories include long political and social conversations between my brother, father, and myself during the dinner hour. My earlier family Thanksgivings were full of moments of family gossip and deep sarcasm. My relationship with my father is incredibly strong and until I got married, I couldn't imagine another man, other than my father and grandfather, ever meaning more to me.

.....and then I got married, and discovered that it was possible to love another male as deeply.  And somewhere in our nine weeks of "courtship" I promised to introduce him to the one and only family value that I hold deeply in my heart: unconditional love. Hub's family life is very different than mine, as when I left Oregon to be with him my ties to my family both extended and immediate were incredibly strong, while hub's ties to his related family were slightly broken and a surrogate family had enveloped him in its place. And in two tumultuous years of total separation from our related and surrogate families, a different relationship based on hub and our furry friends (aka we don't consider our dogs our surrogate children) took its place. There's much that occurred during that time that I chose not to share with 99% of my family & friends, and instead relied on the support of a few and friendships of that newest of surrogate families: my fellow milspouses.

In our conversations about moving home, hub and I had several chats about transitioning into our diverse families and where potential boundaries might need to be implemented. Neither of us had spent much of any time beyond an initial introduction with the other's family, and while hub and I are equally similar and yet different, we come from very different blood and surrogate families. Hub is a private person (so much so that I sometimes feel guilty sharing so freely as of late), where I used to be much more of an open book. Hub has had to grow into a life of complete independence, where I come from an extended family that appreciates elements of codependence. Hub doesn't relish love demonstrated via touch, but I come from a family full of cuddles, arms over shoulders, and hugs. Marriage has brought us into some compromise, but we both attempt to accept the differences that do exist rather than push the other toward conformity.

In the months since our return, I have heard several times on one side the mention of the ways that members of our family should operate. I've felt the suggestion from other sides of family to better fulfill what could be seen as our family duties. I've returned to the internal pressure that I put upon myself to live up to the family expectations....and in so doing have cast over elements that I used to love about myself. And I've realized from other newer family how much I sometimes relish those old moments of myself which include spontaneity, crasness, and appreciation of inappropriate freedom. I've also seen another version of what my family value of unconditional love can look like. The reality is that the basic family value that was engrained in me from both immediate and extended family was that of unconditional love, and that is the one value that I will continue to hold on to and to demonstrate to my husband, to our related family, and to our surrogate family members deep in my heart. Unconditional love doesn't mean it's all rosy and pleasant however, and thus my version may at times be demonstrated differently than expected.

Truthfully the reality that I am continuing to come back to is that hub and I are our own family unit based on our own values, lifestyle, expectations, hopes, and dreams.....and even between the two of this that doesn't always equal out. Neither of us follow a pre-laid plan and both of us tend to desire to buck the expectations placed upon us. But this is the life that we authentically live, even if one of us tends to be better at it than the other. And with that.....here I go, starting to bang my drum! :)

Thanksgiving in Pictures

 This year I made cranberry sauce using a recipe from one of my best high school gals---it turned out fab and will definitely be contributed again.

 Hub was kind enough to hook up our DVD player last evening so I also got to huddle down under my new super soft & comfy winter blanket and watch one of my favorite Christmas movies: The Family Stone. While hub and I are unsure if we'll have kids, this movie always makes me wish for a big house of crazy functional dysfunction someday!

 Hub contributed pumpkin cheesecakes and a deep-fried turkey. In this photo he's prepping the turkey and the dogs are oh so hopeful that he'll accidently drop it on the floor!

 Hub's joke this morning was whether or not it'd be cruel to take the turkey out to show the chickens.....

 One of the three beautiful tables decorated at my aunts. Always a wonderful time together with immediate and extended family! Life has been so crazy that I haven't even seen much of my aunts/cousins that live less than a mile away, so it was so great to have time to catch up with many of the family.

And I also got to spend some focused time with one of my nephews---don't get to see them as frequently as I'd like....and most the time I love my job as "aunt." :)

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays and it always passes so quick! Here's hoping each of you had a wonderful holiday surrounded by family, friends, gratitude, and lots of love!!

On My Mind....

It's amazing how slow June was and yet July and August have decided to make up for it. With everything going on, I've been trying my hardest to be better organized and have returned to the use of the TO DO list, steadily checking items off my list.

However amongst the to-dos, there's a lot on the mind too, even if frequently it all goes hand-in-hand :)

Reading

My first book club novel arrived on Wednesday (The Help). I'm really looking forward to reading through it and for the comraderie that I hope will develop amongst our members. First meeting is in a few weeks!

However before I start on The Help, I wanted to finish the main book that I have been reading. I recently borrowed a book from my gal, N, who is also an avid reader. You all know that I'm really into personal narratives and non-fiction, but this go round I was in the mood for something a little different. Yesterday I blew through the rest of Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah, and I LOVED IT. It was an incredibly easy read, covered family and mother-daughter issues which are right up my alley of things I like to read about, and taught me something new via it's historical fiction context (Russia: Stalin era).  Plus the author is from the PNW--love supporting all things local. ;)

There were a couple of passages that completely resonated with me:

"....They would always be a family, but if she'd learned anything in the past few weeks it was that a family wasn't a static thing. There were always changes going on. Like with continents, sometimes the changes were invisible and underground,  and sometimes they were explosive and deadly. The trick was to keep your balance. You couldn't control the direction of your family any more than you could stop the continental shelf from breaking apart. All you could do was hold on for the ride." (pg 329)

"...And maybe that was how it was supposed to be, how life unfolded when you lived it long enough. Joy and sadness were part of the package; the trick, perhaps, was to let yourself feel all of it, but to hold on to the joy just a little more tightly because you never knew when a strong heart could just give out...." (pg 383)

Family Shenanigans

And a good portion of the quotes probably resonated with me, because in my head I feel like I'm still trying to sort out my transition back into my immediate, extended, and husband's family. After being away for two years, it's definitely a change to figure out how those relationships should look now, and how to integrate my husband to best meet his needs AND the needs of my family members. Additionally, there have been some changes in some family relationships, near and far over the last six months, and I feel like the first quote is a good bit of advice for me (and maybe for some of them too) on some of those changes.

I feel so blessed to be surrounded by such a loving and positive family--one that is truly based on acceptance and unconditional love. In the last two weeks I definitely have spent more time with family members as I got together with two cousins, dropped off garden goodies to my aunt and a cousin, and my brother took me to a Portland Timbers game against my other national love: Argentina. ;)

This weekend we will all come together for the celebration of Granny's 100th birthday, starting with a smaller family BBQ this evening for those of us in Portland and ending with back-to-back bashes on Sunday. My husband and I will provide airport transportation and a place to sleep for my eldest brother's quick 24 hour trip. I'm glad to provide for family... but I have to admit to some apprehension based on a strained relationship between my brother and I this year. However, I know it will be great to have each member of the immediate and extended family here to celebrate the life, lessons, love, and optimism of our granny!

Socialization

They're coming in droves from out-of-state! On Wednesday we'll pick up our friends from Chicago and show them as much of Oregon as we can in a week. We're definitely excited for them to come, and based on their personalities, we know they're absolutely going to love Portland and the PNW! Plus hub will get the added benefit of being able to take them to our home town and hang out with some of his high school buddies. One of my favorite gals from my MPH program will be visiting from California next weekend, so I'm looking forward to getting together with her over breakfast next Thursday. A high school friend of mine who also lives in Cali will be in our hometown mid-month, so I'm going to need to figure out how to schedule in a trip down south to catch up with her and meet her guy. ;) (On the plus side, we'll get to hang out with one of our other favorite high school gals and I'll get to see Mom & Dad too!) I'm heading on Tuesday to see one of my gals who recently had a beautiful baby girl, and I'm seriously bubbling up with excitement about the possibilities of this book club! From what I can tell most the other gals seem pretty stoked too. Add onto that the Bridal Shower I'm throwing for my gal N and it's going to be a pretty socially full next few weeks.

Social Justice---Donations

The Horn of Africa continues to be on my heart and mind. Mercy Corps, who rarely sends me a "tin cup," continues to send updates. The most recent stated the following: "Families in Wajir County are among more than 2.4 million people in Kenya in need of food, water and other critical aid, according to the UN. Our team reports hungry women and children are streaming into towns around northeastern Kenya. Many husbands and fathers continue to search for water and forage to keep their precious herds alive. Up to 80 percent of livestock in the region have already perished." If you look at the updates and pictures on UNICEF, Mercy Corps, Doctors Without Borders, or any of the INGOs, the information is heart-breaking.....

While I am seeing this occasionally show up on the major news stations and papers, it seems so sad that it is not more publicized. It takes so little to make a large difference for others that suffer around the world---a skipped outing to Starbucks, one less microbrew, or bypassing that great deal that one finds at Target but doesn't really need. I know many of us are tight for cash these days, but I still see how well are basic needs are met and how little we fight for basic survival. I know there are mixed feelings out there, but I can't help but ask that if you find it in your heart, you might be willing to give, no matter how little the amount.

 

"But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."--Luke 12:48

 

Working Hard for the Money

Term continues--trying hard to prep now for the next two weeks so I don't have to worry too much about the course while we have friends in town. Same with the training I'm in, trying to cram as much in before they get here---but truthfully it's almost over anyway. A few more activities to do and then I believe it'll be concluded. :) September will mainly be planning for my fall courses, especially the ones that will be new.

 

Ironically, while we're on the topic of employment......I've been missing working with soldiers since our return and have found that frequently my veteran students have really enjoyed working with me, since I have a greater understanding of their military lives, mentality, and potential issues than the average civilian instructor/worker. I've been telling hub and a few friends for the last two months that I wonder how I could work with veterans without going back to school to complete my MSW (tried that, didn't finish, and the way I'm feeling I may be completely done with school....). The irony is due to the fact that this week an internal hire position just got sent out via email for a part-time Veterans Resource Center Specialist at my campus....hmmm. I'm not 100% qualified and I have apprehensions (ie would vets prefer working with me vs an actual vet in the position, its a completely new program/center/etc meaning that year 1 would be a LOT of work), but I also feel that I could be a great fit and bring lots of skills to the program. I do plan to apply but I'm not entirely holding my breath either.... ;)

 

The Garden

We've been passing out lettuce and rhubarb like it's nobody's busy, and additional irony arrived yesterday with another full head of lettuce arriving in my Organics to You box. We also just entered into zucchini season---there are already 5 in our produce drawer and this is the first week of harvesting! ;) Marionberries are putting out about two bowls a week right now and the green beans and snap peas are coming on. Tomatoes are going to go nuts in a few weeks and even the pepper plants are starting to show lots of peppers starting. Hub harvested about 15 heads of garlic this week---they're laying on the deck to dry.

 

We're finally having a few more days of sunshine--helping to promote garden growth and put a smile on this face, and today we started an introductory conversation about creating covers for the raised beds for winter gardening ;)

 

SOOOOOO---lots to do, lots on the mind, but its nice to be busy and purposeful. Hope each of you is doing well!

 

PS I've seen COCONUT cream pie show up TWICE this week.

Here and here. Definitely might have to beg hub to give one a try!

It Comes, It Goes, It's Blessed, It Blows

....and that's life.

It never fails that I j.u.s.t start becoming a frequent blogger, full of many post ideas, and then life happens and blogging stops. But no real need to apologize, we're all in the same boat, and I'm never really sure just how many people read here on a regular basis anyway.

BUT....just in case you care, here's a snapshot of our life as of late:

CLASSES: I'm teaching one and I'm in one. It never fails that the courses that I've taken that are supposed to teach me how to be a teacher, typically are some of the worst examples of how to actually teach. And that's all I really have to say on that particular topic. The course I'm teaching is going so-so, as I'm still in the throes of figuring out how to manage this particularly diverse group of students. It's already half-way done and next week I will have an official observation. We just started getting into some of the good stuff of the term (Nutrition, Exercise, Body Image/Composition), and there are five weeks to go. Overall, I'm liking/loving the job, and in the fall I get the opportunity to teach four courses which is a regular part-timers load. Will be good for the pocket book and good for the mind!

HOLIDAY: The Fourth. We relaxed, we ran, we missed friends. Hub was right and there was a neat old school amusement park along the waterfront of a south town neighborhood. There we watched fireworks after an enjoyable evening game of mini-golf with hub's friend. We munched on ridiculously unhealthy fair food and cotton candy...and then I schooled the husband in a game of air hockey. :) The holiday is always one I want to be my favorite and always one that makes my heart break for soldiers and families so separated by current global affairs.

FAMILY EVENTS/TRAVELS PASSED: Hub's grandfather passed. He and most of his family were able to be there as it happened and then we went back over for the funeral that occurred over the weekend. Hub got to participate in the military honors and I met much of hub's family for the first time. We also briefly got to spend some more time with my gal pal and her lil fam who lives in the same town and discovered that she is pregnant with their third child. Thus it was a weekend of deep thoughts, sadness, acceptance, and yet joy.

FAMILY EVENTS/TRAVELS TO COME: On my side of the family, we are gearing up and farming out duties for Granny's upcoming 100th birthday bash. Cousins, my brother, distant family and friends from near and far will be arriving to participate in the celebration. The following week, hub and I will also be hosts to one of his closest buddies from the Army and his wife. They're flying in from Chicago and we are looking forward to spending time with them and showing them what we can.

GARDEN: It does grow although it's a bit unruly! What I thought are raspberries are more likely marion or bosenberries. The lettuce is producing like crazy and I've eaten my first strawberries and blueberries. The pumpkins should produce but I'm hesitant about the acorn squash. The cucumber got demolished by whatever rodent-like critter is eating from the garden. The peas are finally tied and climbing. And the rest continues on as I continue to learn lessons about what to do differently next year (ie more strawberries, turnips to the other side of the box....).

FRIENDS TAKE 1: They're producing babies, people! Two of five babies due this month have arrived with another scheduled for delivery on Monday. And of the "to arrive" crew is one of my best gal's first bambinos---cue excitement in the air! Beyond my gal that just announced her 3rd pregnancy, hub's best friends from high school are due with their first in January as well. Seems we're entering into the reproducing years!

FRIENDS TAKE 2: Beyond the babies, I've had more conversations (on the phone even!) with some of my non-pregnant gals near and far, and it's been great just to share and connect again. In my wildest dreams I never expected moving home to be as socially slow on the friendship side as it's been, but all good things take time to return and to grow. My main gal here has been so great at maintaining constant communication and we were able to get together the other weekend for a long day together--incredibly refreshing and well-needed. The book club continues to come together and should be starting (hopefully) next month, and another gal pal and I are going to attempt to put together a monthly group to discuss research and topics from our field. This weekend is a wine tour/bachelorette party for a friend getting married this fall, and lately it feels that there have been several other invitations presented from other friends.....so it's sort of starting to come together.

RUNNING: Happiness, its my constant solace and relief, even if I can't quite adhere to a schedule. ;) I'm back to being able to run four miles at a time and hub and I have made some alterations to our regular routes. I'm switching up music, dogs, and solo runs with runs that include the hub. This week should make the third week in a row that I'll be back to making my weekly running goal. We've cut back on the hiking the last few weeks, but running is the steady in the void. I've been contemplating how to create an online accountability group to keep myself going and to encourage the running/exercise motivation of others that I know....

AND WEATHER: There just might be a chance that fall has arrived already. High of 70 yesterday and today with rain predicted again for Saturday. In the four months we've been back, we've had about one week of consistent sunshine and just 3-4 days of temps in the 80-90 range. I already pre-warned hub today that there may be a legit chance of my having SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) this winter, as I already feel the lack of sunshine impeding my usually optimistic mood. We'll be here for the next four years, but I'm already bringing up the notion of us eventually moving somewhere with more consistent sun.

While I'm sure I might be missing something-- that more or less sums up the last week, although I've got more tid bits and blog posts to share. :) Hope you and yours have been healthy and well---sending best wishes, as always, in your general direction!

Gratitudes...

It's been a while since I've listed some of the great things making me all-around happy, so it's about time that I do so. ;)

1) Granny volunteered hub's and my place to have a family BBQ last evening. She's missed preparing food for the family and since my parents were coming up, she decided that we ALL should get together. It was seriously awesome and wonderful to have the aunties and several cousins here along with a couple uncles, mom & dad, and the mighty matriarch Granny. House was awfully quiet after they all left. Hopefully we'll be able to do it again soon.

2) There is a potential wine & book club in the works that I am incredibly excited about. It'd just be a monthly, rotating gathering but I've really been wanting & needing to expand my social circle and this might be just the thing. Here's hoping it all works out! With books, wine, and gal gab time, I don't know that life could get much better.

3) I'm in the process of changing banks and have been waiting on checks from my new account. Now I'm not going to list on the internet who I'm switching to but many of you can probably take a guess and those that want to know can ask.....because right now I am singing their praises. They messed up and never put my check order in. I've been needing them to arrive this week for various reasons, and I called yesterday to see what was going on and to encourage them to fix their error on their dime. Imagine my happiness and surprise when today (less than 24 hrs after my phone call....) my newly printed checks arrived by UPS. Now THAT is customer service. Here's hoping they truly do reverse the rush check charge... ;)

4) Our landlords are fabulous. Really there's almost no way around it. I know we've only been in this house a little under four months but they're so positive and encouraging. It's my hope that our relationship with them stays this way, as they too continue to let us know how blessed they feel to have us as renters. To top it off our landlady even sent us a hike she thinks we would enjoy---now how awesome is that?!

5) I'm not the greatest always at knowing my role of maid of honor for my gal's upcoming wedding. When I was trying to figure out which invites would be the best for the shower, etc I sent out an inquiry to some of my much more in the know gal pals.....which led me to the discovery of this great site: Vista Print. Pretty well priced and fairly quick shipping for personalized invites! Definitely would encourage you to check it out if you need something provided by the site and in case you're like me and not too crafty these days....

And now we're down to some of the little things:
--Hub going out with his bud & cousin's boyfriend shooting
--Tasting Granny's blueberry and apple pies for the first time in 2 years
--Harvesting lettuce out of the garden
--Hub's soft spot for Lady even when he hates to admit it
--Tingling skin kissed by the sun's rays and warmth
--Running round the corner to a breeze and mist across sweaty skin
--Dogs following in footpaths
--Blooming roses from Poppa's garden
--The daily arrival of the mail
--Lazy mornings in bed followed by great coffee
--Homemade garlic toast
--Coconut...anything

Hope you all are having moments of happiness and gratitude wherever you are currently. Know that I'm grateful for each one of you, too!

Weekend Camping

 A weekend camping trip with the "baby" cousin and her boyfriend. The site was perfect--in the Tillamook Forest.

 A sunny afternoon on the Wilson River....hub eventually got Anna to cross the river but Roxi was all about swimming through the tiny rapids.

 Walking across you could see all the little larva in their wrappings....

 ....and Roxi kept on swimming.....

Hub and the cousin's boyfriend jumped into the river.....

....and Anna enjoyed being our pre-clean washing cycle for the camp dishes.

Lots of smores were made, lots of washers & bean bags played. One evening spent uno-ing until the camp lantern wasn't even enough to light our cards. Naps in the hammock while cuz and boyfriend took off on a trek to the Forest Muesum. Hub spent more time reading than I've ever seen him read before but still made sure we all were fed and warmed by the awesome camp fires. We also talked a lot of Army shop talk as cousin's boyfriend is heading off to basic training following the same path that hub had in his Army career--hopefully he'll stress less and enjoy a bit more of his last summer of freedom ;) Lots of time remembering what it was like to be a teen, and lots of gratitude and appreciation for life as it is now.

The Rest of the June Traveling Story

After breakfast we knew we had some time to spare and still plenty that could be seen before we headed over to hub's family's for the afternoon.....so we looked on the trusty REI hiking map and discovered the Oregon Badlands walking trails....

 Now hub wasn't quite as impressed with this section cause he was already familiar with the Central Oregon terrain etc and the landscape didn't change the entire 7-8 mile round trip stretch that we walked.....but I enjoyed seeing something different and day dreamed about how easy it would be to lose track of location and one's mind when traveling these stretches 100-150 years ago. Lucky for us it wasn't too warm as we walked and there was a breeze blowing through, but there was no water source during the stretch we walked, junipers that had been struck by lightening during years past, and birds that had a call that sounded like mocking laughter. ;)

 Gorgeous contrasting wildflowers astounded in the badlands---these blues, bright pinks, and vivid yellows.

 I had no clue that junipers are actual trees! This was part of the "Ancient Juniper" trail.

 Another trail we walked along cut through an old homestead. I think this was the old well on the homestead but I couldn't find any remnants of the home's foundation or outbuildings.

 Old shooting targets:

And here's where most the photos stop ;) After our trek through the badlands, we headed over to hub's family's for the afternoon. After three days, we both showered and cleaned up. Hub, his dad, and his uncle started talking fishing and hunting goods, as part of the reason we'd headed over was to pick up the hunting guns that hub's dad had said he could have (and a gun safe---the compromise between us....). After cleaning up, we headed over to see one of my great gal pals for a BBQ dinner at her place, where we had the absolute pleasure of meeting her two adorably dirty faced children, who played wonderfully with our dogs in the backyard while hub sucked in the enjoyment of using their Traeger grill. After not seeing her for four years, it was great to catch up as much as we could in two hours, observe how good of a mama she is and how amazing her two kiddos are, and let her get to meet hub too. (Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures and her awesome hub happened to be gone for the weekend.) We ended up heading back over to hub's family's to spend the night and the next morning I sat and listened for hours hearing great work stories from hub's grandpa. It was incredible to hear him talk of working in a mining shaft, building roads, working on oil drills, and rounding up cattle on the family farm, along with panning for gold for fun in his "free" time. While grandpa and I chatted, hub loaded up the back cab with the "hunting gear." Between his new stuff, our backpacks and camping gear, and other random odds and ends in the back cab and our stack of camp wood, gun safe, and dogs in the truck bed, we sort of started looking like the hill billies! ;)

Hub and I headed out to come back to our place about 2pm but once we'd made it over the pass and were an hour from our home, we looked at each other and decided to make the three hour drive south for our hometown. A quick call to Mom and Dad for permission to bring the dogs (Dad's allergic and not a big dog fan....) which he readily gave, and then we headed south....and just in time for Father's Day. ;)

The bridge heading into our hometown on the coast:

 The dogs peeking out from under Mom and Dad's gate:

 Luckily the dogs did great settling into Mom and Dad's backyard during the day and sleeping in the bed of Dad's truck in the garage at night. We've been super impressed with them through all of our travels, and they did well enough that Dad gave the ok for them to come along anytime we want to come down--woohoo!

Going home allowed us to spend some moments with my parents, grab dinner with friends at two of our favorite spots, and take our dogs out to the beach for an afternoon with two separate friends and a couple of other dogs. The weather was drizzly but not too cold, and altogether the extra trip home was wonderful. Dad shared old backpacking photos with hub and the two of them talked for a couple hours about technology advancements, music, and sports---its always satisfying listening to the two of them engage in conversations about their similar interests. I also had the fun of running into one of my best gal's dad and (separately) her MIL while we were home, and we were able to share in the joy of the recently announced pregnancy of hub's best friends. Hub also was introduced to the show Extreme Couponing....and now I'm afraid there might be a new hobby in his life..... ;)

We split the four hour drive back up to our place and within two hours of being home had the truck unloaded, the mail opened and sorted, the gun safe installed and doing its job, the front entryway weeded, and the garden watered. An absolutely great trip through about half of our wonderful state, and we're looking forward to more trips to come!

Each Day, You Keep Going

After a 17 day stay here in Louisiana, Granny headed home to Oregon on Friday evening. She's got weeks of home health rehab ahead of her, but her determination is strong and she is motivated to be walking again. Her progress during her stay in rehab down here was amazing and each day she gets a little bit stronger.

As truly exhausted as I was working full time and making evening trips to the rehab facility and as happy as I was to have my aunt and Granny be cleared to return to their comfortable surroundings, it also was incredibly difficult to see them go. As independent as I am and as happy as I am with my own little family of my husband, myself, and our zoo, a huge chunk of my heart and soul will always be most settled when I am able to easily access the presence of my family. I am the most comfortable in my own skin when I am near all of them. Never did I think that my roots would be so strong, but they are and for that I also feel incredibly fortunate. Having Granny here reminded me of all the numerous ways she has influenced who I have become and having so many females here from my family made my husband realize, for better or for worse, where I get many of my habits and traits. :)

I come from a tribe of women. Strong, independent, and secure. Where one falters, another steps in beside her and steadies. We care however we can but we try not to bruise egos and toes. We laugh, we cry, we heal, we enjoy. At the center of that tribe is Granny. A friend of mine asked me to talk to Granny while she was down here about what Granny believed to be her secret to longevity. While I can sit here and tell you about how she's eaten balanced meals and exercised almost every day of her life, how she starts each day with a slow breakfast with a cup of coffee reading the news, how she enjoys a good glass of wine or beer, how she's passionate about sports, how she gives willingly to those less fortunate than herself, how she's active in her faith and steadfastly participates in church and Bible groups, how she has a larger social circle and calendar than most I know, how she's steered away from excessive behaviors of any sort, how she's got a mind toward optimism, and everything else that the research will tell you promotes longevity, her answer was simply this: EACH DAY, YOU KEEP GOING and you enjoy whatever you can.

And so that is how we progress, each day, with one foot in front of the other, enjoying the pieces that we can. Accomplishing the tasks that move us on to the next, embracing the moments of life as we perceive them, and relishing the laughter and joy that is evident each and every day if only we take the time to notice and actively participate. I've spent the rest of this weekend focusing on taking care of the tasks that have been put on the back burner, feeling good about recreating balance in our house and in our lives. While my heart may so strongly be back in Oregon right now, I keep putting one foot in front of the other, enjoying the beauty of my life now, but knowing that each day and each step takes me one closer to rejoining those I dearly love back north. Much to do, much to love, and much to look forward to....

Sometimes The Simplest Things are the Most Difficult

"Sometimes the simplest things are the most difficult." This was said by Granny either yesterday or the day before---the days are currently blurred together. She's always got her ducks in a row, even when she has every reason not to line them up.....

....Granny and Mom are having an extended stay in Louisiana and we've also been joined by two of my fabulous and lively aunts.....as Granny fell on Wednesday evening while changing for bed and ended up breaking her femur in the hip joint. We're heading into post-op day #3, focusing on getting her moving and back to her line dancing and bean bag baseball. She'll have two weeks of rehab here in Louisiana before she can be transported back to Oregon. The nursing and health care staff around here are amazed at her vitality and at her no meds and 99 years old reality. Of course having a healing leg makes it difficult for her to move much and makes even the simplest things difficult. We've all pulled over night shifts monitoring her progress through the evenings and we're all going to get a taste of being physical therapy aides also....

There are some beautiful things in the smaller details of this time:
--We had a really amazing day on Wednesday with the four of us. The hub and I drove Mom and Granny on a tour of the swamp, we saw lots of gators in their natural habitat, we waded in the Gulf of Mexico, we crossed on the ferry, and then we ended with dinner in our favorite little town. We feel very fortunate to have spent such a great day together. We weren't able to get Granny to check off her New Orleans items yet, but.....we'll see how the future plays out.

--Its been wonderful having my two aunts come down here and take on much of the care for Granny for the last day or so. I haven't seen either of them for over a year now and they are much more knowledgeable on Granny's care needs. They've also been able to see some of the local culture and enjoy themselves as well.

--The family has also proven itself to be an incredibly tight-knit system. It took us years to get this far, but I've been in touch with each of my siblings, most my cousins, and other extended family members on this side. We're all talking with our own independent families but also supporting between families too. We are a solid foundation upon which Granny's healing will and can occur.

We're all keeping positive and Granny's a trooper. We've felt the love and support of so many friends and family. The next few weeks will take a lot of hard work on her part, but hopefully she keeps her head to the grindstone and we can get her back home comfortably in no time. She's definitely well-loved and missed by everyone at home and is winning over the hearts of those she deals with down here too.  If you have the time and opportunity to keep this amazing woman in your hearts and prayers, it would be much appreciated.

Hoping each of you is having a wonderful and blessed weekend!

2-8

Today marks the 2-8 and I'm celebrating it up in the perfect style:

--Up at 7:15 and loved on by furry companions. Brewed my cup of coffee and starting with a slow, easy, solo morning while everyone else is still snoozing.

--No work today because MOM AND GRANNY ARE HERE! We're taking them on some short day trips today and then we'll do a tour of New Orleans starting tomorrow so we can hit up all the sites Granny has been itching to see.

--My parents had sent a package with a new pair of simple earrings and our favorite Wasabi potato chips only found back home. DELISH! Two shirts for the hub and some gluten-free products for mom. And the dogs are sporting faux pearls and ribbon necklaces....beautiful. ;)

--There's a homemade cake in the fridge produced by the hub. (I'm pretty sure it's carrot cake which is one our favs and only makes me all that more impressed!)

--And yesterday my coworkers surprised me with lunch at work since I wouldn't be there today. They ordered Chinese with stirfry for me because they know I love it and it's not the hub's favorite so we rarely eat it here.

The most beautiful of birthdays to me are the simple, easy ones when you're surrounded by family and/or friends. I feel so blessed to have hub with time off, mom and granny safely here, and our furry companions all here offering smiles and love. This day has been far from my mind in terms of being my birthday and more on my mind in terms of the presence of my family--for they are my greatest gift of all.

....And here comes Granny, poking her head out and declaring its 8am (6am their time!), with the dogs so happily greeting her too!

A beautiful and blessed day to each of you!

Family Growth & Acceptance

Granny and her great-great granddaughter

This picture seriously melts my heart....and for more reasons than I can probably express. The above picture shows almost 99 year old Granny with her first great-great grandbaby on her lap. From what my sister said they had quite the conversation between the two of them!

I had yet to mention this newest addition to our family circle as there have been mixed reactions (truthfully among everyone) as to her journey into this world, as her parents are younger than the age one hopes their kids, grandkids, nephews, etc might be ready to reproduce. (At 27, I'm a great-aunt!) The pregnancy was a difficult one for the mom and lil babe spent some time in specialized medical care, but here she is at 4 months thriving, healthy, and bringing joy to many. And babe's mom does a great job of meeting babe's needs.

What this picture demonstrates to me is the unconditional love and mutual understanding across generations, and I'm hopeful it brings a little more forgiveness and remembrance of our family bond into the hearts of many of us still struggling to understand how the course of life can turn out so differently than hoped. If anything babe should feel love and sense expressions of joy, as Granny so successfully demonstrates (just like she always does!). The saying is that it takes a village to raise a child, but I think it takes an extended family to show the child the way to appreciate that village and her role in it.

Truthfully I'm overjoyed to see babe looking so healthy, so strong, and so settled. And I find myself proud and in awe of Granny's joy, relaxation, and appreciation. A picture...of family...and a picture of health. Here's to many more happy and healthy times for both of them and hopefully a renewed sense of family in us all!

Visitors! And Realizations too!

So my brother and his wife have been visiting us since Saturday. It's been nice having them here and having them get to know my husband and this place we currently call home. However it's also been interesting having them here, as it's made me realize just how much this place has become home to me. It's been interesting seeing others respond to the state the same way that I initially did, but it's also let me know how much I've grown in my acceptance of this place. I've adjusted to waiting a long time for food when eating out, to having to enjoy a lil' more fat and other dietary choices due to those options being what is served down here, and to not having all my usual shopping options available to me. (Although in thinking about this post, I did wonder if I'm becoming too complacent about some things.....??)

The husband was able to ride with his buddy to work the last two days, so we let them take our car for some site seeing around the state (such as New Orleans). They've been able to see a variety of different locations, and it gave me some time to clean up the house again and hang out with some of the other wives yesterday afternoon. The cleaning piece is something I try to stay on top of all the time (especially now with the pets), but it's something that is really important to me when we have guests. I know how much I judge others based on the comfort and cleanliness of their homes when I stay with them (I actually won't stay with relatives and friends who don't provide this), so its incredibly important to me that my home (and the shower, linens, and the like) be clean yet comfortable for people who stay in my home. I also know that allergies are common in my family, so I've been trying to keep the dust and pet dander to a minimum during my brother's visit also.

But I must say that yesterday was one of the best days that I think that I have had here. In the morning I received a text from my dog walking friend asking if I wanted to join her, and although I got to it too late (since I was cleaning! :-)) it was nice realizing that I'm actually making some friends in this place. My husband had the new guy in his unit over for lunch for the second day in a row, and in the afternoon I had two of the other wives spend the afternoon over here just gabbing and watching a movie. I went for a run and walked the dog, and then the husband and I just enjoyed some down time doing whatever in the evening. Realizing that we really do have our own routine and are able to interact with a variety of people (sometimes helping to take care of their needs) on a regular basis was a very nice touch to the day. It was a nice thought--realizing how much we do have...being here in this place together.

So it's been wonderful having family here for the week--being able to catch up on the familiar and just spend time together. But it's also been wonderful realizing how much this lil' place has that homey feel to it now too. The saying really is true: Home is where the heart is...and truthfully, the heart can reside in more than one place.

Blessings to you and yours!