Not the beach, but...

... beautiful.

This is the view from our front porch of the mountains covered in fog. The picture doesn't do it justice, but I thought I'd try.

In honor of a certain wizard, and a certain woman...

In honor of the movie that opens tonight, based on what I think might be the best fictional series EVER, I wanted to post a note I wrote on Facebook almost two years ago, after I all but devoured The Deathly Hallows in just a few days. I should warn you, I was pretty fired up...

So, I'm pretty sick of the people who think they have authority to go about declaring which modern cultural phenomenons come directly from Satan... you know, the people who write off Tolkien because there are wizards involved. ...who won't concede that Bono is following Christ when he seeks medicine, food and debt relief for Africa based on the fact that he is a secular pop star. Who say Mother Teresa might not be a Christian because she was a Catholic (have you ever read ANYTHING she wrote? There is NOT a question). I especially cringe when people think you can't be a Christian and a Democrat, because I'm SURE I'm both.

And finally, I'm DEFINITELY over the people who are anti-Harry Potter. You know, the chick in Jesus camp who says that if we were in Old Testament times, Potter would be "PUT TO DEATH" for being a "warlock." That kind of thing... #1- we AREN'T in OT times, my friend. Jesus came to fulfill the law and give us a new covenant, and, more importantly, #2- HELLO! IT'S FICTION! You can't put someone to death when they aren't alive at all. (added by 2009 Emily: I wanted to clarify, I understand the nature of the concerns. One person on an alarmist website put it this way, "The whole purpose of these books is to desensitize readers and introduce them to the occult." but after reading every single word of the series TWICE, I can honestly say that the books speak more about humanity- its flaws and redemption, its cowardice and courage, its loss and love- than about the occult.)

Here's the best (and also saddest) part- Rowling is a believer. Best because her work, especially at the end, shows a marvelous picture of Christ's love and sacrifice for us. Best because she is a person, a Christian, who has made a HUGE impact on the world. Saddest because she has been under attack for years by the very people who should have encouraged her in her journey. Here is a link to an article about this in the Dallas Morning News. I'm sure there are some people who will still miss the point, but I'm pretty sure they're missing the BIG picture anyway. Jesus loves us and he wants everyone to know that. If reading an epic piece of literature, written by someone who says she follows Him, helps someone better grasp how BIG His love is, then I'm pretty sure that makes God smile. Condemnation, isolation and division- I think He's clear about how He feels about that too...

Thanks, Jo, for everything.

That kind of Monday...

Big Sister is upstairs, hopefully asleep after throwing the biggest fit since... well... a few weeks ago. Little Sister is in her high chair, covered in cream cheese and many little spat-out blueberry skins. Which explains this:
Sophie has taken it upon herself to remind me (as if I could forget) the impressive amount of mischief she can cram into one day, and Al is determined to bark at her for every example of said mischief. There are unpacked bags taunting me from every room in the house, and laundry to be done, and mail to sort, and bills to pay. And to top it off, a friend called to say she was heading to the park- just the escape I need- but my phone has succumbed to the white screen of death (google it, it's a terminal illness for Razrs) and I couldn't return her call or even retrieve her number to say "Yes! We're on our way!" or even "Nope, my little monsters darlings and I apparently need to recover for one more day... *deep breath

Yep... it's that kind of Monday. The kind that mockingly reminds you ALL DAY LONG that you are back from vacation and back to reality.

A few minutes ago I was feeling really defeated. The girls, especially Big Sister, are having a rough time readjusting to our daily schedule, to returning to work & school, to not having constant playmates in Nana, Papa, and anyone else under their admittedly enchanting spell. The progress we made extinguishing whining, fit throwing and other Veruca Salt type behavior has all but vanished. We are back home and back at the beginning.

But now, as I listen to the monitor and realize that she is sleeping peacefully, as I find the humor in the cream-cheese encrusted dog, things are looking up. A little.

I'm blessed enough to have two healthy girls completely capable of making all kinds of messes and raising all kinds of... well, you know. I've got a husband who will (hopefully, hint hint) give me a break this afternoon. I've got a moment of peace right now in which to catch my breath and think- a luxury in itself! And I am daring to complain about the hardships of returning from vacation. at the beach. While countless others may never have that "burden." I'm ashamed. I'm ridiculous. I'm human.

And I'm so thankful for God's patience with my selfishness and my warped perspective. For His grace when I fail. For His mercies, which are new (and newly needed) every morning.

It's that kind of Monday...

Song for Sunday: My Soul Wells Up...

Hallelujah
written by Chris Rice
(an excerpt)

A purple sky to close the day
I wade the surf where dolphins play
The taste of salt, the dance of waves
And my soul wells up with hallelujahs

A lightening flash, my pounding heart
A breeching whale, a shooting star
Give testimony that You are
And my soul wells up with hallelujahs

Oh praise Him all His mighty works
There is no language where you can't be heard
Your song goes out to all the earth
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah

We're home!

Well, we did it. We made it home. My wonderful hubby drove the whole way, and the girls traveled really well. All in all, it was a good trip.

But I miss the beach.

So here are a few more pictures. These are some hubby & I took for the possibility of editing and framing for our work-in-progress bathrooms upstairs. Let me know what you think.





Oh yeah- and Big Sister made me take this one for you, Zac & Callen. He was having a little snack right under our back deck.


Enough of that. I've got some unpacking to do...

Why indeed?

"Papa," she asked, "why does the sky have a scratch in it?"

"So very tired"

Poor Big Sister.

Before we left for the beach, she had not been feeling herself. And Little Sister's night waking due to teething had started to take a toll on us all.

Then we woke up (as she puts it) "really really early so it's still the middle of the night and the sun isn't awake yet" for the drive to the coast.

And since we've been here, bedtimes have been later, naps have been (for the most part) absent, and mornings have been earlier (it's just too exciting to sleep in!). Combine that with the salty air and the (LOTS of) extra activity, and we've got one exhausted kid.

Yesterday, she reached her limit. After lunch she started to lose her ability to complete simple tasks like putting on her flip flops or standing still for sunscreen. By the time we got down to the beach, she was very whiny and couldn't decide what she wanted to do. Stand in the water? No. Build a castle? Not really. Look for shells and sharks' teeth? Not right now.


She was breaking our biggest beach rule, one that we borrowed from a sign in the house we are renting:

Finally, she told me what was wrong. "I'm just so very tired." And then, my three-year-old, who hasn't willingly napped in over a year, laid down on the beach and instantly fell asleep. Then she came back to our place and went to bed, sleeping straight through from 6:30 until 7 this morning.

Today she is sweet and rested, her eyes a little less sleepy and a little more alert. She is standing on a chair in the kitchen, helping her nana make dessert for tonight (banana pudding). The hours of beach relaxation therapy seem to have done wonders.

Yeah. Poor Big Sister...