It seems I am extremely remiss in updating this blog. By this time I am sure I have lost my followers! I apologize for not updating more! I allowed facebook to replace what this blog was for...namely: updates and pictures from me to others and vice versa. Here are some pictures of our new place in Seattle.

Well, I promised that I would post pictures of our new home here in Flagstaff. Here they are :)

Upon Awakening To Throw-Up All Over Ariel's Long Ruddy Tresses and Ballroom Dresses.

It all began, for me, in the afternoon when I was in my daughters room with my husband.

"Hey, grab anything that's "Barbie" and throw it to me. It goes in this tub."
"Are you serious?" He said.
We picked up some of it.
"This is a set-up, here." He said. He was referring to our daughters propensity to set up toys into senarios and then leave them to return and play later, indicating that it takes more effort to put back together and that, since she is nine she may not appreciate our coming into her room and disturbing her stuff. I agreed.

The evening passed....movie, relaxation, sleep.

Knock, knock, knock. Someone is softly knocking at my bedroom door and I am fully awakened and surprized to see Abby. I really shouldn't be. I think she is the only one who knocks.
"Mom, I threw up. It's all over my bed and it's on Ariel's hair." I go see for myself -
Yep. That's pretty much the deal, plus a little.

I sprayed Oust. Didn't really help the smell.
I got my glasses. That helped. At least I could see what needed to be cleaned.
I'll spare you the details....you can probably guess anyway.

While "Erik" got out of his clothes and had them 'sent out' for cleaning "Ariel" waited. I'm wondering.."Is an acid wash good for doll hair? Maybe it will become more managable - after a rinse and a repeat and a repeat and a repeat, of course.

Follow Up to the Story.
I am all for cleaning up set-ups now. Especially ones directly beside the bed. And, no, Honey, I don't hold you responsible for what happened. I agreed with you. It was her set up and we shouldn't be the ones messing with it.

God is so Good

I remember this song my mom had on this old Frank Eaton album....Ok, I had to look up the lyrics:

Christ be beside me
Christ be before me
Christ behind me,
King of my heart

Christ be within me
Christ be below me
Christ be above me
Never to part.

There is more to the song, but this is what I am thinking of when I get a glimpse of how much he is taking care of me and preparing things for me.
We are moving to Arizona and leaving behind our church family of the past 14.5 years. I feel like my spiritual "mothers" and "fathers" are there...It's a big change.
We are also leaving Portland which has been our home for the last 15 years. It's a big change. But God is looking out for us each step of the way. I can tell he is and it makes me so thankful.

Routine

God bless the routine,
I know if I am behind
or ahead
I know if I can rest
I won't worry about
what doesn't get done
I feel home again,
and productive.

We started school lessons again today and I finally feel I know where I am and what to do next...the routine shopping, what, exactly, isn't in the refrigerator, that should be. When I will go shopping and how I should mop the floor again...especially since the cat started puking again...YUK!

Happy here, and smiling.

Have some misc. packing to do. I hate misc. and loose ends. Probably because I tend toward indecisiveness, or guilt, whatever. And letting things go is hard. Saying, "I think I should take this or do this, but I'm not going to because it isn't working for me. And hasn't been fruitful in my life." Is a step I am learning to take. Going with what really works :)

If anyone is reading this, know that today is going well.... thanks :)

Summer

It's kinda still summer, even though I swore it wasn't and that in mid July I could tell the sun had "tilted" in the sky and the weather was cooler. Ok, it was cooler, but I'm not ready to let summer go. It feels like it wasn't totally here this year. I live in the Great Pacific Northwest, which, I find, I am blessed to live in. Thus my mentioning the sun "tilting" in the sky. We have the extended summer hours and such. I thought everyone had that, but then we lived in Fresno, California for a while and it was dark by 8pm all through summer it seemed. Here in the longest days it doesn't get truly dark until almost 10pm. Sometimes, on a clear night I enjoy looking up to an amazing azure sky. I don't even know the "right" color word for it, but the sun setting in the west sets the sky closest to it a light blue, but then up from there, graduating shades of the clearest and most beautiful darkening blues arch across the sky. It's breathtaking and makes your heart ache with its beauty.

Right now my kids are enjoying a relaxing of their regular schedule because I am here in front of the computer. We started homeschooling and because we are on a 4 day schedule, they don't have much to do tomorrow, thus the relaxed rules and schedule right now. I wanted them to enjoy playing outside in the falling dusk. I remember being allowed to do that on rare occasions growing up, and I just loved it. I think twilight is my favorite time of day.....