I Was Wrong

Today we had to be at PLS (the rehearsal site for Narnia) at 8am for Katherine to get pictures taken with the 3 other Pevensie children for the publicity poster. We were excited and nervous about driving in the snow and left early to give us plenty of time to be there. The side street to PSL was very snowy and icy, with one car even parked/abandoned in the middle of the road, so I decided to take the advice of the school principal who had said he'd been parking at the nearby McDonald's and walking.

Since we were early and were using their parking space, I treated Katherine and myself to breakfast (a $3 splurge). Then we trudged through the slushy snow and ice to the front gate, which was locked. I should have checked the time, because we were still very early and ended up standing at the gate for a good 20 minutes before Sheri came to open things up.

It was fun seeing the kids get in costume and get their hair done and transform into their characters. They needed a couple rehearsal parents to stay, so I volunteered and got to sit in on some of the sessions and see the kids learn blocking, dances and music.

After awhile, I started thinking about the car and decided to move it around to the back of the McDonald's lot so the restaurant's patrons could use the spot where I had parked, right in front. I trudged back through the snow and slush and moved the car - there were no other cars around and it was the farthest from the restaurant entrance. I went back and helped sweep up the lobby and supervise until almost 3pm, at which time Katherine and Lizzy (whom I was taking home) and I walked back to the lot, only to find the van gone.

I wondered if it had been stolen, but I first went to the McDonald's to ask the manager if they had called to have it towed, and she said the towing company just patrols the lot and always comes in and asks before towing. So we called the phone # on the sign outside and sure enough, our van was towed and it was going to cost us $349.00 to get it back. I asked the man, "Is there not even a bit of grace given because of the snow, since I only parked there because I could not get down the street?" "No," he said gruffly. "You parked right in front of the sign that says if you leave the grounds, you'll be towed. We have a picture that proves it." I thought to myself that he didn't have to be so rude and mean about it.

Once again, we trekked back to the school to call Sovann and ask Sheri to wait until our ride arrived. All I could think of was, "We have that money in savings, but it's supposed to go towards Katherine's braces." Everyone was very supportive - our CYT family showed true concern and compassion, unlike the tow man. I was frustrated because there were 3 other CYTers who parked in the same lot who did not get towed because they parked right in front of the restaurant. I felt punished for being conscientious enough to move my car to an unused portion of their lot. I also felt stupid and could not deny that I had broken the rule.

When everyone else had left, we gathered together and prayed. Then quite unexpectedly, someone (who would like to remain anonymous) offered to pay the fine, "no strings attached," she said. "The Lord has blessed us differently than you, and we can do this for you." At first I was embarrassed, then humbled, then relieved and then angry. "But you shouldn't have to pay anything, " I said, the tears now freely flowing. "No matter how unfair it seems, it is my problem to deal with and I was the one that caused it."

Sovann arrived with the kids (he had to wake Grace up from a nap and get them all bundled up in snow gear and into carseats) and the title to the car, and after talking briefly we decided we would accept our friends' very kind and generous offer. I hope we can pay them back some day, but quite frankly, I don't know when that will be possible. I took the kids home while Sovann got the van out of the impound lot (which also doubled as a wrestling tournament place).

As I was driving home with the kids, I thought about the Narnia musical and the story of "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe." It struck me that friends were paying a price for us that we really could have and should have paid ourselves, but that would have dealt us an intense blow financially. It was our penalty to pay, not theirs, and just as Alsan gave his life in exchange for Edmund's, it was out of love that they gave sacrificially and not because we deserved or earned it in any way. I was convicted that lately I have come to the conclusion that Christ's suffering on the cross was somehow easy because he was God. But sacrifice of any kind is painful and costly, and may God forgive me for diminishing in my own mind the price he paid for me. Through puffy eyes and tear-stained cheeks, I shared my thoughts with the kids as we sat in our driveway.

Later, Katherine told me that a friend of hers pushed a wad of money into her hand after hearing of our situation. She said she gave the money back and said, "Thank you, but we'll be OK." I told Katherine that there was nothing wrong with giving the money back, but that part of being in community and living as part of the body of Christ meant having the humility to accept help when you need it. What if the family we bought Christmas gifts for came back and returned all the things we gave saying, "Oh, thanks, but we'll be OK." That would have hurt and robbed us of an opportunity to be Christ's love to them.

So I was wrong in my last blog when I said that giving sacrificially (and loving others) was what Christmas is all about. Christmas is also about receiving gifts and letting others (especially Christ) love you. This has been a very humbling lesson that I am still trying to choke down. You would have thought I'd learnt it this fall when the another family extended grace to us, or last month when God arranged a dream vacation for us via the goodwill of strangers ("Blessing"). I don't like asking for or accepting help; I am very stubborn and too self-sufficient for my own good sometimes. I just hope and pray I learn this time, because I don't know how many more of these "lessons" I can handle.

What Christmas is All About

Yesterday everyone got caught up on homework and got their rooms clean! It took all day, but boy it's nice to have a clean house. We decided to walk to the little strip mall near our house to eat out for lunch since it looks like we'll be trapped at home with no particularly special food for Christmas Eve or Day. I have some leftover chopped turkey in the freezer from Thanksgiving - hmmmm, what can I do with that?

Anyways, we all walked to La Costita for lunch and had yummy chalupas. Katherine and I dropped into BiMart where we met everyone else from the neighborhood with cabin fever. It must have gotten a little above freezing, because the snow was actually turning slushy in some spots. There was a little mini-backhoe trying to clear the parking lot at BiMart and quite a few people out driving around (with chains). Back home, we worked on the snow fort a bit more. I think we started the foundation too big/wide, because it seems like too much work. We opted for a snowball fight instead. Here's a shot of the kids sliding down our front steps, which are now completely buried in snow.

Sovann shoveled the driveway again and dug out his car enough to see if it would start. It did. We were so full from lunch that we opted for a late, light dinner of soup and butter flake rolls (mmmm, sorry Mom & rest of the fam - we were going to share these with you, but since we're stuck here...). Grace fell asleep in the living room floor with a pencil and pad of paper in her hand - I guess we all forgot about her nap time, and the droning news coverage of the snow (that has gone on and on and on) put her right to sleep. It put Sovann to sleep, too. ; -)

After dinner, we all watched Court Jester (with Danny Kaye and Angela Landsbury) and ate Jiffy Pop popcorn (the kind you do on the stove that puffs up into a big foil mushroom ball). Life is good - we might not have everything we want, but life is still very good for us. We thank God for providing for all our needs - so very faithfully.

Today our "adopted" family from the school where our church meets was able to borrow a car with chains and come pick up their gifts. It felt really good knowing we spent more on Christmas gifts for them than we did on ourselves. They asked to forgo toys, video games, etc. and just get them things they needed - warm clothing and work boots for the dad. On top of those things, we were able to throw in some nice hand-me-down toys and some yummy treats as well. We pray they will be blessed and feel God's love. What a privilege to be God's feet and bless a struggling family this year - THAT is what Christmas is really all about!

Trapped!

So it's Monday now and we've done the hot cocoa and caroling to our neighbors thing. We played in the snow and shoveled the driveway (4 times now). We've played games and baked cookies and watched everyone in the neighborhood slide down the hill in front of our house (on foot, sleds, skis, snowmobiles, ATVs and a few brave 4WD vehicles with chains). We watched the Santa Clause 3 and several other movies. Now I'm trying to get the kids to clean their rooms and do their chores. We're getting a little tired of being snowed in.

We thought the big storm was over but we got another foot of new snow today (the blizzard conditions were gone, but the snow wasn't). It's not so fun anymore! The bunny shelter roof was about to cave in from the weight of the snow, and Sovann's car outside is so covered you can't even see the fron end. The city of Gresham has declared a state of emergency and is telling everyone to stay home. People with 4WD and chains are saying they can't get out of their driveways. AND IT'S STILL SNOWING.

Right now there are about 10 people walking down the tire tracks in the middle of the road on their way to BiMart (or Burger King?), desperate to get out of the house. Sovann is going to try to shovel his car out of the 4 ft. drifts now. I guess we are just not equipped to deal with this amount of prolonged snow. Usually the rain washes away the 2 or 3 inches after a day or so - we've been stuck for a week now. We are very lucky to still have power - the news just said there have been over 145,000 homes without power over the past week. OK, enough words. Here's the proof.

More Crazy Weather

Thursday (Dec. 18) was another cancelled school day as another big storm was supposed to hit. Well, it never really did. It didn't thaw out, but we had no new snow, either. We tried to do school, but it was difficult with all the Narnia excitement. And Friday was more of the same, except that things got a little warmer and the roads turned slushy and drivable. Knowing that another big storm was coming in, I rounded up the kids and we did a speed-shopping trip! We drove up to Jon & Bopha's and quickly swapped presents, dropped off something to Christy (who was working on the next show's program), ran in and out of Craft Warehouse and then braved the packed WINCO. It took awhile to navigate the parking lot, but we blazed through the store and stocked up on essentials for the weekend.

I dropped J.J. and Katherine off at their first Narnia rehearsal and then went to 3 more stores at Gresham station to buy presents & gift cards for a family from Dexter McCarty middle school that our fellowship group adopted for Christmas. Seems everyone else had the same idea (shopping)! Lines were long, but Grace and I whizzed back to the CYT parent meeting that went until 8:30pm. It was snowing and blowing pretty hard by the time we got home, but nobody was hurt and the roads weren't too bad yet.

That night, the winds really picked up and the skies dumped about 6 inches of snow (with drifts over 2 feet in some places). Gusts up to 55mph blew our deck chairs around and kept snow from accumulating on trees and rooftops. We awoke to a winter wonderland. Sovann went sledding with the kids while I made hot cocoa and actually cooked breakfast (biscuits & sausage gravy.)

Not surprisingly, Saturday's rehearsal was cancelled, including a photo shoot for the advertising posters for the show. (boohoo) We all spent a good deal of time on Facebook, connecting (artificially) with friends. We pretty much knew at this point that we'd have to cancel our trip to Grants Pass (the weather plus the fact that J.J. was just coming down with a cold). I called my mom and we cried together about being separated (again) for the holidays. But little did we know how much more bad weather was on the way.

Sunday morning, we found freezing mist coming down and a 1/2 inch of freezing rain on top of the now 8 - 10 inches on the ground. Church was cancelled, but we determined to have our own service. We prayed, sang some carols and listened to the Christmas story as narrated in Luke on Sovann's Bible Experience CD. We also started our snow fort, which didn't get very far because the snow was so dry (it was 20 degrees outside). We had frosty ice chunks on the inside of some double-pain windows, and even though it was cozy upstairs, it remained a constant 63 degrees downstairs in the house.

We took little loaf of banana bread next door to our neighbors and sang them, "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." They handed us a box of Belgian Chocolates and later brought us a cheesecake and a big pan of sweet rolls! Lunch was tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches (yum!), then we made/worked on and wrapped some gifts. After dinner (turkey and dumpling soup) we played "Word Sweep," a fun and challenging new game that GBC gave us (thanks everyone). Sovann and I were very impressed with J.J. and Katherine's vocabulary (and we're no biased a bit, really).

Here's a little clip of us playing outside. Katherine tried to make a snow angel, but it didn't work because of the layer of ice. J.J. and Grace were so light that they could walk on top of the ice without breaking through. Grace says in the video, "I'm saving snow daughters and snow sons." She picked up little chunks of snowy ice and gathered up in a pile - right behind Sovann's car (should make it fun to back out when things begin to thaw).

Crazy Weather

It all started with an inch or so of snow and an arctic blast of freezing temperatures. As everyone hurried home after church last Sunday (the 14th), the wind blew the snow across the surface of the streets like a ghostly fog. After a quick trip to the library, we made it home just fine and hunkered down for the night.

The next day we were bummed to hear that Narnia Auditions had been cancelled for the day. J.J. and Katherine had home school as usualwhile all the neighborhood kids got the day off (there was MUCH complaining about THAT). We had to melt the ice out of the bunny's water a couple times a day, and the packed snow from tire tracks and footprints became raised icy spots where the loose snow around had blown away. Sovann walked with the kids to BiMart to get essentials like coffee and milk. We watched a lot of movies and YouTube videos and the kids practiced their audition numbers a lot.

On Tuesday, we walked a mile in the freezing weather (the packed snow made it slippery, but not too hard to walk in) to swap Grace off to a friend and take their daughter to auditions with us. We spent the rest of the day at a makeshift audition location (a freezing cold church - they say the heat was on, but I couldn't feel it). I helped check kids in, recorded their costume measurements, and watched some auditions. It was so neat to see how much everyone had improved since a year ago. They crammed auditions and callbacks into one long marathon process (from 1:15 to 9:30), but we all survived and got home safely. Phew!

We were all so exhausted the next morning, and pretty sure that Katherine's Heartlife classes would be cancelled, that we all slept in and hung out in our pajamas most of the day. We all waited with baited breath for the Narnia cast list to be posted that evening. I tried to keep the kids on track with their schoolwork, but no one could concentrate. Katherine resolved to recite the Serenity Prayer every hour and we all prayed for patience. I forgot about Grace's dentist appointment, and while anxiously moping around Katherine heard a loud crash in the front yard. She looked out and saw a pickup truck had crashed through our fence. We got part of the license plate, but not enough to actually find the guy who drove off without even so much as a "sorry." Arrrgh!

As I was on the phone with a contractor friend to get a quote for the fence damage, Katherine started screaming, "I got the part! I'm Lucy! I, I, I...I can't believe it!" We hugged and screamed together (after hanging up the phone) and tears of joy were shed. Yes, the part Katherine had been hoping for, working towards, practicing on for the past year was really hers now. This is especially neat because this will be the only CYT production she will get to be in this year. The big difference that I saw was her confidence level. During callbacks, she ran up and said, "Mom, I amazed myself! I just sang every note the best I could and didn't once say (to myself or out loud) that I couldn't do that very well or didn't want to try."

We all quickly went back to looking at the cast list and found that J.J. also made it into the show!!! I am so proud of him for listening and following directions and trying so hard (even when tired and sometimes confused). He got the part of Wolf2, (which we think might be a speaking part) and is also a part of the "Cruelie Chorus." Here is his audition that a friend videotaped. I love hearing people's reactions to him more than anything else.

Amenities

Day 3 of our vacation held even more blessings. We attended a "Celebration of Thanksgiving through the Arts" service which was held by 10 Filipino CMA (Christian and Missionary Alliance) churches in the morning. It was a wonderful reunion with some of the ladies I had taught creative worship to at their women's retreat 2 years ago. Different groups from each of the churches shared different numbers, some leading us in corporate worship, others sharing musical talents. One boy played some classical guitar numbers, and a group of women did a beautiful interpretive dance. There were several solo piano numbers, too, along with a few words of encouragement and (of course) a wonderful potluck afterwards. MMMMMMM, I can almost taste the lumpia and coconut flan still!

Shortly after the service, we noticed smoke hovering over the church and ashes (some white and powdery, other black stringy flakes) falling around us. We got word that the "Freeway Complex Fire" was burning less than 3 miles away, and two of the major Freeways nearby were closed. It was very eerie to see only a sliver of blue sky on the horizon because of the blanket of smoke overhead. So the celebration ended abruptly and we decided to head over to the hotel in Newport Beach where the HomeWord banquet would be held that evening.

The Fairmont hotel staff allowed us to check in early, and we were given two beautiful adjoining rooms overlooking the pool. We took pictures of the rooms and drooled over all the spa products in the bathrooms. We passed on the $7 per bottle water from Fiji and giggled over the $22 room service mac-n-cheese. We did enjoy the plate of chocolates that greeted us - a chocolate-dipped strawberry, petit-fours, and a gold-airbrushed chocolate bar.

After settling in and ironing our evening clothes, Katherine and I headed for the pool. We had a refreshing dip in the salt-water pool (it was at least 85 degrees out) and relaxed in a private pool-side cabana while sipping iced water containing orange slices that was served on the deck. We couldn't figure out how to operate the flat-screen TV in our cabana, but back in our room, we were glued to live coverage of the fires.

Sovann went to meet the HomeWord folks who were setting up for the fundraiser that night, and they did sound checks and set him up with a lapel mic. We both got gussied up while Sovann's mom took the kids down to the pool for a second swim. She stayed with them during the banquet and they feasted on leftovers from the potluck. It was such a treasure for the kids to get to spend time with their Lola and it was so nice for Sovann and I to have the evening without the kids. Shortly before heading out, we heard a knock at the door, and a man stood there with another plate of chocolates for us. "An amenity for Sovann Pen," he said. Wow, I thought. Can it get much better than this? Well, I just had no idea.

We felt like we were entering a different world as we walked into the hallway where hors d'oeuvres were being served on silver platters by hotel staff walking discreetly through the crowd. Displays were set up showing the different facets of the HomeWord ministry as well as listing the various items being auctioned off that evening. Many couples held elegant-looking drinks as they mingled with all the other party-goers. The dresses were amazing - sparkly and graceful and I started noticing everyone had dainty black sandals. I tried not to think about my own white sandals and was glad my dress went almost to the floor.

We rounded a corner and found Cindy, Jim Burns' secretary, who whisked us away to get pictures taken. Then the moment Sovann had been waiting for - to meet and talk with Jim Burns became a reality. We posed with the host of HomeWord and resisted asking the professional photographer to take a shot with our digital pocket camera. Before we knew it, a waiter was strolling the halls striking a little set of chimes, announcing that "dinner is served."

We found our assigned seats (place cards were handed out upon arrival) near the stage and were thrilled that we were sitting next to Dean Bruns (the V.P. of Homeword who invited Sovann to speak at this afair), his wife, the other "testimonial" giver of the evening and a few other guests. If I remember correctly, one of the guests at our table was responsible for running the Sierra Club camp for teens at Yosemite National Park. As we took our seats, we opened our program and found a prominent picture of our family staring back at us. It was a bit fun being honored in this way, and a little embarrassing as all the others at our table found the picture and then realized they were sitting with us.

The food was amazing - sliced lime and orange were offered with our bottled water (sparkling or regular) that was served from private-label bottles. Salads were on the table, along with several baskets of assorted breads and both plain and herbed pats of butter shaped like little flowers. Waiters served dressing from silver gravy boats. The green salads were shaped into little bowls by thin cucumber slices, topped with something shredded (like jicama or radish) and adorned on the sides with sliced grapes and candied walnuts. I alone had more silverware at my place-setting than I usually set on my table at home for my whole family.

During the meal, several important HomeWord people were introduced and a couple different videos were played - each highlighting what the ministry was about and who they helped. The silent auction continued on such items as vacation packages, golf tee times and jewelry. There were two giant screens on either side of the stage on which a list of the highest bid for each item was displayed and updated continuously.

As the main course was served, we again refrained from taking pictures! It was the most amazing chicken I had ever tasted - a huge breast portion stuffed with a creamy ricotta and sun-dried tomato combination topped by a very subtle mustard cream sauce. On the side was wild rice, broccoli and asparagus and a parmesan-baked tomato. They were generous portions, too - I couldn't finish it all! Poor Sovann was too nervous to each much of anything. He felt a lot of pressure, especially since they had paid for our airfare, hotel and meal just to have him speak to these 250+ guests.

His time came to speak as Jim introduced him, and then I saw my husband speak as eloquently as I ever have. He shared how the radio show had helped him be a better father and husband, and how much he appreciated the practical and honest information the guests share each week. Sovann also spoke of how he often assigns listening to certain HomeWord podcasts to his counseling clients and shares the website resources with pastors, friends and small-group members he meets with. I was honored to be his wife and so proud of him speaking from his heart to these total strangers.

After that, Jim gave a plea for financial help - a difficult thing to do in the face of financial crisis and devastating fires. He certainly has a passion to help kids and their families, and we personally are thankful for how HomeWord has blessed us.

Dessert came next, which was an assortment of little dainties on trays - chocolate layered mousse cake, lemon sponge squares with fresh raspberries, pumpkin mousse tarts with ginger-snap crusts, and several kinds of petit-fours. I was particularly impressed with the little "card" on each tart which had pumpkin designs to indicate the flavor - turns out it was edible chocolate! We each tried a couple and then were (thankfully) given boxes to take the extras home (well, back up to the room for us to share with mom and the kids).

As we were saying goodbye, Dean motioned for us to come back to the table. "I have something for you," he said. I glanced and Sovann and thought, "What more could you possibly do?" Well, God certainly has taught us a lot about generosity this year, but now came the exclamation point at the end of the lesson. On top of everything else they did for us, Dean handed me an envelope with a thank-you note and a $100 gift card to Trader Joes! I said to Dean, "I'm not sure you will ever know how much you have blessed our family. Thank YOU."

When we returned to the room, Mom told us that Sinnary and Paul had taken the girls to their grandma's house because the fires in Anaheim Hills (where they live) were very close and they were preparing to evacuate. We ended the night enveloped in softness - feather pillows and fluffy duvet on a roomy king-size bed. I sleepily though, "Thank you, Lord, for another amazing day and please spare the homes of our family and loved ones here."

Disneyland

So you probably read about how we had this dream vacation (by our standards, anyhow) handed to us with just a few days notice...now here's how it all went. With bags packed, Bopha drove us to the airport and we navigated all the TSA stations fairly well (except they had to dust Sovann's CPAP for explosives). We arrived at the Long Beach airport on time and Sovann's sister Sinnary picked us up and took us home. We then all got In-and-Out Burgers for dinner (oh, yummmmm just doesn't quite describe it) and Sovann's mom came over. It was so fun seeing all the cousins hang out together. For some reason, J.J. and Nalani got along really well and spent the evening playing with the pretend kitchen set, making tea and coffee for us all. Katherine and Grace were glued to the T.V. (we get very poor reception and no cable at home, so Disney channel was a treat for them). All the girl cousins camped out downstairs slumber-party style, which allowed us adults to sleep in comfy beds (thank you, Shaiyana & Jasmynd).

The next morning we woke up early (couldn't believe how bright the sun was at 6:30am!).  We got  to Disneyland about 1/2 hour after they opened and headed straight to Tomorrowland.  We actually bumped into a few Portland friends while there (Steve Hockomeier and Katherine's friend Emily from CYT).  Our strategy was to do some of the big, popular rides first, before the park got too crowded, so we headed to Space Mountain.  We left Grace with Mom and walked about 1/4 mile to the loading platform - didn't have to wait even 5 minutes!  Here's a picture of me  yelling (middle, right), my cheeks filled with air from the rapidly descending coaster.  It was my first and favorite ride of the day.  

We spent a lot of time in Tomorrowland, but I think J.J.'s favorite part was when he got to battle Darth Maul after receiving his Jedi Training!  Here he is, first in line to do the fight routine they learned during the show.

After a trip through the gift shop to get some Minnie ears for Katherine, we headed to Fantasyland to do some girly stuff.  (Sovann and J.J. actually went back to Tomorrowland to ride Astro Blasters and Star Tours again.)  Grace wore her Snow White costume and danced with the Disney  princesses at the newly opened Fantasy Faire.  All the other little girls stood and faced the stage while they learned to curtsey, wave and dance.  But Grace stood front and center, facing the audience and danced as if she was the star of the show!  It's a good thing there were "ladies in waiting" helping guide the little girls, or I'm sure Grace would have been up on the stage with Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty.

Next we rode the train around to see Pooh and Tigger  while Sovann took the older kids on Splash Mountain.  We took snacks and munched any time we were waiting in line, so we never really got hungry.  The lines were all very short, and it seemed like we did just about everything there was to do at Disneyland, including front-row seats for the Fantasmic show.  We left around 11pm, finishing the day with a ride on the carousel.  We were all dragging by the time we got back to Sinnary's where we crashed for the night.  Here are a few more pictures.

Putting out Fires

"That which thou dost not understand when thou readest, thou shalt understand in the day of thy visitation; for there are many secrets of religion which are not perceived till they be felt, and are not felt but in the day of a great calamity."–JEREMY TAYLOR.

Little did I know how this would be applied today as I read this out loud to J.J. during our lessons this morning.  Turns out that Grace was chopping her hair off while I was distracted with this reading, "Because I wanted to look like Mary Marvel," (the little girl cartoon character sidekick of  some superhero comic we brought home from the library a few months ago).  It brought back memories of when Katherine cut her eyelashes off when she was five years old.  Anyways, I trimmed her bangs a bit, which did little to hide the 1/2 inch chunk of hair that now sticks straight out from the top, middle of her forehead and left the rest to grow out on its own.  Not exactly putting out fires, but add that to the drama with Katherine earlier this morning (she's at home, sick with a cold today) and I felt a little wearied by the day so far.

As Katherine was taking Grace's hair-covered blanket outside to shake it clean, she heard a crackling and popping sound.  Looking into our neighbor's back yard, she saw smoke and flames.  She ran in and yelled, "There's a fire!"  I looked out our upper back bedroom window, and sure enough, there were flames 30 feet high, licking the trees in our neighbor's yard.  I called 911 while watching our neighbor attack the fire with his garden hose (which had very little effect).  

Having just come back from southern California where we watched homes go up in flames on the news, smelled the smoke and saw ash falling around us, I thought, "How could this happen here, in my backyard?"  They probably thought the same thing.  I told the kids to stay in the house and stay together while I ran outside to get my hose ready in case the trees in our yard caught fire as the blaze grew bigger and hotter.  I decided to wet down our wood fence since in CA we had seen how airborne embers were the cause of many new fires that destroyed so many homes.

My little stream of water seemed pitifully inadequate, but at least I felt like I was doing something.  Then Grace came running into the back yard.  I calmly screamed at her to go back in the house and stay with Katherine, feeling like a failure as a protective mommy.  The fire truck arrived minutes later and put out the blaze, and the only damage done was to some trees and the neighboring apartment's garbage bin where the fire started.  But I was quite shaken up, and I gave the kids quite a long lecture about the importance of obedience - especially in emergency situations.

I have now felt some of the same anxiety those in CA experienced as they felt the heat and witnessed the flames, and also the relief when the well trained and fully equipped firemen arrived to put out the fires.  Sometimes we just don't appreciate all we have - not only our relative wealth, health and abundance of friends and family, but also the privileges we have living in a country where help is just a phone call away, where neighbors help each other out, and insurance companies, churches and non-profit organizations help people in times of need.  How blessed we are!  Thank you, Lord, and forgive me for griping and forgetting to appreciate all you have blessed us with.

Blessings

So how is it that we are going to visit family in L.A., spend a day at Disneyland, spend a night in a beautiful hotel on the beach and be treated as honored guests at a banquet... all out of the blue?  When I think of all the ways God could have worked this miracle, I am in awe of his love and grace.  We could have won it in a drawing (we've entered plenty) or saved up for it ourselves (we've tried, actually, but recently lost all our savings including what we had set aside for a down payment on Katherine's braces).  But God knew the best way in which this blessing would also grow our faith.

Sovann loves the radio show called HomeWord.  Author and psychologist Jim Burns interviews various guests on parenting and family topics, giving practical advice and challenging wisdom.  A few weeks ago, Sovann emailed the people at HomeWord to share what a difference the show has made in his life and our family.  I'm sure they must get hundreds of these emails daily, but for some reason, Sovann's caught the attention of somebody which resulted in his message being shared in a meeting with the VP of the ministry, Dean Bruns.  It turns out that they had been planning a benefit banquet for some time, to raise money to keep HomeWord on the air across America.  Dean called last week and asked Sovann if it would be possible for him to fly down to Newport Beach to speak at that banquet, to give the supporters a real-life example of what effect their ministry has on families.  

It just so happened (well, really, I believe God had this all planned out) that Dean was flying into Portland that same week and asked if Sovann wanted to meet with him.  Sovann did, and they had a great time connecting on many different levels.  Dean said, "We'd be happy to fly your family down a day or two early so you could go to Disneyland."   Whoa, really?  Could that be possible?  That trip we started planning 2 and 1/2 years ago seemed more unlikely than it  ever had just a day ago, and now it might happen in just 2 weeks?

At this point, the trip became more of a reality for us, and we began to contact family members in L.A.  Sovann's mom lives about an hour and a half from where the banquet will be held, but it just so happened (well...you know what I think) that she would be in the neighborhood that weekend for a special multi-church gathering.  We also checked our calendars to make sure we didn't have any crucial commitments we'd have to cancel.  There were a few, some pretty important ones in fact, but our friends and church family were very accommodating and enabled us to free up the weekend.  

One commitment we would NOT have been able to get out of was the current CYT show, Anne of Green Gables.  If either of the kids had been involved as cast or crew, we would not have been able to go on this trip.  What an amazing thing to look back to September when I was agonizing over wether or not to let the kids audition.  God spoke very clearly to me that we shouldn't do the play, and I'm so glad I listened.  How great a lesson this is to the kids, too - we listened and obeyed God when he told us not to do something, and now we get to go to Disneyland as a family!

Being the practical accountant of the family, I was still thinking about the cost of food, transportation, and additional nights at the hotel, not to mention Disneyland tickets.  I just sort of prayed something like, "God, you're giving us free airfare to Disneyland's front door...now how are we going to get in?"  I figured that if we skipped all Christmas gifts completely this year, we might be able to afford Disneyland and the kids would understand.  But there was still lodging, food and transporation to pay for. 

Well, before I could even check our bank account balances, Sovann's adopted sister Sinnary (who happens to live near Disneyland and the airport we're flying into) emails to say we can stay at her place... and borrow their car.  Wow!  Having a place to stay and car to use is another answer to prayer, but staying with family we haven't seen for a long time (some of whom we've never met - both our families have had children since the last time we were together) is priceless.  The last time our family was in L.A. was for Sovann's fathers' funeral five years ago.  

I can't wait for all the cousins to get to know each other - poor J.J. will be the only boy among 6 little girls!  Something tells me he can handle it, though.

I didn't think things could get any better, and then...

I'm busy fixing breakfast for the family (a rare occasion - usually the kids get their own cereal) on Saturday morning and the phone rings.  It's Sovann's mom, asking what day we want to go to Disneyland because she's going to buy tickets with her USC employee discount as a Christmas gift to our family!  Another answered prayer.  Another blessing.  Another miracle.

Not only that, but on the morning of the banquet while we're down there, in nearby Anaheim, there will be a gathering of 10 churches for a Thanksgiving celebration.  This is so precious to me, because 3 years ago I was invited to a women's retreat to teach creative worship to the ladies of these same 10 churches.  I had an incredible time and was welcomed warmly by these women who fully embraced the dance, sign language and worship flags I introduced to them.  I have thought of them often over the past couple years and rejoiced when Sovann's mom would tell me of how they were using what I taught them and worshipping in their own way.  I can hardly wait to see and speak with them again, and to worship our amazing God together with them!

The beach is Sovann's most favorite place in the world, and we have not been to the beach (even the Oregon coast) as a family in years!  Sunday after church with Sinnary's family, we plan on visiting the beach - the California Beach before flying home! 

My tendency is to stress about everything.  Part of me is anxious about how the kids will behave on the plane, wether I'll remember to pack all we'll need, how we'll pay for food on the go, if I have the right kind of clothes for the banquet...the list goes on and on.  I just have to keep reminding myself of what God has already done for us - beyond this trip, but every day.  The fact that we are all alive and healthy and doing well with school.  That we have a warm home with plenty of clothes and food and amusements to fill our days.  That we are a family - an unbroken, loving, growing family.  These are all blessings that speak volumes of God's loving faithfulness in our lives.  How often do I sweat the small stuff and miss the blessings?  Lord, help me let go of the worries and just be thankful for my life.

The Ballet

OK, so that last one was a bit long, but trust me - it is RICH!  Here's some fluff (well, maybe not - my kids have a richness all their own).

Well, a week ago the Heartlife school went to a special school-day performance of Oregon Ballet Theater's Swan Lake.  Grace, J.J. and I got to tag along, and it was a fun excuse to get gussied up.  So J.J. donned his suit, and Grace wore her special Chinese dress from Lola (although she wanted to wear her ballet leotard and tutu and dance for everyone).  My friend Jeanne drove (I hate driving downtown) and we had a great time.  

We watched the last half of the dancers' class and warm-up, then were presented with a slide show about the history and story plot of Swan Lake.  Then the company performed most of the second act.  My favorite part was when four ballerinas did a very intricate dance en-pointe all with their arms intertwined.

Below are Katarina and A.C., just two of the incredible students that make up the Heartlife co-op.  Behind them you can see faces of the other students - Katherine was too far to the left.  

Voices of the Earth

Today for school we read a story from the book, PARABLES FROM NATURE by Mrs. Gatty, published by T. Nelson & Sons.  I'm not sure why, but it just struck me deeply, and I was moved to tears in some places as I read it aloud to J.J.  The language can make it a bit hard to decipher, but it is just so rich and beautiful.  It makes for a rather long blog entry, but I wanted to share it nonetheless.  You can read other chapters from her book here.

THE VOICES OF THE EARTH

"Let everything that hath breath, praise the Lord."–Ps. cl. 6.

"WOULD that I could pass away, and cease to be!" murmured the Wind, as it performed its circuits round the earth, long ages ago. "Would that I could cease to be! Since the creation of man, existence has become insupportable."

"Thou art mad!" cried the Mountains and Valleys, over whom the wind was passing, with its outcry of lamentation. "Is not man the glory of the world, the favourite of Heaven? Surely thou art mad, or else jealous of the greatness of others–jealous of the masterpiece of creation. Oh thou, ungrateful and unwise, to whom is committed the privilege of refreshing the earth and its inhabitants, why turn aside to hold judgment and condemn? Enough that thou fulfil thine own appointed work, and, in so doing, exist to the glory of the Creator."

"Yet, hear me in patience," wailed the Wind. "It is for the honour of man, and the glory of his Creator, that I am so troubled. Hence comes all my misery. I, who know no rest but in His will, and once went on my way rejoicing,–I now am, of all creatures, the most miserable. Oh earth, with thy mountains and valleys, and forests, and fast-flowing rivers and seas, do me justice! Thou knowest it was not so with me of old, when I was first called into being. Thou knowest with what joy I roamed over thy confines, and beheld the universal beauty that then was spread around; how tenderly I whispered through thy flowers, how joyfully I carried up their fragrant odours as a thank-offering to heaven; how merrily I sported on the hills, or taught the branches of thy lofty trees to bow, as in obeisance to Him who made them! Thou knowest that I even failed not in due obedient love, when storms were needed; whether to drive the sluggish vapours through the sky, or rouse the sea itself to healthy action. When have I ever failed? Have I not always fulfilled His word? For even now, in these my days of misery, I carry out unwearyingly the great decree. Still I bear aloft from tropical seas, in ceaseless revolution round the world, those vapours which must descend in northern latitudes as dew, or rain, or snow. Still I labour–still I love to labour in the way ordained. But woe for me! another burden than labour is upon me now! Woe for the pollution I have suffered, since the earth was overspread by the wretched race of men! Woe for their civilised lands, which I must needs pass through! Woe for the cities, and towns, and villages, their haunts and habitations, which I cannot avoid! Woe! for I bear thence in my bosom the blasphemies of the multitudes, and am laden with the burden of ingratitude, denial, and doubt. Woe that I must spread these black results of misguided reason from pole to pole! Woe that I must carry up the jests of the scorner and the oaths of the intemperate, as incense from man to his Maker: from man formed in His image, and boasting in his faculties of sense! Oh that I could pass away, and cease from being! and that with me might perish these fruits of an evil heart of unbelief!"

"Thou hast numbered curses," breathed the Mountains and Valleys in reply; "and alas! that such should ever defile thee, thou messenger of blessing. But this is not all thou bearest upon thy wings. Other outpourings stream into thy bosom; other voices are wafted upon thee to the skies; other sounds are spread by thee from pole to pole. Hast thou weighed in the balance, against the utterances of the rebellious, the prayers of the faithful, the childlike, and the pure; the steadfast avowal of martyrs; the daily thanksgiving of saints; the songs of holy praise and joy?"

"Yet what are these but what are due, and more than due, ten hundred thousand fold?" exclaimed the angry Wind. "What merit can you find in these? How strike a balance between them and the unnatural sin which says, 'There is no God'? All His works everywhere have praised Him from the beginning: only among men is there silence and doubt. And shall the remnant take credit for not joining in their sin? Inanimate creation and the beasts have never swerved from their allegiance. What room is there for boasting in man? Has he done more than these, from the foundation of the world?"

"But he alone of all creation, with a free, intelligent will."–The words came up in soft response from the Earth, and spread like harmony upon the air.– "He alone of all creation, with a free, intelligent will. Merit there can be none, indeed; but acceptability–where can it ever be found, but in the free-will worship of a spirit which has choice? And if choice, then, of necessity, liberty to err. And with liberty to err, comes, alas! the everlasting contest between right and wrong. Yet why do I say, 'alas'? Obedience to a law which cannot be resisted is not the service of the heart–not the highest tribute to the Creator's glory. Far dearer to Him may be the struggle by which the human will is subdued to unison with the will Divine, in anticipation of that day when all its wisdom shall be made known. Have patience, then, with the contest between good and evil, so long as the good is accepted of Heaven; and while this is so, be contented to labour and to be!"

"Yet listen once again," sighed the Wind. "I have been jealous for the glory of the Maker, it is true, and troubled for the honour of man. But I am also wretched for myself. Oh Earth, Earth, Earth! The Creator has made His human favourite mortal! The mountains stand fast for ever, the hills cannot be moved, the very trees survive from generation to generation; but man–the chosen–passes away like a shadow; he cometh up and is cut down as the grass; I go over him, and his place knows him no more. Alas for the misery I am doomed to share! The breath of the dying has passed into my soul for ages; it is borne upon every breeze; it has tainted every air. I am filled with those bitter agonies, and loathe my very being. Would that I could pass away into nothing, and be as though I had never been, that so I might taste no more the vile dishonour of death."

"Thou judgest with the judgment of those who see and know but in part," came up the soothing answer from the Hills. "What, if the dying breath, which falls so sadly on thy breast, releases from its prison-house of clay some spirit more ethereal than thine own, some essence subtler far than thine, which thou must bear before the mercy-seat? Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? Canst thou not trust the Almighty with His own? Why grieve for the last sigh of perishing flesh, if it be also the first breathing of a freed immortal soul? How rail at death, if it is He who strikes the chord of everlasting life?"

"Yet once more hear me, and be just," persisted the Wind. "Not the breath of the dying only overwhelms me with this wild desire to be at rest. The breath of the living who suffer on is even worse. The sigh of natural grief, which none can blame; the moanings of the afflicted in mind, body, or estate; the outcries of the oppressed and desperate; the shrieks of madness and of pain, the groanings of despair; all, all are outpoured on me! Those dreadful voices haunt me from all sides. This mass of human woe corrodes my soul. I meet it in the cottage, and pass through to find it in the palace; I rush from the battle-field to the cloister, but in vain! for no seclusion can shut out man from sorrow. Wherever the chosen creature is found, there must I gather up the voices of grief; for lo! as the sparks fly upwards, so man is born to trouble. Oh that I might pass away for ever, and cease to know the wretchedness I have no power to avert!"

"Yet wait, wait, wait," implored another whisperer from the Earth. "What, if in human sorrow may be found an answer to the riddle of human guilt? What, if amidst its saddest cries, thou carriest up the voice of heartfelt penitence on high? Wilt thou not weigh against the transient earthly grief the joy in heaven for one repenting sinner? Or, if amidst the mortal agony of the righteous, the triumph-songs of faith grow loud as those the angels sing round the throne,– 'Thy will, Thy will, Thy will–doing or suffering–Thy will be done;'–wouldst thou not fear to take away the one, lest the other perchance should fail from off the earth? Watch well the balance between suffering and its fruits; but while these rise acceptable on thee to Heaven, well mayst thou rest contented in thy work, and rejoice both to labour and to be."

"Yet is man–the favourite–of all creatures the most wretched," moaned the Wind, "since he alone must purchase happiness with pain."

"Unjust! unjust!" expostulated the Earth. "Thou keepest record of men's sighs, hast thou no consciousness of the unceasing breathings of simple, natural joys? Yet, number the one by thousands, and by tens of thousands of the other will I answer and refute thy words. The peaceful respirations of health, unnoticed and, alas! how often unthankfully enjoyed through years, count them if thou canst! Count them as they float to thee, while the night hours pass over the sleeper's head: count them when he wakes with the young daylight to a fresh existence. Count the laughs of frolic childhood. Count the murmurs of happy love. Count the stars if thou wilt, but thou canst never count the daily outpourings of common earthly joys. Alas for those who judge of life only by startling periods, and are deaf to the still small voices, which tell of hourly mercies, hour by hour!"

"Yet once more listen," cried the Wind, "for more and worse remains behind. The utterances of vice–oh innocent Earth, in whom the glory of the Creator is yet left visible to all!–I sicken at the thought of what I know; of what I bear unwillingly about. The loathsome words of sin–the lies of the deceiver–the prating of the fool–the seductions of the dissolute–the shouts of drunken revelry–the songs of the profane–the gifts of speech and thought misused to evil:–those voices horrible to God and man. . . . ."

"Be they as dust before thee, and thou as the angel of the Lord scattering them!" shouted a cry of indignation from the Earth. "Yet wait, wait, wait! For thyself, be thou still contented to labour and to be. Wouldst thou be wiser than the Judge? Wilt thou lose patience, while He yet forbears? No! watch the balance as before, and weigh the evil and the good. And so long as the prayers which the faithful pour on thy bosom outvalue the words of the scorner; so long as the blessings of the righteous float above the curses of the blasphemer; so long as the voice of penitence follows close upon the utterances of sin; so long as pious submission makes harmony of the cries of grief; so long as thou carriest up daily thanksgiving for unnumbered daily mercies; so long as souls of saints are breathed up to Heaven by death:–so long be thou contented to have patience, and labour and be."

"But should the day ever come," shouted the Wind in return, "when the balance is reversed; when vice, only tolerated now, becomes triumphant; when sin reigns on the altars, and no man pulls it down; when the voice of the good man's worship is drowned in the bad man's scorn, and I cannot lift it to the skies; when the wretched curse God and die, and men have forgotten to be thankful;–then, then at last wilt thou acknowledge the justice of my complaints, and help me to pass away in peace? Promise this, and till then I will watch the struggle, and be contented to labour and to be."

And the Earth paused and consented, and the Wind fled satisfied away.

L'envoi to the Reader.

And he is still careering round the world; still gathering "the Voices of the Earth;" still watching the struggle between good and evil. In our public walks he meets us face to face. In our private chambers he is with us still. There is no secret corner where he cannot come; no whisper which is not breathed into his ear. It behoves us well, then, to be careful, lest, by thoughtlessness or sin, we add weight to the wrong side of the scales. For if the balance should ever incline to evil, and the wind cease to blow,–what would become of the world?

Priorities

One of my journal entries is a list of all the "hats" I wear: wife, mother, teacher, chef, taxi-driver, personal shopper, accountant, gardener, maid, saleswoman, handy-ma'am, worship leader, graphic designer, prayer warrior, daughter, disciple, seamstress, etc., etc., etc. With so many things going on around me and so many voices vying for my attention, I often find myself paralyzed by the busy-ness. I feel like Gulliver, tied down by thousands of tiny strings, only instead of Lilliputians at each end there is a chore, an obligation, a person or personal desire each pulling me to the ground. Almost all of them are good things, but together it is just too much to deal with.

So I cried out to God and placed myself at His mercy. I humbled myself in His presence and asked for wisdom. His reply was this: "Seek me daily for priorities; I will lead you. Start with seeking me and I'll order your days. Press in. Pursue me. Build your life around the framework of ME. Make space for me. Let yourself be needy and choose to deny yourself the world's food/pleasure so that you can be hungry for Me."

OK, so I tried waking up every morning and spending 5 or 10 minutes in prayer, asking God what my priorities should be for the day. The first time I did this, God said, "Read to Grace, listen to Katherine and do what J.J. asks of you." I wasn't quite sure what this meant, but I took it seriously and started my day out looking for opportunities to do those things. That morning, Katherine started sharing something that was important to her, and instead of half-listening while cleaning up the kitchen, I stopped and gave her my full attention. At nap time, Grace asked me to read to her and I took the time to do so (even though I was tired and just wanted to get that next load of laundry going). And then later that afternoon, J.J. asked me to watch him do something on the computer. This was a hard one for me, because it felt like such a waste of time (after all, he was absorbed in the game and I was just an onlooker). But it was important to him, so I sat down and watched him for about 10 minutes. At the end of the day as I was sharing this with Sovann, I realized that because I had taken the time to listen to God that morning, I was ready to give what my kids really needed when they really needed it. Cool.

Every day has been different since I started doing this. Some days God has asked me to do very little, once even saying, "This is your day - you can do whatever you want." Other times He has asked me to set aside my whole agenda for the day which was extremely difficult for me to do. Once when I was running around on a Sunday morning, deciding what to wear, worrying about the guests we were hosting in our home, trying to second-guess what would please all the people I'd see that day, I had enough sense to stop and pray. God spoke powerfully and gently as a father chiding his favorite child, "Today is MY DAY, the Lord's day! Why are you kowtowing to the perceived whims of those around you? Consider what is pleasing to Me...and walk in quiet and humble confidence, knowing that you bring me pleasure when you live out of who I've made you to be. Let me into your day and let's walk together down the lane of these next 24 hours."

Somewhere in the past month or two, the kids and I spent a morning praying for our country, reading the Bible, and worshipping through music, dance and painting. I was blown away at how seriously and earnestly they participated, really crying out to God from their little hearts. Katherine said, "I don't know why, but I feel like painting," so I said, "Go for it! Paint whatever God puts in your heart." The first picture she drew was this, and she explained that it depicts all the things we try to balance every day. Again, I was amazed and blessed by the insight of my children!

Now I am starting to face a new challenge. Since school and CYT have started, and we still haven't finished painting the house (and you know we can't have many more dry days left here), and there are several other things I'm still trying to fit on my plate, I've found myself prioritizing my day the night before as I fall asleep. I'm feeling more frazzled and worried and paralyzed again and I guess I need to end my day asking God to help me prioritize and then start the next morning just resting in the knowledge that God's ways are better than my own. I am so glad that my God is good and faithful and wise and holy. I can trust Him like no other because He is perfect in all His ways.

Lord, help me to fight for time with you. It is a battle to push aside all the hats, all the demands, all the worries of life and press in to listen to your still, small voice. When I care to take that time, I can hear you clearly. But it's like the chickadee's song that I hear in my garden - I only notice it if I listen for it above the constant rumble of traffic and lawnmowers and construction and neighbors' voices. Keep singing to me, Lord, and forgive me when I forget to listen. Because your words are true and full of life and there is nothing so sweet as dwelling in your presence.

"In the Garden" by C. Austin Miles

"I come to the garden alone while the dew is still on the rose.

And the voice I hear falling on my ear, the Son of God discloses.
And He walks with me, and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there, none other has ever known."

Home Improvement

We're into week 3 now of working on the house, expanding the deck and painting the exterior. It took me (and Dad and Sovann helping when they could) two weeks to scrape, caulk, prep and paint the front (South) side of the house. I think it took so long because of all the nooks and crannies, windows, door and trim to be prepped. We painted the front steps/porch and included all the way-up-high soffits in the painting, too. The garage door still needs a coat of paint, and there are a few trim pieces to finish, but it's mostly done and looks so much better. I learned a lot in the process and have a new appreciation for all the work that goes into painting a house!

This week, it's been rainy and I'm enjoying a break from the monotony of painting (and also the cooler weather)! While I was painting these past two weeks, Dad and Rick worked on doubling the deck in back and building stairs down to the patio off the West end. Rick and Sovann are still working on putting the cover on. After that, there will just be some railings to be put on the stairs. Oh, and of course we still have to stain the deck and paint the wall behind it - ugh! Can't wait 'till it's all done so we can have you all over for a BBQ.

Opossums in my Pots

Well, I'm back from 2 weeks at camp, a camping trip, a visit with my folks and my 20th HS reunion. Today my dad and Rick (a friend from church who is a skilled handy-man) started building a new deck off the back of the house. I got busy putting all the plants my mom sent up with Dad in the ground, pulling weeds and watering as I went. I headed to the little shed-like area under the front steps of the house and found a couple opossums snuggled up in the pot I wanted to plant my Creeping Jenny in. I poked at it a bit and it bared it's teeth and hissed at me. I didn't want it to bite or attack me (or the kids), so I left it alone and discovered on the internet that opossums are not fond of ammonia or crushed garlic. I also called animal control, but they won't help because it's a wild (not domestic pet-type) animal. The department of Fish and Wildlife hasn't gotten back to me...should I even hope they ever will?

So now I know that all the cat feces I've been finding in the lawn since I got home is really 'possum poop! And I'm mad because I want my pots back! How I wish they would just go away - but like all problems, it will take time and effort and patience and know-how. Lord, help!

Update: Dad and I hung out above the steps at dusk and waited for the opossums to leave for the night. One scurried out the first evening after we threw many paper-towels soaked with ammonia into the shed. It climbed the apple tree and we went to bed. The second evening, we waited and were finally relieved to see the second opossum leave. We closed up the hole they'd dug to get in and said so long to these nasty creatures.

Burney Falls

Wow, can't believe it's been almost a month since I last blogged! I've been away at Fir Point Bible camp (will blog about that later) and then visiting my folks in Grants Pass. Yesterday mom and I returned from camping at McArthur-Burney Falls State Park in Northern California. We only stayed two nights, but it was so nice. My sister Carrie and her family met us and shared their RV with us. First thing we did when arriving, Nick (who was with us because he'd been helping Grandpa clear brush around the pond for the past couple weeks) and Katherine (who is going to spend the next couple weeks with the Juchau family while I work at Fir Point again) went around to all the empty campsites to glean leftover firewood. We found several bags of kindling, newspaper, lighter fluid, matches and three big logs! It was enough to have a nice fire to roast wieners and toast marshmallows over. It even lasted through to the next morning, so we warmed sausages and toast up over the coals.

The falls were beautiful and we learned so much. Down at the base of the pool it was a pleasant 65 degrees, and Carrie, the kids and I hiked down the first night we were there. It got dark fast, though, and we almost didn't make it back to our campsite before it was pitch black!
The next morning, we had pancakes and bacon (thanks to the RV stove) with cantaloupe and hot cocoa. As we walked back to explore the falls, we passed by an amphitheater where the Jr. Ranger program was in progress. We joined Taylor, a Biology student from St. Louis, MO, who was talking about the Native Americans who lived in this area long ago. They made flour by grinding acorns and poured boiling water through it to take away the bitter taste. Then they'd add berries for flavor (some of the native berries we found and tasted along the trails included currants, skunk berries, salmon berries, thimble berries, manzanita berries and gooseberries). The native people didn't have pots, but they wove tight baskets and dropped fire-heated rocks into the water to instantly boil it. Taylor also shared about some medicinal herbs and vegetation that the native peoples used.

The ranger talk ended with the kids all playing some games that the native children might have played. They took turns blind-folding and spinning one child while the others spread out in the nearby forest. The blinded child in the center would call out for everyone to take one step closer to him or her, and he or she would listen and try to point out where she heard someone stepping. If the center child points at you, you're out! Some of the girls got smart and took their shoes off so they could walk very quietly in the pine needle underbrush. I'm sure this game taught both listening and tracking skills to the native kids.

After the kids got their Jr. Ranger booklets stamped and each received a cool badge, we headed to the falls to hike the 1.2 mile Falls Trail Loop. On the way down to the splash pool we saw black swifts, little sea birds that nest behind the falls in the summer who entertained us with acrobatic flying they use to catch insects. The falls themselves were absolutely beautiful - two big falls from the stream above, plus a myriad of little rivulets from underground streams that flow straight out of the cliff face.
We followed the stream bed for awhile and then crossed over a neat bridge and started the climb back up to the top of the falls. Another bridge over the stream at the top of the falls brought us back to the visitor's center, which had lots of info about native wildlife in the park.

Back at camp, we ate sandwiches and then headed down to the nearby Lake Britton for a swim. The water was cold, but pleasant enough that only the first few minutes were shocking. Everyone on the beach at the swim area was pleasant - mostly families and the kids all played together pretty well.

Todd, mom and I sat on the beach and read and took pictures while the kids swam. After that, we went back to camp for a quick dinner and then headed off for a Ranger-led hike to the pioneer cemetery. This was about 1 and 1/2 miles total and followed an old wagon train road. It's hard to believe how those wagons made it over these steep mountains and bumpy roads full of pumice and thick with dust.

After dark, we sang campfire songs and Emma read a spooky ghost story while the fire died down. The next morning we packed up camp and Emma, Katherine and I headed over for the Jr. Ranger activity: plaster casts of animal prints. Taylor shared a great bunch of info on what you can tell about an animal based on it's foot/paw/hoof/claw print. We learned about mountain lions, bears, skunk, badger, squirrel, eagle, otters and many other animals. Before saying goodbye to Katherine, the two of us hiked a short trail to find the Pacific Crest Trail logo to complete our "Discovery Quest" and earn a patch. We also had to track down a few park staff for signatures, but we did it!

I miss all my kids now, and my best friend in the whole world - my husband. I'm so blessed and I'm very thankful for this break from the kids and time to just soak up and bask in God's amazing creation. But being away from loved ones has made my heart yearn for them even more and appreciate them, too. God, please care for my family while I'm away and bring us all safely back together.