And then a funny thing happened.

"Woman One" was trying to return 1 Tbsp of all-purpose white flour to the jar so as to not waste any. Photo has been cropped in attempt to preserve her dignity.



"Woman Two" was helping "Woman One" clean out game closet. Very little attempt has been made to preserve her dignity. Said dignity was forfeited with donning of mask, velcro hat, whatever is draped around her neck, and hand puppets.

Reply to Heidi

So, yesterday I stopped by the rec after my Nampa campus class. As it so happened, I arrived at the intersection of Midland and Roosevelt only 30 minutes after the hideously awful shooting rampage ended in a car accident there. I first thought it was only an accident, but then I saw the news crew. Later I found out that what I had thought were businessmen trying to help guide traffic were actually detectives.
Now, after class on Wednesdays I usually go to my grandparents house for dinner. Yesterday I had to study for a test so I had cancelled with my grandparents.
Once I got to the rec my dad phoned and informed me of the true nature of what I’d seen. He was quite relieved to hear that I was safe and told me that the shooting had begun in a Walmart and continued through town, complete with a pit stop to change a flat tire because it had been shot.
I really can’t believe it happened. I suppose this is how L.A. began.
Two vehicles driving down an extremely busy boulevard at rush hour WITH CHILDREN IN ONE OF THE VEHICLES shooting at each other. Seriously. And there’s actually an argument that “people are, deep down, good at heart.” God save us.

All that to say, Heidi, that I was going to ring you and ask if you wanted to join me at the rec, but then I thought, "I'm going to be on an elliptical machine for 30 minutes and I'm going to have my eyes glued to my notes. I'd have to ignore her. It would be dumb to invite her and not talk to her."
There you go.

I do miss blogging...

I realised that today. Reading through Mary's adventures in parenting/adopting and hopping over to catch up with the adventures in medical school (sometimes I nearly fall off my chair laughing. really.) left me with the desire to produce an amazing blog. Now, I know this mainly stems from my want of acceptance from people, but I also love to talk. To anyone. And this certainly is the ideal format to do such a thing. You can mute me whenever you wish. My problem is, I feel I rarely come up with funny or brilliant things to say. More often than not I get lost in mushy-gushy emotions and don't emerge for a couple of postings. Either that or I am completely forgetful of the habitual hilarious events in my life. Ok, well, maybe just insanely busy. Take this past weekend, for example. Honestly, I was awake at home for maybe 12 hours.
Friday:
Had the luxury of being at home this morning. Still forced to feed the screaming chickens and goats as Sarah is out-of-state (seriously, the neighbors are going to put away the spoiled screeching baby goat. I won't be surprised when they do.) but was nonetheless able to enjoy some rest to mentally prepare for the marathon weekend. Lunch with Dave and Heather - you know what? I LOVE spending time with those two. Even though he took away my dear friend, well . . . we weren't going to get married anyway. And he's really good about making sure Heather and I spend quality time together. Discussion over lunch touched on the fact that I'll be going to graduate school for at least 2.5 years somewhere out of town, probably in another state, and what will Heather do? All this from David, of course. I see only one answer. Heather and I earn the same degree, again, forcing a transplant from Boise to wherever, of the three of us. It's the only way. Class from 3 to 6. Booooooring. Nothing new. Rushed off after class to the SUB (Student Union Bldg - I ALWAYS wanted to call Otago's 'Link' 'the SUB' - 'tis the place to hang out) to revamp my resume. Answered a call on my brand-spanking-new mobile phone [it feels good to be reachable] and headed away to a job interview. An ER Scribe is what they're looking for, 5, actually. There were at least 25 of us, including Aislinn, hoping to make it, and that didn't count the two other group interviews already held. We'll see. They've got a 100% success rate of employees being accepted into their professional school of choice. Made it home Friday night at 10pm, I think.
Saturday:
Up and at-em and in class by 9am. Give myself 40 mins to move my butt from sitting-in-car-in-garage to sitting-in-chair-in-class. Not-so-narrowly maneuvered my way out of goat-feeding this morning. Three hours later I was bolting to my car to hit the gym for a tight 30-min work out. Visited with Stewart who was enthralled to discover through my pictures that I'd visited his island while overseas. Attempted to tackle some assignments over my linner/dunch, but only managed to write a few emails to friends in Dunedin. And look at friends' blogs. Sigh. But then, oh and this was the bestest, I went to pick up Hans who had shouted me a ticket to see ReliantK, to be playing at 7 pm. We'd planned on standing in line for three hours, hoping for good spots near the stage. When we arrived at the venue, I was so cold I knew I couldn't wait more than an hour for warmth. My over-21-ness got us both in through the pub, where we blissfully waited, eating dinner and chatting with the security guard until we were allowed in, just after the VIPs and nearly 20 minutes before the masses. Scoring a table at the balcony, I camped out there for the evening while Hans drifted around the building. I was joined by two Christian men, a father and son, who knew some of my old and good friends. We had delightful talks of music, maths and quantum physics. The concert was awesome! All three bands were entertaining and, most importantly, sounded fantastic. ReliantK was a little disappointing in the length of time they played - 45 min - but I was too happy to get to see them. Also fascinating was the overhead view of the crowd of mostly-teens. It ebbed and flowed like the ocean (complete with an abundance of body surfers); pulsed like an amoeba; arose and pitted like an acne-covered face. Most enjoyable. Actually home by 11pm Saturday night.
Sunday:
Chorus practice at 8:30am. I'm there by 9:15.
Service was good, thinking about the need and power of praying for others while totally depending on Jesus for His working. Talked about revival in Chad and over 700 people coming to Christ there. The incremental sleep deprivation of the weekend hit me as I cried in response to mention of an unbelieving, alcoholic husband of a praying woman coming to Christ...five years before he died. Well, the exhaustion wasn't the reason I began to cry, but it did influence the duration of tear flow.
Howard invited me to lunch with his daughter, my dear friend Lynn, and her family. Four adults and two children munched away and everyone listened to my ranting and raving over my brother's short sightedness. I'm pretty sure the table behind me of 8+ people tuned in also. Ugh. I'm not going into too much detail. How frustrating for people unaware of current situations.
But anyway.
I stopped on the way home from lunch to feed my addiction. I had to get my Chloe fix because I today is President's Day and I didn't watch her this morning (Oh the bliss of seeing her tomorrow! All to myself! I hope it's sunny and warm for walking...).
I spent two (?) hours on the couch before leaving for Adam and Heidi's. I was going to watch Nathan while they went out, but we ended up visiting, singing around the piano, stripping TP rolls of TP (Nathan) and eventually going out to dinner. I can't even begin to express how DELIGHTFUL it is to be around them. It's not because they're funny. It's not because Nathan calls both Heidi and I "Mama." And it's not because they are incredibly generous. It's because they are so comfortable, so honest, so real. And I'm in renewed awe of God when I'm around them. They are new Christians, soaking up the truth. Heidi and I sat on the couch under a blanket, two dogs and mugs of tea last night, just talking truth. I felt mightily convicted of my own complacency and general "I-grew-up-going-to-Sunday-school" attitude. Take it away, I say. Death to me. I have been co-crucified. His mercies are new every morning. And He who promised is faithful. Victory has already been won.
Remind me.
Oh, remind me.

Chloe

Oh Chloe, Chloe, Chloe.

My sister is away in California helping out with Dillon. Dillon is the newborn 26th cousin on my mother's side and is the fourth child of my Auntie Kim and Uncle Terry.

My sister is a nanny. Of Chloe.
I am now temporarily a nanny. Of Chloe.

She has pretty much captured my heart. It's all the sling's fault, really. Chloe and I go for walks on sunny, non-windy days and Chloe rides in the sling, sitting snugly against my side or belly. She's about to celebrate her 1st birthday, but she's a tiny girl. A pretty girl. And a bright little thing. She likes to make an "O" with her little lips and "whoooooo" around the house, or wherever she is. Occasionally she'll scrunch up her nose, revealing her gap between her two front teeth, and laugh.

Yesterday, as she was going down for a nap, she absentmindedly reached up and felt my face with her soft hand just before I melted. She has the complexion of, well, a baby. A baby with big blue eyes and rosy pink cheeks. Her hair is taking a while to come in, but her fuzzy little head just adds to her moderate adorableness.

Today we worked on blowing out candles in preparation for her 1st birthday party.

Fascinating how God has created us human beings. Chloe isn't even my child and I can't stop caring for her, now 7 hours after I've last seen her. It could be my age, my gender, my personality. I think it's mostly that bit of El Shaddai - the all-sufficient Mighty One - inside of me. You know, that part of Him who established families to learn something of His character.
As I sat in the backseat of my car today, waiting for Chloe's parents to pick her up (special arrangement, we're not usually hanging out in a car), she and I had a wonderful conversation.

"We're just waiting here for your mommy and daddy, Chica."
"Gleeggleeg ululul hi hi hi hi bye bye bye bye..."
"Yes. Oh, that sun's bright. Sorry, I'll block it for you. Anyway, remember: Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not on your own underst..."
"Bleebleebgussssgghhhenilnil." Big smile.
"...your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. Oh! There's your daddy!"
"Gggggkkkkkkksssstttt!"

I smile, my heart so full of compassion and awe and love I don't almost don't want her dad to be there. I'll just skip class today. Or take her with me.

I hop out of the car to pass her off for the transfer. "She just woke up so she might be hungry I didn't know if there was any food in the diaperbag so I grabbed some emergency snacks and she's got her sippy cup with juice and the house keys are in her blankets and here, I'll get that." I open the car door for him and her carseat clicks into its base. With one last "Bye, Chloe!" I hand off her snack, climb into my car and head off. My heart hurts and I tell myself I'm being ridiculous. "You've been watching the girl for two weeks and you can't even let her go? You'll see her tomorrow! Good grief!"

And then I see myself in that carseat...the sling...and in the arms of the One who alone knows me. Held tightly next to Him where I am unable to be snatched away. I feel His heart ache with love as only a parent's heart can. And up moves my hand to feel His face.