I love Chilachos

Gillian has always been fabulously creative with her vocabulary.
She says the greatest things.  We often have no idea how she comes up with her words.
Generally, she seems to make pronunciation more complex, instead of easier.


For years she has called previews (or any extra "shorts" on a DVD) Pluvits.
She used to ask for Cidder (roll the d's in this one)
most mornings.  She doesn't anymore, because she knows how to say cereal now.


She watches shows on Netflix streaming from my childhood days - 
Hekko Kitty & Uncle Gadget

She really likes a good Sasaunt (I do also, but I call them croissants).

Speaking of bakeries, this morning when we were at 2nd Street bakery, 

she told me she had been really flustalated when we first got there, 

because she didn't see her favorite cookie in the case.  

(I get frustrated by minor things like that too sometimes, beblieve me. I understand.)

At dinner this evening, she loved her dipping sauce (made of fermented soy).

She drank every last bit of the Sea Sauce.

Speaking of dinner tonight, Moira loves Sticker Pops.  

that is what they were dipping in Sea Sauce.

No I don't make homemade potstickers.  they are from Costco.

Moira was playing with Auntie Leah's little wooden Pokeypines this week 

& thought they were so cute.

(But real porcupines are pokey, so you have to be careful.)

I took the kids to eat at Betty's Eat Inn & Peyton & Mo were both thrilled to see 

Uhmingos on the tapestry of the bench seat.

Gillian explained to them (again) that they get their pink color from eating shrimps.

And one of my top favorites - 

Moira was looking through a pair of Hockerdockers the other day 

(you would want to take these along for bird watching)  

But that is also what Peyton sees taking off from our airport occasionally.

(some people just call 'em choppers, though.)

Chilachos?  Do you love chilachos, too?  that is what many folks may call nachos.  

But these kids?  they love a good plate of Chilachos.

Of Value

I know it was sanctity of life Sunday on the 22nd & I am a little behind here.
But, let's talk about it.
I know the date for sanctity of life Sunday was chosen for the anniversary of Roe v. Wade.  
It may seem that it is just another day where the church talks out against abortion.
that is not it.  It is declaring the value of human life, in all stages.
It is about pro-preborn, pro-woman,
pro-elderly, pro-terminally ill, pro-orphan, pro-outcast, pro-uncool.
People are of high value because we are made in God's image.


What ways will you celebrate the sanctity of human life?

Source: Uploaded by user via Erin on Pinterest

Learn about International Justice Mission, 
fighting against slavery & more, all around the world.
Sign a petition letter to seek an end to slavery around the world.


Sign up at your local Pregnancy Resource Center to be a mentor.
It pretty much means that when a mom comes to the center 
& is need of a friend, they will call you.  Be her friend.  
Help her get through the rough patches ahead.


Make blessing bags to keep in your car to hand to the person 
on the street corner who has a sign saying they are hungry.
(Inspired by the Lettner Livin' children.)


Speak a kind word to those people you are with every day.  
Choose to build another up, rather than tear them down.


Bring flowers to your elderly neighbor & stay to visit for a while.


Reach out to the person at church who always seems to be alone.


Read this What I Want you to Know series.


Buy fair trade.  Did you know most chocolate you buy uses slave labor?
try the Akoma Chocolate Chips that Guittard is selling now.  fair trade certified!
(Here's a good looking choice for Valentine's Day!)


Oppose pornography.


Read Live Action.  (One of my "baby" brothers is a journalist for this group & I am very proud of him!)


Share your story.  tell others of the love of God & how much He values us.
Will you pray for me this week as I prepare to share my story of being Gabriel's mom?
A friend of mine is doing a film project called Children of God.  
He wants to give voice to stories telling the value of children; whether they be brilliant & changing the world, or perhaps terminally ill & changing their corner of a hospital.
Kids are blessings, they are of high value & they can make a huge impact.
I will tell our story of hope, even when it appears all hope is lost.
Even the shortest life can leave a deep impact.


I have thought of backing out of this project many times.  
I don't want to be filmed.  (I hate hearing my recorded voice.  Ugh.)
I know I will cry.  Probably a lot.
I am not sure I have all the right words.
But as much as I don't want to do it, much, much more than that, I know I should.
I feel a call on my heart to do this.
Pray that I will speak God's truth & love & healing & hope.
Filming is Saturday.

You + Me {at 65ish}

I am joining in the Marriage Letters project.  
See Joy & Scott Bennett & 
Seth & Amber Haines all writing letters on the prompt "future fantasies".
Join in!  Next week's prompt is nightly rituals.


Dear Scott,
You know I've never been afraid to grow old with you.
I am excited by the thought of it.


Young days have their very, very good parts.
Can you imagine the older years, though?  I can ...


Here we are in the middle of our silver sixties & it is lovely.

We live in our same little house.
It looks much the same, but there are not toys continually scattered about.
Bathrooms are still not pristine, like when we were younger.
You still track mud through the house on a regular basis.
You spend your quiet times in the yard.
Your plants grew well established these past 30+ years 
& they are lovely & bear much fruit.  
(the ones the make the cut, that is, as you are forever renovating.)
You track your hummingbirds & 
I visit you there & bring you coffee & tell you news of the children.


We did do some of that traveling.
We made it to Africa more than a couple times.
We saw some of our dreams in Asia, too.
Our family never seemed to stop growing.
Births, adoptions, marriages & repeat.
Our house is mostly always bursting full, & the kitchen is always messy (still).
You are a good sidekick in the kitchen.  We explore new flavors, taste & love.
I love to have you in here with me.


We don't have retirement plans, even though the "real" jobs may end soon.
(that way we'll be able to catch the time to learn ballroom dancing.)
We love real life & don't want to unplug from it all.
Stuff is still so much the same.  (with a bunch more aches added in, body & soul.)

Source: Uploaded by user via Erin on Pinterest

....I do wonder if I ever got a cookbook published & you your novels written.
Did we go back to school to get counseling degrees?
Did you ever get that plot of land to grow your dream crops?
I love the mystery of aging.  
What it will really be, I do not know.  And I am glad.
Let's see together, shall we?


I love you forever,
Erin

Scout Work

We did some embracing of the camera this morning.

We've been sick.  Kids around here are coughing.

We took a drive this morning to get out of the house 

& allow Kendall a chance to get a car ride snooze.

I got lost on our way to Mission San Juan Bautista, so she got a bit of bonus time.

We walked around a bit to do some scouting.

We plan to have family photos taken here next week.

Shadows are tricky.  

I hope we can do something cool in these arches.

My attempt today did not turn out.

Maybe the photographer will know some magic of how to work it all out.

Now at home I hold sick, sleeping baby because she wakes every time I lay her down.

the other kids don't sleep during their "rest" time.

I currently hear wailing from my drama queen.

Soon I will relieve them of rest duty & maybe make some applesauce "tea" for all.

My friend Stef had mentioned serving her sick kids honey & cinnamon water.

I did a little variation of adding apple cider vinegar to the mix.

Hot water + a shake of cinnamon + a spoon of honey + a big splash vinegar + a pinch of cayenne.

Scott & I like it more than the kids do.  But, they'll drink about 1/2 of a cup.

Hopefully it helps them feel better!

ten on ten {January 2012}

ten on ten is a photo project, capturing something beautiful every hour,

ten times on the tenth day of every month.

Go to Rebekah's to read more.

morning light in living room as we try to fold laundry

jenga block lines

sick baby taking morning nap in mommy's lap

Gillian is holding a garage sale at her playhouse

lunch break gardening

dinner prep

hellebore in bloom

cutie in a chubby Mo hand

learning to build words

dinner together

Real Marriage {this is ours}

You and I are friends- the best of friends, we are partners, co-ministers & lovers.
I am happy to serve you.  But you are not my boss.  You are happy to serve me, too.
You & I walk side by side.  
We follow Christ together & beckon our children to follow.


I don't know if we are complementarians or egalitarians.
Do we fit a label?  (And do we care?)
We are different from one another.  We complement each other.
I cannot do all you can.  You cannot do all I can.
I know Christ would carry our family through, if one of us should leave this world.
But in a very real sense, we need each other & we know that.


I don't obey you & you don't command me.
Nor are you hen-pecked by me.
We submit to each other in love.
We work together.
We decide together.
And sometimes it is a little scary because I am a full grown up with real responsibility.
But I am grateful you trust me and respect me.
I respect & trust you, too.  Love & respect goes both ways.


I am a homemaker & proud to be.
You are one, too.  
We make this home together & nurture our love.


You provide happily for our family.
But I do, too.  
We labor in different ways to meet the needs of our family together, 
as we are gifted & able.


We learn to make love by loving each other with all we have.
We do not read sex manuals (Christian or not).  Why should we?
We two are just giving all we can.
All I have is yours.  All you have is mine.
Sometimes it may not be much.  
And that is okay.  
(for richer & poorer, in sickness & in health, in exhaustion & in energy.)


I learn to love who you are, not who I may expect you to be.
You do the same for me.
You buy your pants at OSH & that is okay with me.  
Not because I love those pants, but I love the man who loves wearing them.
I ask your advice as I head to the hair salon & you tell me you don't care.
You tell me I am beautiful.  And you wonder aloud how you are so lucky.
Long hair, short hair, skirt, sweats, grubby or make-up.  
It does not seem to matter to you.  You look at me the same.
Because you love me.

and we have indeed aged in 7 years

p.s.  While I did write this inspired by discussions of the Driscoll's book, Real Marriage, 
I have not read the book & this is in no way a review of their book.