My New Favorite Blog

This adorable ten-year-old blogger is a bad speller and seems to have little use for punctuation. But his sweet spirit just shines through! Check it out!

http://www.inventors-notebook.blogspot.com/

Operation CHICKEN!

My family has launched a new adventure: raising chickens!!

On Black Friday we went to Homestead Heritage farm ministries for their annual festival. It's our preferred post-Thanksgiving outing and something I look forward all year long. I especially love seeing the animals because they feed my fantasy of running a tiny hobby farm! This year, our little H-Bomb couldn't tear himself away from the chicken house. He picked up a baby chick and it nestled into his hands like he was the mama chicken! Before you knew it, we had bought ourselves two chicks and a bag of feed. I immediately set out to read everything I could about chicken rearing. (Yes, I realize that a reasonable person would have researched first and bought chicks second.) Sunday, we went back to get two more babies so that we would be sure to have at least two survive to adulthood.

Two of our chicks are Buff Orpingtons; their names are Popcorn and Omelette. The other two are Barred Rocks, call names Rockette and Pebbles.

For now, all four girls are living in a gerbil cage in the house. Soon they'll move into a temporary winter home in the garage. Meanwhile, we're going to build a small chicken coop for them in the backyard. More on that (and pictures as they grow) later!

ELCA Statement on Human Sexuality

My national church organization recently met and, among other actions, voted on a long-awaited Statement on Human Sexuality. It's a long--and very interesting--document and it included several special key resolutions. Here's the two BIGGIES. They both passed, though the debate was long and the passing vote was not a landslide:

“Resolved that the ECA commit itself to finding ways to allow congregations that choose to do so to recognize, support, and hold publicly accountable life-long, monogamous, same-gender relationships."

“Resolved, that the ELCA commit itself to finding a way for people in such publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous, same-gender relationships to serve as rostered leaders of this church.”

Amen.

The Salt Lick; or, Why Life is Funny

Mmmmmm. Excuse me. I'm still thinking about brisket....and blackberry cobbler....

My first trip to The Salt Lick in Driftwood, TX was back in the 1990s. I was living in Indiana and had flown to San Antonio to visit my best high school pal Leila. I know it was a long time ago because I only had one baby and she *only* had four! We hopped in the car one morning and took a memorable drive to visit the old TX missions outside of San Antonio. From there we took the back way through the Hill Coutnry to tiny Driftwood TX to eat the Best Damn BBQ Ever. The old stone building had a huge fire pit just inside the door and the hole place smelled like wood smoke. Leila gently mocked me for wanting to order bbq chicken when we got there, but frankly I was suspicious of this thing called brisket. Long story short: she ordered, we ate, I never forgot it.

Why life is funny: It's a dozen years later and I now LIVE in Texas with my hubby and two kids! And Leila does NOT live here! And I have just taken my best college pal Nancy (who lives in PITTSBURGH with her excellent husband Mike!) on their virgin trip to The Driftwood. My husband and the babies came along ... our teenager even brought her boyfriend.

To my heart--and my nose--this trip was mere days after my first visit to The Salt Lick with Leila. I do feel different than I did in my late twenties when I was last here--I'm calmer now, more level, more contented than I have ever been. But do I feel OLDER? No. Do I feel like twelve years have passed? No. I don't understand time. I don't think I ever will.

But here's what I know for certain:
Life is an amazing and unexpected journey, folks. And along the way, there's great friends, wonderful loves, beautiful babies, AND bbq!

40

I turned forty a couple of weeks ago. Now that I've adjusted to the idea, I have this to report about being out of my thirties.

40 Things About Being 40

1. I live with my best friend.
2. I am in love.
3. My kids are funny and smart and a blast to hang out with.
4. I love my job.
5. I think I really have something to teach my students.
6. I have never cared less about what other people think of me.
7. I have to get up in the middle of the night to pee.
8. I am really, really educated.
9. There's so much I don't know.
10. I'm saved by the grace of God.
11. I finally think I know what "saved" means.
12. I will never have more babies.
13. I don't know how to flat iron my hair and will never learn.
14. I'm old enough for eighties fashion to have become cool again
15. I'm not too old to like cool new music.
16. I remember when we got our first microwave oven.
17. I remember when there were no personal computers.
18. I remember when there were only three channels on TV.
19. I remember when we had rotary telephone dials.
20. I get to hang out with artists for a living.
21. I make art.
22. I don't work in a cubicle.
23. I finally bought myself the dog I want.
24. I still haven't bought myself the car I want.
25. I have some gray hair.
26. I don't have wrinkles.
27. I can't remember the last time I drank alcohol.
28. I was absolutely right about how little math I would need to be a functioning adult.
29. I'm becoming lactose intolerant.
30. I can be deeply patient with people I love.
31. I can feel sincere compassion and love for people I meet.
32. I have less of a sweet tooth than I used to.
33. I hate Wal-Mart.
34. I can light a charcoal grill fire.
35. I can mow the yard.
36. I cannot change a tire.
37. My 16 year old is way cooler than I was at 16.
38. I am way cooler than the 40 year olds I knew when I was 16.
39. I don't think my personal coolness has yet peaked.
40. I am full of hope.

I followed a facebook game to do the following:

Think quick! List your top 15 films. Don't take too long to think about it. Fifteen movies you've seen that will always stick with you. First fifteen you can recall in no more than 15 minutes.

So here's my list:

I KNOW WHERE I'M GOING
My favorite film. Period. (nod to Laurie!)

APOLLO 13
I just eat up this celebration of ingenuity, technology, team work, and real heroism.

SOME LIKE IT HOT
Funniest film ever made.

THE GODFATHER
One of my favorite American tragedies.

QUIZ SHOW
My other favorite American tragedy!.

SPIRITED AWAY
I think this is the prettiest animated film I've ever seen

SENSE AND SENSIBILITY
Oh,my! Jane Austen adapted by Emma Thompson and filmed by Ang Lee! Plus a romantic turn by Allan Rickman! Perfection!

THE REMAINS OF THE DAY
I am blue for about two days after every viewing of this beautiful story of duty, loneliness, and love. I always go back for more.

WHEN HARRY MET SALLY
Kemper and I went to the movies to see this about five times when we were dating. "... when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible."

GOSFORD PARK
Gorgeous. Funny. Heartbreaking. I watch it whenever I get the house to myself.

THE FUGITIVE
I don't know what it is about the this movie, but I can't resist it.

SPLASH
This is why I love Tom Hanks."All my life I've been waiting for someone and when I find her, she's... she's a fish."

THIS IS SPINAL TAP
This is the movie that frames my college life. We watched it so much we could recite whole scenes...and frequently did.

SIXTEEN CANDLES
My teen 1980s. Thank you, John Hughes.

GROUNDHOG DAY
This is a perfect little movie. Harold Ramis and Bill Murray usually make a misstep somewhere. But not this time!!

ELCA Youth Gathering

I was just in New Orleans, along with what seems to have been every teenager in the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America). It was time for the Youth Gathering which takes place every three years. My daughter went with our church youth group, and I headed to the city separately for some much-needed R&R with family.

It was a beautiful thing to witness. I didn't plan to see the gathering, but everywhere I went in the city there were Lutheran kids! A third of the gathering did service each day, all wearing BRIGHT orange work shirts. Driving around, I saw kids clearing yards, gutting houses, working in parks, cleaning the streets. They looked hot, sweaty, and very happy!

In total, about 37,000 young Christians gave 250,000 hours of community service to the city!

When they were not working or doing activities in the Convention Center, the young people visited the great sights of New Orleans. Now, you have to understand that this is easily one of my favorite world cities! I loved seeing the kids (often in matching youth group shirts from their home churches) on the street car, at the art market, eating in restaurants, and taking LOTS of photos. The power of their economic impact to local business is almost as important as their servant work.

Speaking of money, the kids brought change from their home congregations, and from their own pockets, to donate to a youth-led movement called "Change for Change." The collected funds are dedicated to help fight hunger. The youth raised over $130,000 at this event.

I know the kids had a good time playing, learning, and serving. They were a blessing TO the city, and they were blessed BY the city. God is amazing!

I pray that my own teenager will forever be changed by this experience of living out her Baptismal promise. As she becomes an adult, I pray that she will respond to God's call to deliver love whenever and wherever it is needed. I pray that she will be bold to speak up against injustice even when it is risky. I pray that she will never stop finding ways to be God's hands and feet in the world.

The joy of a GREAT hymn!

Wow! Some wonderful hymns were selected for worship in our church this morning. I don't know if I should be thanking our ministers of music (the inimitable Sha, Jonathan, and Emily) or our phenomenal guest pianist (Chris). But whoever made the selections today--I applaud you! I wish that I had NOT been a communion assistant this morning just because I really wanted to sing the songs!!

(Speaking of singing, there was also a pretty little hymn called "You Are the Seed" presented in a lovely solo by Kathy.)

My favorite of the day (and its hard to pick!) is "Earth and All Stars". It's just one of those hymns that gives me joy because the lyrics are SO GOOD and SO TRUE and so much what my heart wants to sing!

"Earth and All Stars"

Earth and all stars,
loud rushing planets--sing to the Lord a new song!
O victory,
loud shouting army--sing to the Lord a new song!
He had done marvelous things.
I, too, will praise him with a new song!

Hail, wind, and rain,
loud blowing snowstorms--sing to the Lord a new song!
Flowers and trees,
loud rustling leaves--sing to the Lord a new song!
He had done marvelous things.
I, too, will praise him with a new song!

Trumpet and pipes,
loud clashing cymbals--sing to the Lord a new song!
Harp, lute, and lyre,
loud humming cellos--sing to the Lord a new song!
He had done marvelous things.
I, too, will praise him with a new song!

Engines and steel,
loud pounding hammers--sing to the Lord a new song!
Limestone and beams,
loud building workers--sing to the Lord a new song!
He had done marvelous things.
I, too, will praise him with a new song!

Classrooms and labs,
loud boiling test tubes--sing to the Lord a new song!
Athlete and band,
loud cheering people--sing to the lord a new song!
He had done marvelous things.
I, too, will praise him with a new song!

Knowledge and truth,
loud sounding wisdom--sing to the Lord a new song!
Daughter and son,
loud praying members--sing to the Lord a new song!
He had done marvelous things.
I, too, will praise him with a new song!

(Words by Herbert F. Brokering, Music by David N. Johnson)

Sing a your new song TODAY!!

Plants! Plants! Plants!

So this morning, instead of working I went to some yard sales and to the garden center with Special K. After 18 years of marriage, its amazing how much fun we have doing simple things together! Found a few things for his classroom (please, please, let him have a classroom soon!!) at the yard sales. Then we hit one of our favorite nurseries in town.

(pictured here is a Blackfoot Daisy, one of purchases from earlier this summer. It's so SWEET!! It's little but doing well!!)



Here's what we bought today!

Salvia Greggii (color: "navajo rose")

















A Bottlebrush Plan (Callistemon)















A purple Butterly Bush (latin name: Buddleia)




















And our MOST EXCITING new purchase...

An Ocotillo plant!!!!

I'll let you know how they do. I'm very excited. Playing in the dirt is WAY more fun than editing my book manuscript!!

Ouch!

I hurt. It hurts to sit and type this right now at the end of a long day of work. I've been hurting since September. At the risk of sounding like an old woman who talks about her pains all the time, I thought I'd tell you what was up.

For about ten years I have successfully ignored the stiffness in my back and neck, and the annoyingly increasing problem of my arms going numb. I figured those were the reasonable outcomes of knitting, quilting, and basically working at a desk too much for a living.

But in the fall, I developed bad pain in my forearms, wrists, and hands. I started using bands for tendonitis ("tennis elbow") on my forearms and it helped a little. But the wrist pain got worse and I kept feeling weak in the arms and hands. One day I grabbed something with my left hand and felt a horrible rip. My hand swelled and the back of my hand bruised. This finally sent me to the doc who said I had tendonitis and severe carpal tunnel syndrome causing me to tear a ligament or muscle. He poked me with a pin and discovered that I had lost feeling in several parts of my fingers. I wore wrist braces day and night for a month. No real improvement happened which was weird.

He ordered an electrical conduction study (not fun!) to see where my nerve damage really was. The results of that were strange so I found myself going through an MRI of my neck followed by a series of x-rays and a consultation with a neurosurgeon. This in turn resulted in a second MRI of my brain (I have decided I hate MRIs). These tests were drawn out and those weeks were a very frustrating period. I was in constant pain and had no help except drugs which made me feel bad.

Finally, several things were decided:

I have a birth defect called a Chiari Malformation. This means I have a congenital abnormality at the base of my brain stem which has resulted in herniation of my cerebellar tonsils. There's a bunch of swelling in places of my brain and spinal column that aren't supposed to swell.

I have a bulging disc in my neck (cervical disc herniation) and swelling in my spinal column at the neck.

I have bone spurs in my neck and some arthritis.

All of this has caused stenosis and neuropathy, which basically means I my hands, arms, shoulders, back, neck, and head hurt/don't work well/go numb because the nerves are ANGRY.

I also DO have severe tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and (here's a new word I learned!) thorasic outlet syndrome. These problems were all caused by a combination of the neurological problems above and the fact that I sit at a computer a lot.

As if that wasn't enough, the brain MRI also showed an odd area that could be nothing serious ("just the way God made you" as my neurosurgeons says) or could be some other problem ("do you have a family history of multiple sclerosis" asks my neuosurgeon nonchalantly). Nothing was decided about this but it will be monitored with more brain MRIs in three months, six months, a year, etc.

I've been treated a lot in the last five weeks since I got my cluster of diagnoses. I was given transdural cortisone shot (nasty procedure of putting drugs into my spinal column with a big needle!) in order to reduce the swelling of my nerve roots. I have also been in physical therapy with an amazing doctor. I get TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation), trigger point pressure, manual traction, ultrasound therapy, and cold treatments. My therapist hopes that soon my pain will be down enough for me to do exercises for my problem areas.

I have a lot less pain now and much more movement ability. I can't sit in one position for too long or things start hurting, and typing is a chore I have to plan carefully to avoid paying for it later. My headaches and neck aches are much rarer, and my arms don't go numb nearly as often. This is great change and I'm pleased. At the same time, I don't think I'm out of the woods. If I don't work on this continuously I will quickly be right back where I was a few weeks ago. And I don't know what my chiari malformation might mean down the road, nor do I know if the additional brain MRIs will reveal anything of concern.

So that's what's been eating my life in the last months (while being a mom, teaching full time, traveling some as a consultant, running a grad program, and trying to finish a manuscript). If I've been a bad correspondent, now you know why! I'll let you know if and when I learn more about any of this!

Peace! Love!