Walnuts, windows and fudge

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After a long – long – long day of driving home from Delaware, we bring the big kids over to Julie’s. Julie bought Thai food for all of us to share.

Exhausted, grateful and full, you and I say thank you and start to leave the backyard.

As we are doing so, I look up at just the moment your brother decides to launch something from his lacrosse stick in the general direction of the backyard neighbor’s house. To everyone’s shock and horror, the next thing we hear is a window crashing.

Dan shares in the shock and turns away from the house abruptly, explaining that it was a walnut. (I don’t think he thought it would go that far.)

I take you over to the house where no one appears to be home to see if we can patch up the window to keep bugs out while Julie monitors Dan’s writing of an apology note.

As you and I get out of our car to walk up to the house, you say, “Mama, should we bring the fudge? It might help.” I smile. You wanted to give the owners the fudge you have been eating on for 3 days from Delaware.

After we meet the owners, apologize, trade numbers, etc., you quietly said, “Should I get the fudge now?” You did and Ron gratefully took a chunk, ate it and expressed sincere gratitude.

You are a treasure.


Would you rather… jerk or dork?

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You have the most incredible inspirations and insights at bedtime… at least that is when I have the privilege of hearing some of them. About 15 minutes after the 14th time I’ve finally succombed to the ridiculous urge to command you to “Please. Just go to sleep.”

True to form, after packing up the condo in Delaware, driving 8 hours home, … (fill in all the in-between things), unpacking here at home, I was desperately trying to get you to go to sleep…

Mama?
Yes Sweetie.
Would you rather date a jerk or a dork?
(You always suck me in with you’re interesting questions, as I am so curious about your thinking…)
A dork, I answer
Why?
Because he could be sweet, witty, kind, and could really care about me and others.
Why not a jerk?
Oh, I don’t know. I guess I think of people being called jerks b/c they think only about themselves and are sometimes willing to hurt others for that.

Yeah, you agree… and then reinterpret for me: That’s what I think too. I think about it this way: What’s on the insides matters more than whats on the outside.

Yep, I agree, and smile. And that’s that for tonight.


Lessons learned about recovery from recovery

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Don’t feel the need to take the dog on all dog walks.
Be careful when you wish for unlimited blocks of time to sit home in your pjs watching tv
Thrush is good for weight loss
Keep track of your dreams -they’re especially fun when you’re on pain meds
Choose very carefully the friends who get to see during the first 2 days – they will have the opportunity to construct colorful stories about you as well as decide who gets to hear them
Feeling deeply – in all ways – is a blessing. Be grateful.
Bring an audio recorder – they tell you important things in condensed form at rather inopportune times (you’re stressed or totally drugged)
Also be grateful they don’t tell you everything that’s going to happen – like really grateful
Celebrate the small stuff!

Hope you find these fun and possibly useful later on when you read them. Life is a ride – an adventure around most turns. Enjoy it! Learn from it, and be blessed.

I got this message from your teacher Ms. Suzanne today – couldn’t agree more – your abilities to write and read have EXPLODED in the last couple months!! It’s been SOOO FUN to watch you, celebrate you, and be some part of it!!


the holidays

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Hey Beautiful Girl –
We have been in the midst of crazy Christmas excitement wrapped up in experiencing our winter wonderland of a home.


It all started with the first snow for the season a couple weeks back. I picked you up from school, and before we could leave the school parking lot, you wanted to make a snow person – So we did… looking into the Cobblestone library. So cute.

Other adventures?
The Family Tree. Family shopping for a Christmas tree in really cold but beautifully snowy weather – Daddy Jim wanted Blue Spruce (last stop on the wagon ride and a walk to the back woods). Madeline wanted us to “rescue” the tree someone else had cut down and left – only problem? it was much much taller and bigger than anything that could fit in our house, never mind on the top of the car. (Madeline hid the saw in protest – i love activism – but then we got colder.) Daniel and Daddy Jim had a snowball fight. Everyone contributed to the tree cutting. We shared free hot chocolate afterward.


Luehmann Family Reunion

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So a couple weeks ago (7/25 – 8/1), we had a wonderful week with the Luehmann family at Ironwood Springs Christian Ranch. You, Mad, Dan and I flew from Rochester NY to Rochester MN on Sunday, and Uncle Mark was there to pick us up. After a short drive to the ranch, we got to see EVERYONE else – Elisabeth, Hakon, Amy, Oma, Opa, Gabriela, Moises, Niklas and Bianca… the only person missing from the group was Daddy JIm who joined us the next day.

We had SUCH a fantastic time – riding horses, collaborating our way through crazy challenge courses that made us laugh, swimming a lot, using sling shots and playing archery, sliding down zip lines (you weren’t quite ready for this yet), 3 meals a day as a family with songs for grace, campfires with skits, camp songs and s’mores, and SO MUCH FUN FAMILY TIME.

Daniel wrestled with Moises in the pool. He didn’t win, but he didn’t seem to mind that much.
You and Elisabeth made the world’s longest chain of pipecleaner rings.
Grown-ups sat up late in the night talking.
Oma and Amy compensated every bump, bruise and tear with handfulls of M&M’s.
Board games, tattoos and arts & crafts including the painting of pet rocks.
Grown ups played sand volleyball, which made your Mama very, very happy.
We had a whole family “game” of softball.
Lots of pictures, of course!
Hakon, Moises and Daniel did “guy things” like basketball and football while the rest of us swam.
Amy, Oma, Opa and Bianca took many hikes with you, Niklas and Elisabeth out to hold one of many baby bunnies, pet a lama or baby sheep, see the dear and the peacock at the mini-farm.
You were pretty much STUCK to Auntie Amy, Elisabeth or Oma the whole week. I saw you every once in a while ;), but you were much more interested in adventuring out away from me. It was so fun to watch you so joyful and adventuresome!

Here are some fun pictures to remember the event:
Bi & Mark’s family arrived first:


spring break II

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Daddy Jim and I decided we really wanted to do something special for our April Spring Break – we wanted to take the three of you to “Ground Zero.” Daddy Jim wants to tell you all about the trip, so I am just going to post some pictures to help him tell his stories.break1

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“Hey Soul Sister…” by Train


you LOVE to pick flowers

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One of your TRUE and consistent joys is exploring nature and collecting it. Now that spring is here, you SO LOVE picking and smelling flowers!!

Here are some of the beauties in our front yard. We planted these as a family (all five of us) last fall! So very wonderful! Thanks God!!

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God is so good!


Conferences and big planes

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Hey Baby –

You have had to give up your Mommy and Daddy Jim for short spells since you were born as we get on “big planes” for a few days for work meetings. The latest conference I attended was my largest meeting – the American Educational Research Association – this time in Denver CO.

I come back with stories of a BIG BLUE bear –
big blue bear
This picture came from this blog.

These are 2 pictures I took:
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This is the beautiful hotel I got to stay in – I can’t wait to go to these places with you and enjoy afternoon tea with yo and go dancing with you and hear of all your adventures….
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http://www.brownpalace.com/

And other adventures.

You left me the sweetest, sweetest message on my voicemail. Let’s see if I can upload audio…

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“I miss you alot and I love you”

I love you too Baby. So much!


know why?

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Mother’s Day is tomorrow – you made me a beautiful ceramic pot and planted me a beautiful little flower in it – and, of course, you were so excited that you couldn’t wait until tomorrow to give it to me. 🙂

When we were hanging out tonight you said, “Tomorrow you don’t have to do anything Mama!! Tomorrow you can be sleepy all day if you want.”

Then, when we were snuggling in bed, just before you feel asleep you said, “Know why I like you best Mama?”

“Why Baby?”

“Because you are the greatest person… in the whole wide world.
“Because you give me treats.
“Because you are a girl.
“And because you are kind to me and love on me a lot.”

I do so love loving you Baby Girl. Being your Mommy (and Daniel & Madeline’s Step Mommy) is my greatest and most favorite joy and responsibility by far.

You snuggled in tight and fell sound asleep.

I am so very blessed…
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as you go to bed…

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Each night, we have story time with whomever is available.
Then we turn on the night light, turn on music (usually Veggietale’s junior’s lullabies) and rock while we say prayers. Eventually we move over to the bed and snuggle in together.

Lately, we have gotten into an interesting routine – you say you are scared and can’t go to sleep,and you ask me to help you think of happy things… It goes something like this…

“Let’s think about flowers, the warm sun and blue skies.
“Let’s think about sandboxes, and playgrounds, and swingsets
“Let’s think about an AMAZING God who loves us so very much
“Let’s think about blowing really big bubbles and riding our bikes down the street
“Let’s think about strawberries, and watermelons, and really sweet blackberries
“Let’s think about picnics, and seashells, and sand castles, and waves
“Let’s think about playing tag with Daniel and coloring with Madeline
“Let’s think about horsey rides with Daddy Jim and dancing with Mommy
“Let’s think about Oma and Opa, Grandma and Papa
“Let’s think about cousin Niklas, Gabriella, Moises, and Elisabeth
“Let’s think about Auntie Amy, Uncle Hakon, Auntie Bi, Uncle Mark and Uncle Matt
“Let’s think about Siobhan and Barbie and Amy and Johanna

and at some point, you fall asleep…

What a precious time for both of us
I love you