Murderous Dogs....

“You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.” Matthew 5:21-22

So, last week, we were responsible for the care and well-being of our neighbors’ three pets. They’d gone out of town and asked us to take care of their parakeet, bunny, and dog. We’ve done this before, although the bunny and parakeet are rather new members of their household. Lotti and Nate get quite a charge out of being in charge, and thoroughly enjoy the additional responsibilities caring for these three diverse pets brings. To that end, they decided to take the dog for a walk last Sunday afternoon.

It was a beautiful autumn day, practically perfect weather for almost anything, but particularly for a walk. The kids decided to take the path behind the houses up to Chamisa. They made it there, and were preparing to come back, when a man and his dog came from the opposite direction. The two dogs took an instant disliking to one another, and each began to let the other know in no uncertain terms how he (or she) felt. After some work on the parts of my children and the owner of the other dog, the dogs were separated with no one hurt…yet. At that point, the man began to harshly chastise my children, and my son in particular (since he was the one holding the leash). He yelled at them and called them irresponsible; he told them they shouldn’t have “their” dog out if they couldn’t control her; he placed all the blame for the incident squarely on the slim shoulders of one ten-year-old and one fourteen-year-old, never accepting any responsibility for his own dog’s equal fervor in the fray. Both my children came home upset and visibly shaken; Nate cried, and said he didn’t want to walk the dog anymore because he didn’t want to get into trouble again.

Now, I’ll be honest. After getting my son calmed down, I spent the next several hours mentally composing a scathing “Letter to the Editor” addressing “the bonehead who verbally accosted my children on the path behind Chamisa on 10/14.” I had thought through various other titles to give this miscreant, my first inclination being to call him an “idiot”; but then I thought that might be too strong. I then considered calling him a “lunkhead”, but decided I would use that moniker later in the letter. I finally decided on “bonehead”, feeling it fit exactly how I felt about the person who had caused my son so much emotional anguish. As I mentally put the letter together, I made sure he understood exactly how his words and actions made my children feel; how he scared them as much as, or even more than, the dog fight. I reminded him that he was the adult in the situation, and that while my children had done as he wished and told me what had happened, it did not receive the response he expected. Somewhere in there, I called him a “jerk”, and finished by saying something like, “You, sir, are no gentleman; you are a bully of the highest degree, whose insensitivity and harshness show your demeanor to be much like that of your dog.” I wrote and re-wrote that letter in my head all of Sunday afternoon and evening, feeling completely justified in doing so because of the brutish way he belittled my children. Then came Monday.

On Monday morning, I sat down to continue our study of Matthew 5. As most of you know, the first verses in the lesson were those found at the top of this page. The words “good-for-nothing” are one translation of the word “Raca”. Do you know what another English translation of that word is? Bonehead! Here’s what a couple of commentators had to say: “[This was] a term of abuse that attacked a person’s intelligence. Some proposed English translations include ‘nitwit’, ‘blockhead’, ‘stupid’, ‘moron’, numbskull’, and ‘bonehead’. The word translated ‘fool’ is likely from an Aramaic word meaning ‘empty’. It was used as a derogatory term similar to ‘dummy’. The word for ‘fool’ is commonly translated ‘moron’, showing the terms…had similar meanings. The first refers to an empty mind, the second to a slow mind…. Both were strong terms of contempt used among the Jews in Jesus’ time.” And here I thought I’d been somewhat kind! In my mental letter to this guy, I had used nearly all these terms and ideas. After all, only someone who was a complete idiot (stupid, a dummy, empty-headed) could have behaved in such a fashion, I reasoned. But these verses, and their meanings, caught me up short.

In the beginning of Matthew 5, Jesus describes the qualities that are to characterize citizens of His Kingdom in what are often called The Beatitudes. In verses 21-22, He gives a non-example of how those qualities are to be lived out. As one who claims to be a Kingdom citizen, when I look at this man, my response should be shaped by those qualities: I should be full of humility: I am no better than he (poor in spirit); his attitude should break my heart because of what he seems to lack: a relationship with Jesus that would temper his words and actions (mourning for him); my words and thoughts toward him should be full of compassion and grace (gentle, merciful, peacemaking); and my desire should be not for him to feel the pain of my vengeful anger, but the love of my Almighty God (hunger and thirst for righteousness). Rather than demeaning this man and characterizing him based on my feelings, if I can respond in a way that honors God eternally, rather than one that satisfies me momentarily, my heart will remain pure, His Will will be done, and I will be blessed of my Father. This experience has reminded me that I truly am no better than this guy…according to these verses, I mentally murdered him (I was really proud of that closing sentence to my mental letter!). By His grace, I will learn to respond to these kinds of people and circumstances in a way that will cause my Father to say to me, “Well done, good and faithful servant”, rather than letting my attitude go to the dogs.

Seeking His good Will and pleasure,
Sherri

What D'Ya Know?

“Yet you, his son Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this…” Daniel 5:22

“What d’ya know?” It’s a phrase I (and others) often use in greeting instead of “How’s it going?” or “How are ya’ doin’?” The typical response is usually something like, “The sky is blue”, or “2+2=4”, or even “As little as possible”! I never ask that question expecting an answer that actually reflects all the questioned individual knows!

But have you ever noticed how often life subtly asks us that question and expects not a rote repetition of rules, regulations, and routines, but a response that acts upon our knowledge? For example, when the alarm goes off in the morning, the expectation is that we not only know how to turn off the alarm, but what to do after we turn it off. When we get into our vehicles, it is anticipated that we not only know how to turn them on, but all the necessary rules and how to follow them as we drive. Throughout our day, we run up against situations where we are expected not just to know the rudimentary basics, but how to apply those basics to reach a reasonable conclusion. The knowledge is important, but the application is what makes it useful. This was a lesson that apparently eluded King Belshazzar.

Daniel makes it clear in Daniel 5 that Belshazzar was well acquainted with all that had happened to Nebuchadnezzar. Given the fact that there were only 6 years between Nebuchadnezzar’s death and the time Belshazzar took the throne, many scholars believe Belshazzar had more than a passing knowledge of Nebuchadnezzar’s “final exam”. Many believe he was part of the nobility who witnessed Nebuchadnezzar’s most humbling experience, his return to sanity, and his praise and recognition of the One True God. The problem is, Belshazzar never took it beyond knowledge to application. For him, what happened to Nebuchadnezzar was simply a contemporary history lesson, nothing that he needed to apply to himself. And so, he never did; and it cost him his life.

The warning in the story of Belshazzar seems clear. The real question is not, “What d’ya know?”, but “What are you doing with what you know?” If I know how to turn off the alarm clock, but then roll over and go back to sleep, what is the real point of the alarm? If I know all the laws and rules for driving and ignore them, or figure they don’t apply to me, eventually I’m bound to learn otherwise, thanks to the dedication and persistence of the men and women in blue! In the same way, if the whole point of Bible study for me is simply to gain more knowledge, I become nothing more than a walking lexicon. I am no better than Belshazzar because the lessons are never applied…my spiritual eyes are never opened…my heart is never humbled. It is only through actively seeking to understand what God is trying to teach me through His Word that I learn to apply it…that I begin to not only know the Word, but to know THE Word.

Seeking to know Him and all His ways,

Sherri

Recognizing the Signs

“I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and flourishing in my palace. I had a dream, and it frightened me; while in my bed, the images and visions in my mind alarmed me.” Daniel 4:4-5

Have you noticed the signs? There’s more of a nip in the air (when I left to take Lotti to the bus this morning at 7 a.m., the thermometer said it was 38 degrees!). Some of the leaves have begun to change color. The pollen count is up. And, a sure sign that Autumn has arrived: my kids don’t complain about wearing a jacket to school…they actually request one!!

God had been giving Nebuchadnezzar signs for years. The king had heard Daniel not only interpret a disturbing dream, but describe the dream first! He saw the 3 men he’d tossed into the fiery furnace walk around, be joined by a fourth who looked like a “son of the gods”, then exit a fire so hot it had killed some of his own men, yet left not even a hint of smoke on their clothes. In every instance, he came to understand more of Who this God was. He marveled at the power of this God, recognized that He should be respected, and that He was a God who had answers and was willing to share them. But despite all that, Nebuchadnezzar never understood the signs he saw as communication with him personally. God was the God of the Israelites…He was Daniel’s God. Nebuchadnezzar had his own gods, and he never even considered that this Almighty God would ever desire to pursue him. Until the events of Daniel 4.

Nebuchadnezzar got the “mother of all signs” when God sent him a dream in which he was made to act like an animal for seven “periods of time”. While the dream itself was disturbing (the idea of eating grass for any length of time is disturbing to me!), he apparently still didn’t comprehend that God was really talking to him…Nebuchadnezzar continued on his way until he had fulfilled every part of that dream. Only then did he realize that God wanted him…that God wanted his praise and worship…that God wanted recognition not only as Daniel’s God, but as his God too.

It is tempting to criticize (and even ridicule!) Nebuchadnezzar for missing all the signs God placed before him. I want to think that if I had had dreams like he did, and had them interpreted as he did, that I would respond differently. Yet every day, God uses things all around me to try and get my attention. That nip in the air…the change in the color of the leaves…even the escalating pollen count…subtle signs I use to recognize that Autumn is here. But if that’s as far as I take it, I’ve missed the point. All those signs also point to the magnificence of a God Who wants to be recognized and praised, not just as the Changer of the Seasons, but as MY God. Maybe that’s why God had to use strange and disturbing dreams to get Nebuchadnezzar’s attention…he’d ignored the subtle things. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to have to live through some kind of judgment (bizarre or simply embarrassing!) just because I ignored the signs God put up for me to see. I want to recognize each and every one of those subtle signs for what they are: a praise offering to the One God Who has also made Himself my God.

In praise of His glorious grace,
Sherri

Normalcy

“Now among them from the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.” Daniel 1:6

Normalcy: a line of days marked by their lack of anything other than the expected routine of those days. Some might call it boring. I guess if it went on interminably, I might agree. But right now, I could go for a little normalcy…a line of days with no big bumps in the road…a stretch of time long enough for me to yearn for the excitement and anxiety of the unexpected. Right now, normalcy seems more like an elusive dream than a possible reality.

Daniel & Co. (a.k.a., Hananiah, Misheael, and Azariah, a.k.a., Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego) had spent several years with a distinct lack of normalcy. Removed from home, family, culture, and country, they found themselves almost immediately having to face challenges they never would have encountered had things remained within the status quo. A foreign diet, new names, a new language, foreign customs, a foreign king with great expectations, government positions in a foreign government, facing death because of those positions…I have to wonder if they didn’t sometimes long for a little run-of-the-mill, a few weeks with less adventure and more hum-drum, a stretch of time with more routine and fewer bumps in the road….normalcy.

The interesting thing is that each of those bumps was an opportunity; each of those unexpected adventures gave them the chance to stand up for what and Who they believed in, to choose to face the challenge with faith, and to grow in their understanding of and relationship with the One Who stood with them through it all. Through every bump and in the midst of every challenge, they found His grace to be more than enough, and His strength to be all the power they needed.

I still wouldn’t mind a few weeks of normalcy. But until the Father chooses to make that a reality, I’ll navigate the bumps and twists and turns of my life with a heart at rest: a heart deeply convinced that He is right beside me, upholding and undergirding me, ever whispering, “My grace is sufficient for you…”

Seeking Him even more than normalcy,
Sherri

Lotti the High School Band Member

Here she is, the intrepid flute player with the marching band. This is the stance they take as they come in, and having the head up, chin somewhat tilted, is very important. This is all the uniform except the white gloves (they didn't wear those for the first game since not everyone had them yet), and a fuzzy black and gold feather thing that attaches at the top of the gold piece on the helmet and follows the line of the helmet around to the back (over the top of the helmet). The band keeps those in a safe place and hands them out just before the kids take the field, and then takes them back up when they get back into the stands.


This shows Lotti as she really feels about band. Part of their training, however, was to keep that "stiff upper lip" she has in the first photo, even when cheered or razzed by parents and other loving onlookers!!










Here they come! I don't know if you can tell, but the drum majors are in the front in black and have sparkly sashes.




Here you can see Lotti. She's not quite in line, but she wasn't the only one, and it is the first game!






Here they are in the stands, getting ready to play. This is how they sit for every game.











And, they're playing!!







She's getting ready to take to the field for the 1st time...does she look nervous? Her mother had no earthly idea how the formations looked at the end of the performance, as she stayed completely focused on this one band member! Lotti did great, and is well on her way to becoming a fantastic band member!! It has been fun "re-living" marching band while I watch her, and she has caused a lump in more than one throat while watching her. Amazing she's this old! (Notice how much like Tyler she looks with her hair up?)

Horn Creek "Talent" Show 07

Every year, our church goes away for a church-wide retreat. It is such a wonderful, relaxing weekend. These are some of the shots from the Talent Show, which is always on Sunday night:

Believe it or not, the man in the picture and the woman just to his right in the America t-shirt are my fearless worship team leaders! They are doing a silly do-wop song here. It was really cute and funny, and they are a lot of fun no matter where you catch them doing music!

Recognize the little imp on the right? That's Nate with 2 of his best buds from church. They came up with 3 skits they called "Time Wasters" all on their own. The last 2 were actually kind of cute, but this one almost got them gonged! They sat there and counted to 120....seriously! And then told us they had just wasted 2 minutes of our time! I think if anyone had had rotten tomatoes, these guys would have gotten them in the face!



This is our beloved, fearless pastor in one of his newest metamorphoses, Joey Rocky Road the Boxer. His daughter interviewed him, and his age kept going up throughout the interview (every time she asked him how old he was, it was older!). Chuck never seems to be afraid to try anything!





This is our dear family doctor and part of his family (his son is the one sitting next to Nate in the picture above, and is also a Nate). Every year they come up with the cutest skits. His wife is seated, acting as the patron of Bubba's Burgers. His oldest daughter is the waitress in the foreground, and he is the chef, Bubba. The patron tried to order a burger, but kept finding a hair in the burger and sending it back, until finally she asked to see the chef. Out steps Bubba to explain he didn't know what the problem was since he made them all the same, at which point he proceeded to smash the "hamburger meat" flat under his arm! Needless to say, they got the laughs and groans they were looking for!!

Here is our pastor with his family (the twins were the only ones not there...his wife is on the end, and his daughter and son-in-law are in the middle). They proved that they are not afraid to be complete sillies even without a disguise as they played a kazoo medley together!

This was our offering for the talent show. Lotti and Nate are playing the part of a couple at home when the phone rings and it's a telemarketer on the other end. Steve and I are hidden behind the curtain on the right, where we played the parts of the telemarketers. We got some good laughs out of these, and have a whole book of them, so we'll definitely do more next year. The other boy in the photo of Nate and his buddies couldn't wait for a telemarketer to call their house, since he wanted to try out some of the strategies we gave them!

Here's our pastor again in what has become his yearly skit as Rev. Ima Fundy. He worries that people will get tired of it, but we've told him it's like a great movie you watch over and over until you know the lines (people have begun quoting some of the lines with him...they are hilarious lines!). This picture was actually taken last year, but this year's pictures were really blurry (he's pretty charismatic as Rev. Fundy). The only real difference is that he has no beard now.


This has been the final act for the past 2 years. This is the pastor's son-in-law. He's fire-breathing. Every year, he reminds the kids that this is not something to try at home, and how much training he's had. His wife has said she can't kiss him for days afterward. He puts some kind of igniter in his mouth to do this. It is really quite amazing.

Well, that's it. There were other acts, but they don't translate as well to the blog. Needless to say, we all had a great time again this year!

1st Day of School 07

Well, nothing stops them. When it's time to go to school, they both head out the door.

Nate left for 5th grade this year, where he is doing very, very well. He has a man for his homeroom teacher, and he and Nate have really hit it off. He thinks the world of Nate, and tells him so at every opportunity. He's told me he really "gets" Nate, and that Nate reminds him a lot of himself at that age. At Nate's school, 5th and 6th graders share portables and classes together, being known collectively as the Upper Team (since they're the "top dogs" of the school). K-2 is the Primary Team, and grades 3-4 are the Middle Team. While the other 2 teams do do some activities together, it is not to the extent that Upper Team does. We fell in love with the Upper Team when Lotti was there, and they are still just as great now. They do a fabulous job of preparing the kids for middle school and, believe it or not, high school. The way they handle the kids' responsibilities (or rather, impress upon the kids how to handle their responsibilities!) and the way they teach has a lot to do with that. Nate is really flourishing and has shown everyone what we've known all along: he's quite creative, extremely smart, and very responsible.

Lotti started her freshman year in high school. Wow. We are all still reeling a bit from that. The high school here uses a schedule somewhat like a college schedule, except that the days simply alternate rather than being a straightforward MWF and TTH. They have what they call Green and Gold days (those are the school's colors), and you alternate days, period. So, if you have Green days on MWF this week, you'll have them on TTH next week and so on. That means she only has 4 classes each day. While she has the same 1st period class every day, the other 3 switch from day to day. I think she really likes the way that works, and she's said she loves her schedule. I have to admit, when I went to Open House (more of a Meet the Teachers night here), I really liked her schedule and her teachers. So, what does she have for her freshman year? More than I did, that's for sure! She has physics, literature (a genre lit class where they cover a variety of topics), culinary arts this semester and photography next semester (they're each one semester courses), Latin (this is her choice for her foreign language...when I was in high school, we could choose French or Spanish!), geometry (which is SO different from when I was in high school...I thought I'd be able to help her some with this, but it's not at all like when I had it...who knew geometry could change???), world history (her favorite subject), and band. Since the whole high school eats lunch at the same time, she gets to eat with a bunch of the kids from youth group at church, and she really enjoys that too.

They're growing up! But they're doing it so well!!

Lotti's 1st Parade

Every August, our county holds a county fair. One of the first events is the County Fair Parade. There are the usual floats (I have no pictures of those for some reason) and crazy cars (those are used in the Rodeo, and the white one here bucked up on the back wheels and shot water out of the roof of the car....there is a clown on the back),




cars with local celebrities in them,











and of course, horses.











One of the highlights has always been the high school band. This year, it was an even bigger highlight for us since Lotti is now in the band. This was her first experience marching, and her first parade. The route is about a mile long, and while the parade began around 9 or 10 in the morning, it was August and it was plenty hot by the time those kids came through.


The kids in the gold t-shirts are the drum majors. The one on the right is a boy from our church. He's a neat guy who's really got a heart for the Lord.









The band stopped right here and we were able to enjoy one of their songs before they moved on. Even this early, they sounded really good!






Here's Lotti as she marched past us. We had brought shorts for her to change into after the parade. Her thoughts immediately afterward: "It was cool. But I am so hot and thirsty!" She did keep her band t-shirt on as we wandered around the craft booths and the fair entries, which made her feel like a bit of a local celebrity herself (and so she was!). It was fun to see her reaction to people we knew tell her what a good job she'd done, and especially the little kids we know who seemed a bit in awe of knowing someone in the parade!

Lotti begins baking

Every summer, I have my kids do "homework" (I know, it's the curse of having a former school teacher for a mom!!). In the past, they've used the unfinished portions of the workbooks they bring home at the end of the school year to do a little grammar and math each day (which Nate still did this summer). But with Lotti going into high school this year, we all realize how limited our time with her at home is growing. So one of the things I began to work with her on was learning to do some basic baking and cooking. This was her first batch of muffins. She chose the recipe, a chocolate muffin with a struesel on top. We did them as mini muffins, and they didn't quite turn out, although they look good in the picture. The tops were good, but the bottoms burnt. She was pretty excited, as you can tell.


Here, Lotti is making a rolled bread. This was her second baking attempt (the muffins were the first). This is a loaf of French bread with a basil pesto in the middle. That's the green stuff you see in the middle of the dough. She's spreading it around the dough, after which you roll up the dough like you would for cinnamon rolls and bake it like that. This turned out beautifully! You can see one of the rolled loaves on the cookie sheet in the left of the picture. She and I made these side by side, with each of us making 2 loaves a piece. We took them to a bridal shower for the guy who's been our youth intern at church. They were a BIG hit!

This semester, Lotti is taking a Culinary Arts class. She is learning even more than I had time to teach her this past summer. She's made Tres Leches (3 Milks in Spanish), a cake that has you pour a mixture of evaporated milk, condensed milk, and half-and-half (the 3 milks) over the baked cake and then let it sit for several hours. You then "ice" it with whipped cream and sprinkle cinnamon on it. She had to make that for homework for the class and then take a piece to the teacher along with comments from us. She did this one all on her own, and it turned out really well. Lotti is discovering that she enjoys being in the kitchen!

Our Air Force man

This is my handsome nephew, Tyler. He finished Air Force boot camp this past summer. We are all so proud of the young man he is. He is learning to work on the engines of planes, and is really excited about the potential he has for using that skill to see the world, courtesy of the USAF.

catching up

Okay, we all know life gets busy. While I don't like using that as a reason for neglecting the blog, it's the best I've got right now! But I do want to fill in several gaps from these past few months. The dates on the blog itself won't match the dates of the actual events, but at least you'll get a chance to see and read about a few things that have happened over the past several months. I'll go ahead and put them under headings that will describe the events so that at least they each get their own space. And so, now on to the first past event....

Ask what you wish...

“In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; and God said, “Ask what you wish Me to give you.”

1 Kings 3:5

The God of the universe offers Solomon an enormous gift: “ask what you wish.” God Almighty, whose resources are completely unlimited, says in effect, “Solomon, what is your heart’s desire?” Imagine---having all the treasures of Heaven made available to you, and being told to ask for what you wish. What would you ask for?

I’ve been considering that question over the past several days. You see, Solomon and I have a lot in common (Don't laugh! Keep reading!). He was a king who had been handed the throne of an infant nation. Although Israel had come a long way in the years since taking possession of the Promised Land, there was still much that needed to be done to make it into a productive and cohesive whole. Military, administrative, financial, diplomatic, and religious problems stared him in the face, begging answers. I am sure he spent many days and nights thinking through possible solutions, keeping one, discarding another, trying to discern what was his best course of action. Maybe the question, “How am I going to do all this?”, crossed his mind. His responsibilities weighed heavily upon him. So many decisions to be made…none of them small…and he didn’t want to misstep.

For me, I find that in the “Bublitz Kingdom”, school days make for very hectic days. Administrative, financial, diplomatic, and religious obligations stare me in the face, begging answers (while I didn’t mention military, there are moments when my role as mediator between the Land of Lotti and the Nation of Nate sometimes force me to have to threaten military force!). Thinking through the list of myriad responsibilities that fall under each of those broad headings makes my head spin on the best of days, and crushes my spirit with its overwhelming demands on the worst. I have spent many days and nights over the past few weeks thinking through possible solutions, keeping one, discarding another, trying to discern what is my best course of action. I have asked many, many times during those days, “How am I going to do all this?” My responsibilities weigh heavily upon me. So many decisions to be made…none of them small…and I don’t want to misstep.

Like Solomon, I have gone to the Lord. And like Solomon, I find that my Lord says to me “ask what you wish” in John 14:14: “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.” So, what do I ask for?

Just as there were many fine and reasonable things Solomon could have asked for (riches, long life, death of his enemies), I can think of many fine and reasonable things I could request: riches to pay for the mounting monetary demands of having a teenager and a pre-teen; death to the enemies who assail my gates (Interruptions, Squabbles, Misunderstandings, Worry, Impatience, Time Constraints, to name but a few!!); children who obey my every command the first time without grumbling or complaining (I can dream, can’t I???)….. When I first think about what I might ask for, I find that I tend to focus on the need of the moment (that death to my enemies thing is one I find myself requesting constantly from God!!). But if I follow my friend Solomon’s example, I remember another verse Jesus gave us: “Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matt. 6:33). That’s exactly the way it worked for Solomon. When he sought God and His desires first, God took care of all those other issues. In seeking God’s wisdom, he requested something that would enable him to handle his adversity rather than simply being relieved of stress and trouble. And when I seek His wisdom, I find that He gives me another promise: “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without [Lit. does not reproach ] reproach, and it will be given to him.” Wow, talk about the treasures of Heaven….

Seeking the Heavenly Treasure of His Wisdom,
Sherri

I have to tell a funny on Nate. We had a friend's mother's 100th birthday party tonite. They had several kinds of hors d'oeuvre s, one of which was some kind of meat cut into circles with something red around the outside edges (like it had been rolled in some kind of spice, maybe). Anyway, Nate decided to try one, and loved it. He said, "I don't know what these are, but they taste like chicken, and they're really good." I told him they were possum. He believed me! He said, "Wow...I like possum!", at which point Lotti told him I was teasing him, and we ALL got a good laugh (Nate included!!)!

Nate has a rocket launch!

That model rocket Nate built yesterday on his birthday got launched today. It was the perfect day for a launch....not too hot, clear skies, a bit of a breeze. They allowed each child to shoot off their rocket twice. The first launch used a less powerful engine; the second one used a more powerful one. The first time Nate shot his off, it went up, but not too high. Everyone else's did the same. But the second time, his went so high you couldn't see it for a bit. It was the highest out of all the rockets today! The downer? The second time around, Nate packed the "wadding" (a thin paper that burns) and his parachute backwards. That meant that the chute didn't deploy, and the rocket crashed to the ground. Thankfully, the rockets are plenty sturdy, but the chute got burned (that's why the wadding should have been there) and will have to be replaced if he plans to use that rocket again. He dealt with it well...he had an attitude of "duh!" when he discovered why his chute hadn't come out. I was really proud of how well he handled it! Here's a pictorial series of the day:The empty launch pads (they put 6 rockets on at once, and shot them off one by one)
Sir Nate with his rocket before the 1st launch 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0.... Blast Off!!! Comparing notes with a friend while he waits for his turn to launch again...Nate packed the wadding and chute himself, and also put in the engine they provided.
Putting his rocket on the launch pad for the second launch...he had to attach the clips to his rocket in the right place for it to go off. Once again, ready to launch. Each child got to push the button to launch his rocket.
This is the one that went so high we couldn't see it!

Nate the Great is 10!

Yesterday was the day. Sir Nate became a decade old. Hard to believe. It doesn't seem like it was 10 years ago that I held that little red-headed bundle in my arms. He was so eager to take in the world even then. He didn't sleep as much as Lotti had at that tender age, and ate more. Both are still true.

We had told him the day would be a little different, and so it was. We started the day with his being allowed to choose what he wanted for breakfast. He chose Pop Tarts. Next, he went up to the science museum here to make a model rocket. They made sure everyone knew it was his birthday, although Nate said they didn't sing to him (I'm not sure if he was relieved or not). After 2 hours putting his rocket together, Lotti and I picked him up and spent some time in the adjacent bookstore, where he found (and bought) a horse and rider figure he'd been eyeing. By the time we got home, Steve was back from church and ready to take the Birthday Boy out for his lunch. He got to choose the restaurant; he chose I-HOP. Now, we usually open presents after lunch...we go out to eat, and then come home for cake and presents. But knowing that I-HOP required a trip to Santa Fe, we told him he could open his gifts early (we knew it was money, and that way he would get to spend some of it while we were there).

His birthday lunch consisted of a Funny Face pancake and root beer (an odd combination if you ask me, but Lotti got the same thing). After we finished lunch, we headed to the mall and Sam's to allow him to spend some of that birthday money that was burning a hole in his pocket! He got a video game and guide book for his Game Boy, and he and Lotti split the cost on a computer game they've been wanting from Sam's. The best part: he still has money to spend!

After a couple of hours shopping in the state's capital, we headed back home. By this point, it was close enough to supper time that we had our sandwiches, and then finally got to sing to him and cut the cake. He didn't seem to mind. He really did a good job of "going with the flow". Maybe a decade can make you not only older, but wiser too!

Lovely Lotti in her "new" dress!

Here she is. Lovely Lady Lotti. She's wearing a dress I wore a very long time ago!! It was made by my mom, and was always one of my favorites. Now it's one of Lotti's too. The belt, if I'm not mistaken, was my mom's at some point in her life.

The picture on the left was taken in front of the house this morning before church. The plant behind her is our honeysuckle. It does a good job of covering up the bathroom window behind it, and sends a lovely scent through the master bath/bedroom as well.

The second picture was taken in front of one of the gates leading to the back yard. Steve built the gate and arbor himself. He's put one on each side of the back yard, so you can go in either way. They are really quite impressive, and he's not only received numerous compliments on them, but several requests for how to do it from others!

An Introduction

Welcome to the Fractured Fairy Tale World of one very special Frog and the Ladybug who loves him!

Our Cast of Characters:

• Steve, who has always loved Kermit the Frog (as many of you know!), my one and only Beloved Frog Prince. He is the Lord of the castle.
  
• Sherri, who has been called Ladybug by her mother from time immemorial. She is the Lady of the castle, and daughter of a King.
  
• Lotti, who has a Bug nickname, but may not be comfortable having it stated here. She is the beautiful young Lady-in-Waiting of the castle.
  
• Nate, who also has a Bug nickname, but is probably even more uncomfortable letting anyone know what it is! He is the brave Knight who fights the good fight against evil dragons and other foes.
  
• Various Bugs, meaning, those we know (and you know who you are!) who can be regular pests at times (and we mean that in the most loving way!).
  
• Critters, meaning, those we know who play various roles in our lives: keeping us laughing, keeping us focused, keeping us grounded, keeping us humble.

As with any good fairy tale, the characters make the story interesting, and the various characters who enter our world certainly keep our story interesting!

Our Setting:

• The Lovely Lilypad Castle we call home (frogs, of course, live on lilypads---at least in fairy tales! Thank goodness ours is strong enough to support a castle!).
  

In the days ahead, I hope you will have a chance to get a glimpse into our world, and maybe it will make a difference in yours.

Living in service to the One True King,
Steve, Sherri, Lotti, and Nate