Flash Back Friday 58

Trey & Lindsay, 1988.

Today, the Ring Bearer from our wedding is getting married. Aren't we all getting older? We will be headed down to Celeryville today for the big event.

Everyone Loves a Mime?

John by a fireplace at Calvin College, Feb. 2008

John is probably the funniest person I know even though he says that I am the funniest person I know. People who know him have told me we must have fun all the time. Our kids say I always repeat his jokes to make them funnier - what can I say? I recognize good humor.
Anyhoo, John has a post up about mimes on his blog which he updates once in a great while. Check it out here!

Never Too Much Beauty

Edward playing the cello with Elizabeth

Sunday night, we went to a choir/band/orchestra concert at South Christian to hear Edward & Maria in the orchestra. Again, they graced us with a combined rendition of "For the Beauty of the Earth" and Bridget took the video below with her little camera. Everyone was all, "Bridgie did this?" You can see Edward on the right side of the stage, Maria is in the back middle so you have to use your imagination to see her. This song always makes me happy. If you are reading this before bed and you listen to it, you will have a good song in your head while you dream!

Netherlands Nuesday 18

Grocery store, Bedum, 2007

Here is a fun advertisement that is all in Dutch!

Let's Talk About More Cold Things

Unfortunately, I have been tagged to show what's on my refrigerator, so that is why you can see this not so pretty picture here today. I was relieved when I realized it was not what's IN my refrigerator!

Not a lot of thought went into this arrangement, just a lot of little thoughts - a few pictures, pizza magnets & coupons, library schedule, postcard from Sumatra, Neuschwanstien, a note that Edward was a finalist in a math competition, a Bible test of Bridget's with an A+ and 2 canal house magnets - but I do see it everyday, and in a way, it's comforting.

I'm now tagging Gracie, Annette, Pearlie, Anooja,and Donna. Let's see what you've got!

Contemplating Shadows

You have to get up pretty early in the cold and snow to walk this tall.

Soon, I was joined by a friend who really is 6 feet tall. The morning sun is the great equalizer.


At our retreat last weekend, the rooms were very sparse - I gained an appreciation for shadows there.

And the winner is...

This morning, the Bridget & I made sure all the names of the people in the 2nd Blogaversary earring give-away thingy were properly accounted for on a slip of paper.

We enlisted Edward as a not-so-enthusiastic, neutral party to hold the pink hat and Bridget pulled out the winner's name...

... it was Marianna! The model for the underwear party! And it just so happens we will be seeing her next week at her son Trey's wedding. Congratulations, Mar.

Flash Back Friday 57

Niece Annelies' 2nd Birthday with Yara and Maria, 2001

Chicken Rehab

I was coming home from work today with a throbbing headache, but as I walked in the door, my nostrils were greeted by the smell of chicken coming out of the crock pot. I rarely manage to pull this off in the morning, so it's a surprise when I do.

I did come up with one little bloggable thing though -even with a headache. It's not much, but here it goes. Maria & Bridget have been hounding Edward for years to wear something pink. That's one of the benefits of having 2 younger sisters. A couple of weeks ago, he wore a pink shirt on the day when the seniors wore pink to show school spirit. So there you have it...

...pretty in pink. Good thing I'm on chicken rehab.

Anyone Want Some Snow?

We've gotten about 91.5 inches of snow so far this winter. I saw somewhere that our average is 73.2 inches per year, so yay, we are ABOVE AVERAGE! Yesterday, I had to give a speaker who spoke at the Institute for Spiritual Care a ride to the airport for his return trip to San Diego. He hadn't seen snow in over 20 years, so he had quite an adventure here. I told him the good thing is, it covers up a lot of ugly this time of year. Or as my friend Gracie so eloquently put it, the snow-filled splendor disguises what otherwise may appear to be deadened, barren moments. That's a good way to say it.

Netherlands Nuesday 17

Goose on canal, at the Rijksmuseum

Dancing

I was hoping to post a movie of this, but will have to settle for a still life and your imagination.

This was perhaps the most memorable thing we did at the retreat this past weekend: we divided into 4 groups who were each assigned a verse of the song "In Christ Alone" by the Newsboys. We had to make up a dance routine to our verse. We, the people of group 3, ranged in age from 3 to 45 and we were given verse one.

In Christ alone my hope is found;
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all—
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

Our group set out with the enthusiasm of High School Musical using pieces of cloth, roll-offs, lowering and raising up, and joining arms in a cross-formation to empasize different ideas in the song. The memories of our teamwork, the sights, and actions will add to the impact of this song whenever I sing it, though I will admit I am not ready for a career in liturgical dance.

Blogaversary Give-Away

Today, Bridget reminded me that it is the 2nd anniversary of "Jewels of the Kingdom." To celebrate this milestone, we decided to give this pair of earrings, "Jewels" :) to a person who signs up in the comments on today's post. Bridget will draw the name of the winner for me in about a week. These were hand-made by a very good friend of mine with my favorite color and will be sent to the winner with lots of love, good wishes and many thanks for reading this blog!

Retreating

Yesterday, we left for a retreat with our dear friends from church. I didn't take pictures there, but Bridget did take a few on our afternoon cross-country ski trip.


Today's Guest Photographer

Maria seemed to thrive on cross country skiing leaving John & I in the dust...

...or snow as it turned out to be.

Soon, we all had the hang of it. I was feeling one with nature and hardly felt the skis anymore. It was a perfect, sunny afternoon for it, and I was so thankful for this time. Tomorrow, I am hoping to blog about a cool thing we did at the retreat.