"'Cause you're a dream to me, dream to me"

Except for the soothing sound of rain, it is quiet now after a nicely filled day. I went for a long run tonight while the kids were at Awana because I was too tired to do the shopping and returns that are on my to-do list. That just goes to show I don't enjoy shopping as much as some girls do.

I had a great run and surpassed both my distance and time records. I haven't always enjoyed running, but recently I've looked forward to any opportunity I can make and I'm feeling better than I have in a long time. I just discovered another race next month in our area that the whole family can participate in, and I'm thinking of signing us up. It's fun and motivating to have a training goal.

I was thinking about my husband tonight while running and listening to a play list he put together for me. Recently I've more clearly recognized a way in which he is so good to me. He's my guy for nearly everything, even for what is not. Let me explain.

Some people have a personal trainer. Others have a personal assistant, or a personal shopper. I have what I will call a personal dream chaser.

That's what Jon is to me. He chases dreams that I have but can't bring about alone. He has confidence in me and often says, "You could totally do that," even when I'm doubtful. With his amazing mind, he comes up with really cool ways of making my ideas seem plausible. He paints for me a picture of how life could be structured, and shows me a vision that catapults my own dream into a higher dimension.

And he loves me selflessly by laying aside some of his aspirations for the sake of mine.

My biggest and most relentless dream-- beyond the fun or even whimsical ideas that come along-- is to do more for my Savior. I want to spend my self and my life doing that which has eternal implications. I want to be a vessel of love to the unloved, just as He loved me.

My honey sporting a short hair cut minimize the hassle while ministering overseas.

Picture taken by Olivia last week.

Jon~ I'm totally missing you this week! Thanks for all that you do for me, all that you are to me. You are an undeserved dream...

~Katherine

What He Said...

Suddenly it all made sense. I had a standing laundry question and here's how the answer was revealed to me:

Last week we finished up dinner early and decided to go to the beach for a walk as the sun set. The first mistake Jon and I made was to assume we would actually walk together rather than watch the kids play by the water; I suppose just regular walking is not exciting enough for our kids. Our second mistake was to assume the boys could stay dry. Normally I don't assume this, but for some reason I guess I didn't take a moment to think of the obvious.

So of course all the boys got wet. Jacob was the first to get drenched when a larger-than-expected wave knocked him over and swept him a short distance. Here he is after Jon pulled off his t-shirt and wrapped his jacket around him...

He wasn't very happy and tried to fake a smile. Suddenly he remember just how smart he is and said,

"It's a good thing I'm wearing three pairs of underwear!"

What? Apparently it was cold in the morning so he put on three pairs of underwear to warm up before dressing in shorts and a t-shirt. Yep, smart boy!

Later when the sun had set and we returned to Jon's truck, I asked the boys to take their clothes off and ride in their undies. Normally this is no big deal around here. If clothes are wet and caked with sand (picture that from head to toe), they are peeled off and thrown into the back of the truck to minimize the mess. One of my sons is very free about this; he often does a little dance right there in public as I shoo him into the car. This time, however, he was reluctant to take off his jeans, asked for a towel and continued to hesitate. 

Why? Turns out this boy forgot to put on underwear. How does one forget that? Is that a sign of brilliance, too?

So there you have it, folks! Now I know why at the end of the week I fold a heaping stack of underwear for some, and two or three for others! 

~Katherine

Field Trip

We love days when we ditch the text books and head out on a field trip. I've been wanting to take everyone to the USS Midway for a while, but since Jon wanted to come too, finding wide open day that coordinated with his schedule also took a while.

It was amazing, and though I am not American, I felt a sense of pride and gratefulness.

I took few indoor pictures because of space and lighting. The planes were cool, yes, but I was really impressed with the small city this aircraft carrier contained. The living quarters, conference rooms, kitchens, and technical rooms of all sorts... every space used up brilliantly, yet completely maze-like to me.

Michael listened to the self-guided audio tour, and informed me of all the neat stuff he learned. Andrew and I liked the bombs and artillery.

They didn't know I was taking a picture, but I liked how they happened to be evenly spaced. I wonder what they were each thinking about as they looked out...


~
On our way home we stopped at an architectural salvage store that Jon found and figured I would like. Wow! I dream of redoing houses all the time, and I just love pieces like these! The whole place was so visually interesting. I just might need to go back when there's more time-- and a house to fix!

Yes, please!

And now, dinner must be made...


~Katherine

The gift of love

I've been reading and meditating on 1 John for a while now. My morning prayers have been transformed and the goal of my day is simply to love-- to let the love of God shine through me.

God's love is sacrificial love.

"By this we know love, that He laid down His live for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers." 1 John 3:16

My love needs to be sacrificial love.

"Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth." 1 John 3:18

"And this is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as He has commanded us." 1John 3:23

Then, at the end of the day when I see just how I have failed to do this as I should, I am encouraged that one day I shall be like Him.

"Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when He appears we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is." 1 John 3:2

And so we have the glorious hope of the resurrection!

~

I have some boys who love to give their mommy flowers. Often the flowers I receive are considered weeds by most standards. They are not always the most usable flowers since many times the stems are too short or missing entirely. Sometimes they come at inconvenient times, like when my hands are full or as we're about to step into church or someones house. Sometimes a dandelion comes to me from beneath a stop sign or lamp pole, and I think to myself that surely a dog has peed on it. Nonetheless, I love the fact that they think of me and desire to be affectionate towards me. Whatever the gift, whether they are flowers, stones, crushed rock, or a "treasure" found on the sidewalk, I try to be thankful and to reciprocate affection. This isn't always easily done, as I'm sure any mother knows.

(He made me a "special drink" from a sour orange...)

Jon introduced me to this sweet song a while back. It made me tear up the first time I heard it because I have boys who give me flowers, and because I have a Savior who laid down His life so that I may live!

The Hand Song by Nickel Creek

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent His only Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought to love one another." 1 John 4: 7-11

(These were picked for me "from the side of the road" on a recent evening run. The trouble is we don't have a "side of the road" that isn't personal property, just people's yards and flower beds.)

~Katherine

Happy Days

It has been a nearly perfect day. After a long string of crazy days, where I've often felt like one crazy lady, today was calm. For a change there is nowhere I or any of the kids are scheduled to be, except for meeting up with Jon somewhere overlooking the ocean for a picnic dinner. At this point in the day school is completed, Jacob is playing contentedly in the back yard, Andrew is busy making paper airplanes, and Michael and Olivia are playing a game involving middle names and some of my first aid supplies under a tent they've constructed in the bedroom. As I look out at Jacob, his hair sticking up and shining in the sun, I realize that I haven't combed his or any one's hair today. Then again, neither have I brushed my hair and a bed head pony tail is doing the trick just fine. It's a happy day.

Last night Olivia and I had some girl time in celebration of her birthday. A couple weeks ago, as we were making plans for her birthday, she had requested some time together in lieu of gifts. What a gift to me! So as soon as Jon was able to spend an evening with the boys (which for them was kind of special too), we took off for an evening together. We had a "fancy" dinner together, trying things on the menu that were different, and sharing creme brulee for dessert. She thought it was funny that creme brulee means burnt cream. Later we went shopping and she picked out some summer dresses and shirts from H&M. Our hours together seemed to slip by, and as always, we hope to have girl time again sooner than later.

As we sat talking over dinner, I couldn't help but be amazed at how lovely she is. She was poised and ever so feminine, even as she carefully cut into her meat. I admired her delicate features and thoughtful manners combined with a confidence that is strong, yet unsure at times.

She seems to have matured so much in recent months, but just as I begin to think that her childhood years are beginning to slip away, she breaks out into the most silly, fun-loving, and uninhibited girl. That was the case last night. We laughed together and I giggled privately to myself, because she is just darling. And so silly. She makes the funniest impersonations. The things she finds funny make me laugh at her sometimes, because, when it comes down to it, I love everything about that girl.

~
Last week we celebrated her 11th birthday one afternoon at the community recreation area of our neighborhood with a few of her friends from church. I'm so thankful that the Lord provided a good group of girls that took her right in when we moved last fall.

Ever since we came across some cute cupcake liners at Michael's, she had wanted a picnic party. She asked if we could make pompoms like last year to hang in the branches of a tree. She wanted Ina Garten's Chicken Caesar  Sandwiches, strawberries and lemon curd, and of course cupcakes. She helped me make everything pretty.

The girls climbed trees, lazed around on the quilt eating and talking, then went swimming till it was time to come in for dinner.

No birthday is complete without a real live lizard as a gift from a brother. But Olivia is not typical; she thought is was fantastic because it was a big one with an extra blue belly. Later in the afternoon I discovered the little guy stored in my things for safe keeping!

Jacob and his friend didn't make it in the picture...

A few left-over cupcakes melting in the sun...

I'm sure this year will bring many changes for my girly, and I'm excited to see what God has in store for her. What a thrill it is to have a daughter!

~Katherine