May I Have This Dance?

“lost dreams and forgotten pleasures,  
sold like a soul to a gluttonous world 
feeding on my frenzy and anxious activity.
but just when the old heap of bones seems most dry and deserted,
a strong Breath of Life stirs among my dead.
Someone named God comes to my fragments and asks, 
with twinkling eye: ‘May I have this dance?’

the Voice stretches into me, 
a stirring leaps in my heart, 

lifting up the bones of death."       
 

Joyce Rupp

 

(full devotional at Gail Burton Purath's, http://biblelovenotes.com)

 

 

Projects of Saturday

Since starting the Dinah blog,  I've been at a loss as to what to post here on the Juliette blog. I decided these "boring" pictures would fit the bill. By boring, I guess I mean not involving a small child  :-)

Matthew helped his cousin with a welding project today.
Can you tell what it will be?

Well, just imagine that the bottom is a cow and the top is a pig, because that's what we joked he could paint this like. (Because I think it looks like a pig standing on top of a cow, just in case that didn't make sense.)

"If you can find paint that can withstand 400 degree heat!" Daniel informs us.

Guess this smoker will remain plain-jane.

The progress of the seed cleaner is as follows.
I do not currently possess the knowledge to explain any of this to you.

Oh wait! The three rectangular shaped things in the middle, I believe, are 'length graders,' and is the part of the machine that will separate the seed by length. 

I worked on the garden.
Here's what we're looking like so far:

Broccoli and brussels sprouts. We made a border out of broken tiles.

Sherlyn Melon. Have bugs been eating it? There are a few bites and the leaves are turning yellow.

Lettuces and string beans.

Another melon. Same deal as the first.

Artistic shot trying to get the whole garden. You can see the carrots pretty clearly here - the wet line that was just watered!

Little herb garden outside the back door.

Thyme in the planter, oregano and a marigold on the ground.

The bamboo tree...my favorite color!

Date Bars Cockaigne

Yesterday, Matthew was using the computer.
At first, I thought about despairing.

I couldn't look up recipes!

But wait, I light-bulbed.  
I have cookbooks! REAL cookbooks.

So I made the trek to the kitchen, and flexed my muscles to pull down the mammoth, JOY of Cooking. I found my way aaaaaaall the way to the back of the book (man, this takes so much longer than Google...)

Index: A...B...C...D... dates!
These look right. Scan for ingredients.

Alright, lets go.

Gather ingredients:

I had everything but clover.
Not worth a run to the store.

Mix dry stuff:

Cream butter and sugar:

Add the rest of the wet stuff, dates, nuts, zest:

I tore open the dates, took out the seed, and lay them out flat. This made 'em easier to chop.

Baby is awake! So, I leave the kitchen like this:

We nurse, then set up the play station:

Back to baking.
Spread into the baking pan:

Can you see the baby foot to the left of the pan?? =D

Cookies bake...
We play!

We eat...carrots.

Beep! Beep! Beep! Done.

I'll be keeping my cookbooks.
They still work.

Only one question,
Cockaigne - what does it mean? I don't have a dictionary here.

I will Google it.

Fit for Mothering

We arrived back home Monday night after being on the road for about 3 months, off and on. I felt myself let out the longest sigh and tried to think back at where I'd been and what I'd done, but I couldn't wrap my head around it all quite yet. Knowing I will be here without too much travel until the end of the seed cleaning season is a huge relief. I know by now that this may not actually be what happens, but we have nothing in the works, and its good enough to know that I can unpack my bags, at least for a while!

The last time I really unpacked my bags was June 18th, a Friday night. Matthew had been working on the house for 6 months straight, and we finally moved enough furniture in to spend the night! My midwife, Sheila pushed to get our mattress moved into the house as she had been there since Wednesday with very little progress on my part ;) She was certain I had to be settled into my place before things would start moving. Things sure did get moving Saturday, and by Sunday night I had started into labor.

So yes, I like to be at home!

Don't get me wrong, I think there's a grace for all the traveling. I feel incredibly blessed to be able to stay together as a family and not be tied down by a job or regular commitments in one place. In fact, it is our commitments and obligations that allow us to be mobile and go where we are needed in a moments notice. And we end up getting some pretty amazing opportunities along the way.

When we were in Costa Rica a few years back, I remember praying that God would begin to "fit me for motherhood," whatever that meant. I think that traveling has been part of what he's used to do that...

Today, I went to dance class. We do ballet arm circle exercises with weights and I was amazed at how "easy" it was! For some reason, it really took me by surprise. The last time I did those exercises was four months ago or so. Back then, I had to use the low weight, and my arms and back hurt when I did them. Well, since that time I've gone from toting around a 7 or 8 lb baby to toting around a 17-18 lb baby (plus car-sear!) 

...In the same way, we've been traveling so much, that the last time Matthew got a phone call saying we "might" have to do a job in Kansas City, I said "Fine!" and started gathering my things before he was even off of the phone. We left town about 3 hours later and didn't get back for three weeks.

Sometimes I daydream about things I should get better at, as a wife/mother, you know, the yummy meals and felt projects displayed on Pinterest. And then Matthew calls and says he needs me make a transfer, research a credit line, pull down a cabinet, screw on an electrical cover. And I realize I've become a little bit more fit to be his wife than I was before. Though I have so far to go.

Since seed cleaning season ended last year, we have been to Manhattan (multiple times), Topeka, Kansas City, Arlington, Edmond, St. Louis, Seattle (Matt), Nashville (Matt), Louisport (Matt), and back home for a few days at a time. I am grateful for all the time with friends and family, and all the opportunities to grow our business, and to bless peoples' lives whenever possible.

Still, there is just something about being in your own home that can't be found anywhere else.

In Costa Rica, not yet fit :)

Briefly home at Christmastime

Took the cabinet down to rewire yesterday, took only 10 minutes. Matthew refuses to pose for pictures.

 

Bananas for breakfast. First time in the high chair (which was mine). We are a mess, but we are home!

I Knew She Was a Sponge, I Didn't Know She Was a Mirror

It's evident that things have slowed back down to a manageable pace over the past four months or so.

We all sleep more at night.
I've been cleaning and cooking a lot more.
And I've managed to spend more time (probably more than I need to) on Facebook and blogs.

Yep, it's evident that we no longer have a newborn, but a full-fledged infant.

She's fallen into a nice little rhythm of eating, playing, and napping (mostly in her travel crib because we've been on the go so much). So, today, when she wanted to nap in my lap on the couch, I totally conceded.

In fact, I wanted her to.
In fact, I loved every minute of it.
In fact, I love every moment with her.

I realize that she has been "soaking" up information for over four months now: sorting, filing, and trying to make sense of the world she's living in. And the funniest thing started happening...

A few days ago, she started making little coughing, choking, gagging noises.
Ok, I know. That's not funny.
And it's not really as dramatic as I make it sound. Almost like she's clearing her throat, "eh, eh, eh..."

It's been getting really cold out, so I thought she was just reacting to me touching her with my cold hands. Then, she started doing it at other times too: when other people were holding her, and just out of the blue.

Yesterday, it hits him, and Matthew says, "That's her name for YOU!"
What? I thought. What are you talking about?

"She's mimicking that noise that you make to her all the time!"

The noise he's referring to started the day that Dinah began to giggle. She was lying on the couch, and I leaned over the top of her, got my face close to hers, and started whispering hehehe. It made her laugh, and I was elated. It was amazing, endearing, hysterical all at the same time. Naturally, I have continued ad nauseum. Well, apparently, she began associating that noise with me, and after a few weeks began reflecting it back to me. She does it when she's looking at me, when she wants me, or wants something from me.

We laughed so hard when we figured this out.

And the only thing funnier is that since Matthew blows "raspberries" on her tummy ever day...
We're pretty sure his name is spit.  :)

Happy Birthday, Mom

Because of you

I love Penzey's spices,
and pesto
and pea soup (with toasted bagels of course).

I write stories,
and Christmas cards,
and thank-you notes (usually).

I always floss,
and moisturize,
and wear my seat belt.

And because of you,
I know what it takes to raise a daughter.

Mimi, Mom ... and me :)

DINAH MONET

Our little girl arrived on June 20th, weighing in at 6 lb 15.5 oz, and measuring 19.5 inches.

She's sleeping on this bed next to me right now as I type.

...And I absolutely adore her

First diapee change

Absolutely adore.

...And I'm not the only one

Daddy

Sisi (my mom)

Gampa (Matt's dad)

Aunt Elisa

              

Aunt Katie

Sisi and Ginni

Grandpa Tom

 We are simply enjoying every moment of life!