If it looks like a duck, and sounds like a duck...

It might be dinner.  

As I was thinking of a title for this blog I was really having a hard time—there were some very good possibilities like: “A funny thing happened at daycare” or “Alouette, gentille alouette…”. Because this incident was so far out of my previous realm of experience I decided to go with the obvious.  I consider this a fair head’s up if any of you are duck lovers out there…

So, due to our conflicting school schedules, our children attend a local daycare near our language school for one day each week.  As they attend on the weekend around here, our kids really have the run of the place and they have been enjoying it immensely.  Eldest son is most pleased because they keep painting new pictures on the wall and he gets to watch/ help? when he’s there.  The kids also love the fact that the daycare has animals (you know the usual rabbit, duck, pigeons, helmeted guinea fowl (identified by eldest son of course) found in most daycares).  Each day we pick them up we get a full report on the painting, the animals, and “Shaun the sheep” the new favorite thing to watch.  One day, however, I noticed the children seemed a bit subdued, especially the middle.  There were some strange things being said about the duck by eldest daughter when I wandered into the kitchen and discovered that the duck from the pen outside was now inside being plucked and cleaned.   Eldest daughter really seemed the most affected by it all.  Although, I must confess that I was a little horrified when I saw eldest son’s shirt.  It was covered in purpley/red looking stuff, and I frantically starting asking in my broken language, “What’s this, what’s this?”.  We finally determined it was the remains of cherry yogurt and not the aforementioned duck—so that was a relief.

Sing with me now, « Alouette, gentille alouette, alouette, je te plumerai… »

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alouette_(song)

Weekend Fun

Our family needed a little break last weekend, so we headed to the next country over for some shopping (eldest daughter has a birthday coming) and Chili's.  I have always enjoyed Chili's in the states, but it is especially good eating there now that we live here.  Bottomless chips and salsa do not come easily over here. =)

Everyone also loves Daddy (and playing Angry Birds on Daddy's ipod touch).  Suffice it to say, it was an awfully good day and much fun was had by all.

Theme music

And this is how I feel about studying and going to school: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PByxyI5b-7M&feature=related

Sewing

I thought I’d give you a peek of my sewing table in action—it’s a mess, I know, but I love it anyway.  On this particular day, in a little over two hours, I accomplished many things (that’s including the time it took me to undo a few of my (ahem) “accomplishments” and reaccomplish them correctly).  I’ve had this pile of clothes that needed hemmed, mended, or what not, and today I got a good way through it all—hurray!  I love tangible results.  And even though I’m still a newbie with sewing (I almost always have to undo/redo my projects), I really, really love it.  I was thinking about why this is, and I still can’t quite put my finger on it.  I mean, I know it’s in my genes—I remember sewing pillows with my grandma and watching my mom make my dresses, all of which very fond memories, but the thought of sewing things myself never appealed to me until recently.  A lot of thanks must be given to my friend Gale, who very patiently waited for me to thread my sewing machine (I’m sure it took around 30 minutes and she acted as if it was nothing in the world for it to take so long!) and then visited with me, while teaching me step by step how to make a dress for eldest daughter.  I think a lot about how her calm, confident instruction helped set the tone for me in how I began sewing on my own and how I continue to do so today.  So thank you Gale, and Grandma, and Mom—you’ll be happy to know that I can now thread my machine (top and bottom) in under a minute and I am very accomplished with my seam ripper. =)

Rain, rain, come again...

When you live in the desert, rain is a precious, rare phenomenon.  To give you an even perspective, rain here is about like snow in Georgia—without the runs on bread and milk.  Here, when it rains, people come out to watch, to play, to soak it in—literally.  Rain is also finicky here, there is hardly ever a good, long outpour; and often you cannot tell that it even rained just minutes afterward.   But yesterday was an exception, the heavens opened and it rained off and on through the night; the effects of which were still visible in the morning as we headed to school.  As we got closer to school we had to ford several “road rivers,” which was quite fun for us and the kids.  Another clue to the preciousness of water, any amount of water from tiny stream to bigger is all called “river.”  Even places that are often dry but sometimes fill with water are called “river.”  The hope for water, the need for refreshing, and its link to life is a powerful thing not just for the body, but also for the soul.  Perhaps, we are not always in a “dry/desert” place in physical terms, perhaps water is plentiful and therefore not thought of as vital, but what of the soul?  It is true we can be surrounded with plenty in physical terms, and yet, be very much in want within.  Could it be a reminder that our deepest needs are only truly satisfied by one Source?

My prayer is that we would all hear the call, the answer to our deepest needs…

“Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters…” (Isaiah 55:1)

"But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life." (John 4:14)

So excited

Our girls attended their first ever ballet class and they were both excited, oh heck, we were all excited--but none of us more so than our eldest daughter.  She has spoken of nothing else except ballet ever since I told her she and her sister would be able to go. She has even demonstrated her twirling abilities the past few days--the first time she did so wound up with her careening into the kitchen cabinets, but no harm no foul...The only hard part is  that since this is not a common activity in our new place there are no ballet shoes or leotards to be found--so we made do with what we had.  And I must say eldest daughter is definitely rockin' the leg warmers I made her.  As soon as the class was finished she wanted to know when she would be able to go to class again.  Such happiness!

Time flies...

Alas, where have I been these past few days?  It would appear that going back to school after so many years coupled with our three children and exploring life in our new home eats up most of my available (sane) time.  However, I do have some pictures to share from some of our adventures earlier this summer

I kid you not, my children never grow tired of sand!

For theirs is the kingdom of heaven

Youngest daughter walked into the kitchen whilst I’m washing dishes and trying to think of the next thing I need to do, so busy, so busy, doing, doing, and she stops me with this:

“Mama, look at the sunset, isn’t it beautiful?  God made it—He loves us so much.”

I gulp, scoop her in my arms and thank her for reminding me to stop, to be still and know that the Maker of all loves us so much…