My Joy

Day Eight


My Odette

For Christmas we got Pearl a Swan Lake DVD that features scenes from the ballet and a little lesson on how to do some of the steps, all geared towards little girls. She loves it and watches it regularly admiring the ballerinas grace and balance and exclaiming, "How amazing!" or "Isn't that beautiful!" throughout. She has been asking, maybe even begging to be in ballet for months now but they were really expensive, at bad times or just seem to be stuffy. Finally I found a ballet class for her that we can actually afford and that worked out time wise and today was her first class.
The minute she stepped into the dance hall, surrounded by mirrors and the tinkly piano tunes playing, her arms extended out, her toes pointed and there was a little hop to her steps. She was graceful, she was poised, and she was just bursting with delight. I had to stop myself from nudging the mom next to me and exclaiming,"Isn't she beautiful!"

My Joy
Day Seven

Oops, skipped a day. I am realizing it's not always easy to have one picture that captures what brought joy to my day. For instance, it would've been silly to take my picture while talking to a dear friend on the phone but it was one of two phone conversations that were highlights of yesterday.
Today I enjoyed a morning teaching my children, an afternoon sitting in the backyard of a good friend talking and watching the kids play and this evening I enjoyed a 40 minute run followed by soaking in the jacuzzi with my family. All good things but no pictures to show. I can always fall back on a picture of my kids. They make me nuts but they ALWAYS bring joy to my day.

My Joy
Day Six


Living so close to something so beautiful. Our county has plenty of trails, lakes and mountains to escape to. This place (Lake Hodges) is about 10 minutes from our house. It's beautiful and as soon as I am over this nasty cold the kids and I will be going for a little hike.

My Joy
Day Five


Tea parties!

My Joy
Day Four


This shouldn't be hard already! I've been battling illness, shuttling kids, trying to stay cool ( 90 degress today!) and just feeling a little grumpy. So, right now my joy is having two children peacefully sleeping in their bed, and a hardworking, good man home and headed to bed where I will soon join him. Thank God for new days and new mercies. Goodnight.

My Joy
Day Three


Ever since Johnny discovered photobooth on our Mac, I never know what I am going to find when I open it up. I like this one.

My Joy
Day Two


Puzzle master Pearl.
She just recently started enjoying puzzles and likes to do them all by herself. I love how her tongue sticks out as she concentrates on finding where each piece fits and how she dances around on the puzzle when she's completed it. Note the leotard she is wearing. She pretty much lives in them as she is obsessed with ballet but more on that in another post.

O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, despair, lust of power, and idle talk.

But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love to Thy servant.

Yea, O Lord and King, grant me to see my own transgressions, and not to judge my brother, for blessed art Thou, unto ages of ages. Amen.
- Prayer of St. Ephrem

I was thinking the other day about this prayer and how easily I find myself with the spirit of despair over the smallest inconveniences. Then I realized that there are Orthodox Christians in Japan saying this very same prayer this Lent, people who are facing great difficulty and tragedy are asking God to take from them the spirit of despair. Lord have mercy.
I realize, in Christ, I have nothing to despair of, and to think of everything else I have how can I not be thankful?
So, I've given myself an assignment because it's the only way I am ever going to blog again. For the next few weeks I will be posting one picture of day of something that brings me joy. Perhaps, I will be inspired to write a little something or maybe it will just be a picture.

My Joy

Day One


The 11 years I've been married to this guy. We celebrated our anniversary a couple weeks ago with our annual family trip to Big Bear.

Oh! My Mama.

I have lived far away from you for all of my adult life but please know how very present you are. Your melodies are sung in the way I love my children, the way I honor my husband and our relationship, the way I allow silliness and a lot of laughter in my home, in my flair for the dramatic (which doesn't come any where near yours), in my love of the musical Les Miserable, in my decision to have natural child births and nurse my babies for a very long time. I am thankful for how honest you have always been. When you messed up, you told us. I clearly remember you apologizing to me for cussing when I banged the door into your foot one day when I was probably only 5 years old. Because of memories like this I know as a mother I can mess up, I can say the wrong thing sometimes and have to apologize to my children but still be a damn good Mom. ( I think that's the word you used that day.) I just want you to know that not only am I thinking of you today but I am living you today, just in my own way.
I love you.

Watch out, Kindergarten!

Yes, I cried. No, he didn't. Our city offers an amazing school called Classical Academy and I am so excited that Johnny gets to be a part of it. He will attend class at school every Monday and Wednesday. Tuesday and Thursday I will teach him at home using the same curriculum and web based programs they have provided. Friday's we will have some home lessons as well as elective classes at school. They offer things like cooking, fencing, swimming, languages, etc.. It's the perfect mix for me, I wasn't completely decided on homeschooling because I know my son and I know how much he LOVES being in a classroom setting with lots of kids and lots of stimulation. I am so glad that he can have both! It's been a little stressful getting my school area set up and feeling organized and capable. ( I don't yet) I know this will be so good for me and my relationship with him and I am excited over how much Pearl will be getting out of it too. She's been participating in his home lessons and loves it, so far. It was hard to leave him this morning knowing I won't be picking him up until 2:30, I know he'll do great, though. He loves to learn, he loves to play and meet new friends and he is one excited student.

Who you calling semi-precious?

It sure isn't this Pearl. She is one of a kind and priceless! Her birth was fast and furious and she continues to live life that way. She is always ready to try something new whether it be food or friends. Pearl, you keep me on my toes and that is a good thing. I love how independent and spunky you are. ( but you will always get in trouble when you beat up your brother so, STOP IT!)

I love this sweet girl and this sweet girl loves cake!

ONE..

TWO..

THREE!

Can it be?

Has it really been five years since I first met this sweet boy? He came into the world sucking his thumb (seriously, thumb was in his mouth while I was pushing him out) and he cried for just a second then just stared at my face and made the cutest little noises. It was one of the best moments in my life. Johnny, you continue to bring me the best moments in my life. I love you so, you big five year old, you!
ONE..

TWO..

THREE..

FOUR..

FIVE!

A Decade at Sea..

Our landwind is the breath
Of sorrows kiss'd to death
And joys that were;
Our ballast is a rose;
Our way lies where God knows
And love knows where.
We are in love's hand to-day;
Where shall we go?
-taken from the poem, Love At Sea by Theophile' Gautier.

Excerpts from this poem were in the programs at our wedding which took place ten years ago today! Hard to believe, really. Although, it seems like Evan has always been there. I was such a kid when I met him, and I couldn't have picked a better person to grow up and grow old with. We truly have traveled on the winds of sorrow and seas of joy. We still don't know where we are headed or what is in store but we continue on by the grace of God and with much love. Ten years ago, I think I would've have been disappointed to see into our life now and discover that we do not own a house, have a dog, the job we dreamed Evan would have. We have learned to laugh, love, struggle together through those disappointments and the friendship and family that has made us is priceless. So, tonight we will eat sushi, drink beer, talk more than we should about our kids considering it's a date night, laugh over stupid stuff (like always), come home to our little rented town home, with no dog to take outside to pee , I will kiss my beautiful children (who will already be asleep because their wonderful grandma babysat), I will kiss my husband who will then probably have to get back to his freelance work that is providing much needed extra income, and I will thank God for it all.

He's no Mother Goose but...

"Harry, Harry, quite not trary
How does your garden grow?
With stinky pigs
and hollow wigs
and boats not in a row."
Johnny recited this to me while cleaning his room this morning. I like the hollow wigs part. Crazy kid!

My Pony Boy

Sigh. Where did the time go?

Fall!

My favorite season, but it sure seems to be taking its time to really make its arrival here in San Diego. In between some unwelcomed (as far as I am concerned) warm days we've had some beautiful, cool windy weather. Perfect for soup, bread making, evening jogs, clothes I really like, darker shade of hair and pretty soon maybe even a fire in the fireplace. We just love our local pumpkin patch and what better way to take in the season!

Adventures in Baby Sitting

For awhile now I've been a baby sitting my godson and his sister (whose parents also happen to be Johnny's godparents) a couple times a month. It is crazy fun to have my house bustling with 4 kids under 5!

What's more entertaining than the garbage truck?


Here's Grace and Pearl helping me knead dough. I just love their little messy hands.


Enjoying the fruits of their labor. or in this case, the pizza.


Johnny and Grace showing off their self portraits.


And at the end of the day when I am exhausted, I just turn up the music and let them dance!

...and we laughed.

I went to post this photo on facebook when my thoughts turned to my forgotten blog. I really do miss blogging, facebook has made it easy for me to make connections with people and summarize some of my comings and goings BUT it doesn't document times in my life like my blog has. It really is like a scrap book for me, I will waste a good hour every now and then reading through old posts, getting teary eyed at the pictures of Johnny as baby and remembering really good and really bad things that I've shared. I am so thankful all of it's here and I am thankful for the people who I've shared it with. So, this little post and picture is just to announce that I am back. At least I will regularly post pictures and hopefully, every now and then, my thoughts, experiences, updates etc.. But not now, now I must go clean up around the house as my sweet godchildren will be spending the day with us tomorrow. Oooh, maybe it will give me something to blog about!

I've been including this prayer in my morning prayers recently and thought it would be appropriate to share it today.


I bind unto myself today
The power of God to hold and lead,
His eye to watch, His might to stay,
His ear to hearken to my need.
The wisdom of my God to teach,
His hand to guide, His shield to ward;
The word of God to give me speech,
His heavenly host to be my guard.

Christ, be with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie, Christ when I sit, Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me,
Salvation is of the Lord,
Salvation is of the Christ,
May your salvation, O Lord, be ever with us.
-St. Patrick

Who knew such beautiful words came from a man most just associate with green beer and good luck?!
We did have a little fun with the day, though. We wore green and went to one of our favorite parks for a picnic lunch.
Sadly, this is the only picture I have to prove it. :)

Silhouette

...one of the sweetest, I'd say!