Grateful 2011: July Edition

Camping. Camping and hiking. Camping. Microwave jam. Auntie Beth hanging with the little man. Hard days ending with comical moments. Becky and Koda. Painting. Thrifting. Letter from a friend. Last day of summer school. True summer vacation. Hiking with Becky. Uncle Jon and Aunt Jessie. Family time. Hikes. Wine. Granola pancakes. Charleston. Humidity. Tasty treats. Culture. Sticky Fingers. History. Walks in the rain with Micah. Catching our plane. Seeing M. again! Getting caught up. Seeing friends unexpectedly while running errands. Moments of honesty - even if difficult. House project done. Notes of truth from Melissa. Vedauwoo. Plants. Times of prayer. Email from Ben. Positive conversations.

Community

I desire a community that doesn't do things out of obligation,

but out of a transformation of love.

Oh Grandma.....

I must say that this gives the queen sized kitty blanket a close contender.

Project Time - Dining Chairs

Took care of this project this afternoon

Still need to refinish the table, but that will be for another day.

Money Jars

I don't know if other parents are as crazy as I am and lay awake at three in the morning contemplating the things that I do, but sometimes I just can't turn my brain off. So here is what has been running through my thoughts lately:

So, I knew that at some point we would want to create an allowance system for the little man, but I wasn't too worried about making that happen anytime soon. Then we started having a lot of conversations about money in regards to the current adoption, and the importance of saving and giving.

I knew that we would want some sort of system that would emphasis these points (saving and giving - not just spending), the problem was I couldn't find anything piggy bank wise that worked (unless we wanted a four slot piggy bank that included investments - don't think we are ready for that one yet). So at some point during an early morning thinking session, I realized I would need to find some simple glass bottles to do the trick. I have kept my eyes open whenever recycling or at a thrift store, but couldn't find anything of the same size or small enough. Then while grocery shopping one day I found the perfect sized bottles - just had to get around to drinking the contents and then put the thoughts in my head into action. Thus we have this for the little man and he is already choosing to put most of his money in savings! :)

10 year celebration - 11 months early

So, we are hoping and anticipating and hoping, that by next summer we will have another little tyke running around our home. We know that this might not happen, but we are hoping (did I mention that we are hoping for this?). If we are lucky enough to have this happen, we don't really want to take time away for our ten year anniversary, when we are attempting to bond with our newest family member. So we did the next best thing.... and celebrated our anniversary early.

We took a trip to Charleston, SC where I first moved after graduating high school and went to college for awhile. While I was there Micah was able to visit me for a brief period of time, but because I didn't have a car, we primarily did what we could that was within walking distance of the college.

From the moment we stepped into the Charleston airport, I felt such an excitement to be back, to feel the humidity and be warm, to smell those familiar smells, remember the cultural ways that felt so foreign to me upon first arriving 12 years ago.

With access to a car this time around, we did a lot more of the touristy activities (Boone Halle plantation, Folly Beach, Fort Sumter and a Harbor tour), while participating in some of the activities I establish while living there (walking to Waffle House for sweet tea and a waffle, walking around downtown, through the market and along the bay while weaving in and out of the neighborhoods).

(I threw in a few photos from the first time that Micah visited me in Charleston - do you see them?)

I love the long history of this place. However, while I was there I was shocked to see and hear how much negativity still exists. The first time I arrived in Charleston, I assumed that much of this would no longer be present because, well because it was 1999 and I thought that everyone would love everyone - or at least be nice. I think that sometimes I am very naive and have a hard time understanding why everyone doesn't want to be kind and hug upon greeting another. Needless to say, this is not everyone else's agenda.

Here are some of the comments I heard in the three days of being back there:

From a father to a son, while looking in the museum gift shop:

"Now son, just to be clear, grey is good and blue is bad."

From a historical home tour guide:

"The owner, finally coming to his southern senses, decided to support the confederacy despite his previous resistance."

From a family touring the praise cabin exhibit of the slave cabins on the Boone Hall Plantation:

In the background is an audio recording of gospel music being sung.

"Amen brother, amen sister.... gosh can you believe that they still talk like this after all these years?" (child)

"Yeah, you would think that after we started educating them, they would have learned better." (father)

The last day we were there we visited the college I attended, Charleston Southern University. It was interesting to see how little it had changed, and I honestly kept waiting to run into an old friend while walking around campus. My mind was flooded with memories from my time there. While we sat on the same bench looking toward the reflection pond, where I spent so many days doing homework and writing letters home, I realized that this is one place where I never really felt ready to leave. So I couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if I had returned the following year and spent more of my life in this area.

Of course we can't include too many posts that don't have a photo or two of the little man - so these are some of the photos from the time we were in Charleston. It was so great to get back to him and I think that we all held onto each other a little longer when giving those first hugs again. Ugh...I dread when he goes to college.

Herrboldt's Reunite!

After spending a few longs days working on adoption paperwork and house projects, we packed up our car and headed to Estes Park. Here we enjoyed a few days with the Herrboldt family that included great food, tons of time outside - when it wasn't raining - good conversation and lots of one on one attention for the little man (just incase you were wondering, he was in no short supply of this prior to the vacation).

It was a really relaxing time and we were so thankful to have this time together as a family. There were many moments to catch up with those we see less often and we left looking forward to the times when we would be able to gather together again.

Pondering

"I believe that this way of living, this focus on the present, the daily, the tangible, this intense concentration not on the news headlines but on the flowers growing in your own garden, the children growing in your own home, this way of living has the potential to open up the heavens, to yield a glittering handful of diamonds where a second ago there was coal. This way of living and noticing and building and crafting can crack through the movie sets and soundtracks that keep us waiting for our own life stories to begin, and set us free to observe the lives we have been creating all along without even realizing it."
— Shauna Niequist (Cold Tangerines: Celebrating the Extraordinary Nature of Everyday Life)

Water Reflections

We went for a couple of hikes today with the Herrboldt family in Rocky Mountain National Park.

It was so nice to get outside and take in all of the sights, breath in deeply all of the scents, and smile at all of the little man's excitement to be enjoying the simple things of life.

One hike we did took us up to a waterfall. Having the fear of heights that I do, I chose to stay down a little lower - and I am so glad that I did.

I found a rock to claim as my seat.

I sat and soaked in the sun.

I felt the mist of the waterfall as it rushed downwards.

I found peace from the deafening roar.

I reflect on water - it's purpose and power - and found that maybe this is my goal/purpose for my upcoming school year.

To be something that brings:

Change with time -- Refreshment to others -- To be clear --

To become stronger in larger quantities -- To bring new life

I definitely didn't set out on this hike to has such a peaceful moment of reflection, but I am so thankful that I was given this opportunity.

If You Build It....

We will sit on it.

We've had a little dream to create a lovely little space that helps us to enjoy these beautiful Laramie summers (and beefs up our landscaping). If you remember correctly our backyard previously looked like this:

So it comes in really handy to be a dreamer and have a planner of a husband.

I would show you his fancy graph paper sketch and chicken scratch math, but those things remain top secret. See this post if you feel like you need to know more about the exciting delivery.

Basically, after a lot of digging and leveling we finally made it to the point where we could start laying stones (my FAVORITE part)!! After a long days work, we...well mostly Micah, were able to get all the stones put into place, minus the twenty-five that need to be cut.

Can't wait to get back from our travels to enjoy this. I think that it will be my new favorite place!

Exciting News!

Check out this post.

We are super excited to be here at this stage finally!

Let the waiting begin......

Thrift Finds

Had the opportunity to spend Friday with my sister-in-law shopping the thrift stores in Fort Collins. I think that this might just be my new addiction. I absolutely loved walking the aisles and seeing all of the items collected by different people. The creative side of my brain was on overload as I thought of a thousand new projects I could do. I truly enjoyed it - and the opportunity to spend most of the day kid free (LOVE my little man - but a break is nice too - plus it is WAY more exciting to spend the day fishing and hiking with daddy).

My most exciting find is this new 12 X 8 rug from Pottery Barn.

I bought it for an amazing price considering what a rug this size would normally cost a person. So excited about it (and Micah even likes it)! Yeah for thrift finds!!

Why Else Would You Stay Up Until 1am?

{Before}

We finally upgraded from camping chairs and bought a couch!!! We arepretty excited about it. With the couch has come many thoughts to paint the living room a different color - we felt it had too much brown. So, paint was purchased and after the little man went down for bed, the painting began.

Micah helped me out once he returned from climbing and around one in the morning we finally called it quits. We love the color - Young Cadet Blue - and think that it makes the wood floors stand out more. Oh - and the couch is super comfy!

{After}

Koda 2

M. had fun playing with Koda today and at one point was even found licking Koda's nose because they were both dogs and that is how dogs kiss. Of course. Makes sense if you are 4 I suppose.

Microwave Jam

Found a great (and super easy) recipe for Strawberry Rhubarb Jam here. It is so great and so super easy that this is my second batch in a four hour period. Yum yum!

Camping Getaway

Micah finished his Master's classes on Thursday, so we headed to Colorado for a weekend getaway and camping trip. We met up with some dear friends - who also happen to be our neighbors - and spent the weekend camping in the Columbine campground, enjoying some beautiful hikes, experiencing a Colorado Rapids soccer game, and just spending some time relaxing as a family.