Surprise!

Today was Sarah's seventeenth birthday. First of all, where did those years go?

Sigh.

Well, they're gone. And here we are.

Boyfriend Elijah and best friend Anna wanted to have a bona fide surprise party for her. Last year her friends gave her a minor surprise; a birthday cake at a sleepover that was close to her special day. This year, they wanted to do it right.

Such stress - from keeping it a secret, to getting the food together, to getting the people together...we had dinner at my parents' house to give the friends time to gather, and Sarah looked over once and said, "Mom, what's wrong? You look...tired..."

But it was a huge success. She never suspected a thing, was totally shocked and extremely pleased. At one point I overheard her say, "I feel so LOVED!" Her dad came, all her friends showed up, they gave her great gifts, and we had a wonderful time. A few snapshots from the evening:

Talk about a clean-cut, wholesome group of kids; at one point they said, "Let's sing!" We moved to the piano and did Christmas carols, including 'Silent Night' in German, thanks to Claudio, the foreign exchange student who came to the party...

They danced, too; put on a few fun songs on Jayne's iPod dock - thank you, Jayne! - and they did some funky line dancing. My girls are in the front - pink, red and white shirts.

They played cards; there's Shannon and Katie, our VCU Art Student friend.

These are a little out of order - but here's the birthday girl right after she walked in the door.

Anna planned the party and made the cake.

Here is Sarah reading Elijah's gift to her; the receipt for a SKYBUS plane ticket for a trip to Ohio in January. He's going with her, on her first plane ride! She'll be flying into COLUMBUS (hello, Bill!) and driving to Cleveland to visit her old friends back home...

"I've never been on a plane!!!"

Sarah and Shannon with their buddy Miles, who they met through their dad. He came up with Lonnie for the party.

The mastermind and the birthday girl.

Sometimes life just seems very, very good. I'm so happy today - seventeen years after this young woman made me a mother for the first time. I never imagined the riches her birth would bring to my life.

The One Who Knows

Time it was I had a dream - you're the dream come true

If I had the world to give, I'd give it all to you

I'll take you to the mountains, I will take you to the sea

I'll show you how this life became a miracle to me

You'll fly away

But take my hand until that day

So when they ask how far love goes

When my job's done

You'll be the one who knows

All the things you treasure most will be the hardest ones

I will watch you struggle on before the answers come

But I won't make it harder, I'll be there to cheer you on

I'll shine the light that guides you down the road you're walking on

You'll fly away, but take my hand until that day

So when they ask how far love goes

When my job's done

You'll be the one who knows

Before the mountains call to you before you leave this home

I want to teach your heart to trust as I will teach my own

But sometimes I will ask the moon where it shined upon you last

And shake my head and laugh and say, "It all went by so fast"

You'll fly away, but take my hand until that day

So when they ask how far love goes

When my job's done

You'll be the one who knows -Dar Williams

What Would YOU Do?

See post below for an explanation, such as it is...

Remember that tree we bought last week? We finally got it up and decorated, over a week later. It seemed to take forever - the main issue was getting everybody home at the same time, with a window of opportunity wide enough for us to get the stuff unpacked and on the tree. After an extremely long day - church and meetings and a party kept me, Syd and the two boys on the go from 7:00 a.m. until about 8:00 p.m. (while the older girls got a bit of a break and went to a different party and hung out with Elijah's family), we managed to land at home long enough to pull the Christmas decorating together.

A few traditions: Always a real tree. Always a conflict over 'WHITE LIGHTS ONLY!'(my choice) and 'LOTS OF COLORED LIGHTS'!!!! (kids' choice). This year I was slightly victorious, as all but one strand of colored lights were dead in the water. Always the same wall hanging (crafted by my mom) over the mantle. Always Harry Connick, Jr. Christmas music blaring ('The Happy Elf' and 'Frosty the Snowman' are favorites) - maybe some Charlie Brown, too. Always sorting through a hundred hand-crafted elementary school projects that sink into a more unsettling state of deterioration with each passing year. Always a fight over who put the star on the top last year, and whose turn it should be this year (we sorted it out and the honor went to Sydni).

This year I started a new tradition, and said goodbye to the three or four headless shepherds, decapitated Joseph and the tattered wisemen from our several nativity sets. Inspired by another blog, I am combining all of the visitors to the holy birth scene and making one majestic nativity set. It's going to look quite strange, but I could no longer handle headless Joseph, valiantly trying to do his best to stand by Mary and Jesus in the manger. I trashed those who could no longer keep up, although I felt guilty, as if I was being politically incorrect by putting the appendage-challenged statuettes out of the picture. Like I have some problem with the handicapped or something.

Anyway, the tree is up. It's done. I made more chocolate chip cookies. We ate grilled cheese.

It was a good night, and that's one huge thing checked off my list.

Shannon was making some sort of weird face...but look at the tree! Weeeeeee!!!!!!

I'm not really sure what was happening here, but we seem to have Rudolph and...a couple of show girls... And look at that tree!!!!!!!

And this would be the reindeer, I believe...

Where were the boys while all this nonsense was happening, you might ask?

Well, I'm not sure. They were here, somewhere....

Stay tuned...

Come and Play

Sydni had a great opportunity last Sunday. Along with several hundred other Richmond area music students and amateur musicians, she participated in a 'Come and Play' event with the Richmond Symphony. They spent 3 hours in rehearsal, followed by a performance for the public at the VCU Siegel Center.

The boys and I drove down to see the concert, and I'm so glad that we all had an opportunity to experience this event! Syd was exhausted, and her feet hurt, but she was able to make beautiful music under the baton of the associate conductor of the symphony, an energetic and exciting young woman named Erin Freeman. They played Christmas music along with a few classic orchestral pieces, and it was awesome! I'm so excited to see my kids participating in things like this - whether playing like Syd did, or just watching and listening, like the boys. I know it's giving them a taste of the world outside the narrow confines of public school and our regular routine.

She's in there, on the back right, holding her trombone in that mass of humanity.

David was worn out, after a long day of church (including his own performance in the kids' Christmas play that morning) and some heavy duty eight-year old outdoor activity in the beautiful weather. He crashed on my lap towards the end.

Syd and one of her best friends, Eve, after the performance.

David woke up, obviously. Here the boys were enjoying the urban vibe of downtown Richmond. Daniel's getting so tall!

Note the kid dragging his cello down the street.

Hunting the Perfect Tree

My childhood involved a seasonal job; my cousins and I cut and sold Christmas trees grown on my granddad's farm, which surrounded our homes. I have fond memories of bundling up to stay warm for the 1/2 mile hike, carrying the saw and helping the 'town folks' pick out trees. We'd cut them if they couldn't do it, and we'd drag them back as well, or pull them behind a snowmobile.

Once we moved to Ohio, we were able to drive back to western Pennsylvania to what is now my uncle's tree farm. It was a nostalgic trip for me to have the same experience with my kids that I had years ago.

Now in Virginia, we try to continue the tradition. Saturday we had a three hour window where everybody was home at the same time, so we jumped in the Suburban and drove to one of the local tree farms.

The walking begins, all eyes peeled for the perfect evergreen. We were disappointed over and over; so many of the trees were tinged with yellow. No doubt this is due to the drought we have been experiencing...

Sydni, gorgeous in any setting.

"This is NOT the tree we want!"

"But I LOVE this one!"

We finally settled on a specimen we all agreed upon (no doubt spurred on by 30 minutes of aimless wandering) and starting sawing. Our tradition is that everybody gets a turn, starting with the youngest. David got us off to a good start...

...then it was Daniel's turn...

Syd's turn, while I made faces...

David decided that Shannon needed some encouragement...

Sarah put down the camera and took a turn herself.

I took my turn and the tree started to fall; Shannon grabbed the saw and got all the photographic glory!

Ta da!

Daniel and David got the 'privilege' of hauling it back to be measured and paid for.

I think that over time, these brothers are learning to appreciate one another, especially when they are working together. I'm proud of these boys.







We tried to take a snapshot for a Christmas card; I love candid shots for the holidays. Unfortunately, in spite of the fact that all these pictures relate a happy family outing, tempers were short and moodiness ran rampant. With three teenage girls in the family and a 40+ mother, you never quite know how things might roll. We did attempt to take a few 'happy family' shots, but this was about the best of the lot.

I might just send it anyway; there's something so gosh-darned authentic about it...

It's Here!

Every year, the Christmas spirit sneaks up on me at a totally unexpected time. The store decorations don't do it. It's not in the shopping or even the wrapping of the presents. Sometimes it's still far a away even as the tree goes up and the stockings are hung on the mantle.

I never know when it will grab me, but I've come to expect it. Ever since the early 1990's, when Helen Scarlett sang a particular Christmas song at First Baptist Church of Joshua and my heart swelled with expectation and gratitude for my God, I've waited, every year. Until it happens, I'm somewhat grumpy.

After that moment - the definitive, specific moment - I'm ready. I'm rejoicing and singing gloria and noel-ing all over the place.

Well, it just happened. The picture doesn't do it justice at ALL, but I'm at home, working on service planning from my kitchen table, watching the first snowfall of the year - and the Christmas spirit just enveloped my heart! The snow is not sticking - it's turning to liquid and sliding down the house - but it's pretty as it falls, and sometimes, in Virginia, it's the best we can do.

I was listening to music, looking for the perfect song to cap off our upcoming Christmas Eve service. Jackie directed me to a band called downhere, and I was playing their newest Christmas tunes, gazing out the window, trying to dredge up some creative thoughts...

On hillsides of moonlight and shooting stars
Shepherds keep the late watch on a crisp cool night
Suddenly the darkness breaks to full daylight with hosts of heaven's angels filling the sky

Glory to God in the highest now here in Bethlehem
Glory to God in the highest the child who will save all man


My eyes filled with tears and I couldn't stop smiling.

Christmas is here, again.

Rejoice! Gloria! Noel!

Busy Days

I'm busy - aren't we all? Soccer season is over, and that returns our Saturdays to something more relaxing - but other things are picking up for us. Tonight, Sarah starts a job at a new coffee place in town. Looks like a terrific opportunity, in a culture and environment that seems poised for success. I was asked to attend her orientation meeting as her parent, and I was extremely impressed by the way this company is doing business. I think it will be a terrific opportunity for her.

A terrific opportunity for me to do more driving, as well; she won't have her license for another few months. But I think the pay-off will be huge.

The other kids are doing well; usually, our winter season is usually one of nesting at home. The Christmas decorations are out of the attic - and scattered all over my bedroom. Syd posted a nativity set by the coffee pot, so I have a morning reminder of the reason for the season; but we've yet to get a tree or plan a time to decorate it. And shopping? I don't want to even think about it...

Sarah and Elijah are still hanging together after six months. He's a great guy, and I couldn't ask for anybody better for the first "my daughter has a boyfriend" experience. Yesterday at church, Elijah was playing percussion and Sarah was singing (Syd played trombone, Shannon and Daniel both sang in the choir - it was a real family affair!) It's a true blessing to have both kids involved in church together, and to see them growing in that environment.

Saturday was a really nice day; I had time to putz around in the kitchen a bit. Lately (as in the past YEAR), I've abdicated the role of baker to Sydni, as she's become so passionate (and GOOD) in the kitchen. I had an itch to do some baking of my own, so I threw together the old Toll House recipe for chocolate chip cookies. It was a great trip down memory lane; there was a time when I baked cookies weekly, back when the kids were younger and when I wasn't working full-time. As I worked through the recipe, I was surprised to realize that I knew the ingredients by heart. Something had internalized within me, and it was really fun to go through the steps of baking something so familiar. Another part of my identity: I am a cookie-baker, and in time, I will return to that past-time. As a grandmother, no doubt (EEK!!!)

Daniel's first percussion concert was last week. They only played one song, but the real treat was seeing my son in his tuxedo pants and bow tie, on his way to manhood. I was very proud of him.

He told me last night that he wants to play guitar. I'm not surprised.