meet oakley.

she could not be more sweet. and is currently asleep in my lap.

i think i am in heaven.

kitty day.

Today. We. Are. Getting. A. Kitten.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

nothing gold can stay.

the woods behind the Robert Frost farmhouse:

It is the 19th of July. My favorite month is slipping through my grip.

In a few short months, this dreamland that we call summer will pass.

Therefore, I will be wringing every ounce of enjoyment possible out of summer in the weeks to come (including an anniversary, the delicious state fair, and a BWCA adventure).

However, I will also be pondering this well-spoken truth from Robert Frost. It comes to mind every year (thanks to Sodapop and Ponyboy and that scene in 'The Outsiders').

Nature's first green is gold
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

This is not a permanent place, we are just visitors here.

Seasons are just one of the billion visual reminders of that.

There is only One who will never ever change.

fullness.

You open your hand;

YOU satisfy the desire of every living thing.

Psalm 145: 16

Will I be satisfied today?

summertime

loving kindness.

two tangible examples of God's kindness in the past 24 hours:

1. Yesterday after an emotionally weighty conversation: there was a neighborhood cat waiting outside our back door that proceeded to let me pet it a long time. This was no accident. Straight up sovereign comfort from a God who loves me, even in details.

2. Today I am feeling anxious about the storms etc. And I randomly opened a devotional book to this quote from my FAVORITE HYMN.

Be still, my soul! The waves and wind still know

His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.

-Be Still my Soul

What an amazingly tender and mighty God. Who works all things...

tomatosplosion

My tomato plant is getting ginormous. Here is some proof:

This is what it looked like about 3 weeks ago:

Then about 2 weeks ago:

And today, it stands at my height (5'6"):

First Fruits are Delicious.

The little yellow ones are really sweet!

on guard!

Anybody remember the post about rainy-day-fence-building?

Here is some follow-up.

on guard. fencing. get it?

icebox + devon sawa = awkward pre-teen chemistry

Last weekend we went to our first Movie in the Park put on for free by Mpls Parks & Rec.

We watched Little Giants. A Classic.

If you remember the movie, you will be able to understand the title of this post.

I loved this movie as a kid and watched it frequently with my sister and our neighbors next door.

I laughed so hard before the jokes as I remembered what was coming. I think I was somewhat of a disruption to those around us, but it was just really fun to watch again!

"so the guys at the morgue can identify the bodies!"

"cherry tootsie pop"

A great FREE date!

he's at it again

We recently worked on some updates for our main floor bathroom, but we skipped over finishing the shower enclosure and bath because yard projects took precedence in this glorious summer weather.

Well.

Bert got motivated a couple weekends ago to jump back into the bathroom project!

Here are some pictures of recent changes.

This is the 'before' shot:

I am pretty pumped about those inset shelves for shampoo bottles etc. We are also going to put a couple small corner wedge shelves for soap (and someday kid bath-time bottles). I am really impressed at Bert's skill on this project. He says it's way easier since the second time around. (He tiled our downstairs shower last summer.) Either way, I think he is great!

Next steps on this project will be underway within a few weeks. We need some plumbing help from our favorite plumber, Clyde. And then up with the last wall of cement board, purchasing tile, and we'll be on our way. We're going to do a large white porcelain tile in a brick pattern.

I will show you when we're done!

windy day

July 3rd, 2010

feeling stuck

i just want to announce that i am overwhelmed by this blogging thing. for all the classic reasons of being overwhelmed:

1. lots of ideas, but none started or finished; don't know where to start

2. unsure of what my blog motivation should be (for me? for friends? for family? stream of consciousness? spiritual? home improv?)

3. undisciplined in habit of carving out time for picture loading and blogging

i just needed to throw this out there. if anyone has advice, feel free to share. otherwise we could call these my 'growth areas.' i would like to be good at this, eventually. but i am realizing that there is a long way to go and trying to discern how the Lord would most want me to use this tool in daily life.