SortaCrunchy

With so much thanksgiving

I joyfully and intentionally spent most of Thanksgiving and the days that followed away from the computer.  I've been craving reconnection with the flesh-and-blood-and-leaves-and-twigs world around me, and I admit to now feeling quite satiated.

This did mean, however, that I didn't quite get around to writing up The Thanksgiving Post.

Understatement alert: I have so much for which to be thankful.  Our life is far from perfect, but the abundance of amazing in my life is staggering. 

Blessings all mine with ten thousand beside. *

Absolutely.

One area of my life in which I don't think I could ever express my gratitude enough is to you all.  It is with so much smiling disbelief that I step back and look at this year for SortaCrunchy. 

When I first started using Feedburner back in April 2008, sixty-three (blessyourheart) readers subscribed to silly ol' SortaCrunchy.

This time last year?  On this very last day of November?  The approximate reader number was about 191.

Why on earth so many of you have seen fit to add me to your reader or invite me to your email inbox in 2009 is just beyond me.  Why you would come forth with resounding support for the project that is so close to my heart . . . why you would turn out in full force to come alongside the Vega family . . . why you walk with me through the controversial and the mundane . . .

It's all just too much.

I know that your time is precious.  That you would spend a few minutes with me on a (completely not daily) basis renders me as close to speechless as my loquaciousness-prone self can get.

Thank you. 

Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou.

Times infinity.

* closing lyric from my life hymn - Great is Thy Faithfulness

picture from D Sharon Pruitt

ablaze

How the sky turns to fire
against a telephone wire
And even I'm getting tired
of useless desires

-- "Useless Desires," Patty Griffin

Few things make my heart expand like an autumn sunset. 

A few weeks ago, I stood at my kitchen sink doing dishes when I glanced up and saw the sky in the last few moments of spectacular blaze.  Normally I work to avoid the telephone and other utility wires that clutter up shots in our backyard, but the way this shot spoke of that song?  Irresistible.

(This shot is straight out of the camera and though the composition irritates me, it also reminds me that sometimes you have just a second or two to accept God's invitation to beauty and then the sky fades and navy blue extinguishes the flames that just seconds before glorified the clouds above.  Sometimes you have to abandon the perfect shot to get the shot.)

Tell me - when was the last time you were startled by unexpected beauty?

Abudance of Gratitude and an Invitation to Give

I had sorta planned on an As He Leads Us post for today, but in all honesty, my heart and head are just reeling in the wake of the news of Gabriella Vega's stroke last week.  Every time I type or say that word - stroke - I just cannot believe this is really happening to sweet Princess G.

She is four years old. 

I've watched that sweet girl with the blond curls grow from darling little baby to vivacious preschooler, and to see her confined to a hospital bed without words and with little movement overwhelms me with crushing sadness.

My every other thought is of her and her mama Kristi and daddy Paul and little brother PJ.

I've found solace in the practice of gratitude.  With every laugh and through all the chatter and amidst the wrestling rough-housing from the girls, my heart stretches and snaps to Arizona, to Kristi at Gabriella's bedside, praying that she'll hear Gabriella's voice again soon.

I'm slowing down to listen and hold close and soak up the rhythms and routines and blessed normalcy of each day.

I'm

17. getting lost in the zen-like calm of snapping green beans at the sink.

18. grinning big in response to Aliza Joy's "dank you, Mommy!"  Oh, now that child has a heart of gratitude, to be sure.

19. indulging in a few extra moments with my fingers dug deep in appreciation of that mystical feel of flour and butter which have become one in the moments before the buttermilk splashes and reminds the buttered flour that biscuits need making.

20. happy sighing over biscuits that rise up and come out just right.

21. so, so, so grateful for an old friend's thoughtfulness in passing on something that met a need at the exact moment we needed it.

22. overjoyed to spend a Saturday afternoon on a quilt under the canopy of a pecan tree whose paternal arms have shielded decades of seekers-of-the-slow.  Markers took to journals while the last of the summer cicadas sang.

23. aching heart over the joyful innocence of Dacey's art where the sun shines always and every face beams with smile.

*****

I can never, ever put words to my gratitude for each and every one of you.  When I think back on the humble start of SC, I just shake my head.  At the start, I was just gonna talk about some cloth diapers a little bit, and now look at this place.  Just amazing.

Over the weekend, I hatched a plan.  I have been praying unceasingly for the Vega family, but I feel so helpless to help all these miles away.  But then I thought maybe . . . maybe I can help.  Here's the plan:

I'm going to put together an online raffle to be hosted here at SC.  All of the proceeds from the raffle will go to the Vega family to bless them and help ease some of the burden of the many expenses they are accruing in the midst of this circumstance.

To host a really great raffle that honors a really amazing little girl, I need some really big help.  That's where you come in.  I know there are some wonderfully, tremendously gifted people that hang out here. 

Would you like to join me in this by donating a prize to the raffle?

Here are some ideas:

* Anything handmade or created by you - knitted, crocheted, letterpressed, photographed - any kind of handwork or art
* Services you might offer - digital card creation, mama card design, blog design
* Products that you want to purchase for donation

The details are very loose right now.  I've never taken on a project of this size, but I've got a team of friends from the mothering community through which we all know the Vegas who have stepped up to help pull this thing off.

So this is our invitation to those who want to be directly involved in the creation of the raffle prize packages.  If you want in, leave a comment here or email me at sortacrunchy at gmail dot com.

*****

If your Monday promises nothing but the usual, hold your dear ones close and offer a breath of thanks to God for normal.

You can join others on the path of gratitude each Monday at Holy Experience.

1000 Gifts ~ happy messy kitchen

taking a brief pause from all the Ditch the Disposables talk to reconnect with the Gratitude Community begun and nurtured by Ann of Holy Experience.  I've finally shaken off the sand of Ninevah and my heart has been bathing in the restorative pools of gratitude. 

I first began to keep track of my 1000 gifts last year, but after a while, I just started adding grateful thoughts without worrying to number anything.  I'm taking up the list again, and today is devoted entirely to

#16: my kitchen.

music and dancing and bowing and blessing

and clean and dirty

 

and water running and bubbles rising and messy and dirty

and sticky

and lived in and run through and neglected

and tended to and mopped through and counters swiped and table wiped and covered for creating

and popcorn bars!

  

and spaghetti sauce!

and fresh and life and lovely simples

 

and "Mama, can I help?"

 

and end of day and dishes done and

heart full and

lights out

 

Thank You, God, for the way life pulses in our kitchen.

Thank You for plenty, cups and plates overflow.

7 Quick Takes: March 13th (lots of food edition)

1.
Just so much going on in this past week . . . so much I haven't fully processed and am not ready to talk about here.  I'm gonna fall back on one of my favorite things to talk/learn about: food!  Cooking and baking are hobbies I've aquired by necessity in the past few years, and though I am nowhere near possessing the kitchen prowess my writing parter/mind twin Laura displays, I am always willing to learn more.

2.
A year or so ago, I came across Hillbilly Housewife.  The link that first led me there was her $70 low cost menu, and from there I discovered a wealth of frugal recipes.  Most all of her recipes are of the "from scratch" variety and are worth the effort.  Her homemade breadsticks are a quick and YUMMY favorite.  The cheese enchiladas get made a lot around here - far better than any I've had out-to-eat.  (Better - dare I say it? - than Joe T's!)

3.
I'll be honest - all that cooking from scratch leaves behind a mountain of dishes to wash.  I'm reminded of Brennan Manning's thoughts from Ruthless Trust, the chapter on "The Geography of Nowhere" in which he relates an exchange between Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh and Christian leader Jim Forest (as told in The Miracle of Mindfulness):

So they finished dinner and Nhat Hanh said he would wash the dishes before getting the tea.  Jim offered to do the dishes, while Nhat Hahn was preparing the tea; but Nhat Hahn said, "I am not sure you know how to wash dishes."  Jim laughed at him and said, "Of course I know how to wash dishes, I've been doing it all my life."  "No," the monk said, "you would be washing the dishes in order to have your tea and dessert.  That is not the way to wash dishes.  You must wash dishes to wash dishes." (bolding mine)

Manning follows with

Washing the dishes is not a mindless interlude before the banana creme pie.  Rather, at its best - done with alertness and attention to the washing - it is excellent preparation for prayer (p. 157).

Indeed.  In my least grateful posture, a countertop and sink that spill over with dirty dishes invites resentment, bitterness, and exhaustion.  If I accept the invitation as a preparation to prayer, then standing at my kitchen sink places me in a posture to be so grateful for an abundance of food, the beloved tummies that are now full, hot and clean water with which to wash, a kitchen in which to stand, and so on and so on.

And again, I digress.

4.
So, I'm a bit fixated on granola right now.  After I mentioned this in a previous 7QT, my blogging friend and reader Jeana emailed me to suggest another great granola recipe she has come across: Gluten-Free granola from the Ordering Disorder blog at Work It, Mom (which seems to be a great resource for working moms!).  I look forward to trying this granola recipe (steel cut oats - yes!) and it looks like there are many family-friendly recipe finds at Ordering Disorder to try out with my four year old sous-chef.

5.
So everyone knows Cake Wrecks and Bakerella stand out in the land of baking blogs.  One I bet you haven't read that is every bit as clever, visually appealing, and drool-worthy is Velvet Lava.  Go.  Enjoy.  (Introduced to me by Laura.  She never disappoints in her recommendations.)

6.
Another great recommendation came from my friend Karen who showed me the way to My Kitchen Cafe (totally unintentional rhyme there).  Karen suggests the Vanilla Pudding Cinammon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting which I have not dared to try yet.  I have, however, tried the Bourbon Chicken (we had it on Mardi Gras - seemed appropriate), the Sweet and Spicy Slow Cooker Chicken, and the Best Sloppy Joes and all were delish.

7.
Finally, as the weather turns warmer, you know you are going to be firing up your grills.  May I tell you again that my husband makes the best burgers ever ever ever in the history of mankind?  He whipped up a slew of them last weekend - the grape jelly and BBQ sauce kind - and oh my.  Just unbelievable.  The sugar in the grape jelly gets all dark and burnt-ish on the outside (carmelizes?  it's over my head) and the inside is so moist and full of flavor.  I could eat one now, at 9 in the morning.  Yes I could.
(Sidenote - we can't find ground brisket around here, so we are back to plain ol' ground beef.  Still just as yummy as ever though.)

Happy 7QT on this Friday the 13th!  Have a delicious weekend!

Comments closed during Lent 09

granola picture courtesy of moria

Bless My Heart

It's been nearly a year and a half since I first shared with y'all how much I struggled in the days of Dacey's speech delay.  I don't think I have ever followed up by saying that by the time she turned three, her expressive language was nearly on the "normal" part of the language spectrum.  Now, at four, she is just as easy to talk to and understand as her peers (normal age-appropriate pronunciation issues notwithstanding). 

Daily she says things that absolutely crack me up (I still haven't told you the shark and Baby Jesus story!), and other times she says things that are so precious to me that I could just melt into the floor.  You would think that after months and months of agonizing over the lack of conversation with her that I would carefully record these treasures, but sadly I let too many of them slip by.

Two moments of note from the last week . . .

Though I do consider myself an advocate of breastfeeding education and support, I'm not so much a lactivist that I don't allow baby bottles in the house for our bevy of baby dolls.  From time to time when it's appropriate, I'll talk about mamas feeding their babies with mama milk, trying to be careful to not overemphasize the act of breastfeeding, just acknowledging it as normal. 

Both girls choose bottles as their go-to choice for feeding their babies, so I was surprised when I walked by the open door to their bedroom last week and saw Dacey sitting on the floor trying to raise her shirt, push back her hair, and get her baby doll up to her chest all at the same time.  Just not enough hands, right?  Don't I know it! I sat down quietly behind her and gathered her hair behind into a little pony tail and whispered, "Are you gonna feed your baby some mama milk?" Without missing a beat, she answered, "Well, Mom, this isn't mama milk.  It's Dacey milk."

Oh.  Right.  *smile*

On Monday we drove into the city to be with the family and friends of our friend who was in the terrible car accident that morning.  We had to park in a parking garage, and I can't remember that either of our girls had ever experienced this situation before.  AJ, who is extremely vocal in all her pre-articulate-ness, was suddenly silent.  A moment later I heard from the backseat, "Don't wuh-wy (worry) Awiza, it's okay.  It's okay.  I'll pwotect you."

And then I thought my heart might just explode.

Comments closed during Lent 09.

Photo courtesy faeryboots

The Bwessing

Dear Heavendy God,

DANKyou for Mama and

DANKyou for Daddy and

DANKyou for Wiza and

DANKyou for evafing.

In Desus Name we pway,

Amen.

{picture removed}

(Click here to visit other members of the gratitude community hosted by Holy Experience)

Grateful for Her Tender Heart

Mama (broom in hand, kids underfoot, distraction needed): Oh, Dacey!  Mira!  What is that?

Dacey (giggles and shrieks): a BUG!  What KIND of bug, mama?

Mama: Well, let's see, I think he came in to check out the tomato on the window sill.  Maybe he is a tomato bug.  What should we do with him?  Maybe scoop him up and let him out the back door?  I bet his buggy mama misses him.

Dacey: No.  (long pause)  We have to take care of him.

Mama: (longer pause, thinking back to how she explained her cheers of gratitude for Daddy after he triumphantly disposed of the mouse who had taken up residence in the cabinet under the sink.  She thinks her exact words were, "Remember that mouse that has been scaring Mama?  Daddy took care of him for me.")  Hmmmmmmm.  What do you mean take care of him?

Dacey: You know.  We've got to feed him and give him water and clean his cage.

Mama (heart smiling): Oh, you mean you want hm to be your pet?

Dacey: Yes!  My tomato bug pet.  Can he tickle my skin?

 

 

 

Wordless Wednesday: Thankful for Forgiveness, Redemption, and Reconciliation

Grateful for mercies, ever new

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy Hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine with ten thousand beside.

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy Hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.

"Great is Thy Faithfulness," lyrics by Thomas O. Chisholm, 1923
picture by Chris Gin