TulipGirl

Three days before Christmas, T12 announced he really, really wanted a guitar for Christmas. This seemed to come out of nowhere, but had been an idea he’d been muddling around with for awhile. “I have some money saved, I can help buy it! My friend JB will teach me to play, he’ll give me lessons.”

With such enthusiasm, of course we wanted to say yes. And thanks to Amazon, were able to have a large, mysterious package delivered on such short notice.

Sure enough, T12’s friend has been teaching him. While his friend is learning classical guitar and note reading, he’s starting T12 off with learning chords and playing familiar songs. Well, songs familiar to JB but new to T12, and definitely new to me! (Long ago were the days when I listened to lots of music and knew the newest and most alternative sounds out there.)

In spite of my limited musical repertoire of late, we have introduced the boys to some of the classics through the years. . . and with a son learning the guitar I’ve “accidentally” left some of the music I want him to enjoy on our portable hard drive, the one we use for the kids to transfer their debate briefs and schoolwork from their computer to ours.

In the truck the other day I casually brought up The Choir. “Hmm, you might want to check out The Choir. Pioneering SoCal alt rock. . . still around making music. Doing a lot more producing now than recording and touring. Always have been trailblazers. . .” (And one day I’ll tell him my claim-to-fame, fan-girl stories. . . but not yet.)

He took the bait, has been listening. And even started to learn the chords for one of the songs. The other night when I came home he pulled out his guitar, and a concert just for me played and sang.

.

Beautiful Scandalous Night – The Choir
At The Foot of The Cross, Vol. 1

G C G
Go on up to the mountain of mercy
G C G
To the crimson perpetual tide
D
Kneel down on the shore
C
Be thirsty no more
G C G
Go under and be purified

Follow Christ to the Holy mountain
Sinner sorry and wrecked by the fall
Cleanse your heart and your soul
In the fountain that flows
For you and for me and for all

D C G
At the wonderful tragic mysterious tree
D C G
On that beautiful scandalous night you and me
D D#o7 Em C
Were atoned by His blood and forever washed white,…
G C G
On that beautiful scandalous night

On the hillside you will be delieverd
At the foot of the cross justified
And your spirit restored
By the rivers that pours
From our blessed Savior’s side

I miss writing, journaling about our lives.

Just went through the “family journal” category of the blog, looking for a specific picture. Feel very sentimental now. A bit weepy. So many memories. Wish I’d posted more photos, wrote more funny things the kids have said through the years.

I was shocked to see the pics of J on his first day of school when we got back to the states. He was so little! Yet, I thought of him as so big. Now C is the age J was then. . . Where does the time go?

I’m a bit in shock that we’ve been in the states for over four years. Even more shocking to me is that I’ve lived in the same house the past four years. That has never, ever happened before. In my whole life. Yet, I’ve had itchy feet, ready to move. Gypsy feet. . . Ready for a move, a new adventure. We’re in the enviable position of the status quo being good. . . Hubby’s teaching college, I’m in grad school. We have a great, grace-filled church. Good friends and family nearby. And, it’s time to move.

We’ve been renting the same house for the past four years. Very kid-friendly neighborhood, near a park and woods, great neighbors. Now that the boys are older and I’m not tense about it, the pool is great. When the house went on the market in the fall, it sold in less than a week. That sure is a blessing, but it means eventually we really DO have to move. As soon as the paperwork goes through. . . Until then, we’re still here.

But over the past couple of years we’ve been exploring ways to return overseas. Being part of the church-planting team in Kyiv was amazing, and I know that God had us there for that season. But it did confirm to us that Hubby was not to go to seminary, and we were not called to directly being on a church-planting team. Instead, we want to be actively involved in outreach and the life of church plants as members and supporters — whether in the US or overseas. And, we do want to return overseas.

We’ve been looking into our options for the future. . . knocking on doors, leaning on fences, looking through cracks in the walls. While nothing is certain, we do have an opportunity which is becoming more solidified. While Hubby has been in the process of fulfilling prerequisites, until we’re moving I don’t want to go into too much detail. (You know how that is. . . some daydreams seem to fade away when named.) But, should it all come together we would be moving overseas again in the next year or so. We’re excited, the kids are excited.

And I’m ambivalent. I’m okay with having contrary thoughts, contrary feelings. Excitement and reluctance. Wanting the dream and wanting stability. Enjoying the moments here and ready to leave.

We moved a lot when I was growing up. The constant was our family unit. We had so much fun. . . Dad and Mom, my younger brother and sister and me. Every time we moved, we had a new adventure. We had fun together. Looking through the archives here reminds me that I still have that. The constancy of Hubby and the boys, and the fun and memories we’ve made along the way.

. . .

Btw, I know my comments have been wonky. You can always reach me by email at tulipgrrl AT gmail DOT com .

At the beginning of the year, I set up some projects that I wanted to pursue in 2009. Some of them morphed through the year, some of them were discarded, and others added.

To summarize: Projects for 2009

.

Connecting in Community Project
I feel like this project was a success. . . Even though we’ve had the spectre of moving looming, we’ve become more integrated in our church, our neighborhood, and community. We’ve been in the same house for almost 5 years — the longest I’ve ever lived in one town, not to mention one house, ever in my life. I have especially loved being part of a women’s Bible study, not just for the community aspects but also for how much focus the women put into really delving into the Bible.

.

Calvin Quincentenary Project
The boys read through two Calvin biographies, and I read through half of one. *blush* I listened to a significant portion of the Institutes of the Christian Religion on MP3 and was so nourished by that. As Hubby received Calvin’s complete commentaries for Christmas, I think we’ll need to continue this project in another form next year.

.

Homeschool Habits Project
Homeschooling has gone great this year! We’re using Ambleside Online as the spine of our studies, with the boys all in the same time period but different requirements for reading and writing. We wanted to devote significant time to US related studies when we returned to the States and I feel we’ve done that well. The older boys have also become involved in debate, and that has been a great addition to our schooling (and a great motivation for them, as well.)

.

Regular Reading Project
I still haven’t kept up with George W., Half-Pint Megan, Civil Staci or Classical Kristen. . . but I have read more this year. Getting back to regular reading, but didn’t do many reviews.

.

Family Fitness Project
Fail. . . no family 5k.

.

More Music Project
While we did have “more” music, we didn’t quite have as much as I had envisioned. No piano, but T12 does have a guitar and C9 a harmonica. No live concerts, but did see The Nutcracker.

.

And while I have been formulating and contemplating my 2010 projects, they are still a bit amorphous. Will post them as I flesh them out a bit more.

On November 1st I started my annual thankful posts, a daily record of gratitude. And if anyone still reads my rarely updated blog, maybe they wondered if I didn’t really have a grateful heart or I dropped off the face of the earth. I toyed with the idea of continuing my list and back-dating it so that I had continuity (I like continuity, ritual, patterns.) But that felt too poseurish, too much like I’m faking it. So, I’m not. Just going to blush a bit and admit that this tradition has gone by the wayside this year.

In spite of that, we’ve had some HUGE things that God has done recently that just have me overjoyed and thankful and just oh-so-glad. Hubby has an “official” diagnosis after two years of weird symptoms, stress, and medical tests. It’s something chronic, not something terminal (which was the doc’s first suspicion two years ago.) And as he’s already been living with and dealing with the symptoms for awhile, it seems very manageable.

Also, the house we’ve been renting in Florida went on the market and sold in less than a week! This is wonderful (and the quickness — thank God! — showing a house while living in it with four boys? Stressful.) At this point we aren’t looking for a new place, we’ll find out soon whether we have another 2-3 months here and then we’ll find a place to rent closer to the college and high school where Hubby is teaching.

We’re in the process, though, of pursuing some options that would have us return overseas. We’re nearing the point with one of the options where we’ll know whether that door is open or closed. My daydream is that not only would that door be open, but that the wheels would move quickly and instead of renting again here, we can move from our current house to temporary quarters for training. But, considering the usual timeline of this sort of thing, that’s highly unlikely. (Still, I can always hope and pray. . .)

Another thing I’m really thankful for is our church has had the opportunity to host Steve Brown for a community-wide service this Sunday night — and he’ll be preaching at our church in the morning.

Some of my girlfriends and I trade MP3 links to various encouraging podcasts and a few months ago, my friend Camille insisted I listen to Steve Brown’s RTS seminary course on Grace in the Church. Wow. . . It was just what I needed. Not that he said anything “new” — it’s all the Gospel — but I just need to keep hearing it again and again. And what the Lord is doing in my heart? Well, I needed to hear it. . .

The theme for this Sunday will be Scandalous Freedom. If you aren’t local and can’t come, please take time to listen to these MP3s or read this book.

If you are in the Sarasota / Bradenton area, here are the details for Sunday, November 22, Scandalous Freedom with Steve Brown.
On Facebook
On Gohope.Net
On TulipGirl

Still here. . . still living, breathing, thinking, doing. . .

School is taking a lot of time and energy. For me, Hubby and the kids.

When we’re not busy with our respective learning / teaching responsibilities, it’s amazing how little time is left! Still involved with Hope, ThinkTank, and YCS.

And, embarrassingly, it’s sooo much quicker and easier to update facebook or twitter when I’m tired and distracted. Here at TulipGirl, I feel obligated to be thoughtful. Or at least, do more than throw up a link that caught my eye (like I do elsenet.)

But the kids are amazingly interesting, Hubby is doing great with teaching and less great healthwise, and I vacillate between okay and questioning. . . God is faithful. God is good.

I got to teach the pre-K / K class for Sunday School this week. It was so sweet. Nature walk and talking about God the Creator and reviewing catechism questions and singing “All Things Bright and Beautiful.” It is hard for me to believe my boys have left that age far behind.

This has been a long week. A very long week.

And somehow in the midst of the craziness, Hubby and I marked our 14th anniversary! And considering we met 18 years ago, our lives have been mingled longer than they have not. I’m looking forward to a long, relaxing weekend together.

Hubby had to rescue me at 9:30 pm on our anniversary — I had locked my keys in the van. Today I forgot my phone at home. I’ve been a tad absentminded.

The boys have been on a Shakespeare kick. I’m not yet sure what instigated their interest, even though the past year we have been integrating some of the Bard into our schooling. (We’ve read more of Charles Lamb that we have the actual plays and poetry.) Tonight we’re watching Ian McKellen as King Lear. Amy (who loves books) suggested In Search of Shakespeare. I haven’t found a place to watch it online, so maybe we’ll order it. . . The boys are trying to organize the neighborhood kids into a play. I love delight-led learning!

This morning read Barlow’s take on Cash for Clunkers. I tend to agree — it seems to be wasteful, and substituting one form of pollution and inefficiency for another.

On a happier note, Roadfood.com seems to be a great resource for finding yummy local food whether at home or when traveling.

Similarly, Eating Like an Immigrant is very inspirational! This is the first post of a series — I can’t wait to read the rest over at MbG. Food blogging is one of those things that prods me to enjoy cooking again, even when I have to cook. We’ve been making easy bread this week, thanks to ThatMom’s links to online resources for Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. I have a loaf rising now, and plan on trying whole wheat this weekend.

We have treats and cooking planned for this weekend, much of it for the church picnic. Jalepeno Hummus and tortilla chips, brownies, Mrs. E’s Mac and Cheese, regular hummus and veggies, something else which I’m blanking on right now. . .

I’m hoping to go to Chicago (along with the two younger boys!) in a few weeks to see my parents. Very excited about it.

It will be too late for the Michigan Ave Arts Fest — but doesn’t that look like fun? I found out about that from a friend’s link on facebook. Finding some neat (and sad) links from friends lately. . . Like Embracing the Least of These, about orphans in Africa. Or, this cool project that uses Google Maps to vividly illustrate the crisis in Darfur.

I’ve been listening to Steve Brown’s lectures on Grace in the Church, thanks to Camille. It’s been relaxing during this busy week.

But I need to take a break from it, and finish up this semester’s courses. I’ve been taking Financial Management in the Public Sector (ugh!) and Nonprofit Administration. They’ve both had their challenges as well as provided opportunities to learn. I’ve stressed out over them more than I needed to, as well. Still trying to find the right rhythm in school. My fall classes? Nonprofit Organizations and Nonprofit Financial Management. I’ve already ordered my books. (I *heart* the free shipping from Amazon Prime!)

Hubby starts teaching in a few weeks (if you are local, take his American History class!) The boys were going to have a “short” summer break, but with their hard work work all July, we’ve decided to start when the local public schools start — August 24th. I need to do quite a bit of planning.

On the upside, I finished a project I really wanted to do this July. I sorted all the kids books and school books by type, and have them stacked and organized. You know the boxes with lids which contain reams of paper? They are perfect for books. Thanks to Bob, our local printer, and the office supply store, we had plenty. Now I just need to work on the boys’ schedules — we’re trying to finish up US History since 1865 using Ambleside as a guide (Term 3 of Year 5, Term 1 of Year 6 — adapted to each of the boys).

That will give the boys time to join the YCS group in campaigning for Dan Quiggle. We like Dan a lot, and he has great Reagan stories from his internship. I’m glad the boys get to see the local side of politics in an off-year election.

So, that’s the rambling on we’ve been doing around here. . .

.

.

“Hey, Look! It’s Van Gogh!”

That’s what C8 said, as he brought me a sadly neglected Christmas leftover, a snowman pencil topper missing one of its pom-pom ear muffs. I guess the books we’ve been reading and pictures we’ve been observing have been making an impression.

.

We’ve been using Ambleside Online Yr. 5 as the framework for our homeschooling since January. It’s been a good fit, the right balance between structure and flexibility, keeping the boys studying similar things but on their own levels. AO encourages the exposure to and study of an artist each term.

Our local museum doesn’t have a Van Gogh in its permanent collection, and unfortunately not in its special exhibitions either right now. My favorite Van Gogh is at my favorite museum, The Church in Auvers-sur-Oise at Musée d’Orsay.

The screensaver on the kids’ computer rotate Van Gogh works and the boys know them better than I do now, and these are some of their favorites. . .

C8 was making me coffee the other night. Yes, my youngest is quite often tasked with making me coffee–and is quite skilled in the complexities of our stove-top moka pot. He knows just how much sugar and milk to add to each Mommy’s and Daddy’s mugs; our own budding barista.

He burst into my room upset, “Ugh. The coffee tastes disgusting! Why did you put the salt into the round container?!” I was puzzled until he brought in the old coffee tin we use as a sugar bowl. Sure enough, it was filled with sea salt.

“Boys! Come here!”

I knew, I just knew. . . but I wasn’t sure. “T11, did you put salt in the sugar tin?”

“No, Mom.”

Hmmm. . . All of the boys seemed unaware of what was going on.

“Look at my eyes, T11, and say, ‘I promise I didn’t put salt in the sugar tin.’” I wasn’t singling him out. Well, I was. He’s the one mischievous enough to try something like this; and he’s the one who feels so strongly about his honor that he will not promise anything unless he knows he can follow through on it.

“Mom, I can’t say that. . .”

He grinned.

I started cracking up. “Boys, you totally pulled a Fred-and-George!”

J13 started laughing, R10 started jumping up and down, and T10 said, “Yeah! I’m Fred, he’s George. . .” R10 piped in, “And I’m Lee Jordan!” C8 glowered a bit.

And so, this was our first family practical joke.

My Mother’s Day was filled with lots of -extra- spontaneous hugs from my boys. I get a lot of them already, but especially C8 came up and gave me extra hugs. It was sweet.

The boys’ Sunday School teacher did a project with the them that had lots of sweet, mushy reasons the boys love me. I’m going to treasure it.

I got a coolio Sbux cup. . . Okay, so it was an impulse buy. But I told the boys it was their Mother’s Day gift to me, so that’s okay, right?

Hubby made yummy swiss-mushroom burgers and corn-on-the-cob. I’m not a big hamburger fan, but these were fab and really hit the spot.

The boys somehow invited a frog into the house. T11 insisted it was a “bullfrog” but I’m pretty sure it was your average, Florida tree frog. They chased it around the house and caught it. However, as Hubby carried it out of the house, the frog urinated on him. Then commenced Hubby chasing the boys around with “frog fingers!” Much squealing and giggling. Well, except for J12 and T11 whose voices are changing and don’t really squeal anymore.

Yesterday Hubby woke up with the mother of all migraines, which lasted well into today. He’s feeling more “normal” now — headachy, but functional. But yesterday’s debilitation led to me taking the boys to paintball — and earning fabulous good-mommy points. Gotta love that! Then we went to a family birthday party for Hubby’s brother (who makes Florida’s best bbq), a niece and a nephew. We found the coolest car-rug at Ikea a few weeks ago for our newly 1-year-old nephew. Totally fun.

I got to have a nice long conversation with my Mom. That was good. Much needed.

Overall, a great Mother’s Day and weekend.

Today is dedicated to picking up a transcript from one university and hand-delivering it to another university — neither of which are in my town. Ah, the joys of relying upon technology that hiccups. Interestingly, the admin offices of both unis are aware of the problem, have been aware of the problem. . . this is a regular glitch that happens. Thankfully, the people in admin have been quite friendly and helpful, since they know the “system” hasn’t been.

I’m hoping to be home in time for ThinkTank tonight. We’re discussing Seven Pounds, which was recommended by several of the regular participants.

This is a picture of Grampie’s hearing aid shop, the one I wrote about before. I remember seeing this picture when I was growing up, and always thought it was Grampie out front, but now that I can see the picture better I know it isn’t him.

I called my grandmother the other day to talk with her about my hearing loss.

Maw Maw has told me more details of her life as she’s gotten older — or maybe I’m just remembering more of what she tells me now that I’m older. She didn’t go to college like her sister. Her sister finished college and then immediately married a soldier and moved away. I got the impression the family wasn’t pleased with that, and that was in some way connected with her decision not to go to college. Instead she went to work.

She worked in a hearing aid store and met my grandfather there when she was just 19. Even though he was in his early 20s, Grampie wore hearing aids and met my grandmother when he went into her store to buy batteries. I thought that his hearing was damaged due to an injury from a job he had as a teenager. At this point I’m assuming that there was a genetic factor as well. Though since he passed away last year, I can’t really talk with him about it.

I’m still fuzzy about their actual history at this point, but I know that Grampie and Maw Maw eventually owned and ran a hearing aid company right on St. Charles Street, downtown New Orleans. I have vague memories of going to that building, and mailing a letter down a fun mail chute from the second floor. But I know their business also had a street-level entrance, and I wish I had a copy of the photo of Grampie standing in front of their business. But my memories are very vague, and by the early 70s Grampie was already transitioning out of the hearing aid business. (Maw Maw just told me during my last visit it was because the government was increasing its regulation, and Grampie just could not abide government interference in his business. Uncle Mitch told me that’s when he started the business he ran until his last days, distributing industrial hand-cleaner.)

So, the presence of hearing aids was a normal part of my early childhood.

When I talked with Maw Maw about my hearing loss she first said, “Oh, your Grampie would be so sad about that. . .” But really, it’s not upsetting to me right now. Realistically, I understand that I may mourn this loss at some point, but right now it’s more of a helpful “oh, this makes sense. . .” realization.

Maw Maw’s perspective has been different from most people’s. “You know, when we were in the business very few women came to us for hearing aids. Usually it was women with good jobs who were paid well, and knew they needed the help to continue their work. But sometimes it was society ladies, women who were well-to-do. They would ask Grampie for the best, least obtrusive hearing aids he had and want them quickly. They didn’t want to miss out on things.”

She told me that most women, though, didn’t want them because they were ugly or they didn’t want to spend the money on them — especially if they were home with the children and not out working on part of the society circles. “But you — you need to get them. You need to be able to hear those children, You don’t want them talking behind your back! You need to listen to them, and those children need to know you hear them.”

One of the goodies Papa John brought for us was an iPod. It’s not just any iPod — it’s the one that belongs to Mo that she has used especially for her lectures. But knowing how much the boys love audio books and how some of them tend towards auditory learning over visual learning, she sent it as a surprise gift.

The boys name all of our gadgets. The mp3 player they got for Christmas is called Do-Hickey. The new ipod? In honor of their grandmother. . .

Mo-Pod.

This weekend my Dad visited with us from Chicago. Though we got to see him this summer at a family reunion, it has been a couple of years since he’s been able to come to Florida. It was a good visit. Coffee and talking on the lanai, going out for brunch after church, listening in to each of the boys have their own conversations with Papa John.

Me: “I just read to the boys about John Paton.”

Hubby: “John Paton?”

Me: “You know. . . John Paton, missionary to cannibals.”

Hubby: “I guess he served them, body and soul.”

Dad: “I love listening to your boys talk, it’s joyful.”

Hubby: “Yeah, it’s wonderful combination of joy and Dadaism.”

How does technology (internet, cell phones, etc…) affect community and relationships? That was the theme we discussed this week at our community philosophy/conversation group.

We didn’t dive as deeply as I would have liked into one of the points brought up — the way the internet provides a paradox of anonymity and intimacy, exhibitionism and privacy.

In spite of being a very private person, I tend to connect easily with people when first meeting. I don’t think I’m an exhibitionist online, but I do try to cultivate transparency here and in my online relationships. I want to protect my family’s privacy, while being the same person in my community as I am online. Some things are easier to be open about, some things are wiser to be guarded about. Yet, I’m really me — online or in person.

So that is the context of some of the internal dialogue I’ve had the last few days about the latest change in our lives. I think that writing about it now will make it easier for the future. But I still wonder — is this exhibitionist or attention seeking? That’s not me, that’s not what I want. But this is a new path we’re on with a whole new set of ideas and new vocabularies and new challenges, and so. . . here I am.

When I went to the doctor this week, I was expecting to hear something along the lines of, “Yes, your symptoms are real and not all in your head. . . but they are within normal limits and so you’ll need to just continue to function as you have been.”

Instead. . .

“You have hearing loss, an unusual amount for your age. You’ve known for awhile, haven’t you? The pattern indicates it is most likely genetic.”

“Not too many rock concerts as a kid?”

“Not too many concerts. You have moderate mid to high frequency sensorineural hearing loss. And I need to tell you, you will need hearing aids.”

.

I’ve known for awhile that my hearing isn’t the greatest. It hasn’t been a big deal. I thought it was normal not-great hearing. I thought that I was functioning pretty well. After being told that definitely have hearing loss, hearing loss beyond simply needing some occupational therapy help, I’ve started noticing how many accommodations we’ve already been making and how much it has been impacting my family and those around me.

“What did you say?” “Excuse me?” “Would you repeat that?” “I’m a visual learner. . . would you spell your name so I can remember it?” How may times a week, a day do I say those things? Hubby is used to it, and we’re in good patterns of communicating. But now that I know I really do have hearing loss, I’m noticing just how often I need things repeated or clarified.

Medium and large groups are hard for me. I used to think it was I was an introvert who likes people and has good people skills. I still think I am — but I wonder how much of my hearing loss has shaped the social groups I like best? A large conference is fine; I enjoy the stimulation of ideas and most discussions end up being one-on-one with others. A very small group is fine, I can watch people talk and interact. I’m slow to jump into group discussions, but I can participate. But a medium group? Some family gatherings, some activities? Restaurants, clubs, noisy groups? Exhausting. In Ukraine, it was always easier to have people in our home than go to someone else’s home. I chalked that up to my personality. Maybe it was the hearing dynamic as well?

Speaking of Ukraine. . . It was hard for me to struggle so much with Russian. I did well in school; I like to think of myself as reasonably intelligent. And yet, learning Russian was very, very hard for me. Going to my tutor was hard — it was all conversational practice. I would tell my Russian friends that I “listened slowly” and had to have them repeat a lot of things. It was always easier when they spoke English to me (even beginner English) and I spoke Russian to them. In retrospect, hearing loss helps explain one part of why Russian was such a challenge. Not only was it a new language, but it was already hard for me to hear and understand all language.

Funny example? We had an ongoing discussion with teammates one day that talked about an acquaintance who was a Communist. In actuality, he had recently realized he was a Calvinist.

Hubby and I watch “our shows” online, mostly on hulu.com . When we lived in Ukraine we hosted the “American Film Club,” which included English movies for language learners. We tried to get high-quality pirated movies, so they would have subtitles for our students. Since then, I’ve always asked Hubby to turn on subtitles or closed captioning, so I could more easily follow the dialogue. Hubby would tease me about being his “sweet deaf baby.” Little did he know how true that was! *laugh* He’s kind of self-conscious about that now, but it is a long-standing term of endearment between us.

“If you want to talk to Mommy, you need to come to me!” How many times have I yelled at told the kids that? And now I’m wondering whether J12 and T11 are doing “normal” tween/teen mumbling and fast talking — or whether it is just me?

It makes a difference whether whether I can see someone or not when I’m talking to them. I can hear sound, but without being able to see faces, mouths and expressions, I can’t always hear them. Which, I guess is why I feel like I can’t understand anything around me with my glasses off.

I thought the “smile-and-nod” was a cross-cultural accommodation in Ukraine. When I didn’t understand what the heck was going on, staying pleasant and quiet was my default. I do that a lot even in the States. I think it is because I really don’t always understand what is going on.

I’ve been told that once I start using hearing aids, I’ll be surprised at how much I’ve been missing, how it will be easier for me than older people to adjust to having them, how much less tired and stressed I’ll be at the end of the day, how much less work it will be to communicate.

I’ve also been told to remember they are helpful tools, but that communication is really going to require the cooperation of those around me, especially with my Hubby and kids. I’ve been told people will think hearing aids will magically give me back my hearing, but that it will still take a lot of work to communicate. I’ve been told that hearing loss is an invisible disability, and so many times people won’t understand.

I’ve had just enough of a glimpse to know that we’re on a whole new journey. I’m a bit apprehensive. I don’t know where this will take us, just that it is a strange and new path ahead.

Several times I’ve read aloud to the boys “Little Pilgrim’s Progress,” the Helen Taylor adaption of John Bunyan’s classic. The image of Little Christian along the path the Celestial Kingdom comes to mind. It was a path that Little Christian knew nothing about, but one God designed. Every temptation and struggle Little Christian faced, God was with him. Sovereign.

Thanks for listening, for hearing my heart.

“Look, Mom, it’s not leaking!” said C8. “I filled the bottle with water and stuck a knife in it, and it’s not leaking. It’s my science experiment!”

C8 and R10, February 2009, Florida

A few weeks ago, we welcomed the warming weather with my in-laws by having a picnic and weenie roast in their backyard. My newest sister-in-law took these shots of the two younger boys. She captured them well!

My Maw Maw just adores her great-granddaughter.

.

My niece (7 m/o) just adores Mardi Gras!

“Making the bed alone is worst than making some obscure recipe alone!” complained R10 this afternoon.

And I’m wondering about the obscure recipes he’s been making. Alone.

“Can we go be hobbits and explore outside?” T11 asked me this morning. “Do you remember that Merry and Pippin ate Ent food in book two — so they grew bigger than other hobbits? We ate Ent food, too, so that’s why we are taller than the average hobbit.”

So my boys are outside, exploring their world with the help of Tolkein.

These are my Mardi Gras boys.

I was born in Metairie and grew up in the Pontalba Apartments in the French Quarter. My mom was part of the Jackson Square Art Colony.

My earliest memories included Mardi Gras and my Maw Maw. She was in the Krewe of Iris, and I remember the pagentry of the krewe ball, the secrecy of the themes, and the beads and doubloons and other throws that were hidden in her front hall closet. I remember “playing” Mardi Gras in my playroom, standing on the ballet barre, throwing beads while yelling, “Throw me somethin’, mistah!”

After we moved away from New Orleans, during Mardi Gras season Maw Maw would send us a goody-box with a King Cake and beads and doubloons in it. A few years ago, her health required her to set aside the fun and pomp of her Krewe activities. Still, family traditions continue, and the boys and I made a king cake a few weeks ago (with a lego guy instead of a plastic baby inside.)

Imagine our surprise a few days later when we had a box from New Orleans! Maw Maw sent us a bit of Mardi Gras and I got to tell the boys stories about my childhood and growing up in New Orleans, Mardi Gras and Lent, beads and doubloons, and how to yell “Throw me somethin’, mistah!”

It is no secret that we at TulipGirl are fond of Ronald Wilson Reagan. A few months ago the older boys and I were able to attend a workshop that included a man who had interned with Reagan after he left the White House.  His stories just made me adore Reagan even more.

“President Reagan received a letter from a sick child. Quiggle says Reagan went straight to his office to call him.”

“To hear him make that call from outside his office. ‘Is Johnny there?… This is Ronny Reagan… No, it really is.’ He finally got this child on the phone. I remember him saying, ‘I got your letter and we’re praying for you and we can beat this thing but we have to be a team and stay strong.’ This is who he was every single day. There were no cameras, no press releases. True leadership is what happens when the cameras are off, and I got to see that everyday.”

“This is who he was every single day. There were no cameras, no press releases. True leadership is what happens when the cameras are off. . .”

That is the type of person I want my boys to be. Heck, that is the type of person I want to be.

I see the picture of the 9 y/o boy on the left, hand on his chin, and think of my little 9 y/o — the one named for this great statesman.

This would have been Ronald Reagan’s 98th birthday.   I highly recommend reading a biography of this great leader.  My oldest son recommends the one written by Dinesh D’Souza, while I’m fond of the biography by Peggy Noonan.

And some wisdom from Reagan, that would be well-heeded by the U.S.A. now:

“The government’s view of the economy can be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.”

“The Founding Fathers knew a government can’t control the economy without controlling people. And they knew when a government sets out to do that, it must use force and coercion to achieve its purpose. So we have come to a time for choosing.”

“Coercion, after all, merely captures man. Freedom captivates him.”

“We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much.”

“How do you tell a Communist? Well, it’s someone who reads Marx and Lenin. And how do you tell an anti-Communist? It’s someone who understands Marx and Lenin.”

“You and I have a rendezvous with destiny. We will preserve for our children this, the last best hope of man on earth, or we will sentence them to take the first step into a thousand years of darkness. If we fail, at least let our children and our children’s children say of us we justified our brief moment here. We did all that could be done.”

Gathering the ingredients

.

Sliced veggies, mahi and shrimp

.

Heating the wok and oil

.

Veggies coated in tempura batter

.

Don't forget the dashi!

.

A beautiful, golden crisp

.

Dip in!

.

Yumm!

.

Probably most of you are like me. . . we get into the same ruts of shopping, cooking, and meal planning. We know our family favorites so well that we rarely pull out a recipe. I enjoy cooking — I don’t enjoy having to cook. In other words, I’ve defaulted to the quick and easy (and cheap) dinners that I can cook without much thinking.

Hubby used to tell me he couldn’t cook anything beyond coffee and microwave pizza. Over the past couple of years he’s done a bit more cooking, and well, he’s discovered he can cook and actually enjoys it! Cooking has evolved into shopping and menu planning as well. Suffice to say, Hubby is a bit more adventurous than I am in the kitchen and so the recipes on the fridge for this week include:

Tempura
Osaka Okonomiyaki
Yakitori – Skewered grilled chicken
Wakame Seaweed and Okra Sunomono
Japanese Sweet Potato Casserole
Japanese Pounded Cucumber Salad – Shojin Ryori
See a Japanese theme this week?
Asian Green Beans
Moroccan Lentil Soup
Shredded Potato Salmon Cakes
A Jerky Chicken
Pork Tofu with Watercress and Bean Sprouts
Ethiopian Vegetable Bowl
Mabo Nasu (spicy fried eggplant)

Thankfully the kids are willing to try anything foodwise and the most unusual dishes don’t contain any weird meats, which would make me squeamish. I made the Mabo Nasu tonight, and think I’m going to enjoy Hubby’s meal planning and shopping. Hubby has a wok (a Father’s Day gift a few years ago) that is being put to good use, and found an import grocery store on his drive home where they offer great specialty items. The boys are already great at cleaning the kitchen, making pancakes and oatmeal — and I bet with Hubby cooking more, they’ll expand their repertoire along with him.

What are you reading? -me

J12 held up one of the books from the series he got for Christmas.

Is it any good? -me

It’s got a bit of boy-girl stuff, but it can’t be helped. Actually, it’s tied in to the plot so it’s not too bad. -J

“But it can’t be helped. . .” was said with resignation. Oh, I’m so glad my boys still find boy-girl stuff unappealing.