CHEVY MONTE CARLO

Well we made it back from the "heart of it all." Ohio's state slogan used to be the "heart of it all," because the state is somewhat shaped like a heart. But "they" have recently changed the slogan to something so lame that I can't even remember what it is!

Anyhow, we made the trip there in 14 1/2 hours. Record time for us! We even left town 4 hours later than we anticipated! Duane developed a game 2 years ago to pass the time on a drive to St. Louis with a friend, so we played that. It is called the "Monte Carlo" game.

To play the game, one must know what a Chevy Monte Carlo automobile looks like. I have been perfecting my skills over the past several months. When a Monte Carlo passes by, the player yells, "Carlo, (insert color of car)" and they receive one point. If by mistake the player calls another car by that name they lose 2 points. Kudos for the "Dale Earnhardt" edition, racing stripes, checkered flag logos, you just never know what type of graphics are on those Carlos.

So we began early on in our trip, Duane was ahead by 1 and he mistakenly called "Carlo" when it wasn't one and he dipped down to -2. Ah ha! I was ready for the competition! We battled through the turnpike, the long state of Missouri, Illinois and we were thinking we were in prime "Carlo" land when we got to Indiana!

We continued to play throughout the week, knowing that we missed a lot and we didn't count car dealerships along the way, "No fair!" We even stopped playing if the other one was tending the children or napping.

In writing this, I am hoping to generate some ideas for the punishment of the loser and some great rewards for the winner. I will reveal the scores in a later blog, after we come up with the reward system. If you have any ideas, let me know, we'd love to hear them!

GO BUCKS!

Ok, even though we been in this town for 3 years now, we are still HUGE Ohio State Buckeye fans. We search out other people that bleed scarlet and gray. We don't find many but when we do we feel a deep connection with them.

Like today, we were at our favorite store again and saw a gentleman wearing an Ohio State t-shirt. We stood in line behind him at the checkout. I couldn't contain the excitement I was feeling by seeing someone wearing something other than purple, so I asked him if he was a fan, I know dumb question. But it could have been a thrift store t-shirt for all I know. He told us his father coached under Coach Jim Trussel in Canton, Ohio. We told him that we were from Columbus and felt the love flow.

Anyhow, the Buckeyes are ranked number ONE!!!! They played against number two ranked Michigan this afternoon. It was a close game, filled with intensity and non-stop heart pounding excitement. It reminded me of the days I would park my little blue Toyota Corolla hatchback at the Horseshoe (the OSU football stadium) and walk the long trek to classes in the freezing cold. Man, I miss Ohio!

The Bucks won 42-39! I know that we didn't have a thing to do with their victory and not many people reading this care that much for the Buckeyes, but at least they have 3 fans out here in the real Midwest!

My Initiation

If you have ever had the great fortune to spend an evening with 5 teenage girls, you begin to realize that they speak a language all their own. Mind you, I am not quite that far removed from my teens, or at least I would like to live in that reality, but last Friday night showed me that my language skills are in need some refinement.

Our evening began very peacefully, we had a time to talk and pray together and then feast on some snacks around 11:30 pm. As the clock moved closer to midnight, the language got harder for me to understand. Where is my interpreter? Am I hard of hearing? What are they all laughing at? I was really beginning to feel that the years of motherhood have sucked my brain dry. Why wasn't I understanding what was going on?

Case in point: The Shape Game. Have you ever heard of it? Didn't think so. I hadn't either, nor had the other leaders, which should have been my first clue to feign sleepiness and head to bed. Oh, but my curiosity got the best of me and I followed everyone into the living room to learn this new game. Wasn't I paying attention to all the whispering? Apparently, not.

I sat down between two students and they began to explain the game. Everyone sits in a circle and the leader begins by drawing a shape on the cheek of the person to the left of them. That person in turn draws a shape on the next person and so on. It is basically a new twist on the old game of telephone. As the shapes move on from person to person, usually the shape changes and everyone laughs at what the shape turns out to be. But there is a catch, there seems to be a pattern to the shapes and whoever guesses the correct pattern wins. So I am thinking to myself, "This should be fairly easy since I am sitting to the left of the leader, my shapes won't be messed up and I have the best chance of guessing than anyone here."

On with the game. The first shape that she draws on my face is a straight line. I pass the shape along. This is easy. The next shape is a heart. Everyone seems to get that one right. The third seems to be a "U." Man, I think I am getting it! But it is kind of a gross game. You are trusting that the person who is writing on your face has clean fingers. The leader's fingers seem really clammy and cold. Oh well. At one point I joke around about licking my own finger and writing on the face of the person next to me because I think that is part of the game. The fourth shape is a "+." The fifth is really weird so I ask the leader to make it again. It appears to be "( )" on my forehead. What? I am concentrating so hard on the pattern that after the 5th time around, I think that I have it, so I shout out, "Ok, guys I got it." Everyone is laughing now and then I say, "I think that it is 'I love you plus Star Trek.'" Is that it? No one really got the Star Trek reference, I was picturing the guy with the really weird forehead but then again it is after midnight.

Apparently I was completely wrong.

I won't give the secret away in case you ever have the chance to play the shape game. Just don't sit next to the leader!

If you are one of the girls responsible and you are reading this, know that I love you and I feel your love, even if I did look the part of the fool.

Nine Months

It is hard to believe how quickly nine months can pass by. A lot can happen in nine months...

a school year passes by
a new life is formed in the womb
3 seasons can roll in and roll away
a baby can learn to eat, crawl and babble
healing can be found in that time
post-partum women can begin to see their body change back (somewhat!)

Although nine months can also seem like an eternity, sometimes it does pass by quickly. In less than a year the fulfillment of time passes by. Births, deaths, marriages, job changes, new seasons in life occur all the time. Do we sit down to pay attention to what occurs in that time? Oftentimes, not.

In reflecting in my own life, much as occurred in the past 9 months. We welcomed another daughter into our family, said goodbye to a dear family member, sent a "daughter" back to Japan and ushered another daughter into kindergarten. As we embrace a new season in our life, it is always good to look back and see what has taken place. What can we learn from it? What would we do differently? What good occured? How did we grow?

In saying "goodbye" to a loved one, I am learning, that sometimes I long for the "hellos" more than the "goodbyes." This is the case with my grandmother. She passed away 4 days after Annie was born. She never got a chance to see her and I didn't really get a chance to say "goodbye." I guess I am wishing to have that chance. We traveled back to her gravesite this summer, but I don't think that I really allowed myself the time to really grieve over her. My family was with me and I was a bit embarrassed to show my true feelings. My daughters mourned her unashamedly, I want to feel that way again.

Just one my stroke of her hand on my face would be enough for me.

I had a chance to fly home in May of 2005. I didn't tell many family members that I was coming because I was there to surprise my brother and his wife. On the last day I was there, I drove over to my grandparents house and walked in to surprise them. The look on my grandmother's face was so priceless to me. She sang my name, "Oh, Maria!" That was worth it for me. And that was the last time that I saw her. I am sorry that I didn't make more time to spend with them. I am so ashamed of that.

Although there might be things that we wish we could go back and do over, I know that the Lord can restore that lost time to us. Obviously He won't bring my grandmother back but I know that I can ask the Lord to bring to my memory special times I had with her and share them with my children.

Paige and Jena draw pictures and tell stories about "Grannie" often. I want to keep her memory alive in my home. I know that the Lord gave me my grandmother for a reason and I want to honor Him in her rememberance.

I had a chance to write a letter to be read at her funeral since I wasn't able to travel back for her funeral. My brother read the letter for me. As I sat to listen to the tape of the service I could sense a spirit of peace and celebration over her life. She lived a rich life and the Lord allowed her death to be used to bring those of us left behind closer to Him.

"The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised." Job 1:21

Name Dropper?

So last evening we went to a favorite store of ours and Duane came walking over to me while the kids and I were enjoying the Christmas decorations. He said, "Guess who is here? Kirstie Allie!" I followed his gaze and only saw her from behind. She was walking with another person who Duane guessed to be her personal assistant.

We continued our shopping, namely picking up diapers and walked to the check out. Low and behold she walks right up behind us. The cashier's face goes completely red and she talks really loud at me, "Have a great evening!" Duane overhears her say, "Oh, that didn't happen, those are all lies." He looks at what she is looking at and sees the tabloids and People magazines sitting in front of her. We gather our children and head out the door.

As we walk out, Duane spies her car and tells me that he caught her looking at Annie. Yeah, I never thought that I would be a name dropper, but I confess Duane and I had a story to tell and yes, we are pitiful, not much happens in our town!

Duane tells the girls as we are leaving, "Look at the doors as this lady is walking out girls, she is a movie star." "Wow!" Jena says, "Daddy, what is a movie star?" Yes, she put it all into perspective for us. She is just another person on this planet that has the unfortunate time of people acting completely goofy whenever they see her. Of course, sometimes people act completely goofy around me but I don't need my time in the spot light for it to affect me! Poor woman she moved to our sleepy little town to enjoy more goofy people! Oh, by the way did I mention that she bought a house at the end of our street too? I am shameless, I know! :)

What happened to the white truck?

Once every two months or so a big white truck pulls up in front of our house to take away some used clothes or household items in large pink bags. AMVETS sends out a driver to pick up items that we no longer need. I love when this happens. I think that Duane gets a little nervous, I want to pitch everything, he wants to keep it. So seeing the white envelope in the mailbox holding a pink bag inside excites me! "What can I give away this time?" (Some months I save a bag so I can have lots of pink bags out front.) A children's song by Jack Johnson comes to mind, "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle." Love it!

Yesterday was one of those days, I eagerly collected my bags and ran down the stairs with them. I threw on Duane's coat and carried my swollen bags out to the curb. As I set them down I remember thinking, "Lord will you bless whoever can use these?" I don't normally think about that, I am usually just excited to get rid of them.

Usually the driver comes early, some months I have missed him because he is so punctual. The envelope states that they will pick up "Rain or Shine by 8:30am." It even states that "You don't need to be at home." They don't want cash donations, just "household discards!" How perfect!

Until...I get a call from my neighbor..."Hey Maria, want to hear a funny story? Want to know where your bags are?" I love funny stories so of course I am all ears now. "Yes, what is it, did you want them?" She goes on to tell me that as she was getting home late last night a black Explorer drove slowly past our house. She didn't think much about it as she carried things into her house. But as she came back out, the car came by a second time. She called to her husband and said it freaked her out a bit because they kept slowing down each time it came near our house. So they went back inside and watched from the window to see if the car would return. Sure enough it did, but this time, someone jumped out from the car and grabbed all my bags and threw them in the back of their car and they drove away. They didn't even leave me a receipt for tax purposes!

So, sometimes my understanding of blessing is different than others. They must have really needed my bags. But if you happen to be garage-saling soon, let me know if you see my black v-neck shirt, I might swing by and ask for a receipt.