One in Heart and Mind

UPDATE: Adrianne is out of surgery and doing well. Initial prognosis is an abcess, not a tumor. Praise the Lord. You can read more here. Please continue to pray for the Penners as Adrianne recovers and that the follow-up pathology confirms the initial diagnosis. Read below for more information if this doesn't make any sense.

This past weekend we had a rather spontaneous privilege of attending the wedding of our friend Nathan Penner. Many of you reading this blog probably know him, or did at one point. Or perhaps you know his brother Brian, Aaron's buddy with whom he took the infamous baseball trip. We have known Nathan since he was in high school and we college freshmen would trek down to his house on a weekend, spend the night, and wake to his mom's delicious cinnamon rolls. Ah, to be in college again.

But alas, we grow up. And somewhere along the line, "the real world" they're always telling you about rears its ugly head. When it happens, it can define who you are and who you strive to be. I don't think Aaron and I experienced it until 5 years into our marriage. 9:30 pm on March 14, 2005, to be exact. Nathan and Adrianne (his bride) got hit a bit sooner, just before Thanksgiving, when Adrianne, after having severe headaches, was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Surgery was scheduled for December 10. The two were scheduled to be married in January, but with much discussion they decided they wanted to be married before the surgery. And 6 days later, they were!

We got the evite, debated for about 5 minutes, and decided we needed to be there. And really, how cool for us (selfish, I readily admit), because we could not have attended the wedding in Iowa, to celebrate with them! So we made the drive down to Pasadena with the kids, and we are so glad we did. The ceremony, which was completely planned by friends with a budget of zero dollars and a potluck dinner with far more food than was needed, was amazing! They have a video on their blog, which is a great snapshot of the ceremony. It was such an example of the story in Acts of the new church; "All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had." Acts 4:32. And it really made me think about the way we do weddings in America. Isn't it all about "me" and what "I" want? How beautiful it was to see all of these people who care so much for Nathan and Adrianne that they would plan a wedding so beautiful for them! And as for this stuff defining you, they are on such an amazing track.

And so today is the big day. Adrianne is in surgery and the rest of her family, including her new husband and his family, are waiting. And they are on my mind, as part of the body of Christ, and so I am posting about it. If they happen to read this, they will know they were loved and prayed for. And perhaps it will inspire some of you to stop for a minute and offer up a prayer for them, too. If you want to read more about their story, visit their blog, which is linked on the right. If you want to read more about the wedding, there's a great post here.

This post also affords me the opportunity to tell you a great Charlotte story. Charlotte does not really know Nathan, since he's lived in LA since she was born, but you know how kids are, once they hear about someone enough they feel they know them. Actually, I'm a bit like that, too. Thank you, blogs. Well Charlotte heard us talking about Nathan for the week before we went down, and so in the car that day she kept saying, "I love Nathan." So do we. " Is Nathan tall?" Yes. Very. "I want to hug Nathan." He would love that. Throughout the wedding she just kept watching Nathan, and when it was all over, she ran right up to Nathan and gave him a hug, just like they'd been friends forever. After the ceremony we went to a new location for the reception, and immediately Charlotte had to go to the bathroom (of course, just like she had to go 3 times during our Costco trip today, but I digress). As we opened the door, who did we see? Adrianne, doing some last minute primping (she's the bride, she's entitled) before they announced the wedding party. I said, "Look who we found, Charlotte," to which she replied, "Hey! I saw her at Nathan's wedding!"

O Tannenbaum

Pumpkin patches and Christmas tree lots: two things that Oregon has that make me seasonally homesick. Last week we went to the local tree farm to purchase ours. Every year I take a picture of us with our tree. In Oregon this didn't seem strange. Everyone went to the farm and either cut their own or chose one cut that day. We used to go with Chris and Jen. Since moving home it seems like many more of our friends have artificial, pre-lit trees. I'll admit, I've considered it myself, but I can't let go of the smell of a fresh tree in my house, and the fun of picking it out as a family. And the part of me that wants to be green knows that a real tree is actually better, environmentally, though, truthfully, that's a pretty small part of my decision. So each year we go out to the one Christmas tree farm in Fresno (the first year we picked our beauty out at Lowe's, which was much less festive and less local) and I take our picture, even though it feels more and more like none of our friends do this. But you know what, I think you all might be missing out a little.


This year was also the first year that Charlotte got to stay up and help decorate the tree. Sure, the ornaments were all at the same level, and initially all bunched in one spot, but our girl takes direction well, and with Daddy's help spread them out quite nicely.




In the morning, when Levi awoke, Charlotte was anxious to show him all the ornaments, the santas, ball-balls (Levi's word for ball), and the one that makes noise. But my favorite was when she took him to the front of the tree, bent down, and said, "This is Caleb. This is your brother."

Children's Program

True to form, Charlotte was entertaining yesterday during the Children's Program at church. This year's highlights:

• singing to the pianist, rather than the audience
• asking, in the middle of the song, whether she can have a doughnut when this is all over
• the obligatory panty-show
• self-directed choreography
• a shout-out to her brother, and disappointment upon hearing he was not present
• taking a bow

Enjoy!



In case you don't want to watch the whole video, here are some highlights in pictures:

Watching the worship before they sing. Truthfully, it looks like Jackson is enjoying a different view, but we'll give him the benefit of the doubt.

We got some of the choreography, thanks to Emily in the second row, who was helping her out a bit.

Shh, shh, see the baby Jesus?

And some impromptu dancing.

Always together

Her own biggest fan (aside from me, that is).

Advent Calendar, cont.

Thank you so much to all of you who have emailed, facebooked, and commented about the advent calendar kits. I'm thinking I'll be doing this again next year, but a bit sooner in the season. But for those who have already purchased one, or those who are preparing for next, here are some great ideas:

Jane used some really cute bags, which she's planning to tie to her Christmas tree for the kids to find each day.


And if you happen to be collecting your toilet paper tubes, check this one out!

Now that you are collecting them, don't miss this one!

And Katie made a darling little calendar, too!

Happy counting!

Advent Calendar

When I was a kid, my mom made these advent calendars that my little bro and I opened each day in December. Inside was a small token of some kind, sometimes food, sometimes a little trinket, and a verse from the Bible which that item represented. The one that always stuck with me, for example, was a tiny little mustard seed, wrapped in clear contact paper so it wouldn't get lost, and the verse Matthew 17:20 (look it up, I dare you). I took this little calendar for granted until I had kids of my own. Suddenly it was really important that during the Christmas season we make sure that each day we were focusing on what mattered, and not the stuff they are inundated with elsewhere. I called my mom, who swore she had the kit somewhere to make it. She didn't. Well, she had a few pieces of the kit, but not nearly enough to make an entire 25-day calendar. We thought maybe those pieces would turn up, but almost two years later I've given up hope. Instead, I finally decided to make my own. I used some of what I remembered, some of what Mom remembered, and then spent a lot of time choosing new verses and items to go along. Now, November 30, I am thrilled to say I have completed an advent calendar, and it is fantastic! I am really so excited to start it with the kids tomorrow! Here's a sample:



There are many more tokens, of course, but this gives you an idea of what goes into the calendar.

Here's the even more exciting part - you can have one, too! You could do what I did, spending loads of time reading, shopping, assembling. Really, you could do all that yourself. Or, you could buy one from me, which sounds so much easier, doesn't it? I decided that since I'd already done all the hard work, perhaps others might be interested in having something like this. If that's you, just let me know in the comments. Each kit is $10, and doesn't include the actual calendar, just all the stuff to go in it. So just for fun, here are some calendar ideas:

I bought this beauty on Etsy last year, and it looks adorable and works perfectly! She also sells the PDF pattern if you are inclined to do it yourself. I was not.

photo from Pretty Swank

There are tons of other advent calendars available on Etsy, too. Don't blame me for the hours you are about to spend looking.

Target has several cute ones made of boxes. Some look like houses, or like an apothecary chest. Then there's this little guy:

photo from Target.com

Or you can get crafty yourself! My mom used to tie them each inside tissue paper and tie those to a yarn rope (think macrame). My friend Jane, also my first customer (thanks Jane!) is planning to tie individual bags to her tree for her kids to find each day. There is no end to the possibilities, really.

So let me know what you think. Wouldn't this be a fun gift?

Thankful from sunrise to, well, sunrise!

This year our day of thanks was very nearly a full 24-hours! This is the third year that we have hosted Thanksgiving, and I really enjoy it. I love decorating the table and organizing and preparing food. I love that we are able to have my family and Aaron's in one house for the holiday. And, selfishly, I love that my kids can take a nap when they need it and go to bed when they need to, all without Aaron and I having to leave the party.

Like most who host the big feast, I spend most of Wednesday getting the house clean. This used to be a bit easier, before little hands pulled out a basket of toys after I had just picked up one, or ate goldfish crackers in the very spot I had just vacuumed. By the time dinner rolls around on Wednesday night, the last thing I want to do is mess up the kitchen by cooking, and I'm trying to keep the kids busy with something that doesn't make a mess. That's how our new night-before-Thanksgiving tradition has begun. We put a big blanket on the floor (catches the crumbs) in the family room, watch A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, and have a picnic of something that require little to no prep, which was pizza this year.

This year our Thanksgiving Day began much earlier than past years, as we all got up before 7am and went to Woodward Park for the Turkey Trot. It's a 5K run and a 2.3 mile walk which is very family friendly. Lots of people were pushing strollers and walking dogs (one ding-dong apparently had a dog on the running trail, which was supposed to be forbidden, and it nearly broke Aaron's ankle). We had a great time with friends and got a little exercise in, even if Charlotte only walked about 1/4 mile before getting in Violet's stroller. And Aaron ran a good race, finishing 5K in 27 minutes. He's becoming quite the runner.

The family joined us around noon, and promptly began noshing on Aaron's delicious appetizers. The meal was delicious, and everyone brought a must-have dish. We spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing, taking a walk, watching football, and answering some of my new Table Talk cards. We traditionally only eat one meal, and then dessert is sort of dinner, since we wait a little while to have it. Everyone left not long after that, around 8:00 or so, and then I helped Aaron clean a little before I tried to nap on the couch. Yep, I said nap, because it's not sleep if you leave the house at 10:30, drive 45 min. to the outlet mall, and shop from midnight to 2:45. It was my first year doing Black Friday shopping, and I had so much fun! My friend Jill picked me up, and we met some other friends and my sister-in-law, Tracy, there. Some deals were fantastic, and some stores were crazy crowded, but it was worth it and lots of fun. I'll do it again next year.

I hope your Thanksgiving was every bit as fun as ours! We have so much to be thankful for. Holidays are always hard for me, and I always do some grieving, but I am also always reminded of the many blessing we have, and the many ways in which God has carried us. Thank you hardly begins to cover it.

Pomegranate Picking

It is so exciting when these beauties are in season!

I love pomegranates, and have fond memories of eating them in my underwear in the backyard with my brother (don't want to stain the clothes, you know) when we were little. Today my friend Cory invited us to join her at her mom and dad's house and do a little pomegranate picking. What fun!

I've got a good one, Mom.

What a beauty!

A little help from Mom...

and now I can do it "all by myself."

I think there's room for one more.

Or maybe two more.

Can't pass up a "teachable moment," even if it involves a gopher skull.

Mmmm...pomegranate jelly, here we come! And salads, and oatmeal, and any other recipes you send me (please post some in the comments!).

Finish Line

Months ago Aaron decided he wanted to run the Two Cities Half Marathon. He tried really hard to convince me to run with him, but I am just not a runner. However, since buying our double jogging stroller this spring, I have been doing quite a bit of walking. I figured maybe I could walk the half-marathon. We had lots of friends who were running it, and one friend willing to walk it with me. After months of training, yesterday was the big day!

Mark and Cindy kept the kids overnight for us (thank you, thank you!), which allowed us to enjoy a great carb-filled dinner with friends on Friday, get a good night's sleep, and wake up bright and early to arrive at the course just after 6:00. Aaron ran a great 13.1 miles, finishing in 2 hrs. and 8 min.

Almost done!

Jason Brooks, Sharon Wiebe, and I finished walking shortly after the first 20 marathon runners came in, at 3 hrs. 33 min. And we had a great time!

Dancing across the finish line

I have never been much of an athlete. I'm not normally interested in these kinds of things. I make a very good spectator. But there is something addicting about the community feeling this race had. We had so many friends involved, and saw many more once we got out there. Fellow racers have amazing stories, and I am completely in awe of the people who ran 26 miles in such amazing times. And I have to say, the feeling of accomplishment is pretty good. I am especially proud of Aaron, who trained long and hard and has become, much to his surprise, someone who enjoys running. Way to go, Babe!

Thanks to all who came out to cheer us on, who helped watch our kids, who kept me company on long training walks, and all who thought of us and prayed for us. Next year, come join us!

The kids (and the grandparents) were troopers, spending hours at the park.

The boys watching the finishers

At college group Sunday night, sporting our finishers' sweatshirts

Jason, Jill, Sharon, Me, Aaron - I love this picture! Wish we had thought to gather all our friends from church for an NFC picture.