Monday night TV

Well, since Tim watched the Vikings game on Sunday, he was willing to give up Monday night football for Everybody Loves Raymond episodes in between Trading Spaces "They Hated It." We have to say we, who are faithful TS fans, were a bit disappointed in the shows. They just showed the regular show--you know, the two couples trading homes, working in each other's rooms, with a designer and a carpenter, a two-day time limit and $1000 budget. Then at the end, there is the reveal--cause they can't peek in their own homes, and in the case of the "They Hated It" shows, one couple can't stand what is done in their rooms. So, we thought the whole show would be reveals and discussions with designers and home owners after the fact, when they just had a 2-minute clip at the end of the show to tell "the rest of the story"--how the couple came to live with the room or change it, what their feelings were, how the designers reacted to the homeowners dismay.

Well, it inspired us to rip down a portion of the bathroom border near the ceiling and clean one of the bathroom walls. Then we were back to watching Raymond.

But, we did spend quality and quantity time talking to Luke after he came home from marching band, while we were waiting for Mark and Inga to come home from a concert downtown--they got back around 11:30 pm (ON A SCHOOL NIGHT). So, today we have to get the lead out and get some real work done. After a shower and a short nap???? hahaha

Till next time,
Suzi

The mohawk is back.......

Well, we survived the neighborhood rock concert on Saturday night. About six bands came to play--varying from reggae/ska to punk to metal to rock and roll, etc. The police came a few times, due to neighbor's complaints, but the kids had the right to play till 10 pm--"if they didn't mind irritating their neighbors." Oh well. Everyone survived the noise and the mosh pit--there was only one bloodied lip and poked eye that I heard about. The drummer in Mark's band had a bit of an upset stomach before they went on, but Tums seemed to take care of that.

We provided a haven for some of the parents--one of them even brought dinner over, so about 7 of us took advantage of a delicious lasagna/salad meal. I had hot cider and even resurrected my sister's hot chocolate recipe which I haven't made since being diagnosed with diabetes 7 years ago. I also made gingersnap cookies from our old church cook book. We parents took turns peeking out our back room window which had a pretty good view of the concert. We could remain hidden in the dark, with the window cracked just a bit, and take in just as much noise and movement as we wanted to.

Mark shaved the sides of his head to recreate his mohawk (he shaved off the six-inch version in July). He sported this mohawk as we went to hear Christina sing at her school/church--Evangelical Lutheran Synod--but everyone was very friendly, although Luke claims he didn't get a bulletin because he was wearing a sweat shirt with a secular band name on it. I think maybe they were just running low.......

Anyway, after church Christina had a volleyball tournament--just a friendly competition with other Lutheran schools, and they lost most of their games ("we even lost to 4th graders!" she and her middle school friends moaned--they are in 7th and 8th grades). So, Tim and I crashed in the evening and watched Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan back to back on TV--first in Sleepless in Seattle, then You've Got Mail. Very fun, romantic comedies (read "chick flicks") but Tim was very kind and even enjoyed it. (I let him have an afternoon of football and games with the guys.)

So, we survived the weekend, although Mark will have the mohawk for who knows how long now (last time it was over 8 months). Right now it is his hair color, but with Halloween coming up, I'm sure that won't be the case for long.

Till next time,

Suzi

Saturday, in the park, I know it's not the 4th of July.....

Brrrr. Here it is, only a couple weeks from 90 degree temperatures, and we are freezing with cloudy skies, wind, and temperatures in the 40s (and 50s). I helped at the AFS car wash today--but actually we did pretty well--I think we got some sympathy money.

Now I am taking a little break to gear up for the evening--our kids are playing at the neighbors house (yard) and I'm inviting adults over for hot drinks (hot chocolate and the like). I'm sure we'll get our ears blown off with this wild music, but hopefully the other neighbors won't mind (they've been warned). Christina has invited her whole 8th grade class, and she and two friends will be here soon to spend the night before their church performance tomorrow.

I still have some tidying up to do soooooooooo........

Till next time,
Suzi

PS Also got the van's flat tire fixed and rear axle as well--it was leaking fluid or something. Good thing we have 3 vehicles, Tim's not working today, and Luke was also available! Thank you Lord!

It's the weekend.....

Well, another week has rolled past (almost--it is still Friday morning!) and we look forward to a weekend of rest, relaxation and.....volleyball tournaments, rock concerts next door, car washes, church performances, and whatever else comes up.

Christina has a volleyball tournament tomorrow and Sunday afternoon as well (Sunday is a fun, co-ed tournament at the Lutheran high school.) Also, Sunday morning, her 8th grade class will be singing at the church.

Saturday morning is the AFS car wash. I think cold weather and rain is predicted. The boys are going to be involved in a rock/punk/metal concert in our neighbor's yard on Saturday evening. I'm planning to have hot chocolate and cider for any parents who want to stop by. I'm hoping it doesn't rain. The Dingers (our neighbors) hosted this concert last year, and have spent the whole summer working on growing back their lawn after 100 or so kids rocked and rolled there then. Hopefully, the grass will come back next spring without too much trouble.

So, I'm glad I enjoyed my weekend away. This will be a hands on weekend at home. But it should be fun.

Till next time,
Suzi

A sad day

Yesterday, a young man in a high school about 60 miles from our home opened fire and shot two other students, killing one--the other one is still clinging to life as I write this.

Over the past several years we have been horrified as we have seen killings in high school across the country--but have never been touched by it in Minnesota. This community, in Cold Springs, MN, is a close one--a rural community just outside of St. Cloud, MN. Everyone, of course, is shocked, saddened and left wondering why.

It was interesting and gratifying to see people turning to God and prayer--last night community members gathered in the local Catholic church to pray, cry, and turn to God. My prayer is that the hearts of young people, parents, teachers and school staff will turn to God. He is the God of all comfort, and the Great Healer.

Till next time,
Suzi

Don't fence me out

For the last couple of weeks on my morning walks, I've noticed a new white picket fence on one of my routes. It extends for many yards--closing off the border just beyond a church parking lot, blocking would be intruders from a back entry.

It is a nice fence, and it could have had a gate for entry, I thought. Today I walked the length of a fence (brazenly trespassing in someone's yard, probably) to see if maybe there was a gate somewhere. No gate. The fence extended from a neighbor's chain length fence to a creek, so it would be difficult for someone to come through that way.

This saddened me. I can understand that perhaps people were walking through the property, taking shortcuts due to construction on the other side of the road. But, why not welcome these visitors?

I've heard fences make good neighbors. But most fences have gates, to let people in--to invite them to come while protecting property at the same time. A church should be a place where anyone should find a welcome.

I wish they had thought of a gate.

Till next time,
Suzi

Time for gloves

Today is the first day of autumn. I always think it should be the 21st, because I think that's when the first day of the other seasons is, but maybe I'm wrong. March 21, spring, Dec. 21, winter, June 21, spring. Maybe it's just because we need summer to linger a bit, so we delay the actual day of autumn. But I suppose we have to go with the day that has 12 hours and daylight and 12 hours of night, which must be today.

I'm thinking, I must go get some new gloves. My hands were cold today on Raven and my walk--it's hard to keep your hands in your pockets when you've got a leash in one hand and the poop bag in the other.

Today's Inga's last home soccer game, so the season is winding up. The stores are already pulling out their Christmas decorations--never mind Halloween--that's been up since August.

It seems like we always live for the future--or maybe dwell in the past. Today, I'm going to try to live for this day, this first day of autumn, and savor the cooler weather without worrying about the winter's snow.

Each day is a gift, so I will try to open this one slowly and with joy.Even if my fingers are a little chilly.

Till next time,
Suzi

A great retreat

Well, I'm back home now from a wonderful retreat at Covenant Pines Bible Camp in McGregor, MN. It was a terrific time of rest, laughter, learning, enjoying the beauty of the northwoods and lakes, and fellowship with other Christian ladies. The speaker was funny yet made us think and focus on God's ways. The topic was "Upside Down Secrets for Joyful Living"--and we looked at how God's ways are sometimes upside down to our way of thinking--such as being humble instead of seeking to exalt ourselves--but how his ways are best for us.

Saturday night our cabins ladies stayed up talking, singing and laughing till about 2 am. Lights out were midnight, but some ladies stayed out playing "Mafia"--a card game where 3 people with black cards are Mafia and the rest are red (one is the sheriff and one is a doctor who tries to guess who to save from the mafia's hits.) Anyway, it was really fun, and my family seemed to survive just fine without me--even the dog was fed, watered and walked. About the only thing I noticed that was different upon my return was that the banana supply was depleted (I guess I am needed for something, after all.)

And, I came home to find that the laundry room had dried out and the dryer was working just fine.

There is lots to be thankful for.

Till next time,
Suzi

Nobody knows the trouble I've seen.......oh yes, everyone does.....

Okay, today is the day I leave for the women's retreat at our church's Bible camp. I have been mentally preparing for days, checking schedules, going to the grocery store so the kids won't starve for the two days I'll be gone, emptying garbage, tidying up messes, etc. etc.

So, this morning, I think, okay, I'll finish packing, walk the dog, clean up the kitchen, vacuum and have plenty of time to get ready before I get picked up at 1:30. I wake to the sound of water running; I assume it's Inga in the shower. The water continues to run, but Inga likes to take long showers. She usually turns the water on and off as she needs it for rinsing--she's really good about conserving water.

But as I'm in the kitchen, I run the hot water, and can't get any. And the water pressure is low. I don't get it--this shouldn't be happening just due to one shower.

So, I send Tim downstairs, and blasts of water welcome him in the laundry room, the room is flooded (as well as the bathroom and part of the hallway) and he is able to wade through the mess, turn the water to the house off, and then we begin the clean up.

Meanwhile, Christina is very close to finishing her leaf project, but needs a ride to school because the bus will come before it is absolutely complete. So, I decide to take her so I can stop at the bank on the way home. I call Minnegasco to come to repair the washer and dryer (the sourse of the water blast was a broken hose on the washer, and the flood of water put out the pilot light in the dryer.)

Anyway, I get Christina to school, get to the bank, walk the dog, and come home to find a note from Luke, Please make me a lunch. Okay, one more thing, but I can handle it.

Now, I need to finish cleaning, packing, getting Alexa's birthday present for Sunday in case I don't have time when I get back.

I think maybe our little flood is to help us remember all those who are facing devastation of Hurricane Isabel. And in just a few hours, I get to leave the house for an enjoyable weekend with other women away from the chores of cleaning and cooking and driving.

So, okay, this is a little trouble, a little irritating, but it could be worse.

Lots worse.
Till next time.

Suzi

Heavenly wonders

Last night I was driving to a meeting. I wasn't running late, for a change, but I was still irritated at all the road construction I had to dodge. The main road that leads from our house to the rest of the world is closed, being dug up for sewer repair. (Three weeks estimated down time) Another major highway entrance to our area is closed, so it takes at least 5 extra minutes to get anywhere now, and more like 10 in rush hour.

So, last evening wasn't too bad--it was 6:45, so it was after rush hour, and I was making the traffic lights without too much hassle. (And there were a lot of them on the route I was taking.) I was listening to my favorite Christian radio station, KTIS, where Michael W. Smith was singing, "Breathe"--"This is the air I breathe, this is the air I breathe--your holy presence, living in me....." So I was feeling pretty good. Then I looked up into the western sky, and saw the clouds of heaven parting, and the sun shine through, sending streaks of light upward and downward. I was describing it to a friend, and she said, "Oh, you mean like Heaven's Gate?" Maybe that's what it was. Listening to the worship music and seeing this magnificent sight, I was sure Jesus himself was going to step out of that cloud and come back to claim his own.

My only regret was that I wasn't with loved ones to share the experience, but later I found out that my husband photographed that very sight. I'm hoping I can learn to post photographs here and maybe share that on a future blog.

But, the spiritual high only lasted about 30 seconds. As I continued west, the clouds closed again, hiding the sun. And a passenger in the car in front of me threw an empty plastic bottle out the window, shattering my vision of a perfect world.

Still, I'm thankful for moments like these that interrupt our busy, sometimes messy and cluttered lives with beauty that only God can create.

Thanks Lord.

Till next time,
Suzi

I finished!

Well, I completed my first BSF lesson for this year. We are studying the history of Israel and the minor prophets, and last week the lecture covered the books of Joshua, Judges, and Ruth. Our lesson was on I Samuel 1-10--mostly on the life of Samuel and how God used him in spite of Israel's rebellion and the contemptable behavior of Eli's two sons, who eventually were killed by the Philistines.

Today is also our first fellowship--a luncheon/discussion in someone's home from the group. Today it's at our leader's home. It will be fun to get to know the women from this year's group, although it's always a bit hard to form a new group while you're missing the bonds you formed with the women from last year's group.

Part of the endless cycle of saying hello and good-bye and hello again.

Till next time,
Suzi

Calling Noh

Yesterday I was online and saw our Thai boy, Noh, who's been back home in Thailand for about 2 months now after living with us for 11 months. He had left his phone card with us, so I called him up. It was so nice to talk to him, but hard to say good-bye--knowing we won't see him for quite a while. I talked to his mom, who said she wanted to send him back to us--he is so busy with school, tests, etc.--life is now much more stressful than it was here. She thanked us for having him, and I thanked her for sending her to us so he could be part of our lives.

He said it's the rainy season there in Bangkok now, and I said we've had a drought here. He said he's been playing the guitar there now, and I said the boys continue to play in bands, while right now Noh is playing solo. Maybe when he has more time he can take lessons.

In the meantime, he strums and thinks of us, and we walk into Mark's bedroom and see the empty place where Noh used to be. With each exchange student's leaving, a part of ourselves and our hearts leave, and we seek to fill the void with a new student. The new ones fill our hearts, but then they leave a void at the end of the year.

It's a good thing God makes our hearts able to break and heal, love and hurt, grow and fill. Even in the pain of sending our students back home, we have the joy of welcoming new ones, and maintaining relationships with our "old" ones around the world.

What a wonderful way to fill our lives and hearts.

Till next time,
Suzi

The missing bill.....

I find that about every month or two I need to lose something important so I can go through papers that have stacked up and find important bills or other items to take care of. I do have organizational methods, but sometimes I put things in piles anyway to sort and put in my funky folders later. Later becomes later and later and later, until the missing bill comes up and then I search around for items that should have been taken care of days (or weeks!!!) ago.

Plus, sometimes Tim and I have the problem of thinking the other has taken care of things. This month it was the house payment. I searched and searched, and found many other things, but not the house payment. So, we will have to send it in another envelope, but at least we have that option.

So, I vow to get organized once again, and we will see if that will happen.

I always hope, but sometimes hopes are dashed.......maybe they will be fulfilled this time.

Till next time,
Suzi

Sports mom

Well, today I got up at 6:15 am (it is Saturday, you know) just to get my daughter and her friend to the other side of town for their first volleyball tournament. So, I didn't have time to blog this morning. I stayed for the game (the first set of three--is that called a set??? I'm new to this organized volleyball stuff) and then went back home to pick up our exchange student from her soccer game. I stopped at home for a little bit, and my husband called wondering if I could pick up Mark from the job he and Luke were helping him with, cause he was anxious to get home. So, I picked up Mark and we caught the tail end of Inga's soccer game.

It was their first victory, so everyone was very excited. A couple of Inga's friends were there, so they wanted to take Inga and a couple of other girls out for ice cream to celebrate. Since these friends are nice kids, they invited me, the old mom, to tag along (never mind I was the mode of transportation--or that was the original plan. Turns out Inga ended up spending the afternoon with them.) Well, anyway, it was fun to spend some time with the teenagers and another mom came along too. I had only one scoop of chocolate mint ice cream (watching my blood sugar, you know) while the others enjoyed malts and sundaes with all sorts of stuff on them.

Then, turns out Mark didn't have to rush home after all--the concert he was going to play at tonight was cancelled. So, even though my whole day was planned around transporting kids and it was after all not really that necessary, I still enjoyed spending time with them. And Mark got in some valuable driving time--now that he's completed Behind The Wheel, he hasn't spent that much time practicing driving.

So that was good. And being with teenagers is good too, and a bit refreshing to spend time with them outside the house. (Away from the mess they--and maybe I?--sometimes create.)

Till next time,
Suzi

Rain is like water for the soul---

This morning our rain gauge read 2 inches! Wahoo. This is more rain than we have received in the past 6 weeks. I am hoping this will not only help the grass and maybe some crops (for most it is too late, I'm afraid), but also help poor Raven with his dry skin allergy. Our German shepherd mix has been on benedryl and been given special shampoo baths and lotions for weeks now, scratching and itching constantly, it seems. Also, maybe the leaves will stop falling so fast--I guess because it's been dry a lot of trees are losing their leaves early. And I hear that the fall colors may be less than spectacular due to the drought.

I awoke to the sad news that legendary singer Johnny Cash died, as well as TV actor John Ritter. I have fond memories of Johnny Cash from my youth--favorite songs of mine are "A Boy Named Sue, I Walk the Line, Folsom Prison Blues," and many gospel songs. I'm sure my daddy is saddened at this passing, too.

John Ritter was so young and full of life--so his passing is so sad too. Sometimes his sense of humor was a little inappropriate in my opinion, but I know he made a lot of people laugh.

Seasons come, seasons go, as well as seasons of life and life itself. I'm grateful for the hope of eternal life we have through Jesus Christ. Amen

Till next time,
Suzi

September 11

It's been two years since the terrorist attacks on America. It is a day to remember, to remember the sacrifice of others, to remember the soldiers who now fight to keep us safe and free.

The day following the attacks, I went to my BSF study. That year we studied the life of Moses--following the exodus of the people of God and seeing how God's hand was on them even though they disobeyed again and again.

On the first anniversary of the attacks, we met for BSF to begin the study of the gospel of John. We studied the life of Christ and as we learned how he touched so many lives while he was here on earth, he touched our lives during the course of that year.

Yesterday we began our BSF study for this year--the history of Israel and the minor prophets. We have a lot of ground to cover--yesterday's lecture and this week's notes cover the books of Joshua and Judges, and this week's reading is I Samuel 1-10.

God was at work on September 11, 2001--in spite of the terrible tragedy. Many lives were forever changed on that day, though many were lost, many were also saved or brought to Christ.

God was at work through the men and women we read about in the Bible. As we study their lives through the Scripture, God can teach and touch us as well.

It will be a good year of study, beginning today, September 11, 2003.

Till next time,
Suzi

Our Asian students

Yesterday I saw our former exchange student from Thailand, Noh, online. He's been gone for about 2 months now, and is swamped with school work and testing. It was good to see him on line, even though he was very tired. He didn't seem quite as discouraged as past times we've chatted, although I think he is still overwhelmed with everything.

And we got a package from our Japanese student, Mai, who was with us from 2001-02. She frequently sends us Japanese snacks--a favorite around here is Topo--a kind of chocolate stick covered with pretzel coating. mmmm She also sent a note to our new exchange student, Inga from Moldova, and a t -shirt for Tim for his birthday.

I still e-mail Carla, our girl from Bolivia, but we don't hear from Marcelo from Ecuador as often. Maybe soon.

It's fun to travel around the world without leaving the front door.

Till next time,

Suzi

Today I'm a construction worker

Well, I can tell it's really September. The kids have been back in school for a week now, and Tim is needing my help at work (since the boys can't help him.) He already called me while I was on my walk to ask me to bring a five gallon bucket of water. So, I guess it's good for me to do some physical labor, to try to keep the blood sugar down. Today Tim's spraying a ceiling, and I'm to help with the knock down texture.

So, hopefully I'll have the stamina and won't complain too much. The good thing is I can pack a big lunch and not feel guilty.

Till next time,
Suzi

Volunteering

Volunteering is great, if you don't let it get overwhelming. Tim has done a good job of protecting me from overcommitment in recent years. Since we haven't become extremely active in a church since our church closed a year ago, we have enjoyed some relaxing times at home with our kids. But opportunities abound--in and out of church.

We can be involved in our AFS exchange program chapter--coordinating fundraising, for example. Already Tim is our chapter treasurer and I'm the publicity coordinator (I send out e-mails on calendar items). We can volunteer to help with our kids sports programs--working concessions, helping at spaghetti dinners, working on fundraisers, etc--not to mention driving them to practices and games.

We can help with music boosters, more fundraisers, attend concerts, etc.

And this week I'm starting my Bible Study Fellowship. I agreed to be the assistant treasurer for our location, and this morning I'm going to a training meeting. It doesn't sound like a big commitment--only 30 minutes a week after our class.

So, volunteering is good, but I need to keep a correct focus. God first, then family and home, then volunteer stuff.

That way I'll have time to take my kids to the doctor (even though they're teenagers, they still get sick), help them with homework, and be available if they want to talk--or be available to meet their friends.

Till next time,
Suzi

Boating thrills

Sailing may be nice, when the wind is right.

But motor boating is really fun, especially when you're with a group of friends and touring a beautiful lake with nice homes surrounding the shoreline.

We went out with our small group from church last night--to boat around Lake Minnetonka and then out for dinner. We docked the boat at the restaurant, and then came out to tour some more as the sun set over the lake. It was really fun--beautiful to see the lake, the sky, and the lake homes. We saw some incredible mansions with lawns like golf courses and boat houses like homes in our neighborhood. The evening ended too soon, but it won't be forgotten.

I live in the land of lakes--I should go out to enjoy them more often.

There are other ways to enjoy lakes than just sailing--but sailing can be fun,too.

You just need the right wind.

Till next time,
Suzi

My blogging universe

Yesterday I was doing my morning ritual internet thing, blogging, checking e-mail, surfing a bit, etc. I read my Christianity Today e-mail about Big Idea filing chapter 11--fortunately Veggie Tales will live on, but the guys are having financial difficulty. Anyway, I went to IdeaJoy blog, to check out the site of my mentor and Cornerstone seminar blog leader, Dave King. Dave had news of the Veggie Tale mess, so I linked to his source, Brad Boydston. After looking at Brad's blog, I noticed he was an Evangelical Covenant pastor, (we are Covenant as well) and he had a link to Pagittblog. Hmmmm--there is a Covenant pastor here who was an interim preacher at our church for several months named Doug Pagitt. Well, lo and behold, it was the same guy.

So, I discovered a couple of great blogs (although got sad news of Veggie Tales), and caught up with Doug who has been writing a book about his "experimental" church, Solomons Porch. Its a really cool place, too--we've been there several times.

Now I'm having trouble getting on any blog, so I'll have to post this later.

Till next time,
Suzi

Around the world

Last night we had a meeting with the exchange students who are here on scholarship. It was so fun to meet these students who are here, sponsored by the US government, to learn, experience the culture, and share their lives with friends and family here. These students are from Germany, the former Soviet Union, and Islamic countries. The US is seeking to build relationships with these countries that were former enemies in war or to build understanding where it has typically been lacking in the past. The students represented last night were from Germany, Indonesia, our own Molodovan girl, Russia, Ukraine, and Turkey.

It will be fun to build bridges with these students this year, and see where these relationships will go in the future.

Till next time,

Suzi

Seeing Stan

Yesterday I ran into Stan, an old friend from our former church. I saw him as I was coming out of Barnes and Noble, after purchasing a Spanish/English dictionary for our foreign exchange student who is studying Spanish (her native language is Romanian).

I thought Stan, who is 86, looked pretty good, but more tired than the last time I had seen him. About a year ago, our congregation which had been meeting for 112 years, closed its doors for a variety of reasons. It was very painful for many people–including our family, as it was the church my husband had grown up in and where we were married, our children baptized, etc. Many of the members were over 60years old, and it was especially hard for them to see the doors closed.

Some of these older people have since died or had significant health issues. I thought of two of Stan’s good friends (ours too) who have died in the past year. Stan is looking after one of the widows, as they are now attending a new church together–he drives her to various church functions.

We are still seeking to fit into a church that works for our whole family–it’s painful even these many months later. It’s good to see people like Stan continuing to carry on. He asked me about my writing, and I told him about my blog. He said he’d like to do some writing too, of his family history. I hope he does it–he could illustrate it as well; he’s a wonderful artist.

It’s nice to make connections with people who share your history. New friends are good, too–but there’s nothing like people who know and love you through all the stuff of the years–good and bad. The old song is really true–“make new friends, but keep the old–one is silver and the other gold.”

You’re a gold friend, Stan. May God bless us as we seek out some silver ones as well.

Till next time,
Suzi

Hiding place

Last night I was feeling a bit melancholy. The kids going back to school (even though it is also cause for rejoicing)--the changing of the seasons, the marking of time--meaning hellos and good-byes--all this caused me to reflect a bit moodily. After Raven and I tromped through the dark woods, I came back to the back porch to brood in the darkness--or at least I tried. I waited for the motion detector light to go off so I could be alone in my little cocoon. But people kept coming out--"Mom, I gave Raven his food." "Honey, you're missing Everybody Loves Raymond!"

I can't hide from my family--how much more impossible is it to hide from God! I thought of the verses in Psalm 139: If i say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," even the darkenss will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. v. 11-12 (NIV)

Sometimes it is nice to hide--to be quiet for awhile, reflecting, praying, pondering. Then it's nice to be found again, to know that people care. And it's wonderful to know that we can never be hidden from God and his love and care for us--and that he himself hides us when we seek shelter in his everlasting and loving arms.

Till next time,
Suzi

School days.........

Here it is, the first day of school! Everyone got out the door okay--loaded down, grabbing something to eat--no phone calls yet, but I did get instructions to pick up lunch bags, plastic spoons, and tenor saxophone 2 1/2 size reeds.

The list will probably grow after school--but that's okay. As the kids grow, the lists seem to get shorter--so need to buy glue sticks for my 18-year-old's college courses. No more scissors or kleenex boxes for high school.

But somehow pencils and pens are always in great demand, and seem to disappear around the house. Good thing I blog online with a keyboard as my writing utensil. It's a little bit harder to lose a computer than a bic pen.

Plus, I'll have enough to keep together, even if I don't have mounds of elementary papers anymore. I've got 4 teenagers with different schedules, so that's enough to keep my busy--even with a 6-hour a day respite.

Hello, September!

Till next time,
Suzi

Better late than...

I'm blogging quite late today--it's already noon, and no, I did not just get up! ;) Walked the dog, then met Tim up where he is getting his tire changed (actually the Barnes and Noble near there--he got a gift card for his birthday.) Then to the grocery store--Mark had 3 friends sleep over, and the food has magically vanished overnight. We need to have something to pack for lunches, as school STARTS TOMORROW!!!

I am now recovering from loud crashing, electronic, screaming noises from the basement--otherwise known as Luke's band. Practice ended a little early when Luke got a call to go the Twins game. Too bad we don't have a retractable dome--it's such a lovely day for an indoor baseball game.

Now I'm waiting for Mark and Christina to wake up and for Tim to get home. I should check out my red brake light, too--might be low on fluid. Rapid Oil (or whatever it's called now)--here I come! There's always something more to spend money on!

Have a great Labor Day!
Till next time,

Suzi