1.31.2010

 
{Again with the play button, sorry. It's the best I could do. Use your imagination. Pretend it's not there.}
I just saw the newest Emma, the Masterpiece Theatre version, and I must say, that was the best version I've ever seen. (I cheated and watched the last episode on youtube.) I loved all the characters and they stayed very close to the book. It was great!

P.S. Emma's my favorite Jane Austen. Maybe that shocks some of you, I don't know. I even prefer Mr. Knightley over Mr. Darcy. Just saying...

1.30.2010

May I just say that I love her

-For attractive lips, Speak words of kindness.
-For lovely eyes, Seek out the good in people.
-For a slim figure, Share your food with the hungry.
-For beautiful hair, Let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.
-For poise, Walk with the knowledge you'll never walk alone.
-People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed and redeemed; Never throw out anybody.
-Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm.

(Audrey Hepburn, in case you didn't realize.)
                                                

1.26.2010

Blessed.

It's that time of year again. Tax season, I mean. That means Mom's working at home preparing other people's taxes, dealing with the darling and dearly beloved to all to whom it is known, the IRS, and that also means we get the pleasure of having strange people come in and out of the house morning, noon, and night. Sounds delightful, no?

Well, one day Mom had a client with four little girls. These girls were just dying to look around and go upstairs. That's when Mom said they were welcome to explore. They were upstairs in no time. I gave them a tour and heard many simultaneous wow's. They were astonished by the striped walls, my pet fish, our 3 dogs, beds, mirrors, everything. And I was struck. Struck with my own ingratitude.

These four little girls live with their mother in a tiny apartment. Their father recently went to jail. They don't have many of the privileges we do.

I am so blessed. So very, very undeservedly blessed. I don't deserve a house with room enough for all of  us (plus more if they don't mind sleeping on the floor),  I don't deserve all these nice things, a warm bed, food enough for quite a while, a wonderful family, a Christ-centered church, and wonderful friends who are a daily encouragement for me. I don't have a right to own all these things. God has been so kind, and I certainly don't deserve His many kindnesses.

Psalm 103:8 &10 say, "The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love...He does not treat us as our sins deserve..."

1.22.2010

Today Katie and Sydney left for Italy. Today my tear ducts were quite active. Gosh, I love them both. I already miss them. Please keep them in your prayers while they're...up...high...in the sky.
On a happier note, we watched Breakfast at Tiffany's in the car on the little portable dvd player. And I have to say, I felt quite high-tech and sophisticated.
"Looking unto Jesus...Looking beyond man, beyond circumstances, beyond the thousand causes so rightly called secondary, let us ascend as far as the first cause - His will: let us ascend even to the source of this very will - His love."

1.15.2010

Return to Cranford

 {Yes, it has a play button. Give me a break. There weren't any better pictures.}

Yep, it's the sequel to Cranford (never could've guessed, right?). Yay! I just watched the first episode online here. Episode 2 won't be out January 18. Sad.

A lot of the old characters aren't in the sequel. But there are a lot of new ones. Bessie's back and still in flannel! It's really cute...and of course, sad. Elizabeth Gaskell must have been a bit morbid. Even so, I highly recommend you watch it.

1.14.2010

"The government's view of the economy could 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." 


-Ronald Reagan

1.11.2010

New Year's Eve Party

 Pictures from the New Year's Eve party at the Moellers'. A bit late, but better late than never.

1.06.2010

A quick glance at the Crampton Crew and all their quirks

In case you don't know the Clampetts Cramptons:

Dad: How old is he again?, "The Great Melvini" (don't ask); when he's not in the court room, he's constantly researching various conspiracy theories (particularly 9/11 and the J.F.K. assassination), playing Text Twist, speaking of writing a non-fictional book but about what remains a mystery, or playing volleyball. Brilliant, funny, has a thing for cheesy puns and has many, many stories from his childhood/early adulthood (just ask him about it. I'm sure he'd like that). He lives for Christ, is a wonderful example of the way a true Christian ought to live and speaks for those who cannot speak for themselves.

Mom: 29 (forever), "Concha"; juggles cooking, cleaning, and doing laundry for 6 kids, homeschooling, driving kids to cross country, soccer, and softball, teaching two classes at Excelsior, and working at home as a tax preparer. Master of the art of bargain-hunting. When she's not doing all that she enjoys reading, relaxing, napping, and gravely reminding us that "Lawyers should never marry other lawyers because it only makes for more lawyers and idiot children."


Joseph: 22, "Joey" or "Steve Jo" at Liberty; loves reading and making lots of reading lists of books he has yet to get around to read. Has a passion for music; formerly played the trumpet and enjoys messing around on his guitar and occasionally playing around on the piano. Currently a student at Liberty University. Don't be offended if you introduce yourself (once, twice, or even ten times) and he forgets your name 5 minutes later. Happens all the time. Trust me. Maybe he'll get it on the 17th time.


Katie: 21, "Bessie #1"; the artist; Manager at Etta B Pottery, enjoys painting, drawing, reading, photography, traveling, puzzles, and kids. Has a strange obsession with Napoleon Bonaparte. With Katie, everything must have a  name, a name of its own. Like her car for instance, which is called Violetta, or her pillow, Rosemary. For her, it's a hobby. Don't ever compete with her in a battle of 'Who's the most knowledgeable in obscure grammar rules?' She'll win.

Jamie: 18, "Jim Bob"; sort of effortlessly brilliant and super talented with a frisbee. Currently learning Greek. Has a fascination for Welsh revivalism. Has traveled to Ethiopia with a missionary friend and visited Wales with our pastor. When he's not working as an Elder Script "delivery boy," he'll most likely have his head in a book. His great love for Christ and concern for the spread of the Gospel are so clearly evident through his life and all that he does.


Kelley: 11, "Goosie"; our tries-very-hard-to-be-a-tom-boy-but-still-has-that-element-of-girlishness-in-her girl. Plays softball, soccer, and runs cross country. She loves to laugh. She and Jonathan are best friends; always playing together, making strange concoctions, getting into trouble, building tents with virtually every sheet, pillow, and blanket in the house, and running, or riding bikes, scooters, ripstiks, or whatever else they can find up and down, back and forth, over and again all throughout the neighborhood.


Jonathan: 8 (soon to be 9! Yikes!), "Jon Jon"; a crazy, soccer-playing, silly, wild, energetic, yet sweet, loving, cuddly goofball. Make sure you are nowhere near him when he's with Andrew, because there's sure to be some kind of explosion. Andrew and Jonathan are two peas in a pod, best friends, wrecking havoc side by side. He recently wrote a book entitled The Life of a Parrot. It's soon to be a New York Times best seller, I'm sure.

1.05.2010

Well, there you have it.

Jonathan: *sings "Have a tender Tennessee Christmas" in an awful out-of-key country voice*

Kelley: Jonathan, please stop. Christmas is over.

Jonathan: ...It'll come again.