Angela – Page 163 – Letters from Home

Rescued

One day when we were asked to introduce ourselves to a room full of new people, Richard decided to tell the group about one of the times I was rescued by first responders.

I have a few dramatic rescues in my life story and they continue to teach me.

One thing I have learned from being in peril is the quality of selflessness that emerges in the rescuers. They become my friends immediately, willing to do whatever they can to help. I’ve held hands with strangers who have run to my aid. They have carried me, watched over my family, and taken me to safety.

Most rescuers I have never seen again, but I have been blessed to have a few chance meetings with some of them.

They have met me with arms extended, tender encouragements, and even a cheer. “Here she is!!” and “I’m so glad to see you back with us.” They are the regular people and I am a small person, but I was worth their time and they cheer me on. They are my heroes.

Gratitude, love, and self worth are a few of the things I have gained from being someone who has been rescued.

These experiences have also taught me a lot about our Redeemer who has done for us what we could not do for ourselves. When we meet him someday, he will have a measure of love for us that can only be earned by a rescuer.

I’ve heard it said that everyone is in peril of some kind, or they soon will be. We can be rescuers with a smile, a note, or even consistent, mostly unnoticed efforts. We may never know that we have been rescuers or the depth of feeling others have for our service. Ready? Let’s go rescue somebody.

Two Updated Rooms

This month we focused on the piano room and the craft room.

I bought a few chairs so we have a little bit of seating in the piano room.

For the craft room, Richard and Daniel installed new outlets and I put fresh paint on the walls, trim, and door. I moved in a sewing desk (free from a neighbor). There is also a handle on the door now!

There is an open closet with shelves near my sewing desk. I like to keep those shelves hidden behind a curtain.

One end of the craft room stores my sewing stuff and the other end of the craft room is for Legos and craft supplies. Mark and Timothy always seem to have a Lego project going on in this room.

I love the warm look from the paint and the clean white trim. It’s a nice space to work and have ongoing projects.

Tim Plays Fall Ball

The kids have been in school for a month now. Four weeks seems to be the magic number for finding a routine at our house. Our mornings begin around 5:15. For the next 3 hours I watch the family leave one by one. I try to interact with each one before they leave. The evenings and mornings go by quickly, but we’re finding the time to do the homework and extra curricular activities.

Timothy is playing fall baseball 2 or 3 nights a week. Here are a few photos of him as pitcher and catcher. Richard handles all of the practices and games while I go to Wednesday night youth activities and chauffeur the kids to piano.

Canning Tomatoes & Old Fashion

Richard and Timothy canned 25 pounds of our garden tomatoes this weekend. I did the dishes and listened for the cans to seal.

Those metal lids making that satisfying popping sound is an old fashioned sound.

I’m an old fashioned person.

I wish I could still wear barrettes and not look outdated. I don’t have a smart phone. I don’t own a maxi skirt in a chevron pattern. I hate the name “maxi skirt”. I don’t have any throw pillows in chevron fabrics. I stopped watching television years ago. I’m not on Pinterest or Instragram. I still write letters. Am I the only person who still does this? It seems like it.

It’s funny to joke how women tend to halt in their fashion at some point. They find something they like and they don’t move on. Maybe I’m there because I can’t get excited about maxi skirts.

Framing the Kids’ Art

This summer we had a few friends walk through our house and our framed children’s artwork drew a lot of positive comments. For years I have displayed their art in simple frames around the house because I love it, but it felt good to hear that other people loved it, too.

Today I framed Paige’s poppy painting and a couple of the boys’ Eric Carle inspired art projects from years ago. I like the shadow box frame for the beach scene. Maybe it would be pretty with a few shells inside.

There are many more to go, but I’m loving how this project is coming together. I also think that I might frame some of their piano compositions in the music room. The frames are from my first trip to Ikea. I truly thought that I would never find the exit in that store.

Texas

I missed a recent Austin reunion with friends because I had some car problems. How disappointed I was to miss some of my favorite people who had come to town.

I’m in the middle of painting the craft room. It’s not good blogging material. It’s lonely work, but Elphaba and Glinda have been singing to keep me company. I’ve thought a lot about Texas lately… the memories, the friends, the family.

Because I knew you, I have been changed for good.

Faithful friends

DSC_2338-001 — The Sanchez family dogs at the Weber, photo by Sarah

Last year Sparky chose to spend every day in his kennel, pouting because the kids were away at school. He’s not pouting in his kennel this year. He’s moved on to the living room where he curls up in a ball and waits for his kids to come home.

Books?

In my recent foray into the world of child psychology literature I am now up to date with the worn out lingo of the five love languages. I’m probably the last person on the planet to read about these. Do you know your “love language”? What do you register as the greatest acts of love? Are they service, words of affirmation, physical touch, quality time, or gifts? I have learned that my primary love language is words of affirmation. I guess that’s why I don’t allow comments on this blog. A snarky line in a comment would send me reeling for a decade. This also explains my hoarding of every kind email, text, and note anyone has ever sent me.

Here’s something that you can do for me that will appeal to my need for words of affirmation without you needing to come up with a heartfelt comment. Perhaps you can give me a book recommendation. I’ve had a dry year in reading. If you want to see what I read, I have a list of the books I have read the last few years in my sidebar.

And remember, if you share a book title, you will really be saying, “Angie, you are so weird, but I like you anyway.”

I’m shaking. What if no one gives me a book title? I’ll just have to continue slogging through C.S. Lewis. Help!

Do you feel manipulated?

Sorry.

Men’s Weekend

Half of our family was away this weekend to have a grand adventure at Fish Creek with Richard’s family… and my brother Paul.They camped, rode 4-wheelers, hiked, and explored.

We were all led to believe that it was just for the boys, but the pictures don’t lie. Richard’s sister was there. 😉

They came home dirty, exhausted, and smiling. It looked like a successful trip to me.

State of grace

I’ve been hoping for some photos from the Scout Camp that Daniel attended this summer to add to this post, but my feelings for what occurred with Daniel don’t require a photo to convey.

Scout Camp was just what Daniel needed and I will always be thankful for his leaders.

Parenting has made me feel very inadequate lately. Some of this feeling comes because I know that I am a flawed person. Some of this feeling comes because the kids don’t need me in the same ways that they used to and I’m trying to figure it all out. The kids are trying to figure out who they are and some days they long for more independence, but on others they need extra support.

I will admit that one of my biggest challenges in parenting is how to handle all of the technology that my children want to use. Some days it seems like all I do is monitor time spent on the computer, Wii, and watching Netflix. We have set time limits, but screen time tends to blur capacity for self control. It’s no fun being the screen time sheriff, but I am diligent. Some days I feel like a martyr. I sacrifice my easy tone and adopt an uncomfortable iron will to keep them from being tied too closely to the computer and television. It’s parenting in the trenches. The enemy is in the house and it takes courage to keep it at a distance.

Daniel has needed some space and I have struggled to help him find the it while still parenting and guiding. We sent him to Scout camp hoping that the time away would nurture his need for independence, challenge, and friendships with other young men.

When he saw me for the first time after camp he gave me a long hug. I don’t know why. Whether it was the corny songs and cheers, the camaraderie of leaders and friends, the nights under the stars, particularly poor cooking, a week away from the computer, or a combination of all of these things, I was grateful for whatever it was that brought Daniel to a place that he wanted to give me a hug.

This state of grace that Daniel was given at camp was a magnet for the young cousins at our family reunion. He spent time wrestling and nurturing them. He caught them in the freezing river and waded them to shore; he was helpful and he was magnificent.

Daniel is an amazing young man and he has grown more patient and unselfish this year. He’s also grown about 5 inches. Anyone under that kind of physical stretching is going to have some adjustments to make in the way he moves, talks, sits, and interacts with the world. I’m cheering for him all the way.