A Reason to Celebrate

Dear Carrie, William, Josh, and Matty,

February 2...Groundhog Day!

As a little girl, your Grandma Carolyn did a great job of celebrating life.
She loved to make special days very special.
She was very good at creating traditions.

It was from Mom that I learned how important traditions are...how important it is to have traditions to ground us. Especially important are those traditions once we are grown--and those loved ones are no longer with us.

Groundhog Day is one of those days that I think is fun to make special--just because.

I love tuning in, early on February 2, to see what the folks in Punxsutawney, Pennsylavania are doing.
I love to see that chubby groundhog pulled out of his "burrow" to tell us whether we will have an early spring or not.
I love hearing your "ooohhhhhhs" and "aaahhhhhhs" and giggles over that furry guy with the big nose. William, you even asked if we could keep a pet groundhog.

My groundhogs have red noses because we just made it through a winter ice storm that left it very cold outside. His nose is red because he is cold.



Last night, we talked about what Groundhog Day is.
This morning, before you woke up, I made Groundhog Day muffins.

And, very appropriately--even though accidentally, my groundhogs looked scared.
Appropriately because they had a big fireworks show over Gobbler's Knob to the music of Star Wars right before dragging that poor little guy out of his tree trunk!



Did you know that February 2 is also called Candlemas?

The event is described in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 2:22–40). According to the gospel, Mary and Joseph took the baby Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem forty days after his birth to complete Mary's ritual purification after childbirth, and to perform the redemption of the firstborn, in obedience to the Law of Moses (Leviticus 12, Exodus 13:12-15).

In the United Kingdom, good weather at Candlemas is taken to indicate severe winter weather later:

"If Candlemas Day is clear and bright,
Winter will have another bite.
If Candlemas Day brings cloud and rain,
Winter is gone and will not come again."

It is also alleged to be the date that bears emerge from hibernation to inspect the weather as well as wolves, who if they choose to return to their lairs on this day is interpreted as meaning severe weather will continue for another forty days at least.



This morning, we watched Phil being pulled out of his tree trunk on Gobbler's Knob.

We watched the Club President of the Inner Circle speak "Groundhogese" to Phil.

We watched as Phil predicted that spring is "right around the corner."

"Of these 115 predictions on record so far, Punxsutawney Phil has predicted an early spring 15 times (13%). As to his accuracy, according to the StormFax Weather Almanac and records kept since 1887, Phil's predictions have been correct 39% of the time."

And then we ate breakfast!







I know that I've told you this story many times, but I'm going to tell you again.

When I was about 8 years old, I was taking a walk down the lane to Uncle Roland's house. Walking faithfully by my side was my dog Tippy.
It was a hot afternoon in the summertime, and we had almost made it all the way down the lane when a groundhog "jumped" out at me and Tippy!
My Tippy-dog took off after that groundhog...and I high-tailed it as fast as I could back up the lane to my house!
When I got home, I was out-of-breath and very afraid for Tippy. I could just imagine that mean old groundhog tearing Tippy apart!
I cried and waited for Tippy while Grandma Carolyn guaranteed that Tippy would be just fine.
And she was right.
After a while, Tippy came trotting up the lane.
I filled a big bowl of water for her. I even remember putting ice cubes in the bowl for her--because she deserved it!

That's my first groundhog story.
Now I have more.

Groundhogs.
Even a prognosticating rodent is reason to celebrate.

And...one day, I think that we should plan on making that trip to Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania and be among all those crazy people up before dawn to wait on a groundhog to tell them whether it will be an early spring or not.

In fact, I think that one is going on my "bucket list" right now.

Enjoying the Journey,

Starting Fresh

It has been so long since I have written a blog post.
A real blog post.
Not one of those like I did back in October.

A blog post where I really take the time to write about something that matters.

Every time I sit down to write, I wonder if what I have to say really matters.
I feel like I did when I wrote my very first blog post.

Three times since the New Year has begun, I have been directed to Philippians 3:13-14. Three times from three separate resources.

Is God trying to tell me something?

"Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

Do I spend too much time looking back and feeling bad about all that I haven't done?

Well...YES!
I do!
I am really terrible about that!

So, as I sit in front of my blog, God's Words come to me.
How can I move on now that I've been so neglectful about recording months of family memories?

I will do what Paul has told me to do.
In the book of Philippians, Paul says to "forget what is behind and strain toward what is ahead."

Funny thing.
When I asked my Paul about how I could possibly move ahead with my blog, he gave me the same advice.
Don't look back and don't try to pick up where you left off.
Don't look back at all.
Write now...right now!

Well then.
Here it goes...

One of our favorite parts of Christmas vacation is New Year's Eve!
Everything very noticeably slows down the week after Christmas in our home.

The rush of the holidays is over.
The shopping is done.
The baking is done.
Paul has vacation from work for the week.
The house is a wreck, but it doesn't matter.

New Year's Eve is a very quiet time in our home.
I'm not sure why. I'm sure that the noise level is the same as always...maybe even a bit more amplified than usual because of the new toys and gadgets and because of how cluttered the house is.
But every year, when I think back to New Year's Eve day and evening, my memories seem hushed.
Happy and hushed.

We've started having homemade pizza and nachos each New Year's Eve.
Here is one of our creations from this year...



The Littles started their partying early!
Which was a good thing.





A very good thing.
Their New Year's Eve ended a little early.





Josh woke up for a few minutes to see the ball drop, but he didn't remember anything about it the next day.



Paul's first picture of 2011...



My first picture of 2011...
Yes, I am quite bleary-eyed. I had fallen asleep too.
But I do remember seeing the ball drop.



Carrie and William are always the New Year's Eve troopers.
They LOVE staying up late. Their goal every year is to stay up all night long.

Maybe next year. :)





So...off we go into 2011!
This has been a much-anticipated year.
A year of new beginnings in so many areas.

This will be a good year!

A year to "Forget what is behind and strain toward what is ahead, pressing on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

I am so thankful for God's mercies which are new every morning!

Lamentations 3:22-23
"Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

Enjoying the Journey,

Summer 2010 Recap

Before you begin trying to read this post, I must tell you that this rundown of my summer is the way that I am dealing with the guilt of not blogging about each individual event. It's a quick way to catch up on my family scrapbooking...

Bear with me.

Back in May, it was like I was sitting in my little row boat on the shore, looking out over a body of water...but I couldn't see the other shore.




That's how the summer seemed to me this year.
Big and overwhelming.

Good big and overwhelming.
Fun big and overwhelming!

But still...big and overwhelming.

So...I started paddling, constantly thinking about all the water surrounding me.

June came and so did our vacation to Sheboygan, Wisconsin on the shores of Lake Michigan.






Carrie and William went to church camp.







Vacation Bible School.






Our field trip to the lavender farm.






July came and went as quickly.

The annual Fourth of July party at our house.












My cousin's baby shower up north.






Brandy's (my soon-to-be sister-in-law) bridal shower that Carrie and I hosted up north.












Setting up Carrie's high school schedule and figuring out transcript-keeping.



Joshua's swim lessons.














Then, all of the sudden, it was August!

Carrie and William were fitted for their bridesmaid and groomsman clothes.




The beginning of the new school year for our homeschool group.








Ron and Judy's 50th Wedding Anniversary and party!














Getting ready for Carrie and William's trip to the Grand Canyon with Grandma and Grandpa.






Filing last year's schoolwork away and pulling together the things needed to begin this school year.





Now, here I am, still paddling, but I can see the other shore, with Rob and Brandy waving to us from their wedding day!

I look back at what I thought was one big wave--one that I thought had the power to take me under at times. But now I realize it was really many small currents, steadily pushing me to the other side of the summer.

Enjoyable, calm, warm currents.

Isn't that how life is?
When you look too far ahead, that lake, with its calm currents, looks more like an ocean with hurricane strength winds.

Matthew 6:34
I like how The Message says it...
(emphasis mine)

"Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes."

And how many times do I have to read that and remind myself of that?

How much time do I waste in worrying about what is to come rather than enjoying the right now?

Another case of reminding myself that I should be...


Enjoying the Journey,