The Lost Sheep

The Lost Sheep

Twas a sheep not a lamb that strayed away
In the parable Jesus told,
A grown-up sheep who had gone astray
From the ninety and nine in the fold.

Out on the hillside, out in the cold
Twas a sheep the good shepherd sought.
And back to the flock, safe into the fold,
Twas a sheep the good shepherd brought.

And why for the sheep do we earnestly long
And as earnestly hope and pray?
Because there is danger if they go wrong
They will lead the lambs astray.

For the lambs will follow the sheep you know,
Wherever the sheep may stray.
And if they go wrong, it will not be long
Till the lambs are as wrong as they.

And so to the sheep we earnestly plead,
For the sake of the lambs today.
For if a lamb is lost, what a terrible cost
Some sheep will have to pay.

written by (?) Meeks

my lunch date

I have set a worthy goal of catching lunch once a month with each of my kids during their school day.

J let me actually join him in the school cafeteria when we had our lunch date.

C stood me up for our lunch date.

Today I had a lunch date with this cute middle schooler.  

(I had to snap the photo of her in front of her newly "decorated" locker)

We sat on a bench in front of the school enjoying the sunshine while we ate and she told me a few important details of her day - like who she requested to bunk with next week at Outdoor school and who requested her and what her teacher told her about the packing list and what "computer nerd" said after PE, etc. etc.

I think, truth be told, she simply put up with me in exchange for a burger.

I personally think the burger was a bargain for buying me those precious 30 minutes.

T & Anneliese

A week ago I was having surgery.

It was the first surgery that I haven't had family here to help with the kids, so I had to figure out who would have the kids and watch the kids and pick up the kids...and then I was put to sleep and had to hope for the best :)

It doesn't get any more "BEST" than when T gets to spend the entire day with Anneliese!

Truly - could two four year old kiddos be any cuter together?

I was so glad that Anneliese's mom forwarded photos to me from their outing to the zoo.

I laugh out loud each time I look at this one that has them both studying their maps!

Neither one can read a word but I bet they both had an opinion as to where they wanted to go!

our Newest Family Members

On Saturday we FINALLY put occupants into our chicken coop.

We planned to buy four hens, but the lady selling had five and how could we separate them from each other?

The three dark red ones are Rhode Island Reds...named Rudy, Venice and Tina.

The lighter one is a mixed breed Rhode Island Red and and Buff Orpington...named Claire.

And the black & white one is a Barred Plymouth Rock...named Nike.

I have to admit that they fascinate me!

We put up a fence in the orchard so they could free range and they were in heaven eating all the fruit that had fallen from the trees and pecking for bugs.

We have offered them all kinds of goodness from our garden to see what they will eat - they eat it all - everything from corn to chard to cucumbers to a pumpkin!

They also eat all kinds of kitchen scraps.

And probably Rich and C's favorite, they eat slugs!  So Rich and C have gone out each night with a flashlight to fill a cup with slugs and then they offer the delicacies to our hens the next morning.

I have no idea why K took a photo of the bail of straw - maybe it makes her feel like we are living on a farm.  Silly girl...

And I nearly forgot the best part...four hours after bringing them home, we found these...

I like that kind of return on the investment.!

{TRUTH} One Year

Today is an anniversary.

One year ago today I walked into my breast surgeons office to have steri-stips removed from a "minor" surgical procedure and I was told that I had breast cancer.

It was exactly one week after my 36th birthday.

This past Tuesday I had my fourth surgery (if you count the initial "minor" surgery that wasn't going to amount to anything).
It was my fourth and FINAL surgery.
I am done!

It was exactly three days after my 37th birthday.

I guess we can just call that 36th year of my life "the year of the cancer" or some other catchy name.
I think I am actually glad to have had my birthday and put that year behind me.
I guess I am ready to move on.  At least when it comes to surgeries and doctor visits!

I feel like I ought to have some really profound thoughts to share on this anniversary.
Does a big sigh of relief count as a thought?

I spent last night re-reading all my cancer posts (my story here) and it stirred up more emotion than I was expecting.  I mean, I did already live it right?
It turns out that I don't have profound thoughts or insights to share...I think that I will stick with those that weighed on me the night before I went in for my double mastectomy (here).
I guess truth is still true even a year later.

So, the big question...
Would I change this past year?

Nope!

Not a day of it.  At least not where the cancer was concerned.
(There are a few bad hair days here or there that I would happily play re-do on :)

I think there are simply things that we learn, that we can only learn, when we are humbled by life and in a place where we truly view each day as a blessing.
When we are in a place where we go to our knees because there is nowhere else to go.
When we are so grateful to be a part of our life that we don't let life get us down.

I was there!
And there are days that I actually wish I was viewing life through the lens that I wore one year ago.
I was a better mom...a better wife...a better person.

Don't get me wrong - I am grateful for my health and the many blessings of healing that have been mine.
I simply wish that healing didn't mean returning a bit from that place of total humility that allowed me to be more grateful, more loving, more patient and more teachable.
I know that I can still be that person but it just takes a bit more work on my end.
And it takes time.
But I do want to remember what I learned and how I felt and what really matters.

I guess I know what I need to work on.

Maybe we can just call my 37th year of my life "the year we remember".

Here's to remembering!

Middle School Flirting

K came home from school and reported that when she was getting on the school bus a boy looked at her and said, "Hi Bob".

I told her that he probably likes her and just wanted to start a conversation.  I asked her what she did.

She reported that she said, "Hey George, it's good to see you" to which he said, "George!  I love it.  I've always wanted to be called George".

(or something along those lines)

I told her that she handled herself very well and, again, told her that he probably likes her.

She (in a very middle-school, girly voice) said, "moooommmmm he doesn't like me!  He's in 8th grade!"

I looked at Rich, who looked at me and smiled, and told K that the boy indeed likes her!

Okay all you boys!

So I get that she is a cute and she likes sports, which is a major bonus, and she holds her own against boys because she has all brothers so she doesn't get all silly and tongue-tied, but she is only allowed to date her daddy at this point and that isn't changing for 4 1/2 years.  Maybe even longer!

Got it?

Genetic Roulette

This movie is very informative - but very scary.  

It may just be the most important 85 minutes you spend this week.

Genetic Roulette -The Movie

I wish I lived in California to vote on Prop 37!

"As California goes, so goes the nation"

I pray that GMO labeling becomes mandatory - something that most European countries already require.

I don't believe that I am overstating to say that our future health depends on it!  

birthday marshmallow fight

My birthday was last weekend.

T, very enthusiastically, told me he knew what we should do for my party.

Basically it included everyone throwing marshmallows at each other until the ammunition was all gone - either eaten or had been places preventing it from ever being eaten. 

(I am not sure how so many marshmallows ended up in so many participants underwear!).  

When it was all over T, again very enthusiastically, announced that that is what he wants to do for his birthday!

Happy Birthday to me!

The Neighborhood watch is working

Remember this guy?

It turns out that if you ride a scooter behind your kids as they run home from school it appears to elderly ladies (more than one) that you are chasing children that are trying desperately to run away from you.

And when that happens, you get called a "predator".

Chalk it up as a good day!

BMX-ing it

Put a helmet on T's head and two wheels underneath him and this kid is unstoppable...

Back to the Books

This week was BACK TO SCHOOL week for the kids.

We sent off K and C on Tuesday...

C is a proud 4th grader

K started MIDDLE SCHOOL!!!

J and T's first day was Wednesday...

T is in preschool three days a week....and I just happened to accept a position at his preschool to be teacher assistant, so I get to tag-a-long with him each day :)

J is in kindergarten and full-day kindergarten at that!

Everyone was super excited for school to begin.

More to report soon...

Labor Day Weekend

We live within about 15 minutes of the Portland L.D.S. Temple, which just recently opened a visitors center on it's grounds.  We have visited the visitors center a couple of times but have never taken the "tour" that is offered on Sunday afternoons.  

So after church on Sunday we headed to the temple and now we can finally cross that off our "to do" list.

I think the Portland Temple is simply gorgeous!

But these kids are pretty good looking too!

Monday we attended a ward BBQ at noon and then the kids were given the choice of hiking, kayaking or bowling.  When you give three choices to four children, you have to know that there will never be a unanimous decision.  Such was the case for us, but the tie-breaking vote was for bowling, so bowling it was.

The kids signed up for the Summer Free Bowling that was offered here locally - basically the kids can bowl two games for free every single day.  Rich purchased the shoe pass (the not free part of the deal) for K and C and has taken them bowling a fair number of times.  

It was finally time for them to show me what they have been working on all summer...

Summer 2012: Week 11 via my phone

Our last week of summer!

What happened?

We filled the week with fun outings the best we could a midst a few "have to get done"s.  I think we did pretty good.

And, thanks to my phone, I even got some documentation of our final week of summer 2012.

{Monday} Oregon State Fair

This was our third year to make the drive to Salem to enjoy Free Kids Day at the State Fair.  We were a bit late in getting there because of a commitment I had in the morning, but we did get there and the kids were able to watch the animal races, the hypnotist and they all enjoyed a fair treat of their own choosing.

{Thursday} Oaks Park

This was also our third summer to make it to Oaks Park Amusement Park, the oldest continuing running amusement park in the U.S.

It was a great year for J, as he was tall enough to ride on everything except one ride and chose to ride on almost everything that he was tall enough to ride on (with a couple of exceptions).

It wasn't as fun for T, who is still a couple of years away from being as tall as J but he found great solace riding the kiddie rides.

C has realized that he doesn't do really great on rides, period.  It may have been his last year.  It will partly depend on what amount of amnesia sets in between this year and next.

K just did it all!

We did attempt the rollar rink this year, which was a first for us.

Everyone went in very enthused.  Everyone left a bit frustrated.

Maybe the 80's are left better alone :)

Thursday night Rich and I enjoyed some yummy Italian at Riccardo's Ristorante in Lake Oswego with Mark and Mary Neil.  Good food.  Better company.

{Friday} Sauvie Island Beach

I live relatively close to an amazing place that I have not explored nearly enough.  Other than one trip out to the Pumpkin Patch, I have not really explored Sauvie Island - an island mostly known for it's plentiful farms.  But thanks to my SIL, I now know that it also has a great beach on the Columbia River and that is where we spent most of our day with our cousins.

{Friday Night} Willamette River via Milwaukie

Friday evening we took the kayaks out on the river for a quick trip.  I love the evening rides, just as the sun is beginning to set.  It's nice and cool and beautiful.

{Saturday} Work Project

I am happy to report that after two years of wanting to "get to it", we completely emptied the entire shed, sorted everything, built two new shelves and replaced everything in it's organized spot.  Our overcrowded shed became completely functioning after five hours of hard work!

-AND- 

It took four adults to move the chicken coop, but we finally got it out of the driveway.

Buying chickens is on the list for next week!

Date night was Meiji-En Japanese Cuisine in NE.  I LOVE sushi!

Goodbye Summer 2012!

all we need now is chickens

It began with an idea...

it expanded with a book from the library...

it came to life with $188 and three trips to Home Depot, one trip to Ace and one trip to Habitat for Humanity Restore

(and a bit of time and muscle on my part)

What we began on July 16th was finally completed on August 25th and I am a little bit proud of what I accomplished!

Stay tuned to meet the lucky inhabitants!