Saturday, February 28, 2015

February Twenty-Fifteen

Arise, shine, for your light has come…. Isaiah 60:1

I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. -Maya Angelou 

Winning is great, sure, but if you are really going to do something in life, the secret is learning how to lose. Nobody goes undefeated all the time. If you can pick up after a crushing defeat, and go on to win again, you are going to be a champion someday. 
–Wilma Rudolph

All things are possible. When I was a girl, the miraculous happened every day. Or every other day. Or every third day. Actually, sometimes it did not happen at all, even on the third day. But still, we expected it. You see what I'm saying? Even when it didn't happen, we were expecting it. We knew the miraculous would come. 
― Kate DiCamilloFlora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures

God isn’t asking us to earn His love.
He’s simply asking us to turn towards His love.
-Ann Voskamp

“I promise to always turn back toward you..." 
― Kate DiCamilloFlora and Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures

Whether you seek to run a marathon, climb a mountain, be an accomplished musician or revel in the joy of an intimate loving relationship … it will require a daily dose of intentional thought and action. This is what makes loving a spiritual practice. Daily loving intention … the art of appreciating and sustaining joy.

 
 Lord, when I feel that what I'm doing is insignificant and unimportant, help me to remember that everything I do is significant and important in your eyes, because you love me and you put me here, and no one else can do what I am doing in exactly the way I do it. –Brennan Manning

Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive, and then go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.
 - Howard Thurman


 Unfortunately, the Lenten season often gets reduced to the question, “What are you giving up for Lent?” This is a fine question, but it can only take us so far. The real question of the Lenten season is, “How will I repent and return to God with all my heart?” -Ruth Haley Barton

Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world. - Desmond Tutu

Faith is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into the light. 
- Helen Keller
 
We all underestimate our need for joy. If we are not careful, we live as if our schedules are our lives. We cross one thing after another off the list. At the end of the day, we have completed our chores, but we haven’t necessarily been present for our own experiences. -Mary Pipher

spring hope...  















Friday, February 27, 2015

Thursday, February 26, 2015

hard at work

Taylor has started having weekly writing assignment in his class based on a writing prompt. 
It has been so much fun to see his motivation on this and to see him work on this so hard.  I'm loving the keyboard that attaches to the IPad that is making it fun for him to write and type away... 
He just told me he is on his 10th paragraph now and he's not done yet. (It only has to be 3!) 
This is something to cheer about that he's finding something he really enjoys about homework which generally feels like a drag for him... :)  

Go Taylor!! 



Tuesday, February 24, 2015

oh happy day


some sidewalk chalk I happened upon on a run last week 


one of the things that brings me a smile to my face is seeing these girls riding around UPC on their unicycles.... 




Monday, February 23, 2015

first bloom

our first bloom from the bulbs that Tamara and I planted in the fall... spring hope indeed! 
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed--and gazed--but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils. 
-William Wordsworth 

Sunday, February 22, 2015

a perfect day

When I was in high school, my friend Katherine and I tried to plan a "perfect day".  After lots of glitches that happened through the course of our day, we quickly found that perfect days cannot be planned. They just happen. 

I am so thankful for the day we had with the Whites yesterday- running, hiking, sledding, swimming and playing games.  What a gift to be with good friends soaking up some NW sun this weekend in the mountains.  While I know that no day is perfect, yesterday was pretty darn close. :) 

out the car window on our drive yesterday 

walking up what is usually covered in snow this time of year at Mt. Baker Ski area 

photo bomb


3 miles down the road from where we hiked, we found some snow for sledding... 





fun times swimming back at the cabin where we were staying 











Saturday, February 21, 2015

White Salmon adventure

Even though there is no snow here at the White Salmon ski area near Mt. Baker, we have had a fabulous time exploring and playing together!








- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Friday, February 20, 2015

sunshine days

on gray days when sun is hidden, it's great to be able to remember 
the days when the sun does peek out around here.

a few pictures from this past Tuesday when it felt like spring... 



Thursday, February 19, 2015

under one roof

It has been such a treat to have Heather, Georgia Mae and Ian staying with us this week. 
Giving thanks for good friends and for our new guest room where they've been able to stay so we could all be under one roof this week! 


sunshine on Tuesday 

  





the crazy "shoe tree" near some of the fraternity houses when I took them to UW for an adventure on Wednesday 

I love the fact that when I suggested that Georgia Mae come to the library dressed in a cape that she was totally up for it. Kindred spirit, indeed! 

at the Suzzalo library 

selfie! 

brother and sister casting spells on each other 

dress up never grows old... 




timeless friends :)