Birthday Surprise

The last time my husband told me that he was "cooking something up" for my birthday, he got a bunch of our friends and family together and they gave me the MacBook that I am typing on.

This time was a little bit different.

Maybe I should have figured it out when he told me that all our friends (who are students) had a mandatory lecture the evening of my birthday. Marquette usually doesn't have mandatory lectures, especially in the summer.

Maybe I also should have figured it out when my sneaky husband told me he wasn't going to said mandatory lecture. 

Or maybe I should have figured it out when my husband cleaned the bathroom and lite candles while we were talking with his family on google chat.

And maybe I should have known that something was up when he told me that my birthday gift was in the backyard, where we had just spent the afternoon working on our yard and garden.

But I didn't and he surprised me and we had lots of our friends over for ice cream.

It was a pretty great day.

A nice start to summer

Our dear friends got married over Memorial Day weekend on the groom's parent's farm in Indiana. We road tripped it out to Warsaw, camped on their front lawn, ate food that they grew just for us and witnessed our friends say their marriage vows. There were lots of friends from Marquette there; we chatted by the fire, played lawn games and worshiped together. And when the conversation got too theology-heavy, my friend (a non-theology wife) and I ditched the theology shop talk to play bean bag toss.

My favorite part of the weekend was when we attempted to light wish lanterns. It windy and one of our friends name the lanterns "flaming orbs of death" as they caught fire and tumbled through the field towards whoever and whatever was in it's path. After our first failed attempt, Christopher and I deliberately and carefully lite our lantern under the protection of a big tree and watched it sail into the sky.

Our friend, Anne, wrote about it on her blog here.
You know when she says "two of my favorite people"?
She's talking about us.
I'm just saying.
(The feeling is mutual.)

I had many DTR's at this wedding ... conversations that basically boiled down to "You are important to me and I want to invest in our relationship."

From the fireworks as our friends danced their first dance to the family dog that delivered a dead rabbit during breakfast the morning after the wedding, the whole weekend was perfect. 

We also made a neat gift for our friends. We wanted a project that we could both work on and we were both really happy with the result. Our niece even helped when she was visiting in May. I am really happy of how it turned out and the the groom said it was one of his favorite wedding gifts.
I'm just saying.

Inspired by pinterest

We have enjoyed the warm weather, hot walks with Loki, watching our little plants grow on the patio and occasionally enjoying raspberry lemonade outside.
Of course my husband would make homemade raspberry lemonade; he's just that great!
I'm just saying.

Loki's summer haircut -- suuuppper cute!!

HUGE gratitude post, part 1

Well, it has been about a month since I posted a gratitude post and my list of items ... blessings ... is formidable. I'm not entirely convinced that you want to read ALL of them but seeing how this is my blog, I can post them all and seeing how it is your computer, you can read how much you want.

#1676 - #1724

- safety in all of our travels
- our car, selflessly cleaned by my husband
- the car ride up to the cabin, spent talking with Eva
- Penny sleeping in my lap
- relaxing with friends
- being back at the place where our marriage/relationship basically began

this empty bench

- getting to sleep at the same time as my husband =) it doesn't happen all that much working nights
- yummy drinks served lakeside
-picnic tables on the beach
- Ray's mean fire-making skills
- the lighting for this photo: (can you see the littlest dog ever in the middle)

- lounging in hammocks
- pasta salad in the summer
- bedtime hugs
- praying on the pontoon boat
- perfectly cooked marshmellows
- the kids, making faces with their peas and squash (from here on out, "the kids" refers to our niece and nephew)
- seeing Loki after a few days away
- finding a little boy's shirt mixed into our laundry
- an etsy sale to a non family/friend buyer. yay!
- my little patio garden is growing!!
- Crooked Lake!!

- the eagle perched above our dock
- birds at the bird feeder
- Loki being part of the "paper plate club" (wondering what that is ... come up to the Schumann cottage)
- going up to the cottage and only bring watermelon and brats (i.e. not being in charge of all the meals)
- my mom who DID plan all the meals
- tubing and realizing that my arms are much stronger (because I have been working out) than in previous years
- harp music, played by our neighbor
- seeing deer each morning while walking Loki
- the American flag over the lake

I know this picture was in my previous post, but I love it

- sail boats
- doing crossword puzzles on the shores of the lake
- my mom's potato salad
- changing from my pj's into my swimsuit because it is just that nice out
- coffee on the pier
- the smell of sunscreen
- my grandpa's hat on my husband's hat
- listening to my dad talk about summers at the cottage long ago
- taking Loki in the kayak

He loved it!

- Loki was also pretty excited about boating

- eating around the table that my grandpa built
- playing Indian with my family
- water lily flower

 - seeing fireworks as we drove home the night of the 3rd.
- going back to Rochester (again) to see the Butz family
- being present for Megan's baptism
- silly kids jokes
- seeing Lindsay while she was in Rochester - unexpected and totally wonderful
- a DQ run with my girls
- fireflies
- a huge, joint effort city in Carcassonne


Well, this is a little more than half of my list that is accumulating in the drafts folder of my gmail account but for now, it is more than enough!

5 minute Friday: on distance

I'm catching up, posting a few entries that I wrote at work (shh, don't tell!) last week but didn't post. 

Linking up with Gypsy Mama's Five Minute Friday. The simple rules are to write for five minutes on the prompt.

This week: On Distance.

GO 11:52pm

Sometimes distance is felt, like when friends are hurting and I hope that the phone calls, e-mails and texts convey my love and long hugs. And the distance allows that the only active help I can give is prayer, a stark, in my face reminder that prayer is the best active help I can give anyway. And the distance teaches thankfulness for prayer, cell phones and friendship.

Sometimes distance seems far, like when I watch two kids who I have just started calling family, grow up and balance nerf gun fights with learning responsibility and learning Shakespeare monologues. And the distance teaches thankfulness of the time spent together.

Sometimes distance is relative like when I finish my hour long walk with the dog, get into the care and drive along that route in 5 minutes flat. And it is a good reminder that while I'd rather be there to give long hugs or sit in the waiting room, we are all connected by a power greater than anything on this earth. So the distance between us, even though is seems far, is bridged easily by our mighty God. 

STOP (11:57pm)

Letters ...

Trying something new today ... my spin off (i.e. copy) of the blog Today's Letters.

Dear Loki, I have loved spending today with you but you must be kinda tired because it is 2030 and you are in bed. Was it doggie school/training this morning, the bike ride this afternoon or the beautiful walk in the park this evening?

Dear pad thai, you were marvelous when my hubby made you for me on Thursday and today you reminded me of him. Thank you.

Dear quilting retreat (last weekend), I am glad that I decided not to quilt as I don't think all the "pressing" is for me. However, I came home with my head exploding with gift ideas and have already begun making them. Do you think now is a good time to tell my hubby that I want to quit my job and try to make a living at craft fairs? 

Eva's finished quilt and Michelle's blocks all laid out! 

Dear game night in Rochester ... um, enough said? You were the end cap to a wonderful weekend with wonderful friends. Thanks for the yummy food (Mom B), the laughs and the confirmation that friendships can withstand distance. 

Just in case you were wonder what our faces look like, I cropped it.
Eva is perfect, I am pouting (?) and Chinwe ... is just Chinwe. =)
Ian, I didn't mean to crop you out, you are just too tall. 

Dear this afternoon, it turns out that sewing, chai tea from Teavana and the play list from this blog makes me really happy. 

Dear Mom, thanks for my second sale on etsy! (and for calling me five time before making your purchase). Thanks for encouraging me this weekend in my creative pursuits; looking forward to sewing with you soon! 

Dear Baby Girl Lopez, I hope your mama is busy helping you get into the world because I want to met you and give you some cute things! 

Dear little bro, this weekend you sent me an e-mail where you referenced P90x and Parks and Recreation, you texted me during your first Trader Joe's experience and you played in a gig at Dunn Brothers. Proud of you and wish I could have been there. 

Dear Spring Break, I'm kinda baffled by your existence but I do hope that everyone enjoyed the break from school. Next year though, if you could kindly give me a little more time with my hubby, I'd appreciate it. While I am glad that he could spend time with family and friends, he is obviously missing from most of the above and I am looking forward to him coming home tomorrow. In the meantime, our apartment kinda looks like me bed, so maybe I should get to it. 

Lingering

Linger: to remain or stay on in a place longer than is usual or expected, as if from reluctance to leave; to dwell in contemplation, thought or enjoyment.

I spend most of last week, lingering in Mexico, on a beautiful resort near Cancun, on the Mayan Rivera with some lovely friends.

We lingered at the pool. Happy hour (2 for 1 drinks) anyone?

We lingered over dinner ... and then over dessert

yep, that is me licking the dessert dish ...

We lingered over Bibles, books, games and knitting (for me, at least).

seriously amazing book: One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp

We lingered on the beach

My beautiful friend, Lindsay

We didn't really linger at Chichen Itza (Mayan ruins and one of the Seven New Wonders of the World) but we did go there and it was cool.

We lingered in friendship, evolving and growing

We lingered jumped before and exploding sunset.

the pictures of which are not on my camera =)

I did record a list of blessings while I was there (#1243 - #1311) but I don't want to rub it in and be long winded. Needless to say, it was an amazing, relaxing, wonderful trip and when it was over, I got to fly home to my love and my cute doggie. =)

How can I keep from singing?

the first several items, i wrote last week when I was sick ... the rest are from today. 

967. LOKI

i love this dog more everyday =)

 968. wearing a winter hat for the first time. I love winter accessories.
969. discovering all the trails in the woods. right next to our apartment complex
970. taking Chris to school
971. pumpkin spice coffee with a friend
972. farmer's market produce

973. Chris taking care of me when I am sick.
974. Loki laying on our bed, and on my lap, uncharacteristically happy to lay around with me all day
975. saltine crackers
976. the gadget we saved for so we can watch Netflix movies (and youtube and listen to pandora) on our tv. so cool.
977. seeing the pattern of my knitting project take shape. and then changing the pattern to make it easier to not make mistakes

978. this weekend.

979. this

980. and this

981. and this, trying to be a spaniel

982. these girls

983. and these guys

984. and this girl (she gets her own 'cuz she's special)

985. watching my lovely friend develop her hobby - beautiful photography

986. i mean, when the weekend ends like this, you know it was good.

 

 

 

 

987. Six other people sleeping in our apartment
988. discovering beautiful places in Milwaukee
989. being there when Eva decides she likes something - anything - but on Saturday, Thai food
990. Sunday morning doughnut runs
991. Chris' face when something we make is really yummy
992. bowls literally licked clean
993. videos from Nigeria
994. finding comfort in the proof that friendships aren't destroyed by distance
995. friends who have fridge rights =)
996. feeling better
997. looking at my husband's schedule and knowing that he worked his mornings around me coming home from work
998. moments when we walked around a corner in the woods and stood speechless at the beauty of God's creation
999. and walking into an open area and being stunned again

1000 (!!!)

709. feeling the anxiety being lifted
710. surviving the Stroke Certification Joint Commission interview "show me where to find this and this and this and this in your patient's chart."
711. enjoying my patient last week, a cute (but confused) older man
712. jogging longer than we ever have before (last week) and running faster than every before (today)
713. perfecting my smoothie making techniques
714. more decluttering (and making more money at garage sales)
715. blooms on two plants that I radically pruned last year
716. flowers from our back yard sitting on our kitchen table and computer desk and bathroom counter =)

717. seeing my friends' servant hearts as they plan, serve, cook, clean, lend, build fires and love one another
718. getting to know new friends
719. our tired little dog spread out next to Chris in the morning
720. Ray's perseverance to start our fires and his talent at tending to them
721. pillows delivered to our tent by friends who came late (we forgot ours at home)
722. Psalms read by the fire
723. sitting in a camp chair at 0700, knowing there is nothing that has to be done that day
724. a dry tent despite LOTS of wind and rain
725. watching cool lightening storms
726. camp fire breakfasts!

727. and "Hobos for dinner"
728. Ticket to Ride by lantern light
729. head lamps!
730. sunscreen
731. a day not dictated by the clock
732. a beautiful afternoon on the beach
733. conversations about prayer
734. learning from a good book - Calm My Anxious Heart
735. when my hair still smells like camp fire smoke even after been washed
736. sleeping very well since Chris game me his ear plugs - i woke up and was like "storm? what storm? really? you thought the tent was going to blow away?"

737. coming home and having tons of energy, cleaning our dog and the kitchen
738. smooth, shaven legs
739. and newly painted nails (both due to the tons of energy status post camping)
740. sun kissed cheeks and noses
741. writing in a friend's journal, with his permission, of course, of the days events

ohhh ... and ...

742. camping!

743. puttering in the yard
744. working my tail off on a day shift
745. an hour phone conversation with a friend
746. accepting my sad feelings of leaving
747. and making this list to remind me of the blessings I have, not of my perceived losses

Per usual, inspiration found here

The stuff summer is made of (and a post where I actually make complete sentences)

From the first mosquito bites of the year to an afternoon of one liners mixed with haikus with friends while sipping pink lemonade along the river, the weekend screamed summer and it was glorious.

There is something about a clean house on Friday afternoon that makes me happy. Knowing that the kitchen and bathroom are both clean, the laundry is (mostly) folded and the yard looks wonderful (thanks to my hubby) allows any and all fun things to trump whatever is left on the to-do list.

And so we played.

We picinic'd it up on Friday, with a cold shrimp salad, Chris' "just what I had on hand" chilled avocado soup and cookies that were again baking when I got out of bed. If I'm going to work night shifts, there may as well be my husband with cookies waiting for me on the other end. So we drank wine at the park while the sun set and talked about the summer and the changes coming up.

Awhile ago we started training for a 5K which we ran on Saturday and while we are about two thirds the way through the training program it felt good to (mostly) run the race that motivated us in the first place. The rain stayed away til we were done and the trail around Lake Como in Minneapolis was a nice change from our usual. We ran the last bit with our friend Brandon (who organized the race, a benefit for Haiti) and the guys matched my slower pace as we crossed the finish line to cheers. Now, to lengthen my stride and ask my sister and brother in law to map out a 5K for us to run in Beijing, when we will be done with our training.

We spent the rest of the day at my parent's home, playing cards, eating goodness off the grill and from the stove, listening to my aunt and uncle from Idaho tell their love story (letters typed and left in a typewriter when they were in high school), and opening some birthday gifts. Clothes are on my list of things that I am no longer buying - a list that is growing and that I find freeing instead of annoying or frustrating. It does help though when my mom, and in this case my brother too, give me a few cute things. =)

And Sunday ... Sunday was for sleeping in, and still making it to church on time ... wearing a skirt and sandals and being warm enough ... and getting several compliments from my husband (because I changed outfits three times). Then we packed up our dog, a tube of sunscreen and some friends and went south to Lanesboro. We meandered around town and along the trail by the river. We tried each others ice cream and played frisbee on the soft grass. We watched the sun shine through the rain and listened to kids sing of the joy of Jesus in a nearby gazebo. And then we drove home, the audience of a beautiful sun setting over the trees in what my husband called "God's country."

Like I said, the weekend was made of summer.

Oh, and Loki (the dog), you ask, the weekend was also made for him. He made new friends and ventured to Quarry Hill, Lake Como park and all about Lanesboro. He drank water kindly given to him from the waitress at the outside restaurant and explored (was distracted by) the many sights and smells on the ground. He got many compliments and then, when it was all over, he curled up on my feet and slept the whole way home.

That is 590 - 617.

Happy Monday!

367. cute spring dresses
368. wearing a cute spring dress to a friend's wedding
369. wearing a cute spring dress to a friend's wedding reception where we had brunch and drank good coffee
370. wearing a cute spring dress to a friend's wedding reception where we had brunch and drank good coffee and then explored the house and grounds of the historic Plummer House.

okay, that was fun, don't you think?

371. Sunday afternoon naps
372. the smell of fresh air on my hair/clothes/hands after working outside in the yard
373. working beside my husband
374. putting our house on the market tomorrow
375. work gloves
376. cooking with my husband, for our friends
377. grilling out
378. my thoughtful mother in law who makes me brownies with mint frosting
379. Sleeping for 12 hours on Saturday night (i'm counting the two hour nap I took at my in-laws prior to actually going to bed)
380. the spring time breeze coming in open windows
381. Learning that the animal living in our shed is a squirrel, which is much less scary than other options I came up with in my head. (the acorns on the chairs, table and in the window ledge were good clues.) His name is now Acorn
382. Watching Loki (our dog) chase the bunny through our backyard
383. pajamas
384. flavored coffee.
385. and creamer. lots of creamer
386. learning to hold the things of this world in an open hand (more on that later, probably)
387. quality time with my love
388. the blanket my grandma made me long ago that I still use on cooler nights
389. a fridge full of leftovers
390. and being able to share those leftovers with friends
391. news that my cousin had a healthy baby boy today
392. finally finishing a good book
393. saying good bye to a friend as he goes to live and work with Mercy Ships in Togo for most of the summer.
394. a smooth transition to night shifts
395. anticipating a less hectic week

Spring is coming.

228. praying with my husband
229. snow melting
230. Game night with friends, the first "married" thing we have done with another married couple
231. cuddling fresh babies
232. giving things away
233. and selling things too
234. Day shifts!!!
235. Getting up early enough to eat breakfast before said day shifts. (I haven't done that in years ... )
236. Feeling prepared for the week ahead
237. getting rides home from work
238. celebrating birthdays
239. breakfast made by my husband and friends, ready for me when I got up (it was so pretty, I should have taken a picture)
239a. and the kitchen being spotless
240. goals
241. routine
242. my husband making up words just for me
243. a full house with the sights (lots of shoes by the front door), sounds (laughter) and smells (smoked pork) of dinner cooking.
244. good wine
245. a quiet night spent reading
246. water
247. Looking for and finding balance.
248. Learning from patient education pamphlets
249. Reading stories of my husband as a young boy courtesy of his (our) sister overseas
250. Reading through Jesus' life and miracles
251. searching the files in my mind for biology knowledge hidden - or maybe lost (mitosis and meiosis)
252. no alarm clock mornings
253. watching Loki slide on the re-frozen ice on top of the side walks. his booties have no traction and it is soooooo funny
254. walking with co-workers during lunch
255. birds singing
256. evergreens
257. a conversation at work:

my co-worker: "what kind of soup is that?"
me: "my roommate made it -- it's vegetable/bean/potato soup."
my co-worker: " ... you guys have a roommate?"
um ... oh yeah ... newsflash: she is now in Africa and I am married with a husband-roommate
thanks, Linds, the soup was yummy and reminded me of you =)

258. finding peace from our realtor's website ("people should remember that they are selling a home and not the memories")
259. and words spoken to my husband from a place deep with in me: "leaving will be sad because our time here has been so good."
260. lists here and there of things that I am thankful for 'cuz my week has been full of fun, satisfying and rewarding things.

after a ski weekend ...

200. "valentine's week" last week. my husband cooked and cleaned. :)

201. and I accepted his help (which is sometimes hard for me to do)

202. my husband's cooking

203. mango lotion
204. changing my name at work
205. the beginning of lent
206. a road trip with friends

207. skiing for the first time this year! yay!!!

208. laughter
209. meeting new friends
210. good conversations
211. ron ray, who planned the weekend
212. fabulous Thai food
213. being greeted by Loki when coming home
214. back rubs
215. inside jokes
216. soup simmering on the stove
217. clementines (on sale). how many is too many to eat in one setting?
218. watching the Olympics
219. mid-week coffee with my friend Jackie
220. putting up pictures on the walls of our house
221. oatmeal. welcome back into my life.
222. being intentional.
223. friends that understand what it means to work night shifts and give me the space for my sleepy state of being that follows
224. God,
225. his sovereignty
226. and his compassion.

again, multitude monday is an idea from here


227. learning how to do that -- using a word to link to a website. (that was one of my goals when i signed up for blogger. yep. seriously.)