"Holy Crap is that the Sun?" aka "Oh, look it's Spring now"

Spring looks like it has finally arrived around here this week.  Wahoo! 

I have lived here all my life (except 2 years in Eastern Oregon) so I am completely used to the amount of rain, gloom and general darkness associated with a Willamette Valley Winter.  That being said...I have had enough!  I want to go to soccer practice without preparing to board the ark....I want to kick my kids outside to play...I want to get some freakin' Vitamin D!  I'm not greedy, just every third day or so, could it not rain??

So thank God, the sun has finally arrived this week!!  Everyone is in a better mood around here...even the animals.  The pigs have come out of their little house to run around the pen, the steers are sunning themselves in the pasture, the chickens aren't hiding under the stock trailer to avoid the rain...it makes for a happy little farm! 

And today we get to go play soccer without two giant umbrellas, under armour, towels and hats....that calls for a bit of a happy dance around the kitchen!

My Girls Rock

This Saturday was the opening game of my girls' spring soccer season.  As I've alluded to in other posts, I love sports, so you know I was excited!  I just love to see my girls out there on the field learning all the great things that sports can teach them:  teamwork, winning well, losing well, sportsmanship and self-worth. 

Anyway, this season is doubly great because both of my girls are on the same team.  Kate, my older girl, is technically a U11 age but playing on a U12 team.  Abby, my younger one, is usually in the U9 age bracket but was able to play up with the U12 team also.  Both of my girls are the same height right now: short. In fact, our whole team is short...little...on the small side.   And all the other teams are tall...big...huge.  So, it gets a little rough out there on the field with younger, smaller girls taking on the bigger, older ones.

My girls didn't even flinch!  Kate plays defender, or fullback, and she was blocking balls left & right!  Sacrificing her body by taking shots to the stomach and legs...never pulling up or backing off once!  It was amazing!  Abby plays midfielder & forward.  She was taking on girls feet taller than herself to get that ball.  What she couldn't do with muscle & size, she did with footwork & agility...never giving an inch! 

Watching them on the field fills me with pride and hope for their amazing futures.  Whether they are on the soccer field, in the classroom or out on their own in the future, I know my girls are tough, resilient and talented...and that will take them where ever they want to go.

My Son

When I look at my son:
I see myself, in his rambling stories with 15 minutes of backstory, told at a volume that's just a tad too loud. 
I see my husband, in his sense of sticking up for people and doing the right thing even if it hurts.
I see both of us in the flash of restrained anger in his eyes when we really crack down on him.
I see the baby he was, all pudge and roundness. 
I see the toddler that spoke his own language that only we knew.
I see the sensitive heart that I fear will be broken by some girl soon.
I see the older brother who offered his sister some of his Blizzard last night when he realized that her ice cream was alot smaller than his.
I see the amazing athlete waiting to fully emerge from his quickly growing frame.
I see the inquisitive, and slightly obsessive, mind that can focus like a laser on his favorite topics.
I see equal parts mad scientist and artist.
I see his faith and pray that it never waivers.
I see a bad liar which makes me thankful.
I see my first born child and hope that I haven't messed him up too bad while I was learning to be a parent.
I see my child that I wish I could wrap in my arms and cuddle again without grossing him out.
I see a person that is growing so fast, physcially, mentally & emotionally, that I don't know if I even really know him anymore.
I see the man he might become and it makes me proud, hopeful and thankful, all at the same time.

Mix-tape for my kids

Sometimes I wish it was like the 80s again and when we wanted to say how we felt for someone, we would make a mix-tape of songs to express ourselves.   We put alot of time and thought into making sure those songs said what we couldn't, or wouldn't, say ourselves.  I remember sitting with my handheld tape player, recording songs from the radio or another tape player...if you were getting songs from the radio you have to be quick on the 'stop' button so you didn't get the dj or the next song. 

There are alot of things I would like to say to my kids but it seems like life takes my voice sometimes.  Either I'm getting after them for their horribly messy bathroom or because they didn't do their homework or because they are eating a piece of cake for a snack.  Or, like right now, I just can't bring myself to go there...for a vareity of reasons.  So...here's my mix-tape to my kids.  There's something in each of these songs that I want to pass on to my kids...sometimes it's something obvious and sometimes it's just a feeling I have when I listen to these songs. 

Jack Johnson - Go On
Jack Johnson - Better Together
Jack Johnson - If I Could
Gary Allen - Life Aint Always Beautiful
Jennifer Knapp - Martyrs & Thieves
Jennifer Knapp - Lay It Down
Kutless - Strong Tower
Monk & Neagle - The Twenty First Time
Natalie Merchant - Wonder
Nickel Creek - The Hand Song
Nickel Creek - When You Come Back Down
Phil Wickham - Divine Romance
Sheryl Crow - Lullaby For Wyatt
Tenth Avenue North - Love Is Here
Tenth Avenue North - Hold My Heart
Addison Road - All That Matters
JJ Heller - When I'm With You
JJ Heller - What Love Really Means
JJ Heller - Boat Song
JJ Heller - Back Home
JJ Heller - Keep You Safe
JJ Heller - Lullaby
Jars of Clay - The Valley Song
Jars of Clay - Two Hands
Jars of Clay - Something Beautiful

This list could be revised and added to daily...music is such a big part of my life and an emotional outlet for me.  It communicates to me and for me and someday I want my kids to hear all the things that these songs represent spoken from my mouth. 

The Elephant in the Room (and other such nonsense)

If you have ever met me, you know that I am what's known as a 'blunt-talker'.  Well, I don't know if that's the known name for it, but that's what I made up to describe how I talk about stuff:  to the point, as-it-is, no drama needed.  I'm pretty open about my life and my thoughts...ask me a question and I'll tell you what I think about it.  So, don't ask if you don't want to know. 

Knowing this about me perhaps you can understand why I can't stand it when people pretend things aren't what they really are.  Playing ostrich, ignoring the elephant in the room...whatever you want to call it, it drives me batty!  Just call it like you see it and let it go at that!  (Side note:  no offense to my own gender...but this is why I tend to get along better with guys.  Things are usually pretty cut and dried and you can tell someone they are off base without 6 months of drama.) 

Here's one of the problems I see with not speaking your mind:  people can assume what your beliefs are and they may be wrong.  Better to let people know where you stand so there is no misinterpretation of your truths.  

Another reason to speak your mind:  it keeps drama and manipulation to a minimum, at least on your part.  If you have the same stance on something and everyone knows it then it's like water off a duck's back...they can keep throwing the water at you but it won't effect you. 

And I guess I don't feel like I have to 'keep up appearances'...I'm a flawed person and I know it.  I tend to cuss like a sailor, I like a raunchy joke, and I've been to a strip club before.  There.  So what.  I'm not going to act like these things aren't real...but here's what else is real:  I love Christ and believe he is my savior, I cry at really stupid movies and I wish I could actually move my hips like your supposed to in Zumba class.   It doesn't take much to know about me...just ask.  Or, like just now, you may find out more about me than you wanted to know without even asking.

OK...I'm done with my rant now.  It was either this or make other people upset with my 'blunt-talking'.  For once I chose the path of restraint...

Was this a cohesive blog today?  No.  Do I care?  No.  Did it make feel better to write it?  Yes. 

Walking with the girls

The last three days, the girls and I have gone for a walk and enjoyed the frigid air.  Bundled up in our scarves, hats and gloves, we've set out for a mile or two or three.  Usually I like to walk by myself because I really, really, really like to have that time to think and ponder and recharge.  But, they wanted to come along and we can all use the exercise so we headed out the door....

What a great time!  Each time we talked about everything and nothing...we laughed, we skipped, we talked in british accents. It was a more fun than I anticipated and I was sad that we didn't have time to go out again today. 

Now that we are starting back to school schedule and sports, I don't know when we'll have time to go walking again but when we do, I will be looking forward to it!

Keepin' it Simple

Today, December 27, I have taken all my Christmas decorations down, packed them all away and hucked the tree out the front door.  A bit Grinch-ish, perhaps?  Yes.  Probably more than a bit but I'm OK with that.  I love the feel of the house after we take everything down:  open, airy, clean...simple.  Simple is my own personal montra.  It's my style.  It's my sanity.  When the rest of my life is overwhelming and work is piling up, it helps to have a house that is clutter-free, pretty well organized and SIMPLE.

See, I'm the type of person that really can't sit down and relax until the sink is empty and the washer is running.  I like having a basket of laundry to fold or a quilt to stitch while we watch TV.  I set the kitchen table before I go to bed because it helps me relax knowing I'm prepared for the morning.  I know, I know...you should try living me.  It drives my husband batty sometimes.  So, simplicity keeps me sane and allows me to relax, because without it...well, I'm sure I would be wound about 3 clicks too tight all day long. 

But my simplicity thought process goes far beyond my house.  I've always been a t-shirt and jeans kind of girl so it's safe to say that my fashion sense is, well, simple.  There are times that I think I should try new things, wear something I normally wouldn't, but usually, I just feel like I'm acting when I do that.  I'm not going to re-invent myself at age 37.  Keep it simple and simple can be beautiful.

One area I'm trying to work simplicity into is fitness.  I will admit to being a sucker for exercise equipment & techy things.  I have the nike+ system for my iPhone to track my mileage and pace (when I get out and run), I have the wii Fitness Plus game & balance board  (side note:  I don't appreciate the sound the the board makes when I step on it:   a condescending "Oohh..."  But I digress....), we have the Active 2 sensors for the wii and all kinds of resistance bands, weights and gadgets.  But I've come to realize that all I need are my shoes.  Keep it simple, Amy!  Go out and walk or run.  I make it harder than it needs to be and it's not rocket surgery.  It's not about training for a flippin' marathon, it's about getting outside and moving my body.   I don't have to throw out sugar and red meat...just find moderation.  Simple.

There's another part of keeping things simple...being able to say No.  I don't have to serve on every Parent's Club committee or sit on the soccer club's board of directors to be an awesome parent.  There was a time when every volunteer activity I did looked like this:  volunteer (to look like a good mom), forget about it with all the other activities going on, remember it 2 days before it's deadline, work thru every spare moment to get it done, hating every minute of it.  Ugh.  When my husband asked me why I kept volunteering for things I didn't even like doing, I thought to myself: 'Huh...he's kinda smart'.  To be honest, I was just doing it to keep up appearances and look like what I had mistakenly thought a good mom looked like.  When I decided to only pick one or two activities or committees to be involved in per year, life got much better and much easier.  Sometimes, simplicity means not caring what other people may think of you or your choices.

So, as I look at 2011 looming ahead of me, my goals all revolve around simplifying my life as much as possible.  Because when 'stuff' isn't in the way, it's alot easier to see the things that are important and that's where my focus should be.  Plus, I figure life is gonna happen whether we are ready for what the Lord throws at us or not.  If we're all amped up about things, it's not going to help us get through it or see what it is we're supposed to be learning from the situation.  Keep it simple, roll with the punches, admit your mistakes and move on....