Badminton Anyone?

Before all the storms of this past week began to hit, the kids took to the back yard for an evening of badminton against the golden backdrop of dusk. I sat in the grass with our new puppy, Lucy, braving the chiggers and watched as they ran after the little plastic birdie. It didn't matter that they couldn't find the net. With five acres of room and a glorious evening, it wasn't necessary...and hardly the point.

To the east the clouds gathered in lovely billows of white cotton: a thing of beauty for me - an evening of storms for someone else. Turning to the west I could see faces raised to the sky and hear laughter floating through the air.

I'm happiest when there are young ones around, for merriment is always better when multiplied and shared. The heart of a teenager is still optimistic and uncluttered from the world's trials and disappointments. The smiles and laughter are real, unrehearsed and contagious.

May the joys of the summer find you too this weekend, and may you celebrate their glory with the enthusiasm and energy of youth.

Give it a try!

I stole this off of John's blog and wanted to see how it worked. Too many songs to choose from, but my husband and I had a lot of fun remembering some golden oldies and dancing to one of our favorites.

Lucy

This is Lucy, the newest member of our family. We got her from my sister who lives on a farm 80 miles from here. While she acclimates to her new surroundings and the modge-podge of critters we have (who are a little leery of her energy and friendliness!), she oscillates between spending time in the house and being outdoors. She is a social little puppy who will chew on any and every thing in sight.

It's ironic that now that school is out, the kids would have had a legitimate claim when they said, "The dog ate my homework!"

Sky Watch Friday - A Different View

One evening a couple of weeks ago, my son and I were returning home when he noticed something a little off from the norm. "I think there's a cat up on that pole!" he exclaimed as we passed underneath it. We were on a gravel road and as there was no traffic, backed up to get another look. Sure enough, there was a gray cat lying - very high up - on a power line pole. I got out of the car to shoot this photograph and called to it. It simply stared at me as if this was the most natural place for it to be and as if I was a hindrance to its afternoon nap.

The next day, it was gone. I have no idea if it made it down on its own terms or if it met an untimely death by its famous curiosity. But every time I pass that pole now I automatically look up and think of the cat that dared to be different.

There She Goes......And Here She Comes...

Saturday I watched as the light of my life walked across the gymnasium floor, stepping over the threshold from being "my little girl" to a young woman beginning a magnificent and wonderful journey. I watched as she took the podium as Salutatorian, speaking to her classmates with the class and grace that she always shows.
All the years of watching her grow, holding her close, guiding her, supporting her, listening and learning, culminated on a sunny afternoon in a small school gym as she smiled for the camera, received her diploma and left the building as a high school graduate. It hasn't really hit me yet, though my eyes filled with tears more than once during the ceremony.

After greetings and hugs from teachers, family and friends, we returned home for a reception in her honor. Gifts overflowed on the living room floor and the house was filled to the brim with many who love her and wish her well. We shared laughs and memories and slices of white cake as we sat around our beautiful girl and celebrated her special day. It was a lot to take in and I know we will be feeling the after effects for several days in the near future.

The next day after church, we were driving to a local restaurant for dinner.

"I feel so spoiled," my daughter said. "I have the perfect life. The perfect family, the perfect house, perfect friends and boyfriend. Everything is so good...too good to be true."

I told her that she is hardly spoiled. She probably cares less about material things than anyone else I know. It felt good to know that she sees her life as so wonderful, when of course, it isn't really 'perfect'. I told her that she is a large part of why things are so good; that a good life is hardly an accident. She has made good choices in how she lives her life and how she has handled her circumstances and relationships. Living a life that feels like a perfect fit for us and having love from wonderful people is not a spoiled life, but a blessed one. Kindness and goodness draws kindness and goodness, and though bad times come to us all, how we choose to deal with those difficulties charts our course through the rough waters back onto the calmness of the shore.

My beautiful daughter....though my heart aches at the thought of you leaving us in the fall, I know that many wonderful things await you. With your loving and lovely heart, and your gentle - yet fun - spirit, you will soar with grace through the amazing adventure ahead. And though you are one of 17 in the class of 2008, as far as I'm concerned, you are in a class all of your own.

Sky Watch - Pondering Twilight

In the three years since I've been blogging, I've posted this photograph twice, so I apologize to all of my veteran readers for the repetition. But with the busy-ness of things I haven't had a lot of "sky" time as of late. Several of you have commented on this picture from my sidebar, so this week I present once again, Whiskers in all her glory.

Weepy

I'm on the edge these days. I walk a thin line, teetering on tender emotions that threaten to bring tears at any given moment.

It happened twice at church yesterday. The first time was when a new baby was baptized; her infant coos accompanying wide eyes against Daddy's strong shoulder as Mama held the hand of two-year old sister. October 1, 1989 - when my own baby girl was baptized - was just last week, wasn't it? Her white gown made by Nana flowed over her chubby little legs, and priceless memories of love and joy lay before her.

The second time was during the Lord's Prayer. We always hold hands with the person on each side, and once again tears clouded my vision as I held my daughter's small hand in mine. The prayer was stilled in my throat as I saw her other hand holding that of her brother...and suddenly they were four and two, running through the sprinkler, playing on the swings, Trick-or-Treating.......their childhood grins firmly planted on little faces and days stretching endlessly ahead.

And while watching the televised graduation of the Greensburg, Kansas seniors, the realization of another graduation really hit home...and I wondered how I'll get through it with the grace and composure that I owe my 'little girl'.

I'm on the edge, all right.

Having children is not for the weak at heart.
Neither is letting them go.

Sky Watch Friday - Spring Storm

I don't think that the camera ever does justice to the magnificence of clouds. I find them fascinating...intriguing...and difficult to capture exactly as they are.

My husband and I watched these on our walk tonight as they changed from moment to moment.

It's difficult to get any real exercise in when one stops every
minute to shoot the sky!

Prom 2008

It hardly seems like a year ago when my daughter was getting ready for last year's prom. And now here she is, going down that road again in her final days of high school.

I have few words to write tonight. Instead I'll let the pictures speak as I quietly step back....

and watch as my little girl grows up.

Sky Watch Friday - April 25th

Due to a very rainy spring last year, the dandelion crop is flourishing in 2008. My daughter and her boyfriend made lemonade amidst the lemons when they posed for this photograph amidst the annoying weed!
(Photos courtesy of my son)

Circle of Life

The other night my son, daughter and their friend took the camera down our gravel road and came back with some cute photos. This is their 'countrified' version of "The Lion King" featuring one of our many felines.

P.S. No animals were harmed in this filming, though I imagine they were quite perplexed!

Have Fun, Do Well, Smell the Roses...

Things have been busy in Kansas, at least in my corner of the world. And though I haven't had a lot of extra time for writing, truth be told...I've been concentrating more on living life right now than writing about it.

With my daughter's graduation looming close on the horizon and end of the school year activities, I've been turning my attention elsewhere in preparation for the events ahead. And though I have a plethora of things to pen (or type in this case!) it's almost more than I know how to articulate.

On Saturday my daughter and two of her Forensics team members traveled to Regionals to compete. She and her partner scored I's in IDA and Duet Acting and will represent our school as they head to the state competition in a couple of weeks.

Their coach and teacher invited me along, and it was so much fun watching the girls as they soared to the top. We had such a great day; taking time for a leisurely lunch and shopping at the mall. We stopped for ice cream on the way back home and laughed so hard that we cried. The best way to spend time together.

Life has a way of keeping us stretched between all the things that we have to do. Sometimes we must make a conscious choice to put all of that aside and give ourselves permission to have a little fun. The roses are definitely beautiful when seen from afar, but there's nothing like experiencing their wonderful fragrance first hand.

This was definitely a day of roses.

Now that spring is finally here, may you carry a song within your heart, find laughter along your pathway and fill your pockets with the sweet aroma of the simplistic joys we are all meant to share.

Sky Watch Friday - April 18th

This Kansas storm developed just to our east and was filled with a fiery temper that fortunately, just missed us. The top photo was taken with our first inexpensive digital camera. Unhappy with the inaccurate results, I grabbed my 35mm film camera, zoomed in a little closer and shot the bottom photograph. When I had the film developed, I was pleased to see that the color was exactly as it had been that night. I remember talking about this cloud at work the next day with others who were fortunate enough to view its terrifying beauty.

The Eyes Have It

The story goes that one evening, when I was a little girl on the farm, my parents suddenly noticed that I was missing. In a family of eight it was easy for one member to silently slip away for a few moments before the absence was noticed, and such was the case this particular summer evening.


It wasn't long before I was found, fully clothed in the tub and having a grand time.

This picture of my own daughter having fun in the tub has always struck me as a deja vu. Though her bath was "on purpose", I seem to be looking in the mirror of yesteryear at the 2-year-old that I once was.


Though her hair was - and continues to be - red, the eyes say, that without a doubt, she's definitely my little girl!

Celebratory Grins

My brother-in-law sent me this picture after KU's big win on Monday night.
His granddaughter, my great niece, is getting an early start on life as a Jayhawk fan!

Youth's Technicolor

At first sight, this picture depicts a lovely couple sharing a special moment behind a transparent netted mask. In actuality, it is my beautiful young grandmother, Fern Porter, being silly with her brother-in-law, Roy.

It's so easy to think, when viewing these old photographs, that everyone was stoic and serious behind the natural sepia of dust bowl days. How refreshing to know that when the surface is scratched the personality and fun shines through in an imagined - yet real - Technicolor that outlasts time.

I knew her only in her older years; a stately lady who never showed this side of who she once was. How I wish I could've seen her then, with all of her idiosyncrasies, imperfections and in the gloriousness of youth.

May we show to the world, not only who we appear to be, but who we are really. And may that reality bring a smile to light each other's pathway, as this picture does for me.

Rock, Chalk, Jayhawks!

I don't usually post sports stuff at my site, but tonight I just couldn't resist.

So for my son, and for my beloved Kansas...

WAY TO GO, JAYHAWKS!

On Her Way

Recently my daughter went to an interview for a college scholarship offered through one of our local businesses. She came home distraught that afternoon, saying she hadn't done well and was frustrated that she hadn't given as good of an interview as she would have wished. I told her not to be so hard on herself, and to remember that more people would miss out on the scholarships than receive them. I explained that it was a good learning experience and was good practice for the future.

Today we attended a dinner and meeting where the winner of two scholarships would be announced. I watched as the 12 or so students took the stage and focused on my daughter's gentle smile. Despite her lack of confidence in how she presented herself at that interview, she was awarded a $1,000 scholarship towards next year's college costs.

She should have been excited, but I knew she would immediately be thinking of her friends who were also up for the award. It's hard for her to celebrate when she knows that others are let down. And with her usual grace, she checked any enthusiasm and cheered silently as she observed the solemn faces of her classmates, taking the attention off of herself and thinking only of them.

I know that she was not only chosen because she's intelligent on paper, but because she is real....genuine....and unintentionally charming. And because sometimes people aren't looking for the 'right' answers to questions, but to 'new' answers that are unrehearsed, fresh and straight from the heart.

So my beautiful daughter......Congratulations! I am so proud of you for so many reasons. And though you'll never give yourself the accolades you deserve, just know that you will always be a winner in my eyes.

I Love You.

Sky Watch Friday - Happy 16th!

Though this photograph was taken on a glorious evening last summer, I thought it was appropriate to post it now since today is my son's 16th birthday. What joy he has brought to our lives and how much more we have to look forward to. Happy Birthday, little fella!

Almost 16...

This picture is almost 16 years old now. My son was just a few hours old, sitting here with his sister and me. It was a difficult labor and delivery, evident from my swollen face and the bruising beneath my eyes. But he was worth it.

My parents had left the morning before on a trip to Seattle to see my brother and his family. The last thing my mother said to me was, "Now Lori, don't have that baby while I'm gone!" Since I had 2 1/2 more weeks to go, I was confident she'd be back for his arrival. I still remember the shock in her voice when I called to tell her he was here.

And my little girl....just getting over an eye infection and overwhelmed with the appearance of this foreign little being. How could she know that he would become her very best friend.

I remember thinking, "My little family is now complete." I had no idea just how many wonderful days lay ahead nor the happiness that would be ours. I was 30 years old....and the world was mine with this bountiful lapful of blessings.