Dear House,

Seven years ago, on the day before Thanksgiving, we pulled into your driveway and began our journey here.  I could not believe that you were mine.  Tomorrow, on the day before Thanksgiving, we will pull out of your driveway and end this journey.  And I am reminded that the things we think belong to us usually don't... at least not forever. 

 

It's been a good trip.  We built a life here, and I'm glad to take the memories with us.  Walking through you, I can see scenes from our life.  So many people we were glad to know.  So many happy moments.  I wouldn't even trade the difficult ones.  I know you're an inanimate object, but somehow you also feel like an old friend.  It is hard for me to look around and see a collection of empty rooms.  I have taken everything that wasn't nailed down, and let's face it, I took some stuff that was, as well.   

But I am leaving you one memory of us:

And the chalkboard.  I am leaving you the chalkboard, because I can't figure out how to get it off the wall:

I hope you will soon have new inhabitants that love you as much as we did.  I wonder if they will walk in, declare you the house of their dreams, and then begin to repaint and remodel.  I wonder if they will outgrow you.  If they do, I hope another family will come... and another... and another...  I hope more babies come home here and more children grow up here.  And I have asked God to bless you, from top to bottom, and to bless the people that live here in the days and years to come.

I have to stop writing now.  I wish I could stop crying.

Love,

L.

Campmeeting 2014...

This is the first time ever that I can remember being sort of glad that campmeeting is over.  But let me explain...

We knew, heading into this summer, that we were going to have six weeks of near non-stop activity.  Today (or maybe tomorrow, more accurately), marks the end of those six weeks.  And they have been good weeks.  Really, really good weeks.  But we're exhausted!

I'm looking forward to a (slightly) slower pace in August.  But before I switch gears, let me share some of my favorite things from this past week:

*We're home.  Last year I could hardy bring myself to pull away from the campground, I was so certain that we were supposed to return home.  This year, I walked across the grounds, opened my back door, and smiled.

*Old friends and new friends.  Every single time.

*My kids have been coming to this camp for years.  They have now reached a point where they have perennial camp friends.  I love the experience they're having.

*Great photo opportunities:

*Snow-Cones.

I hope this doesn't sound seriously "un-spiritual".  The truth is, last year I felt like almost every single word of every single sermon was specifically for me.  And, although the worship services were good this year, I have to figure that sometimes they have to be for someone else!  Every day this week just felt like a bonus day at camp.  And it's all good.  I'm really happy with where I'm at and with what God is doing!

L.

Slow Progress...

... is better than no progress at all!

At the moment, the boys' room and the kids' bathroom are both completely set up.  The rest of the house is basically functional, with varying degrees of mess!  If I can accomplish one room/day from here on out, then I will be happy... ha!  I feel a little like Larry the Cucumber...

The Boys' Room:

 

The Kids' Bathroom:

L.

This Was Hard...

... but maybe not quite as hard as I thought.

Now that it's listed, it would be excellent if we could get a buyer...  maybe this week?  ;)

L.

There Are Things I Should Say…

… but I’m finding that I can’t seem to get the words out.  If you know me, that’s saying something in and of itself!

Mostly, I am overwhelmed.  I am overwhelmed at God’s goodness.  For anyone who does not yet know, Phil accepted an associate pastor position, this past weekend, and we are headed “home”.   

Almost 12 years ago, we knelt at an altar with Seth (age 1) and Grace (age 2 weeks) and were sent out from our home church on an incredible journey that has led us many places and allowed us to meet many people.  I don’t regret one moment of it.  On Sunday morning, we knelt at an altar with Seth and Grace (Caleb, Ian, and Miah had already headed to children’s church) and were welcomed in to our new church family, and we are ready to start the next adventure.

For the temporary, foreseeable future, we are even going to be living back “home” at the campgrounds where Phil and I met… were called to ministry… were engaged… bought our first home… and brought our first two babies home from the hospital.  I am really capable of crying (happy tears) like a baby, myself, over this.  I know this, because it just might have happened…

Adequate words…  I just can’t seem to form them, but let me share this.  Grace and I wrote a song, together, this summer.  The lyrics are mine, but she brought it to life with music.  This is about as close as I can get to what I really want to say:

This is Grace:

There is nothing I would rather be than yours

Filled with passion

Speaking only truth

Yet I’ve run scared

So unprepared

And the journey

Sometimes it’s just too much for me

Perplexed I cannot see

It’s easy to get distracted

In the wind, in the rain, in the fire, the storm

And often I’ve over-reacted

This life lived so loudly the whisper you’ve formed

Has been lost - in the noise

I’m getting what I don’t deserve

Your mercy’s clear at every turn

It’s something I could never earn

This is grace

Oh, your grace is amazing

Going back the way I came seems so unclear

But I know you

And I trust in you

I won’t be scared

You are prepared

And the journey

Sometimes it’s just too much for me

But it’s never too much for you

Mystified I cannot see

But you can always see

And you lead me

It’s easy to get distracted

In the wind, in the rain, in the fire, the storm

And often I’ve over-reacted

This life lived so loudly the whisper you’ve formed

Has been lost - in the noise

I’m getting what I don’t deserve

Your mercy’s clear at every turn

It’s something I could never earn

This is grace

Oh, your grace is amazing

© Lisa and Grace Michaels 2013

L.

A Day At The Ironing Board...

... not really to iron, of course!

After searching for a birthday shirt for Miah, this year, I decided that I simply wasn't going to find anything I really loved, so I appliqued this myself!  I did order a tutu, because after last year's attempt at that I have decided I'm simply not talented in that way...

 Miah Loves the Shirt!

She calls it her Strawberry Berryfest Princess Shirt:

Caleb, recognizing a unique opportunity (oh my goodness, Mom's got the iron out for the second time in a calendar year), brought me his Upward shirt, so it is now all decked out with stars.  Ian cannot find his shirt.  In fact, no one in this house can find his shirt, even though I distinctly remember folding it and asking him to put it away...

Caleb's Stars:

At any rate, the iron is still out, and I might even take care of a shirt or two for Phil...

L.

Welcome Home…

Today has been a really fantastic day.  My emotions are running exceptionally high, which is sometimes resulting in tears, but it’s all good.

Ready to Start Our Day:

I’m not sure what I expected to feel like, returning to my home district, EMD, after so many years.  I was pregnant with Grace when I last quizmastered on EMD, and of course it was quite a number of years before that when I last quizzed.  I felt exceptionally old when asked, today, how many years I had been involved in teen quizzing.  Nineteen.  That’s a big number, especially considering even the oldest kids on the seats today were not yet born when I started quizzing!

On our drive to the quiz, we passed my High School, and the town is just unrecognizable.  I have driven by a few times in recent years, but it’s always a little bit of a shock.  Things change.  Life changes.  But today, although many things were new and different, I got a glimpse into a few rare moments of feeling as if things stay the same, too…

I love old friends.  I know I mentioned this a couple of weeks back, but today I got to see quite a few old friends, and there is just something special about a hug that comes with the understanding that even though years have separated us, and even though we don’t look young… or thin… and even though our hair is turning gray now, there are still common bonds that can’t be broken… things that keep us together and that span decades…  decades…

So… today I was in my element.  I was home.  And I even figured out the new software in about 2 ½ minutes, with a little help.  Having an amazing day is always good, but avoiding embarrassment doesn’t hurt, either!

How did the quiz go?

Seth and Grace did really well, as has become their M.O.  Grace found herself in a tie for 1^st/2^nd place with an 86.67 average and had to participate in a 5 question quiz off, which also ended in a tie.  This resulted in sudden death, and although she took a great jump and came from the right passage on question 6, she couldn’t quite pull it out.  So, she finished in second place and brought home a $750.00 scholarship to Olivet Nazarene University!  Let’s not forget she is 11!  No shame in that!  Seth had a 61.67 average, also very good.  He also received recognition for his willingness to jump (see below)!  The team entered the tournament seeded 10^th and finished in 6^th.  Now, if we could just pick up another quizzer… or two… or three!

Seth being rewarded for his 13 (out of 18 possible) errors

Hey…  You can’t get the right answer if you don’t get the jump!

Top 15 Individual Quizzers:

After the quiz we met up with Phil’s childhood friend, Chuck, and his wife, Allie.  Had a great time just hanging out and catching up at McDs, and then I admit we picked up some Gus’ breadsticks on the way back to Phil’s Mom and Dad’s house.

This is a phone pic. of us at McDs...

Uh... and my eyes are closed!

At present, three little people are sleeping and I am assuming that Seth and Grace are still debriefing.  I don’t really know, because I’m hiding away in a bedroom to type this!

Favorite quote of the day, after our friend Steve watched the kids quiz, in reference to Grace, “She is just like you!”  For better or for worse… in top finishes and meltdowns… that’s my girl!

L.

Painting the "Nursery"...

I'm 32 years old, and my fifth child is almost two. Why am I painting a nursery you might ask... (You also might not ask, but that is the question I'm going to answer...)

Many of you probably already know that I struggled with postpartum depression after Miah was born. For those of you who have been reading this blog for a long time, you are probably sick of posts that begin with, "Many of you probably already know... blah... blah... blah..." But it's relevant here...

One very vivid memory I have from the first week or so after bringing Miah home is rocking her and crying about how the crib and rocking chair were in our bedroom and how I had no room in the house that I could decorate as a nursery for her. I know... I know... the really tragic stuff life is made of, right? But I was not in a very stable state of mind.

A lot of people suggested that we should move Miah in with Grace, but I just couldn't kick the thought of a Disney princess shoe... or a beaded bracelet... or a piece of belly button lint falling into the crib and then finding its way to Miah's little mouth. And even if we had created a shared living space for the girls, I doubt that Grace would have wanted a flower garden nursery... with a little picket fence... and owls... Miah stayed with us.

Well... almost two years later (how can that be), we have rearranged the house in such a way that Grace has her new "pre-teen" looking, cooler than anything bedroom, and Miah is finally going to have her own room.

Any logical person would just move Miah's belongings into the very nice room that Grace has vacated. In fact, when we devised this plan, Phil even said, "Well... you won't have to paint in Miah's room since it's already decorated for a girl." Yeah... well... He kinda got a lecture after that one...

I'm not going to cry about it anymore (although I did get a little teary about some other things while painting, today, which I will share in another post, soon, about letting go as your children grow), but I really want to decorate that "perfect" baby girl nursery that I have always wanted. And so I'm going for it. And I really hope Miah loves it until Grace turns 18 and goes to college, because the chances of her convincing me to paint over it... again... any time soon are really slim (please read "non-existent").

Today all I managed to get done was the primer. The room is primed, and so are my arms and one of my legs. Although I showered for a really long time, I cannot get the paint off. I am going to look awesome at church in the morning...

As this project progresses, I will make updates. And I hope the finished product is amazing, because if it's not you're going to have to lie about how much you love the pictures...

L.