Prayers for the tragedy in CO & all those in pain...

We never know what each new day will bring. 
We hope for joy and peace 
Or at least the comfort 
Of predictable routine.

We're never prepared 
For the intrusion of Evil 
Acted out through 
Harm and mayhem.

When death rips life
From our grasp,
When horror blurs
Our sight,
Have mercy on us, Lord.

Hold our aching souls
Guide us through
Dizzying grief,
Listen to our wailing "Why?"

Be the Comfort we may not even know we need
As we live through this brand new mourning. Amen.

Brand New Mourning
by the Rev. Dr. Kwasi Kena, GBOD

Disneyland (Finally)...

We've been back from our Disney trip for almost a month now and I'm finally getting around to blogging about. It was hard to go straight from Disney to moving (I don't really recommend that sort of vacation timing if it can be helped).

We all loved Disneyland. Eli & Emerson were adorable and they still talk about it all the time. Especially the princess. Just a warning I'm probably going to do multiple posts because I want to document as much of the trip as possible.

So here we go Disney Day #1

We drove to Disneyland straight from my mandatory work conference, and arrived in Anaheim just as the fireworks were starting. It was a fun start. Eli & Emerson were eager to see Tigger and the Princesses and were a little disappointed when we just went to our hotel room. Finding a present waiting for us in the room made it a little better for them.

 Some of my family. The whole reason for the trip to Disneyland was to celebrate my cousins High school graduation. They're family loves Disney and it was decided a couple of years ago. This is the group that made it. (which is much smaller than it should have been. For example none of my 5 siblings could make it). We met up with family from Minnesota and Nevada.

This picture was taken at 6am. We got an early "Magic Morning" Start for our Disney fun.

The Dumbo ride was one of the favorites for Eli & Emmy. We rode it 4 times during our trip.

Of course there were also teacups (but no spinning)

A small world (our group took up two full boats)

Hanging out in the stroller. If you go to Disneyland and your kids still fit in a stroller bring one, it's so much walking.

My uncle and Eli hanging out.

The graduate on the left with Emerson and her sister on the right with Eli. 

Riding on the train. Eli was in love. He could have ridden around on the train all day long.

On the buzz light year ride.

Eli met Pooh Bear (& Tigger but my aunt has that picture). He was so cute, and excited to finally meet someone, since we had been talking about it for so long. Emmy wasn't  brave enough yet to meet the characters but by the end of the trip she was a pro.

Things in the park got a little busy. So we headed back to our hotel for some down time and swimming.

My water babies. I think they would live in the water if we would let them. Especially Emerson.

Then we had a Pizza picnic with the family before heading back to the park.

As we walked in we saw Princess Ariel. Emmy so badly wanted to be braver than she was, but wouldn't get out of my arms. 

She did decide she wanted a hug though. Princesses would become the highlight of the trip for both Eli & Emerson.

Then we went on the carousal. Another big hit (We rode this 5 times I think during our trip).

It's an added bonus that there's never really a big line for this ride. Marcus liked it too!

We stayed late that night for one of the shows. Emmy was a little scared by it and hung out in the stroller. Eli watched from Marcus shoulders and occasionally asked to be put down if something started to scare him. Emerson was not a fan of the "booms" which is what she calls the fireworks.

We got back to our hotel around 11pm. A long day of Disney fun. They fell asleep on the walk back to the hotel.

Day #2 our Hollywood tour coming tomorrow. I know you're excited haha :~)

Things that made me happy today...

1.) Seeing the joy Emerson got this morning when I let her dress up in one of my bridesmaids dresses. And then hearing Eli say to her repeatedly while she wore the dress, "You're a princess sissy"

2.) Coming home from work to discover that a bird flew into our house. Watching Marcus trying to get the scared little thing out was hysterical. (The bird flew into one of our many windows trying to escape).

3.) Seeing old friends. It's so nice to have moved to an area where many of my college friends live.

4.) Work, I'm preaching this Sunday for the first time in my new church. I'm excited!

5.) My new reading chair. I've been wanting a chair for years and years and years. A chair where I could curl up and read. I finally got a chair. I'm giddy with excitement.

6.) A good book. I haven't read a book in over a month which is so long for me. I started The Art of Fielding tonight and so far it's great.

7.) Watching Eli try to figure out the world. Eli wants to know everything, observe everything, and ask questions about everything. Today he was fascinated by the pipes underneath the sink. (I sort of get the feeling that he may be one of those kids who wants to take apart the toaster or computer or something).

8.) That my Papa came through his surgery okay. Today is his 77th birthday and he had 4 stints put in. I worry about my grandparents and I don't like this aging business and the fact that they live so far away.

 

I officiated a wedding...

I finally officiated my first wedding! The added bonus is that it was for two friends from college. Such a great time.

Eli & Emerson loved the wedding and for some reason (maybe because I was more centrally involved) they had a lot of questions about marriage and who is married to who.

Emmy and I had this conversation on friday after the rehearsal.

Emmy: Mama are you married?
Me: Yup I am. Who do you think I'm married to?
Emmy: Jesus.

Haha it was a good try. Then we had this conversation.

Emmy: mama I want to get married.
Me: Ok you can one day.
Emmy: I'm going to marry you.
Me: okay and who is Eli going to marry?
Emmy: daddy.

Then Marcus and I were asking Eli & Emmy questions about people in our family who are married to see if they were understanding the concept at all.

Me: Is gram married?
Eli/Emmy: Yes
Me: Who is she married to?
Eli/Emmy: Granddad

haha so they got that one right, but perhaps only because they're a package deal in their mind. The pretty much only see their grandparents together.

Me: What about Uncle Luke is he married?
Eli/Emmy: No
Me: What about Tia Mara is she married.
Eli/Emmy: No
Me: yes they are they're married to each other.
Eli/Emmy: No they're not

It's possible they don't get the concept.

However, Disneyland had some staying power because according to both Eli & Emerson the bride in her dress was the princess. After we left the wedding they kept asking, "Where the princess go?"

Fun times. (I have pictures but they were taken by a friend my camera died at the wedding). It was in a gorgeous location in Wine country.

Trouble Sleeping (For Emmy)...

We've only been in our new house for 10 days and in that time Emerson has been having the hardest time at night. She resists sleep, instead asks over and over to come and "sit with mama"

She wants to sleep in our bed (which is unusual and not something we've ever done), and she wakes up crying.

I wonder if this is due in part to the transitions. Not only the move but not having me home as much. I worked from home at my last church, but I'm away all day here. She's really attached to me. I wonder if going to preschool is really going to send her over the edge, poor baby.

Made up Words...

Eli & Emerson have always been able to communicate with each other. They "get" each other even when others around have no idea what's going on.

Today they created a word, it had meaning for the both of them, but Marcus and I could not figure out what exactly it meant.

Emerson ran in from outside and said, "mama I want to 'twinkle' (at least whatever it was she was saying sounded like twinkle to me) then she asked, "Want to see?"

I went out and the best I could tell "twinkling" simply involved Emerson repeatedly riding her bike off the concrete into the dirt"

"See mom I 'twinkling'..."

I still didn't get it, so I asked Eli who was sitting next to me, "What's sissy doing?"

"Sissy twinkling"

So clearly whatever it was that she was doing was a game/word they had developed together. I'm glad they were having a good time even though I have still have no idea exactly what the word or the game is.

My crazy kids (at my church last Sunday)

No internet +moving+new job =

No time for blogging.

Life has been crazy this past week (less than a week actually)

We arrived in our new city Saturday.

I started work on Sunday.

We've been trying to unpack, work, etc. etc. Plus we still don't have internet at our house. That's an ongoing frustration and Marcus has spent hours on the phone with our provider and they suck.

But we're alive and exhausted. Eli keeps asking to go back to his other house. Poor boy.

My Welcome to the new church.

Me & the Senior pastor sharing communion 

Eli & Emmy helping me meet new people at our church.

Hopefully, much more later. I still haven't had a chance to adequately blog our disney adventures.