driving miss janet

I've started driving like an old lady.
maybe it's because of the $180 ticket i got when we first arrived here, for running a red.  oh, stop the gasping!  it had just turned red, i was lost, my kid had just peed her pants....mitigating circumstances.
i used to be a 70 girl, that was my speed of choice.  but lately i look down and see that i'm cruising the strip at a whopping 40 km/h.  i quickly glance up at my rear view mirror and see the line of cars and imagine all of the cursing i'm instigating.  this is why i don't have a Christian fish on my bumper - why should Jesus be blamed for my inadequate driving skills?
today i was making my way to a coffee shop down the street when this happened to me again.  i had just dropped off my youngest at a friends and was on my way to meet with a group of artists, to talk about the work of being artists and to brainstorm works of art that could correspond with the current sermon series at our church. 
the car was quiet
the air was fresh and warm and the wind was up
i was enjoying how the trees on either side of the road were learning towards each other, hugging the street with their limbs.  hugging me in my van.  i love roads like this,  especially in the fall with the lovely yellows and reds and purples and greens and, YES!, oranges.  i was breathing deeply and praying thanksgiving.
and then i looked down at the speedometer.
and looked up at the mirror.

oopsie daisy

in other not at all related news, scott and i have recently released our first album.  we recorded it in his brothers studio in August - a whirlwind day and a half.  and then Jon (said brother) worked his magic on it for a few weeks, adding instrumentation and creativity and beauty, and voila!  the songs are all written by Scott and the albums called "everyday prayers" - because these songs all began as his prayers.  prayers that sunk down into him and sloshed around and came back up with music attached. 
i've tried to write a few songs in my life, but they usually end up sounding like show tunes (think jazz hands and a trumpet section).  scott's songs are significantly better :)

feel free to buy it here: everydayprayers.bandcamp.com

think of me when you find yourself acting elderly :)

harvest

jack frost murdered my basil.
last week we were sweating it out in the mid thirties, and last night it dipped to minus four.  yikes.  i was un-prepared.
so, out i went with the kiddies to harvest the crops. 
don't these look great?
crispy, sweet, packed with vitamins....i'm hoping to heal myself from my poor eyesight by eating as many homegrown carrots as possible.
i'm also thinking of joining some farmer's markets next summer - there's so many around town.  maybe i could make some extra cash and pay for piano lessons or something.


has anyone heard of a farmer's market in this area that caters to polly pockets?  or maybe calico critters (they look like they've got money)...i'd even consider selling to barbies. 

i planted 8 tomato plants thinking i'd can some sauce for the winter....

well, i had high hopes.  and, let's just say it:  i failed.  my daughter pulled out a carrot that was literally a centimeter long and said "mom!  you're going to be so proud of this one, it's your biggest!!"  i'm sure it's healthy for my children to see their mother completely bomb at something.  i've diagnosed my garden issues to:  i'm too cheap.  too cheap to buy the extra bag of compost.  why?  because i'm also too lazy.  too lazy to drive to the other garden store. 

i finally did buy the compost in August.  it was less than four dollars. 

sigh.

so, i'm off to maybe have a warm bath or at least put my feet up after that intense day of harvesting.

eat a carrot for me.

the day of my birth.

Sunday was my birthday.  I'm 36. 
i think that still qualifies as "mid-thirties" instead of "late-thirties", although my 34 year-old husband informs me that he can still round down, but not me....
so, my first week of 36 has been productive.  i started doing jillian michael's 30-day shred, and have done it 3 times so far this week - despite the fact that i'm literally thinking through every bend, lift and stair (do i REALLY need the ingredient from the bottom shelf?).  i brought my son to his first day of pre-kindergarten.  i made a wicked awesome gluten free angel food cake for scott's birthday (which is three days after mine).  and I've had some wonderful time with friends and family.  my parents were here for my birthday - i haven't had a birthday with my mom and dad since i turned 17.  that's more than half my life celebrating without them! we went for a walk through a downtown neighbourhood - the kind of street with old trees and beautiful homes.  my kids were on their bikes and my parents were holding hands and i was struck with how rare and wonderful my life is.  and then i ate coconut crusted shrimp at los palapos.  nuff said.
currently i am lying on the hammock in my backyard and my kids are puttering around me.  my daughter actually just uttered the words "do you want to play clean-up?" to my son.  i've arrived!
we are experiencing our first fall in a large programatic church.  scott's been reeling from planning and meeting and organizing, and i find myself staring at the calander on a dailing basis with a sneaking sense that the little boxes are getting smaller and smaller.  I'm excited about the things i'm involved in - leading classes, mentoring, prayer group, small group, book club and an arts group...that looks ridiculous when it's written out like that, but most things are only once a month.  when i worked at Trinity Western University, i was taught that it's important in life to be receiving and giving -  to be mentored and to mentor, and to have mutually beneficial relationships.  the piece i need to work on establishing is being mentored myself, but i do feel like i'm being poured into through my friendships and our church.  in truth, this feels like a really healthy place - i'm exercising, i'm really enjoying my times with God (scott gave me a modern book of common prayer for my b-day and it's awesome), my friendships are deepening and i'm using my artistic gifts. 
do i make my life sound too good?  the other day a friend said she wanted to call me and say "tell me something hard about your life" because when she pictured me she saw me sipping martinis in my hammock. 
well, i am in my hammock.  but my kids are fighting and my son just pooed his pants.  does that help?  and i missed my BC friends on my birthday - it was strange feeling like no one knew.  i was standing in the church foyer, surrounded by friends, thinking 'should i tell them?'.  thankfully my husband came to my rescue and told eveyone and i was sung to.  loudly. :)
next year i'll just have to throw myself a party.  want to come?
all in all i am thankful for the year 35, and the many lessons learned therein, and the great faithfulness of God through one of the biggest trials and journeys of my life.  it will be a year fondly remembered, a marker stone of God's goodness.  an ebenezer. which is fitting (that's the name of our new church).
i wonder what this new year holds, what challenges will be faced, what tears will be shed, and what surprises experienced. 
i'm excited.