Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Choose

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ A Journey

You know my daughter is a foster parent. She wrote an article about it for my cousin's blog. I thought I'd link to it so you could see her heart, and get a glimpse of the miracle of opening a heart to little ones. 

http://theinnovativemama.com/2015/04/27/a-glimpse-into-the-world-of-foster-parenting/

Scribbles and Scrambles - Techie Difficulties

I had too many windows open on my computer last night. And my computer was not amused. So it did the Mac spinning beach ball thingy. And I was dog tired. So here's what I have for you...

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Making Old School Cool...

Saturday I was able to join my first TEDx event. I've seen a few talks on Youtube and the like and I've always found that I take at least one thing away from a small investment of time. 

But in Omaha we have our own TEDx organization. A friend is part of the planning committee and suggested my daughter and I might like a TEDx Adventure. We traveled to a little town on our side of the river in Iowa. Malvern, Iowa, population?  Not so many. 

(I love it when Omaha crosses the river into our territory.) 

A Carnegie library makes it's home in Malvern. A classic white clapboard church has been transformed into an art studio, home to a terrific artist and my new kitty buddy.  Old downtown buildings are being reclaimed and made beautiful in all their glory. 

We lunched at a lovely cafe/bar/coffee house with a for reals piano man playing away. 

Should you be looking for a town like Malvern, there is a lovely bike trail and there will be some upcoming housing available this summer. (No hotel, really.) But the Art Church has an apartment that is going to be rented out (which is really cool. I'd love to stay a night or two.) A historic building near the bike trail is being renovated to provide more housing. 

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Tuesday Smiles

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ And My Middle Name Is (drum roll) Grace...not

Question. If a clumsy person is named Grace is that kind of an oxymoron?    

My middle name is Sue. Which is kinda weirding me out right now because I never think about Sue being part of my name. 

But I digress. My middle name is also not Claire as in clarity. Right? 

So back to the grace/Grace thing... You know those moments when if you were alone when something embarrassing happens and they'd just be normal or annoying events at worst? But when there is an audience you want a bag for over your head? Yeah. That's me.  

My road is is usually quiet. But yesterday there were three trucks and three men working just a stone's throw from my driveway. I didn't want to take more than one trip to the car while they were standing out there. So I piled my arms with stuff. Did I mention I'm klutzy? So climbing the cement steps I tripped over my own toes/shoe/a piece of lint and fell up the stairs. I oofed fairly loudly and dumped all the items I'd been carrying onto the sidewalk. I also scraped my forearm on the step. 

Hoping none of the men miraculously saw me wipe out I scooped everything up and hurried inside. As I pulled shut the door behind me I noticed one of the guys staring right at me. I gave him a sheepish smile and shut the door. At least it wasn't groceries,  a whole bag full of assorted fruits and veggies that would've rolled out into the street. So grateful for that. 

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Sun and Fun

 You gotta love lazy spring afternoons, right? The girls had a rousing game of squirrel chase as soon as I got home from work. Then we went outside to chill. Gertie and Gladys barked at birds, squirrels and neighbors. They also ran and dug. Several times they took rest breaks by leaping onto my lap while I was reading. Yes, my pages definitely got dog-eared. The most exciting find of the day was the dried up earthworm they dug out of a crack in the patio. 

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Past Blast

My weekend included the arrival of my brand new nephew. Welcome to the family Owen Scott!  A tutu party for my little four-year-old granddaughter and lots of visiting. During my visits I snagged an old picture of Toad Boy that he had on his phone while we stood mere feet away from where he posed as a two-year-old. Wasn't he cute? 

And speaking of past blasts? Here's one from "gulp" 35 years ago. My dad brought over my art folio from my junior year in high school. Behold, my silk screen project. 

I will admit that I didn't get along with every teacher I had. My 9th grade algebra teacher and 8th grade social studies teacher were popular with the other kids. Very popular and the problem with that was that they tried too hard to be like a kid and that rubbed me the wrong way. My art teacher was pompous. And we didn't like each other at all. As a matter of fact I always kind of wondered why he was a teacher because I'm pretty sure he didn't really care for teenagers. Evidence of his lack of love for me and my pouty princess refusal to play his game. Check out the grade!!!! 

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Faux Pas

I think God has a great sense of humor.  And sometimes I think He is less likely to be offended than most of us are. 

My cousin has been in church about as many times as the fingers on one hand. He's not exactly a seeker, but he's open to thinking about seeking. After Grandma died her Bible went to my cousin. My brother asked my cousin if he's been reading it. There are a whole lot of Thee's and Thou's and impossible for my cousin to read. 

They were together running some errands and my brother needed to make a stop. He had a Bible to buy for a friend so my cousin agreed to go in with him to the local Christian book store. My brother suggested they could find an easier version for my cousin. 

So my cousin was drawn to the wall of Bibles. He reached for the largest leather bound number and flipped it over. 

"They want f-BOMB-ing $125.00 dollars for this?!?" He said. His voice carried in the large acoustically clear building. My brother, shocked, stage whispered. "Watch your mouth!" My cousin looked up and around at the shocked faces. "S- _-_-_ !" Yep, he said that one, too. 

The good news is that they picked up a much more reasonably priced Bible and he's reading it. Must have figured at those prices it must be good stuff.  

Scribbles and Scrambles - When 4 Year Olds Get Hold of Your Phone

Scribbles and Scrambles - Upside Out

My Easter focus was not on the resurrected Christ and what that means for me.

It was, instead, on the small beings He's placed in our family for a season or forever. The shopping for items to bring them joy. Our little GQ boy's delight over his fedora and bow tie. Relishing the sloppy, crazy egg dipping adventure. Policing how much of the bounty of candy was eaten right then and there. 

And the strangest thing happened. I saw Jesus everywhere. He was in my daughter as she loved these babies who aren't hers and as she gave of her energy to give them this over materialistic celebration called Easter. He was in my son and daughter-in-law as they played the roles of best aunt and uncle on the planet. He was in Rob as he patiently explained "inside voices" one more time. He was in me when I loved them with every fiber of my being. And He is with us all as we pray for them and their future and take every opportunity to present the hope only He can provide. 

He's kinda like that, isn't He?

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ You Know What They Say About Spring...

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Oops. Reality.

I've lied to my pups. Not malicious lying, simply one of convenience. The squirrel on the stick is not a squirrel. They don't have a frame of reference for fox. A fox would be dog like to them rather than a furry little guy in need of squeaker removal. So. I call it squirrel. Squirrels are the things that sit in trees and tease. They also walk a mean tight rope and right over us and escape out of our frenzied clutches. Fox's just aren't the same. They are wily. Even the word squirrel sounds a little like an onomatopoeia. And when squirrel fox needs to be replaced (which might be very soon, squirrel is looking rough) whatever we get will probably be called squirrel as well. 

While I was flinging fox/squirrel around I was pondering deep thoughts. But I forgot most of them. So I'm writing this instead. And because it's pretty late and my girls are wound, wound, up from spending part of the evening alone, I'm working on clarity of words right now. I spent the evening at our daughter's place. Rob was asked to put together a bunk bed for a surprise for the girls. Hehehe. Yeah. It was more like a surprise for the adults. Needless to say, there is going to be a finishing party tomorrow night because, well, let's just say reality didn't meet up with the fantasy. Lots and lots of pieces. Hundreds when you count all the little screws, the tiny nuts, the wooden dowel pieces, the bottom slatted mattress rest. 

Our daughter asked us tonight how many years we had spent doing projects together. And we had to answer "all of them." We have never had the means to not DIY. And we've had a compulsion to keep DIYing. It's just what we do. On a lot of levels she has followed in our footsteps. Our daughter's disappointment over not quite surprising the kids with a perfectly done magazine style layout in their bedroom was minimal. Even the accidental popping of one of the birthday balloons didn't dampen her spirit. 

Maybe we've taught her a couple things about life while we just lived ours. Maybe a little bit about being in the moment as a reward for the grind. After all she saw my absolute love of road trips through the experience in the back seat with a front row to my meltdowns and the gritty reality of weather issues, budget issues and pain, grime and grit. Our family seems to make a whole lot of pleasant memories in the midst of grit and grime. And to think. I was always trying to make that one perfect moment when we all wore brilliant white, smiled perfectly for the camera and only spoke with love and respect toward a sibling. 

I'm pretty sure I got the better reality. I really don't look all that great in white.