"The Rest of the Story"

Borrowing the phrase from the unforgettable newsman Paul Harvey, but thought it fitting for this entry. Decided I should follow-up on the ideas and questions posed in the previous post, so instead of Dorothy's "Yellow Brick Road," you need to "Follow the Bold, Green Print" inserted after the original "wonderance" from the former post. And enjoy these reflections and reports of the mundane and blessed moments of our lives.

. . . why I didn't remember that the aforementioned poem, "October's Bright Blue Weather," was written by Helen Hunt Jackson. Be honest now; how many of you followed the links to read a bit of the bio of Helen Hunt Jackson, or to enjoy the entire poem praising the nature of autumn? The links are still there, so you should read if you haven't. You'll enjoy it, I'm sure.

. . .if my root canal scheduled for Monday will be as relatively stressless as it was last time. NO!! I'm not really a whiner, usually--but this dental experience was more akin to the stereotypical dread I've always associated with root canals. Last time lasted about an hour and a half, and the two original shots of anesthetic sufficiently masked any sensitivity. This time was two sittings of about two hours each, and the digging and drilling the first time kept reaching points that retained ample sensitivity despite the dosages of Novocaine. Each time I would wince and jump in obvious discomfort, the good doctor would inject another dose of deadener. I lost count of how many; just remember his repeated remarks to his assistant, "All that medicine, and he's still feeling it!" Guess I finally got enough and he filed and fiddled and "photoed" away for the two hour appointment, filled it up with temporary glue, and instructed me to come back in a week to finish up. Assured me "the worst was over," and blocked me in for an hour-long appointment. Well, it wasn't as uncomfortable and the original shots were enough, but wasn't as smooth or quick as we'd hoped. Guess twisted roots made access a bit tricky, and caused material to keep "binding and bending" so my stay extended to nearly two hours before I was released and making another appointment for the rebuilding and permanent filling. That's happening on Wednesday and only a half-hour slot, so am praying all goes as planned. Yeah! Delightful dental adventures.

. . . how long we will wait before being very happy and relieved that we switched over to the snow tires on the car this morning. Not long. It snowed a few inches a night or two later, and one morning's drive to work was less than favorable, but since has warmed up, melted the snow in the valley and roads are now dry and smooth cruising again. We are happy and hope for it to stay off the roads for as much of winter as it will. But, when the inevitable "here-to-stay" winter conditions do come, we are relieved to have studded tires.

. . . what factor in their upbringing resulted in both the kids' excitement about their current plans for soon participating in random "zombie" events at their respective colleges. Not sure, still--but the son reports that his week as a human this year in MSU's annual "Humans vs. Zombies" event was one of the most stressful he's endured, constantly needing to stay hyper-attuned to everyone around him lest a zombie pop out and nerf-dart him. Sounds like he had lots of fun nonetheless, and he survived the entire duration. And the princess portrayed one of a zombie horde in some movie that a friend was making, so she got to get made-up and "act" zombie-ish. She was pleased to report that the make-up or film crew commented that she made a good zombie. Oh--the zany creativity of college-life!

. . . if, despite being at it for over a couple decades now, I will ever stop feeling astounded by the traumatic "home-life" that too many of my students deal with. Am sure I'll always be deeply saddened by the horrors in our sin-filled world; need to work to more consciously divert my emotional energy into focused prayer warfare against Satan's evil powers.

. . . or if the tenderness and connection I so deeply feel for them--despite their far-less-than-desirable behavior--will ever become callously eroded away. If it does, I'll know it's time to change professions. There is no room for calloused educators not completely devoted to finding and nurturing the best in kids.

. . . how my creative, "own-drummer-marching" kids are keeping up with their novel writing for National Novel Writing Month: 50,000 words all written in the month of November. This is his third time through the process and he has succeeded with the goal each time, sacrifices sleep time and possibly some attention to academia, but am sure will still admirably accomplish both. She--on the other hand--admits she is quite behind with her word-count, and likely will not meet the goal. She is still committed to the story and will continue with it, but maybe not make the goal in November. Did you all research the program? Anyone tempted to try it next year?

. . . how much longer the remodeling in the dear bride's office will have her inconveniently working from a desk crammed in a tight corner in the entry hallway. Way too long! Popped in when picked her up from work this evening; desk still awkwardly occupying the entryway, and construction-zone disarray dangling all over the office space. Going on near three weeks now; not sure what the holdup is.

. . . if we will be able to attend my nephew's wedding in Illinois in June--or my brother's, probably in Arizona, sometime this winter. Really would like to make it happen. Nephew's may work as may coincide with a retrieval trip for the princess after completes her year, and MN and IL are quite near. Details for brother and his bride-to-be are still uncertain, so will just have to wait and see.

. . . how many Russian words or phrases will become part of our usable vocabulary when the princess is home for winter break from Thanksgiving through New Years. (She is registered to continue with the 102 course in January.) Bit by bit learning a little about the intricacies of this interesting language. Don't want to stress the princess with too much prodding about the academics that were plenty stressful enough for her on their own. Hope her second term at it "clicks" more easily for her. She is determined to persevere with it, so that's good. Such fun learning about differing cultures through language!

. . . why it's too easy to stay up and so hard to get up. And, as it's now the wee a.m. hours as I work here, I've not experienced any habitual changes here; and, I will likely regret my choices with the obnoxious intrusion of my alarm in the morning. Such is the journey and the price of creativity.

. . . if my sister-in-law is feeling just a bit too much like a professional surgical patient after her fourth ACL knee surgery yesterday. Apparently a wood-getting mishap this time instead of the usual basketball intensities causing the injury. Evidently doing well. Heard word of her making pies for Thanksgiving festivities and believe they still have plans to head to LasVegas this week to celebrate their daughter's birthday and spectate at the National Finals Rodeo while there.

. . . how many of the Bozeman gang will be there for our Thanksgiving festivities at the son's apartment, and how much kitchen help we will have, or not. Eight for dinner; 16-pound turkey, ten pounds of potatoes mashed, fairly decent gravy, peas, corn, Brussels sprouts, and fresh-baked frozen rolls plus two pies for dessert was the bride's and my part of the meal. A couple of the roommates added family favorites to the menu as well: green-bean casserole from one WA boy, and unique and tasty sugar-and-cinnamon soaked dill pickles from a PA kid. We brought candles in crystal holders for decoration and had "poppers" to add to the festivity before we dined. We watched a movie together that night, and had a waffle and bacon late brunch after a bit of shopping on Friday before returning home. Plenty of leftovers for the boys to use in their 'frig', so hope they remember to eat them before too long. All the "kids" seemed to enjoy it, and it was a pleasure getting to know the son's friends a bit better too.

. . . if maybe the princess will be a bit too tired of traveling after a day on the train and NOT feel like jumping in the car the next day for a five-hour jaunt to do Thanksgiving with her brother and friends.
She slept in until noon the morning we left, and got to enjoy listening to some favorite music CD's that hadn't had a chance to for awhile, so seemed to do fine with more travel. Know she relished in seeing her brother again--even if a bit brief.

. . . why it's much harder than I anticipated to make time for sorting and organizing in the kids' room, so it can be a welcoming and usable space for the princess when she's home for winter break. Still a state of chaos, as she prefers sleeping in the larger bed in the "guest room" so I gave up on trying to get it reorganized before her homecoming. Still want to find a comfortable order for their room (and much of the rest of the house) soon, however.

. . . what festive and celebratory moments I should think about for the darling bride's birthday next week, and if she wants a German Chocolate cake this year, or not. Did make the yummy coconut, pecan frosting, and some gooey brownies as birthday dessert. And we took a leisurely drive to visit with my Grandma and an Aunt, and we shared some birthday cake with them. Wonderful spending a bit of time with each of them, and we returned for a celebratory dinner of interesting hors d'oeuvres and a glass of wine at a festive eatery. After birthday phone calls from the daughter in MN and her Papa and brother in CA, and gifts and dessert, we enjoyed viewing a favorite movie,"While You Were Sleeping." Always good to celebrate the wondrous blessing of my beautiful bride!

. . . why I am the grayest--by far--of all my siblings, even though I am the youngest. Is it my job, my attitude, my emotionality, my lifestyle. . . ? Still no clue--but don't guess it really matters.

. . . how the princess will deal with the undulatory bi-polaric emotions that are inevitable with the first visit home after experiencing the autonomous freedoms of college-life. All seems well, as much as I can tell. But only a week home so far today. She's enjoyed some conference skype sessions with her group of friends, and still likes being waited on if we are willing to do it for her. Imagine that! We'll see how it all plays out as the vacation continues in the coming weeks.

. . . why completing these posts takes way more time than I think it should. I'm a very finicky wordsmith, and need my communications to exude the right mood, be very clear so as to leave no room for misinterpretation, and be amply creative in their presentation. How am I doing?

. . . how the time spent composing them correlates to the number of readers accessing them. Seems the counter feature is quite sporadic in its rise, and not many comments, reactions, or poll questions answered. So I'm still wondering. Do you give me an indicator of your visit here?

. . . or even if that matters. Is there a formula for assessing the value of creative endeavors? Tricky question. Lots of opinions out there, I'd guess.

And finally, I WONDER (denoting awe-inducement now, instead of simple cerebral ponderances)

. . . at God's remarkable gifts of the family we love, jobs we enjoy, and friends to care about and pray for across years and miles. Yes, God is generous with His wondrous blessings. Praise Him!

May you too discover the WONDERS He has gifted your life with. Thanks for listening, (and commenting, if you feel so moved.)

So, as Bill Nye the Science Guy always concluded his interesting factoids, "Now you know!" I hope the knowing has somehow brightened your day today. And Happy Advent to all; continue to bask in the wonders and blessings of our coming Lord.

I Wonder. . .

. . . why I didn't remember that the aforementioned poem, "October's Bright Blue Weather," was written by Helen Hunt Jackson. (You can read the entire poem, and information about the author by following the links on the right.) She was apparently a pretty remarkable woman, an activist for Native Indian rights and a close friend and classmate of American poet, Emily Dickinson.

. . .if my root canal scheduled for Monday will be as relatively stressless as it was last time. Praying for that.

. . . how long we will wait before being very happy and relieved that we switched over to the snow tires on the car this morning. (Remember, you can check my current weather by clicking the link in the right sidebar.)

. . . what factor in their upbringing resulted in both the kids' excitement about their current plans for soon participating in random "zombie" events at their respective colleges.

. . . if, despite being at it for over a couple decades now, I will ever stop feeling astounded by the traumatic "home-life" that too many of my students deal with.

. . . or if the tenderness and connection I so deeply feel for them--despite their far-less-than-desirable behavior--will ever become callously eroded away.

. . . how my creative, "own-drummer-marching" kids are keeping up with their novel writing for National Novel Writing Month: 50,000 words all written in the month of November. (Follow link in sidebar for more information.) And, keeping up with their classes too.

. . . how much longer the remodeling in the dear bride's office will have her inconveniently working from a desk crammed in a tight corner in the entry hallway.

. . . if we will be able to attend my nephew's wedding in Illinois in June--or my brother's, probably in Arizona, sometime this winter. Really would like to make it happen.

. . . how many Russian words or phrases will become part of our usable vocabulary when the princess is home for winter break from Thanksgiving through New Years. (She is registered to continue with the 102 course in January.)

. . . why it's too easy to stay up and so hard to get up. (Better--a bit--though with the recent time change making morning a bit brighter, for awhile.)

. . . if my sister-in-law is feeling just a bit too much like a professional surgical patient after her fourth ACL knee surgery yesterday. Apparently a wood-getting mishap this time instead of the usual basketball intensities causing the injury.

. . . how many of the Bozeman gang will be there for our Thanksgiving festivities at the son's apartment, and how much kitchen help we will have, or not.

. . . if maybe the princess will be a bit too tired of traveling after a day on the train and NOT feel like jumping in the car the next day for a five-hour jaunt to do Thanksgiving with her brother and friends.

. . . why it's much harder than I anticipated to make time for sorting and organizing in the kids' room, so it can be a welcoming and usable space for the princess when she's home for winter break.

. . . what festive and celebratory moments I should think about for the darling bride's birthday next week, and if she wants a German Chocolate cake this year, or not.

. . . why I am the grayest--by far--of all my siblings, even though I am the youngest. Is it my job, my attitude, my emotionality, my lifestyle. . . ?

. . . how the princess will deal with the undulatory bi-polaric emotions that are inevitable with the first visit home after experiencing the autonomous freedoms of college-life.

. . . why completing these posts takes way more time than I think it should.

. . . how the time spent composing them correlates to the number of readers accessing them.

. . . or even if that matters. Is there a formula for assessing the value of creative endeavors?

And finally, I WONDER (denoting awe-inducement now, instead of simple cerebral ponderances)

. . . at God's remarkable gifts of the family we love, jobs we enjoy, and friends to care about and pray for across years and miles.

May you too discover the WONDERS He has gifted your life with. Thanks for listening, (and commenting, if you feel so moved.)

"October's Bright Blue Weather"

It's the title of a poem that my Mom often quoted to us when we were growing up. I have read it, but can't remember any of the lines without referencing it, and don't even remember the poet's name. I'll have to do the research and report back to you. At any rate, the descriptive title is both an alluring sentiment and an apt snapshot of the mini-vacation the bride and I had about a week or so ago. It was the annual long weekend for me due to state teachers' conferences and it joyfully coincided with a four-day weekend on the bride's schedule too, so we chose to take a drive that allowed both a chance for soaking in a hot springs and also for a quick visit with the collegiate son. The beautiful bride's several sessions of internet perusing and planning resulted in a fun itinerary: one night in a Medieval themed room at a "luxury Bed and Breakfast" near Lava Hot Springs in southern Idaho, a scenic jaunt through Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks, and Sunday morning worship and lunch with the boy in Bozeman before returning home. As already alluded to, the crisp, golden days couldn't have been more perfect for our travels: autumn's brilliantly bedecked forests gleaming against the azure abyss beyond; rugged peaks--drizzled with wintry icing--towering above white-capped lakes or winding rivers; peaceful sepia prairies splattered with random patches of red or gold; steamy wisps of whiteness vehemently verifying the volcanic landscape. No matter how frequently I witness the wonders of God's glorious creation, every time I still gasp in awe and revel in His masterful artistry! And the simple blessing of October's bright blueness to enjoy it all in is further proof of His divine providence.

So, in the continuing adjustment to our "just-the-two-of-us" status, this getaway was new territory. Our soak was lovely; misty swirls of steam floating from sandy bottomed pools of varying degrees of hotness contributed to wonderfully relaxing and pleasant moments. Vacation dining is different without the rest of the family too; we enjoyed some flavorful Thai cuisine for dinner one evening, and superbly fresh and piquant Mexican for lunch the next day. Yum! Our "Medieval Chamber" accommodations were fun, but we felt a little guilty knowing how much the princess would have enjoyed the decor too. The ornate four-poster bed was hand-carved in England and purportedly a replica of that of King Henry VIII; the wall paper reasonably resembled a stone castle wall; a not-quite full-size suit of armor occupied a nook along one wall; regal red-plush padded throne-chairs flanked a decorative wooden hearth--both carved from lustrous mahogany; lighting dangled from iron dragon-head fixtures; a portrait of good King Henry and other medieval scenes completed the theme. Here are a few photos of the furnishings--just for fun:
We breakfasted in the morning with some of the other guests on a tasty spread of fruits, and toast, bacon, eggs, and potatoes. This family dining style pushed us a bit beyond our social comfort levels, but was interesting nonetheless. We were a bit surprised that the other guests were considerably younger than us: college students or recent graduates, but it was interesting to meet them and hear their stories. One couple had stayed there on their honeymoon a year before and were back again; another couple were young parents of a toddler and an infant while also university students. They were thankful for nearby grandparents that were caring for their children so they could take this needed getaway. We confessed that we were newly-emptied-nesters so were experiencing life in new ways as well. So, our scenic and relaxing trek culminated with the quick check-in with the son in Bozeman. We got to town just in time to pick him up at his apartment and drive him to late service at church. Worshiping with the kids is always a divine pleasure. We bought him an Arby's meal for lunch and took him grocery shopping for a few needed items, before dropping him off at the university gymnasium for his "sword fighting" club session, and driving on home. We praise God for His blessings on our journey and the lessons he teaches us and the ways He shapes us with each new experience. And, we pray you too will seek Him and find His "bright-blue-weather" blessings in the moments of your life as well.

The Tie That Binds

"It doesn't matter that we haven't seen each other much through the years, we are still family. So, remember, if you need anything, you have family close by." Uncle L.'s parting words to the princess as we bade farewell outside the Perkin's restaurant on the morning that we drove her down to begin New Student Week at Carleton brought tears to my eyes. And the sentiment expressed is one factor that makes the princess's faraway absence a bit less bitter for us. To quote from an essay I wrote some 25+ years ago for a college writing class: "Suffice it to say, when it comes to family ties, I'm all bound up--relatively speaking." This followed a lengthy narration of various recent facts about many of my relatives' lives, and was meant to cleverly convey how blessed I felt having a large extended family. The professor--one of my very favorites ever--even appreciated the sentence and its silly pun, scrawling "clever" in the margin. And, despite the passing of 25 years, let me state for the record that I am still convinced that having a heavily-peopled family is an immense blessing. And of course, the term now includes the dear bride's dear not-unsizeable family as well.

It is this loving, caring branch of the family that we got to connect with when we made the daughter delivery journey to MN. The lovely bride's amazing Papa also drove to MN from CA to be with us for this important family "journey," and we appreciated generous hospitality for two nights at the home of one Uncle and Aunt. Another Uncle and Aunt arranged a Labor Day family picnic at a park that was attended by 40 some relatives: all the bride's dear Mother's three brothers and their families; everyone brought their culinary specialties, so we basked in the warm MN sunshine (without the usual mosquitoes and humidity) and we feasted on tasty MN vittles, as we basked in the warmth and love of our MN family. Fun seeing the "babies" of cousins that we'd only heard about or seen pictures of, and witnessing the cousins in their roles as parents, and meeting some as young adults that we'd only met before as toddlers. Enjoyed sharing with cousins the stories of lives and jobs and travels, recalling memories of "Grandma's farmhouse" and visits there, seeing photos of an older family farmhouse in ND where the family had lived when the bride's Mother was born, and headstones of family members in the Lutheran cemetery there. So touching was the genuine interest and care that many of the relatives expressed for the princess and her new MN college adventure, and the offers to help with anything that may be needed or desired. And all for an introverted 18-year-old that they may have only met once as a toddler--but because she is FAMILY, and they are nearby. I don't believe she has yet taken up the offer of one cousin and his wife for a weekend getaway from college--to come hang out at their home or go sightseeing--but she has their e-mail and she may find a moment when Russian studies or various creative activities are not demanding all her time and drop them a line. The Uncles and Aunts requested her e-mail and number too in case they decide to drop by to invite her to dinner or to see a play or concert with some of the young cousins close to her age. And the one Uncle and Aunt already have plans to pick her up at college after her finals before Thanksgiving and take her to the Amtrak station for her ride home for winter break. We purchased her ticket recently, so now we need to let them know the details. What a blessing family is!

Details from other recent family goings-on contribute nicely to our theme here too. About a year ago, my second-oldest niece was married, and on the same weekend this year--a couple weeks ago--my third-oldest niece was married. (First was married six years ago--also on a mountain top; four more to go.) Both beautiful, peaceful girls are Forest Service employees with equally nature-loving husbands, so the celebrations were held in scenic outdoor locations, a bit removed from conveniences like shelter, electricity, water. They were grand affairs with many friends and family in attendance--many dogs too. Decorations were charming, outdoorsy, and plentiful. Food was home-cooked, tasty, abundant, and eaten from various vintage china; libations were free-flowing. . . music was homey and spirited. And let me not forget--there were lots of pies, replacing wedding cake as the celebratory dessert at both festivities. So, ask how the "wedding coordinator" (mother-of-the-bride, in both these cases--my sisters) sees to it that everything gets done in the desired manner in the rustic setting. I bet you know my answer. Family. And friends. And both weddings were lovely celebrations, masterfully orchestrated. So inspiring to see family working diligently to assure that these lovely young brides and their charming guys were most joyously celebrated on their special days: Grandma exiting the ceremony rapidly to finish mashing the potatoes for the meal; sister of bride's mother acting as "bride's maid" for mother-of-the-bride, assuring that she is decorously attired and timely presented; cousins and aunties and others carrying in dozens of home-baked pies and artfully arranging them on the dessert table; uncles and cousins and brothers pitching in with pitching tents for this shelter or that. . . So the weddings truly became a celebration of family on many levels. And, as always, it was wondrous to gather with the family for the festivities. Never too many opportunities for that.

Finally, a final word on FAMILY for now. I had a chance to visit frequently with my grandmother recently as she was living at a care facility in my town while she healed after an unfortunate fall at her home. I was able to make it up to visit her each week for a couple hours, and visiting Grandma has always been a blessing to me. She is 94 now, but has always been one of the wisest, spunkiest, and funniest women I've known. I have a treasure trove of "Grandma-isms" in my mental file cabinet that I access when I need help keeping life in the proper perspective. And, believe me, it's been a hugely helpful and valuable file through the years. Every time I would go see Gram during her several week stay, her positivity was inspiring. There was never a complaint about her circumstances; in fact, usually she would generously compliment the food, and the people and her care there, sometimes repeatedly in the same visit. Amazing! I am sure it was Grandma's positive outlook that aided in her healing and to her release to return home about a month ago. But, during my visits, of course, we would talk about the family. Most of my adult life, I have gotten my news about extended family from my Grandma because she was always a prolific letter writer and she shared what was going on with the relatives. Personal visits are no exception, so I got the family run-down--complete with Grandma's honest reactions to it all. And, most every visit with Grandma this summer/fall included--after our family-chats--a declaration that went something like this: "Well, our family has really been blessed with everyone, hasn't it?" And, no one can argue with the wisdom of Grandma!

Why the Hippo?

Unless you've known me for a super long time, you may have wondered about my choice of a profile photo. Of course, I am not literally a large and reportedly fairly fierce African river mammal, but it has long been my chosen personal mascot. It all began in my very early childhood--couldn't tell you how early exactly, but very young--when someone presented me with a very tiny blue plastic hippo figurine. Very cute. Don't even remember who gave it to me; maybe it was Mom or it could have been Grandma, but I quickly became very attached to it--thought hippos were the coolest animals ever. Sometime later--still very young, my Grandma gave me a book for my birthday about a hippopotamus that feels "inconspicuous" among all her many relatives at the river, so she goes to the city where she can be special. The inconspicuous hippo is named Veronica, and--as you may imagine--she has a hard time fitting in in the city. Many of the citizens get angry with her, as she swallows down a whole cartful of produce from the vegetable vendor, stomps on toes of the crowds in the subway, and causes serious traffic issues when she gets stuck trying to squeeze through a too-narrow gateway. Eventually, some kind citizen takes pity on her and helps transport Veronica back to the river where she belongs, and she then realizes she is quite happy being inconspicuous after all. Very charming kids' book, and apparently it helped cement my early fascination with hippos.

I still have the tiny blue hippo (even know exactly where she is displayed in my home) and many dozens more hippos: toys, figurines, ornaments, stuffed animals, gadgets, clothing, tools. You see, due to this early passion, my family through the years has used the theme rather rigorously in their gifting ideas for me. Very cool! For awhile, I even gave them all names and kept a running-register with their chosen moniker, the date given, and the giver of the gift; I would diligently record the new information each time I was given a new hippo gift. Seems almost creepy now, as I describe my compulsive habits. But, it does enlighten as to the extent of my dedication--or is that obsession?

And, if you need more proof of my juvenile commitment, let me confess a further piece of incriminating evidence. At some very young age, I was apparently so enthralled with them that I declared, "I'm going to marry a hippo when I grow up." Naturally, my social and biological awareness matured as I grew up, and my bride of now nearly 22 years is an inspiring and beautiful soul, who has good-naturedly endured the inevitable jibes stemming from my childish declaration. She has also valiantly tolerated the "hippo invasion," and in fact, has even contributed to it a bit. The hippo sculpture half-pictured in my profile photo is a replica of a very old artifact from Egypt. The original art piece is apparently on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York; the hippo is named William, and he is the unofficial mascot for the museum, and of course the "Met" sells various replicas of William. The precious bride has purchased me a set of William Christmas-tree ornaments, and also a stuffed-animal version at some point through the years. He is very cool!

When I was in high-school or college, I found a rubber stamp that was of a smiling hippo head, and I knew I needed it for my hippo-themed life. For several years, the stamp served as my signature on all the letters I wrote, and it functioned as a nameplate in my books, branding them as my property. I'm sure the stamp is still carefully tucked away in some box or other in my house, but I certainly don't know where. So, now, knowing more than you ever cared to of my personal history with hippopotami, perhaps you can see why I feel it's a fitting identity icon.

And, oh yes--one more thing. The etymology of hippopotamus is from the Greek, and it translates as "water horse." This little fact adds even another layer of meaningfulness and connection for me. My family is a horse family, and my gentle horse was my best friend during my childhood. My dear bride grew up not far from the beach, so she is fairly enraptured with the ocean, and the two of us tend to spend a lot of our leisurely together-time escaping to the lure and lull of peaceful waters--whether it's strolling in the "crick" at my folks', beach-combing or playing in the surf on the coast, lounging, swimming or simply enjoying the view at a scenic lake, or soaking in a bubbly, relaxing hot-springs. So, you see, "water horse" aptly entwines our histories and signifies our peaceful togetherness in a very personal manner. And, that's why a hippo.

Autumn's Artistry: Change and Beauty

So, yeah--it's been awhile, huh? But, I think I have a plan that may help keep me a more regular contributor here. The lovely bride's work situation has undergone lots of changes in the past months: retiring friends, construction, re-organization with new staff, but it's the shift scheduling changes wherein I have found the factor which I hope will aid in more diligent attention to communicating here. You see, every week she has a couple 11 1/2 hour shifts, so she works until 7:30 p.m. on either Monday or Tuesday each week. Since my cushy school job finishes for the day around 3:00, I have a few hours at home alone on these days, so my intended plan is to force myself to compose an entry during my "home alone" moments each week. As you may already know, or have intuitively inferred from these random personality glimpses, I've never been described (or accused) as one leading a rigidly routine, slightly structured, or even mildly organized lifestyle. So, I appreciate your wishes of high resolve and "stick-to-it-iveness" for my success with this plan.

And, last you heard, we were learning to adjust to an "emptying nest" as our brilliant son headed out to seek his fortune --or prepare for it anyway--attending university at Montana State about five hours away. He's still there, and still having a grand time staying involved in several activities and saturated in academia to satisfy his double majors of Mathematics and Computer Science. In fact, he just got notification from the Math department declaring that they had selected him "to be honored as one of our outstanding undergraduate students," and that he "will be presented a certificate of membership to Pi Mu Epsilon--the national honorary mathematics society." Really don't see him caring too much about this, but it sounds impressive to me, and of course, I always like it when others recognize the brilliance of my kids. (You are remembering my purely prejudice-free parental reporting habits, aren't you?) He also participated in a computer programming competition about a month ago, and was excited to report to us as we picked him up for dinner that evening that his team won third place out of the ten teams that competed. The winning team was of grad students from a different institution. He lives off-campus this year with, officially, two friends who are in "sword-fighting club" with him, but any time we have visited, there are many more bodies than just the three of them occupying the apartment. They have a good time with a lot of gaming together and cooperatively learning about living on their own. There has been talk of us joining "the gang" for Thanksgiving to help them cook and celebrate, as many of them are from the east coast and will not be headed home for their short three-day break. I will report how that all turns out in a later post.

But we were talking about an "emptying nest"; so, let me tell you the life lesson learned from having only two children quite close in age is that "emptying" evolves into just "plumb empty" rather rapidly. And the lesson happens to be the kind that has no way of really preparing yourself for it. So, you can imagine the emotional fallout that prevailed on the September day that the bride and I left the princess to pursue her passions at Carleton College in faraway Minnesota. And the empty quietness that accompanied our drive back, and the eerie hollowness that even yet echoes through the hallways at home. And yet, we are bit by bit adjusting; a gradual loosening of the choke-hold of lonesomeness, longer lapses between the crushing panic of the looming unknown. Like autumn's artistry slowly stippling the bushes with her brilliant hues, we too are heralding the changes life brings, and seeking to create beauty from these frosty times. We revel over each word we receive from her in e-mail--suffering the sometimes two or three days between. And we are buoyed by the adventures she reports of and the festive times she so creatively describes: werewolf hunting with newly acquired friends on full-moon evenings in the 880 acre woods on her campus; an inspiring visit --awash with awesome costumery and other random medieval merriment--to the MN Renaissance Faire in Minneapolis; late night favorite movie viewings with a friend at the brand new campus cinema, apple-picking traditions at a local orchard yielding a half-peck of fresh fruit for dorm-room snacks while attending to homework or laundry in the wee hours; traveling again to the cities to see Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing" at the famed Guthrie Theatre; and simply the fascination of meeting many other bright and creative people from all across the country and world. How excited we are for her and the epic experiences she is having!

And we wince with her in her pangs of frustration or confusion as she boldly attempts to master the Russian language, or comprehend the profundities and random heady theories of various linguistic philosophers, or to extrapolate all the subtle motivations behind various cinematic or theatrical roles. Or--outside the classroom--struggles in search of that magic time-balance that allows for maximum fun, admirable academic acuity, and enough sleep to accomplish the other two. She has sprinkled her rigorous schedule with a couple "just for fun" courses as well; she enjoyed learning the partner cha-cha (and several others by now, I'm sure) in her Social Dance P.E. class, and has fun polishing up her vocal music skills at her weekly voice lessons too. Add in work-study hours at the dining hall, and the other mundane (but necessary) worries like laundry, money, keeping track of your room key, and perhaps our procrastinatory collegiate lassie is learning some new life lessons as well. What a remarkable era of growth the college years are; don't you remember?

And in our adjustment to the suddenly-empty rooms, dinner-table, and evening activities, the wondrous bride and I are working on finding balance as well. Some aspects of our daily life have been pleasantly simplified: grilled peppers and onions can be part of most every dinner; deciding on a movie is no longer an hour-long process of choices and eliminations; we get out of bed about 40 minutes before needing to be at work in the morning; far fewer drop-off or pick-up trips across town to the high school or friends' houses. Some moments remain rather rough to handle: sitting alone in church missing the joyful and vibrant voice singing next to me; the occasional third or fourth day with no e-mail assuring that all is well; the compilation of moments she would have particularly enjoyed--Chinese dining, British movie viewing, quirky discussions. . . I am sure you get the point. In all this, we thank God for His promise: "Lo, I am with you always," knowing that He'll continue helping us grow and adjust to the difficult changes and new dynamics of our family life. Thank YOU also for your prayers.

As the seasons evolve--literally and symbolically, let's remember to rest in the promises and providence of our omnipotent and unchanging Lord. In Him alone can we find the assurance to face the changes and challenges of our lives, certain of His grace and guidance through it all. Have a blessed Autumn! Talk to you next week--hopefully!