New Years' Day and Golden Friends

Our friends, who hosted our gathering, and Hubby, aka "The Dread-Pirate Sparsebeard"

A Golden Chain

Friendship is a Golden Chain,
The links are friends so dear,
And like a rare and precious jewel
It's treasured more each year...

It's clasped together firmly
With a love that's deep and true,
And it's rich with happy memories
And fond recollections, too...

Time can't destroy its beauty
For, as long as memory lives,
Years can't erase the pleasure
That the joy of friendship gives...

For friendship is a priceless gift
That can't be bought or sold,
But to have an understanding friend
Is worth far more than gold...

And the Golden Chain of Friendship
Is a strong and blessed tie
Binding kindred hearts together
As the years go passing by.

~Helen Steiner Rice

Talking to her Honey who called her from Iraq to say Happy New Year

Lovely Evening

All week I've been on this computer, working up my lesson plans, making copies, and gathering resources for teaching at home and at our hs co-op. I will be teaching a group of elementary kids, Jr. High and High School Spanish I again. I am looking forward to it! I like to see all my plans on paper first, though :-). And this calm before it all begins is a little too quiet. Well, maybe that's just because our youngest, busy boy is out of state with a friend!

Tonight I was blessed to take a break! I got to go to one of my best friend's homes to meet with some old-time hs board/member moms from our hs group. Three or four of us there were founding moms...from 12 years ago! The other ladies joined within a few years of those small and simple beginning years. Our group has well over 240 families participating, now, and with growth has naturally come much change.

It was such a boon to our relationships to make this time to be together, laugh together, share insights, pain, trials, praises, even tear up and pray together.

Everyone should have a core group of friends such as these. They really are special.

Javamom

Song for a friend undergoing cancer testing

Please pray for my friend Queen Shenanay and the whole Beehive clan. QS is still undergoing cancer testing, has undergone the first surgery, and is preparing for more surgery and treatments.

She recently shared how there is strong evidence that links -parabens in lotions and other hair and skin-care products and make-up to cancer. Parabens have been found in cancer tumors, so she threw out all of her products containing methyl-, propyl- and all the other parabens that are to be found in many popular and recommended products that we buy and use.

Well, I rewrote a song in honor of QS encouraging all of our friends and homeschool moms to consider throwing out all products with parabens in them. This song has a background story to it. The short of it is that I had sent it to the Queen through another friend of ours so that they could learn it and we could all sing it together. Well, it's a Heavenly song, really it is...but they all worked on it just a couple of days before the Queen's diagnosis came down from her doctors. I was mortified, and it bothered me for a week or so. None of us could have known...so I was able to give it to God and pray that it didn't depress my friend.

In the spirit of keeping our blogs about bloggy things, and sharing in our commonalities and the things that brought us together as friends, I rewrote the song for her to turn it around on its head, as an ode to the bad parabens.

My apologies to Annie Herring who wrote the original-CCLI #1692806.

"There's A Stirring"
sung A Capella

(altos begin softly with the lead line)

There's a stirring in my cab'nets.
Could it be the time has come?
When I throw away my lotions,
Say good-bye to my fav'rite one!

(tenors join a third below the altos, as per usual)

When I find another product
That does not ha-ave -par-a-ben,
I shall buy them for my facials;
Healthier will be my skin.

(add sopranos now, one third above the altos, singing what is normally a high tenor line)

Moisturizers and hand-cream lotions,
Hair-curling pro-ducts all so fair,
Out with my tea-scented leave-in con-dish'ner,
For my dry, slightly-processed hair.


SATB (mf):
Get rid of them all....
Get.....rid....of....the-em alllll!

Chorus:
(all parts, forte)

I will rise up,
I'll rise up!
Then I shall
wash my face
With good cleanser
from my space
Then I'll have more natural, heal-thy skin!

(altos only)
There's a stirring in my cab'nets.
Could it be the time has come?
When I throw away my lotions,
Say good-bye to the fav'rite one!

(tenors join)
When I find another product,
That does not ha-ave -paraben,
I shall bu-y them for my facials,
Heal-thi-er will be my skin,

(add sopranos)
Moisturizers and hand creme lotions,
Hair-curling pro-ducts all so fair.
Out with my tea-scented leave-in condish'ner,
For my dry, slightly-processed hair

Chorus all (forte):

I will
Rise up!
I'll rise up!
Then I shall
wash my face
With good cleanser
from my space,
And I'll have more
Natural, Heal-thy skin!!

(repeat chorus, fff)

(last line sung pianissimo, slowly and peacefully)

There's a stirring in my cab'nets...


They say laughter is GOOD medicine ;-)

Javamom

More band dates

The kids' band playing all together again :-). It's been over five weeks since they've done so, with oldest son away. They're all very happy to have him back! They have more dates scheduled than ever, though this was a tiny venue for which they'd been specially requested as background music. It didn't quite work out like the manager was imagining it, as so many friends and family showed up!! The manager never communicated specifics about this gig. In fact, they also double booked two bands.

In the end, it all worked out just fine.

Tribute to Sam

These are some of our oldest, best friends. Their precious doggie, Sam, had to be put to sleep yesterday as he was having so many ills and troubles related to being very old. Sam was such a sweet, sweet dog...the sweetest dog I have ever known. We were unofficially Sam's god-parents. Good-bye, Sam! You will be missed. These pictures are from one of our many camping trips together.


Javamom

Summer Fun

A few of our favorite people/things of all with which the Lord has blessed us ~


~ Afternoons and evenings with friends - these are some of our oldest best friends. We've done a lot of things together from camping and traveling to singing together (even on TV!) in studios on recording projects. Cathy helped me lead worship once at a Charlotte Mason homeschooling Moms conference in which I brought Cindy Rushton in as our guest speaker for the weekend.

Judy (left) teaches lower school classes at the same school where I've been teaching this summer. Cathy is a voice and piano teacher, and I am on the right. I teach Spanish, primarily, (or other lit or language type classes) and have homeschooled our four kiddos from the beginning. We just graduated our oldest son this past spring.


~ listening to piano duets ~ Cathy and her hubby are also our constant symphony friends. We have a monthly date with them during the regular symphony season, but have been known to win extra tickets (via classical radio stations) to summer concerts in the park together. We like to sing and play Handel's Messiah or Beethoven's Ode to Joy together at Christmastime. We used to perform in Easter musicals together pretty much every year throughout the 90's. Now that some of our kids are older or graduated, they have taken the baton in the music arena on a more active basis. We are semi-retired, playing or singing from time to time.

~ catching toads ~ all our kids at one time or another have been huge critter collectors.


~ playing silly games! ~ Judy's hubby on the left, mine on the right in the "Hank the Cowdog" T-shirt. The older we get, the more they look alike (BIG grin!)


~ playing with cool pool toys ~ Ever wondered what it would be like to play *inside* a ball?

~ photo ops ~ spider web "blowing" in the streams of heat coming up from the grill


~ then of course... we enjoy eating together and sipping homemade cherry limeade.

~ peering at Jupiter and her four visible moons through our friends' telescope.


What have you been doing this summer? What are some of your favorite things to do?

Javamom

Thinking Blogger

Mother Auma sent me the Thinking Blogger Award over a week ago. The only trouble is, I'm still thinking about who to nominate next! I will try to get going on that. There are several sites I check once in a great while that really make me think differently or on a subject that I really don't understand...such as an Economics site I found recently while researching the book, The Incredible Bread Machine.

I've a plethora of irons in the fire: many family birthdays, two anniversaries, three weddings, and family reunions all happening in an eight week span, not to mention a Senior camping trip, graduation parties and graduation! Makes me think I have too much to do :-). They're all good things, so it will be fun!

Ciao for now,

Javamom

Sheryl's Funeral

Yesterday's service was positively moving. Dozens of sprays of lovely pink floral arrangements lined the front of the building, along with multitudes of pictures of Sheryl, snippets from her life's joys and adventures.

We worshipped and praised the Lord corporately, as per her request. The message was stirring and encouraging, and included the gospel message of salvation, and an invitation.

Then Sheryl's husband and daughter, both warriors in the faith, shared from their hearts about Sheryl, and encouraged us in their sharing. Read today's entry on Chris' blog and you'll see what I mean.

Our church's first worship leader and his wife sang and led the worship time, which was also Sheryl's special desire...and one which was a sweet moment for our congregation, as we've gone through many transitions in the last year-and-a-half.

It was sweet and *powerful* (to me) to see all the people who came...some that I knew a decade ago. All of them represented lives touched by Sheryl and her family, both before her sickness ever showed up, and those who came to know her during or throughout her battles with cancer. We were able to share and linger at a memorial buffet luncheon together, for as long as any of us could stay.

I'm thankful to God that Sheryl is one of those people who have added "Bits and Pieces" to my life. We did not always share exactly the same opinions on things, but she was a good communicator, and I liked hearing her thoughts and ideas. How blessed my family was by the way she took my daughter into her home on many occasions, and just loved and mothered her in such a kind way, treating her like her own daughter.

I have fond memories, like one road trip she wanted us to take with one of our elder's wives with our oldest children to a homeschooling [Deb Bell] writers' conference hours away one weekend before she got sick). We snacked on complimentary cookies from the hotel at midnight!

I'll remember sharing car rides, church, bookfairs, hs meetings, and having tea with her...most noteably less than two months ago when she had rallied back (God brought her back) from near-death to life and was able to eat a bit of food again for a time. She shared her hospital tea with me, and we laughed about many things...including her choices of food...i.e. "Bread Slurry" and such. Yuck! We had a special time that day. Just one week earlier, she was totally out of it, and shaking...gone from us in many ways.

On that same day, before I left her hospital room, she told me about a sale on bargain fleece at JoAnn's. She had asked me how the boys liked sleeping in hammocks in their room. How DID she know about the fleece sale? Why did she know? It's like she stayed as engaged as possible with life, as long as she could. Amazing. Could I do the same in her shoes? Just a day or so later, she got to go home from the hospital for a little longer, and be with her family.

She liked Warren Kimble folk art. So do I. We had the same W.K. rooster teapot for a long time, and some of the same prints. She also had the best tea set in town, as one friend put it. Ah, yes...the Royal Albert china set and tea cups. She also loved kitties...and often asked me (and other friends) if I needed another one, when one of her mommies would have another litter. I would love more, of course! If hubby didn't mind so much [grin].

She was a very good "people person" who knew how to connect with everyone in her life. She was also a servant, planning and taking care of others through the years, from being our church's first secretary to serving homeschool moms, you name it.

Even in death, she continued to encourage others. She continued to give when we'd be there trying to things do for her.

I'm going to stop there, as it makes me teary-eyed again.

May we all live lives in which we make the most of each and every day, loving our friends and family, and encouraging the body of Christ to live lives worthy of His calling...

May "strength and dignity be our clothing" and may we be "able to laugh at the time to come." May we "open our mouths with wisdom and have the teaching of kindness on our tongues." ~Proverbs 31:25-26 (English Standard Version)

...because sometimes I am not very good with these types of events. It is hard to know what to say and when...and when to just shut up and listen. Which is probably the best thing to do.

Passing of a dear woman

We mourn the passing of a dear friend from our church and hs group. Just yesterday, we waved and honked and said "hi" to her loudly, as we drove by the hospital on the way home from homeschool co-op. It's a ritual that my friend Janet does every week! It helped during those times that Sheryl couldn't have visitors. Her daughter rides home with us, and everything was just so...normal. We had great conversation about the homeschool prom and hair styles and fun girl things. Then came the news in the evening about what the doctor said...how Sheryl had taken a turn for the worse.

Sheryl went home to be with the Lord this morning. 10-22-05. It's been a long journey for the family. *SO* many lives were touched by Sheryl's strength and courage; were touched by her family's journey.

I know Sheryl is in a better place. Is there any better place to be than in the arms of the Lord?

It still doesn't make it any easier to understand while we who remain here on earth grieve. Being an adult REALLY stinks sometimes. There is just too much to do and be.

Javamom

Prayer Avails Much

For those of you following Sheryl's journey, you really should go read the blog today.

The Lord has really given her a turnaround! SHE was telling ME about a 50% off sale on fleece this weekend at one of the fabric stores...and she shared her extra beverages from her small food tray, so we had tea together :-).

The Lord is truly glorified through her!! She considers her dramatic turnaround to be a miracle. Last week, she had pneumonia and an extremely high fever. Chemo sores riddled her mouth, and her body just trembled. She was totally out of it this time last Friday.

But now!?

Go read their blog!! Now! :-)
www.chrisandsheryl.com

In Him,

Javamom

Pray for Sheryl

There are no words that I can write when it comes to this. A friend and homeschool mom from our church is figthting for her life. You can read about her here. Please keep her and her family in your prayers.

*The RCM*

The Real Chile Men (tm)

A Story about people who are just like real friends! (inside joke)

These are the "Real Chile Men." They are celebrating (with their families) Hubby's graduation, and Kenmeneezer's two-week leave from Iraq. Hubby is on the back row, left. Guess which one is the Army dude? (grin) Virtual Toblerone for anyone who gets it right!!

Honestly, these are most all of Hubster's best, best buddies. We've been through thick and thin together. Once a year, they go on a journey to New Mexico to hunt and bring home hundreds upon hundreds of pounds of Big Jim chiles to freeze for their families. This summer will be their 12th year to go. They camp, eat, hunt chile, eat, sing and play guitars, mandolins and harmonica around the campfire, eat, swim and hike, eat...you get the picture.

In the late spring, early summertime, these manly men--businessmen, computer dudes, photogtraphers, teachers, a part-time Starbuck's barrista, and a munitions specialist--begin to write poems, ballads and tales in preparation for their journey at summer's end. With apologies to more famous poets and authors of the past, they even create spoof re-writes based on well-known works, such as "Chile, Chile Burning Bright," "Charge of The Chile Brigade," "The Grinch Who Stole The Chiles." They've redone ballads from The Pirates of Pinzance, Poetry of Robert Frost, Edgar Alan Poe, and *so* many others. Twelve years' worth of writing and re-writing.

One of the most notable songs written was a mandolin instrumental by my Hubby. It is called "____'s Lugubrious Lulluby," for one of the RCM (who shall remain nameless) with serious snoring issues. I think these men are brilliant.

This tradition began with Wadeboam, the brightest (clothed) one of the bunch. He grew up in New Mexico, among the chile farmers surrounding the Hatch, N.M. area. Hubby joined him that first year. Now, he makes the journey at the end of each growing season with Normanshalalhashbaz, J-braham, and the rest of his buddies to literally bring home the best chile in the country. It beats store-bought, hands down. The stores around here stock and roast them, now, but their roasting fires are too hot, and they burn much of the good meat, rendering them almost useless, so we continue to grill our own to prepare them for freezing. Then, we have a fiesta of food and music with all of our families!

This year, The RCM (tm) are adding a special family camping trip to our summer, so that the families can join in on ~some~ of their fun. They are all excellent cooks! I think the wives and children will probably do a lot of the clean-up.

Some of the items on the menu:

~ Cheese corn grits with green chiles
~ chile rellenos
~ chicken enchiladas w/ chile
~ cilantro corn, maybe with some green chile added :-)
~ beef tenderloin topped with green chile
~ breakfast burritos with chorizo and green chile
~ and some really scrumptious fried fruit turnovers and dutch-oven cherry dump cake for dessert.

We are blessed with precious friends and family. It's going to be a wonderful summer, even though we will be continuing on with some summer school studies, so the kiddos don't lose ground in math.

Camping!

The first day and a half were lovely; perfect camping, hiking, and canoeing weather. My friend Judy and I were able to sit in hammocks and swing for a while, then sit near the campfire and read, while our husbands made dinner. All the children helped set up their own tents, then wandered down by the river to go exploring.



Our second day was reserved for canoeing on the river, the edge of Broken Bow Lake. If you look closely enough at the above picture, you can see the redbuds blooming. We journeyed up one quiet tributary near the end of the floating path, where lots of old water turtles have lived for years. The water was so clear, I could see the turtles, and one trout, in the water's depths. Up the ridge above the turtle area, there is a small waterfall that our older boys explored.



Minutes after leaving "Turtles' Cove," as we dubbed it, smoke poured our way from the direction of the Lake, which is not directly visible from the canoeing and kayaking area. Our son and I both got some tremendous pictures of what seemed to be a large forest fire.



Within minutes, the whole river was clouded over by smoke. We found out later that the park authorities were doing a controlled burn but were caught quite off guard when the wind suddenly shifted, causing visibility on the lake to go down to almost zero. It traveled quicly through the little valley, where we were canoeing on the river. It was only a little alarming.






The smoke spread quickly



Here are some of the beautiful cliffs near the end of the float trip. Eagles are said to nest here, but most of them move out toward the end of February. We were pretty sure we saw one eagle flying about on our last day.

The last day and a half of our trip was spent trying to stay dry and warm. We bought an extra large tarp to string up above our site, giving us a large area to sit and eat under, in dryness. The guys kept our fire going throughout all of Saturday, in spite of the rain. By Saturday night, we had a gorgeous, warm, roaring fire which kept us warm. The rain had subsided briefly at that point. Once we went to sleep, the showers picked up again. We had a special time of worship around the campfire all planned out, but were unable to go through with it.

The conclusion we came to the next day was that it was time to pack up and go home. We decided to wait and see if the downpour would stop before attempting to break camp, by going into town for breakfast. We stumbled onto an internet cafe', surprisingly enough, where a nice lady made us capuccinos and let us spend some time on two computers. There were games and places to sit in a nice sitting/reading room area. Hubby played yatzee with his friend, JB, and the boys played chess.

The rain let up, we all packed up and stopped at Applebee's for dinner, before returning home. Loads of laundry later, it is sunny back here at home, and I think I am rested and ready to begin spring cleaning!