Thursday, August 23, 2012

To China with Love

I hate goodbyes.

This morning we took my in-laws to the airport to begin their China teaching adventure.  Saying goodbye to them was much harder than I anticipated, and I have spent most of the morning crying.  As soon as I start to pull myself together, something will trigger new tears.  Like noticing that Ezra had grandma's lipstick kisses on his cheeks.  Or walking past the dark and quiet basement stairwell, which, over the last few days, had been the China-packing-Grand-Central-Station.  Or setting the kitchen table for two, not four. 

I said a ten-month goodbye, and the time will certainly go by faster than I expect.  Ten-months isn't so long, and there will be plenty of electronically-facilitated interactions in the meantime.  But, I will miss the daily face-to-face interactions.  The sociality between parents and children and grandparents and grandchild have been precious.  Ezra has been especially keen to the extra love and attention.

I am grateful for this special house-sitting opportunity.  I am grateful for my in-law's generosity.  And, I am grateful that in ten months we can see each other again.  

  




Thursday, August 16, 2012

Vegetable Garden Update

Our backyard vegetable garden has been a great success this summer.  I cannot claim any horticulture genius; the prize goes to my mother-in-law and her years of attentive soil amending, and to a good husband who waters faithfully.

The fruits of our labors, thus far, have been:
  • Spinach and Asian Mesclun salad mix (sprouted quickly and faded quickly)
  • Swiss chard was a marginal success, I fought the leafminers and they won.  I did get one good harvest, though (pictured above)
  • Snow peas, which produced into late July, to my great surprise
  • Butterhead lettuce and Red Sails lettuce, which also exceeded my expectations by remaining bolt-free into early August 
  • Basil and green onions.  I am clipping the greens on the latter as fast as they can grow up
  • Yellow squash and yellow crookneck squash: one to two a week
  • Zucchini squash: one a week
  • Cucumbers: six a week, sometimes more
  • Super cherry tomato: produced about 12-15 for several weeks through July, but is now dormant
  • Heirloom Roma and Big Boy tomato plants are happy and productive, but we have yet to harvest a single red tomato.  Currently, we have easily 40 tomatoes, all quite green.
  • Pumpkin (intentional, cultivated type): at least one (the size of a large grapefruit).  We also have a rogue pumpkin that plant itself.  It has made 30' feet of vine, and no fruit to speak of.
  • Strawberries almost died twice, have made a recovery, and are fighting with the weeds to claim good ground.  Four of the six strawberry plants are healthy and have sent out runners.

Friday, August 10, 2012

Lifelong Migration

At day's end, more often than not, I have not accomplished many tasks.  Rarely can I look back over the day with a satisfied smile and see the evidence of finished projects.  I do not often cross off a daily to-do list item as completely done.  It has been rather disconcerting to see my apparent lack of productive, measurable activity.  I have found myself questioning my ability to complete anything.

Last night, after some pondering and processing, I realize that this dilemma has much to do with my stage in life.  I think I am beginning to understand (and accept) that accomplished, and finished, and done are not the only measure of success.  I have found comfort in recognizing my progress, and appreciating the process.  For me, the words desire, and attitude, and direction are more meaningful and encouraging in my daily efforts, especially as a wife and mother.  My days are filled with teaching, playing, talking, and trying to build more meaningful human relationships.  These efforts are never done.  Prayer and scripture study are the bookends to each day; they are the long-term never-finished habits that are more about righteous desire and consistency than completion.   

In my pondering, I found great encouragement in several comments from the May 2012 (General Conference) Ensign magazine.  Elder Quentin L. Cook gave an outstanding address titled, "In Tune with the Music of Faith."  I love the idea of being "in tune."  As I watch Dallin warm-up and prepare for a violin performance, he always tunes his instrument.  Most of the time, his instrument is not too far off from the piano note, but some minor tweaking is usually required.  In my daily efforts, I also need minor tweaking to stay "in tune"; and my tuning is a constant endeavor.  Every day I need to refresh my efforts in order to stay in tune with the music of faith.  I appreciate the idea of daily course corrections as a measure of success.  Elder Cook emphasizes maintenance and diligence rather than accomplishment and arrival.

Elder Neil L. Andersen taught, "Jesus's call 'Come, follow me' is not only for those prepared to compete in a spiritual Olympics.  In fact, discipleship is not a competition at all but an invitation for all.  Our journey of discipleship is not a dash around the track, nor is it fully comparable to a lengthy marathon.  In truth, it is a lifelong migration toward a more celestial world." 

Saturday, August 4, 2012

Busy Boy


Quick run-down of Ezra's new discoveries/adventures:
  • Eating a big handful of mud.  (I was weeding a flower bed and turned my back for two seconds!)
  • Climbing the staircase solo.  (I was talking to husband in the kitchen, Ezra was playing on the floor.  While we continued to talk, for another minute or two, he took off.  We found him upstairs playing with books on the bookcase.)  I was proud and freaked out at the same time.
  • Cruising on all fours over all manner of surfaces.  (The texture of grass used to make him cringe, and extinguish all mobility efforts.  No more!  If he wants to get somewhere, grass or no grass, he is going.)
  • Airplanes.  (We have been outside a fair bit lately and he perks up at the sound of an airplane and will point up to the sky.)
  • Pointing, in general.  (Neurons are flying in his little developing brain, and in the absence of words to vocalize his observations, he points at anything and everything that catches his attention.)
  • Verbalizing 101.  (Ezra can say "uh-oh", and uses the word often.  He loves to go and understands that anytime we go, we must wear a hat, so his latest word development is "ha", meaning hat, and the exciting prospect of getting to go somewhere.  He can also say "hi" and "bye-bye", but this is rare.)