cool beans

life is just so cool lately!
so much awesome stuff is happening; i think i spend most of my days wandering around with a silly smile, musing and bumping into things.

number 1 cool thing (in no particular order):
yesterday, i found a much anticipated letter in our mailbox. having promised not to open any letter addressed to joel from a nursing school admissions department, i called him and begged him to come home early. i spent the longest hour of my life trying to find a way to read the contents of the letter without actually opening it. holding it up to the window didn't work, flattening the envelop didn't work, enticing the cat to "accidentally" rip it open didn't work ... i stopped short of steaming it.

finally, after 60 minutes of eternity, joel got home and opened his letter and it said, "congratulations! ..."

we're going to nursing school!!!

moving on ... number 2 cool thing:
last wednesday this person-
asked this person-a very important question (the answer of which most of their family, friends, and the pdx area have known for several years).

they're getting married july 24. i always wanted a sister, and chip sure picked a good one! i'll have to remember to thank him...
he even remembered that i wanted a little sister! what a good brother!

bethany preview

bethany, bekah's younger sister, is a senior! we've been trying to schedule her senior pics for about 4 months now, and finally made it out to waterfront park yesterday, and what a gorgeous day!

we maxed from the lloyd parking lots to the park, and traipsed around that area for a few hours. unfortunately, most of the trees had already lost their lovely blooms but we found a couple.

bethany brought bubbles ...


i'm sure i always put too many pictures up - ought to leave some surprises! i just love them all!

thanks, bethany and kathy! i had fun! :)

a tribute to my sorta sista

friendship is a funny thing.
sometimes it grows on you, like a flower bud. odd and unlovely at first, then realizing its potential as it blossoms into fragrant joy.
sometimes it pokes its pretty head out of times of adversity, a thing of beauty thriving in spite of, or perhaps because of difficulty.
and sometimes it waltzes into your life, sweeping you off your feet and tearing the breath from your lungs with its brilliance.
"i'm here!!!" it shouts, "nurture me and i will reward you!"
i have a friend like that. debbie sue young has been ... well, it's hard to describe the relation, but we'll just call it "my sorta sista" for years. this last fall, we actually got to know each other. i've treasured our time-transcending chats over coffee and our lovely week as housemates, and now God's leading is taking her far away.
people who follow God's leading are catalysts to others; their demonstration of trust, acceptance, and love inspires and beautifies everyone around them.
i would like to be a person who inspires others to seek true beauty, to seek God's will, to love more deeply and give richly. it's the highest goal a friend can have.
and i am so blessed to have such a friend.
(and, debbie, so is austin!)

seattle in january

during pocahontas joel promised me that when it was all over, shows, christmas, teas, parties, birthdays ... he would take me to seattle. and for four days in early january he did.

i attempted to thwart the trip by contracting the stomach flu and throwing up all night before we were scheduled to leave, but i was down to a fever the next day and did not intend to allow a tiny fever to keep me in portland! we traveled by train, and walked or used public transportation the whole trip, which added to the fun and adventure.

our first full day there, i was out of the hotel room for about 30 minutes, after which i was exhausted and had to lie down again. joel kept me supplied with agatha christie mysteries, and i recovered quickly.

we stayed a few blocks from here:
... the original starbucks. i entered the shrine of happiness, treading lightly, fearful of disturbing the magic and receiving a less-than-spectacular latte. i was not disappointed.

we also visited the seattle art museum, which boasted a michelangelo exhibit. we explored and found out that the exhibit did not, in fact, include any works by michelangelo; however, there was an impressive display of floating white sedans with glittering christmas lights exploding from stiff tentacles. (this was not part of the michelangelo exhibit.)
i enjoyed the museum of rock a lot more.

we also saw this, but not in the art or rock museum. i think he's the guardian deity of the food court.
we had some of the best times just walking around, people-watching, exploring, and snapping shots with phone cameras.
... and having crepes. mmmmm, crepes.

merry christmas!

i am caught up on photo editing for the first time in 4 months! and so i shall post lots and lots of christmas pictures, as the sun streams down on my daffodils and tulips outside.

pre-christmas activities included a "man-hunt at the mall" with the vestal family and others. as hunt-ees, we accepted the responsibility to disguise ourselves and ... blend in. our friend anne provided the old-age makeup, sweaters, and headpieces.

we were a formidable team, even though we didn't win because someone saw me adjusting my wig. oh well.

pre-christmas activities also included my first group lesson with my students. i had 3 kids there, and we played music symbol uno, performed christmas music for each other, and ate christmas cookies.



also, the aforemention cyt christmas tea ... yet another picture.
we put up a christmas tree this year, with our traditional manger in front. the cat claimed the manger, which i think is sacreligious.
on christmas eve we went to a lovely service at southwest hills, and enjoyed soup and family time at the farquhars afterward.





christmas morning was crisp, clear, and faintly pink.
(a close-up of my favorite part - my happy christmas robin from joel!)
after reading the christmas story together, we opened a few presents. joel always has a terrible time with wrapping, but he's learning the tricks of the trade - stick bows wherever the paper didn't turn out right. perfect.
mid-morning, we joined my parents at their house for a whole-day family celebration including the farquhars, joi, and debbie.

we all enjoyed presents, of course, but none more than shadow, who spent the day of peace waging war on the ranks of wrapping paper.
debbie - getting creative with a present:



merry christmas-on-saint-patrick's-day!