Because Your love is better than life, my lips will glorify You.
Psalm 63:3

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

yarn along



I'm joining Ginny over at small things in her loves of reading and knitting.

My knits and my reading are out of the norm for me, but both enjoyable.


For Christmas, my kids received the movie "Despicable Me" from cousins. We watched it as a family and it was so cute. Since, we've quoted these little guys and giggled every time we see them. I found my pattern for them on Ravelry.com...and my little minions will find them in their Easter baskets.

The book: Choosing to See. We've always enjoyed listening to Steven Curtis Chapman's music and friends sang "I Will Be Here" at our wedding ceremony. I remember learning of the tragedy his family had endured and crying for them. I wanted to hear Mary Beth speak at Women of Faith, but couldn't get there last year. 

Her book is raw and real. I think I can attribute some of my own tenderness recently to being in the midst of their story. Their family has allowed God to redeem their heartache and now they share it with power and grace. 


And the last pic is a little project we tackled today from Family Fun magazine.  Silly and fun. Bug's have cheeks because the "dye-vers" are holding their breath. And Bean's have eyelashes, of course.

Monday, April 18, 2011

morning's light

This morning in my Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals, the prayer of contemplation is Even in the darkness, we will trust that our lives are still in Your hands.

Cool, huh?

I'm sending my laptop in for repairs again, I'll probably be off line for 10 days. {I know ridiculous.} I can still receive and send emails on my phone, or you can call.

Probably just the thing to do during Holy Week, slow down and think on my Savior.

Traffick Jam update:
A friend is joining me in the walk {I think} and I've heard from several sponsors {Thank you!!!!.} I'm not going to bug anyone...but if you would like to pledge $10 or more, that'd make walking all the more worthwhile. Just email, call, or stop me and sign my pledge sheet.

I'm going with the slumber party at my house {seems silly to raise money on a cause and then blow the same amount on a hotel room and eating out.} I can sleep 7 and already have 2 takers...so...let me know.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

hello, darkness, my old friend


Random {& some depressing} thoughts:

  • Melancholy has descended again...so lonely without Sweet Man. I didn't have time to get my head around the reality of him leaving before it became so. 
  • At church last night, I again felt so alone...almost invisible. It's not a completely new feeling, but it is in that building. I'm sure I gave off a don't-mess-with-me vibe. Music and message were great. Of course, I didn't go up for prayer and snuck out during the last song. Didn't give anyone a chance to see me. I'm thinking it is a spiritual divide-and-conquer and I'm the one being isolated at this moment.
  • I usually am under the impression that I am open book emotionally. Finding that not to be exactly true...I mistake my awkward sharing too much, too soon as being open with my feelings. Somehow I need to make people work to really get to know me, to make sure they really want to...none of this wear-my-heart-on-my-sleeve stuff. 
  • Don't we all know some  Eeyores? I don't want to be one. Actually, I've tried on that role and in turn driven people away from me with my misery. {Of course, readers of this blog, have a head start on Joe Blow on the street.You can keep a wide berth.} In my head I hear things like, don't be a burden, you're problems aren't as big as theirs, she's just being polite in asking.
  • But pursuit wears my stubborn heart down. The fleshy part of me wants people to chase me and not let me go until I share my struggles with them...so wrong of me. And then there's the habit of saying, "oh, I'm okay." On about the third "no, really, how are you doing?" I'll start to share the truth. Or just burst into tears. 
  • Never have learned to graciously, gently ask for help or to count on someone being willing. I've had to ask more in the past couple of years...but then have the nerve to be choosy about what kind of help I'll accept. Nice.
  • In every facet of my life, God's asking me to examine my expectations of people. Again.
  • We had a day with no plans. I woke up this morning and wondered how to fill the next 10 hours. All was well...my kids are terrific, you know.
  • Several of my relationships are undergoing a change of some sort. One has reached a clear point of "it's no longer okay to treat me this way." I've finally had the courage to say as much to the other person involved. And that's a step in the right direction. 
  • I don't think my pink Chucks are gonna get me through all of this, but your prayers would help.
  • My stepmother is becoming a cherished friend. {I'm not sure that's traditionally allowed...I'll have to do some rules research. :)} But I'm so surprised and delighted with that new relationship.
  • It occurred to me today that Sweet Man won't be home for his birthday or Easter. Duh. Now it's a scramble to get a care package together for him. He may be moved to North Carolina soon...I just may have to hand deliver it.

{Please no emails or comments. Thanks for getting this far with me. I'm emoting...not trying to elicit a response from you, dear readers. It helps just putting it out there in the universe. And we all know by now that I'll be better soon, especially with the prospect of Zumba Monday, a walking date Wednesday, and a coffee date Thursday when I get to see friends {and readers ;)} And then, of course, Easter celebrations this weekend.}


Wednesday, April 13, 2011



all in all, a pretty fantastic day

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

take two


I'm going to look outside myself for a bit...such a good idea...and get serious about this Traffick Jam walk coming up on May 7th. 

So, here it comes, the pitch. I need sponsors. In the next few weeks, I'll be asking everyone who stands still to consider sponsoring, including you. This is an opportunity for us to be Jesus to hurting children and to help rescue them  from the sex trade. Please click on the link and find out more for yourself. I'm so excited to do something I enjoy to help children on the other side of the world. And you can have a part in it, too.

Would you think about supporting me with $1 for each mile, 10 miles total...{or more, if you wanna?}

{And don't forget that I would like to have some kind of girls' getaway that night. I have a few ideas, but nothing planned yet. It may be as simple as coming to my house and having a slumber party with chocolate and wine, sans enfants. How can you say no to that? But I'm open to other inspirations, too.}

There are three ways you can be involved. If you would like to:
(1) walk with me {oh, i'd love that...walking and talking}
(2) sponsor me {i'd love that, too}
(3) join the girls' getaway {fun, fun and you can rub my feet!}

...please email me at gypsy{dot}amykate{at}gmail{dot}com and let me know how you want to take part....{replacing the parentheses with the actual symbols, of course.} I will be collecting your donations to turn in on the day of the walk. If you would rather donate directly {please tell me how much so I can include your gift in my total,} they can be mailed to:

Attn: Traffick Jam 2011
International Outreach Ministries
Administrative Offices
P.O. Box 2140
McComb, MS 39649



I walked 5 miles on Saturday {yowza} and 4 on Sunday...gotta keep up that pace to make it 10 miles.

Thank you in advance!

woe is me

It's good to be back from Illinois. The place is trashed already...makes me feel right at home.

A few things are crossed off our looming spring to-do list...but not enough.

We've been here 4 days and he received the call...he's being whisked away to South Carolina for a short {?} trip.

I know it'll be fine, but on this dreary day, I'm swept down the current.

There are days when I ask myself, Is traveling and sometimes being apart from your husband worth it? 

I would say to myself, It truly is during that magical, blissful stretch of days/weeks with Sweet Man at home with us...no work-y and some extra pay-y. 
or 
Self, aren'tcha tired of packing and unpacking and sleeping in different beds and driving and waiting for the phone to ring and saying goodbye to your husband for a week that inevitably turns into 3 so you pack up and go to him 'cause you're losing your mind just in time for him to be cut loose and you re-pack and head home?

Guess which answer I'm feeling today as I think that surely we're bound to get a stretch of blissful days off after 6 months on.

I trying to cope by perusing the Netflix reality TV genre, adding things to my queue...so I can try to get through without  my man {and live-in manny.}

So, wretchedly human on these days, grumbling {hopefully just here, so in real time you won't hear it} and looking to mindless distractions to get me through. Yuck.

Saturday, April 2, 2011

{short found} friend


Filling in the blanks of 17 years {!!!!!}...it didn't feel to me like we'd been apart that long. 

We couldn't recall how or where we met. Denison, of course, 1993...but neither of us could describe the moment. Admittedly, I wandered those years...foggy...for any number of reasons.

She became part of us, our family of friends, like she had been part of us forever.

No, scratch that bit...truth be told, I think we were pulled into her orbit. 

And we couldn't remember how we parted. It was an ebb and flow of transition...ends of semesters, nomadic life, following music of the moment, trying to figure it all out, reveries that led us down different paths; hers led to the coast of Costa Rica...inspired, mine led to a beach in North Carolina.

Her brave adventures, once myth, became clearer as she spoke. She shared her wisdom learned. The luster of dreams flakes off in the reality. And would we have it any other way?

Her experiences still make mine look like preschool playdates.

Which brings us full circle. Now we meet again on the same path...motherhood. Her with her three beauties, me with my cuties.






She shared her home and a bit of her city with us...a visit to the Children's Museum {she gets me..:) ,} a little Garrett's, and a deep dish. It was just right. Warming ourselves in her sunspot, volleying memories and things since. 

Today, I can't help but think I left too soon, especially if we let time get away from us again. 

We won't. Right, Mrs. Williams?

Friday, April 1, 2011

NPR



perhaps, I'm not so crazy...

I still love me some Dennis Miller, when I can find him on the dial. Between him, NPR, and a dose of family-friendly radio...I'm good.

Not sure how I feel about de-funding NPR as a small-government listener.

{I'll be back soon to tell you about our trip to see my sweet friend...much fun!}