Happy 13

I'm sitting by those magic carpet walkways in the airport while the kids ride them back and forth, in and out of eyeshot. Chris is pacing by the bathroom returning phone calls before he is out of cell phone range. I have everyone's bags piled around me like a bunker, guarding the nearby seats from anyone who wants to sit down. I meant to write earlier, but between the packing and general craziness of preparing to leave the country, I ran out of time.

We had a birthday in our family on the 10th, Aidan turned 13. We were inspired a while back by something we read in Bob Goff's book, Love Does, and also the desire to do something special as a  "rite of passage" for our kids' 13th birthdays. We decided to give them a trip somewhere they wanted to go. (Within reason, of course.) Which is why we are sitting here, waiting to board our planes to Israel.

I was just reminded that I'm using battery for the device that is going to fuel a Dr. Who marathon, so I need to get off. Stay close because hopefully soon, I will have lots of stories and pictures to share. We are flying by the seat of our pants a little bit. I picked up my passport yesterday, we still don't know where we are going to stay Sunday and Monday nights, but we are off on an adventure!

Mushroom and Birthdays

I shouldn't wait so long in between blog posts. When I finally sit down to update, I realize that there is so much I want to say, and then I end up trying to cram it all in, like shoving just one more thing into the trash bin and then it ends up falling all over the floor.


This Lenten season instead of giving up something, I'm going to spend the next 40ish days focusing on intentionally giving thanks in all things. No complaining allowed. Like this morning, for instance, instead of fussing about all the creative, weird things my growing-out-a-pixie-cut hair is doing, I'm going to be grateful that I have hair. And that it's growing, albeit very slowly. And weirdly-kind of like a mushroom top some days. But that's okay, because I like mushrooms (although not usually on my head). Since my parents were mushroom farmers, I guess it kind of fits anyway.

A few of my favorite things

Some things are easier to be abundantly grateful for, like birthdays, for example. And friends and family who celebrated with us this week to make Aidan and I feel extra specially loved.

Chloe started off birthday week by making the most amazing batch of gnocchi from scratch. Aidan topped it with a homemade pesto and Chris got in the action with a lemon butter sauce over sautéed mushrooms and spinach. I think I should resign from cooking altogether.

Spring is coming to Colorado, the robins are back and the sunny warm days are so filled with hope that I don't even mind when winter fights back for a day or two.