Home Fires Burning
We had our first fire of the season in the fireplace last night. I love a fire. There are few things more delicious to me than curling up in front of the glow of the blaze, snuggling into the sofa, and under my Snuggie (don't hate). It's the warmth when it comes down to it; that perfect not-too-hot, not-too-cold feeling that relaxes you like little else can. I also love the smell of it. And the sound. The pops and cracks seem to call to me, the fragrance beckoning me to come and warm my hands and heart. I posted a picture, commemorating the momentous occasion, and I had a friend comment, saying that a fire was appealing because it was a "validation of home." YES. Obviously, through...
Road Block
We make our home in the wilderness. There are many things that remind me of this. Like the fact that my car is always dirty, for instance. Or the sound of gun shot in the not-so-far distance that doesn't even make me jump. And, of course, the wildlife in plain view outside my window at any given moment. When I'm on the inside of the window, and they're on the outside, it's beautiful; kind of like a nature movie that plays 24-7. But I'm not always inside the window. Well, the house's window, that is. Sometimes I'm inside my car window. Sometimes I'm driving through the winding roads of our wilderness, enjoying the view. I feel peaceful when I see the herd of horses, or cattle,...
All that Glitters
The last day I was at Emmie's, she came into the playroom where Lilli and I were hanging out, and said, "You know what we should do today? We should decorate my house for Christmas! Seriously, we never get to decorate together anymore!" I was uncertain because, hey, it was November 3rd, so she put the question out to Facebook, asking for 10 go-for-it's, and got them all within about 10 seconds. So, after she got the okay from her husband, too, at my insistence (hey, he has to live with it!), we started bringing in the decor. She had recently bought a new-to-her tree from her neighborhood classifieds page, which had been given to her in a big, Santa-type bag. It was a tree that you...
Heart Talk
As it has always been, and will always be (unless You make some significant geographical changes, Lord), yesterday was hard. The days when I have to leave those little children to return to my real life have become some of my most tortured. It feels like a literal tearing away, and because Lilli doesn't understand why she can't come home with me on the plane every time I leave, she is just as tortured. It's terrible, but it's reality. (Unless you make that change, Lord. I'm still holding out for You, just so you know.) I sat in the Tampa airport, nursing my bruised heart with some hot tea, and opened up my email. I'd received a letter from a friend with whom I'm doing a little...
On Going Through Security
I'll be back to the blog tomorrow. The security on my web site won't allow me to access the administrative page from some networks, so here I am in Florida, blocked from my own site! Yesterday, we were blocked from entering the Magic Kingdom because our passes wouldn't work (we did eventually work it out), and had to have our bags and strollers inspected, too. Tonight, I'll go through the same at the airport, having even my body given a thorough once over, for good measure. It's the way of life, isn't it, here in the 21st century? While it's a pain in the backside to go through, and plenty annoying, I'm still thankful for it since the evil that abounds is pretty sinister. With all...