A Sweet 16!

Happy Birthday, Jabberwocky!

Remembering

A piece of our past stepped off Amtrak and back into our lives yesterday afternoon.

We must have met Elizabeth 14 or some odd years ago. She had just moved back to states with her family after their tour of duty in England.

I was in the thick of my baby raising days, most of which I remember as a thick fog engulfing me. Elizabeth ministered to this Mama in a very special way. She was 11 and my Autumn Rain 7. There wasn't a lot time for one-on-one with my children in those days. But Elizabeth stepped in and filled in the gap. She spent time every week discipling my girl. She planned a lesson and craft...some of which I still have around my home....a special Christmas stocking for mom.....a beautiful woodland wreath on my bookshelf.

Then she moved off to Colorado and we moved to Mississippi and we moved back to California and she moved back to California, but the girls had grown up and our lives didn't very often cross paths. Recently their lives have connected again through Facebook. We were delighted to have a message from Elizabeth that she would be traveling through Oregon and wanted to stop in for visit.

The girls spent a lovely afternoon together touring the Capitol City and catching up. And now Elizabeth is forging new friendships with my younger daughters as they explore the countryside around our home. The visit is going to end to quickly when I return her to the train this afternoon.

Thanks, Elizabeth, for being a part of our lives. We love you!

She's Home!

Full House, Happy Heart!

Last night we gathered our traveling kiddos back into our arms again! The Autumn Rain arrived first.....after a long 24hrs of traveling. Then the Jabberwocky after a quick commuter jaunt from ID. Many hugs and the happy chatter of our whole family together again after 15 weeks apart made this mama's heart very happy.

Today I've followed my kids around the house. Catching up on all they've been doing. Watching them settle back into our home. We've sipped coffee together and listened to favorite music and eaten a beautiful cake that Lavender Girl concocted for the occasion. I put the leaf back into the table, rounded up all eight chairs, and we gathered for a delightful evening meal together.

For tomorrow, we've made arrangements for substitute nursery workers for Lavender Girl and I so that we can all sit together for Sunday morning worship once again. The missing pieces of my heart have returned....all is well.

Father's Day Recital

Summertime

It's been a tad bit over a week now since we shelved our school things and entered summer mode.

My parents visited for a nice long weekend and then drove off to Idaho with my younger son, who will be with them for nearly a month. He's busily helping Grandpa fix up the Quall's nest in anticipation of our big family gathering in July.

This week we are immersed in VBS activities. Techno-Son is providing some drama in the form of "Dr. Jones" the paleontologist during the opening exercises. Ladybird is lending her crafty hands to the art department. I'm manning a registration table. And Moonchild is traveling through the rainforest of the Amazon and learning about the wonderful world our mighty God has created.

It was a bit hectic getting out the door this first morning. Yesterday I had neglected to make the meals I intended to bring for two of our VBS leaders (one has had a child in the hospital all weekend with pneumonia), so I needed to pull those together before heading out the door at 8:45 this morning! But we arrived in time, or close enough, and now I've also got my own dinner prepared and waiting in the fridge. Tomorrow should be smoother.

I am keeping expectations low for this week. Between VBS and regular chores (meals, laundry, tidying up) I don't anticipate getting much else done. The rest of my summer list can be put on hold until next week.

Counting Down

There are three significant events that I'm counting down the weeks until:

1. We only have two weeks left of school until summer vacation and also a visit from my parents, both very good things to anticipate!
2. In 5 weeks and 4 days our Autumn Rain will return to our arms!!!!!!!
3. And the much coveted trip to "Cousin Camp" at the Qualls' Nest is only 8 weeks away.

I'm looking forward to the breathing room in our days. Time to enjoy friends as well as time to conquer a few tasks that have been on hold around the house.

WOW!

Another fabulous creation by Jabberwocky

and Lavender Girl......a giant sugar cookie pizza!

Weekend Warriors

Eighty-three miles over the Coastal Range!

New Kids on the Block

Rajah and Czar

Our Masterpiece

Celebrating Our First Year!

Yesterday marked our one year anniversary on Sunrise Lane. I have to say that this year in our home went past much more quickly than the year we were anticipating living here! But the wait was worth every minute, every season has been full of peaceful beauty. I've never felt as "at home" as I do here.

Twilight Camaradarie

Two sweet sisters enjoying a few moments

of leisure before turning in for the day.

Too Handsome For Words

Techno Son heading off to Junior Prom!

Life is full of unexpected twists and turns. Things I never envisioned as a part of our lives, have now become.....teenage drivers, prom night, youth group retreats, kids toting cell phones...the list could keep on going. The changes have crept up on us and appear to be here to stay.

The Beauty Around My Girl

Glimpses of My Girl Abroad

What do April Snows Bring?

Bob and Bob Jr.

My sister and her family visited for the weekend. We celebrated her birthday with donuts, a long walk in the glorious sunshine, birthday cake, lots of talk, and loads of fun.

The Jabberwock was our hero. He kept the littlest cousin occupied and happy all weekend. For some unknown reason they called each other "Bob" and it stuck. So here they are.....Bob and Bob Jr.

Donuts to go with coffee and company.

Coffee Roasting 101

We're trying something new these days.....roasting our own coffee!

Start with a the Fresh Roast plus 8 and
a 4lb. sampler of green beans from Sweet Maria's.

Roast your green beans for approx. 7 minutes,
watching carefully so as not to set your kitchen on fire.

Voila! Fresh beans ready for your grinder.

There's really nothing that can quite compare to freshly roasted coffee. And, green beans are less expensive! I hope to recover the cost of my roaster within a couple of months.

P.S.

I love Skype!

I was able to spend a wonderful half hour chatting with my Autumn Rain this morning, all for free. All is well for her in Germany. She's glad she tossed in her scarf and gloves to her last minute packing.....guess it's a bit chilly still. Her dorm is fairly quiet. She's studying hard. And she loves public transit.

I loved hearing her voice and knowing in real time that she is safe.

Words To Hold Fast

Galatians 6:9
"And let us not grow weary while doing good,
for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart."

This spring is causing growth in my life. Some growth is uncomfortable while other aspects are downright painful.

On one hand I'm needing to let go as my children grow up and discover their independence. Whether it's heading off to study in Germany or spending long days at our local campus, I have to take my hands off and know they are safely in the Father's hands, a much safer place to be! But on the other hand there is the need to rein in and corral the one who is wanting more freedom than his maturity level grants.

It's a weary struggle, both letting go and holding fast, but it is the "doing good" that I need to do in this season of my life.

Just So You Know

The Autumn Rain arrived safely in Germany. Never was a phone call so welcome at 1:45 a.m.!
I'm hoping she's had a good night of sleep and will soon be waking to her first day of German classes.

Happy Birthday, Techno Son!

Techno Son and Co.

17 is here already! Wasn't it your birthday yesterday? I was sure you just had one and one and one.... The years keep rolling on.

Here's to a fun filled one!!!!!

Go with God, my precious Autumn Rain!

We're going to miss you!




Looks like you're good to go.

A piece of my heart has flown away. 15 weeks! Her grand adventure has begun. I'll be waiting for that 2 a.m. phone call telling me she's arrived, safe and sound.

My Crazy Girls

It Really is Spring

Winter's Final Word

SNOW!

Turning Twenty

Happy Birthday, Autumn Rain

I was 20 when we welcomed the Autumn Rain into our lives, the very beginning of our beautiful family. Now she's turning 20 herself! Once again, I pause to wonder where those years have flown.

Years so full of dreams and big ideas. Years so full of stories and song. Years so full of love and learning. Wonderful years of being mom to my little girl.

Now she's grown up and ready to explore the world on her own. Come Monday she'll board a plane and fly away for her adventure in Germany. I won't know when she goes to bed at time or if she made it to class safely. I won't know who she'll be spending her free time with or when she plans to be home. But a lovely and responsible young lady has replaced my little girl and I know that she's going to be just fine.

For today we'll celebrate. In fact we've already begun with the trombone "Happy Birthday" greeting. We'll spend the afternoon enjoying the art museum and come home to savor Williamsburg Orange Cake and open gifts. And we'll ignore the fact that Monday is only 4 days away.

Celebrating Easter on Sunrise Lane

Spring?

That's a hard one to get a hold of!
It doesn't look like spring.....too many grey clouds.
It doesn't feel like spring....too cold.
I'd venture to say it doesn't even smell like spring.

But that's okay, I like the rain...most of the time.
Our furnace works very well.
I have a closet full of sweaters to pull on.

Light some candles, make some tea.
We'll give winter a few more weeks to linger.

Always Faithful

A Company of Good Friends

I'm pressing the rewind button with this post. Back we go to the week before we were broadsided with last week's loss.

We have been blessed with many good friends over the years. One of these friends stopped in with a bit of California sunshine to brighten our Oregon days. Some call him The Penguin Boy, we call him cousin. Nobody can have too many cousins....we know, we have 57!

Thanks for the laughter, music, and dancing. Thanks for putting smiles on these faces.

Ladybird and Annie

A Time To Weep

We had high hopes for this new month as we turned the calendar page on Saturday. February had been hard and we were ready for a fresh start.

Three weeks ago today I was comforting my daughter as she mourned the loss of her classmate, her friend. I couldn't really ease her pain, all I could do was hold her while she cried and tried to make some sense of this young life cut short.

Today it's my turn to weep. The Lord chose to take my friend Annie home last night. My heart is heavy with sorrow. If we could only understand the ways of God. Why, God? Annie was so young and has young children who depend on her, a husband who loves her and will be empty without her there. Young moms shouldn't die from pneumonia.

This morning I held my younger daughters and wept with them, Annie touched their lives in a special way and they are grieving too. Life holds too many questions that will never be answered. Some days are just too hard to bear.

The End of a Beautiful Day

Regarding Organization

.....so I don't feel like I've made much organizational progress so far this week, but then again it's only Wednesday morning and there is still time, please tell me there is still time.

Done:
*Scheduled physicals for my boys so they don't get kicked out of their scout troop (the form is now about 6 months overdue!).

*Unpacked my scrapbook supplies and put them away in my new handy dandy bag (I bought it for my mom for Christmas, but it didn't arrive before she left and she bought herself one, so now it's mine). I'm afraid the scrapbooking itself will have to wait until summer.

*Cleared off my desk, so that I can file away all the papers cluttering my kitchen counter.

To Do:
*File the papers on the kitchen counter!

*Grade and record many weeks worth of school work.

*Sort through boxes that are taking up my parking spot in the garage.

*Do a thorough house cleaning before the weekend.

That list looks a bit daunting at the moment.....we'll see what happens.

Psalm 19:1

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim
the work of His hands.

Majestic

The week has been a grey and gloomy one, externally as well as internally. I've been cold and I've been fighting the blues. Sometimes these winter months just get to me!

But today has been a gift. The sun has peeked out and the mountain is visible in all it's splendor. And I have a respite plan ready to place in action come Monday morning....half days of school with the remaining school hours set aside for organizational tasks that will hopefully make for smoother sailing during the remaining winter weeks.

A little sunshine, a little organization...is that too much to ask?

Welcome To The Clan

Lavender Girl meets J

An Opportunity Awaits You

The following is a copy of a post from my sister-in-law, the new Supplies Coordinator for AHOPE.
Thanks,
Lori


I have officially begun my position as the volunteer Supplies Coordinator for AHOPE and tonight I posted a letter requesting donations on various lists and online groups. I am excited to see what people are inspired to do for the sake of the children. If you are interested in responding to the needs listed in this letter, please email me at ahopesupplies@gmail.com

Thank you

Here is my letter:

Hello,

This is Lisa Qualls, the Donations/Supplies Coordinator for AHOPE for Children. AHOPE for Children is an organization that provides a nurturing home in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for orphaned HIV positive children, provides care for HIV positive children in the community through an outreach program, and educates the community about AIDS prevention. Thanks to Dr. Jane Aronson’s Worldwide Orphans Foundation, the children at AHOPE are now receiving life-saving antiretroviral drugs and many of them are thriving.

Because AHOPE has a very limited budget for basic items like clothing, diapers, and toys, we depend on the generosity of individual donors for these things and on traveling adoptive parents and volunteers to help deliver the donations. We realize that adoption agencies also rely on traveling parents to transport supplies for their orphanages, and do not wish to commandeer luggage space that the agencies depend on. However, if you have room in your luggage to take donations to AHOPE, we would be very grateful for your help.

There are several ways that you can help the children of AHOPE.

1. If you are traveling to Ethiopia, you can collect donations from the needs list and carry them over. Any amount, large or small, is appreciated.

2. If you are traveling and are able to carry donations that others have collected, I will gladly arrange to have items delivered to you.

3. If you are not traveling to Ethiopia and would like to gather donations, please contact me and I will match you with somebody who is traveling and is able to carry your donations to AHOPE.

4. To make a financial donation or to learn more about AHOPE, please see the website: http://www.ahopeforchildren.org

Some notes:

1. If you carry donations over, you can visit AHOPE and deliver the donations, or I can arrange for somebody to pick them up from you.

2. It is easier for AHOPE (in keeping track of inventory) to receive a larger amount of one or a few items (such as a large box of socks and shoes) than it is to get a variety of items (such as a box with three pairs of socks, one bottle of vitamins, two coloring books, one bottle of eye drops and one DVD). That being said, any and all donations from the list are needed and appreciated.

3. Many people have asked about shipping donations to AHOPE. Unfortunately shipping items to Ethiopia is not only too expensive to make it cost-effective, but is also unreliable because of customs. Thus, it is not advised.

In the past few years, more families have become interested in adopting children from AHOPE. I am very happy to report that approximately twenty children have been adopted or are currently in process. When visiting AHOPE, please be sensitive to the fact that the children may be referred to a family. AHOPE has a photo policy in place that must be respected. Also, if you are interested in adopting a child from AHOPE and would like more information, please contact Erin Henderson, AAI's new HIV adoption coordinator at: erin@adoptionadvocates.org

Below is the list of AHOPE’s current needs. There are currently 70-80 children at AHOPE between the ages of infant and 14.

Medical Needs:

Bandaids and other general first aid supplies
Children’s Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen, and Benadryl
Children’s vitamins: Flintstones chewable or equivalent
Cough syrup
Hand sanitizer
Antifungal - Ointment and Shampoo
Antibiotic ointment
Sterile -First Aid gauze
Sterile Surgical gloves
Pediasure (complete balanced nutrition)

Electrolyte (oral rehydration solution – powdered form)
Amoxicillin (syrup, 250mg tablet)
Doxycyclin
Erythromycin syrup
Augmentin (150 mg .312mg, 5ml syrup)
Cloxacillin (syrup and 250 mg capsule)

Special Requests from our nurse:

1. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics 18^th Edition with CD

2. Textbook Of Pediatric Infectious Disease - current edition

3.Harrison Textbook of Internal Medicine -16th Edition

Always needed:
Arts and Crafts supplies
Preschool supplies: crafts, workbooks, coloring books, etc.
New or gently used clothing, especially sizes 8-12 (boys and girls) and boys sizes 3T-6

Because this letter is posted in a wide variety of places and on several message boards, please contact me at ahopesupplies@gmail.com if you have any questions or would like to make arrangements for donations.

Thank you for considering the needs of the children of AHOPE. Feel free to forward this letter or post it where interested people may see it.

Lisa Qualls
AHOPE Supplies Coordinator
ahopesupplies@gmail.com

Family blog: http://abushel-and-apeck.blogspot.com
Wife to Russ, Mamma to ten (three from Ethiopia)

Ladybird and Moonchild, Snow Maidens

Savored Moments In Time

The past three weeks have been full to overflowing...
Full of family.
Full of fun.
Full of festivities.

Things are just now slowing down enough to have time to reflect and savor those wonderful moments shared together.

First my parents arrived. They were here in time to involve themselves in the pre-Christmas festivities. Some shopping, batches of cookie baking, lots of package wrapping, and a lovely music and message filled Christmas service at our church.

On Christmas Eve my oldest brother and his family joined us for dinner and treats and it felt like Christmas had really begun. We continued to celebrate even after their leaving...with our traditional Christmas PJ opening and a Christmas story to fill our heads before nodding off. (Oh, and the strict admonition to the little girls NOT to wake any of us before 7 a.m., are we mean or what?!)

Christmas arrived with a dusting of snow. It never really stuck....but the effect was magical all the same, just to look out and see the big flakes falling was treat enough. Stockings were oohed and aahed over, strawberry crepes were assembled and quickly consumed (much more quickly than they were made, I might add, but they were also much appreciated). Then our Tomie dePaola Book of Bible Stories was pulled from the shelf and handed to Grandpa, who read us the Christmas story...another savored moment of our Christmas tradition. The snow continued to fall, presents continued to be opened throughout the morning, and the turkey was tucked into the oven for our Christmas dinner. The day was lovely, lots work of course, but worth it for this Mama to see the joy it brought her family.

Next up was the much looked forward to visit from our Idaho family, who arrived quite late on Saturday night. The visit was very worth the wait! We had three very intense, very lively days of visiting with 20 people in our home. We attended church (yes, we all made it out the door, but not in time for the 8 a.m. service), celebrated a birthday, brought in the New Year, the adults took a marathon long walk, the college girls sipped gallons of tea, some watched movies and all thoroughly enjoyed each other. It was especially wonderful getting to know my newest nephews and niece!

Bit by bit the company left and the house felt empty, after all only 8 of us were left to rattle around in this hilltop home. But we had more to look forward to . A trip to our favorite mountain getaway. A great chance to relax and reconnect with our own family. Here we had real snow and lost the power for the night and had to be pulled out by the neighbor's "machine". Here we watched The Invisible and Wives and Daughters. Here we played Carcassone and caught up on our reading and built snowmen! Leisure was the name of the game and we all won!

Today we are back to the real world...and it feels good. It's a good thing to pull the readers and workbooks back out of the cupboard. It's good to chain up the car (we had real snow overnight) and have Dad drop the college bound girls off at school so I don't worry that they're in the ditch somewhere. It's good to read aloud again while the laundry gets folded! Yes, life is good indeed.

Winter Wonderland

We Are Family