the hostess with the "leastest"?

So,I have a question.
In this country where many of us reside,we seem to have this thing. This thing that our culture grooms,ads and magazines reinforce and of course "The Liar" loves to bring to our attention.

About how more is better,bigger is better etc. etc.More stuff=happiness.

I deeply believe our culture could be so much happier if we'd quit buying into The Lie. Literally buying into it. But maybe that revelation is for the Spirit to reveal alone. I'm not perfect,far from it. But on a very daily level Lee and I have learned so much about simplicity. Living in Central America on a teeny budget, living in shared spaces, living in housing that was not ideal, having large bills to pay have been wonderful tools in shaping the new lifestyle that's emerging for our family.
Less is often More.
Less toys available on a regular basis,making us all frustrated with trying to tidy,thus More Time.
Less furniture means having More available Space thus meaning we don't need as large of a home.

Less books of poor quality=More Shelving for quality pieces.

The list goes on.

What if?
What if instead of competing for "the mostest" our country or we as individuals would compete for the "leastest"?
How would life look for many of us then?

I don't think I've had a chance to cover all the questions saying something like this might generate nor do I have time to cover them this morning but wanted to throw this thought out before I forget.

(this post inspired by ongoing "home editing" around here.)

~pilgrimama

earthquake!

So.. yesterday the largest earthquake in over a century hit Virginia,at least so was reported in one article I read this morning.

I felt its effects quite strongly as I sat at my oversized desk working on our computer. I tried to figure out what was going on, calling to the children,trying to find out whether they were doing some activity that was shaking the house, whether our downstairs neighbors were up to something,what could be up?

After a bit I gave up trying to determine the cause of the mysterious shaking.
But then, unusually for me, I had the Yahoo news page open as I had been doing some research for a project of Alex's and traveled through that particular page.
And what do you know?  The headline "Breaking News" was there!  About the earthquake that had hit VA!

I was pretty excited, as I'd experienced earthquake tremors in Central America but I think I'd thought of that and just passed it off as "no way,this is Virginia" in my head.

Anywhooo, the excitement of the day! And thankfully not many serious injuries or anything.

Well, should go and keep rolling for the day! Yet another dentist appointment on the agenda,this time for Alex. Too many of those this year.....

Happy Wednesday!

~pilgrimama

a super birthday day!

So yesterday was my 29th birthday! And it was pretty awesome!

Highlights:We had overnight guests,an aspiring physicist and a farmer/missionary,two brothers.We had young guys happily hanging out till close to noon(since we hosted worship and a pancake breakfast.)The tribe played lots and learned some sweet stuff!


Lunch with a good friend.

Lots of surprises and sweet details.

A picnic with some of the friends I cherish most in the world.

Girltime.

Tripledates and sweet cherry wine all the way from Michigan.

Let's just say I head into my thirtieth year fortified with lots of Love!

with gratitude,
~pilgrimama

announcement!

No,I am not pregnant.

Now that we have gotten that question out of the way,I would like to say that today I realized something!

There are no people wearing diapers in this house.
And there are no people using potty chairs,either!

No poopy potty to empty anymore.
Or, pee-y potty.
This should go in my portfolio.
HAS TAUGHT 4 CHILDREN TO USE TOILET.

What???????
No Mom portfolios??
Well, watch me!
If I want a MOM portfolio, there will be one.

I will make it happen.

Or is portfolio even the right word?

Oh,bother!

good-bye!

~pilgrimama

an adventure in the forest

Yesterday we went on an adventure to the forest.

We went in a caravan of friends.

• It went something like this.
• Arrive,get everyone settled by the water.
• Gather food around the fire pit.
• Children,(guess what?) start feeling hungry.
• Feed children p,b and j or pb and "honey"sandwiches. Or hardboiled eggs, or pesto and tomato sandwiches etc.Share food all around.
• Play in water some more.
• Heat rice dish over fire.
• eat some more
• children play around and babies are snuggled into the double stroller for naps
• Go walking to pick berries.
• Try to keep small people out of poison ivy while picking berries.
• Berries are abundant!
• Get POURED on and everyone is all wet and cold.
• Remember campsite has food and picnic blankets and all kinds of stuff all out and getting wet!
• go back to camp and clean,clean,clean! Feed people again!
• play in water a bit more and help small people with bathroom needs
• pack up cars and grownups eat dark chocolate for sustenance
• little ones eat fruit leathers and bars and eventually fall asleep
• my pal and I listen to Raffi and search out "Baby Beluga" and sing it together.We are such moms!
• Get home. Boys rush to get ready for an outing with neighbor and Chelsea has come down with a fever.
• Good,good times!

Now to wash all that wet clothing today!
~pilgrimama

settling in and coming back!

We have been doing a whole,whole lot of settling back in.
To our regular routine,to being on a gentler rhythm than we have been in a long time because of preparing for Lee to travel(him working long hours), him leaving and us helping out at his job where we could, then the wildness surrounding his return, which is too exhausting to write about at present, except to say that it involved illness, long trips, and me getting stranded far from home.

This week,when it finally looked like a return to normalcy was possible, a heat wave struck, leaving me rather blown away by our unairconditioned upper apartment. Think warm,dry air or sticky heat enveloping the home=not conducive to Productivity.

Then the gas tanks went dry on me. Wow.
No way of cooking either.
More scenarios too complicated and exhausting to write about.

Anywhoo, all this to say, posting on my ol' blog has not been a priority!

But I feel myself coming back.... I may be back to writing and feeling myself soon! Yay!


~Pilgrimama

lee returns

My sweetheart has returned from traveling far,far away! Thank-you Abba Father!
(I think part of me always prepares for the worst when Lee travels.)

He brought me/us coffee beans (we both enjoy good quality) and wooden beads,among perhaps more practical goods.

I am glad to not be filling in for him at work.
I think he is glad to be back as Captain of our nest.

We are both really behind in sleep.
I should be catching up trip laundry.

I woke up and realized the bridal shower I am planning to travel to with a friend(in whose wedding I am in)is  tomorrow and I have no preparations made. As in,AT ALL.
Heh,heh.

If only my headache would totally leave and I could shake this awful tired feeling...

Must sign off.....