... "my Dennis-the-menace..."

my youngest has such a big heart.... and an amazing brain (wickedly intelligent)... he is  tow headed, has a gigantic gorgeous gappy smile, and BIG brown eyed that can bat their way out of most messes ...

He has always been ferociously curious, even as a six month old he drug himself (couldn't crawl yet) over to the spinner (corner spinning cabinet) and poured a bottle of maple syrup on the rug... a few months later he pulled himself up to the fridge, and plopped a dozen & a half eggs on the hard wood floor...

As a two year old he slipped off the edge of a relatives pond... wearing rubber rain boots, it was spring... he was in and under the water in a matter of seconds... our cousin jolted into 'Bay Watch' mode & rescued him .... he has taken private swim lessons many weeks of every summer since.... the stories could go on and on....

He has a scary high pain tolerance.... so, when he cries, I know he is hurt... he doesn't cry wolf like his elder brother....

Monday I was digging out hostas & lilies that had become so massive, they were blocking the sprinkler stream... hogging the hydration.

I had just gotten a wheelbarrow from the shed & navigated it to the front yard, when I heard a cry, followed by a plea,"Can somebody please help me?"

I dropped the spade and sprinted around back. My youngest was laying on the patio, at the top of a brick stairway leading to our basement... clutching his left arm... a steel lawn chair resting on it's side at the bottom ...

I sat him up & tried to get the facts about what had happened... after piecing together info from the fallen and his elder brother, the witness...

My youngest had flipped the patio chair over the edge... fell to the bottom of the stairs... chair landing atop his 45 pound body.

He climbed out from under the chairs weight & ascended the stairs on hands & knees. He held his left arm, it sported a 6 inch lesion, but he complained it hurt "inside"...

Our doctor had just had a baby, her husband (a Dr. too) also out for the week, no one lined up to cover their patients... off to the Urgent Care we went.

Urgent Care, what an oxymoron (thanks Mrs. Carter for teaching me this literary term over two decades ago).... there is absolutely nothing urgent about it, no speed, no rapidness.... a two hour wait loomed between us & my son's arm being treated... in the mean time I gave him some ibuprofen & we listened to books on mp3 ... "Magic Tree House" adolescent novels by Mary Pope Osborn.

When Dr. Todd finally took a look... manipulated my son's wrist, elbow, triceps & biceps.... applying pressure and concluded he was 'absolutely fine.'  The ibuprofen had worked it's magic... a summer spent sporting a cast averted.... and my son had used up another of his 9-lives.

I have always been worried about him.  How he would find his way in this world... As a mom, I felt so accountable for him...

Over the past 10 months I had to let the worry, the dotting, the anxiety that filled my gut every time I thought about him in the care & company of others .... I had to lay those emotions that were seriously rattling my cage, at the foot of the cross.


New Living Translation  -  Hebrews 2:13
13 He (Jesus) also said,


   “I will put my trust in him,”
      that is, “I and the children God has given me.”


The Lord reminded me that I am not in control... He is... He is the master mind behind all things... all beings... He has plans for each and every one of us... He is only using me as an instrument in my son's lives... they are on loan to me to raise, as the Lord sees fit.... as He orchestrates the kingdom life he has planned for them, since the beginning of time....

~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~

My husband had rushed home when I called him to report the 'accident'... I needed him to take our oldest son to his swim lesson.  Our youngest said, "I'm sorry dad."  My husband replied, "It's okay buddy, I knew the day would come that we would have a broken bone."

... and our youngest answered, "I just didn't know it would be today."

Friends ... we never really know what the future holds... so trust in Him and the grand plans he has for His children...

..."lost & found..."

I know the blogging has been infrequent... having the fellers home has me behind....

I am a self proclaimed crazy cat lady... I have loved felines ever since I can remember... as a little girl I would drag home a stray and try to domesticate them... ask my folks about the yellow tabby with mange...

As a married couple our fist pet was a house cat named Pippy (short for Pip-squeak).  We lived in a TINY apartment at I-29 and Parvin in KC, MO.... I really wanted a dog, but what I got was the runt of the litter.  My mother in law had a litter of kittens that a friend had brought to their farm, she thought the runt would be perfect for me....

After we returned from our honeymoon on St. Barth's I made the drive out west to the farm my husband was raised on & brought the kitten home.  She made a great pet, moved 5 times with us including the 12 hour drive to Indiana where we have settled for the past seven years.  She would come snuggle when she heard my head hit the pillow... she would run to play hide and seek when I would put fresh sheets on the bed... she would sing for a nibble of tuna... she was good for my soul.  Pippy passed away at the ripe old age of nearly 11 during the winter of 2010.

I think the Lord knew I would need another cat in my life to fill the hole ... the summer before Pippy's passing a stray mama cat dumped a litter of weened kittens off at my neighbors.  As I would weed my hosta beds this little calico kitten would pop through the foliage and play with me....

She adopted us, choosing to crawl through the doggie door of our garage and take refuge from the male tom cats that inhabit our woods.  The neighbor named her Snickers, for her yellow, black, brown and gray patchwork of fur.  She had a litter of kittens that spring following Pippy's passing in our garage.  What fun it was for the boys to raise kittens.  I had Snickers spayed last fall .... and she flew the coop.

Literally and figuratively... I think the spay caused a hormone imbalance.... she's a bit nutty, and leaves for several weeks at a time.... just when I think the coyotes may have gotten her, she will show back up... usually at night when I am awake on the computer, a small lamp aglow... I'll hear scratch-scratch-scratch... and Snickers will be on the deck.  Some times she will have burs matted in her fur, paws dirty, voice scratchy from 'roughin' it.... other times she appears well groomed, I am suspicious that she is having an affair with another crazy cat lady....

When we returned from Yellow Stone she came around.... and has stuck around since. Maybe it's the milk I give her (once a month laced with de-wormer)...

I know it is only a cat (as my farm boy husband would say) but she reminds me of the Bible parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2015:11ff&version=NLT

When the son returns the father is ecstatic.... over joyed.... just as I am when my silly cat decides to stagger home...

This has me thinking about the Lord.... do I stagger away from my relationship with him?  Do I put other things above the Lord in my list of priorities? ....

When we return to the heavenly Father... He is over joyed... He is ecstatic.... He welcomes us with open arms, for we were once lost... but with Him we are found....

not-so-desperate update ... June 2011

Well... I've been writing for two months, as of June 7... and you all keep reading.  So I guess this is still working out...

The latest dilemma at mi casa is my mother's day gift.... the boys gave me one of those bird houses that the back panel is Plexiglas with suction cups, so you can stick it to a window & watch the aviary species...

Our problem is that a different species decided to take up residence... a pest of sorts... a mama yellow jacket is building a nest in our bird habitat as we speak.... it is interesting, watching her build away, the nest increasing in size each day, but we don't want to co-habitate with her young-uns... so the hubs is bringing home wasp spray.... conveniently sold in the mill store (where the bird houses are conveniently sold too)...

We've had three days to settle in since the conclusion of our sojourn.... dozens of loads of laundry have been washed, folded and stored (the life of a not-so-desperate housewife is one of glamorous tasks)... all the rubber maid totes (one for shoes, another for coats, snacks, games...) have been unpacked & stowed away...

The two pups survived their time behind bars... aka-the kennel.... I've never seen a tail wag-wag-wag as fast as theirs on the drive home.....

The two stray cats that adopted us over the past two years are still in the garage & hunting voles and mice to rid our woods of pests... and rubbing my ankles as I drink my morning coffee on the deck... I've always been a cat lover, ask my Mom about Morris the 1st... & 2nd....

All my potted patio creations from Drenth Growers survived the teenager, who successfully watered... and the not-so-tornado-ish storm that rolled through .... tipping over 100 year old oak trees, but not my pots atop plant stand... go figure, God had his eye on the arbors this time....

I had the pleasure of spending this morning surrounded my grateful female believers.... enjoying the leadership of a friend and discussing Beth Moore and her take on "He Is" in the book of Hebrews....

My fellers as I have taken to calling them(after Grandpa Mike) are glad to be sleeping in their own beds... tonight they are having a sleep over... our youngest is in his brother's room on the bottom bunk, a treat usually reserved for weekends, but what the heck, it's summer right... the youngest will wake the oldest at the crack of dawn...

They have been Lego-ing up a storm as we had another literal thunder storm today... yesterday they were using sticks they whittled from the woods as swords... boys playing make believe... the oldest thought they were knights... they youngest wanted to be a samurai..... the imagination of children....

The hubs is still hauling his toosh to work Monday through Friday... bringing home the bacon, literally...so I may live the glamorous life that I am fortunate to live... he is currently like a boy in a candy shop selecting all the fun features of my soon to be, shopping cart.... see May's update if you are confused by the cart reference...

We are celebrating 13 years of wedded bliss this weekend... making an appearance at a hospital benefit & then heading to our favorite Lafayette steak house for beef 'that is to die for'... hard to come by in this neck of the woods....

I hope 13 is a lucky number... the years have passed quickly, with our own share of excitement... I heard an author say today that if our life always went the way we planned, it would make a pretty boring novel, laid down after only a few pages.... you all seem to think it's at least marginally un-boring....

My kindergarten pedi-cure wore off while hiking the Rocky Mountains in awesome Keen sandals... I don't think my 6 year-old will be doing the next pedicure...

I am officially an 'out-doors-woman', I bought myself my first pocket knife ... the fellers all have them, so I thought, "Why not me?" ... bought it at Mt. Rushmore Memorial, wooden handle with the heads of the presidents carved into it ... came in handy opening potting soil this afternoon, just pray I don't slice a digit... I need them to count, you know...

I am working on a new flowerbed... a work that has been in progress since pre-vacation, but I made some head wave today... I am using the lilac tree, yes tree not bush, given to us when my husband's 101.5 year-old granny went to be with the Lord, as my focal point.... dividing overgrown uniquely variegated hostas and lilies I inherited from Aunt Flo & her girls.

I am facilitating a math enrichment camp this summer... my first venture for www.agape2learn.com  I have 45 participants registered... we are going to spend 5 sessions throughout summer "having a blast with math"... taking me back to life 8 years ago, when I helped adolescents realize that they were 'good at math' & they could have fun doing it, you just need some crazy dice, a deck of cards & dominoes .... my favorites are from
 www.boxedcarsandoneeyedjacks.com

I always said, "I was smart enough to do 6th grade math"... In reality, I made a darn good math teacher, I could explain it in layman's terms... using silly verbiage that helped trigger their memory, better than a brain-iac mathematician... no offense, they have their own skills and gifts, and have several who are near and dear to my heart, even thought I'm sure I drive them nuts...

 ... and I thank the Lord each day for this life he has bestowed on me... the life of a not-so-desperate-housewife....

P.S.  (post script) ... a sort of desperate update, opps ... I was re-calculating our anniversary as I lay in bed trying to drift off to dream land ... this is our 12th .... a dozen years as husband and wife... one third of my three dozen years on this Earth..... even though it's passed in a blink....

day 9 & 10... Peterson Sojourn West 2011

day 9 .... we headed out to go for a hike on the Taggert Lake Trail.... 3 mile hike round trip... the rangers reported to Brock that there had been mama-grizzly sightings... the boys insisted I wear the bear bell... so every other step, I jinggled along.... warding off the bears....

We spotted a black badger... sunning it self on a gigantic granite boulder... as it saw us approaching, it retreated to it's den, under the boulder.... keeping an eye on us....we kept to the left side of the trail & avoided 'ruffling it's fur' ....

We made it as far as we could until we reached  a snow covered path, retracing our steps.... at the Yukon parked next to us were a man & woman kissing rather passionately.... saying good bye it appeared... with 2 other guys in tow, getting out video cameras....they had arrows sticking out of their pack.

Brock approached the car and asked if they were hunting... which is illegal in Natl. Parks.... they are filming a documentary "The Great American Walkabout" and walking across the nation... California to New York, eating only what they hunt.  You can find their page on facebook... pretty cool really....

Next we drove to Jenny Lake... for a boat ride across the lake and a hike up to the Hidden Falls ....

We were hipoglycemic, starved after our day of hiking.... we grabbed some wood fired pizza at the Snake River Brewing Company.... pizzas decked out with smoked bacon, scallions, dehydrated apples, truffle sauce & gorgonzola.... home-made sausage, wild mushrooms, garlic, red onions & goat cheese.... we pigged out, and rolled ourselves home ....




day 10... We were getting vacationed out... a sad statement, considering the amazing terrain we were surrounded by.... but home-sickness prevailed.  We decided to load the Yukon that morning, in case we wanted to hit the road early and head east that evening.

We drove to Teton Village, and took a gondola up to the top of Mt. Rendezous.... 6,000+ elevation.  What an amazing ride up the mountain, taking in the granite majesty.  The view was spectacualr. They have had 7,500+ feet of snow this year.... 4,000 is their average... it was still extremely snow packed, making hiking a challenge.  We were wearing shorts, having run out of clean pants, making any hiking prospects dim .... time to head home and do laundry.

We took a senic drive up past Jenny Lake and towards Colter Bay.  We thought we spotted a moose in the woods.  We stopped to take a look, and the ranger parked roadside said it was an elk, running from a brown colored black bear.... pretty big elk to me.....

I desperately wanted to take a drive over the mountain pass to Idaho to see the Targhgee Natl. Forest ... that meant at least a 3 hour round trip, on a curvy mountain pass... sure to induce motion sickness for our youngest and I.... we opted out.... we'll have to take in Idaho another time....

We stopped in the town square of Jackson Hole for a photo op at the elk antler arches that adorn the center terrace... then pointed the Yukon East & drove off away from the sunset into the Bridger-Teton Natl. Forest ... what amazing senery....

day 7 & 8 ... Peterson Sojourn West 2011

day 6 ended with a late night ice cream run into Gardiner. Took a country road that leads out of the park to our cabin... spotted a baby elk, trailing along after it's skidish mama, my Kansas cowboys predicted the calf to be a day old... the circle of life.

day 7 - We loaded the Yukon early, just after rising and drove out to the Lamar Valley, saw a cluster of cars & trucks, one being a Ranger in the 'Bear 2'.... they all had their super-duper telescopes & had spotted a grizzly and her cub... only the second cub sighting this 'spring'... I met a woman wearing a ball cap with the Emporia State 'E' on it... that's where I'm starting a distance graduate school program in August... she is a retired professor, runs their arborarium. Such a small world ... she shared the view of the grizzlies from her Swarovski telescope... we were all four amazed.... at the circle of life.

Farther up the Lamar Valley we spotted a black bear stalking close to a herd of bison bison, with more than 3 dozen calves in tow, sunning themselves in the valley ... a bald eagle soared in the heavens above.... then through our mini scope we saw it fighting off an attacking hawk at a stream.

We hiked a short trail to see a 15 million year old petrified redwood tree... we hiked a hilly trail just a mile in from the North Gate Entrance.... as we acended the hills of the Yellow Stone River, we came across several bone piles.... a former dinner for a wolf or bear.... our youngest nicknamed the spot, carcass city... more proof of the circle of life.

Headed 'home' for a much needed nap... the boys and I sacked out for nearly 3 hours... a much needed rest after several days filled with hiking.

After our midday shut eye, we put on our bathing suits and headed to Pray, Montana.... home of the historic Chico Inn & a 100+ year old hot spring.  They pump the near by spring water into a large sitting pool. We relaxed... the boys 'splished & splashed' until close to midnight... the boys made up water games... 'wack a fish,' modeled after wack-a-mole.... gave tug boat rides.... What is it about water?  It induces smiles, giggles & grins.... it relaxes the body... and soul too.... a much needed respite from out physically active days of sight seeing.  Our spirits were lifted, our tempers cooled, our bodies extremely relaxed (much needed) .... we decided we need a hot tub, soon....

day 8 .... We packed up... the Yukon filled to the brim, with laundry, left over groceries & left the Electric Cabin (named after the view of Electric Mt.) .... we made a pit stop at the Grand Canyon visitors center, for the boys to earn their Yellow Stone Jr. Ranger badges they had worked for....

We wanted to spend some more time taking in the geysers and springs surrounding Old Faithful.... we drove the 2 hours to the southern end of Yellow Stone... we walked the wooden/trex boardwalks, seeing an amazing wonder of this land...

We saw Morning Glory... Castle Geyser... Spiteful Geyser... and dozens more.... their golden & turquoise beauty.

The boys were thrilled with the 'chick-munk' sighting (as my youngest calls them) ... my boys loved the chipmunks that burrow under the Old Faithful boardwalks... even got within arms length of one....

We drove upon a buffalo traffic jam, slowing us to a crawl for 10 minutes... once there was a slow moving vehicle lane, they moved to the right, allowing us to pass.... modern day wild life, conforming to being surrounded by moving vehicles.

On the drive out of Yellow Stone & into Grand Tetons Natl. Park we took in the splendor of the middle Rockies, reflecting on Colter Bay....

We found our new casa ... headed into the Jackson Town Square for some BBQ... the boys were in heaven, devouring ribs, rootbeer & corn-on-the-cob ...

..."most important things, are not things..."

A friend and I saw this sign on a spiritual outing...

"The most important things in life... are not things."

While we were vacationing in America's West... the Rockies... a violent storm rolled through our town & surrounding country side.

You can take the girl out of Kansas, but you can't take the Kansas out of the girl.... I grew up with many tornado warnings in the spring and summer...

I cried hysterically one spring evening.... I had to have been about 10 years old... my mom, sister & I were hunkered down in our basement... my cat had just had a spring liter of kittens, they were hunkered down in their box next to me...  My dad was not hunkered down with us... he was out storm chasing with his Cannon camera, trying to get a great 'shot'.... So todays news startled me...

Our Auntie and Uncle texted to report the violent storm... & later called with a report on our yard, and that the exterior of the house was in tack.  After the text I asked our neighbor boy to take a peak inside... all was well.

A dear friend of mine called my cell... "We are in your driveway right now... to check and make sure your home is okay."

This type of loyalty and concern, shown by our family and friends... as we were 2000 miles away... is what life is all about.  Everyone had their own worries and concerns, property to check on... and these 'true & constant' people made us one of their concerns to check off the list.

IF.... the house had been gone... the yard torn up... the truck left idle for a week, smashed....

It would have been okay.... all was well, but the important thing is that those we love are unharmed...

But really things are not important ... things are replaceable.... homes, trees, flowers... all replaceable...


"A fool relies on earthly treasures ..." Jeremiah 49:4,16 - paraphrased from the Message

Our former youth pastor used to say, "Keep the main THING, the MAIN THING."

That main thing was .. and is .. and always will be.... the Lord, Jesus our Savior.

Even above our families, the Lord should be our number one....

So, are you keeping the Lord as your main 'THING'? ... was this storm a 'priority check'?

I am so thankful that all those I love and care for are safe.  Lord, thank you for the blessings you have bestowed on all of us. Amen.

day 5 & 6 ... Peterson Family Sojourn West

Day 4 concluded with us pulling up to the cabin... a herd of wild big horned sheep were on the porch, taking refuge from the hail storm.  What an amazing place we have rented.  Electric Mountain is across the road.... the view of the snow capped peaks is breath taking!

That evening we headed into Gardiner to get the lay of the land.... decided to do a quick drive into the park up to Mammoth Falls.

We spotted elk grazing right on the edge of the road... a black bear 'grubbing' for dinner... buffalo with their calves, bedding down in the hills at the north gate.

Day 5 was sunny, we decided to take advantage of the sunshine & hike the north rim of the Grand Canyon of Yellow Stone.  The trails were snow packed and lined with lodge pole pine.  What an adventure that hike was. We feared for Henry... afraid he would tumbled down the edge... we needed a tether.  We had a car-nic (Henry nicknamed our car picnic.) We says hot springs and hiked the raised walkways... we drove down to the Old Faithful in to take in the geysers.  We enjoyed an appetizer and refreshments on the upper deck of the Inn... witnessing Old Faithful erupt twice.  On the two hour drive back to the cabin we had many wildlife sightings... our youngest said his eyes were heavy & dozed into slumber.

Day 6 we headed to town ... the boys in search of a pair of binoculars.  They camp out of the rafting/camp store with a mini telescope.... and passes for a 2:30 river rafting trip.  The proprietor had grown up in Indiana.... said we had to experience the Yellow Stone River.  We suited up in wetsuits... our youngest helped demo the safety procedures.... he kept saying, "I'm a little terrified."  His big brother quoted Joshua...."Don't be terrified... be strong and courageous, for the Lord will be with you, wherever you go."

What an adventure the trip down the Yellow Stone River.... our youngest was soaked with the first rapids we hit... shrieking.... soon a massive smile spread across his face... he was enjoying our voyage.  Our oldest played riverboat roulette, standing on the mast as we paddled in a circle, trying to see how many turns he could stand for.... he beat the record of seven.

We hiked the elevated trails of Mammoth Falls, taking in a Park Ranger talk ... the boys are on their way to earning "Jr. Ranger" status...

We headed back to the cabin to grill jalapeno burgers on a grated fire pit...

As I type, I am on the front porch, a cup of coffee at my side... Electric Mountain towers above me.

Brock got the scoop on the location of grizzly sightings.  After dinner we are loading up and driving in search of a grizzly..... wait and see if our quest was successful.

Please continue to pray for our traveling mercies.... our time as a family.... we are not used to being together 26/7.... but we are making the most of it... tolerating those who the Lord has provided to be like sand paper... to smooth out our rough spots.... We have one day left in Gardiner.  Friday we head to Jackson Hole.... many more Rocky Mountain tales to follow....