Abby's Ballad

"I'm (n)inja Abby.
I'm Inja Abby.
We are the Inja Girls.
The spiders are sad and my mom is working on her ipad
I PAD!!!!
It makes me happy!
I am a precious girl, girl...
watch me I (know) how to jump!

She's an original, that girl. And I'm the only one who got to hear that particular song; and it's a one and done kinda thing. No one will ever hear that particular song again. I am the lucky one.

So anyway....life is bumpy post-move. We're kinda taking a pummeling. Caleb is struggling in school. Emma is struggling in school. Ethan isn't actually struggling much, but he likes to complain sometimes anyway. Abby and I are pretty much sick of hanging out with each other - we are the only people we know and we've henceforth been too busy with survival to meet anybody.Eddie is treading water at work, busting his *ss to keep afloat. So last week I'd had it. HAD IT! I decided I was done watching my family take a beating, and I would not sit idly by and watch it happen.

"Dammit", I said. And I really meant damn-it; like Satan, you and your minions are headed to Hell, and let me help you on your way. You will not wreak havoc on my family. So I've been getting up early and praying, praying, praying.

God and I had a little heart to heart.

"You said you wouldn't leave us, you said you'd never forsake. GOD, do you hear me? We are drowning here! Show up!"

I've been reading this book off and on; It's called "When God Interrupts". When I don't hate it I really like it. The author says, and I paraphrase, "When you feel as though you've been abandoned by God you've only been abandoned by the God of your own making. Not the real God. He doesn't abandon and He doesn't behave how we believe he should. He's the Jesus that showed up after Lazarus died, not before. He's the Jesus who waited till after the grief and loss to make an appearance, and He's the mysterious one who doesn't abandon and never forsakes. He is the One worth knowing."

And though we are in the thick of it, and we are still taking a beating, I do believe we have not been abandoned. More than that, He has been gracious in his blessings.

-We found a church we like (an ironic story for another day)
-We got a great doctor, and some teachers who are really on the ball sorting through the crisis with Caleb.
-Abby (or theoretically special needs child) is doing really well. We found her a preschool too.
-We live in a beautiful place, and somehow it soothes when the suckage here gets pretty intense.
-Eddie has someone at works who understands.
-Caleb made a friend. So did the other kids.
-A lady I met invited me to coffee; I might soon have a friend in this fine state.
-Wine is yummy and cheap when you live this close to Napa.

So it's a mixed bag. Hard stuff. Lots of blessing too. Then more hard stuff.

On Community... or lack thereof.

We love Colorado for lots of reasons. The climate. The mountains. The blue sky. But, mostly, we love the people.

California has lots to love too. The Pacific Ocean. Need I say more?

It does not, however, have our peeps. We have a real live grandma and grandpa and great grandma and grandpa in Colorado. We have aunties, and uncles and surrogates by the dozen. We were loved by and love some really amazing people in the fine state of Colorado.

And that is a wealth that is hard to come by. So our search for community in California has begun, and we feel like those poor blokes in the gold rush. Treasure isn't easy.

We started our prospecting at church, because as much as I sometimes hate church, I love it more. Our dearest friendships, and most loyal war buddies have nearly always been forged at church. So we went. And there was a choir, and some of the women wore panty hose, and a fair number of the dudes wore ties. I had some PTSD-type flashbacks to my Baptist roots. I begged Eddie not to make me go in while we were still in the parking lot. Eddie told me to put on my big girl pants. So, I did. It wasn't TERRIBLE. I actually liked the hymns, and watching my 8 year old rock out to the orchestra.

Alas, this was not our community.

We miss Gary Duncan greeting us with a warm smile and an off-color joke as we walk in the door to church. Where can you get that, I ask?

Do they even make churches like that in California?

I hope so, because we could use a little church without the varnish. We don't have the time or inclination for the spit and polish. We'd just like to meet some folk who love Jesus. Like REALLY. LOVE. JESUS. You'd that church would be a good place to look.

Then maybe they could come over, and grill burgers and drink beer, and lemonade. And we could be friends.

I guess I'm thankful that I know what the mother lode looks like. I know the taste and texture of real community. I know the good and gritty of true, deep friendship. I know what I'm looking for, because I know what it's like to live rich - the affluence of love.

So if your a praying person, pray. Pray, that we will find this treasure, and our kids will live this treasure too. We want this kind of wealth for their future more than the type that will buy a glass mansion teetering on the edge of a the hills overlooking The Bay.

Rich friendship.
Real community.
To know and be known.

soon

It is Tuesday evening and the truck pulls out on Friday morning. Hyperventilating here.

I said goodbye to my mom and my sister and my best friend today. I love them all dearly. Bittersweet.

My husband is in Castro Valley and I am in Northglenn. We are states away, and I am sick of it. Lonely for him.

And in the middle of it am feeling so blessed. Because I have a husband I miss. Because I have a family to love and who loves me.
And because I have a friend who has loved me through many seasons. Because I have a God who never changes and never abandons and he is good yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Amen and Amen

For the Grandparents

I've been slacking in my blogging lately, so here's one for the grandparents. It's a quick "what's up" for those who care.

-Eddie is going to travel again. He starts next week, and continues traveling every week for the foreseeable future. This time he'll be headed to northern CA.

-We're going to try to squeeze in a summer vacation and crash his business trip one week.

-I was called back for a second interview for a part time job I've been pursuing. It's a cool job; I applied on a whim. I think there were a lot of applicants, and I'm surprised it's gone this far.

-We've been hangin' with the Crocker girls while Matt and Gretch house shop in NJ. They've found some cute houses in cute subdivisions (townships?), but I'm gonna miss those Crockers.

-Tomorrow is Abby's appt. w/ the Chidren's Development Unit. Pray she acts out. Really. Because so much of the time she's sweet, but we want them to see when we see her acting "off".

-The big kids are looking forward to a camp-out with Grandpa next week.

-Caleb is the winner for the "most teeth yanked" award. He's had 3 pulled so far. He's going in for 3 more, and then, after that 6 more will get pulled. 12. sheesh. Here's a quick shout out for good dental insurance....

Kota our Hungarian Sheep Dog (aka PULI) is working on her dreadlocks, cause that's the hip look for Pulik. I'm feeling sorry for her though because her coat is so hot during the summer. We may shave her down, but then instead of looking like a tough Puli, she'll look like a poodle, and Eddie is not a fan of that look..

-Haven't even started the summer reading program for kids at the library. I want to do it, but Abby throws a fit at the library, and it's anti-motivational.

-School's back in session the 20th of August. I have a feeling we'll be shocked at how quickly that sneaks up on us.

We're IN!

Yesterday, at precisely 5:01 PM, I received an email. It's the one I've been waiting for a forever of 6 weeks or so. And we're in, just like that.

We've homeschooled, mostly, and dabbled in private Christian school and now we'll be doing public charter school. Because all 3 of my big kids drew "seats" in the lottery for this fabulous charter for gifted and creative learners.

I love the idea of homeschooling, and have, at least in seasons, loved the actual doing of homeschool. But it's not the best choice for my kids now. And christian school is pricey. We've loved Christan school too. But it does tend toward creating "Club Jesus" and that is not what I want for my family or children. The neighborhood public school is bad, and actually not in the neighborhood. The district buses kids from our subdivision to a rough neighborhood. That would be throwing my kids into the deep end - not going to happen. So what to do? Well we found the answer in this little charter, and we prayed we'd get in.

We did.

This is big news. I'm thrilled - mostly. And a little sad for what I am losing. To a non-homeschooler this would make no sense. Believe it or not there are some sweet moments unique to homeschool. I'll miss it. Really, I will. But we're in a new season...a good new season, but still.

Bloggified version of a Christmas Card

· The Wood house is currently home to 3 adults, 6 children, and 3 puppies. . Steph’s longtime friend and her 2 sons moved into the basement apartment this June.

· This summer the Wood’s family friend and pastor announced he, and his family would move to Chicago and plant a church. Thus began a virtual avalanche of event ending in both Eddie and Stephanie stepping into leadership roles at the church. Eddie currently serves on Leadership Team of our small church and also serves in the role of executive pastor. (We like to call him “Pastor Ed” ). He does all this while he continues his full time employment with Legacy Partners.

· Stephanie is providing leadership to the small group ministry at Jacob’s Well Community Church. She is also homeschooiing the kid’s again, thus verifying that one should be very careful about what one says one will “never do again”. Actually, both mother and children have been pleasantly surprised by the experience.

· Ethan ,10, played his first regular season of tackle football, and now watches the Broncos with the zeal of a kid with real football smarts.

· Emma,8, has become quite a little cook. She can be sent into the kitchen by herself, recipe in hand, and emerge with something really yummy created all by herself.

· Caleb, 7, has started to learn the piano and we are discovering he has quite an ear. It’ll we be fun to this talent emerge in years to come.

· Abby, 3, has much to say—about EVERYTHING. She loves the color pink and likes to play school with her big sister. She might, quite accidentally, learn to read here soon.

· This fall the children, all 6 of them , successfully campaigned for the acquisition of puppies. Longtime pet hater, Stephanie Wood, has been converted. The puppies are trouble, but the cute factor weighs heavily to their advantage.

· Kota (short Lakota Pumpkin—naturally), is the Wood family pet, she is darling, smart, and a bit spoiled.

· The Wood family did not even attempt to attain a Christmas picture wherein all member were nicely dressed, smiling, and looking in the same direction. Apparently, doctors will not prescribe Valium for such events and the adult were unwilling to attempt such a feat without being properly medicated.

Quotables and Bullet Points

• Caleb, aka kid #3, is laid back. He's seriously low key - and it sometimes disguises itself as laziness. Yet, underneath he's got this creative and incredible inner world. He's got a fabulous ear for music. He's funny - but he can be so quiet you miss funny comments. So, I thought I should record recent Caleb comments for posterity.

"When I die and go to heaven I want to get the body of a lego guy." - Caleb

"Mom, I think I can breathe through my ears." - Caleb

• I am riddled with guilt because our puppy has an ear infection. I have no idea why this is my fault, but it feels like I failed at puppy ownership and will have to turn in my " Humane Individual Card". This is compounded by the fact that we returned Psychotic Oso, may he rest in peace, to the shelter a week after rescuing him.

• We're homeschooling. It's going well. I am still not convinced we are lifers. Homeschooling is an imperfect solution (Back-off you homeschooling nut jobs - It is NOT perfect, and not everyone should do it.). However, public school are jacked too, and so is private school. So where does that leave us?

"Je ne sait pas" is French for "I don't know".

I think it sounds classier than, "I'm clueless."

So

"Je ne sait pas."

• I have a cold. I hate colds.
  

• Abby is wearing a princess dress over her footie jammies tonight. She is kid number four, so we don't care. She's sleeping. Sleep is good - she could ask to sleep in medieval chain mail and we'd probably say "yes."
  

• I talked with this amazing woman who just adopted a newborn. She's in her late 40's and has 10 kids, and a whole bunch of foster kids. Most are special needs. She's normal looking, and put together - in case you were wondering. I'm pretty sure she knows a lot about the important things. Plus, she said, "Get Pull-ups; it doesn't matter if your daughter is 6 years old when she is finally potty trained." , and that makes me like her even better.
  

• I'm excited our little church is hosting an Orphan Sunday initiative. Go Us. We're little. We're made up of mostly new Christ-followers. And we're talking orphan care.

• I've taken to carrying around a bottle of childrens' antihistamine with me. My allergies are become a PAIN, and I've found a swig of liquid Benedryl is the fastest solution. Pretty sure nobody's doctor recommends that.