Surprise Delivery

A surprise arrival filled with treats and special gifts.

Look what I got!

I can't express how thrilled I was when FedEx delivered a package today from the Schullers, sweet friends of ours in Watkinsville, Georgia. It is always a blessing to receive boxes of goodies and necessities from home, and what a special treat to be completely surprised!! As a matter of fact, I was so overcome with emotion that I cried.

Both girls loved pulling items from the box, and as a mom, it made my heart glad to see how appreciative and truly grateful they were for their gifts. Mea is especially excited that we get to have pancakes for breakfast tomorrow.......with real syrup!!

New Addition to our Gnome Family

Thought you all might like to see the newest members of our Gnome family. I found them the day we went hiking in Appenzell, and I knew immediately that they were coming home with me. Haven't given them names yet.........but I'm working on it.

A new level of maturity

After years of finding "other" things to read, I recently gave in to the urgings of a friend and started reading the Mitford series of books by Jan Karon. I tried to read the first book, At Home in Mitford, when I was in college, but for whatever reason I just could not get into it. Now, 12 years later as a much older and wiser person, I have zoomed through books 1-3 and today will begin book 4.

Having lived a large majority of my life in small towns and having a father who is a pastor, I can't help but laugh at how the Mitford residents are so much like people I know. People we all know. It has been nice to be able to read a book and feel like I am back in the South even when I am so many miles from the southern charms and idiosyncrasies that are so familiar to me......the people and traditions that have molded who I am.

Anyway, if any of you haven't given these books a try, well, you should. I am about to open Out to Canaan right now and see what my friends in Mitford are up to today.

The Blind Cow

On August 16th, Jared and I had the opportunity to dine with friends in a most unique atmosphere........TOTAL DARKNESS! We met up with two of Jared's co-workers and their spouses at a restaurant called die Blindekuh---which translates into "The Blind Cow". As you might guess, it is a dining experience unlike any other in that the servers are all blind and the patrons sit, order and eat in a dining room that is completely dark. I do mean......down in a cave never to see the light of day dark; oh-my-gosh-I can't see my hand in front of my face dark; eerily thick, I think I might panic kind of dark. The goal is to give people just a small taste of what it is like to be blind, and I have to say that after 2.5 hours in totally black surroundings, I can't imagine what it would be like to be without my sense of sight. As strange as it was to sit and eat in the dark, it really did give me a more heightened awareness of my other senses.

When we got home I told Jared that I wasn't so sure I could do it again nor was I certain that I could recommend the restaurant to everyone. You have to have the right mindset and be as prepared as possible, and I don't know that I was. I think if I had been there for 10 more minutes I would have started to freak out. The meal was great, the service was outstanding, and the appreciation I gained for my eyesight was well worth it. I guess you could say it was an "eye-opening" experience.

Hiking in Appenzell/Seealpsee area-August 31, 2007

We have had so much going on this summer until we didn't think we were going to be able to take the time to head into the mountains and get away, but fortunately we woke up to a gorgeous day that begged us to come out and enjoy. I saw a postcard a year or so ago with a picture of the Seealpsee and mentioned to Jared then that I wanted to find out exactly where it was and visit. And we did. With beautiful sunshine, cool crisp air, two kid-carrier backpacks and a picnic lunch, we set out for a day of hiking in the canton of Appenzell. It was just as scenic as the postcard picture......cows, mountains, lake and all.

The girls were pretty happy hikers for most of the journey, and Mea was especially excited once we reached a place where she could walk down the mountain "like a grown-up." We had fun listening to the cow bells ring as we made our way down the trail and then we had the pleasure of meeting the cows and dodging their "patties" that dotted our path. It was also very fascinating to watch several paragliders run off the mountain and float up into the sky. I am sure we counted at least 14 different people in the air that day.

However, I have to admit that 2.5 hours down a mountain with an extra 25-30 lbs. on my back made for an extremely uncomfortable weekend. My leg muscles screamed at me for at least 4 full days afterward, and I looked like a weak old lady whenever I had to walk down steps. Not a pretty sight. Anyway, I hope the pictures give you a little glimpse of the beauty of the day.