ohhh, books, stressors, earthquakes, measles, and the Olympics

Boy, do I ever wish I could whip blogs out as fast as they come to mind. I have about 40 things to say, and 40 pictures to display. I've been reading a couple of books about using Montessori methods in the home with small children (there are so many awesome principles that just make sense to me, you know?) and I want to tell you how neat they are! Just started this book by Po Bronson called Why Do I Love These People? about families. It makes you fall in love with your family all over again, faults, freckles, and all. And then there's a book called Reimagining Church by Frank Viola that I bet a lot of you would dig if you have questions about the established institutional church and wonder where's the genuineness and where's the community in all of it. But I didn't start this entry to really write about any of that. This is a fly over entry about major themes.

In self-revelatory news, I have lately felt like my insides are full of spaghetti with battery acid on top. I see myself as living quite a fortunate and simple life, so it irritates me to feel that way. When I think about it though, there are a couple of hearty stressors looming about, between extended family pain and anguish, a good friend who's on her death bed, being away from Jason, contemplating how to deal with our blasted worldly possessions (I sometimes fantasize about a house fire taking everything out in one lump sum, leaving exactly enough time for me to grab our photo albums and paraphernalia), and planning for how to live in three different states over the next year and a half. It's all a matter of knowing which things to take on and which things to let loose of, isn't it?

It came to me the other day how I could've drawn "earthquake" in Pictionary at Nikki's birthday party a month ago. A terrible word to pick in light of Haiti, but a word picked nonetheless. I could've drawn it like a world, and when somebody eventually said "earth" I would've nodded yes, yes yes! and then made little lines at the edges, to indicate shaking. At the time, I was stuck on more of a local scene, like making the trees shake and a room shake. That wouldn't have worked. Truth is, I didn't have to draw it, because when I looked closer at the card, "earthquake" was in the wrong category. But still, what a dilemma.

Looks like Zoralee's wrapping up a nice case of the measles. I'd like to post a bunch of pictures of her and tell you things about her! Each day she grows into a more and more beautiful little Pickle. We've been getting outside for her to walk around. She loves going from ice patch to mud hole and back again and is very distressed when she realizes it's time to go inside.

I told my brother, Luke, that we've been "enjoying watching the Olympics." He said that sounds like a brochure for something, which is true. But we have been. We watch the events every day. I have to be honest that I cheer for the Americans. I always wish for the Canadians to come in a close second, and if the USA isn't in the competition anymore, I always root for Canada. And then, sadly, I pretty well don't care what happens to everybody else, but I'd be glad for them to get very pretty green ribbons of participation. It irks me how well those North Koreans have been speed skating in their dark blue suits. They hang around at the back of the pack, and then when there are a few laps to go, they zoom to the front like blue raspberry Popsicles. Frustrating!

I am realizing about blogging these days that I can't seem to write anything that I really care about. I much prefer to use this as a family journal of sorts, showing Zoralee and the chickens and photographs and telling a random thought. But I like reading your meaningful discussions, including everyone's comments, and joining in! That's where I really get jazzed.

So, there it is. There a few things are.