7 Quick Takes (Rain Edition)

~1~

Our families in Virginia are getting hit by a "historic" snowstorm this weekend.  Dh remarked last night that they're predicting snowfall in feet, not inches.  

I wish we could have some of that.  I think we're getting historic amounts of rain.

~2~

I think I've mentioned before that my basement leaks a little in heavy rains, so that leaky part is an unfinished storage room.  Well, there are new leaks in that room.  I'm trying hard not to think about the walls that are covered with (currently) drywall.

I don't think we had all these leaks last year when we had rivers in the backyard.

~3~

We're going on a field trip today.  In mid-town Atlanta.  In morning rush-hour traffic.  In the driving rain.  It's at the Center for Puppetry Arts, which is a fun place, so I hope we're able to forget about the rain for a while. 

Oh, wait, we're seeing a show about the RAIN forest.

~4~

We could still use your prayers on that job situation, if you don't mind.  

While you're praying, my brother seriously needs them.  He has surgery next Friday to remove his brain tumor.  He's scared, angry, tired, scared.  Scared of the surgery; scared of possible complications; scared that every headache or facial twitch means that this benign tumor might kill him before the surgery. 

~5~

It's been a hard week here, emotionally speaking.  That's probably why there haven't been any posts on my blog.  My life is good; it really is.   I'm continually amazed that God has given me such a good life, wonderful husband, and beautiful, amazing kids, but I'm finding myself turning inward, away from everyone else, to protect myself from the emotions and tensions that are everywhere.  I'm focusing on schooling, cooking, knitting, and working on my prayer life.  Trying to keep up with responsibilities with little energy to spare for anything else---like smiling or socializing.

I've got to work more on that prayer life, I think.  I have a strong urge to curl up in front of the fire and watch TV and relax, but I would prefer to curl up with Jesus.  As much as I love to knit and watch TV, it would be more satisfying and refreshing to spend the time with the Lord. 

Do you think He'd mind if I did it in front of the fire instead of the chilly living room where I normally pray?

~6~

I've been cooking a lot this week.  Well, I always cook, but I'm cooking large meals (well, I always do that, too!) and freezing half instead of using them for leftovers.  Since I'm planning to go out to my brother's to spend a week helping him after his surgery, I'm trying to fill up the freezer to make things easier for my family.  

My sister will be with Tod  and his family for the surgery itself and the first week.  I'll be going for the second week.

~7~

We're looking forward to the SuperBowl on Sunday.  Dh requested Super Nachos as one of the dishes.  We're looking forward to rooting for the Saints.  Mostly, I think we're looking forward to relaxing and not thinking about all the other stuff going on.  

~~~~~~

Stop by Jen's for more 7 Quick Takes!

It's a Zoo Out There!

Yesterday was our long-awaited field trip to the zoo!

The flamingos are right inside the gate, first thing you see. This pic doesn't do them justice, but they are such a pretty, shrimpy color.

I'd love to stay and watch them, but they smell worse than anything else I can think of at the zoo. Let's move along, kids!

This little guy was right outside the elephant enclosure. Do you think the elephant would have been scared of him?

We were looking at the aerial photos of the zoo on Google before we left, and we could barely discern the elephant standing there because they match the earth perfectly. Why is that? Because they spray the dirt over themselves to cool off?

Oh, hooray! A couple of new additions to the zoo! This is Parakeet Adventure---a little aviary that is simply bursting with these beautiful little budgerbriars. You can walk in amongst them, and buy ridiculously expensive "seed sticks" to feed them with. The kids loved it.

I kept thinking how my mom would have loved these little guys.

A couple more new additions, not nearly as exciting as parakeets: Warthogs and

meerkats.

The giraffes were beautiful and graceful, as always.

This guy was in the section with the lemurs, who were leaping all over the place. I don't know what his name is, but I really was that close to him. He was sitting right over the sign that had his name on it, so I just kept edging closer.

Gorillas are fascinating, but they make me hate the zoo. They just never look happy.

We had quite an education on this day. We got to see another gorilla go to the bathroom and then move upstream to wash his hands and face.

The tiger was very educational as well. And kind of horrifying.

He was pacing at the top of the hill and then came down to bathe, so we got a nice view of him.

Oh, he's looking over at us!

He's getting up and coming over to the glass! Quick! Get in front to get a picture! (Not just my kids, but there were several families there.)

And then.....

He walked right up to the glass and just as everyone is taking their picture he turns around, lifts his tail, and sprays the glass with his....er...secretions!

The kids all thought he peed, and I wondered where they go to school, because that's not how a boy tiger pees. Nor a girl, either!

Jerk.

Then, because we weren't already tired, the kids worked off some of their energy rock climbing. Even the Little Princess made it to the top twice, but the first time, she refused to rappel down and the zoo employee had to help her down. She got it the next time though!

Have a great weekend! And may all your tigers be polite!

A Day to Remember

After lots of days of rain and lots of longing to go strawberry picking , we finally had enough of a break in the weather to go. The farm is near UGA so we were going to either take KT with us, or just visit afterwards. Because of her exam schedule we ended up picking her up post-exam and going back to her place to load a bunch of her stuff in the car since she's coming home tomorrow (!) after her last exam.



It was a lovely day for strawberry picking---any later in the day and it would have been way too hot.


The four of us had a lovely time looking at the animals, picking a bucketful of delicious berries each, and playing in the "cornbox" was the most fun. Like a sandbox, only cornier.




They had a lot of fun in there and everyone took a turn getting buried. Except maybe the Little Princess because Pipster immediately threw a bucket of corn on her face, none too gently, and she decided she didn't like that game! Small wonder.

Children of the Corn

After berries and fun we headed for Athens to eat lunch and pick up KT. Loaded up the car and headed home. It was a very pleasant, though slightly longer drive home, listening to the ipod and eating the occasional strawberry, when:

The shattering conclusion to our trip.

Just 2 miles from the safety of our driveway! (We're all fine, except for maybe a little whiplash.) We were rear-ended by a Dodge Ram pulling a (mercifully empty) trailer. And of course we hit the car in front of us, too, since he hit us so hard.

KT, I'm afraid your boxes may be full of shattered glass....and you should shake out those clothes and shoes carefully before you wear them!)

Airbags did NOT deploy, which is surprising considering the severity of the hit, so I hit my head on the steering wheel and the paramedics recommended a trip to the ER just to get checked out since the dude totally destroyed the back end of my car. So my children had to see this:

That's not blood on my neck, just a tag on the collar!

I don't know why they had to take a picture, but there it is. I thought it was way too much in the way of precautions, and I felt so sorry for the very apologetic young man who hit us. He was pretty devastated when they put me on the stretcher, bless his heart. And he had to drive all the way home to Alabama after that.

That's our rear window all over his hood, and in his cab, too!

I'm fine, though. All my xrays and CT scans came out negative. I just have a big ole goose egg on my forehead, and lots of drugs for the pains that they tell me are coming! Children seem to be fine, although they may be a little sore, too, down the road.


Laudate Dominum, y'all! God is good.

Our Day at Callaway

Yesterday we went to Callaway Gardens on the spur of the moment. We had a day with no appointments or errands to run and decided to go have fun. I, and the 2 youngest, had never been there before. Granted, February is not the best month of the year to go to a giant garden, but it was still beautiful and peaceful. We had fun, saw nature, and got some exercise. And did I mention that it's free for the month of February? That influenced our decision somewhat.

After a 2 hour drive and a relaxing lunch in the sun, next to the lake, we went to the Birds of Prey show. We got up close and personal to Windy the falcon and Vinny the Vulture. He was very neat and a free-flight bird, i.e. on the loose the whole time. He was very well trained and I have a new respect for vultures, which are NOT, btw, birds of prey. So don't ask me why she was showing him to us!


Of course, one of the highlights of the trip is the Butterfly Center. It's a wonderland of plants and flowers and butterflies fluttering everywhere. Unfortunately, they don't often sit still for photographs, but I got a couple of good shots.

This is the Owl Butterfly. It's amazing how realistic that "eye" is! And he's a gorgeous blue and black on the other side!

We made a special point of seeing this 1830's log cabin since we're studying pioneers now.

There were some goofy kids playing in it!

A couple of gratuitous flower shots. I even took a photo of the lichens because they're beautiful up close!

I guess that's a berry, not a flower. But it was pretty.

Here's a beautiful Lenten Rose, which was just starting to bloom. I wish I had some of these in my yard!