Jaimechka's Xanga

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Wed, 31 Dec 2008 19:46:48 GMT

What a year!

I get stuck in the day-to-day stuff, so it's really interesting to look back on 2008 as a whole. If I had to graph it out, it would probably look like something I did in trig in high school.

January started off low, then the year got better and peaked somewhere in Estonia in the summer. Then I came back and it got low again, but things have turned around since the fall and are looking just fine. It's been a good year. I've had everything I've needed for every day. I've laughed a lot, loved my family, made some good friends, taken opportunities, asked a lot of questions and have learned a few things worth learning.

So here's to 2008! And here's to 2009 and all it will bring.

Happy New Year!

(Editor's edit: This is my last post from this blog! I'm planning on moving soon and won't be taking it "with me", so I'm finishing it up along with 2008. It's been a great three years -- thanks to all of you who've been faithful readers and friends!)

Friday, December 26, 2008

Fri, 26 Dec 2008 01:21:46 GMT

Merry Christmas!

Monday, December 22, 2008

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 06:57:43 GMT

Be still my soul; the Lord is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain,
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change He faithful will remain.

Be still my soul; thy best, thy heav'nly Friend
Thru thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still my soul; thy God doth undertake
To guide thy future as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.

Be still my soul; the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Be still my soul; the hour is hast'ning on
When we shall be forever with the Lord;
When disappointment, grief and fear are gone;
Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.

Be still my soul; when change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed, we shall meet at last.

-Katharina von Schlegel (1752)

That was number 689 in the blue book. We sang it in church this evening. New praise and worship songs are upbeat and refreshing; old hymns put back pieces into me that life takes out.

There's a wholesome truth here -- a truth that's complete -- bravely admitting that life is full of disappointment and grief and fear and pain and change... but also that there is a faithful, powerful God who puts back pieces.

Be still my soul; when change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed, we shall meet at last.

Friday, December 19, 2008

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 22:11:00 GMT

Ok. Deep breath. In...

Last Thursday Geoff, Zach and I drove down to Dallas. We stayed with the Bradleys, went to a meeting, hung out with cousins, hung out with Stephany, saw Anna off and did other Dallas-y things. Made it back home Saturday evening. Sunday was church, etc. Sunday evening Gay called and asked if Kari, Kaci and I wanted to come down and decorate cookies and hang out with them (like we did last year when we lived there. yay!), so Monday morning we got up and drove down to Paris! Stayed Monday, played with Rachel and Maurine's kids, decorated sugar cookies, had dinner with the family, stayed up and talked, had malts... Tuesday we woke up to ice and decided to stay an extra day. Jay built a fire, we girls sat around and talked more, went into town and hung out with Rachel and Roselyn and Nolan for the afternoon and evening, wrapped presents, ate breakfast for supper and watched Frosty the Snowman, went back to Jay and Gay's house and stayed up really really late getting a few more of the world's problems worked out. Wednesday we weren't quite ready to leave town, so we went by the Joneses and hung out with them for a while, caught up on goings-on, laughed at Chandler, wowed at Mackenna's hats and just enjoyed the family-ness. We did finally leave town at some point with TacoBell food and Happy Hour drinks and made it back home around 8:30 Wednesday night. Yesterday I tried to catch up on some things, started some more things that I'll probably have to catch up on later, hung out with Kari, had a photoshoot in Benton, stopped by Amber's house for a quick hug and chat and came home and did something else which I can't now remember. This morning I woke up and spent three hours working on the first some-things, came home, ate two pieces of toast and several mint m&m's, edited photos of Junie, started cleaning my room and put off gift wrapping of my own. That can wait until tomorrow, which, somehow, is Saturday. And it's only six days until Christmas.

And now that I'm done blogging about my week for future generations who'll wonder what I ever did with all that time I had, I'm going to go and fix myself a cup of tea (blogging and tea both generally get done in my free time, that's why I'm often blogging about tea.), prop my feet up and relax a while.

Another deep breath.

...and out.

Sunday, December 07, 2008

Sun, 07 Dec 2008 22:10:45 GMT

Last night most of the family went to a big meeting downtown. I stayed home with the boys. I fixed supper and we ate; the boys finished up their chores and got Sunday things ready; we watched a movie. We sang and prayed and turned Titus' bunk into a two-man tent. They went to sleep.

Then it was just me.

I fixed myself a cup of tea - my last pack of southern fruit Pickwick left from summer. I sat in the living room and looked at the lights. And I sipped my tea. And was.

To be quiet in quiet. Moments like that come but rarely, but they do come. And they're good.

Peace on earth. Peace in me.

Saturday, December 06, 2008

Sat, 06 Dec 2008 07:08:24 GMT

Today we went for a walk, six of us, around our neighborhood.

When we go places like that, I feel very tough and very safe.

Today it was Geoff, Kari, Kaci, Zach, Drew and me. And while we walked I thought about how just, nice it was.

It's great to be a part of a group of people with whom you can feel safe and walk in the same direction.

We walked and the little groups within the group changed. But still, we were safe and walked together.

I think that's why God gives us each other. I think that's what his people in a bigger sense are like too. And even though, like our little company today, no group of imperfect people is perfect, we're still walking. Together. Safely.

Onward.

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 03:38:56 GMT

Mom's in Texas for great aunt Jan's 50th wedding anniversary this weekend, so we're eating leftovers without her.

We had a nice Thanksgiving! It was pretty laid-back and quiet, but there was lots of food and lots of us. We hung out and even got a family picture in before sitting down to eat.

We were all grateful for something, then Dad did the actual thanksgiving. And we ate. And we were all satisfied. And there were leftovers.

God is good to give us more than enough.

Today I went to see Wall*E with Amber. I thought of Eliis! ("dum, dum-dum...") We came back to the house and had cocoa and talked. It's nice to have friends. They're on my thankful-list.

Got to talk to Merlin this afternoon! She said that everybody's in Tartu for the youth rally (and even told me what next year's camp theme is. Woohoo!) I'm thinking about you guys and am waiting to see pictures...

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Sat, 29 Nov 2008 00:01:24 GMT

Banks humor.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 15:47:40 GMT

Happy Thanksgiving!

Monday, November 24, 2008

Mon, 24 Nov 2008 22:38:37 GMT

Two girls just came to our door. They live across the street. They were making cheese dip and needed milk, so I gave them some.

Then I had a very backwards moment.

I was happy to give them milk and all, but it was so weird! They just came, asked for milk, and went home. And they wouldn't have even known my name if I hadn't told them, nor given me theirs if I hadn't asked.

I know what it means to be "neighborly," but still... I found that very odd.

This culture stuff. Yikes. I'm not a fan of backwards moments. But, heh, I think they're a fan of me.