DONE!

Final grades are entered. My office is clean. And my computer is shut down...at work. I am done with the fall semester of 2009! Praise the Lord! While there have been many MANY good things about this semester, it has also been a stressful burden that I am glad to be rid of.
So here I am, back to blogging and the like, doing a shortened version of the advent calendar with my son, wrapping gifts, and very much enjoying the holiday season.
On the holiday agenda for today:
1) Joseph's story for the advent calendar
2) Tea with the Smith ladies
3) Wrapping gifts
4) Making a wreath (my husband has been requesting this for about two weeks...thanks for being patient, my Love)

So for those of you faithful readers that were missing my posts, I am not dead, just basking in the warm feeling of completion and a cup of tea. Ah....freedom!

Seriously Now?!

"If talking about healthy habits isn’t working, try something more entertaining! Sprinkle glitter to show how germs spread, zoom a toy truck with an animal passenger to illustrate the importance of seatbelts, and drop a clay-filled plastic Easter egg to point out the value of helmets. These great teaching tools are loads of fun, too!"
-from my daily parenting email

Okay. Did a parent seriously write this? "Here Elliot, this is how germs work." (Sprinkle glitter into his hand to be spread on everything that he touches for the rest of the day). "Hey buddy, can I play with your truck and doggy for a second?" (ram the truck into the wall throwing the dog from its seat in the vehicle and act like it died) Oh wait, one more. "Can I see your playdough, and the easter eggs that we hide fun snacks in?" (carefully craft a ball of playdough and explain that it's supposed to represent my son's head, place it in the egg, and throw it on the ground...make sure it smooshes really well for maximum effect).

Seriously now?! You've got to be kidding me? Who would do that?! Great learning tools?...Sure. Traumatic experiences?....Sure. Entertaining experience?...yes. Absolutely ridiculous?...yes. Even the glitter, I tried to think for a minute and it's actually a great idea, if I have a maid running after Elliot cleaning up everything he touches, but wait. Then he can't see where his germs were right? Oh no!

This message was originally sent to my junk mail folder. I think that's where it should have stayed. Or maybe it's just that time in the semester, when I get kind of sarcastic and critical. After all, my wonderful husband did stare lovingly into my eyes last night and ask, "Is that my wife over there, or a big lump of cynicism?"

Woohoo...

What a blessing of a day! I told Evan that today would be my hardest day this week and to just pray that I got through it well. While there were definitely highs and lows, let's speak of the highs, shall we?
I knocked out one final presentation, 2 final oral exams, one final Christmas party, and 1 worldchangers final exam today. PLUS! I got tons of grading done in the meantime.
A student sent me a very encouraging email....which was much needed.
I got a funny and affirming voicemail from my mom....also much needed.
When I got home, my husband made us supper, my son loved on me like crazy and learned out nutcrackers worked (he proceeded to pick up each one, open their mouth and yell "AH!!!"). Then we sat down as a family and watched a movie. I was able to put Elliot to sleep for the first time in about a week, because I didn't have to bring any grading home with me. And while Evan and he have had a great time with their pre-bedtime ticklefests, I've missed that cuddle time with my buddy.
God is so faithful! I hope that amidst your crazed days with lows and highs, that you can focus on the blessings, make the most of them and cherish your family too!

OH...Christmas Tree!

What a great weekend! Apart from a somewhat eventful trip to Indianapolis, we had a wonderful time. We went to the Artsgarden to see Emily and Mom sing and then to the Old Spaghetti Factory for lunch. Then yesterday we got our tree! I cannot tell you how sweet it was to do this with our little boy.
We found a place just a couple miles outside of Upland - a landscaping business/bed & breakfast/Christmas tree farm -where you can go pick and cut your own tree! And the prices are very comparable to the one's you'd find in a lot. I'm super excited, because most trees that you buy in a lot were cut around 3 weeks before they got there, so I figure this tree might stay green and not get dry until well after New Years!

Anyway, my manly lumberjack husband cut down the massive fir...

...and carried it back to the car...

...while Elliot and I hiked the "trails" of the tree farm...

We came home and Elliot really wanted to help with the tree...

...we said no! How about mommy and you just put on some Christmas tunes and eat Little Debbie Christmas Tree cakes (I think I like these things far too much).

He loved all the decorations...

...And lights.

One very special part of the night was when Elliot and Ev put together the Nutcrackers.

And we stood back to enjoy!

We'll be posting new pictures with our Christmasy decor soon. Until then, Merry Christmas from the Gilmores and their little man.

Peace and Rest

Peace is always beautiful., originally uploaded by sungazing on Flickr.

I love my God! I've had a thought rolling around in my head today, and like most thoughts that roll around in there, it isn't exactly complete. The thought is mostly just a feeling of gratitude trying to find its expression in my feeble attempt at coherent articulation. 

I've coined myself as a recovering overachiever/perfectionist before, and it is that part of me that so adores the redemption and example of my God right now. Work is good. Creation of ideas and industry and productivity. Service and learning and labor with diligence and excellence. Building and investing in the Kingdom of God. All of this is not only good, but part of our privilege as stewards of God's creation. Most of us, actually enjoy working (maybe not in our actual job, but in something). I love the intentionality with which God works as He creates in Genesis. I love the satisfaction He exhibits in a job well done. Wanna know what else I love?

I love that He rests! He doesn't rest because He needs to. He doesn't rest as a way to sit back and admire His creation a bit more or start planning the next world that He's going to create. I don't think He even rests to make sure that every 7th day of the week we do the same. I think He rests because it is good!!!

Work is good, and rest is good! Too much work, is not just work, it's obsession, and an attempt at proving one's own self-worth on the wrong terms. Too much rest, is not just rest, it's laziness, and a prideful assertion of one's own value apart from anyone or anything else. But God shows us how both are good. I love that! 

I love that rhythms of rest are built into creation, into our bodies, into our relationships. God is so good! And His ways are life-giving.

As I come to the end of yet another semester, rest seems just out of reach. I still have two weeks of some pretty intense work ahead of me. But it is good! And my dear husband has made extra efforts to make my life at home a place of peace and rest despite the chaotic rush of the season.

Another thing I love about God? His peace. Even when I am working my tail off and trying to manage chaotic life issues, peace can reign in my heart because my Prince's throne sits there too. My wonderful, merciful Savior. My precious Redeemer and Friend. My mighty God, everlasting Father. My Prince of Peace. I love You!

How Many Kings? Absolutely Beautiful!

If you listen to no other Christmas song this season, please listen to this one! Here it is on YouTube! Here it is on iLike. It's an absolutely beautiful lyrical picture of Christ's love for you and for me. It makes me want to fall on my knees and run into His arms at the same time with tears of joy and gratitude for His glorious grace.
To my sister Sarah, thanks for sharing this song with me. I love your heart!
If you don't have time to watch the four minute video. Here are the lyrics:

How Many Kings - by DOWNHERE

Follow the star to a place unexpected

Would you believe after all we’ve projected

A child in a manger

Lowly and small, the weakest of all

Unlikeliness hero, wrapped in his mothers shawl

Just a child

Is this who we’ve waited for?

Cause how many kings, stepped down from their thrones?

How many lords have abandoned their homes?

How many greats have become the least for me?

How many Gods have poured out their hearts

To romance a world that has torn all apart?

How many fathers gave up their sons for me?

Bringing our gifts for the newborn savior

All that we have whether costly or meek

Because we believe

Gold for his honor and frankincense for his pleasure

And myrrh for the cross he’ll suffer

Do you believe, is this who we’ve waited for?

It’s who we’ve waited for

How many kings, stepped down from their thrones?

How many lords have abandoned their homes?

How many greats have become the least for me?

How many Gods have poured out their hearts

To romance a world that has torn all apart?

How many fathers gave up their sons for me?

Only one did that for me

All for me

All for you

All for me

All for you

My son...

(Elliot recovering on Thanksgiving break!)

...has a great sense of humor! Those of you that know him, know that Elliot is a clever little fellow that can raise one eyebrow at you with the best of them. However, you know this about him when he is his chipper healthy self.
Sadly, we've all been feeling under the weather over this Thanksgiving break, especially little Elliot. Thankfully, I think he just has a cold. No fever, but an awfully runny nose and horrid cough. We've been taking baths and sitting in steamy showers with eucalyptus, tea tree and spearmint oils, wiping his nose with tissues until it's now dry and raw (don't you hate that?!), and of course, since he can't blow his nose, we've had to use a bulb syringe and saline drops and aspirate (a.k.a. suck the snot out) every night. He HATES it! He's such a good sport when he's sick too. A little trooper of a dude! But it's been difficult for him to sleep and drink his bottles (the ones the doctor says we should be weaning him off of...actually, our doctor said we should just stop - cold turkey. Just throw out all the bottles....but that's another story). Anyway, at least twice a day for four days of squirting in a couple drops of saline in and sucking all the snot out. Lovely, huh? I can understand why he doesn't like it. He fights with the strength of ten toddlers, I swear. Thankfully, my mother gave me a headlock tip before I left. Hold his arms and body still with one arm, and immobilize his head with the other arm, in which hand you hold the snot-sucker. (I'm sure any ignorant bystanders would question my parenting skills if they only saw my son and I during these tousles.)
Tonight we had a spa night, breathing in the steam and essential oils from the shower, before we got ready for bed. Then pajamas....then a drink....then ibuprofen (did I mention he has a tooth breaking through too? poor baby)...then time for the nose job. He sucked it all out, did a great job, he swore at me in his Elliot way, and then we settled down to watch some tv and eat some bread pudding.
About thirty minutes later, Elliot crawls to the end of the bed, picks up the saline drops, crawls back and starts trying to shove them up my nose...I guess I didn't realize how much I was sniffling. Not only that, but then he would yell, "AHH!" as if imitating himself, raise his eyebrow and laugh at me. He repeated this about five or six times. And yes, I let him stick the thing up my nose, after all, it's only fair! Don't you think?
He was actually able to drink his whole bottle before bed for the first time in several days and is now sleeping and breathing through his nose. Looks like we might be on the upswing!....Just in time to go back to work.