God-Colors

“You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world.” Mattew 5:14 the message

There it is. The reason why I exist, why I am here. I am an artist, a writer, a painter, a friend, and I have a great palette of God-colors. My paintbrushes touch everyone I touch. They brush my children, my parents, my husband and my friends. I paint at the grocery store, at the library and even at the drive-thru. What color am I using today?

Am I dipping my brushes in God’s paint or my own? My own is like water, the strokes leave a mark that dries quickly into nothingness. I start at one end of the fence and by the time I finish, the beginning is an unchanged as when I began. Why am I not accomplishing anything? Why do my efforts seem so useless? Why can’t I change anything?

Change is not my department. It belongs to the maker of the universe, the creator of color. He who picked that emerald green grass color that makes my smile begin. If I try to cover over everything with my own efforts, it all goes awry…because it is me, and not Him.

I must hold onto my brush and dip into God-colors, not my own. He is the paint that never chips, peels, or fades....like water that forever quenches your thirst. Today, I submit to the greatest artist. Lord, teach me how to paint your world.

An Attitude of Gratitude—the 1,000 blessings challenge, continued….
“Change my heart, oh God, make it ever new….change my heart, oh God, make me more like you.”
In the continuing effort of growing in Christ, my blessing listing continues:
15. Children who read and write stories on the computer.
16. A winter sunrise of color with bare branches silhouetted.
17. Children who can pour milk without spilling
18. The portent of a baby tooth fallen out
19. The smell of apple pie
20. Dancing little boys who don’t have to go potty. 
21. Hugs around the neck
22. Warm dishwater
23. Repaired left slipper
24. Inspiration

More Blessings to Count

1,000 things to be thankful for (con’t).

10. Children who treat each other with kindness and can find solutions when they disagree. I don’t want to be a referee mom, but rather an arbiter. The fine art of compromise can be learned in childhood.
11. My laptop computer that connects me to the world of the web.
12. My cozy lavendar bathrobe that keeps me warm on winter mornings in my chilly kitchen.
13. My husband’s kindness. When I was not feeling well, he brought home chicken for the family --with no complaints.
14. Friendships that enrich my life with encouragement, experience, and excitement.

1,000 Things to be Thankful (con't.)
9. I am thankful to be a mom of twins. See article Sweet sleeping twins for details.

Count Your Blessings

8.Children who are kind to strangers: Ryan shared how he took the boys to McDonalds after wrestling practice on Monday night and Lucas gave away his matchbox car from his happy meal to another little boy.

9. A husband who encourages. On Sunday night during dinner, I was feeling a little down at all the cleanup I would have to be doing and Ryan mentioned Counting your blessings and all four kids started singing the chorus to “Count your blessings! Name them one by one…” He looked at me in surprise across the table while I just smiled. “Well, apparently, they know that one.” After supper, he looked up other old hymns and sang the words for over an hour while I cleaned up. I am counting him as a blessing, which is what this list is all about anyway.

10. Encouraging notes that come in the mail.

1,000 Things to Be Thankful for (con't.)

7.Today, I am thankful to God for my living room….because it is a “living” room…the kids make tents, build towers, and create a wrestling ring in my living room. My Bible-before-breakfast occurs there almost every morning. We watch movies as a family, and use the computer to discover new things for science class. It may need to be repainted, and the couches aren’t new, but it is a room full of life; it is my living room.

1,000 Things to be Thankful for (see earlier posts)
5. The deep well-meaning voice of my husband as he reads scripture out loud. To see the man I love loving the God I love is not only heartwarming but also inspiring.

6. This simple warm cup of coffee in my hands. Creamy, rich and hot as it heats me from the inside out. Coffee warms the bones and I am grateful for it.

1,000 Gifts (con't.--see earlier posts)

3. Crisp sunshine and a blue cloudless sky in January with no snow to reflect and make us all squinty-eyed.


4. Small paper triangle bits on the floor, hundreds of bits, leftovers from cutout snowflakes now taped to window glass.

One mediocre step at a time

And now….the misadventures of mediocre mom. Striving to be above average, but falling short far too often, this mom has come to the conclusion that she is not a great cook, not a great driver, not a great writer and basically, not that GREAT at anything.

She ponders this, sighing deeply and knowing she loves her God, her man, and her kids with all she’s got….even if it isn’t quite as big as what someone else has got. She’s not politically savvy, not especially witty, and especially not very good at the technical stuff, although she tries….

She’s not afraid to work hard, does the dishes, makes the meals, makes the bed, does the laundry and prays with the children almost every day….and that’s really not so bad, is it? But is it enough? Is it all there is? Should she be doing more? She’s got a good heart and she belongs to Christ, striving to please Him every day.

She realizes she is grateful for all she’s got all the time, has a good attitude about life, and loves to encourage others to do their best. She knows she is deliriously happy and blessed and wonders rarely about the mediocrity/averageness of her life, except for a few occasions where she tries to use it as an impetus for improvement rather than the path to pathetic. To be growing is the goal…stagnant is the enemy.

Today is one of those days. She reads scripture and prays it will sink deep into her psyche. She knows she is an individual and she acknowledges her maker regularly, especially on these days, these humbling hubris days when the weather is not especially all that great or all that terrible. These days will come, these days are necessary, dependable and …mediocre.

Perhaps I need my thousand things list…you know, listing a thousand gifts from God, as Voskamp does in her book of the same name….today…Every list starts with one item. It’s reminiscent of the proverbial journey of 1,000 miles beginning with one step. So today is the first step and I wonder where and when step 500 will happen.

The unknown looms, but not terrifyingly so, just looms...unknown. So I begin, one mediocre meter at a time…although I am certain, like Much Afraid In Hinds Feet on High Places, there will be mountaintops, valleys, and interesting companions along the way…

1. The ability to move my lips and read good literature to the boys. They love the Squire and the Scroll and I love its message---keeping your way pure.

2. The warm, crackly heat as it comes through the metal vents upstairs—feeling the toasty metal of the grate on socked foot bottoms as you press in for warmth.

Happy New Year --Five Things
My new year’s reso-- (not really resolutions, but just reminders)
1. Listen more, speak less.
2. Encourage, uplift, edify.
3. Obey God right away, all the way, and with a good heart.
4. Communicate the five second gospel –1. God loves us. 2. We blew it. 3. Christ paid for it. 4. We must receive it. Use words if necessary
5. React less, plan more.

Westphals’ 19th. Annual Christmas Letter 2011

Once upon a time (the year 2011), a brave and noble knight (named Ryan) set out on a quest. He was joined by his bride of many years (our 18th. Anniversary this year), and their four brave children—three young squires and one fair maiden.
The adventure began quietly enough with a commitment to education and then the brave knight wrestled his first mighty foe, the time dragon. The battle ended in the knight’s favor and the vanquished dragon gave out study time, school time, work time, church time, and family time in just the right amounts. His stalwart family proudly stood by his side as he was honored. (He graduated from Cornerstone University with a bachelor’s in business degree). The knight raised his sword toward heaven, giving God the credit and the glory for the battle’s victorious end.

The adventure continued and the knight carried the lantern for his brave wife and children as they learned part of their destiny included vision trials. (Marcus, Lucas, and Sarah’s genetic tests reveal they have Retinitis Pigmentosa, a progressive eye disease). The lantern was lit by the light of Christ and would always shine the way even as physical vision would dim for some family members. The two youngest squires and the fair maiden discovered they too, would battle the R.P. dragon, as their mother and maternal grandfather, another brave knight of the King, continued to fight regularly. They took the news well, remembering and stating “God always has a plan,” which calmed their mother’s heart. (Ryan and Tracey also co-chaired the inaugural Visionwalk in West Michigan to help raise money for research/clinical trials to fight eye disease. Thank you to all who donated).

The brave wife of the knight taught the children well in many homeschool subjects. They enjoyed family adventures, and for the first time, conquered the waters of the Great Wolf Lodge on a real vacation. The oldest squire (Tim, age 10) and the fair maiden (Sarah, age 8) also engaged in battles of the feet, where weapons and hands are not permitted (soccer). Both teams completed the season with no defeats. Squire Tim even scored twice. Knight Ryan rewarded him accordingly ($5.00 per goal).

The brave knight and his family lost a great aunt (Bertha Bezemer), great uncle (Jay Jones) and a grandfather (Bill Jackson) to the lands beyond the battle this year, and they value your talks with the King (prayers) for their families’ losses. So this brave, growing family continues to fight the good fight. They bow their heads regularly, ready their weapons, and boldly vow to “press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14). They also wish you and yours a blessed Christmas season and a new year filled with evidences of the King’s grace upon us all.

Sunrise, Sunset

And so the sun shines forth in the morning illuminating our darkened world once again in its seemingly never-ending flow of night, day, night day and yet, He who numbers the sunsets knows my final one. Will it be today? Thank-you, Lord, for saving my soul that I may trust you with my eternity, for I and it belong to you. I am yours wholly.

Dear Friends and Family,

“I can’t find it, Mom!” six year old Marcus is frustrated. The lid to his red marker has rolled onto the floor and he simply cannot find it while I am able to spy it from across the room.

“Close to the chair, Mark,” I direct him. “Aha!” he cries triumphantly, “You can’t escape so easily!” he says to the marker lid.

These moments happen on a regular basis in our home. As you may know, our six year old twins, Marcus and Lucas, are affected by the eye disease, Retinitis Pigmentosa, a degenerative retinal disease that will rob them of their sight within the not so distant future unless a treatment can be found through laboratory research. “You can’t escape so easily,” is our response to this disease.

As you may know, we have been supporting the Foundation Fighting Blindness (FFB) for the last year and now we are pleased to announce that we will be co-chairing the Foundation’s first West Michigan Vision Walk. FFB is a nationwide organization and is the biggest fundraiser in support of the research for treating and/or curing these eye diseases. 80% of every dollar they raise goes directly to this research.

In the last few years, the FFB has initiated and funded the first-ever human clinical trials for LCA, a disease that causes blindness from birth; Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), a disease that causes loss of peripheral vision in all ages, and Macular Degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in adults over the age of 55. This research is very promising for our family’s future and we strongly admire the FFB’s dedication. Proceeds from Vision Walk 2011 will support the Foundation’s strong commitment to finding treatments, preventions and cures for sight-robbing retinal diseases.

Every day 10 million Americans, including my dad, experience the adverse effects these diseases have on their lives and on the lives of their families. My dad now must use a cane to navigate his own wooded property and has often become disoriented. My husband must do all of the night time driving for our family. We took the boys out of soccer because they couldn’t follow the ball across the field.

That is why I am asking you to support our team, “Team Westphal”, by walking with us or sponsoring us at the West Michigan Visionwalk, Saturday, October 22, 2011, at Millenium Park in Grand Rapids. Our team’s goal is to personally raise $2,000.00 for the walk. Please consider donating to us online at www.visionwalk.org. Otherwise you can mail a check made payable to the FFB at our home address: 127 Port Sheldon Rd. SW Grandville MI 49418

We sincerely appreciate any help that you can provide to our family and to others who are affected with retinal disease. Together we won’t let these diseases escape so easily- together we will walk toward a cure. We look forward to seeing you at the walk.

Sincerely

Ryan and Tracey Westphal

“Mom, I am so ready to go to heaven.” Nine year old boy.

“I have those days too, my son.”

“What’s your pick for Jesus’ return?”

“I don’t have one.”

“You don’t have one?”

Nope. It’s kind of like this. You are waiting to go on vacation and you keep asking your Dad, “Is it time to go yet? Is it time to go yet?”

Dad finally looks at you and says, “I will let you know when it is time to go, just trust me. You aren’t going to miss it.” It’s like that.

“Well, I’m just waiting for God to say, “Kids, get in the van.”

“Me, too, son, me, too.”

The Five Laugh Challenge

The Five Laugh Challenge

“I challenge you to laugh five times today.” A facebook challenge from an out of state cousin. The post itself made me laugh. Did she forget my family? The six year old twins are good for at least six laughs each….but I will try one laugh for each family member today.

I ran around chasing madly (never quite catching him) this morning, in search of my Bible for Bible study. In desperation, I left a voicemail for the husband, but then the children found it, on the living room floor between the vent and the golf clubs, definitely not in its usual spot. The funny part was when I returned home and the answering machine message intoned, “It’s by the vent and the golf clubs.” This was in my husband’s voice and I was astounded. I didn’t expect an answer, and certainly not an accurate one. That made me laugh since this is usually the man who needs me to find things for him. It was a role reversal today and it made me giggle.

During Bible study, Lucas disobeyed his teacher and Mama had to intervene. When I told him he was going to go and apologize, he said, “I need a moment. I’m just too cryable.” That one made me laugh, albeit not at the moment, but later.

During the Bible study, called “Loving Your Husband,” there were at least five laughs as we encouraged each other and shared experiences regarding those men we married and how best to love them. The three s's were shared and had us all laughing: Sex, Sports, and Sandwiches

Last week was the daughter’s birthday. She is now eight years old and finished her end of level spelling test. She is now in 6^th. grade spelling. Her open mouthed expression and wide eyes as she said, “Sixth grade? No Way!” made me laugh too.

The nine year old makes me laugh every day too. His antics while carrying the kiddie pool on his head today with such a silly face made me laugh out loud at the store.

Maybe I’m just an easy laugher. I put the kiddie pool purchase as a facebook status. One friend asked, “Are you going to let the kids use it, too?” That made me laugh.

Marcus read his whole “Jet Bed” book today and told me that the Web men in the book were only real in his imagination. That made me laugh, too.

Yikes, it’s only 2:00 pm and that five laughs a day quota is long filled. I hope tomorrow is as laughable as today.

A funny thing

A funny thing happened on the way to our first family vacation. This was to be the first family vacation since we’ve had children. Our children are 9, 8, and 6 year old twins so it has been at least a decade.

We picked a short vacation. A two night stay at a Great Wolf Lodge (Water park Hotel) about 3 hours from our home. We packed up the van, got water for the kiddos, coffee for ourselves and we were off into the wild blue yonder!

Did I mention a funny thing happened? Well, we passed the highway entrance and decided on more of an adventurous route. At the next stoplight, we stopped for the red light. When the light turned green, and we waited to turn left, our brakes did not work. Yep, you read that right. Pedal to the floor and NOTHING. We tapped the truck in front of us, effectively stopping us and thankfully, causing no damage to either vehicle.

Sure enough, brake fluid was leaking out onto the pavement. Apparently, we had blown a brake line. We called the police, put on the flashers and headed for the sidewalk. We were still less than two miles from home and Ryan’s sister and brother-in-law were available to come and rescue us. While we waited, I took the kids on a little walk around to the back of the shops facing the street. As we turned the corner, we saw what looked like a huge multicolored tarp being spread out in the back parking lot.

“In five minutes,” a man informed us, “this will be a bounce house.” Then two kids came out of the store carrying balloons and animal crackers so the kids went in and each received their own balloon and crackers, which mom got to hold while they were able to bounce in the “Noah’s Ark” bounce house.

One woman shared some Bible story books with us, and another gentleman asked for permission to videotape the kiddos for the store’s facebook page. My sister-in-law soon arrived, retrieved booster seats and we were on our way back home.

Thank you Lord, for providing. Thank you that our brakes didn’t fail after we were on the highway and far from home. Thank you that we weren’t involved in a serious accident. Thank you for providing entertainment while waiting. Thank you for providing a way home. Thank you, Lord that we have two vehicles and can take the other one on vacation. Thank you, thank you.

Wonderment

Wonderment

Deep jade tips

poke through fresh dirt

small in their beds, like

sleeping little girls growing every night.

White and green party ribbons uncurl

Stretch and explode like

a young maid's long legged dance.

Hostas unfurl

from green tips to full leaf beauty

before Mother's Day

Leaving us

Breathless with

wonderment.

Congratulations to my eight year old daughter, Sarah, on taking second place for second grade in the PBS Kids Go! Young Author's contest. Here is her prize winning story.

The Rabbit Who Thought He Was a Dog

Once upon a time in a beautiful green meadow, there lived a group of rabbits. One of these rabbits was named Rex. Rex did not believe he was a rabbit. He thought he was a dog. He walked like a dog, sat like a dog, and even tried to bark like a dog. Worst of all, he chased the other rabbits.

The other rabbits were very worried about Rex. They sent their leader to have a talk with Rex. “Rex, we are very worried about you,” said the leader, “You seem to think you are a dog.”

“but I am a dog,” replied Rex.

“But you are not a dog,” insisted the leader, “you are a RABBIT! And you should do rabbity things.”

“But I am a dog,” said Rex, started to make a low, strange sound.

“What is that noise?” asked the leader.

“I am growling,” answered Rex and he chased the leader away.

The rabbits were still worried. Until one day when everything changed. A large brown furry creature with a large wet nose entered the meadow and began sniffing the ground. The rabbits all ran into their holes. But Rex did not.

Rex approached the large brown furry creature with a large wet nose. Rex began making a noise that almost, but not quite, sounded like barking. Rex tried to look like a dog and perked his ears up.

The large brown creature responded with a large “BARK!” and bounded toward Rex. Rex screamed very loudly and turned to run. As he ran as fast as he could, he realized that yes, he was a rabbit and not a dog. He dashed into a hole and the dog ran away.

The End

Do you have a sign on your bedroom door? If you did, what would it say? I bet we are the only couple in the neighborhood with a sign on our bedroom door. It says “Club for Mom and Dad love Mark”.

Of course, every sign has a story. Our four children, then ages 5-8, were making “clubs” out of their bedrooms, complete with paper signs. “Mama, can you PLEASE help me with my sign?” Mark begged.

There were dishes to be done, lists to be made, laundry to be folded, and….I sighed. I sat down at the table, “Sure, what will your sign say?” We had these sticky letters Dad bought that were leftover so we used those. He told me he wanted to make a sign for mom and dad’s door. “You need your own club, Momma, it’s important.” He didn’t want us to feel left out.

This was a very generous thought from a young five year old who knows what it’s like to be left out of older kids’ play. I handed him letters and he stuck them down carefully, very pleased with his work. I handed him the tape and let him attach it to our door. That was over six months ago. The kids’ clubs are long forgotten in a long line of hide-and-seek , dress up, legos, and all kinds of other games. My sign remains taped to my door. Perhaps I am sentimental but I just can’t take it down.

It’s a visual reminder of so many things:

1. Teaching my kids generosity. To always remind them to put others’ needs ahead of their own and avoid selfishness.

2. That Mom and Dad do need time together, and time together without the children. We need our own “club” to have a great marriage and to be great parents.

3. That my kids need my help with things, and that I do need to take time to spend with them. I can set aside laundry and dishes for a few minutes of quality time.

As parents and spouses, we need reminders about what is important, and this sign has become a symbol, a reminder of what’s important. Do you have a sign on your bedroom door?

The Coming

The woman came, Samaritan by birth

To the well by divine appointment.

The Jesish man spoke to her

“Give me water.”

At first shocked, she defined the cultural taboo,

“I am a Samaritan; you are a Jew.”

“If you knew me,” he answered,

“you would want living water.”

“Are you greater than Jacob?” she asked.

Oh, yes, she knew her history.

She also knew her need.

“Living water,” the Jew mentioned it again.

She stepped closer, her errand forgotten.

“Yes, this is what I want.”

“You have had five husbands and the man you have now

Is not your husband.”

Ah, yes, he knew her history.

He also knew her need.

“Prophet, sir,” she countered with respect,

“some worshipped in the mountains

Some worshipped in Jerusalem.”

This man spoke of true worship,

“in Spirit and in truth” and of

“salvation”.

Her hopes soared at the word,

“Messiah will speak this way…” she ventured,

Her heart realizing the truth, as he answered,

“I am He.”

Spirit soaring

Waterpot abandoned

She turned, splashing through living water,

To tell others

Messiah had come.

This is the link to Cowboy Mark, episode three.

"How Beautiful Are the Feet"

“What is up with the feet?” asks my friend who is watching my slide show scroll past while we visit in the living room. “There’s been like six pictures of feet, and I think they are all Tim’s.”

My son loves to take pictures of his own feet. Anytime he is given the camera, he will inevitably snap a straight down photo of his feet. Usually just one, and then he takes other normal pictures of events, sculptures, flowers, etc. My boy is nine years old, but has done this since he first started using the camera. He’s at a great age to be in charge of “taking pictures” and it keeps him busy at family events. I know he will get carried away and in amongst all the great shots of his sister’s birthday party there will be the one token shot of his own feet. We have pictures of sandaled feet, bare feet, feet in the sand, and feet in boots.

It’s usually just one, sometimes two shots of his feet. I think it has become a habit. Camera in hand simply means “feet in frame”-- click. The feet in his latest pictures have grown noticeably bigger and I am certain he will tower over his “tall” mom someday in the near future. While I have deleted several of these “feet” shots through the years, I did choose to let some go. Just so we will always remember that Tim loved to take pictures of his own feet.

Recently, there were pictures of my husband’s graduation on the camera. A nice one of the family, a nice one of Sarah and Marcus walking, one of a total stranger pushing carts, uh-oh, here it comes…one of his own feet…yet again…at least he had dress shoes on for the occasion.

I am so glad my children are unique, with their own quirks, favorite knock -knock jokes, and yes, even a fascinating photographer of feet. Psalm 139:14 says “I praise you because I am beautifully and wonderfully made.” It’s all these little individual facets of my children that make me smile when other people mention them. If you ask my son why he takes pictures of his feet, he will simply shrug his shoulders and answer, “I don’t know; I just like to.”

God has given my young son many wonderful unique attributes that are uniquely his, and this penchant for foot photos is just one aspect of his individual personality. I am grateful to God that my Tim has chosen to be a Christ follower, and that he shares his faith in Jesus with others whom he meets. He recently told me his language tutor is a Christian.

“How do you know that, Tim?” I asked.

“Well, I asked if she truly believed Jesus died for her sins, and she said yes.” It’s simple when you are nine years old, and I am grateful for his boldness, his candor, and his faith. This facet of his personality lends new meaning to those many pictures of feet. It brings to mind the Bible verse I will end with, “How beautiful are the feet of them who bring good news.” Romans 10:15

So the next time someone asks me, "What is up with the feet?" I may just share about my son's beautiful feet.

On May 7, 2011, my wonderful husband donned a black cap and gown and joined the graduation ceremony at Cornerstone university in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This had been a long day coming for his family and we were very proud. I wrote about the day as a Yahoo Contributor. Click here for details.

"In my opinion, the teaching, rearing, and training of children requires more intelligence, intuitive understanding, humility, strength, wisdom, spirituality, perseverance, and hard work than any other challenge we might have in life." ~James E. Faust

The Case of the Missing Jacket

I have failed miserably as a parent. Not in totality, but at least in one area with my nine year old son. It’s in the area of personal responsibility. That is, personal responsibility for his jacket. I have pointedly reminded him that his jacket is his responsibility and that he needs to keep track of it. I see you nodding as you read. You have had this talk. You see where this is going…

Wednesday afternoon: “Mom, I can’t find my coat, I think I left it in Aunt Lisa’s van.”

“Alright, then you need to call and check.”

“Can’t you call?” His voice borders on whining and I raise an eyebrow (sort of).

“Your coat is your responsibility. I will dial the number for you.”

The coat was not in Aunt Lisa’s van, but thankfully, she remembered seeing it on the back of the chair during our McDonald’s lunch. Later that night, the husband and son go to McDonald’s and find the jacket. Dad gives the “your jacket is your responsibility” talk. I sigh with relief. Whew! That oughta do it. DAD has spoken.

On Thursday (yes, the very next day), we took Grandma to the doctor. Guess who couldn’t find his coat later in the day? Same boy. I called the doctor’s office. Sure enough, it was there. Tim and I trekked over in the van, “Go in and get your coat.”

“Aren’t you coming?”

“No.”

“Will you please come in with me?” The almost-whine is back. So is the eyebrow (sort of).

“Your coat is your responsibility….etc…etc…” The boy went in and retrieved the coat.

Saturday (two days later, of course, it was over 60 degrees on Friday, who needs a coat, anyway!) after soccer, I see a strange blue shape on the grass…. “Tim, grab your jacket!”

Did I mention we also have a convenient set of hooks behind the back door where said-jacket is supposed to reside? Happily hung with the other little people jackets, only Tim’s hook is mysteriously empty. I notice this Sunday night and simply sigh and head for bed.

Monday morning and my son wants to know, “Mom, where is my jacket? It’s cold outside.”

I sigh, I say, “You mean, ‘Mom, I lost my jacket.’”

Red-nosed, and growing taller by the moment, my nine year old stands in the kitchen, a blank look on his face. I can tell he has no idea where his jacket is; he is completely clueless. I take pity on the boy this time…I hunt for the back-up jacket. You know, the garage sale one with the sticky zipper? (One of mom’s creative solutions for just such an occasion). Nope, I think that one got left at soccer practice. My dear son, bless his heart, is roaming the backyard this morning in his mama’s shrug….and later, we will have to figure out (once again) what happened to that jacket.

http://traceystidbits.blogspot.com/2010/02/five-things-that-i-love-to-wear-in.html