Advent Season

Advent is here! I used to roll my eyes when my dad started talking about advent every year...but now, it has changed (as so many things have).

My church does advent which I truly appreciate. The kids are involved and they are the ones that light the candles. You never realize how much you like something until it's gone. We went to church with some friends last week as were in Seattle. I loved their church, especially their pastor. he clearly had a heart for the Lord, he was passionate and real. But there was something missing...the 2nd sunday of advent!!

Last year in hopes that I would be full of the advent spirit, I purchased a book called: A Simply Wonderful Christmas- A Literary Advent Calendar. I of course just found it while cleaning today...December 11th...but never fear, I shall plunge on ahead and just catch up a bit. Tonight's rendition: The Spirit of Christmas.
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I went to the George Fox Christmas concert tonight. I think it might have been one of the best preparations for this season. I went into it not expecting too much...but I can honestly say that the reason for the season was apparent and I found myself tearfully joyful: Good christian men rejoice, with heart and soul and voice! Give ye heed of what we say! News! News! Jesus Christ is born today!

This years theme was: All is calm, all is bright!

The last song that they sang started with a single bagpipe walking from the back, then the choir started in and the band and orchestra. At the end the bagpipe and snare drum join in. I have never heard such beautiful sounds before...honestly I think it was a glimpse of what heaven will sound like. I closed my eyes and wondered, is this what the angels sounded like when that babe was born? The hope of all mankind came to the earth and the angels REJOICED!

Home has changed. I don't know how, or really when the switch happened...but tonight it became incredibly apparent that it has shifted.

That's a fairly earth-shattering conclusion to come to before a Monday morning.

Miss Stacey, Paperbackswap

If I could be like anyone I have to say I'd be honored to be Miss Stacey. While watching Anne of Green Gables again today I'm reminded what a remarkable woman she is, and how ahead of her time. Something about education always makes me think that everyone in the past was crazy and didn't do it correctly...just not the case. I was looking up things about Miss Stacey and someone mentioned that she was in the style of Charlotte Mason...I read up a bit on her and it turns out in the early 1900's they weren't completely insane. Then I got super excited about all the theory I read in college, and I was reminded again of John Dewey, Lev Vygotsky and the others that I fell in love with and "pilfered" their methods and styles to shape my own. There are modern influences as well: Raffe Esquith, Esme Raji Codell, Johnathan Kozol, and so many others. Jo Robinson came to the Newberg School distrct last week to give a workshop about reading, etc. She was incredible, but one things she said in particular stood out to me. "We stand on the shoulders of those who have come before us." It's funny I so often can only see right where I am, and that nothing else in education or life really, has every been different than right here and now. But the fact is there are giants that have come before me, with the same struggles, same love and passion and same crazy students. It's encouraging really, but also overwhelmling...that many teachers over the years, and we haven't perfected anything yet.

Paperbackswap is a fabulous organization. You post books that you don't want anymore online and people decide they want them and send for them. Then you get "credits" and you order books from other people that you want. And so it goes, back and forth...the epitomy of recylcing in one of the best ways possible...reaching out to others with literature! What could be better? I'm quite sure that the 7 people recieving books from me this week will think that I'm slightly insane as I've included notes in each package. It's just so exciting, sending a book to a stranger. Someone across the continent is going to open the book full of possibilities and with different experiences and thoughts and feelings read a book that has been pivitol for me in my life. I just think it's thrilling! What a fabulous idea, and thank you to the creator whoever he/they may be...I'm quite content to recycle my books!

The rain has come at last...

There is a switch at the beginning of autumn each year. For a bit of time now it's been coming. I haven't said anything about it yet...sometimes if you speak of these things too quickly they slip away like fairies into the mist. The air has changed. Oh not all of the air, but the edges of it...there's a crispness that slides in at morning, and creeps back in around twilight. There have been other signs too...the spiders are out in full force, one large one specifically has been lost in our home for a bit...Heather however took care of him...poor spider! Leave are beginning to change. There is at least one leaf on every tree I've seen that has started-overachievers! This morning I got up at 6:00 for various reasons and it was still dark...one of my least favorite things about this season, but a sign nonetheless. Last week I was sitting on the porch reading and I heard the sound that is the culmination of the season...the geese. They're beginning to disappear to their winter homes. And now, it's as if the weather is reminding us all of what is coming. The intense rain came and with it a chill that is hanging in the air permanently now. The sun tries to pick at it a bit, but it's too late, autumn is here! With it comes all of my favorite things. But that's for a later date, my ode to Autumn!

So to mark this fabulous occurance I have done the following: purchased pussy willows that are now adorning the dining room reminding me of the softness of fall, made a fall color bouquet...and right this very minute I am eating homemade zucchini bread with homemade raspberry jam on top- drinking hot water with lemon- and watching something that warms my heart...Anne of Green Gables. Oh Anne with an e, how you can cure anything that is wrong in the world. Isn't Matthew just the most wonderful man? I truly hope to meet L.M. Montgomery in heaven someday. She and CS Lewis (and of course my father) are single handedly responsible for my imagination. I have already adopted Mr. Lewis as my grandfather...perhaps Ms. Montgomery can be my surregate grandmother...anyone who can write about the outdoors, fairies, human nature and the nature of relationships as beautifully as she does would be a kindred spirit for certain. Whether in "the depths of despair" or "at the heights" Anne has something for everyone. Oh to ask Miss Stacy a question, to wander around the "white way to light" and to frolic around good old PEI. Too bad I can only travel their in my imagination...

I am also finally starting to work on my t-shirt rug. The shirts have been sitting upstairs in the loft forever...and I'm purging everything, it's making me feel better about everything for some reason, plus I've committed to finishing my projects this sabbatical. I am not working on completeing the rag rug from Alterknits. Leigh Radford is a genius and remarkably dwells in Portland...the mecca for all I've decided. Sorry Tyler, but Portland is clearly superior...minus the ocean I do miss my ocean. This is what it should look like when I'm done...same color scheme as well...we'll see! Although yay for Heather and I not fitting into our old clothes, that's how I got all the fabric!

Airport Day

My darling friend Katie, who I met through a book group that I'm in...I should write about that sometime), made coffee for me this morning. We talked about life, and the book we're reading and watched her silly little girl play and sing. She is absolutely remarkable and I love watching her brain work and hard wire new information...did I mention she says Jessi in the cutest voice ever??

Then I ran to Sherwood to grab the world travelers...and we were off...after Tyler repacked his bag again!!! As we drove to the airport I listened to Tyler regail us with his tales of how amazing the world would be if he ran it. What an interesting way to say goodbye! Farewells are always so tricky for me...I really struggle with not making them bittersweet. This time specifically, especially because there's no right or wrong way to handle stuff like that. 23 days is a LONG time, just for the record!

I then proceeded to get lost on the way back from the airport. Shocking really since I've been there several times recently and in the grand scheme of my time in Oregon I have been there frequently. I tried to find a gas station and somehow ended up, actually I don't know where I was. But I got stopped at this red light and found myself being very frustrated. But then all these police cards and motor cycles came out of nowhere and a motorcycle group: The Patriot Riders, came riding by...and the a hurst and MANY military cars and flags. My mind suddenly realized that I totally believe that I'm at the center of the universe sometimes. But truth be told there's hundreds of thousands of "center of the universe" stories going on. For me it was the day I took some friends to the airport and then killed some time before school starts of Tuesday. But to this family or group of people it will forever be a different kind of day. How seflish am I in my own head sometimes? It reminded me a lot of the book we're reading in book group An Altar in the World by Barbara Brown Taylor. Barbara talks a lot about the practice of "waking up" and "paying attention" to things around us...but also to people. I find myself forgetting to do this on a regular basis. Everyone else has things going on too, just look into their faces and eyes.

I finally found my way to MLK and did some people watching, then headed over the bridge to the Pearl district. I decided just to park randomly and walked around hoping to find some interesting things. I had a blast from the past and found Hannah Anderson - a clothing company started in Portland. I practically grew up in these clothes when I was little. My mom bought the skirts, tights, pants, etc because "they were reasonable" and "so cute" and "they lasted forever".

Then I wandered around and found a ladybug cart...who knew in Portland of all places...and she was making polenta, and vegan meatballs with special sauces. So I had some..and cucumber basil lemonade...delicious!!! I found a park to eat in, partook in the food and Mrs. Taylor. If only all of my days could go like this...I'm not ready for school to start, I'm not ready to do the first day without people, I'm not ready to embrace the possibilities/come to terms with these crazy changes in my life, I'm not ready to even think about the future-I can barely grasp where we're at right now.

Tuesday is coming closer and closer...and I want to live it up before it dawns...if only I had someone to kayaak with tomorrow.

Lunch Yesterday...

In light of the summer drawing to a close, I've been trying to suck the life out of each day. Sometimes I do a great job...case in point- Wednesday. Wednesday: Woke up fairly earlyish, headed out to McMinnville (not connected by any major thoroughfare or road) to register as subs...again, had a fabulous breakfast, picked beautiful flowers at "Gramma's Place" and also some wildflowers along the road, bought some delicious produce at a roadside stand, found some pussywillows, went for a LONG and glorious run, hung out at the pool with a book, slept in the sun and then cooked dinner with good friends, and the day ended playing at the park...what could be better?

However Thursday I wasted a ton of time "cleaning and organizing". Why is it that you can start the day so full of ambition and plans, and it tanks after that coffee doesn't quite kick in the way you need it to? So much wasted time...the only true bright spot in the day was this fabulous salad that I just made up and reading outside (and the first part of saying goodbye too...not to diminish that!)...and a truly brilliant idea. I am going to start documenting my various fabulously relaxing lunches that I make, or find randomly.

Sadly my USB ports have suddenly stopped working on my laptop, so I can't upload the picture yet...but "picture" (ha ha) this...fresh: avacados, peaches, purple (yes, that's right purple) pepper, blackberries, and mozerella cheese. The dressing: 2 spoonfuls Nancy's yogurt, a splish of balsamic vinegar, a splash of agave syrup, a squeeze of lime and a dash of salt...stired together and poured over the salad...bravissimo!!! Fabulous...throw in some "Under the Tuscan Sun" and I'm a happy camper out on the porch.

Stay tuned for today's lunch...I had to register for insurance last night and didn't quite get this part out...that and the end of the night was not what I expected. C'est la vie, hmm...what's french for clearly I'm mostly ridiculous? Clairement, je suis la plupart du temps ridicule!

Sabbatical

I am on a sabbatical (this is how I am now referring to my forced non-classroom status). I have been strongly encouraged, to the point of harassment, by someone I love to take some time to just be, and to figure things out...to borrow the cliche and extremely overused status of "finding myself". But of course I can't just sit around waiting for this to happen, I am therefore going to do the following:

- I will be taking a children's writing course, in the spirit of finally finishing that book that I've been writing and see what might come next.
- Cooking classes...just a couple here and there that I think might be fun
- A sewing class...and yes I am going to finish the apron I cut out over a month ago
- Finishing all of my unfinished knitting projects...I am going to attempt to not start another one until all these other things are finished.
- Writing sunday school curriculum with Karen for church (guilty indulgent pleasure!)
- My book group...and one I have created for myself about food (Kingsolver, Pollan, Kessler, Schaeffer)
- My self discovery series (just picked up from Powell's with the credit from selling books!): Surprised by Joy- C.S. Lewis, Walking on Water- Madeline L'Engle, Title I can't remember but which sounds delicious- Thomas Merton, The Four Loves- C.S. Lewis, Plan B- Anne Lamot, and something by Catherine Marshall that I can't remember the title of...more titles to come as I discover more!
- Yoga! Yes I am finally going to do it!
- Running/Pilates/Biking...on a consistent basis once again now that I will have a schedule back in place
- Buying a bike...yes it will happen, maybe not before my consultant goes to Australia, but it will happen!
- Redecorating/purging myself of all unwanted/unused things!

I am harkening to a different me. One who lives in the moment (or at least will try to) and who will be content with where I am. Though it is not where I want to be necessarily, this whole sabbatical idea has struck a chord within me somehwere and I am now quite excited to be present for this next phase. This isn't to say that I am not still sad...bouquets of freshly sharpened pencils have been dancing through my head...walking into "my" organized classroom of someone else's stuff today nearly took my breath a way...not in the good way. But under the grief (sounds melodramatic, but that's what it's been) I have decided to embrace the time. Therefore I am starting this new chapter with fidelity (yes the f word) and felicity...I added that just for the lovely assonance in creates.

Goodbye former purpose, hello sabbatical...those of you wishing to find me will either find me not at home, curled up reading somewhere or laying out under the stars training myself to be present in the here and now...I think I see the big dipper now!