Transitions

Wow, seems like Christmas was just yesterday and now Lent is 2 weeks away.  We had a bit of a "warm snap" last week I guess it was. The weeks seem to be slipping away from me now.  It was in the 30's and even topped a high of 40 on one crazy day.  Enough that we had grass peeking through the snow.  Crazy happening for end of January.  It was weird that I almost had a bit of anxiety when seeing the grass.  Funny, I wasn't ready for the snow to be gone yet.  However,  need I not worry, we had more cold temps and snow this week and everything is crystally white again.  As my office has now been moved upstairs to the main floor, I've taken over the "spare room / computer room".  It is a nice change from the dungeon effect I had in the basement.  I get to see the beautiful outside and witness the birds out the window behind my desk.  I have even had deer walk right by the window in the early morning!  That was exciting!  Our schedules are back on track, now that classes have resumed.  Choir practice resumed tonight, our spouse group is complete again with everyone back from their holiday travels, and Heather's PTA at Silverlake is keeping me busy with fundraising planning events too.  The big event I am involved in currently is the annual WoNH Nashotah House Pancake Breakfast.  As the middler class representative, I am assisting the coordination of this event.  It will be an all you can eat breakfast on February 13th that is an outreach to the surrounding community as well as the campus families.  The proceeds will benefit the women of Nashotah's Lenten retreat March 19th.  I do like being involved and getting to know other spouses and being instrumental in campus living activities.  Another big weekend we have planned is our eldest daughter Stephanie is coming for 4 days March 5-9th.  I am so excited about that.  We will be discussing pre-planning for her wedding, no date set yet - though tentative summer of 2011.  Girl time and playing in the snow is at the top of our list of things to do.  This week has been a big week for Heather as well.  She had to go over the >100 curriculum courses offered at OHS for next year and begin building her schedule.  That was intense!  It isn't like when I was in HS and they just "gave you the core classes required and you got to choose maybe 1-2 electives".   Anyway, that was fun.  Well, not much else to write about at the moment.  I am tired, but wanted to keep you all up to date.  OH, yeah, how can I forget!!! The next post will be telling you about our summer plans for Mission Honduras!!  Yes, we are going back this summer and I am excited!!  I love the Agalta Valley.  Adios!

Time of Reflection

My first semester has come and gone, and though it required more reading than I've probably done in my entire lifetime, it goes without saying that I could not have done this without my family supporting me.  Living life in "community" has proved to be challenging at times, but also very rewarding at others.  We were able to get away from campus as a family a couple of times throughout the semester, and just recently returned home from visiting our family in FL over the Christmas holiday.  We have been supported by so many people through prayer and their generous support, and I have been especially humbled by the support we have received from people we don't even know.  Though our finances are very tight, God provides for us in ways we could never plan or attempt to explain except through our faith.  Marcia works very hard at her job (which is itself a blessing) and Heather has done great at adjusting to life here, which has made this transition a great experience for our family. 
Going home for Christmas was a great break from Nashotah House.  As with any vacation, it seems that you don't get to see everyone you wanted, and also don't get to spend as much time as you would like with those you do see.  My brother, Rob, was very generous in giving us a place to stay and cars to drive while we were in town, and he has some great friends who welcomed us to be a part of their holiday, too.  My Mom and Wil celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary, and Marcia and I spent an evening at a hotel on John's Pass (thanks to my Mom).  We also got to see Stephanie and Cristina before their European vacation, had a great time visitng with Marcus and Ginny, our friends from St. Andrew's Presbyterian, and with Fr. Joe and Jan.  We also had a great time with Marcia's family.  Overall, we all had a great time visiting with our family and friends, and hope to get back to FL again soon (hopefully the weather will be warmer next time! LOL).
I just completed an express class last week, which consisted of one class for 8 hours a day over 5 days, and I am looking forward to the beginning of the next semester on the 27th. Thank you so much for your prayers and support.

Love, Roy

Hierachy of the birds

Today at lunch, I sit and watch out the kitchen window in amazement of the birds that still come to the birdfeeder.  Even though I have to clean out the piled snow in the tray from time to time, the birds still come and feast on the treats that await them in the feeder.  My favorite red cardinal, whom squawks at me when the food tray is empty, is now fat with storing up for food for winter.  Why hog it all I wonder, I'll have the food there for you when you want it.  :)  But he is getting fatter and fatter.  The blue jays come as well, the colors are so beautiful in contrast to the snowy background.  The finches come in flocks.  Sometimes they swarm me when I come out to refill the feeder.  The big man on the totem pole however, is the woodpecker.  Whenever Mr. Woodpecker comes close to the feeder or even on any branch on the tree, all the other birds scatter.  They know who is the strongest. There is always a "pecking order" in life.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow....

I never thought I would be sitting here, listening to snow melt.  Wouldn't have even thought that such a sound existed.  The drip drip drip of the icicles on the trees & roof, along with the cracking sounds of the packed snow & ice, and the plop plop of bundles of snow falling from the tree and building.  Amazing.  The weather got alittle warmer today, about 34 or so, so some of the snow began to melt.  Once the sun went down, however, the temps plummeted back to around 23.  So that means ICE.  No driving for me tomorrow.  I just went across campus tonight to be a helpful wife and pick up Roy from chapel, and slid through the parking lot.  It was actually kinda fun, but don't want to chance it again. 

First Winter Storm

The night before Roy's birthday, I started decorating the campus for his surprise, needless did I know, that little snow flurry I told you about did not stop.  Our first accumulated snow was awaiting him for a birthday present on Dec 4th and has not stopped yet.  Each day we have had alittle more and alittle more accumulation.  I shoveled my first walk during my lunch break, then the plows come through to clear the campus lots and roads.  While I was at work in the basement, I heard this load rumbling above and couldn't figure out what it was.  Lo and behold, when I looked outside to the winter wonderland and saw the roads were clear, I got alittle courage.  I took a spin (not literally thankfully) to the gas station to fill up and drop off some Christmas cards at the post office.  Not bad.  Upon my return home, the kids were in the circle building a snowman.  I had to check out the activities.  I pitched in and helped hoist the large balls they were rolling in the snow to make the body and head.  As they were putting finishing touches on it, 5 year old Wil said - I have to make a manger here in front.  So a snow manger was made as well.  I asked, then this snowperson must be Mary then?  He said yes, we must have Mary and baby Jesus.  ahhhh "He is his father's child" Melissa said...  from the mouths of babes.   As the day wore on and the snow starts to come down harder, we are hearing winter blizzard warnings on the news.  Have to keep an eye on internet news alerts, as we still do not have local t.v. stations for such information.   Not to fear, we do have a weather alert radio, that will come on in emergencies.  Heather is hoping for a snow day tomorrow.  Her teacher was very surprised when she asked "how will I know if I don't have t.v." .  The teacher thought she was pulling her leg.  ha ha   Tomorrow night we have a prospective student from FL visiting.  The Morris family will be arriving just in time to "experience Nashotah".   Thursday, Roy and I will be performing in the community choir for Advent and Carols.  Very exciting.  The feel of the cassock and surplus doesn't seem to adjust quiet as fitting on me as it does on Roy,  however.  Enjoy your sunshine, whereever you may be.  I am learning so many things in this new climate!  So far, still fun.  Enjoy the brisk photo's.  Will post a picture of snow Mary tomorrow.  Staying warm in Nashotah... Marcia

Brotherhood of St. Andrew

Today was a great day.  Started out with a normal day at the office "in the basement - getting kinda dark and cold down there"  then at lunch time, I had to run out to pick something up from the store for Roy's birthday tomorrow.  When I came out it was snowing... HARD.  Well, for you northerners, not really hard I guess.  But for this Florida girl it was hard enough!  Not much stuck to the concrete, but there were patches of white in the grass.  I drove home quickly (but not too quickly) my heart was pounding.  It is a weird experience driving in the snow, almost 3-D, big white flurries coming at you quicker than the scenery on the road.  WEIRD.  I don't think I'll be to anxious to try it when it is slippery.  Then tonight at chapel, Roy was inducted into the Brotherhood of St. Andrew.  I would like to share the prayer with you now from pg 185 of BCP.

Almighty God, who didst give such grace to thine apostle Andrew that he readily obeyed the call of thy Son Jesus Christ, and brought his brother with him: Give unto us, who are called by thy Word, grace to follow him without delay, and to bring those near to us into his gracious presence; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

After chapel, we had dinner with the O'Carroll's.  Then while Roy was studying, I went out to play tricks on him in the campus for tomorrow's "OH NO 40 - Birthday".   My friends,  Susan, Danielle, Kaitlyn and I hung "age old antic" signs all along the pathway he walks to school everyday.  We also decorated his stall in the changing area where he dresses for chapel.  A sign and confetti awaits him in his classroom, and many more surprises.  I will upload pictures soon.  What fun!  Hope someone has a camera handy when he arrives tomorrow.  Would love to be a fly on the wall. 

Blessings to all our blog followers.  Hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving.  We did and have much to be thankful for.  Love, Marcia

The important moments...

Good day blog friends!  8 days until Thanksgiving and oh, we have so much to be thankful for.  What a blessing life is when we truly take the challenge of naming something we are thankful for each and every day.  Heather's birthday has come and gone.  She is 14 now.  Amazing! How the time has flown, daddy will be teaching her to drive next year.  Funny, it is still a clear memory as yesterday when he was teaching Stephanie to drive!  The picture in this post is of her and the cake that our friend Melissa designed and baked for her special day.  Today, I would like to share the story listed in Wed Nov 18th Forward Day by Day. 
    Pilgrims visiting Poland at the beginning of the twentieth century were often told to stop and see the saintly Rabbi Israel Kagan-more commonly known as the "Chafetz Chaim."  Two pilgrims were surprised to see the rabbi lived in a simple, book-lined room, in which the only pieces of furniture were a table, a bench, and a bed.
  "Rabbi, where's all your furniture?"  the pilgrims asked.  "Why, where's yours?" asked the rabbi in reply.  "Ours? But we're just passing through," they said.  "So am I," said the rabbi, "so am I." 
  So are we all.  May we not miss the important moments and people in our lives because they do not measure up to some heavenly expectation.