Growth Spurts

Last week Tatum must have gone through some major growth spurt because she had three modes:

Eating

Sleeping

Fussy

She was eating every 30 minutes to an hour during the day, and we're not giving her a bottle (with breast milk) until she's a month old so it was all Mama, baby.  Thankfully she was still sleeping well at night and I was getting 3-5 hours of sleep at a time which is just rapturous!  But the day times were a bit brutal.

It made me think about growth spurts that God takes us through.  We're hungry and just want more and more and more, and if we can't feel Him around we get rather fussy and complaining and vocal about it. Sometimes we're forced to grow and we're just not too happy about it.  We cry and want to be held all the way through it.  There's no spiritual binky to satisfy your soul.

And I'm wondering why God's deciding to coincide my spiritual growth spurt with Tatum's...it's rather exhausting...

Transparency

Welcome to my 150th Post!

I used a tool that converted all my blog posts into a photojournal book, and it was well over 300 pages long!  So, Dad, when you ask if I've been writing lately the answer is definitely YES--that's a novel in 2 1/2 years!

A good friend sent me a great post from the blog It's Almost Naptime on “How To Be A Perfect Mom” and I just really loved how honest the mom was in saying that when looking at her three-week-old baby she wanted to scream “What do you want from me you little monster?”

I love down-to-earth posts like that. Some blogs I read make it sound like the mom has everything under control and nothing ever goes wrong (which we all know is just flat out impossible).

Photo by Marília Florêncio Santos

In looking back over my blogs, I hope I’ve been as transparent as that honest mom and continue to be as we embark on this new adventure of parenthood.

I’m certainly not the perfect wife, daughter, sister, or friend. I think I’ve shared enough embarrassing stories on here to make that clear! Sometimes, though, I leave out certain details just for the sake of humor.

Like the last story where I kept sneezing and peeing.  What I didn’t tell you was I also had a migraine and by the time I left was on the verge of tears. I thought I’d have the drive to Issaquah to recover and get a grip, but then I saw Matt pass me on the way to the house and I realize that I must have missed his call (while sneezing) saying he’d meet me here. I turned around and pulled up behind him, rolled down the window and snapped at him to pull forward since we were taking his car, got into the passenger seat and promptly burst into sobbing “I’M SO SICK OF BEING PREGNANT!” Poor man, he just stroked my hair and (completely bewildered at what caused this outburst) assured me it was almost over and everything was okay.

My house is certainly not always clean (or even picked up), my food is not always beautiful and/or delicious (ask Matt about my attempt at homemade enchilada sauce...yuck), and I don’t get up at the crack of dawn to spend time with the Lord like I know I should. I feel accomplished if I remember to turn on the Daily Audio Bible on my way to work, or read a few verses and journal a short prayer right before I go to bed.

 

So in case there've been any delusions that I've got this whole how-to-handle-life thing down, I certainly do not. I'm living by grace day to day, and its nice to read other people's posts that remind me that I'm not the only one relying on His grace.

 

  Minor note on the side, I started reading Gifts from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh again last night, and had forgotten how beautifully and simply and truthfully it is written.  Its a short, small book, and if you need some soul balm its a great one to keep around.

That Cinderella Moment

Last night we watched the Disney version of Rogers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella. When Cinderella appears in the ballroom at the top of the grand staircase, and the music stops and all eyes go to her, I whispered to Matt, “Every girl wants her Cinderella moment.” After watching for a few more moments I added, “Usually she gets it on her wedding day.”

All cynicism, explication and modern day feminist implications of the fairy tale aside, most girls do want that moment.

Where they enter a room and for that second they are the most beautiful creature in the world. The whirl of dancers stops and everyone is hushed and staring, and directly in front of her is someone looking back who thinks she is the most wonderful being he’s ever known.

In the arms of my love I’m flying, over mountains and meadow and glen…

That’s one of the 5,000 reasons I love weddings. I love getting to see women have their Cinderella moment. Love making sure the flowers and table cards and favors are all as perfect as can be, and love joining in the holy hush that comes over people when the bride appears. And for that time, she is the most beautiful creature in the world.

There are between 340 and 3,000 versions of Cinderella, crossing cultures from Asia to Africa to Europe to North America. Obviously there’s something about this rags to riches tale that makes it endearing no matter if the character is helped by an elderly spirit and magic fish, black oxen or a fairy godmother.

I read John Elderidge’s The Sacred Romance a number of years ago, and I think he hit it pretty spot on when he explained why little girls (and grown up little girls) are so entranced with fairy tales. We do crave a hero, and we all want to be beautiful. We want a prince to come and rescue us even if we think we’re perfectly capable of rescuing ourselves. Because on a deeper, spiritual level, we are incapable of saving ourselves. Our souls are not the glittering pure things we wish them to be and there’s nothing royal about our base nature. Only the Prince of Peace is able to slay the dragon and rescue us, wash us clean of our filth and clothe us in His robes of righteousness, making us worthy to be the Bride of Christ.

On a more literal level, having parents or a husband or someone who is willing to do anything to be your hero is a mortal, imperfect but still wonderful glimpse of the kind of God we serve.

Last November, three days after we found out we were pregnant I was stuck at work during a snowstorm and waiting for Matt to come get me so we could try to make it to the airport. Even though we missed our flight, I never wondered if he would turn around and head home for the night because it would be easier and more comfortable. I knew he would get to me as soon as humanly possible, even if it meant leaving his car on the freeway and walking through the storm.

Anyways, those were the thoughts floating through my head last night as I watched Whitney Houston transform Brandy from a house maid into a princess. Maybe not every woman will get her Cinderella moment like she hopes. Life has not been kind to many women, and heroes are hard to come by these days. At least (or maybe I should say at most), we have a Savior who desires our love, who made us as the pinnacle of his beautiful creation and who wants to be our Hero and King.

So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he [is] thy Lord; and worship thou him.

Psalms 45:11

Compelled

Yesterday evening we headed to church at the Mars Hill Bellevue campus. This is the Mars Hill pastored by Mark Driscoll (and not in any affiliation with Rob Bell), and though we've only managed to go sporadically due to Matt's work schedule, we really like it.  Pastor Mark doesn't really hold anything back, but speaks truth in love.

This was last nights' sermon and for some reason I just felt compelled to share it with you.  It is a full sermon so grab a cup of coffee and a Bible if you want and settle in.

I have to say I've never really paused on this portion of the scripture. After having gone through private Christian education from Kindergarten through graduating college, I feel like I've got a pretty thorough grasp on things. I'll never understand everything fully, but most sermons sound vaguely familiar and it irritates the heck out of me when its so elementary I feel I could have written that sermon in junior high. I'm done with baby bottles, where's the meat???

Well I got some meat last night. And thought I'd give you a taste.

Okay the embedded one isn't working, so here's the link:

http://www.marshillchurch.org/media/luke/jesus-before-all

You can watch it there or even download it to your ipod (or ipad or droid or whatever you have)

The Business of Christianity

If I've never said it before on this blog, I am a Christian. I love Jesus with all my heart and the only reason I'm worth more than a puffed up bag of dirt is because of His sacrifice to save my crummy sinful self.

Recently my husband and I started going to Mars Hill in Bellevue. I've gone to two community group meetings and really have enjoyed all the women I've met there.

Spur of the moment one of the girls got an opportunity to do a Beth Moore study for the group. We're doing the book of Esther, so off I go to one of those Christian bookstores I usually avoid like the plague to get the workbook.

I avoid these stores because, quite frankly, they make a killing of a profit off of Christianity. Everything from the Prayer of Jabez cell phone holders to Thomas Kinkade rugs to puppy dog and Bible verse mouse pads, the store seems to take advantage of Christian ladies looking to Christianify their house (okay I'm being a bit sarcastic but you get my point).

Looking in the Bible Study section I couldn't find anything on Beth Moore, which I found odd. I know my mom has done and taught a lot of her studies and loves them. When I asked the sales clerk he waved his hand around the top of the walls and said, "Well she sort of lines our store." And indeed there were the booklets all around the top of the display cabinets all around the store. Then he led me to the "Beth Moore Wall."

"Wow," I said, reaching for the handbook on Esther.

Out of curiosity I glanced at the prices for the Leader Kit. Then my jaw dropped.

$200

When I mentioned how shocked I was that the kit was so expensive to the clerk he replied, "Well, you DO get 6 DVDs, 1 Member Book, 1 Leader Guide and a DVD Promo Video."

I glanced at my $15 Member book which probably cost $3 to print and bind wholesale (the fact that most people in the world live on less than $2 a day flashing in my mind). The Leader Guide was hardly bigger than a pamphlet (actually its 11 x 17 paper folded and stapled). And what does it cost nowadays to burn and label a DVD? Maybe $2 with a nice label?

So what exactly does the $200 pay for?

For the filming and editing of the DVDs? She speaks on location from places like Washington DC or Jerusalem. Inspiring, I'm sure, but does the Word of God need to be taught on location to have an impact? And the introduction is filmed in something like a megachurch setting with a replica of the Oval Office behind her. The style of filming and editing is similar to what you would see from any video-equipped large church. Even a made-for-tv low budget film will still only run $15 or so.

Copyright laws. Okay, understandable in this day and age's obsession over owning what we came up with. I respect the fact that they've spent months or even years pouring over the Biblical text, immersing themselves in research and praying over their interpretation of the Word.

Looking casually at other Bible studies though, prices range from $4 to $30 a book. The Purpose Driven Life Bible study DVD only costs $7. Most other DVD Bible study series were usually $20 to $30. So why is THIS particular study, of which I've heard raving reviews, so darned expensive???

My conclusion is because this Bible study is for rich, predominantly white Americans. Its price tag precludes that. I know churches in Uganda or Romania or inner city churches in the US that could never spend that much on a Bible study because there are other things to pay for like the electricity bill or getting food to a single mother with 5 kids.

I am NOT saying Beth Moore or any other Biblical teacher/pastor/theologian not inspired by the Holy Spirit or are doing this for the money or anything like that.

Please don't misconstrue this as such.

Maybe the bone I have to pick is with the publishers.

I know my mom has grown through and loved the Beth Moore studies, and when I asked her why they were so expensive she understood my frustration.

As she told me, "That's when the richer churches to take the brunt of the cost to provide for other churches. There are some things we just have to swallow."

I wanted to yell that I didn't want to swallow that but couldn't because of the lump in my throat.

Like my mom says, "If you can make it through ministry with your relationship with Jesus intact, then you're a mature Christian."

What are your thoughts on the price to study the Bible?

Mariners, Muppets and China Town

Yes. It's been awhile.

Sorry.

Sometimes when I don't write for awhile I forget how easily it comes. Then I keep telling myself I'll do it tomorrow...and that's about as true as starting a diet.

*Side note: I have a slice of pizza and as I was writing Roy stood about an inch away from my elbow and just panted heavily while staring at me. After a stern, "Go lie down" (which he knows) he cocked his head, sighed an irritated sigh, and collapsed literally on my feet with his head down. How could you not love this dramatic dog?*

Where was I? Oh, writing. Yes. I'm going to try to make it a point to email/blog something every day. Something funny...or at least something that I find funny. We all need to laugh more, don't you agree? So before I start an update on the past...oh gosh. When did I write last...August 13th? Oh I guess that's not too long...what are you complaining about? Sike. I haven't heard from any of you suckers! Are your fingers broken...as Ammah would say...

Well here is my funny moment of the day. Actually it's been my funny moment every time we've driven by it since we moved here, but today I finally hauled my camera on a walk and took a picture of it.

If you need this explained, please Google it.

On to the updates!

The heatwave is over, thank the Good Lord! We've been enjoying "normal" Seattle weather--high 70s, sometimes in the 80's, lots of sunshine and longer days. I do have to say I'm glad the sun is beginning to set earlier. It just felt odd to watch the sunset at nearly ten while you're trying to convince yourself to start getting ready for bed. Hooray for biological time clocks returning to a more normal day!

We had our cousin (OK, technically Matt's cousin but mine by default) Andrew and his fiance Amber visit us a couple of weeks ago. They're preparing for a wedding on the second of January and Matt is honored to be a groomsman. It was fun getting to know Amber better, show them some of the city, try out new things with them like Red Mill burgers and go to our first Mariner's game with them. Being a devout Angels fan you know I rooted for the visiting team. Andrew was the constant photographer and I bummed his picture off him and added my own touches to it--thanks Andrew!

These last two are pictures of the lawn of the church we've been going to--Bethany Presbyterian. They call it the "Walk of Faith," and gave 40 posts of pine to people to do what they want with it to create a visual expression of their faith.

There were scrapbook looking ones, ones with fabric sewn all over it, wood burnings, and all sorts of expressions from each individual. The picture I put last was my favorite. It's a quote from the Chronicles of Narnia. One of the children asks Mr. Beaver if Aslan the Lion is safe (Aslan represents God, in case you haven't read the books...which you should cause they're awesome). Mr. Beaver replies, "'Course He's not safe, but He's good. He's the King, I tell you."

The following Sunday was the last day this certain exhibition was in town and we really wanted to see it. What was it? The Jim Henson Muppet exhibit! Not wanting to pay for ridiculous downtown Seattle parking, we parked in lower Queen Anne and walked to the Seattle Center where the Experience the Music Project|Science Fiction Museum--also known as the EMP|SFM--is.

One thing intersting along the way. As we walked past the huge fountain where hundreds of people were lounging about on the warm afternoon and a few dozen kids played in the water fountain, Matt noticed something odd about a group of people clustered in one corner of the park. They were nude. Yes, completely and utterly naked. Except one man had a backpack on. A bunch of bicycles were leaning against a tree, and from the very quick glances I shot in their direction they seemed to be enjoying the attention. Apparently they're a group of people who rides around on their bikes, disrobes for a few minutes to let people gawk at them, then moves on. I'll tell you one thing, though, if you're a woman over 40 who decides to do this, at least have the decency to not slouch. Not attractive. That was worse than the near 60 year old man with...shall we just say he was hairless from head to toe? Got the image? Indecent exposure for sure.

When I googled it, I found a news article from a year ago stating, "Nudists relax. Seattle Parks and Recreation will drop its pursuit of a proposal that would make public nudity in parks subject to prosecution for criminal trespass. And, in a nod to tolerance, Seattle's parks commissioners asked parks officials to explore the possibility of a clothing-optional beach in the city."

That's life in the big city, Mama.

The outside is some pretty interesting architecture. Waves of metal and a myriad of colors glinting in the sun at the base of the Space Needle, its sure to attract some attention. This aerial isn't mine, obviously.

Inside is an amazing "cyclone" of guitars. There we got to view mementos from Seattle's musical past, see an amazing collection of guitars (my Dad and Uncle Chris would love this!), visit the jam session room where if it hadn't been so crowded we'd have gone to town (we'll be back), then we headed over to the Science Fiction side where the Muppets were.

The Science Fiction part was pretty cool too. In addition to the original Star Trek command chair and costumes, they had pretty much any and every sci fi memorabilia you could think of! When we got to the Muppet secion, there were full walls of muppet fur, muppets from the 1970s (I felt like I was meeting a celebrity seeing a real Kermit with ping pong eyeballs!), Sesame street characters, sketches from Jim Henson, videos of his early commercials and more.

I didn't take these (it was way too crowded and I didn't want to get thrown out) but here are other people' s pics of the Jim Henson exhibit.

Mahna Mahna--one of the first muppet videos Matt and I watched together laughing hysterically at the simple humor of it. Apparently it was Jim Henson doing Mahna Mahna and Frank Oz doing both the pink cowish creatures. If you have never seen this and don't mind the tune stuck in your head for the rest of your life, watch it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynjIoymWHvU

I felt like asking for an autograph...

It was really interesting getting to read about all the things he did and created, and they had a stage where kids could actually be the muppets in the band and perform to a song. I considered shoving a kid aside cause I really wanted to do it but I let the adult side of me get the better and just watched from the side.

Walking back, the nudists were gone and my attention could finally focus on the kids playing in the fountain. What a picture of summer! Thanks to the Pioneer Woman's photoshop action sets for these touches!

After our trek back to our car we met up with our friends Stephanie and Peter for our first Seattle Mexican food experience. Peter and Steph went to Point Loma too, so they know

Moving on!

Last Saturday I convinced Matt to make a treacherous journey with me into the International District for a Chinese outdoor market and a free showing of Bruce Lee's Enter the Dragon. We took the bus downtown and walked through the Chinese gates and into the International (ie Chinese) District. Not huge, but definitely a cultural experience. We ate some Mongolian beef, went in a tea shop, browsed some kung fu movies and settle down for the Bruce Lee movie. We were disappointed to just watch badly orchestrated relay races in front of the crowd where we couldn't really see them, and after finishing our fried rice we headed out. But I got some nifty pics along the way!

Mexican food and we could finally trust them. And Yes, it was good. Although I think eating an entire chimichange and a bowl of ice cream may have been overdoing it a bit. I regretted that the day after.

Walking back we went through Pioneer Square...let me just say none of you need to be going there really ever. But especially at twilight. Nonetheless we made it through safetly, went browsing in a few stores and finally caught our bus back to Queen Anne Ave. Overall a good, intercultural, risky Seattle experience!

Today I braved the Goodwill Outlet. Yes, Goodwill has an outlet. But you'll have to wait until tomorrow for that one...

Love,

Kaitlynn

Signers and Thai food

Here’s an afternoon shot for you all(oops, I originally mistyped “shat” but hopefully this piece will be more reminiscent of espresso that crap).

Things are beginning to fall into a rhythm here at the Palmer Place. Roy no longer freaks out when we leave for work, I’m getting more used to my job, we haven’t had any major bouts of crazy weather, and we finally made it back to Bethany Community Church last Sunday.

We sat upstairs on the balcony, with a nice view of the stage and large screen and the people below. The main pastor was out of town, and the stand in was not quite what we had hoped. 

He somehow tied faith and boldness to apples and apple juice, and then said we could even be “saucy” as he held up applesauce. Um….hm. When’s the pastor getting back? Other than that, my entertainment was the front row. On the right hand side on stage was a lady who was signing for another lady who was deaf. At the end of the sermon there was worship and the pastor encouraged freedom to lift your hands or come to the front. 

A young man walked towards the front, and out of all forty feet of stage stairs he had to choose from, he headed over to the right and knelt directly inbetween the signer and the deaf lady. 

The deaf lady (sorry if you’re offended I call her that but that’s what she was and I didn’t meet her that night so I don’t have a name) leaned way over to the left and scooted a bit so she could continue watching the signer. The young man was having a difficult time, and soon his wife or girlfriend joined him—on his left side…further blocking deaf lady’s view. She sat straight up and as the couple was kneeling managed to see the signer over their heads. 

Then we were all invited to stand and he view was completely blocked. 

With infinite patience she motioned to one of the prayer volunteers and moved her hands apart and pointed to the couple. The prayer volunteer (who had been standing about two feet to the side the whole time), whispered in the guys ear and he looked behind him, and moved about a foot to his right. This left a gap in between him and his girlfriend who, upon seeing him move over, stepped to the right as well and closed the gap again. 

The deaf lady sighed, and sat down.

Then there was our first visit to our favorite Thai place. It’s called Thai Kitchen and is in an old house right on Queen Anne Avenue. I say first visit because we’ve ordered take out a few times, and it’s always been delish. We walk in the super squeaky door and are kindly seated in between two other couples at small tables so close that by me turning sideways my butt still brushes our neighbor’s table. I sit on the booth side only to find, as further evidenced by the awkward expression on the other two ladies sitting on the booth, that the height of the seat is about 25 inches. For your information, an average comfortable height for sitting is between 18 and 20 inches. I remove one pillow and sit (rather lean) on the seat, then hop/scoot myself back until my feet are dangling like a 5 year old’s. I’m towering over Matt and say something mildly funny like “I don’t really mean to look down my nose at you” when the lady to my left exclaims “I KNOW! These are so high! I can’t touch the floor!” The other lady on the right agreed, and we returned to our awkward silences. The food was as delicious as always, but I think next time we’ll be ordering to go.

Roy’s latest antics have included finding anything tissue, toilet paper or paper towel-like to shred when we’re gone. It’s not that we don’t wear him out—Matt took him on his longest run ever before he proceeded to shred three rolls of paper towels—he just loves the feel of it in his mouth. So we have a living paper shredder and an aspiring dancer. Yes, when I’m seated he now loves to walk his paws until they’re right on my shoulders and look me square in the face. If I stand up he leaves his paws there and we dance a little jig until he loses his balance. Don’t worry—a video will come soon.

Last tidbit of fun is I booked my flights today to come to OC (sorry, just for a day…less, actually) and then my mom and I are headed east to see Ammah and spend a few days with her. We’ve got big plans to eat brownies, watch movies, and maybe take a daytrip to Sedona.

Last but not least we have Skype and would love to say hello to you! Our name is PalmerPack (too cheesy? I don’t care) so drop us a line sometime. ‘till next time—keep boppin!