Saturday, October 18, 2008

I've got lots of new photos to share!

First I will tell you the story of the pumpkin. We went to the Corn Maze a few weeks ago (the one mentioned below...the one where I forgot to take my camera!! Grrr) and bought a pumpkin.

We finally got around to carving it tonight. Ben had been really looking forward to it and was so proud of it when we finished. He took it out to the porch and then came in with me to get a candle and some matches.
When we went back out, Natalie was standing on the porch and the pumpkin was laying, in pieces, on the ground.

She admitted to pushing it off on purpose but I can't understand what she is trying to tell me as to WHY she pushed it off. I don't think she realized what the consequences would be (a smashed pumpkin) but I was still pretty upset and Ben was devastated. She went and sat on the bed and cried while Ben and I tried to put the pieces back together. After a while she came out, and on her own, told me "I am so sorry mama". It made Ben feel better that she apologized (and that he was getting my pity and attention!). We decided that we will get another pumpkin to carve and that the next time she won't push him to his death off the side of the porch!

Saturday, October 11, 2008

It doesn’t interest me
what you do for a living.
I want to know what you ache for
and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.

It doesn’t interest me how old you are.
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool
for love
for your dream
for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn’t interest me what planets are squaring your moon…
I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow
if you have been opened by life’s betrayals
or have become shriveled and closed
from fear of further pain.

I want to know if you can sit with pain
Mine or your own
without moving to hide it
or fade it
or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy
Mine or your own
if you can dance with wildness
and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes
without cautioning us
to be careful
to be realistic
to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn’t interest me if the story you are telling me is true.
I want to know if you can
Disappoint another
to be true to yourself.

If you can bear the accusation of betrayal
and not betray your own soul.

If you can be faithless
and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see Beauty
Even when it is not pretty
every day.

And if you can source your own life
From its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure
Yours and mine
and still stand at the edge of the lake
and shout to the silver of the full moon,“Yes.”

It doesn’t interest me
to know where you live or how much money you have.

I want to know if you can get up
After the night of grief and despair
weary and bruised to the bone
and do what needs to be done
to feed the children.

It doesn’t interest me who you know
or how you came to be here.

I want to know if you will stand
in the center of the fire
with me
and not shrink back.

It doesn’t interest me where or what or with whom
you have studied.

I want to know what sustains you
from the inside
when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone
with yourself
and if you truly like the company you keep
in the empty moments.


By Oriah Mountain Dreamer

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Zoe is two months old!

I can't believe that month two is already here! Zoe has ballooned up just like her brother and sister did. She is a whopping 13 pounds. She loves to be talked to and will reward you with a coo and a big smile.