February

The month of February seems to almost be a blur. I can hardly believe that we are three days into the month of March. It has been a month since my last entry. I have had many funny kid stories to share, beautiful moments with friends and wrestling about the future but I was lazy with our blog and now my memory is slow to recall all of the things that were worth remembering--I will make an attempt though.

Highlights from February

1. February 2. Groundhogs Day. It's also the day that we were engaged. February 2, 1991. 18 years ago we stood on the corner of 9th and Walnut, under a light post and Todd asked me to marry him. We celebrated this year by going to a really cool restaurant near the Plaza--El Centro. Our meal was delicious and our time together wonderful!

2. Lia: Lia for weeks told us that she wants to marry a certain boy in Columbia. "Mom, don't you think he's the handsomest! I want to marry him." We're not quite ready to arrange a marriage yet but it's incredibly funny and sweet. Lia had many noteworthy funny things that I just can't seem to call to mind. What a joy she is in my life! She also shows me just how much I need to grow in the areas of patience and wisdom. **Lia's new favorite word: Impeccable. She just loves to say it and repeats it over and over.
3. Zach: Zach is growing up. He is funny, witty, sweet and almost taller than his Mom. He also needs some help from Dad about how to talk to girls. A recent conversation:

Zach: "Mom, I can tell you're getting older because you have lines in your face."
Me: "Wow! Thanks!" (laughing)
Zach: "Abraham Lincoln had lines like that in his face."
Me: Laughing too hard to respond and thinking, "He also had a beard."

4. Days like spring. There were so many beautiful days in February. At times it didn't seem like winter at all.

5. Shawnee Mission Park: A friend of ours had been telling me about a trail at a nearby park that she frequents--a quiet secret place. We were able to enjoy a long hike and sit by a creek and enjoy the amazing beauty around us. A highlight of February.

6. Conception Abbey: 24 hours of beautiful quietness, stillness, rest and friendship. Conception Abbey is a monastery about 2 hours north of KC. I had for some time wanted to take a personal retreat for prayer and some solitude. A friend and I went together. We each had our own room and enjoyed our meals together. I had no agenda really. I just wanted to be . . . be with Jesus, be still, be quiet . . . mostly be with Jesus. My time there is really worth it's own blog entry. I'm grateful to Todd for giving me the opportunity to go and I'm really looking forward to going again. Quietness is good.

7. School: I began exploring the possibility of going to school. I never finished University and have quietly thought about returning for sometime.

8. Todd's job is going well. Thankful.

9. I continue to work at Starbucks. Thankful and challenged.

10. I really, really, really want to go to Mozambique. I have wanted to go for about a year but during February I started to consider it a lot. Not sure if the timing is right. There is a team from church going in June--if I don't go this time--I believe I will in the future--maybe our entire family will go.