We took the scenic route home.

And nearly ran out of gas because the exit we chose was too posh to include gas stations within their quaint, upscale village..

Grey Goose.

Stones are silent
Riverbed
Stars and years pass overhead.
Comet's tail lashed out the moon,
so morning's sun sat up too soon.

Knew a world in night-dark eyes,
two palms touched, tried on for size.

One with one and fire between,
hear the word I heard unseen.
___________________________________________

Gypsy man, I hold that rain-soaked rag,
with scent and memories clinging.

And, in empty-bellied hurry and haste,
I set down a list (about a man who loves lists) to properly begin today:

Faithful
Compassionate
An earnest follower of the Lord God
A lover of Justice and a liver of Grace
Crazier than most
Quirky as all get-out
Boardgame geek any day of the week
Thoughtful
Deliberate
Impulsive
Real
As honest as Abe (but a lot more fun).
A smith who turns words on their heads
One who sees the Darkness and the Light
One who Knows me, and yet loves me wholly as I am.
One who gives freely like someone who has nothing to lose.
The only boy I've ever kissed.
A first love and a last love.

And now, with three God-given sweetlings, a perfect Papa.

It can be said of anyone, I suppose, but, really, John's like no other.
I love him until all the worlds fail and then some.
True as blue. Together two.

If all of time came uncoiled, the length of these last five years would be smaller than sight. But we, living from one day to another, marvel at the swiftness of them. It feels like yesterday and too far away to remember.

Barefoot, with my fists full of programs and the great clouds of my dress slung over my shoulder, I entered the church at ten to eleven, still wishing for the gloomy weather to turn face so that we could marry next to the woods. A few minutes and one looped ponytail later, I stepped into the dress, my mom laced up the back, Belle Michelle snapped a few pictures, and I was off down the aisle to see John.

Five years ago today, it was,
in the best month of all with my best friend of all.
Happy fifth to us!

Blip.

Looking for a new way of roasting butternut squash, I was just thumbing through this cookbook, which has leapt to the top of my favorite cookbooks, and I read the following excerpt. What a hope this man had, and with what graciousness God allowed him to work by the side of his children's children.
____________________________________________________

I am immensely grateful to be part of an intergenerational family farm on which we grow grain, bison, sour cherries, vegetables, rainbow trout, and children. I include children because we are not agribusiness people but rather agriculturalists. And this piece of land along the South Saskatchewan River holds a piece of our identity. We love our children, and we also love this land.

One autumn evening three generations of my family were planting cherry trees. The air was deliciously warm, with a spectacular harvest sunset in the western sky. A great blue heron came soaring lazily over us, gracing us with his presence. A beautiful evening-- hands in the earth, working together, children running about.

I glanced over at my dad and saw tears on his weather-worn face.

"Daddy, what?" I asked.

"This," he said, sweeping the vista, "this is what I have hoped for."

- Eileen Klassen Hamm, Saskatoon, Sask.
____________________________________________________

Thank you, Heidi, for this wonderful book.

Interlude to Our Sponsers.

Many, many thanks to the generous people who clothe our girls.

In the last month, the girls have been given a bounty of beautiful clothing from good friends at church and from Deirdre, which joined the clothes passed down from Anna and Alex, the brand spankin' new duds that Grandma Owen brought at their last visit, and the clothes I bought at two church rummage sales.

Hurrah! The sorting is complete!
Thank you all for your big hearts which gave us stuffed drawers.

And, now, without further ado, we welcome nippy, autumnal air and winter wind.

Uhhhh, Yup!

We took a Bird and a Squirrel into our home on Monday.
They looked like they could use a tasty dinner. (Plus, they were laden down with gifts. Who would turn away gift-laden wildlings?) Just so everyone who's been fooled by Heidi's front can know the truth, she bakes a mean cake and cookie combo. Banana with black walnut paired with the chocolate chip standard = happy bellies. And we thank them both publically for the best Real Apple Cider we've had in years. They rock our apple-cider world, and we're rationing it like sugar during WWII.

We enjoyed their good company, played board games, and ate and ate, while talking of yurts and pole-barn pipe dreams. Oh, and John treated us (mostly me) with a colossal bar of dark chocolate and a bottle of framboise.

Our Creator looked on His works, the exquisite, fanciful, intricate, and comical, and called them, simply, very good. Though I get carried away,
often one word speaks enough.

Visiting with newlywedded Heidiann(e) and Phil was very good.

I only took four pictures while they were here. See below. (Enjoying a moment rather than taking pictures of a moment is proof of my enjoyment.)

Oh, and hop over to buildabelly if you want a spicy chicken recipe as your choice of heart-clogger.

Beauties in the sunshine. I like this picture lots.

The children are still talking about Phil, and Becky thinks both of you, P+H, are naturals with children. So there! :)

For a squirrel, he sure taught me some things about the half of the garden overgrown with weed and seed. P.S. We've got the socks you stripped off after arrival. I just did laundry today, so they're freshly clean.

And, lastly, Tommy posing on top of the swing set.

She has beautiful lips, but with the way she always tucks them inside, one would never know. Fishy face.