Category Archives: Southern California Dreaming

7 Quick Takes: Books, Funeral Fun, and One Last Adventure for Elizabeth

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7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

Oh. Em. Gee. Rachel Held Evans’ new book!!!!! I mentioned the publication of said book in my Favorites a few days ago. I finally finished what I was reading and started it today. Let’s just say that I would publish some of my favorite quotes from it on this blog… but that would involve typing the entire book verbatim. I recommend that y’all go acquire a copy of it, especially those who are having conniptions over your kids “leaving the Church”.

— 2 —

Love. I helped out with a funeral at church on Wednesday and it was fun. (I know… how can a funeral be fun?) It reinforced the awesomeness of the community of which I am part and the part that pulled on my heartstrings the most were when members of the Wednesday morning Bible study saw me and gave me hugs, calling me their “sweet girl” and one of them telling me how much I enrich her life. (One of them is 94 and reminds me so much of my grandma that it almost brings me to tears when I get hugs from her.) Considering I’ve known most of them for only 3 1/2 months (as most of them attend the 8:00 service while I’m part of the choir at the 10:00 service), this is really sweet of them.

— 3 —

Kitchen cheat sheets. I saw this on Facebook and bookmarked it to share in my Quick Takes because it was pretty amazing and something I would totally laminate and use for myself. I’m almost tempted to laminate them and make a book with them for Jon’s cousin who is getting married this summer — they’re that good.

— 4 —

Going back to Rachel’s book… This article was linked and I think it would be something good for my mainline Christian friends to read — it’s about how to welcome disenfranchised evangelicals to your church.

— 5 —

Moved almost to tears. I was catching up on podcasts yesterday and was listening to some things that Frederica Mathewes-Green (one of my favorite authors) had to say. (She’s an Antiochian Orthodox priest’s wife — a *real* khouria unlike my poseur self.) One of the podcast episodes I heard was the Nativity Paraklesis done at her parish in Maryland. It was hauntingly beautiful — very foreign sounding musical settings to my decidedly western ears but just stunning in such a way that it almost brought me to tears in the middle of Starbux. You can listen to it here.

— 6 —

One last adventure for Elizabeth. I first found Elizabeth Dehority through Ginny’s blog a few years ago so I was tickled to see that Ginny and her family made it to Elizabeth’s funeral. Go read about it! Do it now!

— 7 —

Instead of a tattoo. Instead of getting a tattoo for my 35th birthday this year, I’ll be walking a 5K to raise money and awareness for the Preeclampsia Foundation. Details are here.

For more Quick Takes, visit Kelly at This Ain’t The Lyceum.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: April 6, 2015

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY April 6, 2015

Outside my window… dark. It cooled down today and was actually long-sleeves weather when I was at the park with Daniel. It’s supposed to rain tomorrow and I’m getting positively giddy.

I am thinking… about the phone calls I have to make tomorrow to the IRS (I want my tax refund) and to insurance companies/Medi-Cal.

I am thankful… for a wonderful Palm Sunday with my church in San Jose and a wonderful Triduum with my church in southern California. Easter morning was wonderful as well with music at both services and a professional tenor singing with the choir. (We were supposed to have a couple other pros but they got sick.) I’m so incredibly grateful to be part of a church where I’m excited about going on Sunday morning instead of feeling like I want to be anywhere else but there.

In the kitchen… lots and lots of leftovers. We’re eating well this week!

I am wearing… one of my Run for the Little Flowers shirts and black capri sweats.

I am praying for… a call for Jon, comfort and solace for Dayna, and many other things.

I am going… for a walk tomorrow morning.

I am wondering… about a couple things related to the Divine Mercy novena that a few friends are doing. They sound a little weird so I’ll be consulting the hive mind on this.

I am reading… Fudge Brownie Murder by Joanne Fluke. I finished Six Geese A-Slaying and a couple others by Donna Andrews in the last few weeks as well.

I am hoping… to get everything done this week that needs doing.

I am looking forward to… my Wednesday time to myself.

I am hearing… Jon’s CPAP machine as I’m lying in bed doing this.

Crocheting… a baby gift for a friend and also Daniel’s big boy blankie.

Around the house… silence as I am the only one awake.

A favorite quote for today… “Solid-rock faith allows me to believe that despite the chaos of the present moment, God does reign. Regardless of how worthless I may feel, I truly matter to a God of love. No pain lasts forever, and no evil triumphs in the end.” — today’s devotion in Our Daily Bread.

One of my favorite things… Coke — I can have it again now that Lent is over! (I did falter and have some during Lent, a couple of those times on purpose because I needed the caffeine and sugar while I was driving and/or chasing Daniel.)

A few plans for the rest of the week: phone calls tomorrow, meeting with Daniel’s teacher on Wednesday, and other things as they come up.

A peek into my day… I seriously love being part of a church where worship selfies are an expected part of Easter worship. I’m the short chick with glasses and the hymnal.

My choir and clergy.

Post Script…

It has been an interesting time with the Lutherans, especially in churcbes where they only sing songs they know or try to attract young people by doing “contemporary” music. (Not helping, y’all.) I love this hymn which I learned during my first Easter with the Episcopalians about 20 years ago and it brings me happy memories.

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: March 22, 2015

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY March 22, 2015

Outside my window… dark. It was cloudy this morning and got nice again in the afternoon. I think it was in the 70’s? I missed church this morning because of the weather change. (I freaking love being migraine-prone.)

I am thinking… about the photo book I’m working on for Daniel.

I am thankful… that Daniel is finally asleep. I thought I had gotten him down earlier but I hadn’t and he wandered into the kitchen where I was emptying the dishwasher. When I told him to go back to bed, he went down the hall but kept returning and finally started crying because I wasn’t coming and sitting with him. (I had selfishly decided to make my dinner before heading back to his room because it was 8:40 p.m. and I hadn’t gotten dinner yet.) My mother-in-law gave him some milk (which he shotgunned) and I gave him some cheese. Once he was finished eating, he got up, pushed in his chair, and went back down the hall to his bedroom where he was waiting on his bed in sleep position with the lights on. I forgot to turn off the hall light when I went into his room so he looked at me with a “what-is-wrong-with-these-stupid-people?!?!?!?!?” expression, got up, turned off the hall light, and climbed back into bed.

In the kitchen… dark. I baked cookies for Easter earlier. (We’re having 18 people for Easter so we’re making as much ahead as we can and freezing it.)

I am wearing… green shirt and black sweats.

I am praying for… a call for Jon, for my tax return to come soon, and for a number of special intentions.

I am going… back to Target for my prescriptions tomorrow. We’re apparently eligible for Medicaid based on Jon’s income last year and the insurance they have on file should not have been effective for the last three months so… I get to sort out the mess tomorrow with Blue Shield of California and Covered California. (Oh freaking joy.) At least my meds are cheaper (if not completely free) on Medicaid.

I am wondering… where Jon and I will go for our anniversary tomorrow.

I am reading… Owls Well That Ends Well by Donna Andrews. I finished We’ll Always Have Parrots last Wednesday.

I am hoping… to have the energy to work out and go for walks this week.

I am looking forward to… Thursday when I can hopefully get this editing project behind me.

I am hearing… this song that Jennifer Fulwiler of Conversion Diary recorded with Marie Miller that is based on stories from her readers on their worst experiences with their kids in church.

Around the house… silence. Everyone is sleeping except for Jon and I.

A favorite quote for today… “Some of my students have been shocked to learn that material aid to the poor and disadvantaged is biblically not a matter of sentimental and paternalistic good will but of strict duty and justice. Before the call of God, there is no such thing as a right to a certain standard of living.” — James P. Hanigan

One of my favorite things… mint chip ice cream.

A few plans for the rest of the week: dinner out with Jon tomorrow night, various errands, audiology appointment for Daniel on Wednesday afternoon, working/finishing projects on Thursday, and heading up to San Jose on Saturday.

A peek into my day… Me on my wedding day 13 years ago with some of my mom’s best friends from college whom my father christened “The Broad Squad”. (I also have a picture where they are posing with him and two of them are kissing him on the cheek.)

Me and The Broad Squad

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

7 Quick Takes: Things You Don’t Pick Up About Me Online

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7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

I am incredibly shy. I come across as much more outgoing online than I am in person. I’m polite and usually pretty warm when I meet people but I’m less likely to go up and strike up a conversation with a stranger than most people are.

— 2 —

I talk a lot with my eyes. Unless you’ve seen a video of me posted on Facebook, you probably wouldn’t know that my eyes show a lot more of my mood and how I’m really feeling than my tone of voice does.

— 3 —

My guiltiest pleasure is singing along with the radio when I drive. It’s actually pretty common for me to sing along with CD’s or whatever I’m listening to on the radio when I’m in traffic, given that I have absolutely nobody around here who I feel like I have to impress. It’s how I learn music for church if we’re singing something interesting.

— 4 —

My son Daniel is just slightly over a foot shorter than I am. Daniel will be six in April and he is almost 4 feet tall. I’m 5’1″ so the odds are pretty good that he’ll eclipse me height-wise in the next 2 years. It also really surprises people that I’m so short because I guess I come across as taller online?

— 5 —

When I read, I can usually block out the world around me. One of my favorite things to do is to go curl up at a coffee shop or restaurant and get lost in a book. The only problem: I get so caught up in my reading that I will actually block out people and sound if I’m not careful. We had some parishioners in Montana who got really pissy with me over this so I have to tell people that if they want my attention and I’m not responding, they need to gently touch my hand or my shoulder.

— 6 —

I’m allergic to cats. Yep… I am actually allergic to cats. We found it out right after we adopted Freya and Edda and moved to Minnesota. It’s a mild allergy but Edda sleeping on my chest (her favorite spot) used to make me sniffly and my eyes feel itchy. I’m far more allergic to grass and various pollens (which is why I’m in purgatory at the moment — spring has busted out all over southern California) than I am cats though.

— 7 —

I am addicted to hand sanitizer. I had a preemie so I spent lots of time in the NICU after he was born and in the peds ER and PICU when he got older. When you’re around hospitals that much, you have to wash your hands and put hand sanitizer on every time you leave a room and I got into kind of an OCD habit.

For more Quick Takes, visit Kelly at This Ain’t The Lyceum.

#FiveFaves: Miscellanea (XXX)

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#5Faves

One

People-watching in church. My B.A. in Religious Studies was focused around history and practice of various religions which fit into the fact that I love people-watching. I’ve found that my spot in the choir allows me to watch everyone and see what they do at various times in the liturgy. It’s pretty moving to watch a dad kneeling to light a candle with his 3 year old daughter or to see the guitarist I work with for the Contemporary Service kneeling and praying if he gets to church late. (I also love him because he kneels during all the parts I kneel for and it’s nice not to be the only one searching for a kneeler during the prayers.)

Two

“Hiding in plain sight”. A friend of mine coined this term to describe me sitting at Starbux by myself, listening to my iTunes, and just blocking out the outside world for a bit. It’s something I do on my Wednesdays off.

Three

Coca Cola. I gave it up for Lent but it’s St. Patrick’s Day today and a number of people I know usually relax their Lenten fast today. I ended up getting a Coke while I was out with my mother-in-law because I had a splitting headache from all the atmospheric pressure changes. (Weather-change migraines bite!)

Four

Donna Andrews. I’m reading her Meg Langslow murder mysteries and I am very hopelessly addicted. All of the titles have something to do with birds and the later ones usually involve some play on a saying or the title of an old movie. I’m currently reading We’ll Always Have Parrots.

Five

This Guinness commercial. When I visted Ireland almost 17 years ago, Guinness signs welcomed us into just about every town. I’m not a fan of it but the rest of my family are.

Go love up Melody (our hostess this week while Jenna loves on her behbeh) and the others.

7 Quick Takes: Thank God It’s Almost Friday!

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7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

Because I *TOTALLY* want to start a battle on here today! Seriously, who has natural births these days? It’s, like, so primitive of people. [/snark]

BabyCenter: Why no one should ever throw shade at c-sections

Seriously, I hope y’all can have the birth experience you want and if you didn’t for whatever reason, it doesn’t make you any less of a mama. So please, for the love of all things holy, stop whining about how c-sections are so crappy and unnecessary and going off on how natural birth is *SO* much superior. My c-section was the best birth experience possible: mama lived and baby lived. End of story.

— 2 —

If you send a mom an email… Angie of The Jammie Girl had a delightful post about what happens if you send a mom an email. (It’s a parody of If You Give A Mouse A Cookie.)

— 3 —

Getting Ella some wheels. There has been some crowdsourcing this week to try and get a sport wheelchair for the daughter of blogger Rebecca Frech. Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Texas has been being buttheaded about approving an appropriate wheelchair for Ella and so some bloggers decided to do something about it. Since Rebecca gave up cursing for Lent, people created an online swear jar for the purpose of raising the $$$$ for Ella’s chair. Blue Cross/Blue Shield has since relented (after a brief Twitter campaign) and is working with Rebecca but if you’d like to help out, you can go here.

Kelly of This Ain’t The Lyceum put together a positively *LOVELY* video on the subject (being more than familiar with “negotiating” these things):

— 4 —

Update on the Lenten disciplines. I seriously almost cried yesterday morning because I had a late night on Tuesday night while working on taxes and had to be at Daniel’s school at 8 to meet with the school psychologist about some IEP-related things before heading to Bible study. A can of Coke would have been *REALLY* useful… but I promised Jesus not to consume any until April 5th at midnight. *grumbles* Instead, I stopped at the $tarbux inside one of the local grocery stores and got my iced vanilla latté with whole milk.

The offering up of my day on behalf of someone else has been a blessing as it’s allowing me to try and do something to benefit others even if I don’t have the time and resources to do it in person.

— 5 —

Good customer service. I had to go to Staples on Monday for a new “binder of fun” because the one I use for education was getting too full. When I was checking out, I was having to get my debit card out one-handed because my other hand was holding on to Daniel. The assistant manager took it upon herself to talk to him and try to entertain him while I was doing this. I thanked her for this and she told me that when I come in, he will always be treated like a person.

If you’re in the La Verne area, please go patronize them. 🙂

— 6 —

Plans for my 35th birthday. I turn 35 years old on May 19th and I decided to do a Promise Walk for Preeclampsia instead of getting a mid-life crisis tattoo. Details (and my SUPER-SECRET last name) are here.

And yes, I am *TOTALLY* taking a page from Kelly on this one. 😉

— 7 —

Love. As I was leaving Bible study on Wednesday, one of the women called after me that she hadn’t received her hug. Given that this woman is 94 years old and reminds me so incredibly much of my grandma, I definitely raced back to hug her. She kissed my cheek and told me that she loved me.

My day was totally made. 🙂

For more Quick Takes, visit Kelly at This Ain’t The Lyceum.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: March 9, 2015

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY March 9, 2015

Outside my window… dark. As usual, I’m blogging after midnight. My excuse this time: working on taxes.

I am thinking… about what tomorrow has in store for me.

I am thankful… for the Turbo Tax Home/Business and how it saves me at least $100 every year from not having to pay someone to do my taxes and being able to get my refund immediately (or at least know what I have to render unto Caesar).

In the kitchen… chicken over quinoa tonight.

I am wearing… light grey v-neck shirt and black capri sweats.

I am praying for… a call for Jon, various people per one of my Lenten disciplines, and for a bunch of special intentions.

I am going… to Target in the next few days. It’s probably good I get all the 5% pharmacy reward cards from them for refilling my legion of prescriptions because I give them a healthy chunk of change every week.

I am wondering… how long it will be until Daniel sleeps through the whole night in his own bed without one of us bunking with him.

I am reading… Crouching Buzzard, Laughing Loon by Donna Andrews. I read and finished The Penguin Who Knew Too Much this past weekend.

I am hoping… to be able to sleep soon. I just made myself some peanut butter and bananas and I’m hoping it makes my hunger pangs go away.

I am looking forward to… seeing what people bring for midweek Lenten soup supper on Wednesday night.

I am hearing… Daniel snoring softly.

Around the house… silence as everyone is asleep other than me.

A favorite quote for today… “Christ, who came on earth to teach the ways of sanctity and prayer, could have surrounded himself with ascetics who starved themselves to death and terrified the people with strange antics. But his apostles were workers, fishers, publicans who made themselves conspicuous only by their disregard for most of the intricate network of devotions, ceremonial practices and moral gymnastics of the professionally holy. The surest asceticism is the bitter insecurity and labor of the poor. ” — Thomas Merton

One of my favorite things… peanut butter and bananas.

A few plans for the rest of the week: taking my father-in-law to chemo tomorrow (today?), church stuff on Wednesday, a meeting with the school psych at Daniel’s school on Wednesday morning, and whatever else comes up.

Hosted by The Simple Woman.