It's baseball season again!

Joel had his first baseball scrimmage today and his team won by a LOT! I don't even know the final score but Joel said it was something like 16-3. He played center field. He was walked twice and each time, he stole his way around the bases to score. When Joel runs the bases, he hustles like crazy and smiles all the way. His other at bats were a bunt into a force out and pop up to the infield, so no hits today, but we'll take the stolen bases. Way to go Joel!

And if you fall asleep on our porch...

If we babysit for you....

your children might just end up in the movies.

Memorial Garden

Walk down the steps between the beds at the entry...



through the old iron gate...



and then make sure you slow your pace. You must stroll at least two or three times around the garden...



lingering at the waterfall to watch the birds.





Take in the wide sweeps of color...



and look at plants thoughtfully juxtaposed.



Look closely...



consider individuals...



and masses.



Inspect tree trunks...



curving rock borders....



and the play of sunlight and shade on blossom and leaf.



Whatever you do, make the time to go, and then take plenty of time to enjoy this treasure.



After your garden visit (and if you don't live near Concord, I hope you'll find a beautiful garden to visit this spring), go home and read Luke, Chapter 12. That's what I did. While I was in the garden, I kept thinking about words from this chapter, "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?" and "Consider the ravens" and "Consider the lilies". It is good to consider these treasures of nature, gifts from a loving Creator God. It is even better if your considering leads you to value the One who is the greatest treasure of all, Jesus Christ. The garden is beautiful. It is glorious, but it pales in comparison to His incomparable beauty and glory. I am thinking a lot about that while I enjoy the delights of spring.

Yes, the tulips are blooming

Some places are special. Memorial Garden is one of those places. If you live near Concord, NC, do not let this week pass by without visiting this treasure of a garden on Spring Street.

When you walk in through the gate, you enter a spring wonderland. Many of the spring flowers are in full,glorious bloom this week - tulips, dogwoods, azaleas, pansies, lenten roses, cherry trees, and more. Not all of the tulips in the massed display by the fountain are open, some of the hyacinths are still scenting the air but their beauty has faded a bit, and of course, the daffodils are gone, but you will not be disappointed. In fact, if you do not marvel at the beauty and wonder of this little corner of God's creation, tended by the loving hands of some incredible gardeners...well, then I will think your senses have been sadly dulled. I promise, if you go this week, you are in for a treat. Here are a few pictures to whet your appetite. (More tomorrow when I can use a fast internet connection!)

Memorial Garden, as the name implies,is a cemetery. The old gravestones lend a sense of dignity and quiet to the spot. The large oaks in the garden provide dappled shade for the smaller flowering trees - dogwoods, and ornamental cherries - and the Japanese maples, with their twisted trunks and finely cut leaves.



The garden includes several fountains. My favorite water feature is the small, rock lined waterfall with a statue of St. Francis at the top. The flowing water seems to invite birds to bathe. While I stood looking at the flowers surrounding the waterfall, I watched first a sparrow, then a rufous sided towhee, then a thrush splash and drink.



There are different types of plantings in the garden. I love the mixed plantings that combine flowers of different types and colors. The head gardener who designs these combination beds mixes color and form in ways I only wish I could dream up for my own garden. I love the way he tucks specimen tulips in among pansies next to a masses of lenten roses against a backdrop of azaleas with a flowering cherry overhead. Stunning!



And then there are the massed plantings of tulips - the ones you come around a corner and see and gasp at in delight at the sheer beauty of that many flowers of the same color all blooming at the same time. Stunning in a very different way. Around the fountain, only one of the four beds of red tulips is in full bloom, but the others will be blooming in the next few days, I expect. There is also a less formal bed of white tulips with a curved, rock lined border. It's my favorite large group of monochromatic tulips. But you'll have to wait til tomorrow for a picture because it's time for bed now. I think I will be dreaming flowers tonight!

Good news on Thomas

No surgery! We saw the orthopedic surgeon this morning and his opinion is that surgery is not warranted. Because Thomas is young and healthy, and because of the location of the injury and the good blood supply in that area, it is likely that the MCL and meniscal tear will heal in time. So, T will keep using the brace for awhile, try to increase his motion slowly, and see the doc again in three weeks. That was welcome news for which we are very thankful.

I'm headed back up to Concord in a little while for the boys' drama class. I'm going to spend the time at Memorial Garden and take Coty's new camera. I think this is probably the prettiest bloomin' week of the whole year so I hope I can take some good pictures of this glorious little treasure of a garden tucked right behind Union Street. I'll let you know if the tulips at MG are out yet

Visiting Granddaddy and Mamliz

We've had a very nice day visiting Granddaddy and Mamaliz (my parents). We drove down last night and listened to the Carolina/Georgetown game on the way. Sad, very sad. My predictions were already shot. I don't know if I have anyone left in the final brackets! But I digress...When we arrived here we were treated to a wonderful salmon dinner and enjoyed the evening.

This morning, Andrew, Coty and I went to Furman University for an admissions visit. The campus was lovely and we had a good time. Andrew likes Furman and I expect will apply there in addition to a few other places. Still lots of time to decide!

We spent the afternoon working in the yard, mostly pruning and raking. Working in the yard is relaxing for me. Mama kept saying, "You don't need to do that," but I was so happy to be able to be outside and do something productive. I love how you can see the results of your work when prune and rake. My mom humored me and even let me prune the aucubas. I've been wanting to do that for awhile. I saved some cuttings to bring home and root. We also did some weed pulling and general clean up and had a lovely time.

Coty's had fun playing basketball with the boys (when we weren't doing yard work) and doing Sodoku puzzles. So, it's been a relaxing day for him, too.

In a few minutes, we're headed out to a Japanese steak house - you know one of those places where they juggle the knives and cook in front of you. The boys have never been to one so this will be a treat for them. We'll head home after that and be back before too late.

Tomorrow is Thomas's appointment with the knee surgeon. Thanks for your continued prayers for wisdom for us and for the surgeon. We'll keep you posted.

More words on Thomas...

Well we're back from the doctor and here's the good news:

There is no osteochondral lesion
There is no evidence of popliteal cyst
There is no evidence of chondromalacia patella
His articular cartialge appears intact and best of all
Thomas's Hoffa's fat appears normal (Rob, aren't you glad!)

Now for the bad news:

There is a very small peripheral tear not extending to articular surface in the posterior horn medial meniscus. There is also marrow edema in the posterior medial tibial plateau without fracture. Bone contusion suspected.

What that means:

Thomas has to see a knee surgeon to determine whether the meniscal tear warrants surgery or can be treated more conservatively with a brace. We go next Tuesday. Meanwhile, he's wearing a brace to stabilize his knee and going to the Daughtry concert in Greensboro tonight with friends. (Don't worry, he's not driving - a friend's mom is). Stay tuned for more on the knee next week!

PS...I'm very glad for a wonderful doctor who patiently and carefully explains all the medical lingo. I'm learning a lot about knees!

Hearing a hero

I'm excited about tonight. We're all going to the Perspectives class to hear Joanne Shetler speak. Several years ago we read her book, And the Word Came with Power. It is the riveting story of her life among the Balangao people of the northern Philippines, the translation of the scriptures into the Balangao language, and the transformation that resulted. What a privilege to get to hear her in person! Having just sent off their applications for a Wycliffe trip to Burkina Faso this summer, I know Thomas and Andrew will benefit from this opportunity to hear a hero.

You can read the transcript of her Urbana '84 address here.

Brrrrrrrrr!

He did it. Coty took the first (very short) dip in the pool. The water temperature was actually 53! A walk across the shallow end and back was all he could take today. With the cover off and the sun on the water, though, the pool will warm up and he'll be pool running soon!

51 years young......sometimes!

Yesterday was Coty's 51st birthday. We had a quiet family celebration and just enjoyed sharing the day with our special husband and dad. Today he has spent the day opening the pool. Yeah!!!! He is very happy about again being able to pursue his youthful passion for vigorous, aerobic exercise in the way that is the least pounding on his not so youthful knee joints. As I type he has just put on his bathing suit and is heading downstairs to go in the pool. The water temperature at present is 51 degrees. Gotta run. I want to see my polar bear husband in action!

The word on Thomas...

is that he has a partially torn MCL (medial collateral ligament) and possibly a tear in the meniscus (connective tissue between the bones of the knee). He is scheduled for an MRI on Tuesday and a follow-up with the sports medicine doc after that. He's not in too much pain, thankfully, and is faithfully icing his knee and keeping it elevated. We'll know from the MRI how bad the tear is and whether or not it will require surgery. He will certainly have to wear a brace for a while and he'll get fitted for that next week. I'm still glad we went skiing and he is, too, but I bet he won't be exploring lesser traveled trails through the woods again...but then again, this is Thomas, so I wouldn't bet on that!

Ski day

We made our trip to Appalachian to ski on Monday. What a glorious day for gliding down the slopes. The boys encouraged me to ski - I was undecided til we got there. I am so glad I listened to them. The temperature made it up to the high 50's so riding up on the chair lift in the sunshine was deliciously warm. All I needed for warmth was my lightweight fleece. The boys skied in their shirtsleeves and after lunch, Joel even took off his wind pants and skied in shorts. He wins the unconventional ski outfit award.

It always amazes me how my body remembers what to do when I get skis on. I come off the lift and don't really have to think too hard about how to shift my weight to turn or how to slow down to avoid hitting a wayward snowboarder! I do notice that turning hard puts more stress on my knees than it used to, so I stick to the easier slopes and avoid the black diamonds. I also enjoy making my way down the mountain with wide turns and sweeps across the slope. No barreling straight down for me. I'll leave that to Matthew, who I think wins the speed prize this year.

Andrew wins the sunburn prize. He forgot the sunscreen and has a great raccoon sunburn and a very red neck.

Thomas wins the daredevil award...though I expect he is now wishing the prize was not so painful. He fell late in the day while taking a trail less traveled. His leg landed across a small downed tree and he twisted his knee pretty badly. He is now spending his time with his leg elevated and an ice bag strapped onto his knee with an ace bandage. He sees the sports injury doc on Friday. We're praying it's not too bad.

Coty's ski day was spent outside on the lodge deck, watching us ski, reading, and napping in the sun. He doesn't trust his knees anymore to try downhill. He'd rather save them for walking and pool running (which by the way will start soon. Pool opening date is scheduled for next Monday. I think Coty probably wins polar bear pool runner award - he's not competing for any ski awards).

We're so glad our friends, the Leaders, were able to join us for the day. Sharon and the girls stayed til after our picnic lunch on the lodge deck, and Ty spent the rest of the afternoon with us, getting better and better with each run down the hill. All the guys were wiped out at the end of the day and when we looked back at the backseat on the drive down 321 we saw Ty, Matthew, and Joel sacked out. They woke up just fine when we stopped for pizza, though! All day skiers are never too tired to eat.

I'm so thankful for the opportunity to get away and spend a day together like we did on Monday. I'm thankful that Joel kept asking and asking this winter when we were going to go skiing and never gave up on the prospect. I'm thankful for sons who encourage their mom to "go for it". I'm thankful that Coty is careful to take care of his knees, forgoing downhill skiing which he'd probably really enjoy, for the greater good of being able to continue exercising over the long haul, and that he still enjoys the time just as much as the rest of us, cheering us on from the lodge deck, taking pictures, and enjoying the fresh air, sunshine, and change of pace. What a great yearly tradition this has become for all of us!


The Orchard Run trail - one of our favorites

Visits from friends

We had the great privilege this week of having David Livingstone in our home all week. He came to preach for us last Sunday and to speak at Perspectives on Monday and Tuesday nights. He was scheduled to return to Minneapolis on Wednesday, but stayed here in order to attend the funeral of John Piper's father in Greenville on Friday.

I always enjoy having David with us. He is a big tease ("dirtball" and "scumbag" were words floating around our house this week...all in fun, all in fun). My boys figure that since he only has daughters, he never gets to speak this way at home. He fit right in with our guys that lovingly call each other "fat pig." (Sorry if you are shocked at this language - I assure you such words are never used as putdowns, but in this house of boys who love to tease each other, they are sort of terms of endearment!)

David pastors Coty and me by listening and asking good questions. He reminds our boys to thank their mother and appreciate their father's investment of time in reading aloud. He is an example and an encouragement. This week he laughed and discussed with us the exploits of Dicken's characters in A Tale of Two Cities, our current read-aloud.

On Tuesday morning when we got word of Bill Piper's death, we gathered around the table with David and our guys and and read Pastor John's email about the events of the night before. It was a solemn moment of reflection with a few tears. We were thinking not only of the death of Pastor John's father, but of our own recent loss of our dear friend, Linda. It was balm to me to hear David ask God to help our boys always remember these family moments when we grieve yet rejoice, to pray that such moments would be reminders to them of God's work in the lives of his saints, reminders that would keep their faith firm when they are tempted to stray.

As I sit here and think about it now, I hang on to that Tuesday morning time around the table as a treasured Ebenezer stone. We have gone through some sad days here lately but we have seen the mighty and wise hand of God at work.

Today we had some more visitors. John, Noel, and Talitha Piper slipped in just as our service was starting this morning and worshiped with us before heading to the airport for their return flight to Minneapolis. What a joy to have someone who has meant so much to us personally and to our church corporately be able to worship with us and pray for us at the end of our service. Thanks John, Noel, and Talitha for taking the time and trouble to make it to DGCC this morning. It was a blessing.

After the events of the week and the short night, we felt pretty tired (don't you just hate the "spring forward" night - I do). After church, we enjoyed a very laid back afternoon - a casual, spur-of-the-moment sandwich and chip lunch with the Balbuenas and Martha and drop-in visits from the Alvarezes and Rob. The porch was the perfect spot to relax, visit, and rest. Coty and Fred both fell asleep after sandwiches and before ice cream. (This was captured on film by a stealthy son so stay tuned for some fun with that!). The porch swing got plenty of use this warm afternoon.

We will all sleep well tonight, Lord willing, and be up early tomorrow for our annual day of skiing. We make a trip once every winter up to Appalachian Ski Mountain on one of their homeschool ski days. This is the last chance for this year. The snow may be a bit slushy, but the guys won't mind. I expect they'll be skiing in shirt sleeves. Love that NC spring skiing! I haven't decided whether or not I'll hit the slopes or sit on the lodge deck in the sun and read.

These past two weeks have been so full. There is much to process, much to reflect on and though I want to do that, my brain feels tired and my energy level, quite low. So this may be another quiet week on the blog. I continue to appreciate all the ways many of you who read this blog have supported me, and I continue to covet your prayers. Yesterday I kept thinking "press on, press on." Thanks for the ways you help me to do that.

Saturday morning

This has been quite a week. I am thankful for all the sweet folks who have asked me, with compassion, how I was doing. They knew that Linda was a very dear friend. I am thankful that they have allowed me to talk and cry with them, to smile and laugh. It's been that kind of week...a roller coaster of emotions. One minute I'm fine and the next minute, my body shakes and the tears spill out.

If I feel this way, having known Linda only four short years, I know that her family feels it so much more. I can hardly imagine. Please continue to pray with me for Court, Rick, Nathan, Heather, Clyde, Phyllis, Diane and the rest of this dear family.

This morning has dawned sunny and fresh. I heard an owl while I was lying in bed earlier. I've got a full day ahead of cleaning, cooking, and gardening. Our friend, David Livingstone, from Bethlehem Baptist, is on his way. David has been here every year about this time, to preach at DGCC and speak at Perspectives. It is a special joy to have him in our home for the days that he visits each year. Our breakfast reading and conversations are enlivened with his questions and comments. And he gets to taste life with boys for a while (he has only daughters). He is always amazed at the difference in noise level at our house!

I've got red beans cooking on the stove right now and their earthy fragrance is filling the house. Later I'll bake some bread and get whole wheat rolls made and in the freezer so I can pull them out in the morning to rise while we're at church. (That's a great trick I learned from Martha. If I freeze the rolls overnight and take them out before I leave for church on Sunday morning, they are ready to pop in the oven as soon as I get home and we have fresh, hot rolls for Sunday lunch). I'm also going to make a curry and cook some soup to serve early in the week.

Later in the day when it warms up, I'm going outside. I want to plant some lettuce and spinach in the newly cleaned terrace beds and if I have enough time, I may move my compost bin and spread the ready made stuff on the back garden beds. I still have pansies to deadhead and a couple of herbs that I dug from my dad's garden that have been sitting in pots, to plant in the ground. The Meyer lemon tree that has spent the winter in the kitchen may get moved to the deck today, but I'll have to watch the temps to make sure it doesn't get frosted.

Life moves on, even as I feel and reflect on the death of my friend. I think about all the times Linda showed me the courage to live life, to do the mundane jobs of laundry, budgeting, cleaning, as the Lord gave her strength, in the midst of her battle with cancer. Somehow, it is a comfort and a solace to have jobs to do today.