TulipGirl

Today was a beautiful day. Ski clear and cool, perfect weather for studying out on the lanai, which I did most of this afternoon. A perfect day. The boys running around playing cops and robbers in the backyard.

And then.

C7 ran in, “It’s important! Alex’s little sister is in the pool!” Not our pool, thank God. But the way he said it, I thought he had just found her there.

I ran outside.

Already a firetruck, ambulance and police were at our neighbor’s house. The medics were moving quickly, so I’m hopeful she has a chance. But I don’t know. I’m scared. A bit panicky. All the neighbors are outside. Stunned. One tells me, “This is enough. When will it end?”

Less than two months ago, another neighbor lost a child. A teenaged boy. The shock, the mourning. The surreality of it all. They are our next door neighbors. I know they are still reeling from it all.

The boys play with Alex. He is 10. I don’t know his family. His little sister is less than 2 years old. The boys don’t know her name. I don’t know how to reach out, how to comfort, how to be in someone’s life in tragedy when I haven’t involved during the normal seasons of life. A friend of mine has been the gentle prodding example of community, within the church and within the neighborhood. Community appeals to me, community invites anxiety within me.

Please pray for Alex, his little sister and their family.

I don’t want this to be a grey autumn.

UPDATE: 10/27 — No news yet from the neighbors. Thank you for your continued prayers.

UPDATE: 10/30 — I haven’t seen the neighbor’s at home. Another neighbor said the little girl was taken to All Children’s Hospital, which I take as both a good and scary sign. Good, in that she’s made it so far. Scary, in that she’s probably having serious complications. Thank you for continuing in prayer for this family, and being encouraging to me as I struggled with the shock and upset.

It’s overcast and rainy this evening. Perfect autumnish weather — or at least as autumnish as we get here in Florida. This is such a yummy recipe that a friend shared with me about a decade ago. It took awhile to hunt it down this afternoon, so now I’m posting it for easy reference.

Bayou’s Hearty Bacon Potato Soup

2 cups cubed potatoes
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup sour cream
1 1/4 cups milk
1 can cream of chicken soup
8 slices bacon, cut in 1-inch pieces
1 (8 oz.) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 1/4 tsp. pepper
1 1/4 tsp. thyme

In 3 quart pan, cook bacon for 5 minutes (longer for crisper bacon). DO NOT DRAIN. Add potatoes and onions and simmer 20 minutes (at this point you MIGHT want to drain a LITTLE of the grease– it was awfully RICH RICH RICH). Add remaining ingredients and cook 10-15 minutes. I sprinkle a little grated cheese over the top. Enjoy!!

Some notes: I’ve modified it a lot at times and it is always good. If I didn’t have cream of chicken soup or sour cream, so I just used milk or yogurt and added a little flour before adding to the potatoes so it was a little more saucy. I’ve added Lipton’s onion soup mix when I’ve had it on hand and I thought it might add a little more flavor. I’ve used fresh green beans instead of corn. And I’ve left out the thyme when I didn’t have any on hand.

This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
His hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father’s world, the birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white, declare their Maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world: He shines in all that’s fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass;
He speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Father’s world. O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world: the battle is not done:
Jesus Who died shall be satisfied,
And earth and Heav’n be one.

This is my Father’s world, dreaming, I see His face.
I ope my eyes, and in glad surprise cry, “The Lord is in this place.”
This is my Father’s world, from the shining courts above,
The Beloved One, His Only Son,
Came—a pledge of deathless love.

This is my Father’s world, should my heart be ever sad?
The lord is King—let the heavens ring. God reigns—let the earth be glad.
This is my Father’s world. Now closer to Heaven bound,
For dear to God is the earth Christ trod.
No place but is holy ground.

This is my Father’s world. I walk a desert lone.
In a bush ablaze to my wondering gaze God makes His glory known.
This is my Father’s world, a wanderer I may roam
Whate’er my lot, it matters not,
My heart is still at home.

– Maltbie D. Babcock / Franklin Sheppard

The other night my nine-year-old called me over to the couch, hymnal in hand, and sang to me.

Mac & Cheese isn’t on our regular meal rotation. I’ve never been good at making it, but my family loves when Hubby’s mom makes it. A few weeks ago we had a delicious surprise, Mrs. E brought us dinner. The family raved and she kindly emailed me the recipe. Now I’m sharing the recipe with you (as well as keeping it easy to access for me.) Did I mention we’re making this for lunch today, too?

*

MACARONI AND CHEESE CASSEROLE

Ingredients:
1 16 oz package elbow macaroni
1 lb cottage cheese
3/4 cup sour cream
1 egg – beat slightly with fork
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons dried onion (or fresh) – optional
1 8 oz package cheddar cheese (grated or shredded)

Method:
Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain. Combine remaining ingredients; pour over noodles and mix well. Bake 45 minutes at 350 – uncovered – or until heated through. Use 9×13 pan. This can be made ahead of time, or frozen.

Notes from Mrs. E: I have made this casserole numerous times: for guests, church dinners, families needing a meal. It it always well-received; and, it’s so easy to make. . . when I made the dish for your family I used a mixture of shredded (mild? or medium?) cheddar, colby and jack cheeses (I think those were the ones.) I think L. says she sometimes adds a little ham.

“Has anyone seen Roots of American Order?” Hubby asked.

J12 and R9 started looking through the shelves.  “It’s the one with the gold cover,” I reminded them.

“Is it the one by Russell Kirk?” C7 asked.

I burst out laughing and affirmed it was.

He scampered off to the bedroom and came back with it.

My kids.  They crack me up.

Just some things I’ve been reading. . . thinking. . .

Immigrant families. . . A few weeks ago, Camille shared a series about her family and then I read about Tom’s grandfather who has recently passed away, and that brought tears to my eyes. When Hubby was working on his thesis, we had so many conversations about transnational migration. Though so many families are very firmly planted in one place, even for generations — moving and migration have been very common throughout history. In our lives, we’re at the 3+ year mark here in Florida. I have itchy feet. I’m not used to living somewhere this long. And yet. . . we’re finally settled in a church, part of a community. I can imagine staying here longer (not forever) and am not sure I’m ready to leave yet.

I like Pandora even more now than when we first discovered it. I’ve been listening to a station called Michael Card and John Michael Talbot today.

If you live in Florida and aren’t registered to vote, you still have one more day. October 6th is the deadline to register to vote in Florida.

I won a special giveaway from Karen Campbell who does the weekly ThatMom podcasts. How fun it is to get a package in the mail! I have the Campbell family cookbook, a handcrafted apron with a comfy neck, a Sally Clarkson book, and three dvds of the first year archives of ThatMom podcasts. How fun!

Our family has been involved in a lot of civic activities this week. The boys had volunteer roles at a grassroots rally on Thursday night (and we stayed after the rally to watch the debate.) This election cycle has been interesting for me, in that there are those in my circles online and in person who share a very many similar views and yet are supporting different candidates this election cycle. In the past, my friends who supported different candidates also had different understandings of basic approaches to life. . . With those friends it seemed as if we had an easier time coming together and discussing or debating issues — even heatedly — and yet easily accepted one another and our differences. This time around it feels different. . . Perhaps because those friends who are vocal about supporting a different candidate share so many other views than in the past? In any event, I’ve been pretty hesitant to post that much about political issues lately (not that some would think so!)

This weekend the two older boys attended the Leadership Institute political action conference. I accompanied them yesterday, and Hubby attended today. They’ve been absorbing it all. One interesting thing, something I felt acutely lacking, was the mention of God’s sovereignty in the realm of culture and politics. Of course, I don’t think it would have been appropriate to be honest. Still it was illuminating to see how much of our thinking in infused in looking to the Providence of God, and rightfully so.

We’ve “inherited” two computers for the boys and their schooling. . . We’re thankful for them and are thinking about how to best utilize them. As our primary desktop was moved into the bedroom when Hubby was working on his thesis, we have the “kitchen office” to set up a work area for the boys. (My Dad bought me a big, beautiful wooden desk. . . oh, maybe 15 years ago? . . . and I still love it.) The desk is big enough to set up both computers and have all four boys work together there. One computer is linux based and the other is windows. I think it is good to have a linux computer in the house — the boys will now be able to develop more geeky skillz. Still, I’m much more comfortable with windows. I think I’m going to be downloading Homeschool Tracker (thanks to Kirstin, referral code 2RNSD) and see whether I can do weekly updates with that and have the boys do daily tracking. I’d be interested in hearing how others have incorporated more computer stuff into their schoolwork.

My nephew is three years old and beautiful.

My cousin is celebrating four years of marriage.

My brother-in-law has started blogging.

Autumn reminds me of how much I miss canning. R9 is asking me to make apple butter with him. I miss Ukraine.

I had a bunch of other misc thoughts on my mind this week. . . but the rest will have to wait for now. The younger boys have asked me to read aloud and I’m off to snuggle with them.