Me and my twenty minute mile~

Today brought me~
A twenty minute mile (sigh)
Yes...it took me twenty minutes to run one mile~
ONE mile~

Of course I did have a helper~

It also brought me lunch with pops.
Greatest man in the world.

He brought me a book.
We share books.  We talk about books.  We dream of writing books.  Well, I dream of writing books...and he...smiles.
He left a message on my answering machine yesterday, (yes, even my father gets it once in a while.  All he said was~


"Here is one for you...just a teaser from this new book"

"Your mind does not know the way

Your heart has already been there

And your soul has never left it.

Welcome home."

Dr.Wayne Dyer

My new book: "The shift"

Mr. Dyer is going to 

Take my life from ambition to meaning~

I sure hope he hurries.

I wonder what he would say about my twenty minute mile.

Dad is taking a trip next week all by his lonesome. Sometimes it makes me sad to think of him driving on a lonely highway.  But he doesn't mind.  In fact, three times a year he goes on a road trip all by his lonesome on purpose.  (Everything he does has a purpose...you really should meet this man.)  Sorry ladies...he has already x-nayed the dating idea.

He goes to remember three occasions:

The day he met my mother

The day he married my mother

And the day my mother was born...April 2 to be exact.

I asked him if he would be okay on this trip. He answered with a quote.  He does that alot.  This would be his answer~

"We shall not cease from exploration

And the end of all our exploring

will be to arrive where we started 

And know the place for the first time."

He borrowed that one from Mr.Dyer. 

I love how he throws me bits of wisdom and lets me marinate in them for a day or two. This quote is intense, but I like it.

I think I will let it marinate.  I will miss him while he is on his trip. I hope in some... simple way he gets to feel mom on her birthday.

The day also brought me a creative moment with my children.  We made animals from two liter bottles for the art festival. 

The house smelled of spray paint and glue...I think it made me high, because I sure was happy.

My good friend just happened to stop by.  PERECT!  Finally I get caught on a good day...But then she saw the animals and the table...and I saw that look in her eye...

that..

I'm such a bad mom...look.

"wow...I don't even get out the play dough" she sighed

Well of course I couldn't let her get away with that...because she is simply one of the most beautiful mothers I have ever known.  Hands down...I couldn't hold a candle to her.

But we do that as women...there is always someone better out there.

I bet she doesn't know I have a twenty minute mile~

Pruning my way back home~

Today I chose

Courage~

courage enough

to let my neighbors see my

icky...sticky...kitchen floor

UnApologetically~
Because I am learning that my love for my neighbors
has nothing to do
with my icky...sticky...floor
or my not so clean carpet~
But it has everything to do with my capacity to love
in the face of my own insecurity~

A while ago I was living in a constant state

of stress and chaos.

Mostly inside of my head

My very noisy mind refused to relinquish its control

over my spirit~

over my soul~

I was tired...so painfully tired everyday...

Everything became nothing~

and nothing became everything~

But then I had a conversation with God~

He told me to prune my tree

That I might grow and produce the fruit of

Honesty

peace and priority~

So one branch at a time~

I pruned back the chaos~

I let go of what I could not control~

And put my Ego to rest~

And day by day

God showed me what was real~

What was meaningful

and what wasn't~

I committed to put first things first~

Family, Friends

and time for quite moments 

to reflect...

on Gods plan for me~

I forgot about myself

and rediscovered...

that which I had all along~

Today I had lunch with my mother in law

We ate mexican food 

and complained about health care and

high fructose corn syrup~

I listened to her views on politics and freedom

as Henry played with the chips and salsa

It felt so right to connect in such a simple way to a woman

that has so much to teach me~

It felt so right to be next to her~

Instead of staying home and mourning for my own mother~

Mom keeps telling me to stop waiting for her to

"show up"

Because there are woman all around me

that want to mother me~

So I will listen

I love you Kathy~

Lunch with Dad Tomorrow

I am one blessed woman~ 

Mr. Fish Fry

Every Sunday

almost

Garrett makes us

Fish

Tilapia preferably~

He learned a secret recipe

on his two month rotation in

The Marshall Islands~

secret...

Because it is the one

thing he does better 

than me in the Kitchen~

I cooked fish one Sunday

The kids asked me to

Never

do it again~

So I make Panni po po

~Bliss~

Would be the word for this

Goey...Chewy...messy

dish~

It is a Samoan coconut roll~

There is truly nothing I love more~

(In the food department that is)

Except...

For Garrett's fish~

Malia

grates the Lemon~

River

Plays with the Roll dough~ 

and

Miss Savannah

makes the fruit Salad~

While

Mr. Henry

Eats it~

~Time to Eat~

bonapetite

Henry

is standing on my guitar case

     Golfing a tennis ball

into his big Yellow  truck

with my last

fly swatter~

Perhaps...

if I wasn't so sleepy...

I would take a picture for you~

but...

your just going to have to use your

Imagination...

and while your at it~

can you imagine me...getting...some

sleep?

357 shades of Green

I took the kids to the park today~

They needed haircuts

Haircuts led to Wendy's

Wendy's led to the park on a very windy day.

Happy meals blew every which way~

I hope I always remember River chasing the napkins in the wind

I so dig that he is not to cool to swing with his baby brother.

I sat on the grass and watched the trees~

It is a sport you know.  Watching Trees...

So very exhausting

I love knowing that soon all of the naked branches

will be dressed

with 357 shades of green.

Thats what mom said~

That there are 357 shades of green

There certainly isn't today~

But tomorrow...

Tomorrow the grey will take it's turn to rest.

It is time for color~

And these are a few of my favorite things~

1~Blue...baby blue

2~Long long walks

3~Long long talks...(with real... raw people~)

4~John Mayer on a sad day

5~Norah Jones on a silly day

6~ My husband on everyday...most everyday (wink)

7~Sticking my head out of a moving train...and feeling the wind in my hair...(just once)

8~Jumping on the tramp with my children...

9~Watching Henry eat chocolate

10~Watching Malia ride her bike

11~Trading music with River

12~Watching Savannah do her hair

13~Exploring new cities~

            Puerta Vallarta...Prague...Vienna...Lahina

14~Discovering old Towns

            Following the dirt roads in Costa Rica...hoping not to get mugged~

            Panquitch...love that old town~

15~Garrett's eyes...when he first walks out of the ocean, with surf board in hand...happiest eyes in the world.

16~Making sand castles with my babies

17~Pretending I am a singer when no one is home

18~Laying on my back and watching the stars~

            That soy field in Missouri...just me and Garrett and our blanket

            In the pasture, by the river with a full moon at the ranch

19~The ranch...of course the ranch~

            The winding river, riding the horses at full throttle, wild flowers in the spring, the swallows nests that dangle along the cliffs...good books by the old fire...the reminder of who I am...ya...I am strong after all...I am a Henrie.

20~Writing

            Someday...so much more 

21~Oh ya...and Blue Birds...

           

            

The Prayer of a Writer~

Lord of all things, whose wondrous gifts to man

Include the shining symbols known as words,

Grant that I may use their mighty power

Only for good. Help me pass on

Small fragments of your wisdom, truth, and love.

Teach me to touch the unseen, lonely heart

With laughter, or the quick release of tears.

Let me portray the courage that endures

Defiant in the face of pain or death;

The kindness and the gentleness of those

Who fight against the anger of the world;

The beauty hidden in the smallest things;

The mystery, the wonder of it all...

Open my ears, my eyes; unlock my heart.

Speak through me, Lord if it be your will. Amen

Note To Self~

Dear Holly

From this day forward you will write. Not for the sake of writing alone, but for the sake of observing. Observing that which you have been blinded to.

Open your eyes, it is okay, you are safe now...look..love...listen and never... ever forget, as you once did, that everything in this life is a miricle.

You have forgotton to be brave. Brave enouph to speak the unspoken...to see the unseen...to feel that which, until now, has been "unfeelable".

You have been asleep far to long my friend.

Wake up. It's a new day. Its a new dawn.

There is still ink in the pen~

I just wanted to share something near to my heart.  When Garrett & I were in Hawaii, just after our Malia was born, we went to Manoa falls.  Manoa falls is  nestled in the jungle above Manoa.

  It is one of the most beautiful falls I have seen.  Any way, we were all standing in the pool underneath the falls, and I saw a white bird swoop down, I am not sure how I can explain such a moment, but it was the purest joy I have ever felt.  Just me and my beautiful family wrapped inside of Gods beauty.

Anyway, months later I had to run to the flea market and I stumbled upon a small post card like painting, It brought me back to that beautiful moment at Manoa falls.  I have spent some time trying to find the original artist but could not.  So I asked my friend Shannon to paint it for me.  Because of the size, it took her over a year.  It was truly a work of love,  and I thank Shannon and the original artist wherever you are for creating a place in my home, where I can always hold that moment precious. 

Henry turns two!

Costa Rica

This is Garretts expression after taking a 3 hour tour :) to the border of Nicaragua to surf at "Olly's" point, (discovered when Oliver North was trading weapons with the nicaraguans).  Any way, this was a dream come true for him...I love his happy smile.
Garrett indulged me as well, with horseback riding and...a visit to the Nosara institute of yoga.  He even pretended to like it:)  What do you think of his beautiful balance:)
Hands down most romantic ride ever.  If only the ranch had a beach!
This shell literally washed up to my feet, I just sat in wonder staring at it for hours and then realized that the shell was me, fragile and delicate after the last few years of being tossed about in the roaring waves...but still intact, thanks to my best friend and companion...and my father in Heavan.
Have you ever tried to kiss on two seprate horses...now that takes talent:)
This is was our little green love shack:)

Deep thoughts....

Today, I watched the inauguration.  I found it simply overwhelming.  I have always been a bit of a fence sitter when it comes to politics, too annoyed and disturbed by all the chaos to let myself in.

Yet, a pride swelled in my heart as our Nation, once again followed the traditions of their forefathers and were called to remember the principles that our nation was founded upon.  Soon, as always, we brace ourselves for more battering and rhetoric, but today...I was just grateful to be an American.  I found myself wanting to be a ripple in the lake that makes this country so beautiful.  

And as I change diapers and quiz spelling words with each child I am throwing a ripple out there to a world that is sure to be tried...but rooted in the simplicity of motherhood, family and God.

I am proud to be an American.

River meets Alexander graham Bell

This week River and I have painstakingly prepared a report for his wax museum report/presentation on Alexander Grahm Bell.  I found it amusing that such a man as Bell hated school too!  I found myself wondering if his mother paved his path to greatness with the stones of her worry, or if she saw the greatness in him all along and simply just loved what was.

I wonder if she gave him daily speeches about "This moment, this very moment...is the rest of your life blah blah blah?  Or perhaps did she just get that he would grow into his destiny one stone at a time between the morters of his mistakes and success alike?  Did she see the telephone in him on all of those days she could barely get him to study?

Or how about Einstien...I can't even spell his name...but I think about his mother a lot too.  He was a bit much for the classroom as well, so his dear mother pulled him out and schooled him herself.  Did she too, have days of wonder and worry alike.

It seems to me that life comes in bundles of burden and blessing,  paralleling a path that God has designed for us.  And in this new phase of parenting, I am trying to balance my role as a mother with wisdom enough to know when to push and know when to let go and let God.

For now I simply want to celebrate him, my little toddler that made robots out of p.v.c pipes and knew the size of every engine in every car ever made by the time he was four.  I want to celebrate his humanity  and kindness that he shows to everyone, his thoughtful reflections and boisterous opinions all in a package specially delivered to me and Garrett!  We love you River...And yes...you have to study your spelling tomorrow:)

Let the bluebirds come

In a series of beautiful and tender mercies, way to complex to share, the blue bird has become our family motto.  

It is a simple expression that miracles happen if we wait upon the Lord and trust in his timing.  Which, we have also learned the hard way, does happen.  My late mentor Jerry Edwards once explained in a simple story just how.

There was once a women in the hospital who absent mindedly set her diamond ring on her feeding tray.  And after a clumsy moment during the night, she bumped it in the garbage can.  She was to weak to bend down and get it, and assumed she could have the nurse dig it out in the morning.  But sometime after an unexpected sleep, the garbage can had been emptied and her precious wedding ring gone. 

 The Janitor was called and faithfully committed to her that he would find it.  Some, (like myself) would call this an unrealistic commitment.  Even if every last garbage dumpster was searched, how could it possibly be found?  After a day of anxious waiting, the lady took pity on the devoted janitor and told him to go home, that the ring was simply not to be found.  But he would not give up.  And finally in the very last dumpster rolling amidst the food scraps and smoltering stench, was the diamond ring.  When he presented the ring to the speechless woman.  He simply said, "Mam, miracles happen, but there usually in the last garbage can." 

And that pretty much sums up our year.  

My friend Kelly's new year's goal was for me to have a blog.  I have always been a bit skeptical of blogging.  Until I recognized it as a way to celebrate the ones I love and express my gratitude for the role they play in my family's life. And I must confess, I am exited to share our growth in good times and bad with those we love.

So here is to you Kelly...Check this one off your list:)

The smith ohana

sending our love your way