Decorating for Christmas

It is that time of year again, CHRISTMAS!

Thoughts on Anger and the Setting Sun

You know what I love? I love when I can talk with people about difficult subjects and not feel offended, hurt, or affronted. Even if we cannot come to a solution, it is very beneficial to flesh out an issue together and share with openness and respect. Unfortunately, being able to speak in a rational manner about subjects I am upset or passionate about does not come easily. I do not usually arrive at such a setting without removing myself from any debate of the issue for several days. Am I the only one who is so bull-headed?

Several months ago, I blogged about a verse that was speaking to me about being silent. And waiting to speak. I want to expand on that today. For some reason when I was newly married, the oft-quoted verse about not letting the sun go down on your anger (Ephesians 4:26) made me believe that if we went to bed with a matter unresolved we were failing to follow the scriptural commands contained in that verse. So, I thought we had to stay up and discuss it until we came to a happy conclusion. Bad idea! We were already cranky, and tired, and staying up any later was just going to accentuate both of those components. My silly mind was not comprehending what God was really trying to tell me: Work on yourself! Check your anger! Seek My face and lay the issue at my feet before you even think about discussing it again. Why had I been so misguided in my thoughts on the verse? I think because I saw what I wanted to see. I wanted to talk the issue to death, to come to a "conclusion", to have happy feelings again. I didn't want to suffer through a few days of disharmony to get there. And perhaps, I even wanted to win the argument. (Okay, maybe not perhaps.)

Hold Me, Daddy

When you're a dad you see this a lot:

I mean - A LOT. Daddy, hold me. Daddy, carry me. Hold me, Daddy, please. When you pull in the garage. When you're at the store. When you're walking down stairs. When you're getting dinner ready. After dinner when you're doing the dishes. And after most bumps, scraps, bruises, hurt feelings, disappointments and just because - hold me, Daddy.

Sisters Chat About Thanksgiving

Maude: I thought we'd talk this week about Thanksgiving (since it was yesterday!)

Esther: cool beans

Maude: First, what do you normally have for Thanksgiving dinner?

turkey, obviously

Lizzi: Cranberry sauce!

Maude: yuck, Liz.

Lizzi: :)

Esther: mashed potatoes!!

Maude: Real stuffing (not the stuff from the box)!!

yummy

Esther: I love stuffing

Lizzi: I don't like green bean casserole, Maude, so I guess we're even

Maude: Hmm, green bean casserole!

Esther: and mashed potatoes

Maude: You're weird, Lizzi.

Lizzi: Yeah, stuffing!

Esther: cannot decide which I love more

Lizzi: Me too

(to Esther)

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Today at the O'Brien Household - it is bustling!  Everyone is home but one of us... "Lizzi, we miss you!  And your three sweet guys!"

We spent all last night cooking and setting up tables, talking and sharing.  Most of us were up until around 1 am.  This morning Mom finished up while the rest of us went to H.'s house to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and eat cinnamon rolls.  We will eat our Thanksgiving meal at 1 pm.  Much earlier than we usually do to help with some of the siblings' in-laws' Thanksgiving plans.

A lot of Thankfulness

After we eat our long anticipated Thanksgiving dinner Mom has us go around and say what we all our thankful for.  Knowing that this is coming I have been thinking, and writing down what I am thankful for.  I have found that the list is extensive.  Once you sit and actually take the time to think and just  have eyes to see what there is to be thankful for the list just goes on and on.  From my big windows in my living room to see all the beauty that surrounds my home, to having my family reunited by my husbands homecoming, to having ears to hear music and my sons laughter, taste buds, legs for walking, friendships, coffee, and as I sit in the craziness of my Mothers home with kids running around, siblings catching up, pancakes on the stove top,  I am very thankful. I am thankful for the circumstance, situation, and people the Lord has graced me to be surrounded by.

Better than Sliced Bread!

Thanksgiving is just a couple days away, so I thought I would share a scrumptious bread recipe that I have recently enjoyed making for my family. It is tasty and nutritious, and the finished product looks

pretty! The recipe calls for molasses, but the taste is not strong at all. I also added a couple tablespoons of milled flax seed to mine since I already had it on-hand.

Famous Sisters

Let's play a game.

Name famous sisters (and I don't mean nuns!) both today and throughout history.  But you CANNOT google them (or use any other search engine) - that is cheating!  This list must be from your own head or from someone you talk to.

Sisters chat: about what they are thankful for

Esther: okay
well, today I thought we would talk about what we are thankful for since it is the Friday before Thanksgiving

What is something you are specifically thankful for in Nature?

Lizzi:  Good question!

I am thankful for the seasons

Each one I am in becomes my favorite!

And they all have their unique beauty

and the memories that come with the season changes are wonderful!
Maude: For snow and rain.
Esther: I am thankful for trees! I think anything is more beautiful if there are trees by it. Homes, streets, parks ect. I have a special place in my heart for Trees
Lizzi:  For sure

Maude:  Me too - I love trees.  "I think that I shall never see a poem as lovely as a tree..." - I love that poem.
Esther:  if I had to choose a favorite of all creation it would be trees.

A New (To Me!) Thanksgiving Dish

While scouring the internet for some different dinner options a while back I came across a recipe for Cauliflower "Mac" and Cheese Casserole.  It is supposed to be similar to Macaroni and Cheese but using cauliflower instead of pasta which makes it low-carb friendly.  When I saw that it included one cup of heavy cream I knew it would be good!

When I prepared it for my family, my husband was a little skeptical but after trying it he announced, "This is as good as Green Bean Casserole - maybe better - we should have this at Thanksgiving."  Green Bean Casserole is one of my husband's favourite side dishes so I knew he was a fan.

Making a house a home

I have recently been getting into decorating.  I have had a list of things I have wanted to "get done" before my husband got (so nice to be able to say that in past tense)  home from Iraq.  I wanted him to come home to a cozy, settled, warm,  kind of a home.  I never knew how much I would enjoy doing it all!  In our old apartment I really tried to decorate and make it homey but I think with this new place I (finally) found the "feel" our home is supposed to have.  I think oftentimes you may think (as I did) that it costs too much money to make your home "homey" but that is simply not true! Just get a little creative (believe me it doesn't take too much creativity because I don't have much!)

Book Review- My Grandfather's Son

I have just finished reading a book that is one highly worthy of recommendation. I have also decided that it will be required reading for my children when they reach the age to understand the assignment. The book is 'My Grandfather's Son' by Clarence Thomas, one of the Associate Justices of the United States Supreme Court. I had been introduced to the book's premise through an interview with Justice Thomas that I read in Hillsdale College's 'Imprimis' newsletter. It is fascinating, not only because of the hard-working and determined nature he exhibits, and the incredible feats he accomplishes in his life, but also because of the great impact his grandfather's influence made in his life.


It was captivating to read about his journey from destitute beginnings in Pin Point, Georgia, dealing with the trappings of racial degradation, and observing how his grandfather, patriotic amidst discrimination, refused to let young Clarence sit idle. He was very tough on him, not accepting any excuse or delay in obedience. But I believe, (and so does Justice Thomas) that this man's example was what enabled Clarence Thomas to press on amidst his life's greatest challenges and adversity.

New Fathers Over Forty

Our guest blogger this week is Jim, our brother-in-law.  He is married to our oldest sister who was born second of the ten. 

I am the father of three wonderful boys. G. (age 5), M. (age 4) and L. (age 2).

I know having three children is no great achievement. I also know that, in itself, simply being a father is not all that difficult for most. However, my story is a little different. See, I became a father for the first time when I was 40 years old.

I have been married to my beautiful wife, H., for just a little over eight years. We got married when I was 38 years old. Until that time, I was a bachelor of the highest degree and had held firmly to some sage advice offered up by my mother when I was about 25 and having some "girl trouble." She said, "Jim, when it comes to marriage, wait until you're 30 and then forget about it." So that is exactly what I did.

Then, as always seems to happen in the movies and romance novels, love hit me square in the face. It was like Mike Tyson bringing a left hook somewhere out of Cleveland and meeting my jaw square on. But I digress. The intent of this article is not to discuss my love life or the beautiful marriage which has blessed us with our boys.

I want to be an ambassador for the other New Fathers Over Forty and share some wisdom, lessons and techniques from being a non-traditional (read OLDER) dad.  The following is how I came to realize that my experience would be a little different:

A Sisters' Visit

Lizzi and Maude actually got to visit in person this week!!  Yeah!!

Maude:  Last Saturday Lizzi and I were able to spend the day together.  It is very nice that she lives an hour from my in-laws so when I am in Washington visiting them I get to see her too!  We had a nice time just letting our four little guys play together while we talked.  Her boys are so sweet!  Her oldest (2 /2 years old) was so hug-able and loved cuddling with me and he and Maeva would just walk up to each other and hug - SOO CUTE!  And her little guy was darling with the sweetest smile around and such round little cheeks.  I love my nephews.

We talked about everything - catching up, comparing mothering notes, and current events.  She and I are the most politically/socially minded girls in the family (we've one brother who is extremely interested too!) so it is always fun to share our opinions about the problems (and our solutions!) to issues facing our country or world today.

Separation

Who is that one person in your life that is the most special to you?  Who brings you the most happiness?  Who, if you had to be separated for a long time (maybe even the rest of your life), would you grieve the most over?

Whether separation is from divorce, death, deployment or happenstance it is horrible.  The grief of being parted from the one that you love with all of your heart is inconsolable.  Depression, loneliness, feelings of abandonment and not feeling loved coupled with the inevitable day-to-day changes to your life from the missing person make separation seem like a living hell.

Beets are the new thing

I mainly go to Farmers Markets for my produce.  This time of year you will mainly find good, hardy, root vegetables; which I love!  However, I am not quite as good at finding good diverse ways to use my root veggies, but I am beginning to branch out.  It has been fun for me to try new things. I have discovered that I absolutely love beets, who woulda' thunk it?  I roast them, stir fry them, and put them in soups, yummmy! They are strangely sweet, but still has that earthy texture going on. I just love them, and so does my son, which is wonderful since it is packed full of goodness.

Learning from Sickness

Sickness is moving through my family. Again. This is the third wave we've had in as many weeks. I am gearing up for an ongoing battle with colds and flus as the fall progresses and turns into winter. So, as I deal with these unavoidables, I am trying to search out the tidbits to be thankful for, and focusing on keeping my heart glad, instead of wallowing in the grumpiness and isolation that accompanies times of sickness. This is not an easy task, especially for me. I am not a very understanding caregiver. I grow impatient with fussiness, worn down with nighttime duties, and forget to give the extra TLC that an ill person needs.

My mother was never that way. Even while raising ten children, and dealing with the distractions they contribute to, she always made the sick person feel specially cared for. We would get snuggled up on the couch (where she could watch us closely) and she would ask us what she could make us to eat that might taste good to our sick little bodies. She would deliver the tea and toast (or whatever else) to us, along with a cool washcloth if we were feverish, and she would sit with us and stroke our hair. My mom never had much time to sit down, but it never felt that way when she took care of us. Our needs always came before her own.

Memory Monday - Sister Cousins

Growing up, Katharine, Lizzi and I loved hanging out with our cousins close in age, Sara and Rachel.  Esther loved hanging out with their little sister, Abbi.  As we got older we all spent more time together, both us older girls and the younger ones.


L ro R: Katharine, Rachel, Maude, Lizzi and Sara about 13 years ago.

Sisters Chat About Where They Live

Maude: ‬ ‪We each live in different parts of the country and I thought it would be fun to explore our regions a little bit. 

‪Lizzi: ‬ ‪That's a great idea!‬

‪Maude: ‬ ‪I live in Virginia, Lizzi lives in Washington, and Esther lives in Kentucky but we all grew up in Ohio.‬

Virginia is obviously the South.

Washington is the northwest

And Kentucky could be considered part of several different regions.

Ohio is the north (as we all know from the "California Girls" song by the Beach Boys, right Liz?)

‪Lizzi: ‬ ‪Haha! Yes!‬

Funny that some people consider it midwest, huh?

‪Maude: ‬ ‪Growing up we decided we were most definitely north not midwest because of the lyrics to that song!‬  Midwest starts at the Mississippi‬

‪Lizzi: ‬ ‪I guess it is from when the West was originally settled‬

‪Maude: ‬ ‪Esther, what region would you consider Kentucky to be a part of?

I would like each of us to give a little info about our current region.  Some cultural aspects or historical places of note, whatever.

‪Esther: ‬ ‪umm...‬

Our First Fire

Yesterday and today have been cold in Virginia - not cool, actually cold!  There was even a little snow this morning (our first of the year.)  My husband made a lovely fire and we snuggled and read books together - all four of us.  It was wonderful. 

My man is HOME

It has finally come my husband is HOME! It always felt so far away but now it is here and I am
 overwhelmed with joy and excitement and a whole mix of emotions I do not think I would even know how to begin to describe.  I am sure I will have many stories to share about his returning but I will save that for another day.  Today I just want to look at where we have been this past year and be so thankful for where we are at.  In the days leading up to Andrew's homecoming I found myself looking over past things I had written right before he left. Let me share them with you.

Eyes All Around

Everyone knows that parenting is not an easy job. While it is worth every moment, I think it is fair to term it a difficult blessing. What makes it even more challenging, however, is that as a parent I know that there are eyes upon me at all times. I am not even talking about my children's eyes. (Although those are on me too! Perhaps the impact of those little viewers will be covered in another post.) The eyes I am referring to are the ones watching me when we go to the grocery store, park, church, and out-to-eat. The ones that notice when my toddler stiffens his body in defiance when we try to leave, or observe my baby's shrill screams. They are the eyes that take notice of my responses and reactions, forming conclusions to a situation solely based on their short observance and followed up with assumptions.