Even More Broken

It's dark outside this morning as I sit in my little house on my little street, the time change (which was supposed to be a benefit to all of us) having knocked us for a loop.  The days suddenly feel shorter and it's almost as if we are trying to cram more activity during daylight hours and not enough into settling into the quieter routine that winter brings.

It's only day 2, so I'm sure it will come...but in the meantime, we are yawning an awful lot at #23.

I like the dark mornings though.  I find myself working a bit harder without daydreaming out into the garden.  I also find that the dark mornings remind me to pray...maybe because it feels quieter than usual.  

I was reminded from a friend about my love for writing out scripture...that it feels like an act of, I don't know.  Reverence?  Respect?  I'm also a lover of reading scripture out loud...there's something about reciting words out loud that were breathed by God and I find that I lose myself in the words; in the verses that one by one or two by two have meaning but when read all together become such a great story.

And I love a story.

We are broken over here...in more ways than one.

It all started rather simple.  Brian fell (a lot...he's a line backer) during his Friday night football game.  I admit...we've drunk the kool aid.  The football kool aid.  There is something so intoxicating about sitting in the stands on a Friday night, under the lights watching your boy play this truly brutal game and hearing your kids name spoken over the loudspeaker.

The kool aid, which I swore we would never drink, is delicious.

Anyway, Brian hurt his hand.  They pulled him from the end of the game, wrapped him up and off we went to the Dr on Monday morning.  The routine is just that...routine.  We go to our primary care dr, who knows us all too well and she sends whichever boy it is for an X-ray and then calls us with a yeah or nay later in the day, along with a referral to wherever we need to go.

Brian gets his X-ray and then we go eat because, well...that's what we do.  Suddenly my phone starts going crazy - the radiologist, the drs office, the orthopedist and everyone is in a frenzy.

I don't like when the frenzy happens.

Within an hour, the babe was in a temporary cast and within two hours he was in a permanent cast and within 3 hours we were visiting with the surgeon.

People were coming in to look at the film and let me tell you, you never want to be the mother of the boy who has gawkers gawking at his films.  This isn't the first time but I sure hope it's the last time.  

Ok?

 He did quite the number on his wrist - broke a really important bone and needs to have a screw (or few) put in, followed by 12 weeks in a cast.  TWELVE WEEKS in a cast.

This too shall pass and all will be well but boy oh boy, is my boy sad.  It's his senior year.  Football is over and it's pretty definite that he won't step foot on the basketball court this year either.

Such a bummer.

In the meantime, I'm still one armed, too.

We're a bit of a mess over here.  A broken mess.

But, the sun will continue to rise and set and life will go on.  Our limbs will heal, someday I'll be able to cook again (and hike...oh how I miss my hikes) and who needs a clean house anyway?

We've been binge watching Netflix (currently on season 4 of Parenthood...SO GOOD!) and all will be well.  This too shall pass....right?

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Broken

My oldest son, Matteo, sent the most cool picture ever.  Our boy played last weekend for the Las Vegas Philharmonic...kinda like playing for a pro sports team except in the music world.

I feel like shouting, so I'm going to...we are SO PROUD!

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He's working so hard to live the dream - and it's one we know well.  It goes like this:

A musician is someone that puts a $5,000 horn in a $500 car and drives 50 miles for a $5 gig.

Plug away, Matthew.  Plug away.

Fall is here and the picture on my weather app was of my neighborhood.

How cool is that?

Yet another Busch boy who marches to his own drum.

And yes, he wore this to school for spirit day.  

Friday night football is so. much. fun and I'm going to miss it so much when it's over.  This is our 12th straight year at the high school and it's all coming to an end.

What will we do with all our free time?

Boys 2 and 3.  

I dreamed of this family...this big, messy, loud, obnoxious family and I am so very, very thankful.

I'd be more thankful if they cleaned up after themselves, but you can't have everything.

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I will say, I am NOT going to miss the sweaty, smelly uniforms...every single day there are two loads of just uniforms.  Whites and reds, whites and reds, whites and reds.

Not sure I'll ever wear either of those colors again.

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THIS.

I have a broken elbow and I am so very, very sad.  It hurts a lot, it's hot, it's itchy and I became a blubbering mess in the cast room.  I knew something was wrong but had no clue it was broken.  

No hiking, no lifting, no nothing...it's hard to run a household with one arm.

=(

On the flip side...I can drive and I can work and my boys have been so great.

I'm praying it heals relatively quickly...could you pray that too?

Today I basically just felt sorry for myself.  Tomorrow is a new day and I'll pick myself up and carry on.

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Snipets

Saturday morning breakfasts are,  more often than not, made by that guy that I like so much.  They're always different because he uses whatever is in the fridge and they are always so good...though doesn't everything taste better when made by someone else?

Coffee in a hula girl mug doesn't hurt either.

Last weekend was homecoming...our school doesn't do a formal homecoming dance but instead does something called 'jersey jam' where they all wear - you guessed it!- jerseys.  

Can't believe our baby is a senior.  And that he is tall.

The weather here in SoCal has FINALLY woken up and realized that it is Fall.  The days are warm, the nights are cool and we are all so very, very happy.  

And hello...nothing beats pumpkin bread.

My favorite trail is closed and so I've had to move to the one next to it.  All around us they are preparing for El Nino - big, big rains are predicted for our drought stricken state this winter which is a good and bad thing...we desperately need the water but not the flooding that is expected to come with it.

My trail is next to a retention basin and so they are preparing...I hope that means snake removal, too.

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We went to Costco for toilet paper and came away with the most complicated tv/sound system ever.  He's thrilled and I just want to be able to turn on a TV and watch a show without needing a 12 inch thick manual...or a two hour long class because we all know how much patience I have when it comes to following directions.

=/

FYI - we still have boxes holding up our family room chair...we're always one step away from being all put together.

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Last weekend we had the most lovely garden party and I haven't cleaned up from it yet because it's such a happy memory.  Our space is little but it is mighty and it makes me all teary eyed when I think about it.  This was an epic garden party season...though they all are.

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THESE.

Have you tried them?

I blame my girlfriend and I'm not sure I'll ever forgive her.  

And yeah, I had four bags of them in my cart because hello...they're seasonal and that means when I'm crying for them in February, they'll be tucked safely in my freezer.

Yum.

And this.  My elbow.  I've had an old, old injury that I hurt again in the most weird way (running through an airport, carrying my super heavy laptop bag over the crook of my arm) and I'm spending a lot of time at my chiropractors office the last few weeks.  I'm doing everything I can to avoid surgery even though that is probably the easy way to go.  

Bummer.

Quadruple bummer.

Football season is winding down and I'm going to miss the friday night lights and hearing my boys name called over the loud speakers.  I won't miss the worry - or the sweaty, smelly gear.

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Last night we went to a new to us place...Mesa in Costa Mesa.  There was jazz playing and the food was AH-MAZING and it had kinda this swanky vibe and a super great happy hour.

Not quite sure I'm cool enough though...but I'll try and fake it because those fried olives were seriously the bomb.

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Lots of work to be done today which screams for lots of coffee.  A slow, one armed hike for the afternoon followed by a big pot of chicken cacciatore (lifted by one of my strong males...sigh), eaten in the garden.  

Happy Thursday, my friends.

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Fall Break

That guy that I like so much is on Fall break and we've been having a really fun time just putzing around.  We've discovered some fun new coffee places...local, hole in the wall places that are perfect for people watching and reading and even writing a blog post.

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(If you're local to the OC - Alta in Newport is a new favorite.  Try the bueno bowl.)

He's also been cooking fun suppers for us...yum

I front loaded my work week so that I could hang with him as much as possible.  We had tossed around a little getaway but it's homecoming week for the youngest shrub and there is lots going on...that, and college apps are almost ready to send.

FYI...one of the only life stages I WON'T miss?  The college app stage.  The poor kid is a very young senior - he just turned 17...and he's gotta make pretty big decisions about something that isn't going to happen for almost a whole 'nuther year.  Ah well...life.  He's got great opportunities, is super (as in exceptionally) smart but isn't sure he wants to leave the nest quite yet.  And I get it.  Totally.

SoCal continues to be HOT and dry and while you're reading reports of massive flooding and mudslides, we continue to be dry.  

We need rain.  Safe rain...the kind of rain that slowly soaks into the ground.

Yesterday we hung out at a coffee place in the morning, wandered around some of our favorite shops in the afternoon and ended up pulling the trigger and buying some much needed furniture.  I made a big pot of soup for supper and it was just one of those lovely, easy days...I wish there were more days like that.  

The laundry is piled 5 miles high and the floors need to be mopped but yesterday was a gift.

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I've been challenged in my mothering abilities lately...yet another of my boys is feeling the need to spread his wings.  Two are easy now; one to go.  It's so hard to always have to be a parent when it would be so much easier to just be a friend...but I wasn't hired to be a friend and sometimes that just sucks.

Ah well.  This too shall pass.  I love the relationships I have with each of these boys of mine and am blessed in that department...what a gift to have that.  But seriously...why have they each needed to do stupid things? 

Our olive tree was full of olives this year and after overanalyzing olive info online, I left them on the tree until they turned a glorious shade of purple, picked them and am brining them in a way that doesn't require using lye.

So...the limocello is steeping, the olives are curing and next up?

Christmas fruitcake.

Yum.

We're heading to a movie this morning, stock up at Costco this afternoon and then to Brian's homecoming football game tonight.  This weekend is blessedly open and clear...the garden is calling my name.  

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Holy Hotness Batman

Southern California has not gotten the memo that it's officially been Autumn for about 3 weeks now.  Our daily temps have been as close to 100 degrees that you can get and pretty much all we can do around these parts?

Whine.

We're:

a. all miserable

b. thankful for AC

c. crying at our bill each month

d. willing to give up food in order to pay the bill

I went out and bought a pumpkin candle with the hopes that at least the inside of our little house  

will smell like it's no longer summer.

It's working...kind of.

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I'm being a rebel though...or maybe just hopeful, and last night I made a huge pot of vegetable wonton soup that ended up feeding the masses.  There seems to be a steady stream of boys in and out of this little house of ours and it's just been really fun.  

It's not ever quiet but that's more than ok.  

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I spent all morning on hold with the social security office...I ended up locking myself out of their website when trying to create an online account.  They ask three or four security questions and it turns out I don't know my own life as well as I thought.

I guess I should pay better attention but seriously, how am I supposed to remember things that happened in 1989?

All's well now but lesson learned.  I'll pay attention from now and on.

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I guess this is my week for waiting around...yesterday it was dealing with a tire issue on my work car that took me from the tire place to the dealer and then back to the tire place.  The wheel lock snapped off when they were trying to remove it and it took a whole bunch of people 4 hours to resolve an issue that was supposed to take 30 minutes.

No biggie.  There was a Starbucks nearby with the ever present wifi and AC and all repairs were paid for on a company credit card which makes them the best kind of repairs ever...no matter how long they take.

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I'm off to meet a new baby this afternoon and I am so excited to hold a newborn.  There's something about the fact that they don't move and don't talk and don't forget to turn in their homework or to walk the dog.

Sounds kinda nice to me.

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Even Though I Cannot See

1 Peter 1: 3-9

Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! 

God has given us a new birth because of his great mercy. We have been born into a new life that has a confidence which is alive because Jesus Christ has come back to life. 

 We have been born into a new life which has an inheritance that can’t be destroyed or corrupted and can’t fade away. That inheritance is kept in heaven for you, since you are guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed at the end of time.

You are extremely happy about these things, even though you have to suffer different kinds of trouble for a little while now. 

The purpose of these troubles is to test your faith as fire tests how genuine gold is. 

Your faith is more precious than gold, and by passing the test, it gives praise, glory, and honor to God. This will happen when Jesus Christ appears again.

Although you have never seen Christ, you love him. 

You don’t see him now, but you believe in him. 

 

You are extremely happy with joy and praise that can hardly be expressed in words as you obtain the salvation that is the goal of your faith.

I love this passage in scripture.

I need this passage in scripture.

Key words:

given us new birth

confidence

an inheritance that can't be destroyed

kept in heaven

guarded by God's power

extremely happy

suffer for a little while

purpose 

test your faith

more precious than gold

extremely happy with joy

hardly be expressed in words

salvation is the goal

So much hate.  So much fear.  So much anger.

Enough.  

The suffering will not end and our beliefs will be challenged but this time on earth is temporary.  And while I weep for what is happening around me, I am holding hard and strong to what is waiting for me.  And for you.

Amen.

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Life this week:

Matthew and his love, Brianne

My trio, all together for 3 whole days

The Gypsy Den at The Lab...my new favorite hideaway for morning coffee

A nail in my (work car) tire

Dear Fall, where oh where are you?

Brian recovered a fumble!

Yes, he wore lederhosen

Alex and his love, Emily

Oktoberfest 2015

Girlfriends for the win

The polka AND the chicken dance - opah!