Epic Adventure

This past Christmas we surprised Josh's little brother and sister with a first-time trip to Europe.  We gave them stupid clues all day to throw them off: Buzz Lightyear towels (because we thought that was funny), a pipe cleaner flower in Georgia Bulldog colors (to make them think towards a possible game), and finally a faux joint (tissue paper with green tea leaves twisted inside--which we found HYSTERICAL--suggesting Amsterdam, of course).  You should have seen their faces when they unwrapped the joint.  Dumbfounded.  Totally confused.  Speechless.  "Huh?  Wha-?? Is this a... it's not a...  I don't under...stand..."  

It was awesome.  

Finally after dinner and a long, hilarious day of messing with their heads we presented them with world maps.  (above)  They were stoked.  Then proceeded to ask us a million questions about what all the stupid irrelevant clues meant, of course.

Now following months of planning and research the time has finally come.  Tomorrow morning we'll all set off for a whirlwind trip to England, the Netherlands and France.  God only knows what awaits us with these two ;-)  

The most profound thing happens in your heart when you get to witness someone else being introduced to another culture for the first time.  It's powerful, life-changing even.  And we can't wait.  Bring it.

Josh and I also celebrated our 9th anniversary this week, so it's that celebration, too.  And because my birthday is the following week and we'll already be in Europe, when they all head back home my rockstar husband is sending me to Italy for a week to meet up with this one, my beloved hanger girl ;-)

Who knows what adventures await us in Italy, either.  I mean c'mon, if she can find inspiration in a dirty clothes hanger I'm certain breathtaking Italy will not disappoint.

We're meeting up in Pisa, then heading to Florence where she'll be spending the next few weeks interning.  I can't imagine a better way to spend my 29th birthday.  Cinque Terre is on our list... no idea what else.  That's half the thrill ;-)  

I'll be updating as I'm able, but as with the nature of travel I have no way of knowing when/if I'll have internet service.  I'll do my best to take you with me, but if it's a bit quieter than normal you'll know why... ;-)  If not along the way, then certainly when I get home.

Ciao!

You ready for this adventure??  If you have any photo requests of itinerary suggestions let me know!  I'm serious.  Handstand in front of the Eiffel perhaps?  Holding up the leaning tower of Pisa??  Don't tempt me... I'll do it... or at least make Josh ;-)

Trinkets and Patches: A New Obsession and Treasure

Over the past several weeks I've fallen in love.

Every morning I wake still sleepy-eyed and stumbly, grab my camera from the basket at my bedside and wander thru the house... hunting... seeking... searching for light.

And when I find it, I capture it forever.  I'm obsessed.  I can't stop.  I have an endless and still growing photo collection of sunlight patches.

It's something God is doing in my heart.  I'm still processing, He's still speaking, whispering, teaching with every romantic patch.  He has been for awhile now, even using my girls to show me.

I see the obvious.  But there's something more He's whispering, calling out to me.  Give me ears to hear, Lord.  I don't want to miss it.

I may be pondering this one for awhile...

On an entirely different note, we traversed back to the snake-infested undisclosed treasure hunting location this past weekend (Wait, did I mention before that it was snake-infested??  Well it is.  We Hoskison's risk our lives in the name of treasure hunting.  It adds to the thrill.) and among other trinkets I scored these guys:

Steeping mugs!  Aren't they so cute with their little lids?  I love them.  As much as I drink tea I've never actually owned a steeping mug.  I could have spent a kazillion dollars on one at Anthro... or I could risk my life among the snakes and rats and score them for FREE!  I'll likely always default to the latter.  It's in my blood ;-)

Alright, have you discovered any new treasures or obsessions lately?? 

Green: Glimpses of Dad's Garden

A while ago I shared about my dad and the gorgeous garden he plants every year.  It's that time again, time to bury seed and wait, wait to watch life magically spring forth from the earth.  I don't know many who do it quite as well as he does.  Considering my luck with growing things I naturally find his annual masterpiece terribly impressive, but perhaps I'm a bit bias, too.

And after a good rain when everything is lush and green, it really does take my breath away.  Here are a few glimpses from this past weekend...

Baby apples, not quite blushing red.

Itty bitty grapes on the vine, rows of corn, green cabbage, happy red hens.

Squash galore... sunny yellow, creamy white, deep green zucchinis.

Three little red pigs waiting for anything from the garden to be tossed their way.

Fuzzy baby peaches, sunshine thru the grapevines, rows of green onion, beans and peas.

The bees love the zucchini blossoms as much as I do.  

Mr. Gorgeous struttin' beneath the pear tree.

Burgundy beets, climbing vines, little red pigs still begging for a snack.

The most gorgeous purpley cabbages you've ever laid eyes on.

I love this view from beneath the muscadine grape vines.

Takes a lot of work to create that beautiful patch of life-giving green.  So when he needs a break you'll likely find him here... savoring a sabbath moment on his pond, which of course he created with his own two hands as well ;-)

His garden makes mine look just plain silly.  But despise not the day of small beginnings, right?  Besides, why would I need my own grand patch when my Daddy grows one for me?

Yep... there's the real secret.

What has your Father provided for you lately?

Unexpected

I've been treasure hunting again!Man, I'm on a roll lately...

This hunt was particularly exciting because I came upon it so unexpectedly.  I was puppy-sitting my friend Brittany's little guy and decided to take him for a quick walk down the street.  When we hit the sidewalk, I immediately noticed that the other side of Swiss Ave was buzzing with activity.  Of course I had to get a closer look, so down the street we went. As we approached my heart beat faster and faster...  Could it be?  A Swiss Ave estate sale?  This busy on a Thursday??  Surely not.  How did I miss the signs?  I dared not get my hopes up.  

Suddenly these two older ladies started ohhing and ahhing and approaching me at breakneck speed.  They'd spotted Nacho-the-super-cute-puppy from the road and bolted out of their van to pepper me with a thousand questions and compliments.  "How old is he?  What's his name?  He's gorgeous!  What breed it he?  He looks like a mix!  What's his name?  He's not yours?  Oh, he's so sweet!  What's his name?" 

I somehow managed to steer the conversation to the estate sale while they passed him back and forth.  Turns out, these two were a wealth of information filling me in on all the details regarding the sale.  Apparently the guy who owned the house was moving and he just happened to run estate sales for a living, so this should be, according to Nacho's new friends 'cream of the crop stuff'.  

I dared not go inside with a puppy though.  Everyone would want to squeeze him thus effectively distracting me from close examination of all the untold treasures.  No, Nacho would have to go home first.  

Over the next few days I would return to the sale 4 times.  I obviously had to take Josh back to show him any and everything of interest, and my mother-in-law was flying in Friday so of course I had to take her.  These were all excellent excuses for me to pilfer about again and again.  The first time is really just to get a good feel, scout it out, get past the overwhelming rush of what might be.  Returning is where things get serious, and really, this is the treacherous window of time I've learned to avoid if I really don't want to spend money.

The twist to this story however is that Marsha, my mother-in-law, had never been treasure hunting with me before.  And I must point out that I'd been very disciplined up until this point, managing to only admire but not purchase a single trinket.  But then, smack in the middle of my dangerous window with Marsha in tow  (aka-back at the sale for another sweep thru using her as my excuse) I happened to come upon this elegant lady I'd somehow missed before.  My eyes immediately widened with admiration and I reached for her, caressing and cuddling her to my chest with sheer longing to take her home to safety.  

 Caught up in my own dramatics I failed to realize how persuasive I can be with words, even when I really don't mean to be.  Marsha was entirely amused, as was the guy manning the room with his little receipt book in hand.  They both stopped and stared at me silently as I examined her, gushing about her loveliness and how much better she was than a Chemex.  It was love at first sight.  She charmed me on the spot.  I couldn't help it.

Witnessing my entirely sincere and enthusiastic love poem on display, Marsha caved.  What else is a mom to do when she sees her only daughter-in-law's face light up in sheer delight?!  "You know you have a birthday coming up." My eyes shot her direction in slight disbelief.  The receipt guy saw his moment and leapt, "And today it's 25% off, which would make it $18.75, but if you take it right now I'll sell it to you for $15."  My mouth gaped open, looking back and forth between the two.

Feeling so silly for my ridiculous display of emotion over a teapot and suddenly realizing how closely I'd been watched, I blushed, "Oh...no, no.  It's lovely but I don't need another teapot.  Maybe I'll come back later..."

He pushed, "May not be here later!  And the deal definitely won't be."  I smiled, thanked him, exited quickly still feeling embarrassed.

Long story short, we went back for her a few hours later ;-)  Thank goodness she was still there, sitting amidst the silver in all her regal glory!  And receipt-man did extend the deal, despite his earlier threat.  Big softy.  He knew she was meant for me.  He couldn't deny our destiny. 

Look at her beautiful detail:

And get ready... Here's her most charming feature, the most gorgeous legs and a little silver candle holder for a votive to keep your tea warm!  How genius!  *sigh*  I couldn't possibly love her more.

Marsha was also amused by my refusal to polish her up.  I much prefer silver tarnished.  I just love it.  She asked me half a dozen times if I was sure I didn't want to shine it.  I kept assuring her I didn't.  My new Love is perfect just the way she is.

Before leaving with my birthday treasure Marsha also reminded me of an old book I'd adored earlier, offering to add it to my loot.  Didn't take much arm twistin' on that front either!  It's called, British Poets of the Nineteenth Century.  Goodness, just the title is romantic...  Look at it!

It's perfectly tattered and aged, pages yellowed and scribbled across by someone who clearly cherished it before me, which I love.  It's full of so many of my absolute favorites:  Tennyson, Keats, Byron, Browning, Colerigde, and it even opens with a whole section on Wordsworth!  (who's homes and gardens I've meandered thru in recent months in the English Lake District)  

I will spend many hours with a candle-warmed pot of tea in dim kerosene lamplight getting to know these men better, gleaning from their intricate way with words.  Yes, a tattered $3 book of British poetry really does thrill me.  Immensely.  

And look... they even look amazing together!

So there ya have it, my most recent treasure hunting expedition report!  Wasn't that so much fun??!

P.S.-A little teaser for ya, we made one final trip back to the sale on the 60% off day and much to our surprise Marsha discovered a beautiful old mahogany buffet tucked in a corner with a shocking $85 price tag.  (we've been searching for one forever)  After the discount that meant we could take her home for an astounding $34!  Marsha called it an anniversary gift and I declared to Josh that we should never attend an estate sale without his mother again! ;-)

We rolled her proudly down Swiss on a furniture dolly and between the three of us managed to drag her up two flights of stairs, where she currently sits awaiting a makeover.  I promised her I wouldn't show before pictures until I have the afters to appropriately bookend.  Don't want to shame her ;-)  Soon as she's done however, you know I'll be showcasing all her delightful attributes and splendor!

Have you found any treasures lately??  Or am I the only person hitting up garage sales and flea markets in all this gorgeous weather??

Joy

I suggested and recommended this book to friends before ever actually purchasing my own copy.  I'd heard so many wonderful things about it and read enough reviews, not to mention having followed the author's blog long enough that already I knew I'd love it.  

I could not have wagered however, how much I'd love it.  It's a life changer.

Every once in a while I come across a book that reads both memoir and teaching, both story and lesson, and it does something to me that I cannot fully articulate.  Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott is one, Sabbath by Wayne Muller is another, just about anything by Marlena di Blasi or Shauna Niequist, and though I'm only a few chapters into One Thousand Gifts, no question it makes the short list.  

This strange dichotomy occurs, where I find myself thinking obsessively about doing nothing more than reading the day long, but every time I pick it up I almost... tremble on the inside.  I can only read a few pages before I have to put it down, as if touching it makes my fingers burn.  It thrills me beyond words and yet causes this sort of violent reaction all at once.

It's what happens when a soul brushes past divinity I think, when searching eyes lock hard on holiness.  When I encounter truth, my heart begins to race.  I feel ecstatic and overwhelmed all at once.  I want to run and tell everyone I know immediately, yet in the same moment retreat to a hidden place entirely alone with God and murmur not a syllable.  It's perplexing.

It must be what it feels like to peer into the piercing eyes of God.  Compelled but unable to look, all in the same instant.  A rush of conflicting emotions, full and rich and real.

With Bird by Bird it's writing.  With Sabbath, communion with God by observance and rest.  With Marlena it's travel.  And with Shauna, all of the above.  My truths, my unique and specific truths.  He meets each of us there in our own lives, teaching, nudging, encouraging us forward.  It's the mystery of being a part of the Body, uniquely called yet undeniably connected, all serving the same grand and fundamental purpose in our own small yet unprecedented way.  

So here I am again, delighting, trembling, communing momentarily with holiness, reading and re-reading every page.  The premise of the book is simple:  profound joy is discovered thru thanksgiving, and living in such a place of delight is to truly, wholly, fully live.  

Thing is, I've been living my life in this very way for a long time.  It's why red berries speak to me, and feathers, and patches of morning sunlight filtering thru the trees... just a few of a million things.  I delight in them, celebrate them, connect with their creator and thereby hear the voice of God.  And in that communion, I thrive. Abundant joy, abundant life.  It's that simple.

"God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty..."  1 Corinthians 1:27

And reading Ann's words, hearing her articulate in her own beautiful manner that which I know in my soul to be true thrills me, like peering at my reflection on the surface of glistening waters, "Hey!  I think I know her!"  We've  discovered the same truth, the same treasure.  It excites me, makes me giddy, causes me to spontaneously dance around in my kitchen and sing at the top of my lungs, whisper sacred prayers of thanks here and there throughout the day, to giggle simply because the sun is shining, to weep for the same.

Sheer.  Unadulterated.  Joy.  

I want to stand on the corner and pass copies of the book out to everyone who passes with a note that says, This is it!  This is the secret!  Don't miss it.  Please don't miss it...

A few nights ago Josh and I went for our evening walk down Swiss.  The sun was just setting.  I was rattling on and on about my new book, how much I love it, filling him in on all the details when suddenly he gasped, grabbing my hand and dragging me to the edge of a lawn.

"Look!  There!  You see them?"  It took a moment for my eyes to adjust, but there they were in all their splendid glory, a flickering swarm of lightening bugs dancing and twirling just above the fresh-cut grass.  We stood for a long, silent moment taking them in.  "They're the first ones I've seen this year," seemed an explanation for his boy-like enthusiasm.  

I smiled,"You think God made lightening bugs just to delight us?"

"Maybe."  We pulled ourselves from the scene, heading back towards the road.

"Well, maybe He didn't create them exclusively for our delight as I'm sure they serve other purposes as well, but I certainly think that's part of the reason," I conclude.

"Definitely!  He delights in our delight.  So if we delight in lightening bugs, then in this moment, God created lightening bugs for our delight.  And He delights in that, too.  Right?"

We both laugh, still pointing and marveling at the dance of flickering lights that seemed to be following us along the sidewalk.

I continue pondering aloud, "That was it, you know.  That was the essence of One Thousand Gifts, the essence of joy."  I glance and find him smiling.  "We just got a heavenly demonstration of the very thing we've been discussing right before our eyes.  I love when He does that.  That's a gift in itself."

Whether it's berries or birds or a hot cup of coffee, a little girl laughing, a flower in bloom, or a book on a blanket in the sunshine... delight in sacred moments.  Because in doing so, you're delighting in Him. And that my friends, is the the purposed essence of all things.

"The aim of life is to live, and to live means to be aware, joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware." -Henry Miller

What simple moments and pleasures are you delighting in today??  What makes your list of one thousand gifts??

Grad

Getting ready.

Very serious.  Very sexy.

The procession.  Look how happy...

Then there's a long wait in a sea of tassels and robes...

...and then there's this:

Success looks good on him.

Of course we had to follow up with a few really serious, MBA graduate photos.  You know, all professional and accomplished looking.

 We're very mature now, Josh slightly more than me since he has his MBA and all.

Now stop it!  Let's take a good one, okay??  Fine.

So proud of my man ;-)