Home is . . . .
They always say home is where the heart is, so if your homeless is then does that mean your heartless as well?
Why is the starting plate called Home plate in Baseball?
What about dogs?
What is just the right amount of time to be at home with out getting sick of it?
I missed that window this year. Although I was expecting to see a few more friends then what I have. I'm ready to catch a flight this afternoon. I want to go home! Seattle home that is. Here's the kicker though. I've really enjoyed my visit. I loved getting to see the Family. But 2 weeks is well . . . too long. Anyway, the trip has been fun. I'm going to try and study a little bit, but I'm sure I'll wind up back with my latest addiction (the Sims).
Tuesday, December 30
Saturday, December 20
Gracefully kissing your knee
Well I arrived in Tulsa yesterday after what seemed like the shortest six hours of travel in my life! I grabbed King of Torts by Grisham on my way through the airport and simply couldn’t put it down. Nothing better then grabbing a good Grisham book after a semester of forced theological reading (not that seminary’s not great, but books are better when a grade is not attached to their reading).
Tulsa is about 90 miles east of my hometown of Springdale, AR. Tulsa is also the home of my sister Diane, her husband Chris, and my two nieces Olivia (almost 5), and Annika (3 months). They just moved in to a beautiful new home, and as such we will be spending Christmas with them in their home!
My mom met me at the airport and informed me that I would be attending Olivia’s ballet recital that evening (which was actually more of a rehearsal with parents watching). Normally I’m not a huge fan of the ballet, but I’d go watch basket weaving if my niece were involved so I was perfectly happy! So after a brief stop by the house, we all loaded up and went to the rehearsal.
It was a small studio and there were only 4 students and the teacher Mrs. Lynn. This was the first time I’ve ever watched ballet, other then the few times I may have run across it on PBS and quickly turned the channel. I came away very much impressed though in several areas. To start Mrs Lynn was sooooo graceful and beautiful in her dance. Her she was a lady probably in her late 40’s and she would run the children through the various exercises of basically swing your leg around from one place to another and moving your arm in and out. But Mrs. Lynn had such control and balance grace when she did it. It was very beautiful! The first time I really appreciated that form of dance.
Mrs. Lynn was helped by the fact that 4 and 5 year olds are not ummm . . . well . . . graceful, not yet anyway. In fact they often lose focus, and pick their nose or stare into space. Essentially, Mrs. Lynn was like a football coach that is instilling discipline into his team. She would gently correct the students by name correcting their movements, which they often still didn’t grasp, and reaffirmed then if by chance they did make the correct change. (Lot’s of spiritual analogies I don’t have time for right now that I saw in this small class.) It was neat though I enjoyed it.
The highlight of the afternoon for me was toward the end. They were doing some stretching exercises. Sitting on the floor in a sort of splits position (ok well Mrs. Lynn made it there, the girls did their best) the goal was for them to touch their head to their knees. Mrs. Lynn asked them to kiss their knee, and then demonstrated, by slowly stretching and kissing her knee, one knee and then the other. They did this about 3-4 times each knee.
Now the knee was supposed to flat on the ground, and many of the other girls being unable to kiss their knee on the ground would lift their knee and kiss it that way. No shame in that. But Olivia, did the coolest thing ever! Not being able to reach her knee either and in fact not being able to reach it by a good distance, she did what your supposed to do when your far away from something you want to kiss. She blew it. She leaned as far as she could, kissed her hand, and blew her knee a kiss!
It’s good to be home!
Well I arrived in Tulsa yesterday after what seemed like the shortest six hours of travel in my life! I grabbed King of Torts by Grisham on my way through the airport and simply couldn’t put it down. Nothing better then grabbing a good Grisham book after a semester of forced theological reading (not that seminary’s not great, but books are better when a grade is not attached to their reading).
Tulsa is about 90 miles east of my hometown of Springdale, AR. Tulsa is also the home of my sister Diane, her husband Chris, and my two nieces Olivia (almost 5), and Annika (3 months). They just moved in to a beautiful new home, and as such we will be spending Christmas with them in their home!
My mom met me at the airport and informed me that I would be attending Olivia’s ballet recital that evening (which was actually more of a rehearsal with parents watching). Normally I’m not a huge fan of the ballet, but I’d go watch basket weaving if my niece were involved so I was perfectly happy! So after a brief stop by the house, we all loaded up and went to the rehearsal.
It was a small studio and there were only 4 students and the teacher Mrs. Lynn. This was the first time I’ve ever watched ballet, other then the few times I may have run across it on PBS and quickly turned the channel. I came away very much impressed though in several areas. To start Mrs Lynn was sooooo graceful and beautiful in her dance. Her she was a lady probably in her late 40’s and she would run the children through the various exercises of basically swing your leg around from one place to another and moving your arm in and out. But Mrs. Lynn had such control and balance grace when she did it. It was very beautiful! The first time I really appreciated that form of dance.
Mrs. Lynn was helped by the fact that 4 and 5 year olds are not ummm . . . well . . . graceful, not yet anyway. In fact they often lose focus, and pick their nose or stare into space. Essentially, Mrs. Lynn was like a football coach that is instilling discipline into his team. She would gently correct the students by name correcting their movements, which they often still didn’t grasp, and reaffirmed then if by chance they did make the correct change. (Lot’s of spiritual analogies I don’t have time for right now that I saw in this small class.) It was neat though I enjoyed it.
The highlight of the afternoon for me was toward the end. They were doing some stretching exercises. Sitting on the floor in a sort of splits position (ok well Mrs. Lynn made it there, the girls did their best) the goal was for them to touch their head to their knees. Mrs. Lynn asked them to kiss their knee, and then demonstrated, by slowly stretching and kissing her knee, one knee and then the other. They did this about 3-4 times each knee.
Now the knee was supposed to flat on the ground, and many of the other girls being unable to kiss their knee on the ground would lift their knee and kiss it that way. No shame in that. But Olivia, did the coolest thing ever! Not being able to reach her knee either and in fact not being able to reach it by a good distance, she did what your supposed to do when your far away from something you want to kiss. She blew it. She leaned as far as she could, kissed her hand, and blew her knee a kiss!
It’s good to be home!
Wednesday, December 17
I'm Done! Ok well I'm done for the semester. Well I don't have to got to school till Jan 8th. But like any student who is given the option I chose not to finish all my papers. Therefore I will attempt to finish them before the start of next semester! Sometimes deadlines are good! Oh well you get what ya sow!
I'm heading home in 2 days! Be visiting the great state of Arkansas for about 2 weeks! I get to see my family and some old friends. Should be a great time! But I still have almost all my Christmas shopping to do. Including a few more gifts for some friends here before I leave!
I had probably one of my favorite Christmas moments about a week ago. I was over at a friends house and we exchanged gifts (nothing huge, but still fun) ate some snacks, chatted a bit, then watched a movie while sipping on hot coco. It was all candle lit and very warm. I felt comfortable, free to be me, and loved.
I'm heading home in 2 days! Be visiting the great state of Arkansas for about 2 weeks! I get to see my family and some old friends. Should be a great time! But I still have almost all my Christmas shopping to do. Including a few more gifts for some friends here before I leave!
I had probably one of my favorite Christmas moments about a week ago. I was over at a friends house and we exchanged gifts (nothing huge, but still fun) ate some snacks, chatted a bit, then watched a movie while sipping on hot coco. It was all candle lit and very warm. I felt comfortable, free to be me, and loved.
Thursday, December 4
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