Jesus is Mine

We've posted a song for Easter on our music site. The song is a hymn by Jane C. Bonar from 1844. We are unsure of the original melody, but since first stumbling on the words, we have not been able to escape their simple and beautiful power. "All that my soul has tried, left but a dismal void. Jesus has satisfied." Listen by clicking here.

let's start with Browntown

We do have a lot to fill you in on, and we'll start with Abbie and Cyrus Brown's visit this past week (and pause for Easter, and for Steph and Reid's visit!). I already miss them a TON and it was way too short but wonderful to be around such good friends again.

Sunday could be viewed as the best day, especially in terms of a weatherman's respect. That's why it's the only day I have pics from! We indulged in a breakfast treat at Flour (Sunday and every day), walked our way through town to church, enjoyed a long and windy but wonderful sermon and Caleb and Acsah and Palm Sunday, then parted ways as Tim went to work and the three others of us zipped our way up to the North Shore to Gloucester (clam chowder, fishing coastal town) and Crane Beach near Ipswich. We definitely found our share of adventure there in some trails winding up a hill behind the beach, through a mansion estate, and through a surprise soggy bog of some sort that soaked us as we ran with adrenaline right through it, screaming! and then laughing.

stairs to the beach

trail up a hill with cool trees

mansion.

cool bench (cool people)

with a view!

Monday it began pouring sheets from the sky, and it never stopped until after they left on Wednesday. We soggied ourselves out running Monday morning, dried off, then soggied ourselves again exploring Newbury street, then dried off in Tim's store, then proceeded to give the wettest Freedom Trail tour (and fastest!) in history, and were quick to consume cannoli's at the end. We finished with a (wet) coffee tasting at Tim's store before coming home to cook the most divine oatmeal buttermilk pancakes in the world.

Tuesday was more of the same - only the Browns were alone in Browntown exploring Harvard in the even more rainy weather. We finished with a fabulous Venezuelan meal at a (nearby) favorite restaurant, completed with treats from Flour.

And then just like that they were gone! We need this again a million times!


stay tuned for Part II - StephandReidTown!

by the wayside

I think blogging is going by the wayside. Not only have I not blogged in over a month, but neither have ANY of my blogging friends. I will soon attempt a redemption. Anyone want to join me?

So what's the moral?

We have posted a new song up on our music site. This month's song is a sad story about a marriage falling apart. But just to ease all of those literalists that may listen - this song is not autobiographical. Some of my favorite songwriters use songs as a format to tell stories. That's all this is. A story can be a powerful way of conveying something true. (Click here to listen to "Letters".)

February heart beets

I awoke Sunday morning to a big fat checklist being waved in my face, to the sound of militaristic commands: "Time to get up, we've got some major productivity to achieve today, a long list of activities that must be completed, no time to waste, get dressed!"

I haven't been feeling the most productive at work so I guess this was supposed to make up for it. And I was excited.

The scavenger hunt list included items such as:

cupcakes (from Lulu's in the North End)

daisies (florist)
kissing fairies (random store on Newbury?)
(we found kissing ones in a book in the store)

blankets at the beach
(we set out Florida shells and watched a slideshow of beach pics!)
and an elephant
(Tim found this restaurant, combined Cambodian and French food, quite good!)
plus many more things like fall leaves, sunshine, moonlight dancing...sound familiar? Items in a love song Tim wrote for me. And we found them all!

In other news, I entered chocolate beet pudding cakes into a work bakeoff and didn't win, surprise surprise, but I had fun! I was outwitted by some chocolate ball on a stick.




Finally, Megan and I headed to Mt Washusett in central Mass for some "snowshoeing" which really was hiking since there wasn't much snow, but it was fun. Record summit time in 30 minutes:) It was fun to explore and get out though! Too bad we didn't go today since yesterday it really snowed all day, and we had a few inches this morning! I don't know what winter is thinking this year but it's weird. So was the giant wind turbine we stumbled upon alongside the trail: whoa!

sliiiiiime

I got to hang out with Dinah while Tim was with his boyz in Tacoma last weekend. Although I would have loved to go along and see the girls back home, I had fun with my good friend here in New England.

Dinah and I had a date to go cross-country skiing, make chocolate chip zucchini cake, pancakes, and steak, do an Insanity workout video, AND even do homework.

Oh and she taught me how to make slime. Me and about 50 other kids at Mount Snow in VT:) Check out those linking polymers!!!

I sure missed my man babe though. Too long! 6 days is too long. I am super spoiled.
Good to have him back, and also good to have Dinah so close! Thanks amiga!

The Real King of Starbucks

One of Tim's employees, Loris, came over for dinner last night and to watch the Princess Bride, since he's never seen it and he loves Andre the Giant. Loris is one of the sweetest, most innocent people we've met and always speaks purely and truthfully about things. Loris had a brain aneurysm when he was 12, and although this has greatly affected his life, he is always the first to encourage customers and partners at the store and serve them.

He also loves to write poems and today he presented Tim with a special poem. Everyday it seems he comes into work with encouragement cards and poems for everyone on the team. This guy is for real! Check it out:

He loves Michael Jackson and TuPac and anything rap. He's also Dominican and took us to eat some mean Dominican food last year in Boston. We think Loris is the REAL King of Starbucks! We hope if you visit you can meet him.

He is a reminder of to us:
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Matthew 5:8

New Song By The Eyes

We have handcrafted another little tune from our tiny, tiny apartment in Boston. We are glad to share the result of a couple of cold nights, some warm cups of tea, and two happy voices singing into our faithful Apple laptop.

I originally wrote this song for Abby 5 years ago. This seems to be my big idea from back then: Love frees us from worries about what to do and so we are able to freely act. Love frees us from the need for explanations and so we are able to simply be. You'll be happy to find out those aren't the song lyrics, but I think that's what is behind the song. I feel quiet and content in Abby's love. Her love is a beautiful picture of something entirely Divine.

Click here to listen to Colorado's Princess. Or click on the tab to the right "Listen to our music".

Monadnock

Thanks to my friend Denise, I had a great day snowshoeing in New Hampshire today on freshly fallen snow. It was a much needed refresher trip to a nice little mountain. Apparently, the most climbed in the world?? Just behind Fuji? curious. But delightful.

It was very windy at the top, but the sun came out as we started and everything had started slushing and melting by the time we were down. Perfect timing.

Last week I started my last two classes: Program evaluation and Nutrition in Developing Countries. I have 3 months of class and then that's all, folks! Hard to believe. But still 3 months to go. I'm still working in the emergency department talking to teens about alcohol use and dating violence, still working on certain aspects of gang violence prevention for a community in Massachusetts, and still a part of organizing pieces of a dental study helping female victims of partner violence. Tim is kicking booty at his store, everything is running great, and we are enjoying great fellowship with some amazing people out here, all while missing those further away.

We are thankful for this season and are hanging on until the end with thanksgiving. God is good. In the midst of suffering, uncertainty, hardship, and blessing, He is good.

see ya, 2009!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2009 was a great year and gave us tons to celebrate: a full year in Boston, solidifying friendships, favor with jobs and school, trip home to see friends and family in Washington, and other fun adventures. 2010 is only going to get better.

This week we arrived in Naples, FL to spend the end of it with our family. Movies, manatees, dolphins, sunsets, good food, and a little bit of skimboarding (on baby waves) have kept us busy so far.

We got good use out of our 2010 Times Square New Years glasses we got in NYC. Here's to the tenacious tens!

It was even snowing (i.e. soaping) in Florida

More to come!