Rain Rain, Come and Play!

Live from Summer Institute Day 1

 

Here we are!!...Now what?

Thankfully, that look of anticipatory bewilderment gets you an immediate smile and offer of help in this community.  A little hand-holding on day one goes a long way even for the seasoned SI-ers.

Here, we travel the Middle Path (notice all the different roads that help you get to that same place..a little UU humor ;)

This is such a beautiful campus and we are so privileged to be able to share together in this space.  Thank you Kenyon!

 

This is a picture of the incoming Jr High students getting ready to "Bridge" into the Youth Program.  My oldest, Lydia is there in the pink and blue shirt with her back to Mom already (typical Youth ;)

 These are the kids that are already in the youth program, offering words of welcome to the newcomers.  The bridging will follow with a delightful ceremony of calling out the name of a newbie and meeting them in the center, welcoming them with a hug and walking them to the other side.

 Lindsay Adams

 Claire Gill

 Lydia Hyde

The youth panel shares with parents and sponsors as well as the youth themselves all the details of the program.  It sounds like a blast...I'm sure I will here all about it as the week progresses.

Hm, That's Kinda Pretty...

 

If you can't find something beautiful to pull from a crappy situation, the world will just keep sending them to you until you get it.  I went from frantic to down right peaceful after seeing the worlds reflection in my basement. 

 All of a sudden, I was staring into a calm lake right in my very own home...

Even the colors came through in the dirty water in this dark space, at this dark time.  Lesson learned, Universe.  Lesson learned.

Dear Universe...

I don't feel that you have challenged me enough lately...

 How about this?  On the day I am to launder and pack the family's clothing for a weeks vacation, go ahead and spew 400 plus gallons of water onto the basement floor...

 Also, make certain that the cistern is then totally dry so that I may not even make a pot of freaking coffee.

 Don't forget to make the company that delivers my water extremely busy today filling swimming pools so that he very likely will not get to me.

 Don't forget to further ruin all the furniture that I have in the basement, not to mention all the camping gear and Christmas decorations.

 Also, since my dryer is already broken, see if you cant short out the washer as well so that in a year, when I can afford it, I can get a matching set.

And lastly, go ahead and thunderstorm, making it all the more unpleasant to bail the water and all the while getting to watch more seep through the walls.  Thank you, Dear Universe for this my latest challenge.  kthanxbye.

Happy Birthday, Shelby!

Lydia's in my WHAT?

Yes, yes..this is MY wedding dress of 16 years ago and in cahoots with Grandma Hyde, Lydia slips into it and then calls me at home and requests that I come over immediately with my camera.   Like I needed a reminder that she is growing up too fast!  Now all I can think of is that I wore that dress for my actual wedding when I was only 4 years older than she is now!  Oh..my head...

Lydia's You Tube Debut!

Click on the link below!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vb68pp5W-zI&feature=digest

Candlelight Dinner

This meal brought a whole new meaning into view ;)  The power went out right as I was starting dinner..fresh bluegill, one of our favorites!  It was way too hot to fire up the wood stove so we came up with this nifty little plan..delish!  Sam took on the project and served up a spectacular meal of fried bluegill and pigeon peas...

and graham crackers and beer for dessert!