The Refills

I didn’t realize that going to the TX Roadhouse would be such a cultural experience for Fabian.  I forgot that there are no free refills on drinks in Austria… and no ice in most drinks.  We each ordered a Coke and they came in large cups half full of ice.  We slurped at them while we ate our deliciously huge steaks.  It was a good reward for all of the driving we'd done that day (correction: driving he'd done that day).  As our drinks emptied, our waitress came back and asked if we wanted refills.  I just nodded like we both would, forgetting about the culture difference.  She came back with two big glasses of Coke again.  Fabi's jaw was on the ground.  You mean, we get a whole nother one? for free?  I can't drink this!... I assured him that it was okay if we didn't finish them, they were free.  Oh, this was not okay!  He wasn't about to waste it. He attempted.  He gave it the ol' college try.... and he totally lost.  Even while the ice deceived us as to the actual amount of pop in the glass, neither of us could finish.  The dejected look on Fabi's face made me wish we'd just gotten one refill.  Dang it.  And, it needs to be said, mostly because it was the only thing I ever beat him legitimately at, I drank more of my refill than he did!

The Coke he couldn't finish...

Home.

I’ve been contemplating lately what home means.  My new place hasn’t felt like home.  I’ve put up familiar pictures of recent memories.  I’ve spent time there, cooked there, cleaned there, slept there and yet, it hasn’t felt like home… until this week, until today. What makes home home?

Today topped off a week of letting my dearest friends into this space that I inhabit.  I had tea with them, played Scrabble with them, talked with them on the phone, emailed them, and most recently, chatted with them over an ocean.  They say that “Home is where the heart is” and I’ve never really understood what that even means… I say, “Home is where your heart is not alone anymore.”   I was with them…  I was with the people who have held my hand and hugged me through dank and dismal times.  And now I’m at home, in my new home.

Moved.

So, I’ve recently moved into a place of my own (well, with a new roommate!) and I kinda feel like I’m reinventing myself. How’s that for new-age? Maybe it’s the cooler weather and the kiddos heading back off to school (or something complete else different), but I just feel an energy about life lately. I’m lovin’ that! There have been a few words that have driven this reinvention of Jaime… Courage. It’s inserted itself into my life in several uncanny ways (really, only God could have done this – ask me about it sometime!), but it’s encouraged (see, there it is again) me to have courage in life… to be who God wants me to be, even if it looks a little different than everyone else… to write whether anyone ever reads it or likes it… to live a life of intention. That is the other word… Intention. As I think about what will go into my “new life” as an apartment renter, I ask questions like, how can I honor God with my time? What should I spend time studying? Who should I spend time investing in? What should I have for dinner? I know, this all sounds overwhelming, doesn’t it? I have this inexplicable peace that it will all happen in its time as I trust the Lord. Yep, the cave of my now is definitely brighter, more hopeful and faith-filled.

What words are defining your fall/life season?

Lambeau Field.

My favorite Cody got tickets to the Packer game last Thursday and decided to take me.  (All ladies may direct applications for getting to know Cody to me.)  I had never been to Lambeau Field (inside the stadium) before… So, you could say I was excited! 

As we walked toward the stadium in a sea of green jerseys, I felt… privileged.  I guess that is the best way to describe it.  It was like, I was a part of something bigger, I had a ticket to the party, like we all knew a secret and were going to be let in.  A smile was smeared across my face the whole time.  The stadium, inside, was… life-size.  It was giant and full and majestic.  The guys on the field were visible – not like you see on TV – just normally sized.  It was… wordless.

The night was warm and humid – I could not imagine being there in the dead of winter without hand warmers and a good pair of wool socks!  Cody and I had so much fun on this little adventure together.

I would recommend Lambeau to anyone.  The fly-over after the national anthem... totally awe-inspiring!  It left me breathless!  Oh, and we won!  But what else would you expect from the reigning world-champion Green Bay Packers! ?

Thanks for taking me Cody!  I love you bro!

Jesus was at Devil's Lake with us...

While we were hiking up the East Bluff along the south face at Devil’s Lake State Park, we passed a troop of Boy Scouts from the Chicago area.  We had seen them at a couple of different points and they had admired (mostly with their cameras) Fabi’s rock climbing skills, I mean, “bouldering skills.”  Anyway, Fabi was barefoot while we wandered and pretty scruffy looking on the face.  A chunky little Boy Scout who passed us took one look at Fabi and grinned sheepishly, saying “Hi Jesus.”  Oh, how we laughed for days and days.  We still do.

That day at Devil’s Lake was one of the most epic of the whole month.  I absolutely LOVED being there enjoying something that Fabian enjoys so much!  It was sunny and I read while he climbed… the lunch spot… oh, the lunch spot was designed specifically by God, just for us!

The Craft Mobile!

Being with Amber always means adventure, and most of the time, epic adventure.  Epic is Amber's middle name.  She can make microwaving a burrito epic. It’s just the way she sees things.  It’s one of the many reasons I crave spending time with her.  This weekend, we decided to hold the first tri-annual (or quarterly – we aren’t sure yet) “crafting weekend”… it’s still up for debate whether we will actually craft at every one of them, but we thought we’d start it off with a bang… a trip to JoAnn Fabrics.  We almost didn’t make it out actually.  We almost spent our whole weekend in the store, standing over our cart, admiring fabric and dreaming about what it could become with the right amount of stitching and patience.  We pulled ourselves away after several pep talks.

We had two main projects: A make-up bag and some placemats.  We sewed for about 10 hours, with a short break for pizza dinner.  Have a look…

We used a pattern from a German woman.

This is Amber's bag because it has chutzpah.

We now have matching AWESOME place mats!

 

We came, we saw, we crafted!

Our other goal was to eat food out of Amber's beautiful garden that Fabi and I helped plant this past May... and, well, we failed miserably.... but we had great burgers at the Big Star Drive In... and pizza delivered by Papa Johns (yummy garlic butter sauce!)  Here are the before and after pictures from her garden...

Before in May

After in August

 Impressed?  I was.  Amber grows a garden in an epic  way!

Magnificent May... The First of Many Memories

When Fabi left in the end of May, the summer was before me and I just knew that I would not have sufficient time to write well about our time together.  So, I began vomiting all over my computer, making lists of experiences to flesh out one at a time as I had time.  I forced myself to write some each day no matter how tired I happened to be at the end of it.  It has been a rejuvenating process of reflection so far!  Over the next few weeks and months, you’ll find little snippets of this ever-growing document.   I’ll share funny stories, serious stories, pictures & thoughts about the trip of my recent lifetime with Fabi…

Overlooking the Bright Angel Trail

We watched our first sunset in that perfectly secluded spot overlooking the Bright Angel Trail from the Hermit’s Rest Rim Trail.  We had our Grand Canyon brewed beer while watching the canyon, having opened our beer with the canyon rim!  It was beyond words to see that beauty.  I was reading in Isaiah (2:10-17).  It’s the section that talks about the lofty/proud being brought low.  Some of the examples included nature – like the cedars of Lebanon.  I guess they were some famous and magnificent Cedars in Lebanon.  It made me think of the power of God to crush the Grand Canyon flat in but a moment, a word.  God gives us amazing beauty here to enjoy here on earth, but to read that God will destroy it for one purpose – showing His glorious wrath and making all men look to Him alone.  Wow.  Anyway, it was a precious time for me to spend that sunset with God and Fabian. 

Looking north at the Colorado River from Desert Views

On our way back to the car, we talked about our Bright Angel hike scheduled for the next day.  Would we go all the way to the river or turn back part way?  In a moment of sheer stupid and awesome brilliance, Fabi asked me if I would yell my debit card pin number to him as I was falling over the edge of the canyon if I ever did.  How thoughtful of him! (geez!) So, I yelled seven-two-fiiiiive-niiiiiiiiinnnnnnne… and we laughed hysterically (Mind you, I told him the correct pin, not this stand in for public use.).   He scrambled for paper when I told him that I had actually just then and there told him my correct pin number. Thanks for thinking of what little money I had in my bank account over and above my life!