Halloween and Costumes

Today is Halloween, the holiday I never really understood. Dressing up, yes, I absolutely understand that. Anyone who ever knew me before the age of 14 knew that I spent most of my time looking like this: 

This is me heading to a Victorian Tea- duh!

This is me dressed colonial style at a Revolutionary War battleground

This is Me, Deba's head, David, and Joe camping Colonial style

1. 

Yes, I occasionally donned trashbags and yes, I thought I looked AWESOME.

I loved dressing up as a kid and pretending to live in pilgrim times, colonial times, or World War II Europe. To me, living in those times meant adventure and a way of life that seemed waaay more interesting than just being a one of nine home-schooled kids living in a cabin in the middle of the woods. 

So I got dressing up, but whether it was because I wasn't ever allowed to trick or treat or because the one time my sister took cookies to our neighbor he cocked his shot gun on the front porch and scared her away, I never really got wanting to be freaked out or the give-me-candy thing. Anyway, tonight I'm going to hand out candy for the first time and see if I can develop a new perspective!

Mighty Mouse!

Last night Charlie came into the kitchen while I was doing dishes and said "Okay, so don't freak out, okay?" At which I got nervous, because Charlie doesn't really say that phrase lightly. "I found a mouse in the de-humidifier."

See we have a de-humidifier for our house that I found at a yard sale because our house is crazy moist and we needed something to suck up the liquid. I obviously have no idea how it actually works. The point is, there is a little space and a hole where the mouse crawled up into the humidifier and jumped into the water. I'd like to believe that this mouse was neither stupid nor suicidal, just a bit delusional in his climbing skills.

Anyway, this made me sad because I love mice. As a kid I tried to save a stunned mouse once by keeping it in a shoe box (not sure my mom was very aware of this!) I don't want them dead, and I definitely don't want them drowned in my dehumidifier! So I sewed a mouse today to make myself feel better!
Simone Mouse

Isn't he cute?

Waking World

This weekend I took a flash trip to Pasadena, Maryland, for my friend Steph's wedding. Charlie couldn't come, but Steph is one of those old dear friends I don't get to see as much as I want to, and I was determined not to miss her wedding if I could help it. So I drove across Virginia with Andrew Peterson's "Light for the Lost Boy" album playing, the gray autumn sky spreading out above my car, and I got to fall in love with God again.
Peterson's song called "I just want to thank someone for this" made my whole self shake as I caught a glimpse of the wonder and the power and the might of my God in creation. For a moment, I was able to forget about my small concerns and see the reality of a world holding its breath.

"To be more than merely innocent

But to be broken then redeemed by love

Maybe this old world is bent

But it's waking up

And I'm waking up

'Cause I can hear the voice of one

He's crying in the wilderness

Make ready for the Kingdom Come

Don't you want to thank someone for this?

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Hallalujah! Hallelujah!

Come back soon

Come back soon!"

In Greensboro

Well, we are alive and well in Greensboro! It's been 4 months since we have been here and it is finally starting to feel normal. Moving sends shock waves through every part of my life, making me feel like I'm constantly trying not to run into things or get lost. Actually, that is pretty literal! But our house is starting to look like a home, our dog is starting to feel like our dog, our jobs are starting to feel like routine, and being with family and friends makes this all worth it. Here are some pictures of our new home!
My living room/dining room

My lovely new studio!