Beauty in Progress

Cousin Karin's garden continues to provide the varied bouquets she gifts us with each week. We, here in Indiana, are also enjoying the seasonal surprises of God's creation, though somewhat delayed.

Every Monday evening at Dove's Crossing (Stephan and Karen's place), I get to see the progress on the new house-building project with my own eyes. Michael helps when he can and I see pictures on FB or in Karen's blog. Here is my own photo of the window wall. Can you see how many windows there will be?

This week, however, Michael spent more time at Leah's assembling furniture and adding some final touches to the art studio. It is beautiful! I can see my daughter and I spending time together there making art!

West wall                                                        East wall

Michael had several very long days away till midnight. The robotics team, or some of them, met three evenings and tried diligently to meet the Thursday deadline for submitting a video of the robot in action. 

Meanwhile, I spent much time alone. Kendra persuaded me to attend "Shop the Loop" event at Taylor. Moriah just happened to meet me there and we went around to all the vendors together. She introduced me to a fellow engineering major we'd heard a lot about over the years. Kevin has a very unique form of art using a 3D printer. Can you guess which item I was drawn to?

Speaking of turtles (or was I?), I was finally able to successfully wear the one Michael crafted for me last Christmas.

Saturday, I joined Team 1720 and the Lion's Club joint bottle-cap-sorting party. We spent hours going through mountains of bags-full. I was mostly picking out the paper inserts while Michael poured avalanche-like torrents of lids on our table and scoured them rapidly for non-acceptable items. I'm sure we won in two categories: fastest and messiest! It was a fun time working together with team members, parents and friends.

Any of you locals who'd like to help out, may donate all your bottle caps. These will be made into benches. 

I was reminded of an art piece I saw years ago in the Art Pilgrimage of a Cornerstone Music Festival It was made entirely of bottle caps--Living Lilies.

At Sunday dinner with the girls, we noticed that Moriah's colors perfectly matched the food served. 

Michael made the wonderful meal, we all enjoyed it, then I rushed off to a bridal shower while the girls cleaned up the kitchen. (Hmmm. . . we will miss them when they leave in a few weeks.) 

Lexi's bridal shower was lovely, as is she--Malachi's bride-to-be! Rebecca will experience another first as "flower-girl" on May 22. 

It happened to be a very full day as we hosted a TU MuKappa event called Chai Chats. Looks like they are a tight-knit group! 😄 How many bodies can you count?

The conversation was directed toward sharing their widely varying experiences growing up as MKs (Missionary Kids), TCKs (Third Culture Kids), or CCKs (Cross Culture Kids).

I realized that I was probably the only one in that crowd with a higher degree of assimilation to the culture where I grew up, in that I attended the public schools, graduated with a teacher's degree and even taught there for a short time. To this day I have deep lasting friendships, and feel "one of them."

I am currently writing about my early childhood, and publish another chapter every 1 and 15 of the month in English and Spanish. I spent a good deal of time this week on Chapter 4.

This fifteenth week of 2021, was very full and hasn't slowed down. That's my excuse for the lateness of this post. 

Keep plodding on, enjoying the beauty in progress around you!

Full House

The week started out icy cold.

We had decided to take off after church to watch son Stephan and the other carvers in the process of making ice art. 

His was a more delicate, risky piece with many parts and so tall it barely fit under the tent.

The Best Pancakes 

Obviously at the start of "Sugaring Season", he had maple syrup in mind. 

Michael was so inspired that he carved a decent snow squirrel when we got home.

 

Our bread supply was running low, so Michael started a new batch and the girls finished it.

They were able to share the end product and show off their bread-making skills with a group of students on the MuKappa (missionary kids & internationals club) planning committee.

Rebecca was here Tuesday ready to play in the snow. This time it was pack-able. 

In our first attempt we ended up with such monstrous mounds, too heavy to stack.

Next we made a snow-girl outside Moriah's glass door.

Thanks to Michael's promptings and example, I am getting more exercise than ever before.

A local group, UCC Hikers, often announces outings for whoever can make it.

We joined Bob Medows, the organizer, for strenuous hike at Seven Pillars, trudging through 6" deep snow.

As the weather warmed up, Michael dared to go out for a bike ride Thursday.

Did anyone know this was National Engineers Week?

Don't know if that was the reason, but the Engineering students decided to have Fancy Friday.

The girls were busy getting Moriah dolled up for the day before her 8 AM class..

Ever so grateful for a deadline to clean up my loft writing area! I spent  most of Thursday preparing to welcome Kendra's boyfriend visiting from Massachusetts. I sorted, rearranged, dusted, swept, and finally on Friday made up a bed for Zack who arrived later that afternoon.

A photo was in order. Sorry, no before pics!

The love birds gazing . . . 

Rebecca was here for awhile. Moriah loves to play with young uns!

Zack got together with several old college friends while he was here. Saturday one of them drove in from Ohio! We had taught Zack our favorite game of 2020 and he loved it. So while Kendra was out doing her long run for Marathon training class, he taught Lukas how to play Splendor.

I posted the following Announcement on a new blog. I am so excited about this project. More to come!

In the process of sorting through piles and files, I came across photos I had not seen or didn't remember (that happens too often lately). This is my father's family when he was the next to youngest, the little boy in the front. Another brother was born later. Grandma had dark hair, and grandpa was still with the family. 

This week brought back memories of Daddy's passing, February 21, eight years ago, shortly before his 92nd birthday. I was so privileged to be with him during that momentous transition.