Friday, September 17, 2010

all for nature

dear emily,

tonight hans and i hosted a fundraiser for the nature conservancy, mainly
for our tall grass prairie, the largest in the world.  hans calls it the reasonable
man's approach to conservation.  we don't throw buckets of paint on anyone.

in the pre-party panic i always experience, i hid in our quiet pantry and sent
the kids a furtive message, "your dad is about to get in a fight with the city
newspaper, because they want us to take a photo outside in the 95 degree
weather."

"mom!  are you hiding in the pantry?"

hans won, and we took the picture in our living room.  i'm pretty sure
we will look like the bison of our tall grass prairie, as the photographer
will have his revenge.



one of the most famous nature conservancy photographers gave me
permission to post some of his gorgeous tall grass prairie photos on my
humble blog!  i'll place them by our photo in a few days, and let you
judge who's the scruffiest.

in the same living room, i  happened upon a woman leaning over her
husband who was grey as an old mare and shaking with sweaty palms.
she said, "he's probably fine, but he has really high blood pressure."

after the ambulance left with him, she turned back and said, "thank you
very much for having us.  we had a lovely time."

creepy.  

"did you have to call for the firetrucks, too?"  hans was just curious.

before i could answer, the most adorable 85 year old man (think fred
astaire but imagine the largest land owner in our state) came whistling
out the door.  so cute . . . with a wine bottle hidden behind him.  he had
told me earlier that his wife, who was home with a 'bug', was feeling
much better.

"she felt well enough to go to the beauty parlor."  :)

home, home on the range . . .

love,
lea

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

awkward family photos

dear emily,

i'm probably going to get in trouble with someone, but desperate times
call for desperate measures.  whenever i really need to be cheered up,
 i suspect others might, too.  here are  some of my favorite photos from
"awkward family photos."

"will you marry me, alice?"



"only if we can have our bridal party photo in our favorite tree."




"or if we can use your mom's awesome draperies."




"and if you go to billy ray's barber."





love,
lea

"God has brought me laughter, and everyone who 
hears about this will laugh with me."
genesis 21:6

Monday, September 13, 2010

fried chicken, baby!

i am in such a pickle, because that darling kim from field of dreams
has shared so many endearing stories about her beloved chickens.
they feel like family to me now.



on top of that, her newest batch of chickens is the sweetest one of all.
my dilemma, you ask?

fried chicken is about my favorite food!   i could eat it morning, noon,
and night.  the guilt is killing me.  please don't tell kim about my
'fowlibalistic' tendencies when you visit her.



she thinks i love her precious hens so much i could just eat them up
but doesn't realize i am actually doing that.  :)

love,
the fantastic mrs. fox

ps.  "for everything God created is good (food), and nothing is to
be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving . . ." 1 timothy 4:4

Saturday, September 11, 2010

some day

i'm linking up with the red dress club to write a letter to our younger
selves.

dear younger lea,

i know you think you're fat, because there is a tiny jiggle behind
you, but you're NOT.  some day you WILL be, so try to enjoy
that cute little figure while you have it.



it makes you feel prettier to be as tan as a piece of leather, but
some day that's what your skin will look like . . . only worse.
put on sunscreen.

be kind to everyone.  some day you may work for one of them.

think sweet thoughts, and you will say sweet words.  some day
you may have to eat them.



love,
your much older self

"whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever
is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable . . . think on
such things."  philippians 4:8

Thursday, September 9, 2010

thank you! and 'friday pretties!'



it seems i always have something for which to be grateful here.
your prayers and encouragement have lifted me above the tide
that would have swept over me at my daughter's departure.   if
you knew how precious she is, you would understand our terrible
loss and brazil's great gain.   the Light seems to find her.

















many of you left the kindest comments and prayers after my last 
entreaty, but i received the most input about gwendolyn's eloquent 
one.  if you have time to visit her, you will be comforted and inspired.

friday is the day we look forward to joyce's 'pretties.'  it astounds me to
see the beauty of God's creation presented for us to enjoy at all the lovely
blogs who participate.

my 'pretty' is from our beloved colorado.  the same God who formed
this majestic mountain,


set the seed for a delicate white blossom.



"for the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods.
in His hand are the depths of the earth, 
and the mountain peaks belong to Him."
psalm 95:3,4

love,
lea


Monday, September 6, 2010

brazilian send off

the plane fare for four, including two trips to the airport
on friday, one more on sunday, and two additional ones 
on monday and tuesday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$1,000.00

a houseful of "emily's" adorable little ones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  $00.00

brazilian feijoada stew for forty, festive decorations, 
samba music, dancing, laughter, and tears . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $200.00

the chance for all my children to say "goodbye" to their
baby sister, who is traveling to brazil for three months . . . . .priceless

i would be so grateful if you would remember our daughter, hailey,
in your prayers while she embarks on this mission experience.  she
is so precious to us.



here she is at her beloved big sister's wedding.


love,
lea

"and walk in love, esteeming and delighting in one another . . . 
ephesians 5:2




Saturday, September 4, 2010

good things come in small packages

when you think of the good things that come in small packages,
what do you think of first?

diamond earrings?















keys to a porsche?




a baby in the manger?



















a mustard seed?



"I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed,
you can say to this mountain, 'move from here to there' and it
will move.  nothing will be impossible for you."  matthew 17:20


here's what the mustard seed becomes:


i thought of the diamond earrings, too.  :)

love,
lea