Props from Rob

A generous piece of publicity from our friend Rob Still at his blog, re: my CD of Kenyan Recordings.

Parallel Photos

We do recognize that time passes.  I understand that while we were in Kenya Maggie aged two years, and after departing with a 7 month old we returned with a 6 month old and a 2 1/2 yr old.  It's hard to remember that everyone else aged two years, too!  During these past month we've had the chance to visit and reconnect with some great friends.  There were a few photos from our travels in 2009 that I tried to recreate this year, 2011.  See what you think.

Then, with an affectionate Calvin Rocke:

Now, with an unenthused Calvin Rocke:

 

Then, Maggie and her very much smaller (though only three months younger) friend Andrew Rogers:

Now, the same size, mirroring their fathers' music skills:

 Then, an excited Maggie sits in Great Grandma Selle's little rocking chair:

 Now, an excited Ben sits in Great Grandma Selle's little rocking chair:

(and Maggie is much bigger)

Rich Mullins

Sorry for the posting lapse.  We've been traveling a lot, to Michigan, then Louisville, then back to Nashville.  And then a special treat, the Grandparents McLaughlin are watching the kids while we two get two nights free at a B&B in east Tennessee.  This is where we are.  And it's lovely.

I've been reading this Rich Mullins biography, and came away with a couple new quotes that I really liked, so I'm posting them here, in the hopes that sharing will prevent forgetting.

"It is a beautiful night out - a good strong moon, stars, a beautiful black sky, and Wichita all lit up under it.  I listened to "Adagio for strings" tonight.  It is a beautiful sound, and...maybe I will someday write something as beautiful as "Adagio," something as beautiful as this night.  And if I had a child, I'd tell him to let these things speak to him as I cannot speak, and to see in them what cannot yet be seen in himself, and know that a day is coming when the night will envy his beauty and when "Adagio" will sound like a theory assignment compared to the sound that he will be - one vibrant, shimmering answer that silences the noise of proud skepticism." - Rich Mullins (1955-1997)

"Doctor, without your wounds, where would your power be?  It is your melancholy that makes your low voice tremble into the hearts of men and women.  The very angels themselves cannot persuade the wretched and blundering children of this earth as can one human being broken on the wheels of living.  In love's service only wounded soldiers can serve." - Brennan Manning quoting Thorton Wilder's An Angel That Troubled the Waters

Happy Halloween!

This year marks the second year in a row that I've awakened Maggie from a nap to go trick-or-treating.  Does that make me a bad parent?  (wake up kid, time to go get some candy)  We had some cute costumes and enjoyed going around a friend's neighborhood on the west side of Ann Arbor.  Mags also got a chance to "paint" a pumpkin with finger paint.  Messy and enjoyable, as you'll see.

 The princess says, "Give me candy!"  She wouldn't wear the crown ("owie") and would only put on the costume ("itchy") after being told it was a requirement for collecting candy....)

 Ben was an adorable lion, which I picked up at a garage sale in Tennessee!

 Good thing it was a warm costume, since it couldn't have been more than 40 degrees outside.

 Fun neighborhood for trick or treating!