| a weekly capturing of contentment in everyday life |
After Natalie's 18th birthday and Rebekah's college graduation in mid-December, Brian said to me "OK, that's all the celebrations until the wedding, right?" I said "Right!" Pause. "Oh, wait. What about Christmas?" As it turned out, Christmas was completely lovely and restful and sweet, albeit a bit milder in the gift-giving department. Here's a quick photo diary of our day together with our precious kids. (Here's part 1and part 2 and part 3recapping this season of milestone celebrations for our family.)
| pretty, happy, funny, real |
Beautiful Christmas Eve service at Christ Church with family and friends.
For the first time in 25 years, our kids let us sleep in on Christmas morning. This turned into a leisurely start to the day with coffee around the table before Brian read the Luke 2 passage to us. Delightful.
Among the gifts under the tree, we started with a package from Brian's mother. She thoughtfully sent each of the kids Christmas ornaments that their Dad and Aunt JoAnn hand painted 40 years ago. She also made each one of us a tiny, original handpainted canvas. We called her and wished her a Merry Christmas from all of us via speaker.
Partway into our gift opening I received a text from one of my dear, co-worker friends telling me to open my front door. We didn't quite know what to expect from this friend and her wiley roommates, but didn't expect this lovely basket of homemade, a-maz-ing muffins! Mmmmmm. Brian especially loved the post script on the Christmas card poking a wee bit of innocent fun on his declaration to the entire second service of Christmas Eve churchgoers the night before: "There are no more cookies!"
A handful of happy photos from our gift exchange. Brian and I had convinced the kids there would be no gifts this year (because of the delightful wedding celebration to come) so it was especially fun to surprise them with a few small things. We still had a gift exchange with each other and loved all the meaningful items picked out with each person in mind. Kendra may have received the World's Most Suitable Gift with this Star Wars Crochet kit from Amber.
We ended the day with a Christmas Day Star Wars viewing sponsored by more grandparents. We've never gone to the movies on Christmas Day, preferring to stay home in our pj's and wait a day or two for a family theater outing. What with the exceptional year brought by a wedding, and most-hyped-ever Star Wars release, we made an exception. It was, in fact, a very fun activity for Christmas Day (although, I sheepishly confess that I fell asleep. Please don't tell anyone!)
Brian and I love these people.
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I'd love to hear about it!
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| a weekly capturing of contentment in everyday life |
We've had a couple of quieter weeks since the last update - only an 18th birthday and a college graduation to celebrate! (I jest. There was nothing *only* about either event!) After the graduation ceremony last weekend, Brian said "OK, that's all the celebrations until the wedding, right?" I said "Right!" Pause. "Oh, wait. What about Christmas?" (Here's part 1and part 2recapping this season of milestone celebrations for our family.)
A few photos to practice contentment the past 2 weeks
| Natalie's 18th Birthday |
Natalie Turns 18
I've never met anyone who counts down the days to their birthday like our youngest child. If we could bottle the commitment and focus she employs in the weeks leading up to December 8th, we would (maybe) be able to pay her upcoming college tuition. It helps that a few of her good friends celebrate birthdays during the same week - turning it into a seven or ten day extravaganza. Brian and I try to do our part and then get out of the way!
And there was a tatoo event. Parents of small children, listen up. You get through another day telling your kid "You have to wait until you're such-and-such an age to do this or that." Well the days tick by, and behold, they turn such-and-such an age. Natalie was the first to take us up on the "Not until you're 18". As the youngest of four, being the first at anything is a well-accomplished goal. We celebrated the tattoo with her. I humbly share with you her explanation for the design in this post at her brave blog: Where I've been lately
| Rebekah's Graduation from UNT |
Bekah and her perfectly-fitting tribute to her marvelous parents, Bernie & Jodi Cummins
Rebekah's graduation from the University of North Texas
This girl finished her bachelor's degree a semester early (while planning a wedding) and graduated Summa Cum Laude with Bachelor of Arts in Psychology.
We are proud of her - for the degree, of course - but also for the way she chose to be fully present to relationships and community while dating our son who lived 5 hours away in Houston for their entire college career (which means almost all of their dating years). Over the celebration brunch, I told Bekah that when we first met her we liked her right away. But it wasn't until their first semester of college -- she in Denton, TX and he in Houston -- that we realized she was THE ONE for Alex. We watched them choose the suffering of distance from each other, while embracing the abundance of learning, community, and experience at their respective schools. This was a hard decision, and we trust created a fortitude "muscle" that will serve them for the rest of their lives.
And now we all celebrate the fact that the long-distance years are over!
| Funny |
Graduation day outtakes
Office Holiday Hijinks
This is the Team Gingerbread House Competition. The above photo shows the winning team's entry. The photo below is my team's entry. If you knew the reputation my team has in our office, this would not surprise you in the least. My contribution was the magnetic poetry, of which I'm a teensy bit proud.
A few of the artistic types on our team, created a giant holiday mural which also reflects perfectly the general consensus on the place religion has in this month's holidays. Of course, I'd heard of Festivus, but never the 'FSM'. The symbol and acronym represent the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, and is a real-ish sort of thing (as real as satire, anyway.) The adherents of FSM (also known as Pastafarianism) are gathered together by "a light-hearted view of religion and opposes the teaching of intelligent design and creationism in public schools."
Not having the opportunity to discover FSM, our family quietly marks the days of Advent with candles, Scripture, hymns and prayer. I've curated another series of Daybook posts, and am ever grateful to discover several others who have been encouraged by the series as well. This means more to me than I can describe.
May our humble searching for the One who has come and will certainly come again lead us past symbols, acronyms, and religious protest to the very present, ever-near Emmanuel. Blessed Advent and Merry Christmas to you all, good friends.
Have YOU captured any contentment this week?
I'd love to hear about it!
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| a weekly capturing of contentment in everyday life |
We're still in full-on celebration mode over here. Here's a few more photos people sent our way from Ordination and Confirmation + a recap of the lovely dinner party our kids threw us for our 25th anniversary. In the middle of that was Thanksgiving, a wedding shower for Alex & Bekah, Alex's birthday. Oh, and the first days of Advent! past two weeks were full to overflowing with people to see and things to celebrate. This week we're celebrating our baby girl's 18th birthday and our new daughter-in-law's college graduation. I'll have to share those photo stories in a part 3 post next week. You might be counting down the days until a certain major holiday, but in our house we're counting down the days to a beautiful wedding -- 24 days and counting! (Here's part 1 of this series in a season of milestone celebrations for our family.)
A few photos to practice contentment the past 2 weeks
| Ordination, part 2 |
PROCESSION
PRESENTATION
SIGNING 'OATH of CONFORMITY'*
PETER LEADS IN MINISTRY OF THE WORD
PRAYER OF CONSECRATION**
Our friend Eleanor worships (that's my hand in front of hers)
BRIAN & BISHOP TODD HUNTER
Natalie's best friend Hannah (daughter of Christ Church's long-suffering Business Administrator, Laura) took some gorgeous photos of the Ordination service that I didn't want to miss sharing on the blog.
*[The Oath of Conformity]
The Bishop says to the ordinands: Will you be loyal to the doctrine, discipline, and worship of Christ as the Church has received them? And will you, in accordance with the Canons and Constitutions, obey your bishop and other ministers who may have authority over you and your work?
Answer: I am willing and ready to do so; and I solemnly declare that I do believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the Word of God, and to contain all things necessary to salvation; and I do solemnly engage to conform to the doctrine, discipline, and worship of the Anglican Church of North America.
**[The Consecration of the Deacons]
The Bishop says this Prayer of Consecration as the ordinands kneel: O God, most merciful Father, we praise you for sending your Son Jesus Christ, who took on Himself the form of a servant,and humbled Himself, becoming obedient even to death on the cross. We praise you that you have highly exalted Him, and made Him Lord of all; and that, through Him, we know that whoever would be great must be servant of all. We praise you for the many ministries in your Church, and for calling these your servants to the order of deacons.
Here the Bishop lays hands upon the heads of the ordinands and prays: Therefore, Father, through Jesus Christ your Son, give your Holy Spirit to Brian; fill him with grace and power, and make him a deacon in your church. Make him, O Lord, modest and humble, strong and constant, to observe the discipline of Christ. Let his life and teachings so reflect your commandments, that through him many may come to know you and love you. As your Son came not to be served but to serve, may these deacons share in Christ's service, and to come to the unending glory of Him who, with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever.
Natalie's Confirmation, a video from our friend Dr. Bill (Papa) Taylor
What a joy to celebrate Brian's ordination and Natalie's confirmation in the same weekend. A few years ago, when Brian, Kendra and I were confirmed, I wrote this post: Becoming Anglican. Natalie was blessed to be part of the first Catachesis class at Christ Church (led beautifully by the dear Sarah Smith). What a gift to have our community join us in training Natalie in the truths of Scripture and the traditions of the Church.
[The Prayer for Confirmation]
Defend, O Lord, this your servant Natalie with your heavenly grace, that she may continue yours for ever, and daily increase in your Holy Spirit more and more until she comes into the fullness of your everlasting kingdom. Amen.
| Thanksgiving |
Thanksgiving with the Cummins family
This is another one of those times we rave and rant the sheer good fortune we've been given in being welcomed by our son's new in-laws. To have our son marry the wonderful Rebekah would enough, but to become friends with her entire family is grace upon grace. (Not to mention they are excellent cooks!) We missed Andrew, Amber & Elayna today because they were visiting Amber's beautiful family in Dallas (which was right and good for them to do, of course).
May I just say that I could get used to showing up at someone else's house for the Thanksgiving meal. I mean, we did our part with a few side dishes, but still....
| Wedding Shower |
Thanksgiving Evening Dessert Open House/Virtual Wedding Shower
I was assured that I didn't need to throw a wedding shower, and I knew it was true. In October, some beautiful women, friends of Rebekah's mother, hosted a lovely wedding shower. I guess I must have tucked away in my dreams -- when my kids were little and I dreamed of the day they would marry -- an idea that I'd throw them a shower, too. Of course, in those dreams I was always living a few minutes away from my family members, and they would be the ones attending! I'm so grateful for family members who sent gifts from a long way away, for family members willing to play a goofy shower game via Google Hangout, and for local friends who -- GET THIS! -- were willing to come out to our house on Thanksgiving evening to eat pie and bless Alex & Bekah. It's just another example of the ways God sees my dreams to bless my kids and meets their needs when I'm scrambling a bit.
| 25th Wedding Anniversary |
Anniversary Celebration
Speaking of dreams, when my kids asked me several months ago how I'd like to celebrate our 25th Wedding Anniversary, and I couldn't think of anything better in the whole world than to have all 9 members of our (expanding) family under one roof for a meal. I'm so grateful to my kids for working hard to get together in one place at one time during this very busy, transient season of their lives. They cooked for us, they pulled out all the old photos and love notes (ack!! ) and took us down memory lane; they prepared artwork and wrote songs and stand-up monologues and prayers. They blessed us greatly.
No moment was more meaningful to me, however, then the moment when Brian and I pulled into our driveway (they'd kicked us out of the house so they could prepare) to find them standing on the front porch cheering for us. Seriously, I could bawl just remembering that moment again. You guys, hang in there with your families - if for no other moment than that one right there.
One other tiny little, boring gift: they created an IndieGoGo campaign to send us to Ireland for a second honeymoon. WHAT?!?!? For a couple hilarious photos and stories of our first humble honeymoon adventures (as scripted by our slightly irreverent sons), watch the campaign video they created:
And I've wanted to write something profound here on the blog about being married and staying married. Hopefully, I still will. In the meantime -- all disclaimers aside about real reasons for not staying married - might I just say the best advice I can give you is to just keep going? Learn well, seek healing, give forgiveness, be in community, let the Gospel save you, yes. All of those things, but really just stay together. You'll be so glad you did.
| Alex's Birthday |
Alex turns 22
I'm not going to lie: Alex kind of got the short end of the celebrations for his birthday. I don't think he minded too much, since people are basically throwing him wedding presents from right and left. We did go out to a quick lunch after church on Sunday, before he headed back to Houston. We didn't even have a cake or sing!
I did write a blog post about his birthday. It only sort of counts, though, because I've been meaning to write it since his last birthday when he turned 21 and we gave him a new name. He's a good boy, though, and read the same words I gave him a year ago as if I'd just written them for the first time.
We're slowly taking up our Advent practices. So far, we've listened to the Messiah a few times (once live, thanks to Austin Symphony Orchestra!) We've pulled out the nativity sets (although I was sorely tempted to leave them in a big choral formation, just for fun this year). We've lit candles and tried to gather for prayer each night. I've curated another series of Daybook posts. It's a strange waiting this year, more anachronistic than ever - the world is raging and gathering up ammunition even as we set up mangers for the baby Messiah. The world mourns tragic deaths, fears unseen terrorists, and our little family keeps throwing one party after another.
A strange Advent, indeed.
May each word of grief or triumph, each fast and feast serve only to reflect Christ's "kingdom come and will be done on earth as it is in heaven." Kingdom peace to us all, friends.
Have YOU captured any contentment this week?
I'd love to hear about it!
| Join in at P,H,F,R to see other wonderful people practicing contentment. |
