Toned Pancakes . . .or somethin'.

I've really been trying to reconcile the two images in my mind all day.

I made a major decision, and DEMANDED of my pregnant, physical being exercise activity today . . .the re-start of a previous endeavor some months ago, derailed by surgery and holiday.

That's how I found myself once again in the presence of a predominantly (at least in my area) octogenarian event called Water Aerobics. (See Pictorial Guide below.)


Meanwhile, miles away in a distant land to the east, my Pal . . .my beloved coffee-drinkin' fool of a friend, my com padre in all adventures requiring great mental acuity derived from the ingestion of plenty of breakfast type carbs and proteins, dined upon a feast of (I'm certain) strawberry crepes and hash browns and plenty of bacon. Oh. And of course, coffee.

Sigh.

She did.

I know, I know . . .she's preparing for a marathon of another sort.

I guess I do not despise her for it.

But gee . . .I really wanted to go, too . . .

PU-WEEEEEZZZZEEEE?!?!?!?

In Case You Missed It . . .

Please let me be clear.

The last thing I wish to do is be redundant.

I realize that some of my readers may have already partaken in the verbose response that the GilGuy gave me yesterday (er, this morning) in response to my public appreciation of who he is regarding a private conversation.

If indeed, you've already been baptised in our mutual affection for one another, please feel free to truncate your time here now. Otherwise, please stay on the line for a very important message.

{ahem}



One of the things I love most about Gil is his ability to be verbally and emotionally fluent (well, ok. most of the time!) :)

When I met him, I informed him that under no uncertain terms, I was looking for a man who could communicate.

(Oh. Pardon me one moment! Speaking of looking for a mate. . .if you or anyone you know is currently looking for one, you might wish to introduce them to my friend Doug . . .)

Boy howdy, can Gil communicate!

When we were engaged, Gil once gave a descriptor of his role in my life. One of protector. Not a fence builder, capturing me within; but the roof of a pavillion, protecting me from the elements, giving me free rein to move about as I was wont to do. A kind of building without walls.

So it is, that we encountered a conversation that took us back to that analogy the other evening. I so appreciated Gil, that I posted a Love Poem to him. He responded with the following:

As we drove to home church at Dawn and Chris' place on Sunday, we rounded a curve at which another car was momentarily stopped for traffic. I saw the cutest little dog (cute because it belongs to someone else!) in the window of the stopped car and recognized it as a papillion dog.

I decided to spring an improptu Socratic dialogue upon 14-year-old Aubrey. I am cruel that way, so they say.

GIL: Aubrey, do you know what kind of dog that was?

AUBREY: Uh, no.

GIL: It was a papillion dog. What language do you think papillion comes from?

AUBREY: German?

GIL: Nooo. Do you know another word that sounds like papillion?

AUBREY: Uh, no.
************************
At this point my limbic system received the following message from Aubrey:

Dear Universe,

I regret having declined the invitation to make this 5-mile trek in Jodi's car. It seemed wise at the time to seek refuge from my everpresent, everannoying brother, but I appear to have made a poor choice.

Can I please be given another chance? Is there any way to fast forward to the lunch part of home church?

Please stop the noise.

Stranded,
Aubrey
************************

GIL: [interrupting the limbic message, impervious to its pleading urgency] What about croupillion?

AUBREY: [silence]

GIL: [egredious, slow, nasal overpronunciation]CroupilllioonnNNN...PapillioonnNNN.CroupilllioonnNNN...PapillioonnNNN.

AUBREY: [silence]

GIL: What language is croupilllioonnnNN?

AUBREY: French. Papillion is French. [terse limbic message: over now?]

GIL: Good. Now, what does papillion mean?

AUBREY: Ankle-biter?

GIL: No, but good guess. It means butterfly...

AUBREY: Because its ears and head look like a butterfly![limbic: definitely freaking over now!]

Which brings me around to this: papillion and pavilion come from the same butterfly root in Latin - a pavilion being a strong, sturdy tent in Roman days -- and whose canvas flaps resembled a butterfly's wings. How fitting that a fenceless pavilion carry the notion of freedom in something so delicate and beautiful as a butterfly.

[limbic: hug]

{dreamy sigh}

Isn't it obvious WHY I love him so?

Gil's Grace

Sometimes I forget

your life experience

and how it impacts mine.

You

are an amazing mate.

A precious partner.

my other half.

Thank You.

Blogging Buddies

Well, I'm a bit amused; maybe flattered; quite possibly tickled to find that my friends have or are developing a love for Blogging.

er, Journaling.

um, nope: Advertising the desire for a mate.

wait! lessee: Cooking Chicken Soup

nah. Anticipating a move.

oops! Healing a Husband.

oh . . .I mean, traveling the globe.

or

well, shoot. No matter what you call it . . .I'm LOVIN' It! :)

Have YOU hugged your BLOG today? :)

Rx: Throw A Meatball At 'Em

It is becoming more and more apparent that this pregnancy is causing modified behaviors in me. For instance:

1. Me: The Midnight Blogger, suddenly finds that to keep my eyelids open past the *late* hour of 10 pm is a HUGE stretch. I am forced and reduced to blogging when my mind is semi-coherent, at some point after my second cup of coffee in the morning.

2. My newly acquired morning blog routine is compromised by my body's seemingly uncooperative response to morning stimuli such as: sunlight pouring in the window, the sound of family traffic throughout the house, and even the smell of the aromatic coffee elixir brewing. All of these components fail to prod me to movement. My body cries out for more rest.

3. Then comes the two or three hour nap that overtakes me midafternoon. Sheesh. How is a gal supposed to function?!

4. And finally, my hormonal surge (of which I am almost completely unaware) is having some kind of strange effect on those around me. I am met with stares and long glances. Why? I successfully turned away Screaming Banchi Woman when she knocked on the door last night, and thankfully didn't let her in. One could hear her shouting as she took off down the road . . . And what's up with all the nonsensical crying? For no reason? Is it necessary to cry when I hang up the phone with my daughter, knowing I just saw her hours ago?

All of this brings me to The Meatball Incidence. It began simply enough, last Sunday, after fellowship.

I needed nourishment.

Now.

My husband began to prepare a dish of sustenance for me, namely: Spaghetti and Meatballs.

My greatest desire was nothing more than the desire to sit down and eat.

However, others began making requests of me at an alarming rate.

I found myself engaged in meeting the needs of four or five other people all at once. And I couldn't find my car keys.

Enter: Frantic, On The Edge Wild Banchi Woman. Her wild eyes darted too and fro, desperately trying to resolve her delimna. After all, it really was inappropriate that she should show up in a house full of guests. There was no way out. There was no where to turn. She was about to throw meatballs at everyone.

Until Gil saved the day.

He calmed her down.

He sat her down.

He fed her.

And then, she went away.

Ah. Peace and Happiness returned to my world.

So, with all this said, I just want to post a Warning:

I walk softly, but I carry Meatballs in my pocket.

Don't cross the Pregnant Lady.

Giants, Grasshoppers, and a Great God

Have you seen it?

Have you watched the movie?


Facing The Giants. It pierces the soul, it makes its' mark upon the heart. And, it gets to the heart of the matter.

Whatever matter you might be facing.

If you haven't watched yet, go get the DVD, and do it.

If your giant is roaring at you from across the field, here's a little reminder to keep him under your feet:

Canine Psalm 133

"How sweet and pleasant it is for brethern to dwell together in unity . . ."

I'm not sure which moment could be labeled as the Best Part. All I know is that the Fisherman and His Family came back. They lingered. We laughed. We cried. We hugged. And for another season, another window, we have said our good-bye's.



The Fisherman and His Family shared in our weekly gathering, our fellowship yesterday, and it was so sweet. It truly is a beautiful thing when believers are gathered together to lift up the Lord, and to edify one another. I love my family.

And then, a miracle happened.

Yep. A bonafide miracle.

The Rascally Dell-Meister finally "got it": If he didn't want to spend his time crated and alone, he'd best get along with EVERYONE . . .Astro, Art, Lori . . .all of 'em. So make friends he did:


All on his own accord. And, I suspect, under the unction of the Holy Ghost!

Ah. Unity.

The Good Life.

For dogs and 'umans alike.

Just Call Me . . .

Agent Ang.

Yep. The new moniker bestowed upon me by my friend Doug. :)

There have been replies.

"The phone lines are still open . . ." said the voice-over commentator. "There is still time to put in your bid on this fantastic model: 5"10, 185, brown, hazel, charming, smart, interesting, funny, drama free...plus tax..."

A Valentine Advertisement (of sorts)

I simply cannot believe it.

I've ten minutes to get out the door, and the genius thought hit me like a ton of brinks! (Sometimes I forget just how genius I really am!!)

At anyrate ~ I was considering yet another of my friends: Doug.

You see, I met Doug officially in 1999. I'd seen him around, but never had occasion to talk to him directly. (That was until Charles, but Charles is another story . . .) There are so many character qualities about Doug that I enjoy, but I do believe that a picture is worth a thousand words, so . . .

Here is a picture of Doug:

What is so cool about this picture of Doug is that he is in prayer.

Yep. A solid believer.

I can vouch for his integrity in the Lord.

Doug and I have been praying for his spouse.

You see, he hasn't met her yet.

So, I'm going to give him a hand today.

If you or someone you know is:


A. Single
B. Between 30 - 43
C. A Natural Redhead
D. Not A Redhead At All
E. In Love With The Lord
F. Interested in Meeting My Friend Doug

Please drop me a line. JaJireh@yahoo.com.

I'll arrange a meeting. or a cyber-meet. or a phone call.

Whatever it takes. :)

All for my friend Doug.

He's looking for her. He's praying for her.

Is it you?

::::IMPORTANT UPDATE::::

Doug has been officially informed of his "Advertisement" . . .and decided to jump on in to the fun! He's provided some fresh pictures that show off his ruggedly handsome good looks! Enjoy!

A Valentine for You ~

A Little Love sent your way,
On this special Valentine's Day.

I want you to know how much I cherish
Your reading and comments, even when my life story seems garish!

If it weren't for your encouraging words,
Blogging would be bland, a drudgery, a dirge.

But you visit, and you write ~
You read and you muse
My life, my song, my purpose, my fuse.

You are a friend, a reader indeed
One I hold dear, that fuels my blogging need.

So, never depart, my friend anew ~
I want you to know just how much I need you!

Your love and your grace,
Your style and your taste,
Only add to my life
And give it trace of beauty and belief
in all that's good.
A wealth of love, returned, renewed.

Live Life Gil-Tastic!

Alright, alright . . .enough talk of all my friends. For now.

Today I want to return to one of my favorite subjects: My GilGuy. Otherwise known as McGILver.

Here is his picture:


Gil is usually underestimated by most. Beneath that calm exterior lives a brain of genius quality, and the ability to accomplish amazing feats of greatness in a single bound. Really.

Take yesterday for instance.

Not only did he manage to put in a full day's work, he also made sure that I was fully aware of his support for me in my business, as he strode into my meeting with a bravado that only he can muster. Briskly walking up the center aisle, he swept me into a tight embrace, whispered in my ear that pizza would be waiting for me when I got home. Grinning, he turned to go, while I stood watching and melting into a puddle on the spot.

While I finished my task, he deftly ministered to a friend, and the children of both families, and returned home just prior to my arrival.

I walked into the house, greeted by a cup of hot green tea, fresh brussel sprouts in butter, and three pieces of pepperoni, black olive, and green pepper thin crust Pizza Hut pizza.
Ooh Joy! What bliss! :) I gobbled up the nutrients like I'd never see tomorrow.

And that's not all.

A storm came through last night.

And McGILver's most recent invention was put to the test.

The winds blew, but the house was quiet, as no siding dared move from it's appointed place against the furious gusts.

Ah. Sleeping in peace. All because of McGILver. My GilGuy.

And that's not all!

My earliest recollection this morning, as the light began to pour through the window, was that of his powerful voice, lifting up prayer unto the Most High in the next room.

He is amazing, this Gil-Tastic individual that God has given me. My heart is overjoyed to know that he is my ForeverFriend, my lover, my spouse.


He might hide away, behind the scenes, prefering to go unnoticed in the crowd. His servant-heart brings him to the forefront anyway. Humble, Courageous, Committed. That's my GilGuy. He is truly Gil-Tastic.

And Then There's Maude . . .er, I mean, Jason!

Ok. While I'm making introductions, please allow me to introduce you to another friend of mine: Jason Hall.

Those of you who hang out here regularly have probably taken a tour around the world with Jas, as he ministers globally with the Book of Hope. Just in case you haven't, here's a picture of Jason and one of his global companions:



I met Jason years ago while I was working in the office of a local church, and he made quite an impression on me. He's an impressionable guy.

To know Jason is to know that God is indeed a God of wonders, faith and forward-motion, always, always Kingdom Purpose minded.

Several months ago, whilst Travelin' Man was in some country far, far away, the Lord gave me a series of dreams, warning me of impending danger surrounding Jason's trip. My response? Pray. Take a look at this pic, and you will see that the Lord indeed protected Jason and his charges:



(You can read his account on his ExtremeBlog! November 20, 2006 entry.)

The Lord's protection was so evident, so apparent, and it was very exciting to have had a role in that safety in the arena of prayer.

Well, the Lord shared something else with me during that season.

An item of mention that I did not share with anyone but my husband.

Jason would soon be getting married.

{double take}

MARRIED?!?!?

Yep.

I heard it from the horses mouth.

The King O' Kings had spoken.

Wow.

I pondered the thought many times over the ensuing months, and waited for word.

Indeed, word has come:

Jason is getting MARRIED!

Can it be? Oh yes. It can be . . .and all of heaven rejoices.

Congratulations, Jason! Congratulations, Autumn!

Here is a picture of his lovely bride:



May the Lord richly bless your union, and take you around the world in greater demonstration of His spirit and power as you proclaim the Good News!

The Fisherman And His Family.

Good Morning, Everyone!

I'd like to introduce you to a dear friend of mine. This is Art.



Art is a really cool guy.

He is a Bass-Pro fisherman who travels the big ol' US of A with his Triton boat and his dog Astro.

This is Astro:



I met Art many years ago. (Gee. I'm trying to remember how we met. Hmmm. I'll revisit that thought later.) Anyway, we met several years ago, while the two of us were single and looking.

Now, from the get-go, it was obvious that Art and I both had an affinity for Kingdom purposes. We both had an adventurous heart, and a desire to see lives impacted by the Love of God. We also had a penchant for talking on the phone whislt driving cross-country, headed in two different directions at once.

Yep. Art and I developed one of those whatchacall Lifetime Friendships.

So, it was only natural that at some point, our life paths would shift, one of us would get married (that'd be me), and Mississippi would become a rest stop for the ever-popular fisherman.

It has been very beneficial to have Art stop by.

Art fixed our shower head with an innovative technique that eluded my Genius GilGuy.

Art introdouced us to Joshua, and we introduced him to . . .well, what it might possiblly be like to belong to a pre-made family of five ~ yes, I said FIVE individuals.

You see, Gil (never been married, no children) married me, the widow with four children. (It was quite a feat of faith, but one he was willing to take becasue I am the woman of his dreams!) Every time Art would visit us, or we would visit him, it was ComedyCentral because, let's face it: Marrying a woman and her four children is challenging!

However, we successfully modeled how God can build a house, blend a family, and create pure joy in the process.

We inspired Art.

He decided to give it the ol' college try.

He met Laurie.

Laurie has four children.

Art asked laurie to marry him.

Laurie said yes.

Now Art has a pre-made family of his own! This week, we all joined together as one big happy family. We took pictures.

This is Laurie and her second oldest daughter, BriAnn:



This is Laurie's youngest daughter, Mikayla:



and finally, Laurie's son, Justin, pictured here with Art The Fisherman:



The moral of my story is this:

Never give up on your dreams.

Value the people who come into your life.

Expect the unexpected, and life life large.

After all, you never know what type of fish you might catch; what bait you'll have to use; and how the road will unfold before you.

Art the Fisherman now has a Family.

He's a really cool guy.

Sugar In My Soup

Denise had evoked the delicate fragrance and taste of Jasmine tea to the forefront of my senses earlier this week. I had a craving.

Imagine my delight when I walked into CoffeeFusion tonight, and I-Spied Jasmine Tea prominently displayed on the menu board. WOOHoo! :)

Jodi walked in about the time I took my fist sip of the aromatic brew. My every tastebud stood alert to capture the sheer melodic liquid . . .

and then I grimaced.

Yes. I said I grimaced.

Stunned.

Stopped dead in my taste-budial tracks.

It was filled with a syrup-y sugar that made my head swim.

EEEEwwww!

I tried to take it back.

It appears that CoffeeFusion only serves pre-medicated-with-twenty-times-more-than-the-natural-body-requires-sugar-content-teas.

Sigh.

Jodi liked it.

So, I returned home to open a can of Vegetable Soup.


I asked Gil if he wanted a bowl.

He said no.

I ate out of the sauce-pot.

Gil asked me if he could have a taste.

I think his left eye will heal from the damage done by the emergent talon that suddenly protruded from my right hand and swatted him. :)

Rule #1: Do not add sugar to the Jasmine Tea.

Rule #2: Do not take soup from the Hungry Pregnant Jasmine Tea Deprived woman across the table from you.

You are liable to get sugar in your soup.

VAL-uable Lessons

I committed the children to a Valentine's Day project.

They have been responsible for creating 60+ homemade Valentine's Day cards, to be sent to other homeshcool children across the globe.

A nice lesson in geography, right?

Well, only after the Mom settles the umpteenth upended arguement about the latest sliver of craft article not being used properly, or she successfully removes child A from the worktable in order to allow child B to complete said such project in peace.

Sigh.

Whose idea was this?

oh yeah.

mine.

Pass the glue stick.

An Amazing

event happened yesterday.

I was scheduled for an ultrasound to verify that Little One is indeed in proper place womb-wise. It was such a thrill to see the heart flutterings of a six week old baby. All is well.

My GilGuy was out of town, and unable to attend, so I gathered up Just-Discharged-From-The-Hospital-Tiffers and brought her with. The Ultrasound Tech released me to the restroom, and I returned to find TiffanyTwoShoes up on the table, and the Techie photographing the Little One we were so worried about as Tiffany's fever spiked 103 repeatedly over a five day period. (Those following the story will recall that they would not check on Little One during her stay.)




An Amazing Love filled my heart, as Little One jumped and danced for us onscreen, assuring us that all was well in it's Little World as well.

An Amazing gratitude filled my heart, as the knowledge of the Lord's intimate involvement with our heartcries enveloped me.

Thank you Father.

I needed that.

I am so appreciative.

You are an Amazing God.

General Hospital: Revisited

A few friends of mine mentioned that my life as of late has resembled a Soap Opera. A kind of dramatic turn and series of events hearkening back to the good ole' days of General Hospital and Days of our Lives.

Well, I'm not so certain that it was all THAT dramatic, but I do know that I was one wrapped-around-the-axle-mom! Tiffany presented several days of fever and lack of stomach control. I finally took the reins, and hauled her off to the ER.

Here she is in all her hospitial-i-fied glory:


Turns out she was on the brink of eternity, with a severe UTI gone awry. Being the expecting mom that she is, they put her on the maternity floor, where we spent many long, arduous hours tending to fevers of 103, keeping the trash can nearby, IV watch, and of course, the House Beautiful Channel.

Bethany was a dutiful sister, and a great assistant, when she wasn't selling furniture to the networks. Here she is, in Aide mode:



So, all plans and purposes went by the wayside for a few days, while I nursed my baby girl back to health.

Looks like Marlena is going to marry Josh after all . . .and . . .well, you get it.

These Are The Days Of Our Lives.