And onward...

We had a very nice Thanksgiving Day here. It was a day of lots of food. I made the rest of the buttermilk roll recipe into cinnamon rolls for breakfast. They were very good and led me to appreciate even more that recipe. The family arrived for pate and other stuff late morning. We were done with that by noon and then on to Lil's for dinner in the early evening. The food was all wonderful and the schedule was fairly relaxed. After our exhausted children got into bed a little before 8, I went out to my parents' house and got to have some really nice, and needed-by-me, conversation with both Dad and Mom. I returned home in time to smell the laundry Dennis had done in my absence. It was a good day.

Today, we are turning towards the next holiday. The fall decorations are in the process of being put away. I got the Advent/ Christmas books out today and set out some of our nativity sets. Tomorrow morning, we'll go help decorate the church and then Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent and we'll start opening the doors of our Advent house calendar. Sunday night my sister, brother in law and I will sing at our Hanging of the Greens service.

I'm looking forward to all of it. In fact, this approach the holidays is so new and different for me right now. I'm very excited to be able to actually focus on contemplating and absorbing and experiencing and worshiping this year. Actually, about two weeks ago, it occurred to me that I hadn't even considered that Advent was approaching quickly. That never, ever, ever happened as a pastor! It was a delicious realization. I'm not sure I've ever been in the position to approach Christmas this way, as a matter of fact. Before pastoring where coordinating church activities absorbed all focus, there was seminary with church and finals, and before that college with finals. My guess is that it has been since I was in high school or before that I have been able to come into the holidays with a blank slate, of sorts. It's definitely the first time in our marriage, which means it's a whole new world for Dennis, too. It's amazing to be able to just savor this time! I pray I make the most of it. (Perhaps by making less of it...) What a gift as life proceeds onward...

Happy Thanksgiving

Why don't I think of these things sooner?

I have pulled the turkey out of the oven. It smells wonderful. It tastes pretty good, too. I cooked it in an oven bag because it is getting sliced up and put in a dish ahead of time. I like the oven bag because the cooking time is so much faster, and it seems to me that the meat seems a little more moist. Even still, I think the breast meat is too dry. This is one reason I appreciate the whole slice-it-up-ahead-of-time turkey prep. Last year when I pulled out the bird, I was sort of aghast at how dry the breast meat ended up. I sliced it, covered it with broth, and refrigerated it. The next day, it was delicious.

What occurred to me today, though, after I took the turkey out of the oven, of course, was that I could have cooked it with the breast side down. The presentation factor is removed from it anyway and it probably would be more delicious. Next year, maybe I'll try it. If I can remember.

Now, on to the real star of the day -- the gravy. I'm debating whether to do it right now while the juices are hot, or wait until this evening when Dennis can do some whisking. I'm leaning towards the evening option. I still have the casseroles to assemble and the pate to make. I can do those before he gets home and just have gravy to do later.

PLUS -- I have to get ready for the big highlight of the next few days -- sistah night! Tonight! Three of four sistahs are already in central IL. The fourth should be arriving soon! I am guaranteed to have a great evening. I should probably shower to assure the same for my sistahs! :)

Be well, all. And if I don't get back to post again -- have a happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Build-up

I am so excited that Thanksgiving is this week! I kind of can't believe it, also. Where has the time gone?

We are having Thanksgiving dinner at my sister's house on Thursday early evening, but before that, late morning, the family is coming to our house for Pate (with the little accent on the e -- how does one do that, by the way?) and hors d'ouevres. I'm in charge of the food for that and then I'll be taking some food to Lil's also. Since I'm having a few problems adjusting to some new medication and have a doctor's appointment tomorrow and a guest arriving on Thursday morning, I've decided to create a schedule for myself to keep myself on track and make sure I have time to rest. I know none of you out there really needs this much info, but it helps me to be accountable, if only to Blogger. So, here it is.

Monday
Cook turkey necks/ drumstick, celery and onion to make broth for gravy and turkey. Strain, refrigerate.
Fold clothes currently piled on guest room bed. :)
Get out any new thanksgiving decorations i.e. the cornucopia.

Tuesday
Slice and blanche squash for casserole. Refrigerate.
Cook livers for pate. Refrigerate.
Make spinach artichoke dip. Refrigerate.
Vacuum upstairs, including guest room.

Wednesday
Set out cream cheese to soften for pate.
Assemble squash casserole.
Assemble corn casserole.
Bake turkey. Cool. Slice. Cover with broth, cover and refrigerate.
Make pate. Refrigerate.
Make gravy. Refrigerate.
Clean bathrooms, vacuum downstairs again.
Put out guest towels.
Go enjoy sistah night.
Put clean tablecloth on the table.

Thursday
Make parmesan breadsticks.
Make bacon appetizers.
Set out pate, crackers, cheeses, dips, summer sausage, hot appetizers, peanuts, punch, juice, wine etc.
Enjoy.
One hour before dinner, cook casseroles, reheat turkey, reheat gravy. Drive the five blocks to Lil's. Give lots and lots of thanks.

On Veterans' Day

For this Veterans' Day, I'd like to share one of my favorite recordings made in 1941 when the country was at war. Benny Goodman and Peggy Lee in one of her first studio session recorded an interpretation of the Rodgers and Hart ballad, Where or When. Rather than giving it the full-blown bravado of later more popular recordings, this oneis introspective and sensitive. It speaks to the mood of a nation wondering where or when or even, if, the next encounter with loved ones would occur.

I and most I know have never experienced such sacrifice. But every day, we are the beneficiaries. Most days we are blissfully unaware of the work that has been done so that we many enjoy the liberties we enjoy. But today, we have no excuse for ignorance.

Thank you, Veterans, for your service. It is not enough to say it, but thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

"May the wreaths they have won never wither and the star of their glory never grow dim."

Return to Sunday Dinner

I realized today -- I have simple dreams with simple themes. Home and family are central to most. A comfortable place to live, special traditions, several consecutive nights of uninterrupted sleep... these are the thoughts that set me afire.

Today, I got to realize a long-time dream of mine which was to host a family Sunday Dinner after church. Since college when I interned at a little church in northern Illinois where four generations worshiped together and ate together every. single. Sunday. after church, I have wanted to do so with my family.

We're not up to every Sunday...yet...beware, family... but today we got together after church. I thought it was wonderful. We had pot roast, mashed potatoes and gravy, broccoli with cheese, homemade bread from my sistah, Lil, and old-fashioned three-layer buttermilk chocolate cake for dessert. I got to set the table with a white tablecloth and put out the cloth napkins. We used silver. We even got out the china gravy bowl. And we ate together.

Today, it was only Lil's family and Mom as our guests. Gramps, Grammy, and Freespirit Uncle, in from Arkansas, had their portions to go. Dad was on a boy scout campout all weekend. But it was such a gift to join hands around the table, eat leisurely, have mom wash dishes :), and enjoy the conversation while the kids played, mostly peaceably.

Afterwards, when the families returned home, I sat down and reflected on it all and found myself incredibly moved by the simple act of being able to be together. So many families are not afforded or do not afford themselves such opportunities. So many families do not enjoy being in the presence of each other. So many families are burdened by togetherness. But, we... well, we are blessed. Incredibly, inumerably blessed.

Honestly, I could do this every week. To me, it's a simple dream come true.

Porch parapicket

Last week, before the weather decided to skip ahead to the end of November and drive us all inside where we could turn up the heat, Annalivia asked if we could have a porch parapicket (picnic). I said yes.It was chilly and a little windy and we probably should have been wearing sweaters or coats, but we had hot macaroni and cheese.

And when it's a little chilly, hot macaroni and cheese is good.

Really good.

Annalivia decided we should share with our porch guard-pig, Portia.

Daniel took advantage of her distraction and tried her macaroni and cheese, too. Turns out that hot macaroni and cheese is good, but one's distracted sister's hot macaroni and cheese is even better.

I am one of THOSE moms (alternate title: I am not one of those OTHER moms)

We had a great weekend here with friends and Eureka College Homecoming and more friends, big church yesterday.... Last night I was exhausted. We went to Cracker Barrel for dinner and upon walking in, found that the Halloween costume princess dresses were marked down in a considerable discount. Annalivia had admired them in the past, but they were too expensive and looked a little cheap, I thought. However, a painful calculation in my head later, I realized that buying one of these dresses would provide me with x hours of free time and y hours of not getting frustrated with fabric and lack-of-pattern and z hours of not fretting over the looming deadline of Halloween and, that regardless of how much I want to be the mother who makes the amazing Halloween outfits from nothing, that x multiplied by y multiplied by z ended up being FAR less than the discounted cost of the dress.

Thankfully, Dennis agreed.

So, we brought home a pink princess dress and very happy little girl and the internal promise to myself that NEXT year, I will make a Halloween outfit for Annalivia. Unless, of course, the equation works in the store's favor again. Which -- c'mon -- who are we kidding? It might.

Cookout, cider and celebrations

This afternoon, our family is getting together at my parents' house to press cider from their apple trees. I've never actually been in on one of these pressings since my adulthood, but I've heard they are great fun. And I remember when I was a child, a friend's family pressed cider in our old neighborhood and we were all invited. Drinking the fresh cider was quite the treat.

After the cider pressing, we are having a cookout in honor of Grammy's 84th birthday, which was actually on Wednesday. Sublime Aunt, Jetsetter Uncle, and the cousins will be there. It should be great fun, too. I've made the potato salad and some homemade chocolate ice cream. My sister is bringing angel food cake and vanilla ice cream. It's going to be a tasty affair.

Today also happens to be my parents' 34th wedding anniversary. My parents inspire me in many ways, but one of the most inspirational things is seeing their marriage continue to evolve and turn towards each other. They have worked very hard and continue to work hard at loving each other. I'm glad to honor that bond today, too.

The only thing I'm not excited about celebrating is the dang little no-see-ums that are inhabiting the farm right now. It is 83 today here -- WAY too warm for fall -- and the bugs are out en force. Heat and pregnancy don't meet well for me. Add biting bugs and I feel pretty frazzled. But luckily, the good will far, far outweigh the bad today. It is a day of celebration and I intend to enjoy. Despite the bugs.

Halfway through a GREAT weekend

This weekend we went down to Eureka for my 15-year high school reunion. I was on the committee that organized it, and I must say, it was GREAT! We had a really nice time last night at our formal dinner, a wonderful tour of the high school from the "new" principal (he's been there 13 years!) and a great, casual, family picnic today with PERFECT weather! I just absolutely thoroughly enjoyed myself.

And I wish we could have enjoyed the picnic longer. I stupidly, moronically scheduled a wedding at church and let them set it for 3 p.m., so we had to leave the picnic before folks even finished getting food on plates! I would have liked to stay and chat more.

At the reunion, I found out that one of my high school friends checks in here sometimes (hi, Michelle!) and when I got home, one of my college friends who is related to high school friends had commented here and found me on Facebook and now we get to be in touch again! Sometimes I get tired of my attachment to these electronic forms of communication, but on the other hand the connections made possible by the Internet can be so wonderful, inspiring and life-affirming!

And talk about life-affirming -- tomorrow we are headed back down to Eureka to celebrate Gramps' 85th!!! birthday with most all of the family! I'm very excited to see the McSouths from Arkansas and the McGoods from Chicago and all of my sisters and spouses and kids... I may even be able to muster enthusiasm for Kali's dogs. Maybe. It is guaranteed to be a great time. God is good.

Pictures will come forth soon!

The Fourth (as per Kali)

Kali has some great pics and commentary of our Fourth of July breakfast on her post, Da Fo'th. Go see the revelry!

Of course, I didn't have my camera!

We had a terrific day here.
Church went well. Everyone is so demonstrative with their affections now that I'm leaving! It's refreshing.
After church, we got in the car and drove north. We came upon a small town that was having its annual Fire Department Waterfight Day. The firefighters were decked out in their gear and had out two firehoses. They were aiming them full blast at a plastic barrel and trying to get the barrel over the other teams' line to win a "round". We joined about 40 spectators for a few minutes to watch the crazy ritual, realized I had left the camera at home, and moved on.
We then drove over to the Mississippi River and headed up towards Galena. Right along the river, we saw a large BNSF coal train and travelled with it for a few miles. It was right beside us and the kids were over the moon to see the big orange train and coal cars so close.
We stopped an an army depot near the river and on the way into the depot, saw a home in the backwaters of the Mighty Miss, flooded to the extent that it was an island. On the way out of the depot, we saw a HUGE snapping turtle -- probably two feet long -- in the road. Annalivia and I got a really, really close look at it when Dennis pulled over. It was ugly, but very, very cool.
On the way to Galena, the sun came out and we had just incredibly lit vistas everywhere. Galena was nice and we had gelato and then drove around a bit and headed up to Dubuque. There is flooding everywhere, but we mainly just drove around and enjoyed the beautiful scenery.
From Dubuque, we headed south along the river and saw cranes, swans, and turtles. We went through a little Luxembourg village and near an abbey. We saw a huge ELCA church that rivaled any Catholic church around here. We followed a beautiful, charming little road a couple of miles and saw a neat old farmstead, a very old cemetery and a chapel built by a devout Catholic after a treacherous trip across the Atlantic from Luxembourg in 1852.
We saw a beautiful little town by Lock and Dam #12 and missed our chance to have homemade pies. But we drove through more flooding to Clinton, bought a picnic and then headed to a great little park in Fulton where the kids played for an hour.
Then we headed towards home and took a little sunset-lit walk through the slough, listened to the frogs and the red-winged blackbirds and enjoyed an incredibly brilliant red-hued sunset before heading home to baths.
It was just a perfect, wonderful, impulsive day, spent with the family, grateful for Daddy, and all that we enjoy. I wish I would have gotten pictures, but it was very special and I suppose the lack of photos mean this day was uniquely ours.
Hope everyone out there had a wonderful Fathers' Day, too.

The BIG, GIANT, HUGE, ENORMOUS news

I have spent the day today calling people to tell them that I am resigning as their pastor today.

I know that's not the conventional way to do it, but I also know that sending a letter first to this congregation who really is more like family would be a terrible way to announce this departure. They'll get the letter on Sunday.

In the meantime, I've talked to almost every regular attendee. I tried to visit face-to-face with some folks who have been very important to me. The others have gotten a phone call and an apology that I'm not there in person to tell them.

I kind of hate to admit this, but I am surprised -- almost shocked -- to find out that people are really, really going to miss me! I look back over the last seven years, and it is the gaping holes that are most obvious, the places where I could-have or should-have. I am glad that they have reminded me of the places where I have. Thank God that they were paying attention.

The reason I am resigning is primarily because Dennis has accepted a position as an engineer in Morton, IL. It is an incredible position at a company with a secure future, or, at least, as secure as one can find in the current manufacturing climate. And they have been very, very generous with him.

I am very excited, especially, because their generosity means that I will get to stay home with the kiddos. I have known since they were born that mothering them was my greatest calling. I am very, very, very grateful that I am going to be able to mother them in this new way -- with no sermons to research, no office to visit or not-visit, no congregants to rush off and pastor.

The most wonderful thing is that we know, we know that all of this is exactly what we need to do. It is clear to us that God has provided this way for us. In fact, it has happened in an almost magical way -- divine, really! :) We were not looking to leave and had actually talked to Dennis' mom about staying here and buying property from her and living out there. Then Dennis got a call from a headhunter and the guy had this position in mind for him.

Dennis had an informal interview with the engineering manager who called the headhunter back and told him that she was sure that the company wanted Dennis. The headhunter gave her a salary figure that was just kind of amazing to us and when she balked at it, he told her that Dennis was very worth it.

The company called him back for another interview and it went very well. He was there for a looooonnnnngggg time. It was only 45 minutes after the interview that the company called and offered Dennis the job at the amazing number! I don't think we could have asked for it to happen in a cooler way!

And since then, and really, before that, everything has just been laid out before us in the most amazing ways. We have had some other miraculous financial news and we are just astonished at the events at hand! In 90-ish days, my husband will be working at a job that will obviously value him and his experience and knowledge, I will be home with my kiddos, we will be living in Eureka, we will have all our debts paid, we'll have a six month emergency fund, and we'll have a very, very substantial savings for the future. It will be a whole new life! Resurrection, really.

I am just so amazed, awed and humbled at how God has answered and is answering so many of our prayers. And I am reminded of the thousands of times I have worried and fretted. What have I to fear, really? I need to remember that He is good to His people.

I may have to tattoo that on my forehead.

And those of you who have told me that all would be well have permission to tell me "I told you so."

But only once. :)

Mini-vaca

So, we have been gone on a teeny-tiny vacation since, um... Sunday after church! Teeny-tiny. Miniscule, in fact.

We had to be in central Illinois this morning, so Dennis took a vacation day today and we went down to Peoria after church yesterday. We took a winding journey through the country and ended up at Glen Oak Zoo -- a little non-fancy zoo in Peoria. We walked around on a sweltering day, had ice cream at a local landmark, and then headed to a hotel where we swam for a while. Then we got pizza for dinner, took a drive, and came back. This morning, we went and visited the great-grandparents, did some playing and lunching, and got in a grandma-and-aunts-and-cousins visit in the afternoon. Then we headed home.
It was a great little mini-vacation. I felt like we got to do something different and that's a nice feeling as I see the same-ol' dishes and laundry facing me at home!

Memorial Day, apart. And together again.

Because Daniel had been sick, we had an odd Memorial Day celebration here. Dennis opted to stay home with Daniel and sent Annalivia and me to Eureka on our own. I got to hang out with the sisters on Sunday night while Annalivia played with Grandpa Bob and her cousin, Rhys, got in a visit to her great-grandparents' basement, and got to hang out with my sister Lil's children. She had a great time, but I think I had a better time with my sisters. I laughed so hard I cried, and this happened at least 15 times. It was magnificent.
On Sunday night, Annalivia and I stayed with Lil and Jake's family and then on Memorial Day, Lil hosted a breakfast/ brunch on her porch before the parade. The food was wonderful and the rain did not arrive. At 10:30, we lined up on the curb on Main Street, candy bags in hand.

The kids all stood and covered their hearts as the American Legion carried the flags by. The parade was very nice and we got lots of candy, mainly due to the fact that we seem to be the only folks who clap and cheer for the parade participants. This is a lesson that was imparted to us early by Grammy and we have learned it well. I'm always wondering why it is that people DON'T clap and cheer at parades. The good folks in Eureka, IL need not worry -- as long as there are McClures around, you will be applauded.

After the parade, we went back to the porch and Annalivia got to do more running around with cousins.

You can tell how thrilled my niece was to see her aunt. My brother in law looks excited, too.

Kalin was especially thrilled to spend time with me.


The brothers in law and my nephew did some conversing with my grandfather and grandmother, great aunt and cousin, and my mom and dad (none of whom got in the pictures, sadly).


Marissa was especially animated, and obviously adoring of her husband. She's like this all the time now that she's married to a good guy. Jake had to keep telling her to tone it down when he was taking our photos. She's just exuberant nowadays. But we love her all the same.

After the party, Annalivia and I headed north. She fell asleep about a mile north of Eureka and stayed asleep until five miles south of Rock Falls.

When we got home, we found a little guy who was doing much better. Thank God.

So headed out to the country for a windy visit to Daddy's farm.


And we enjoyed ourselves thoroughly.

Mothers' Day-ish gifts, belatedly

My grandmother gave me this lovely china that was owned by my late great-aunt. It wasn't really a Mothers' Day gift, but I got it on Mothers' Day, so I'm counting it. It is just gorgeous. There are a quite a few chipped pieces, but I will enjoy using it even more, I think, because of it -- less pressure! But if anyone has Noritake Chevonia for sale, let me know!

I got this lovely little easel from Dennis and the kids. I had requested it, as there is one like it at our bookstore that the kids just love to use. This one is for use on the back porch during the nice-weather months. It has the chalkboard on one side and a dry-erase board on the other. And it has a spot for a paper roll in the middle that feeds through the dry-erase board side. The kids most like using the eraser, I think. :)

And, of course, these are my best and most favorite gifts, enjoying a Saturday wagon ride with Daddy. Such happiness.

Please go read this

Have you read Ann V's beautiful Mother's Day reflection? If you have borne a child, or are with child, or have lost a child, or long for a child, please, please, please read her words.

Wow.

Thank you!

Thanks, friends and family, for all the birthday emails, phone messages, and facebook messages. I worked all day until 8:30 this evening, but it's been a good day. I have had a very blessed 33rd year. Y'all are part of the blessing.

My arm injury has made me gimpy enough that it is sort of hard to type and I need to save up for church typing, so I think I'll just post photos and few words for a while. Which will probably be a nice break for all of us! :)

Thanks again. I feel loved.

Easter debrief before moving on

Easter was exhausting.

Probably less so for me, though, than it was for Jesus.

(Just keepin' some perspective.)

We had an incredibly busy end to Holy Week. Our sanctuary carpet/ remodelling thing was finished on Wednesday afternoon. Wednesday evening we had our final Soup for the Soul service, then went to church to set up for Maundy Thursday's dinner. I was there til about 9:30 p.m. Thursday's dinner was lovely -- sparsely attended, but lovely. Once again, I was there far too late and got home about 10. Friday, Dennis got up and went to church at 7:45 a.m. to help set up the sound system. We joined him at about 9:30, then I had a service at noon, went back to church at 1 and he met me at 2 with the kids to finish the sound system. We all left about 6:30 p.m. Saturday we spent the entire morning and early afternoon there and then I came back in the evening. I was hot-gluing moss to the top of Easter centerpieces in the fellowship hall at 9:15 p.m. when it occurred to me that things had gotten out of hand.

Easter morning, Dennis and I were in charge of Easter breakfast, somehow, and mangaed to get to church, with the family in our finery about 3 minutes after we had planned to be there. I also ended up being in charge of Sunday School, though thankfully, I was able to just hand the craft and instructions to another adult and have them supervise the kids as they ate breakfast. Then we debuted the new sanctuary during worship and had a great crowd -- almost twice what we have been averaging in these winter months! It was a great service and, I think, most people ended up leaving happy.

We had planned to go out for Easter brunch with friends, but other friends cancelled and so on and so forth, so we ended up having brunch here. We got home about noon and our friends and Dennis' mom came over and because of shoddy planning on my part, we didn't eat until 1:30 p.m., which is exactly when we would have been eating had we gone out to eat. Oh well. It was good and everything that was supposed to be hot, was, in fact, hot. Except the asparagus, which was sort of lukewarm.

And when the friends and Dennis' mom had left and Daniel was asleep and Annalivia was having some quiet time, the dishes were washed, the nice clothes were shed, and we had vegged out in front of our laptops, I laid down with Daniel to get him back to sleep and ended up taking a two-hour nap with him. It was lovely.

And so was the weekend. It is exhausting, but in one sense, I truly love the activity involved in this special time. There is something about making these celebrations as significant and precious as possible that is just very fulfilling for me. Fulfilling at the same time it is energy-depleting. I think I will probably feel different at some point in my life, but for now, this is good.

Today has been a day of recovery. I am enjoying doing almost nothing.

Tomorrow, we'll move on.

More easter pics

More easter pics can be found at Dennis' oft-defunct blog.
(eta: fixed the link!)