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pooky_u
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Name: Joanna
Birthday: 12/14/1978
Gender: Female
Interests: Philosophy. Odd senses of humor. Evil laughter. Prayer. Board and card games. Finding the funny mannerisms others try to hide. Community supported agriculture. Knitting. Wood fires. Resiliency. Writing. Providing therapy. Reading. Community. Cloth diapering. Rummoli. Learning to cook. Pondering.
Expertise: Combating the over-production of youthful irony.
Occupation: Other
Industry: Nonprofit
Message: message me
Member Since:
1/28/2004
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| So grateful for the beginning of busy and happy family holiday travels. Just returned from the Ohio family farm and celebrating with most of the family (4 generations!) while eating a delicious organic Yoder turkey. In the spirit of kindly responding to a "tag," I will list two significant things I am especially grateful for now and throughout the past year.
1) For taking each moment as it is, and for learning how to feel the joy from every day, regardless of what occurs. Nora, my sweet sister-in-law, wakes me up to this and refocuses me every time we talk. There is nothing like spending time with a 15-year-old who is alive only because of God's grace and the gift of her sheer determination to see another day. I praise God for having a beautiful plan, and for giving us the ability to see beauty in each circumstance. Sure, I may not plan to be awake at 5:30 a.m., but God, you wanted me to be alone with my sweet growing boy, and to watch every moment of a glorious sunrise over a snowy farm field, while cuddled together by the wood stove. You are so wise.
2) For how I don't need to plan every moment of my life, and my "5 Year" and "10 Year" plans are entirely in God's hands. He guides me, He creates the path, and He gives me all my good desires. How beautiful: we can live life without fear, in confidence and faith, with the utmost goal is for us to pursue a right relationship with God and all falls in place. Encouraging, full of hope and confidence, and rightly humbling all at once.
I can't wait to talk about this book I'm reading. I reread it again this week. It has been gnawing at me (in an uncomfortable/growing and exciting way) and several people are popping to mind. Margie and Fred, we need to talk! Speaking of whom, I officially "tag" both of you to write two things you are most grateful and thankful for, even though it's no longer officially Thanksgiving.
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| It's been a while. I have several writing tools at my disposal, and if I delay writing, it becomes harder to start back up again. (I am two weeks behind in my old-school handwritten journal, too.) Autumn is beautiful. My belly is starting to pooch a bit, and I felt my baby move for the first time: marvelous familiar and forgotten. It is odd to forget about that rollercoaster-feeling, and say, oh yeah, I remember Koen doing that, too.
It is beautiful to play the piano, both with my eldest baby who plunks by my side, and to play a few songs for my little unborn baby. It's beautiful. I dreamt of this when I was little. Thank you, God, for music and life in the home!
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| Since I was little, spring has been my least favourite season. I would
endure the chilly days, the muck and endless rain as I would quietly
sigh and make construction paper decorative umbrellas with the rest of
the Grade Three class. I didn't understand those weird adults who would
go into raptures over some stupid green thing poking up in the mud. I
would sigh and wait for late June when the Tyandaga community pool
would open and I could cannonball to my heart's content. Now, I know
I've joined the ranks of weird adults. My affection for spring has
definitely grown... I am excited to see sunny daffodils staring up at
me when I look into our front yard, and to see God's wonderful
gardening with the wild grape hyacinths overtaking the infertile sandy
soil. Hope and promise. I finished the "Bible in 90 days" agenda and am
full of thanksgiving. I'm pretty excited to have time to read fiction
and nonfiction books again, and to be able to read the Bible a chapter
or two at a time, sans time tables. I have a stack of eight books waiting
for me.. let's hope my wonderfully mobile baby Koen will take long naps
so I can get cracking.
Last night, Kurt and I went on our first date this year. Wonderfully
fun: we ate at Bistro and enjoyed the Sufjan Stevens concert
later... We definitely need to go out alone more often!
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| What is the most silly unsolicited advice you have received? I have been advised many silly things, but this one tops it: "Give your baby a bottle of formula every day so he can get used to it, in case you die suddenly."
One of the best parts (in an eeee-vil way) of being in the mom club is
the absolutely ridiculous things people say. There is some driving
internal force that causes people to stop what they're doing, chase you
down, pink-faced and breathless, as soon as a stroller or car seat is
in sight, and share weird or upsetting trivia or experiences, or just
plain erroneous information, such as "Breastfeeding is bad for the
baby." Are you kidding?
Anyway, I sound more irritated than I am, I'm just sharing some laughs.
Koen is big and beautiful. Laughing exuberantly whenever I rub his
belly, or pretend to eat his chubby little hands. He sits up when he
feels like it, and snuggles right into my neck when I pick him up.
Work restarted for me (part time) this week, after eight glorious
months off. Safe to say it will be very interesting, as they have
gotten rid of my computer, phone line, and even my chair. I am being
increasingly vocal, and I was informed that there is now some room in
the company budget for my chair. Small victories, people. I will not be
deterred. I'm learning to not be frightened of being in new territory,
and to trust that God did not make us timid, but made us to be strong,
self-disciplined, and loving.
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| And so life goes on. Things are well, I enjoy life. The work situations
are beginning to be sorted out, and I've completed errands in my
slippers. Twice. I think I'm a
little more distracted now. The baby is contentedly ignoring me and
talking to his toys. Koen's baptism is on November 5, and you
are welcome to come to church and celebrate with us!
In lieu of
any other real content, I will tell you the celebrities I "match." I did not have the energy to figure out how to
download or to attach celebrity photos, so here are the people. I think
they are selected based on head positioning and hairstyle, for the most
part. Mandy Moore, Melissa Joan Hart, Evangeline Lilly (the Lost girl, whoo whoo!),
Laura Bush, and Liberace. At least it was young and rosy-cheeked
Liberace. But Laura Bush?!
Kurt's matches: Christopher Lee (so when Kurt is old, he will look like
Count Dukoo of Star Wars), Brian Littrell, Goran Visnjic, Frankie
Muniz, Luke Wilson and Dolly Parton. Obviously, the photo of Kurt was from the chin and up.
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