Liz's Letters

This doesn't feel exactly like I thought it would feel. Our youngest daughter moved into her dorm at college last week and although I am not sure what I expected, it has been somewhat uneventful. Don't get me wrong, the many days of shopping and packing prior to the move were busy and full of activity. The actual day was exhausting and exciting.   We transitioned a room from this... to this... And then when I saw her looking like this.... It was really difficult to feel very sad. After all, this is what we have been working toward, right? Another step toward independence - this is a very good thing! So, even though I miss her and find myself wondering what she is doing, what she is eating, how did she sleep last night, my heart is full of joy, not empty, as we enter this new season in our lives. Congratulations to our daughter, Rebecca! We are so proud of you and know that you will do very well as you enter into this new time of your life!  I lov...

My house is messy. It was only cleaned yesterday but it remains messy. There are books piled here and there, projects started and stashed away, and beloved items that won't be thrown away but have yet to find a "home" in our house. It seems I can't keep up with it, so the messiness remains here and there and it just gets cleaned around. On Monday, our daughter leaves for an extended vacation with some friends. I keep wondering if I should take some of that "free" time (haha...she is 18 years old!) and tackle some big cleaning project and do a little decorating, or develop some feng shui. But then I remember what I read about feng shui. One of the original uses of feng shui was to orient tombs in China. Tombs. That seems so unappealing and contrary to to living - the messy, breathing, living that goes on in my home. Maybe I will start another project....like painting.

Oh my gracious! Our baby daughter graduates from High School tonight!

When I first sang this song in a worship service nearly 5 years ago...I loved it.  I wept with joy at the truth and prayed that He would turn my mourning into laughing and turn my sadness into joy. Years have gone by and I still love this song.  I really love the truth in this song.  And I really, really love that it is true for me. He is faithful!  He brings restoration! As seen on : David Brymer - restoration (elciProductions cover)   You bring restoration You bring restoration You bring restoration to my soul You've taken my pain called me by a new name You've taken my shame and in it's place, You give me joy You take mourning and turn it into dancing You take weeping and turn it into laughing You take mourning and turn it into dancing You take my sadness and turn it into joy hallelujah, hallelujah You make all things new, all things new

Well, hmmm. I logged into blogger this evening with thoughts of blogging which have now totally left my mind.  Blogger has totally changed their format and I cannot figure out how to move my signature to the bottom of the page.  Oh bother. I suppose I will have to spend a little time figuring out how to make this work again. And I was also given the option to create a new blog.  I found it interesting that I was prompted to do that in such a bold and random fashion, but I actually gave it a bit of thought.  I started this blog as a means by which to communicate interesting thoughts and photos to my friends and family.  We had moved to Texas after living in Virginia for nearly 12 years, and I thought it would be fun.  Well, it was fun and then almost everyone ended up on facebook.  (which I have a love/hate relationship with)  Sometime during my heavy blogging phase, I was regularly reading other blogs and commenting on them.  I made "...

Well, today marks the one month mark until my son and his lovely fiance get married. I am getting very excited even though I still have a few things to do! I can tell that my son is getting excited too. The deadline to R.S.V.P. was today. I think we have heard from almost everyone although I know there are a few stragglers. Now to determine who will be attending the Rehearsal dinner at our home the night before. We will be preparing a pig...an entire pig for the meal! It is a tradition in Vietnam for the grooms family to present the bride's family with a pig prior to the wedding. So...of course, we will do it! It will be done in luau style which will be fun since we just returned from Hawaii and experienced an authentic luau. Here is a photo of the traditional Vietnamese procession where the pig is presented, along with other gifts, to the bride's family. I don't think ours will look exactly like that, but you get the idea. It is going to be so much fun! Let the par...