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Case of the Missing August

We never intended to miss even a moment of a Marvel Hill summer,
but at the end of July my man invited me and the whole crew to join
him on his business trip to Denver.
Instead of him flying alone as usual, we drove together.
Instead of being there only a week or 10 days, we were gone for a month.
There was one lovely (but too short) stint of friends, fellowship, and a zillion kids,
and then sickness for three weeks.
But then... we drove home through Utah and to the Cousins in Nevada
for three full days of fun!

Here's a snippet of the missing month of August.

We took an excursion to Dinosaur Ridge in Colorado while we were there.  It was
pretty fun to see the footprints of those large critters in the rock.

On our way through Utah to Nevada we enjoyed the vast and very colorful beauty of rock formations
and canyons.  We stayed overnight at Dinosaur National Park... in our van.  The nearest town ended up
being completely booked and there was no room in any Inn.  AJ removed all our stuff and bags, and we
stretched the use of 6 sleeping bags between 9 people.
Our van is not set up for sleeping, so it wasn't the most comfortable night I've spent anywhere, but I have
to say I was so thankful we all fit, were warm enough, the children slept, and that the night eventually ended.
It was memory-making though, so I can't complain :-)

And that was all very fine and dandy, but the real treat was getting to see our
cousins, and to finally see their new digs and all the people and places they've
been telling us about!

One amazingly large highlight of our visit was for Uncle Char to generously share
his friend (who has been teaching Charlie how to fly an airplane) with the big boys.
Zack and Clay along with their dad, got to go for a flight and Zachary even got
to take the controls!  Beat that fellas!  Thank you Charlie.

Charlie and Hannah had been telling us about the Ruby Mountain range behind their house.
We had seen some of Nevada and weren't able to conjure up more than an image of hills covered in sagebrush.
If you know what the Sutter Buttes in Northern California look like; kind of a heap of hills in the
middle of wide open... that's what we imagined.

We were mistaken.

I think their Ruby Mountains are to them what our tiny mountain lake is to us.
I approve.

So August came and went and I never even got to set the calendar page, but that is where I discovered
the missing month.  It was hidden between the pages July and September.
After 4 weeks of being gone, we found home waiting for us where we left it.  Even the evidence of
vacationing mice and the laundry that helped add to our heaps, couldn't dampen our gladness
to be back at home in Marvel Hill. North Idaho is certainly our first love.

As wonderful as roaming can be (and was!), it's a well spoken truth that there is no place like home.

He knows the stars by name...

That is a thought too grand for me to comprehend.

He knows the beautiful stars, he places them in their places and calls them by name - each one.
I love Him so.

Sometimes it seems my life was fashioned by God purely for the experiment of outpouring
His favor in large quantities and in new creative ways on one very low person... for what purpose?
I have no idea. I'm completely blank when it comes to the question, but it's a true truth that
I am the recipient of such amazing grace. 

Today I proclaim His mercies again.

To begin, I must announce the marvel of a new baby to arrive in March!  

Until recently, all has been boringly normal with this pregnancy.
Last night, through three isolated events over the course of several hours
I believed I was losing my baby.  Everything pointed to a miscarriage and I had only to
await the cramping.
I admit, I was a bit fearful.  At nearly 15 weeks gestation I'd never lost a baby so far along.
Last night was a restless time.
AJ was due to fly across country this morning (which he ended up proceeding with), and we've
been hosting dear friends from Oregon who are not due to leave for a few days yet.  I won't
record them by number, but I had not a few questions about the unknown future.

Last night I called two dear women, friends of mine experienced in pregnancy and delivering babies,
and each of them were available to talk with.  Both offering assurances of hope which I had not expected
to hear.
Then I emailed my local midwife whom I haven't talked to since my last baby was born.
She is only in office two days a week and today being one of them I wanted to see if she'd listen for
a tiny heartbeat.  This morning she promptly replied and scheduled in into her already packed day,
but by this morning I determined that an ultrasound was probably inevitable whether we heard a
heartbeat or not.
Feeling quite well this morning and full of hope since I wasn't continuing to bleed and hadn't
experienced any cramping, I saw my husband out the door to the airport and wondered how I was
going to cope through this day with 7 children and 5 guests.

The Lord knew.  And He provided what I needed each moment - namely peace for the unknown.

After I lay 5 children down for nap I checked email one more time before I too, intended to shut eye
for an hour or so.
There was a hurried note from my midwife saying she'd scheduled me for an ultrasound at the
hospital 1 hour from the time I read my email - just barely enough time to load my crew and drive
the 45 minutes to the hospital!  Wow. 
My visiting (and very precious) friend Sarah rode with me to sit with my children in the van, the rest
of her own family followed behind offering the support of their presence.  That so put my mind at ease
and strengthened my courage for the unforeseen ahead.

I could not believe the timing of each call, letter, appointment, person available, and event
which made up the course of this day.  I was told that the small-town ultrasound technician wouldn't
be available again until late in the week, and yet an appointment right now?  Wow again.

Even on the drive to the ultrasound appointment I couldn't help but know I had experienced the love
of God in orchestrating these details so carefully - no matter the outcome.  I felt cherished.

Skipping ahead to the good part, 
the amazing technology of ultrasound imaging showed to me 
the most beautiful and perfect baby I could have dreamed up!

And there was a tiny beating heart.

There was a small round head, and two little arms waving at me, two legs tucked up near a sweet
little tummy... all screaming "life life LIFE!"
There was nothing else to do but marvel and worship.  Without making this post more about me
than I intended, I need add I do not deserve this, didn't expect this, didn't earn this.
It's all a mysterious piece of that experiment - His favor poured out on me!
Thank you Lord.


And I rejoice.

Thanks for rejoicing together with me :-)

The Log Cabin grows... a wee bit.

Last year, a couple ambitious Visionaries started a project here at Marvel Hill:
The building of a Log Cabin tucked cozily into a low small clearing near a bent-over
apple tree, and next to a trickle of water where frogs hide.

It's a project for fun (if you call getting sawdust down your sweaty neck and working
in the hot sun lifting heavy tools "fun".  I don't, but I like watching it for fun!), but even
fun projects need to see progress and eventually (dare I dream?) be completed.
This couple days can be called "baby steps" to that end.

The best part of all this, in my opinion, is getting to yack with a friend I only get to see
once a year, while life-guarding children, sipping cold tea, and taking lots of pictures :-)
I'm so glad it's my job to make dinner for a hoard of people and I'm not expected to get
sawdust down my neck!  Life is good. 

A few pictures from the day for your viewing pleasure.  And if you want to check out
last years Cabin proceedings, click here.

Hot, sweaty work should always be followed by a trip to the lake and some play!

That folks, is a brave man in that canoe.
If you thought heaving a log over his head with ropes was risky... ;-)