How did it get so late so soon?

Though I'm working to practice presence in 2015, I love looking back and thinking about how time has shaped our family and brought us to this moment. Here are a few of my favorites from 2014:

^^Mindy got married! My beautiful cousin married an amazing man in March. It was such fun to celebrate with the two of them and our entire family. Yay for Love!^^

^^In March the entire Klipsch family went to Mexico. It was such a wonderful week! I love my in-laws and am so blessed that these amazing people are not only family but best friends. A week on the beach laughing, relaxing, watching our kids play...perfection!^^

^^It was an amazing year for travel. Jake and I got to celebrate my aunt's 50th birthday in Vegas in February, the whole family traveled to Mexico in March, the boys and I got to visit good friends in Atlanta in June, and I attended a great conference in Nashville in August. But the big trips actually happened in July: Sintayehu and I visited Kait in NYC and hung out with my mom in Chicago. Jake, my step-dad, and our boys spent two weeks in Tanzania—a trip of a lifetime! Clearly, travel is a huge priority for us and the trips we were able to take this year will impact our lives forever! Such joy!!^^

^^The Water Party is always a highlight. I love the madness that takes over in October and November. I have always loved working with Tesi on this project, and this year I got to plan with Emily as well. Again, you can't choose your in-laws, but somehow I got incredibly lucky. And the women in this community?! We had so much amazing help and every last person on our team was incredible. Oh my goodness. I'm beginning to think this community is the very best in the world. ^^

^^We got a cat!! After years of saying we'd never get an animal and then years of thinking about getting an animal, we finally got a cat! Zuri Opal Nightwalker Michael Jackson Klipsch (we tend to call her just Zuri or Zoo-zi) came to us just after Easter and it's been a total love affair since.^^

^^In August, my good friend Sara and I hosted a poetry reading at our church. It was such a wonderful night! We paired contemporary poems with age-old psalms and asked almost 20 people to read. (This included 10-year-old Oliver, who read On Turning Ten by Billy Collins. My heart!!) My mom played flute and another friend played cello in the prayer garden on a lovely summer evening. It was such a fun experience.^^

^^After a fab weekend in Chicago where Jake and I got to enjoy a beautiful downtown wedding with his lovely extended family, we came back to Eastern Iowa to meet my parents who had taken the kids camping for the weekend. We spent the afternoon watching them fish, playing, and picnic-ing. It was a really fun weekend that stands out as one that makes me happy. I love spending time with my husband. I love being a mom. I love being silly. (Here we are jumping off swings!)^^

^^I've continued to freelance as a writer and editor and love writing for Radish, Gold Book, Yoga Iowa consistently. I got to dip my toe in more marketing copy this year, appeared frequently on Paula Sands Live, and enjoyed speaking at the Inspire Motherhood Conference. I was sad to lose my copy editing gig at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology in October. I loved spending 10 hours each week reading fascinating, cutting-edge doctoral dissertations, but I continue to teach at The Chicago School. The book...well, I'm still working hard. I have gotten some wonderful endorsements, which I am so thankful for. I've also made progress on my "platform." (Thank you for "liking" my FB page! Publishers love numbers!) My agent continues to shop the book. I'm hoping this is my year!^^

(The title of this post is a quote from Dr. Suess. It's a question that gets truer with every passing year.)

Confession: I love Valentine's Day crafts

Where I sometimes feel the Mommy Wars most predominantly is when the voices in my head (mind you, no one has ever said this out loud) start to ridicule my proclivity for being an over-the-top Valentine’s Day school card exchange mom. First of all, there is a certain  “I-refuse-to-be-a-part-of-a-Hallmark-holiday” mentality that I get and that I feel like I should perhaps embrace, but yet can’t because I love hearts and love and the color red. Second, there is this weird opportunity to do awesome crafts with your kids that I simply can't resist. But then I worry if I’m overly excited about this I’ll be judged as “one of those” moms who clearly has too much time on her hands. (Over think much?)

The truth is, I just love to make things with my kids. That’s it. Some of us like to toss baseballs with our offspring, some of us play board games, some of us color. Long story short, I won’t raise an eyebrow at your store-bought Valentine’s if you won’t judge me for the ones we spent Monday afternoon making. Our merits as mothers do not align with our expression of V-day love.

• Oliver, who is obsessed with Minecraft, chose a Minecraft theme. We bought candy that looked semi-dynamite/fire ball(?) like, filled baggies, and attached little Minecraft images, which I bought and downloaded on Etsy HERE.  Fun!
• Eli received a bag of little cars for Christmas and after looking at Pinterest for ideas for car-themed Valentine’s, we came up with the slogan “I like how you roll,” which I created on Pages and printed out.
• Sintayehu used Eli's idea for last year's Valentine’s Day goodies. She picked out the paper in the craft aisle, I punched holes and glued eyeballs, and she write her name, which happens to be her very favorite activity these days. (“S for Sinta!!!!!” She says at every ‘S’ siting.)

New Year's Resolution?

I'm usually a huge fan of New Year's Resolutions. In fact, I kind of love them…the challenge, the parameters, the thrill of a new beginning. In the past, I've made some major proclamations right here on the blog—like in 2012 when I resolved not to buy clothes for the entire year or in 2013 when I vowed to read at least two books per month and cultivate some serious joy in my life. This year, however, nothing grand or easily measured is jumping out at me, so I'm taking inspiration from this darling print and declaring my intentions for 2014.

This year, I will WALK JOYFULLY. I will let go of PERFECTION & embrace THE MESSY and SPONTANEOUS. I will honor my TIME and love THOSE AROUND ME RADICALLY. I will stand up and share my EXCLAMATION POINTS with the world! 

How about you? How would you fill in the blanks?

If you're like me, you'll think this all sounds great, but will need some tangibles in order to really move forward. Here are my specifics for 2014:

• How will you WALK JOYFULLY? By spending my time and resources on experiences rather than things. By continuing a meditation practice and endeavoring to concentrate on each moment as it arises.

• How will you let go of PERFECTION? By not allowing my need to please others to cripple who I really am, by sometimes settling for good enough, by reminding myself what really matters, and by taking the long view. (This year I will remember that I am loved and I am enough!)

• What does it mean to embrace THE MESSY and SPONTANEOUS? This is so scary. I hate last-minute plans and am crippled by forks in the road. However, I will try to be more patient with others and more adaptable in my day. Deep breaths will likely help.

• How will you honor your TIME? I will say 'no' to things that interfere or that obligate me to things outside of my mission to serve God and my family. I will be honest about what I am/am not capable of.

• How do you plan to RADICALLY share you LOVE with THOSE AROUND YOU? I intend to look my children and husband in the eye, thus striving to take the time to really see them when we're interacting. I intend to make two phone calls per month to long-distance friends. I also plan to leave the house ten minutes before we really need to in order to relieve stress. (This tends to be my least lovable time of day.)

• How will you stand up and share your EXCLAMATION POINTS with the world? I intend to continue to read and educate myself and allow myself to feel passion…love...something about this world. I intend to look for wonder and do my best to be a reflection of positive energy and Love.

Year in Review: Favorite Moments

Happy New Year!! I have always loved New Year's Eve. I should probably be prepping for a small gathering tonight, but I thought I'd take a few moments to update the blog and count my blessings. Thanks so much for reading Farm-Raised this year. Being able to share our lives here is so much fun. And as Anais Nin said, "we write to taste life twice." I guess I'm greedy in that way. :-) For posterity, here are a few highlights from 2013:

1. Eli and I made macaroons. This was quite a feat!

2. We baptized all three kids at St. Paul Lutheran Church and celebrated with dozens of friends, family members, and a backyard bounce house! I am so thankful for our amazing faith community and our observant, faithful family. I know I say it all the time, but I really feel that we've won the lottery when it comes to family and community and an incredible support system.

3. Jake and I went to Rome to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary. It was amazing. I love my husband. I love to eat. I love to travel. The combination of the three was stunning!

4. I always love Wine to Water, which we put on for the fifth year this past November. I love working with my sister-in-law Tesi and our amazing community and family. We raised nearly $15,000 for The Adventure Project and had a blast!

5. After toiling on a book and then a book proposal, I signed with a literary agent! This happened in June and was a huge thrill. Fingers crossed that we get a book deal this coming year! I also got to write for a few new publications, worked with a great group of people at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, and continued to love getting to know people in our community through the Radish and the Gold Book. Jake also started at a new school this year. Many viewed this as a promotion…good job, honey!

6. I got to travel to Dallas to see three of my favorite friends and their babes, Hinsdale for our annual Mommapalooza weekend, Milwaukee for a reunion of our precious adoption community, took a couple of trips to Chicago with Jake and family, and enjoyed out-of-town guests at our casa. These reunions with old friends absolutely revive my soul. I am thankful for those I got to see in 2013 and hope to see more in 2014!

7. Also to celebrate our 10th anniversary, Jake staged the most amazing surprise Poetry Party. (This actually happened at the end of 2012, but I'm including it here because I still can't stop thinking about it and I don't think I ever blogged about it.) He completely shocked me by asking some of our favorite friends to come to our house and read poetry aloud to the group of us. I still get teary thinking about the poems they read and the love they shared. Sigh…

8. Oliver turned 9 and started 3rd grade. Elihu spent most of 2013 as a 6-year-old and began 1st grade in the fall. Sintayehu turned 3 last January and enjoyed preschool two days a week. All three provided the most intense challenges and miraculous joy this year. I wouldn't say that motherhood has gotten any easier, but it as profound and gratifying as ever.

9.  We laughed a lot this year. One of last year's resolutions was to cultivate more joy in my life. I did my best to take myself less seriously and have more fun. I'm a work in progress, but having three little ones sure does help!

10. This is big and perhaps a bit abstract, but something incredible happened over the past year: A peace has fallen over our household. I have revealed to you before how Jake and I love to hope and dream and pray for new adventures…we've even hatched a few escape plans since landing here in 2007. However, something shifted in 2013 and I can honestly say that I am content here in the Quad Cities. In my bones, I feel like we are where we're meant to be at this moment. After searching for this peace for over six years, a deep satisfaction and sense of home has enveloped us and I am so, so grateful.

2013 Resolutions: It's May, How Did I Do?

As opposed to last year's, this year's New Year's resolutions are rather simple: Read more and concentrate on joy. I'm keeping myself accountable on the blog...

Resolution: Read Two Books Each Month

• I re-read Gatsby because I knew I was going to see the movie. I've always really liked this book. I love the time period, I love Fitzgerald's writing, and I love the crates of lemons. I enjoyed the movie, too.
• I re-read The Bell Jar because this year is the 50th anniversary of Sylvia Plath's death. It's a powerful book, and being the impressionable consumer of culture that I am, it left me melancholy for days.
• The Year of Biblical Womanhood has an interesting premise. I enjoyed it.
• Lean In is fantastic. I wish this book had been written years ago; it freed me from a lot of guilt and anxiety about my choices to work-out-side the home/not work-outside-the-home since becoming a mother. I highly recommend this book to men and women alike.

Resolution: Cultivate JOY

• It's been a joy-filled month. I mean, seriously, our favorite ice cream shop celebrated their 80th birthday with 80-cent cones for an entire week. (We went three times!) We had some nice evenings of dinner with friends and family, I continue to grow and learn from my book/bible study group, and wrapping up the school year comes with special times and memories. I continue to see cultivating joy as a discipline. I am trying to be mindful of living in the fullness of the moment and not be distracted by the would have/should have/could haves in my head. I can be a little serious, but I've felt myself lighten up a bit this month. 

• Coming up, we're anticipating a string of birthdays celebrations, which I always enjoy. I think it's important to mark special moments with special people and I find these experiences to enrich the soul. I'm also going to take a class on meditation in June. I can't wait to tell you more about it next month!

Resolution Check-In...

This year's New Year's resolutions were simple: Read more and concentrate on joy. I'm keeping myself accountable on the blog...

Resolution: Read Two Books Each Month

 I LOVED this book.  Carry On, Warrior by Glennon Doyle Melton is fantastic. I underlined, highlighted, and took notes in the margin. I laughed out loud...to the point that Jake thought I was going nuts. I stayed up until 2 a.m. to finish the book on the day it arrived in the mail. (People, I love to sleep. This does not happen.) I found the author refreshingly honest and beautiful and wise. I have not been a follower of the author's blog, Momastery, so all of this was fresh material for me. She's a great writer and her message is funny, gracious, forgiving, and absolutely beautiful. Who else has read it? Let's have coffee to discuss!













In She Matters, Susanna Sonnenberg devotes a chapter to each of the important friendships that she has experienced throughout her life. I loved the structure of this book and it inspired a lengthy journal entry chronicling the crucial friendships of my life. The book is interesting. Sonnenberg is an elegant writer and I enjoyed the peek into her life. Her story is both riveting and sad. Though there are redemptive moments and I was grateful for her candor, each time I picked it up, I found my heart growing heavy.

I can't remember why I picked this book up, but I've been reading it for months and am glad to be done with it. It wasn't a bad book, by any means. In fact, it was really interesting...just not a page turner. (It's a biography written in 1791; I suppose I didn't really expect a "quick" read.) Johnson was an English writer, poet, scholar, etc., etc., who lived in the 1700s. James Boswell was a companion and admirer of Johnson and documented his mentor in this biography, in which he is a character. He records Dr. Johnson saying things like, "Wine makes a man more pleased with himself. I do not say that it makes him more pleasing to others." (Funny.) And, "He used frequently to observe, that there was more to be endured than enjoyed, in the general condition of human life." (Interesting.) And, "Some people have a foolish way of not minding, or pretending not mind, what they eat.  For my part, I mind my belly very studiously, and very carefully; for I look upon it, that he who does not mind his belly will hardly mind anything else." (I get it.)

Resolution: Cultivate JOY

It seems that the daily rain and cold of April sent me searching for joy in form of yoga pants and complete laziness. But despite the miserable weather, I was able to find some joy. I have to admit that in the fourth month of this resolution I am finding that as much as I try to control my joy by carefully choosing how to spend my time, intentionally doing things to bring about happiness, etc., this joy that I crave is a sense that comes from deep down. This shouldn't come as a surprise, but it makes me realize that we can't just snap our fingers and find peace and joy and happiness. There is some work and wisdom involved.

 For instance, things like the new pajamas I bought this month brought a moment of pleasure, but didn't offer the lasting fulfillment and peace that I crave. The fresh flowers I've been keeping on the table, though, are a daily reminder of beauty. I added a collection of photos to a wall in our upstairs bathroom and every time I brush my teeth and see images in their bright frames, I feel a twinge of happiness. I'm wondering if by carefully cultivating these moments, my overall state of mind will reflect the attention I'm giving joy in my life.

 I was intentional about reading more and working less in the evenings, which I think helps my sense of leisure and peace of mind. Speaking of work, I got to meet a lovely couple and a fantastic woman for articles I was writing. I found both interviews to be inspiring and fun. This brings joy! Our family ran together at the Project Renewal road race, and the boys are enjoying YMCA track on Sunday afternoons. Seeing them hustle and run also brings ridiculous joy. This month I had lunch at school with both boys and got to accompany Eli on his class field trip. He and I also made macarons. I had a great visit with my mom early in the month and had some important conversations with good friends. The last couple of days have been warm and sunny. It's amazing how much joy this can bring!

The Table is Where Time Stops

When I flipped through the back of Bread & Wine and found that the recommended reading section was filled with some of my favorite books and authors (Ruth Reichl, Molly Wizenberg, Mark Bittman, Anne Lamott, Sara Miles, Barbara Kingsolver, Melissa Clark—seriously, I might have written this list myself!), I knew that author Shauna Niequist would be speaking my language.  In fact, it was then that I decided this book would be one to savor—so much so that I tucked it away for our trip to Italy where I knew I would have the time to indulge in her story and have a heightened taste for food writing.  The book did not disappoint.

I have read and loved Shauna’s previous two books, Cold Tangerines and Bittersweet, but this one is special.  I think it’s because of the format.  She writes brief essays about family and faith and love and loss and then she provides a recipe that relates.  I love listening in on her life and I love the way she celebrates the ups and downs of what God gives us by inviting others to her table to share in the feast.  It’s a beautiful way to live and it’s a model that I try to emulate in my own life.  Your friend’s having a baby?  Bring her enchiladas.  It’s your husband’s bandmate’s birthday?   Make him risotto.  A lazy morning with your son?   Quinoa and chicken apple sausage.  The author’s heart is big and her recipes are both accessible and (from what I can tell so far—I've made two) delicious. 

After reading the book, I feel that I can relate to this author in a lot of ways: We have both gone through an intense baguette phase J, we were both raised by health-foodie mothers before foodie was a word, and we both love Chicago and Paris.  But mostly, I admire her spirit of celebration and am inspired by her words.  The book is very quotable, but I think it boils down to this:

“I want you to stop running from thing to thing to thing, and to sit down at the table, to offer the people you love something humble and nourishing, like soup and bread, like a story, like a hand holding another hand while you pray.  We live in a world that values us for how fast we go, for how much we accomplish, for how much life we can pack into one day.  But I’m coming to believe it’s in the in-between spaces that our lives change, and that the real beauty lies....It’s about showing up in person, a whole and present person, instead of a fragmented, frantic person, a phone in one hand and to-do list in the other.  Put them down, both of them, twin symbols of the modern age, and pick up a knife and a fork.  The table is where time stops.  It’s where we look people in the eye, where we tell the truth about how hard it is, where we make space to listen to the whole story...”

All of this to say: Pick up a knife and fork.  And pick up Bread & Wine.  It's a great read.  You can buy it here and you can read more about Shauna here.

**In keeping with my New Year's Resolution, I also read Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club.  

What a great month of books!**

Resolution Check-In...

 

In 2013, I am resolved to cultivate JOY and read (at least) two books per month.

BOOKS:  In February, I read the above books and enjoyed them both.  Former People looks at the upper crust of Russian society before, during, and after the revolution and as the stage began to be set for Stalin.  It's a dismal book, really, but I learned a lot about a period of time of which I had little knowledge.  The suffering is heart-breaking and the story is violent and I was aghast at certain aspects of human nature that I encountered within the pages. And yet, I went back to this book night after night, often unable to put it down.

As a problemed perfectionist, I was intrigued by the title The Gifts of Imperfection and hoped this book might offer some insight into how to calm my "gremlins" (as Brown would call them).  It's a helpful book in that it offer practical application and the acceptance of a counter-cultural perspective.  Brown (of TED talk fame) is a very approachable researcher.  Science isn't always easy to communicate and I appreciate her ability to explain and engage.

JOY:  This month held great moments in which we enjoyed outings, dinner parties, and family fun, but there were a lot of sick kids and some not as pleasant feelings as well.  However, I believe a deep sense of joy...or at least peace...can be cultivated in all situations regardless of circumstance and that's why I've engaged in making joy a habit this year.  Joyful highlights include getting to work in a beautiful, Carneige library for an afternoon, the Fryxell Museum with the family, an over-the-top Super Bowl feast, a Wii Bowling fundraiser at Jake's school, the beautiful snow, the kid's red cheeks after playing in the snow, pulling Sintayehu to preschool registration in her sled, my new coffee pot with its thermal carafe, coffee with my neighbor, several fun dinner parties, a lovely date night, and an amusing evening of guitar and ukulele duets with my partner.  And now it's March!!  Wishing you plenty of joy this weekend!

Resolution Check In...

In 2013, I am resolved to cultivate JOY and read (at least) two books per month.

Resolution #1: Read 

Anne Lamott's Help, Thanks, Wow

It's a short, powerful little book that encompasses Lamott's typical wisdom and wit.  I dog-eared every other page and enjoyed this book immensely.

Grace, by Grace Coddington

What a remarkable life this creative, quirky woman has lived!  I loved reading about all of her adventures in the fashion world.  I am attracted to the glamour of this world, yet so removed from its reality.  I loved catching the straightforward glimpse that Coddington offers in her memoir.

Happier At Home, by Gretchen Rubin

I really enjoyed Rubin's other book, The Happiness Project, and was happy to read the same great research and cheerful candor in her latest book, Happier At Home.  I get a kick out of Gretchen Rubin. She is very disciplined and reminds me in some strange way of Mary Poppins with her no-nonsense attitude, yet undeniable warmth.  I found this book comforting and motivating.

Resolution #2: Enjoy Life

Reading is something that helps me enjoy my life more, so by following through on goal number one, I can directly influence goal number two.  Specifically, Happier At Home offered constructive advice as to how to cultivate more happiness in my life.  Already I have implemented a few bits of Rubin's advice by 1) planning more adventures (like going to a museum when tempted to sit at home), 2) creating "shrines" of happy memories in my home (I'm working on actually printing some pictures to hang), and approaching a daunting task in small increments (I need to organize and print years worth of digital pictures...I'm trying to do this for fifteen minutes everyday.)  All of these things make me happy.  And so does this blog.  Thanks for reading!!

Hello there.

It's already Wednesday, which seems impossible.  Apparently, it's busy season with one of my work contracts so I've been spending a lot of time at the computer.  I've been editing dissertations about sex trafficking, energy psychology, and chakra balancing, among other things.  I've been writing about Quad City dessert makers and Kombucha tea.  I'm telling you—there's never a dull moment.  I've also been reading Anne Lamott's new book, Help, Thanks, Wow and it feels like it's landed in my hands at a good time.  I love Lamott and reading this book feels like having a great conversation with a wise and witty friend.  One line stuck out to me last week as I was struggling to find my balance: Be okay today.  It sounds simple, but sometimes I need the reminder.  Tomorrow doesn't matter so much, and really, either does yesterday.  Be okay today.

Right now, I have a snuggly little girl on my lap.  She came home from preschool with a fever yesterday and has been requiring extra cuddles and hugs.  This is fine with me.  Speaking of Sintayehu, here's a photo of her that I've been wanting to share since Christmas.  Our lovely friend Cheyanne made this fascinator for her.  Isn't it adorable?

And speaking of fascinators, I recently wrote about a woman who makes hats and fascinators from her home studio is Davenport and sells them to fashionable souls all over the world.  From the moment I met her, I was smitten.  Now I just need to figure out an occasion to wear one of her head pieces!  You can read the article here.

2013 Resolutions

If you’ve been following this blog, you know that I love a good resolution.  You can follow this link to read about the 2012 Great American Apparel Fast and this link to read a bit about what helped me keep my resolution throughout last year.  Because I wrote about these resolutions monthly here on the blog, I felt like I was being held accountable.  So thank you, dear reader, for holding me accountable!  I think I’ll do the same this year, though my resolutions are much less extreme.

2013 New Year’s Resolutions

Enjoy Life.  This should be simple, right?  I realized several months ago, when I was running through my day feeling frazzled and annoyed, that I needed an attitude adjustment.  The day looked like this: Get up and get the boys ready for school.  Drop boys and neighbor kids off at school.  Come home and make coffee.  Hang out with Sintayehu and get ready to go to the Y for a run.  Go to the Y.  Go to the store to pick up a few groceries.  Make lunch.  Put Sintayehu down for her nap.  Work.  Welcome boys home from school.  People, this is an average day for me. And it’s amazing!  I am fortunate to get to spend so much time with my kids AND do the work I love.  And yet, sometimes I approach such a day with a groan and a sense of just needing to check items off the list: Pack lunches, check. Y, check.  Groceries, check.  Work, check.  I want to refocus and live everyday as the gift that it is: Less marking things off the to-do list.  More joy.

2    Read two books per month.  One thing that has gotten pushed aside over the last few years is taking the time to sit down and read books.  I love periodicals – newspapers and magazines—and always manage to find time to read them.  However, I haven’t been reading as many books as I used to.  For goodness sake, I was an English major and an English teacher before I had kiddos.  I teach writing, for the love of Pete!  I love to read, I want to read, I need to read.  So, two books per month throughout all of 2013.  It sounds simple, but it seems like unless I make the time for it, this doesn’t happen.  I got several great books as Christmas gifts and will start with them.  (I'm already nearly finished with Grace Coddington's memoir—it's so interesting!)  I’m excited and will check in with my progress here.  In the meantime...recommendations?