Found.

okay i've had this season, this blog, some ideas all rumbling in my mind for a few weeks now. i've wanted to get a big picture... to write down and encapsulate a perspective of truth regarding the holidays. i've been looking at jackson and thinking of how to communicate, of what to communicate to him... what do I want to teach him regarding the celebration of Jesus Christ and the Message that began with His birth?

Get in on this. it's beautiful.
http://www.adventconspiracy.org/
Worship More, Spend Less, Give More, Love All.

Advent Conspiracy to Reduce Spending at Christmas
In 2006 America spent 456.2 billion USD during Christmas. It would take 30 billion USD a year to provide clean drinking water and sanitation to half of the world population that goes without. Imagine a world where America gives 10% of Christmas to those truly in need.

your trash. my treasure

well... jesse is (obviously) absent from the blogging world these days. the man's working, working for the weekend and once there i monopolize his time. so the URG has taken on more of a femme feel in the recent months... and today i'm taking it up another notch.

I simply need to share my joy, because though they try, Jes and Jackson can't quite get on my page... though Jes did give a very encouraging cat call when I came into the room this morning wearing MY NEW JEANS.

I'm not a girl who has 12 pairs of jeans... I have A favorite pair of jeans and then one pair to wear when those are dirty. I've had my favorite pair for 4 years... I even refused to give them up throughout my pregnancy. My love for them stretched them to the limit where they now reside... bent and big. I can take them on and off without having to unbutton a single button. sigh. it has been time to move on for sometime now. what is awful about moving on is I HATE SHOPPING FOR JEANS. Nothing can make your body look more misshapen than jeans that are tight in the rear, huge in the waist and always too short, or their evil twin that cuts you in half in the waist exposing your chichos while giving you a baggy elephant butt. Mom offered to buy me a new pair of jeans for my big 30th birthday... to move me into my new decade in style. We shopped to no avail for 4 hours, ridiculous. I've now been shopping around for a month. It's bewildered the men in my life.

Saturday I found these 575's at a re-sale shop in lovely St. Louis. They are PERFECT. Seriously people, rejoice with me.

What I want.

I just read something I liked in a magazine.
According to Navajo tradition a baby is considered to be of two worlds at birth: that of the holy people and that of the people of earth. Here's what I think is very neat... everyone waits for the baby's first laugh; the sign of joy that communicates his desire to join his family and community here on earth. The Navajo believe the baby assumes the qualities of the person who is wittness to this lovely first laugh. So of course this person then throws of big party and everyone brings gifts and such. As the guest file past the baby with plates of food, the baby (with the help of his laughing buddy) gives salt to each guest. Now here is what I think is absolutly beautiful... the salt is meant to rejuvenante the good character in each recipient and serve as the first in a lifetime of generous acts by the child. At the meal's end, the host or a community elder blesses the baby, wishing him a life of generosity and gratitude.

THAT is what I want for Jackson. I want him to live a life of generous acts. I want him to learn to party and to fiercely love those around him... to draw out of them Christ's intention in their life. I want the Body to gather around him and anoint him in a life of generosity and gratitude and for Jackson to step into that anointing from a very early age... from the moment that he knows joy.

This is going to be my prayer everytime I see my little man laugh or smile... and praise be it happens often.

That's Really Funny

The Fireman and The Fireball

I love Halloween. I've always loved Halloween. I wasn't raised going to 'Fall Festivals' at church... I was raised on Halloween. My first costume was the plastic jumper kind with the plastic mask... I was Snoopy. Then my next debut was as a wicked witch. I think mom and I miscommunicated when I said 'I want to be a witch for Halloween' because when she went to apply a big putty wart to my nose I started crying... I explained to her that although I was wearing a black sheeth-like robe and tall pointed hat, I wanted to be a pretty witch. Along the way there was the punk rocker decade, a poodle skirt thrown in there somewhere and I think wonder woman, but I'm not sure. Anyway. Jackson was a Fireman this year and Conner a Fireball. I tried to coax Jesse into letting me buy one of those cute outfits where only the babies face shows... like a lobster or dragon or lion. Jesse said no... he feels it's mean. He feels bad that the little babies can't defend themselves.