Brotherly Hodgepodge

1. May 24th is National Brother's Day. Do you have a brother? Older or younger? Did you raise brothers? Tell us something about your brother or tell us something about your own children who are brothers.

I have one sibling, a brother who is almost 11 years younger than me.  In many ways we are more like only children.  I have oldest child traits and he has youngest child traits and we both have only child traits.  I adored him when he was a baby.  It was like having a live doll to play with every day.  I helped teach him animal sounds and read to him a lot but when he learned to say, "You're not my Mom" those days ended...haha.  I was gone to college around the time he was 7-8.  He was about 13 when I got married and I think we started building a stronger bond when he'd come visit me on his own in the summers.  Now we both are married with kids.  He lives pretty far from me but I'm hoping to see him at Christmas.

I also have a girl and boy, in that order, but they are barely 23 months apart.  They've always been buddies.  That's changed a bit since they hit puberty but they are still friends.  This makes me really happy.  Recently, I've seen my son step into his brother role.  My daughter is quiet and sweet and sometimes misses sarcasm and her brother has kindly explained some comments and protected her.  He has also encouraged her in getting her license.  This is probably because she's his ride for the summer but I have noticed a very brotherly kindness in offering to travel with her to certain destinations since she's still slightly nervous solo.

2. A great book you've read or movie you enjoy that features brothers? 

BOOK:  Grief is a Thing With Feathers by Max Porter

MOVIE:  Onward

3. Something you think is overrated? Something you think is underrated? 

Air Fryers are over-rated.  I have a convection oven.  I'm not giving up any more counter space.  

The complexity of things like the internet, google maps and even my phone camera are underrated...things I use almost every day now
and yet I remember before they existed.  My kids will never know.

4. How much does your past shape you? What parts have shaped you the most? 

I just read a good book called, "Putting Your Past in Its Place: Moving Forward in Freedom and Forgiveness" by Stephen Viars.  It really speaks to this question.  

Lives grind to a halt when people don’t know how to relate to their past. Some believe “the past is nothing” and attempt to suppress the brokenness again and again. Others miss out on renewal and change by making the past more important than their present and future. Neither approach moves people toward healing or hope.

Pastor and biblical counselor Stephen Viars introduces a third way to view one’s personal history—by exploring the role of the past as God intended. Using Scripture to lead readers forward, Viars provides practical measures to

• understand the important place “the past” is given in Scripture
• replace guilt and despair with forgiveness and hope
• turn failures into stepping stones for growth

This motivating, compassionate resource is for anyone ready to review and release the past so that God can transform their behaviors, relationships, and their ability to hope in a future.

5. What's your favorite simple pleasure? 

I really enjoy iced coffee in the summertime.  It's even sweeter now that my son has joined me in this simple pleasure.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

It's finals week for my kids.  Lots of studying...and a few tears already.  Sigh.  I'm ready for this school year to be over.  The kids are both taking summer classes to open space in their schedules for other things Junior/Senior years, etc.  So, there will be a week of ease before they jump into that...It's a busy season.  One of their classes is PE
2...and my random thought is that I better up my exercise game because in July we're going out West on a great adventure and I don't want to be left in the dust.

Springtime Surprises Hodgepodge

1. What surprises you the most about people? 

Well, I find myself wanting to turn this answer into a gripe about all the bad things people do that 'surprise' me...but I'm really not surprised cuz the world is broken and I know this...OR I could go with being surprised by kindness but the truth is I rarely if ever find myself surprised by that these days.  Sorry...first question and I'm on the struggle bus.

Sometimes I'm surprised by people's special gifts and talents and that's always delightful.  I love artistic and musical gifts and even mathematical and scientific gifts are interesting and surprising.

2. Would you rather have a chauffeur, nanny, gardener, maid, personal shopper or cook? Tell us why that one? 

After thinking about it I will go with maid.  I don't like to dust, so therefore, I don't...and it feels like things get dirty as soon as I clean them...especially floors.  I'd love a weekly maid.

As the days wane on my chauffeuring my kids about, I value those times in the car a lot more and so I wouldn't want to hire that out.  A few years ago I might have jumped at this one though.

I enjoy gardening and have a pretty easy level of plant life set up around our house.  I will simplify our vegetable patch when my dear daughter is no longer at home to help me.  Maybe I'll just go all flowers so I can have fresh bouquets to share and set around my house.  

Personal Shopper sounds ridiculous.  I don't shop that much and when I do grocery pickup I figure I'm kind of my own personal shopper.  Plus I love thrift sales and all the fun is in rummaging yourself. 

Cooking, again I enjoy it, so I wouldn't want to take that out...although I've heard it's very difficult to cook for two...and that makes me sad.  I currently love my son coming into the kitchen, snatching the top off the crockpot, stirring about and sniffing...and then eating seconds or thirds and telling me how wonderful it all tastes.  

3. May 18th is National Notebook Day. No idea what that means but let's run with it anyway. What's something you currently keep in a notebook? Have you seen the movie The Notebook? On a scale of 1-5 how does it rate? (5=a favorite, can watch and re-watch and re-watch again) 

I am not a fan of The Notebook movie.  I am a fan of notebooks.  I am notorious for using 1/3 the pages and never filling them up...or keeping them blank because they're pretty and I can't decide what to write in them.  Currently, I've been keeping the notes to book studies I'm doing so I can refer to them if I ever need them.  I fold a page between each book.

4. Do you like mushrooms? Last dish you made or ate that had mushrooms on the ingredient list? Your favorite dish that calls for mushrooms? 

I love mushrooms.  I used them in Beef Stroganoff a few weeks ago.  It is probably my favorite dish with mushrooms.  It's simply beef tips with a brown sauce with onions and mushrooms...then I add egg noodles and a dollop of sour cream.

5. What would you say is the most annoying thing people do in public? 

The phone annoys me.  I'm not opposed to people needing their phones...like if you're looking at notes for a lunch mtg, or taking a call from a kid, etc.  but if you're sitting there ignoring the person who made time to spend with you 'in person' that's just rude.  And smart watches are just as bad.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I'm growing a pot of chamomile and lemon balm for the first time this year.  I imagine calming tea times.  I am also dehydrating my own green powder because I'm cheap and can use the dandelions in my own yard, thank you.