If I Could, I Would

I had the best time the other morning answering "If I could do anything regardless of time, money, ability I would..." on a blog.  It was hard listing only three answers.  I'd love to know what you, my three friends who read this blog, would do.  Remember this has nothing to do with regrets and should be somewhat realistic.

If I could, I would...


1. Be an avid runner with a swishy ponytail

2. Travel the U.S. in a luxury RV and hike all the national parks, especially Yellowstone/Grand Tetons

3. Secretly plant daffodils and tulips all over... Wouldn't the spring be extra awesome?!
 
4.  Be the person that gets to name things:  roads, crayons, lipsticks, ice creams...
 
5.  Adopt lots of orphans
 
6.  Raise my kids without ever loosing my patience (probably falls into the "totally not possible" range)
 
7.  Be fluent in sign language
 
8.  Have one of those decorating TV shows redo my entire home
 
9.  Work for an impactful ministry like LPM
 
10. Collect & sell antique china, linens, jewerly in a Victorian town like Cape May, NJ -- minus the NJ part

11.  Ride in a hot air balloon

12.  Be happy to have my hubby hang deer antlers in our family room -- This should be a "I would if only I could..."  Ha!

13.  Travel

14. Have a large, flat enough yard so when you lay in the grass you can see the curvature of the atmosphere

15.  Raise my kids on lots of land with an orchard and some chickens

16.  Speak a foreign language fluently -- probably Spanish

17.  Paint landscape portraits at the beach and have a seafood restaurant sell them

Still thinking of some...

Bone Marrow Drive

Melanie and Trystan

OK, perhaps my last blog was a bit dramatic.  My friend Tracey kept it real by reminding me, "It is only a cheek swab."  Ha!  So yes, the registering was very easy, andI am glad that I registered in person rather than mailing in the kit for a handful of reasons.

• First, Melanie was there and so tickled to greet us!  It was like a party in her honor.  In fact, later that night she FaceBooked saying, "It was the party I always wanted to have."  She is amazing and a beautiful example of living from the perspective of Christ's truth for her rather than being stuck in earthly facts.
• Second, I was really touched to see the support.  We were there for maybe 45 minutes for a 10 minute process due to the amount of people registering.  Yay!
• Third, I learned some BIG time facts, which can explain my emotions in the last entry.  Turns out I was believing a lot of misconceptions and assumptions. I am very relieved I acted on how I was led rather than what I thought to be true. 
• Fourth, it was the most meaningful date night Donald and I have ever had.  We left feeling even more grateful and with deeper compassion for people. 
• Last but not least, I loved being contacted by a handful of people I reached out to that have already registered as donors.  I learned a lot and was touched by their humbleness! 

It may have only been a cheek swab and I may never get the call to save a life, but sending those cells to a Petri dish felt better than I ever imagined!


"Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that."  -Eph. 5:1-2 (MSG)

Melanie

Last spring I met my 41 year old, elementary school counselor neighbor Melanie and her incredibly gorgeous 3 year old daughter at a playgroup.  A couple of weeks later Melanie discovered that she has Myleodysplastic Syndrome/pre-Leukemia.  A few days ago I found a flier with their photo in our postbox asking for help with finding a matching bone marrow donor.  Without any hesitation the flier states, "Melanie's continued state of wellness, actually her survival, depends upon her receiving a bone marrow transplant."  I have not been able to shake the gnawing thought of what if I were in her shoes?  What if she was my sister, my good friend, my mom... ?  

Tomorrow there will be a drive in Charlottesville to join the Bone Marrow Registry.  All it requires is a simple cheek swab and I could be the one to save a life.  To be completely transparent, I am not 100% certain I will be there.  If I knew it would be just for Melanie, I would be a lot less hesitant and selfishly so, because the likelihood of being a match and actually going through the donation process would be almost null.  But upon entering the registry you agree to donate to any patient in need.  The thought enters my mind again; what if it were my sister, my good friend, my mom.... ? 

Melanie and I ran into one another a few weeks ago in the library parking lot and I prayed with her.  So often the Lord allows people to be the answer to prayers.  How often have I felt so incredibly blessed and casually looked for ways to give a little.  I think I am being invited to put action to my words, to be actively engaged rather than usually passive, to be like the Savior who got His feet dirty for me.  Hard choice, because I know I don't have to -- but I get to.

JOIN THE BONE MARROW REGISTRY

• Date:  Thursday, September 9th
• Time:  5:00-7:00 pm
• Location:  Courtyard North by Marriott Hotel (behind Toys R Us)
• Phone:  866-301-4650 x7385

You can also have a swab kit sent to you directly. 
1-866-301-4650 x7385
http://www.bethematch.org/

"But look! A king will rule in the right way, and his leaders will carry out justice.

Each one will stand as a shelter from high winds,

provide safe cover in stormy weather.

Each will be cool running water in parched land,

a huge granite outcrop giving shade in the desert." 

-Is. 32 (MSG)

Labor Day Weekend

"Come to me all those who labor..."  If Jesus didn't come to save us from our soul's labor, I'm not sure why He came.  Goodness knows my mind has travelled back and forth to twisted  land this week over a close loved one's turmoil while dealing with a 3 year old boy who wants to disassemble nearly every household assembled thing.  There are bigger worries in the world, but when it rains in your little corner it pours.  I am so thankful God is true to His Word and in His perfect timing brings refreshing when trusted for it.  This weekend my family had a ton of fun and I needed it. 

To start the weekend off Jacks and Caro went to their first Fluco football game with Donald and Grandpa.  Caroline's favorite part of the evening was when "the team we were cheering for got two home runs."  You  catch her drift, I am sure!  Jackson liked the blue boy with the blue hair that waved the flag.  Caroline tells me this was the mascot.  I'm guessing a "Flying Fluco" is up for interpretation.

Fluvanna vs. Madison

Saturday Caroline had her first Upwards soccer game which was SO FUN!  I never played soccer.  I was a total ballerina.  In fact, the idea of kids kicking at my shins never really appealed to me, so I was especially proud of Caroline for getting out there and going for it.  She reminded me of a sheep dog bouncing off the ground outside the mess of kids on top of the ball, hollering and pointing in the direction they should be moving.  My favorite quote of the weekend came from Caroline about what she and her pal were doing on the field:  "Talking about nothing for no reason." 

Saturday evening we went to the Valentines' annual Labor Day cookout.  This is no ordinary cookout.  This is an all out event with a hundred people at least, professional bouncy houses for the kids, frozen drink machines, food, food, food!  This year's theme was a luau and it was delicious!  It was especially great to catch up with old friends from Central Elementary.  There was a moment when I thought how fortunate I've been to spend the past 15 years sharing life with the same people.

After a great morning at FUBC on Sunday we took naps then  moseyed up the street to a neighborhood block party.  The kids had a ball sledding down the Hersmans' dirt hill!

Jackson, Ben, Bella, & Caroline

Monday afternoon we headed to Fredricksburg to surprise Mom.  One of our highlights was pulling over in Orange to watch the skydivers land.  I really think I'd like to do that some day.  In fact, I've planted the idea for Donald and I to take the plunge on our 40th.  Someone hold us to it!

Mom is one of the unfortunate laborers who is fortunately employed that had to work on Labor Day.  You should have seen her face as Caroline surprised her and her clients!  It was something between sheer delight and utter terror!  Priceless, and I wish I had been prepared with my camera.  While there my undemonstrative Donald plopped down on one of the leather sectionals on display and the words "Stop it!" rolled out of his mouth like water from a fire hydrant.  It CRACKED me up. I've never heard him react that way, but apparently it was pretty comfortable.  After spending some time with Mom, doing a little sales shopping at Khols, and eating too many rolls at Ryans we rode home into a beautiful sunset --feeling refreshed. 

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." -James 1:17

Big Happenings Around Here!

This was another big week of firsts for the Fields Family!

Karis had her 1 month appointment (at the tender age of almost 6 weeks old).  She weighed in at 10 pounds 5 ounces, which is a weight gain of 2 pounds 5 ounces. She also grew 2 inches and is now 22.5 inches long. If you are a stat fan that places her in the 75th percentile for length and 50th percentile for weight. She took her shot like a trooper; didn't even accept the lollipop her big brother suggested as a reward.

She still sleeps through most of the day, but will hang out for an hour or so in the morning and a little longer in the afternoon and is most happy in our arms. She does like to fuss right around dinner time until she's down for the night. She sleeps from 9:00ish to about 1:30 a.m. which is her longest stretch, but I have the darnedest time putting myself to bed which I suffer for later. After her 1:30 feeding she usually wakes up at 3:30 and 5:30.

I love her big eyes. They seem to open so big and bright, but maybe that is in direct relation to her sweet cheeks getting rounder and rounder, pushing up on her eyes.  Ha! Someone told me last night that she has my eyebrows which is kind of funny considering you can hardly see hers and I have to pencil in mine!

Let's see some things I especially love about Karis right now: how her hair fluffs after I wash it, her extra soft baby hands, how the bottom of her toes look like baby peas, all those baby sounds (nursing, sleeping, waking up), how I can take her anywhere in her car seat and she sleeps, and when she protests about being in her swing she cries in sync with the motion of the swing... My girl has rhythm!

Six Weeks Old



One Month Old

Wednesday Jackson had his 1st field trip.  His preschool class met at Fruit Hill Orchard and everyone picked a peck of apples.  He was so excited and ate more than his share, that's for sure!  We had a great time and learned how apples grow too.

Our good buddies from church also go to school with us.  Momma Kat is a national superstar.  You should check out the show she produces with her husband:  www.redarrowtv.com/pics.html

That very same day...

Caroline came home with another missing tooth!  It fell out on the bus ride to school.  She wrote the Tooth Fairy a letter asking for "sum mashic dus."  The Tooth Fairy was apparently all out of magic dust, but she did leave two Sacajawea coins this time!

This One Is For My Friend Erin...

Know what today is?

902010 !!

Gotta love fashion!