Esme and the dude

Esme has been focusing on trying to find something to call Francis for a little while now.

She can say Clare but can't quite get Francis.

On Friday she heard me keep calling Francis "good boy" and she went with that over the weekend but today she got so excited.

In bed this morning Andrew got exasperated with Francis and said "Du-ude" Esme thought that was the funniest thing she'd ever heard.

She's been walking around the house all day saying "dood" every time she sees Francis.

I think he officially has a new name!

church

I don't often write much about church but today I was inspired twice in church to read my bible more...that is a rare inspiration for me and I also feel like it's a bit of a rare inspiration for most people to get from an episcopal church (I say this because lately I've noticed all the people carrying their covered bibles to the Presbyterian church I have to pass at the end of our block on my way to our church, without my bible, where no one will have brought their bibles...it's just not an episcopal thing as far as I can tell) Anyway.

Our adult forum this morning was about Paul's teachings/prophesy on the Jews based on Romans 9-11. The woman leading is a professor from Princeton and it was interesting to hear what she had to say about context and language and the way people interpret the bible, it made me think back to classes in college where I used to have to study and write papers about passages. It made me want to remember more of what I've read about the bible and it made me want to understand the wider context better, which would require reading (a great amount of reading I think).

But all of that is nothing compared to how this morning's gospel reading made me want read the bible; were you in church today?

The gospel was Jesus healing a sick woman who immediately gets up to serve all the men in the house. My friend Sara and I turned to each other with thinly veiled looks of skepticism...this is not Jesus like behavior. I could just hear all the men..."What there is no woman in the house to serve us?" But wait...we've got Jesus "Never fear, I'll heal her" and the second she's well she's up and serving all of them?  All I could think was this is not the Jesus I know...not the Jesus who is kind to those others despise...the Jesus who hung out with women, the kind of women other men paid to be with...

Somehow I did not remember ever hearing this particular story, I cannot imagine I would have forgotten it or missed the connection.

Anyway it made me think, maybe there are other stories I'm not remember correctly or didn't hear properly, or maybe there's more to the story and I just don't know it because it wasn't part of this morning reading, but if I were reading on my own as well...well.

Now to find the time... 

jabber and projects

I completed a draft that ended up being posted after this posting even though it really is new...so scroll down, I promise it's worth it.

:)

I've always been very socially awkward about breaking into new communities. I don't know what it is because I'm a very outgoing person, people generally like me, I don't look too funny. I just feel really nervous that I won't know what to say or do, unless I'm in charge or have a very specific role to play I don't feel as comfortable at social events.

So anyway, I was very excited to get an e mail that my favorite local fabric store spool was having their first ever stitch party tonight... "a new monthly get together where we can show & tell about our projects, meet other talented crafters, and party!"

What perfect timing I thought... I've been going into this store since we moved here longing to learn how to sew, I sent (forced) Andrew to go there to buy my christmas present... now I finally have something to show for all my longing... I'll meet people who are even better at what I want to do, cool people I want to be friends with who will immediately accept me because of what my family has dubbed my sewing genius... Okay I may have pinpointed all my problems being socially awkward right in that one sentence.

Of course I was disappointed... I only got to talk to two people (about Esme's adorable sparkly shoes and when I spilled my wine on her baby... boy do I sound more dorky by the moment or what?) The problem of course is that I build these things up in my head... What I need to walk away with is the lesson that I should really stop doing that.

I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and gosh darn it people like me...

Okay, so here is some cool inspiration I got while I was there... redemption... redemption...

I thought these bunnies cut out of fabric were so cute...I could do that...

I also loved these bunnies and the circle of fabric with straight lines machine stitched through them...super cute!

jabber and projects

I've been talking with a few people lately about how Esme has been experimenting with "sentences". I was actually recently talking to my friend Julie whose son Isaac is five days younger than Esme and she was describing his recent jabber as "the experimentation of rhythm and cadence" which I thought was perfect.

Here's a video of Esme doing some experimentation as well as working on those fine motor skills fitting her buckles together on a high chair.

I'm very excited about a few things that I've done this week...so of course I better share :)

I put learn how to make yogurt on my "to do" list with a bit of skepticism at my ability to do so...but I one upped myself I made yogurt and granola this week and I don't think I did too bad for my first yogurt attempt and second granola attempt. The yogurt is less runny than Andrew's always was, which is exactly what I was hoping for and the granola is pretty good; just needs a little more honey (or maple syrup as my sister suggested). All of it is however, edible which is enough for me :)

I also bought some material for two projects I'm going to get done ASAP.

Here's a picture of the beautiful fabric...although I can't share any more details other than to say Cameron and Isla I'm so excited about what's headed your way!!