Total: $7.
Score!
Score!
I am long on staying, I am slow to leave/ especially when it comes to you, my friend.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Currently Pondering.
Thinking of these two quotes on a daily or multiple-times-daily basis these days,
- "They were helped in fighting them, and God handed the Hagrites and all their allies over to them, because they cried out to Him during the battle. He answered their prayers, because they trusted in Him." (1 Chronicles 5:20)
- "...The prayer preceding all prayers is, 'May it be the real I who speaks. May it be the real Thou that I speak to.'"
-C.S. Lewis
That second one I find myself praying so desperately, so many times a day. And then it's the realization of my inability to ensure it, that keeps leading me to the first.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
HNGR goes apple picking
We gathered all the alumni from our HNGR class who are still in the area and went apple-picking on Sunday! (minus Jason who couldn't come and Lauren who met us for apple pie later!)
hiding roommate...
meg is hott (and her husband knows how to take sweet pics!)
hngr significant others were obviously invited as well :-)
(aww... they're wearing matching plaid!)
Great people. Great day :-)
(Have I mentioned I LOVE FALL??!!!!)
hiding roommate...
meg is hott (and her husband knows how to take sweet pics!)
hngr significant others were obviously invited as well :-)(aww... they're wearing matching plaid!)
Great people. Great day :-)
(Have I mentioned I LOVE FALL??!!!!)
Saturday, September 18, 2010
holding.
Re-post. 'Cause I miss those girls and still feel so lucky every single day that I got to know them. And because I've been re-thinking about this a lot lately.
"I spent the last six months cuddling with 15 Bolivian teenage girls. Really. It is a big joke among my HNGR class that every single one of my twice-monthly assessment letters included at least something about physical touch. But trust me, to leave it out would not have given a good picture of my time. Of course, it makes grad school applications somewhat complicated. "Description of Clinical Experience: Please list job title and responsibilities". Responsibilities... um... is there a way to make "Rubbed backs and braided hair" sound professional?...
I loved it. I loved every minute. Bolivian culture involves a lot of physical touch; these girls in particular were way affectionate. And plus hugging doesn't require perfect Spanish. But, it felt more important than that. Did, in holding these girls, I get to communicate to them that they were unconditionally accepted? Touch can say so much more than words sometimes. To feel held is such a big deal. Did loving touch from the staff and from me communicate safety to them, when before, physical contact had been a tool for their pain and harm?
Did they feel loved when we lightly touched their head or rubbed their back? When we cupped their cheek or tucked their hair behind their ear? Did they feel known, like they belonged? Was it easier, then, for them to visualize the love of God that Gonzalo told them about in devotionals every morning, Tino taught to them as he structured and organized their days, counseled them on work, disciplined them when necessary, that Gladys led them to in their counseling sessions?
One girl I literally spent probably an hour every day just cuddling on the couch with. She was a shyer one. She took awhile to warm up to me. But once we became friends, about half-way in, she wanted to be leaning on my shoulder or laying quietly with my arm around her as I chatted and laughed with everyone in the living room as much as possible. Mosoj Yan threw a goodbye dinner for me two days before I left, but I had forgotten some stuff at the house and had to run back the next day to grab it. I was going to try to make it a really quick trip in because I didn't want to have to see everyone again and start crying... "Yes, that's a good idea, don't let the girls see you. Maria Eugenia cried the whole night after you left." What did I even do that would be that important to her? I held her.
We receive love by having material needs being met: Mosoj Yan gave them good meals, clothing, warm and safe beds. We receive love by having hope and a future: Mosoj Yan teaches them skills, counsels them that they are worthwhile, works to get them education. We receive love through words: encouragement; through memories: laughter, dancing, pizza parties, good conversations.
And, we are bodies. We are physical bodies with physical needs, with needs to be touched and held and loved physically. At times when my language skills weren't enough but even more than that my brain and heart failed to be able to communicate to them how deep God's love for them is, how much I hated what had been done to them, every hope and dream I had for them... I could lovingly touch them. I could pray that as I held them they could receive that they were hold-able, acceptable, worth knowing and loving, deserving of more than abuse.
What a privilege, to be able to hold."
"I spent the last six months cuddling with 15 Bolivian teenage girls. Really. It is a big joke among my HNGR class that every single one of my twice-monthly assessment letters included at least something about physical touch. But trust me, to leave it out would not have given a good picture of my time. Of course, it makes grad school applications somewhat complicated. "Description of Clinical Experience: Please list job title and responsibilities". Responsibilities... um... is there a way to make "Rubbed backs and braided hair" sound professional?...
I loved it. I loved every minute. Bolivian culture involves a lot of physical touch; these girls in particular were way affectionate. And plus hugging doesn't require perfect Spanish. But, it felt more important than that. Did, in holding these girls, I get to communicate to them that they were unconditionally accepted? Touch can say so much more than words sometimes. To feel held is such a big deal. Did loving touch from the staff and from me communicate safety to them, when before, physical contact had been a tool for their pain and harm?
Did they feel loved when we lightly touched their head or rubbed their back? When we cupped their cheek or tucked their hair behind their ear? Did they feel known, like they belonged? Was it easier, then, for them to visualize the love of God that Gonzalo told them about in devotionals every morning, Tino taught to them as he structured and organized their days, counseled them on work, disciplined them when necessary, that Gladys led them to in their counseling sessions?
One girl I literally spent probably an hour every day just cuddling on the couch with. She was a shyer one. She took awhile to warm up to me. But once we became friends, about half-way in, she wanted to be leaning on my shoulder or laying quietly with my arm around her as I chatted and laughed with everyone in the living room as much as possible. Mosoj Yan threw a goodbye dinner for me two days before I left, but I had forgotten some stuff at the house and had to run back the next day to grab it. I was going to try to make it a really quick trip in because I didn't want to have to see everyone again and start crying... "Yes, that's a good idea, don't let the girls see you. Maria Eugenia cried the whole night after you left." What did I even do that would be that important to her? I held her.
We receive love by having material needs being met: Mosoj Yan gave them good meals, clothing, warm and safe beds. We receive love by having hope and a future: Mosoj Yan teaches them skills, counsels them that they are worthwhile, works to get them education. We receive love through words: encouragement; through memories: laughter, dancing, pizza parties, good conversations.
And, we are bodies. We are physical bodies with physical needs, with needs to be touched and held and loved physically. At times when my language skills weren't enough but even more than that my brain and heart failed to be able to communicate to them how deep God's love for them is, how much I hated what had been done to them, every hope and dream I had for them... I could lovingly touch them. I could pray that as I held them they could receive that they were hold-able, acceptable, worth knowing and loving, deserving of more than abuse.
What a privilege, to be able to hold."
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
wonderful night.
windy fall outside, tamara drove in from the city, rooted around for a recipe using what i had and found this, rosie thomas pandora station,
a whole evening to do nothing but sit, talk, cook, eat, laugh, with one of my best friends of four years...
life is good.
a whole evening to do nothing but sit, talk, cook, eat, laugh, with one of my best friends of four years...
life is good.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Emily Is Excited About Fall
leavescolorhotchocolatepumpkinspicewarmthcozinesssweaterscuddlingspicecinnamonsmokejoylaughterfamilyfriendsapplesharvest
YES PLEASE
YES PLEASE
Friday, September 10, 2010
Perfect Early Autumn Salad
Although "salad" is misleading because there are no greens!
This was easy, filling, and delicious.
Waldorf Quinoa Salad (hence renamed, "Emily's Favorite Tastes Like Fall Meal!"):
2 C quinoa (quinoa, just in case you don't know, which I didn't until I lived in South America where it is super popular, is a grain-like complete protein... think if rice and barley had a love child)
4 1/2 C chicken broth
2 large apples, chopped (I used red)
2 C red seedless grapes, halved (I didn't halve them. Started to and it took way too long. It worked fine with them whole)
1 C craisins
Dash salt
1 C sliced almonds, or walnuts if preferred
6 T lemon juice (sounds like a lot but it was perfect)
4 T olive oil
8 oz blue cheese crumbles, or less if you're not a fan
1. Rinse quinoa well.
2. Put quinoa and chicken broth in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer until just cooked through, 20-25 minutes.
4. Fluff with a fork, cover, and let sit until cool* (*I didn't have time to let it cool and I actually liked it a lot with everything mixed in warm).
5. Mix in salt, apples, grapes, craisins, and almonds.
6. Drizzle lemon juice and olive oil and toss to coat.
7. Sprinkle liberally with blue cheese crumbles and mix in if desired.
IT WAS SO GOOD!!! I made it for Ryan and Kendra on Tuesday and we all really liked it... and Kendra noted it was the first family dinner I'd cooked where I wasn't constantly listing all the things I was going to do differently next time :-).
The quinoa cooked in the chicken broth is great (I like it that way much better than cooked in water... after six months in Bolivia it's taken me some time to be able to eat much quinoa, which makes it an even bigger deal that I liked this so much).
The fruit makes it rich and flavorful (and gives it the fall taste). The almonds are yummy and add extra protein (the whole thing is super protein-y! yay energy!). And the blue cheese. OMG. If you are a blue cheese fan, this is a great dish. The quinoa makes it super filling... we ate it with French bread and Trader Joe's $2 Chardonnay :-).
Yum!
This was easy, filling, and delicious.
Waldorf Quinoa Salad (hence renamed, "Emily's Favorite Tastes Like Fall Meal!"):
2 C quinoa (quinoa, just in case you don't know, which I didn't until I lived in South America where it is super popular, is a grain-like complete protein... think if rice and barley had a love child)
4 1/2 C chicken broth
2 large apples, chopped (I used red)
2 C red seedless grapes, halved (I didn't halve them. Started to and it took way too long. It worked fine with them whole)
1 C craisins
Dash salt
1 C sliced almonds, or walnuts if preferred
6 T lemon juice (sounds like a lot but it was perfect)
4 T olive oil
8 oz blue cheese crumbles, or less if you're not a fan
1. Rinse quinoa well.
2. Put quinoa and chicken broth in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer until just cooked through, 20-25 minutes.
4. Fluff with a fork, cover, and let sit until cool* (*I didn't have time to let it cool and I actually liked it a lot with everything mixed in warm).
5. Mix in salt, apples, grapes, craisins, and almonds.
6. Drizzle lemon juice and olive oil and toss to coat.
7. Sprinkle liberally with blue cheese crumbles and mix in if desired.
IT WAS SO GOOD!!! I made it for Ryan and Kendra on Tuesday and we all really liked it... and Kendra noted it was the first family dinner I'd cooked where I wasn't constantly listing all the things I was going to do differently next time :-).
The quinoa cooked in the chicken broth is great (I like it that way much better than cooked in water... after six months in Bolivia it's taken me some time to be able to eat much quinoa, which makes it an even bigger deal that I liked this so much).
The fruit makes it rich and flavorful (and gives it the fall taste). The almonds are yummy and add extra protein (the whole thing is super protein-y! yay energy!). And the blue cheese. OMG. If you are a blue cheese fan, this is a great dish. The quinoa makes it super filling... we ate it with French bread and Trader Joe's $2 Chardonnay :-).
Yum!
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