while waiting for the wedding to start :)

While the rest of my family on the other side of the world is hastily finishing the last touches before my brother's big 2pm wedding, I'm just frittering my time away on the computer. I only have to stay up a few more hours tonight so we can watch the wedding live (YEAH!). So, I guess I'll add some more recent pictures here to welcome my new sister to the family (she doesn't really know us India Burchells, so she probably needs more pictures, right?!). (not to mention that my siblings have time off of work and might be bored enough in their free time to check my blog. or not.)

Last time I wrote, I mentioned that Will likes music, and that he 'plays instruments'... here's what I mean:

Maybe a trombone or a trumpet or a clarinet? (Thank you very much, Mr. Potato Head)

Here's his violin or viola (using bowling pins).

And he usually thrusts something at Annie and orders her to play an instrument- guitar, drums, clap, sing... whatever suits his fancy. Sometimes she just dances. :) It's really cute.

And I didn't get a picture of Will 'drumming' but those are easy to get- it's just that usually I'm busy trying to think of something to get him to stop drumming. He's pretty good at it though, to be fair. He varies the toys he uses to act out playing each of these different instruments, but his favorite toys to use for everything are the bowling pins.

The weather here has been crazy. The days are hot, dry and sunny and then almost every afternoon storm clouds roll in and thunder and lightning break the sky. Down come hail and rain- although usually only for a few minutes. The most recent storms have been longer and this one shed so much hail on the ground that it looked like snow again atop the green of spring.

Just because Annie's face is so funny here- she wasn't really mad, just gave me a scowl for a moment. :)

She found her too-big rain coat when I opened a drawer of too-big Annie clothes, and she insisted that she wear it.

And last of all, these flowers bloom each spring on a big bush outside our front door. They make me so happy each year. I thank God for flowers.

a verse

"Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
~Isaiah 40:28-31

Good things:

Making candles with my friends.

A wonderful 'auntie' who loves my kids and our Father.

Hanging out with Alison!

Playing on a vacant playground.

Sighting a graceful Pine Martin.

'Tea time!'
(The plastic dishes and food are a hit, L!!! Thanks again, so much!)

Watching a short spring storm darken the sky and drop hail on the ground.
(Does this remind you of "The Cat In The Hat?")

Blooming flowers in my garden.



Acts 3:19-20 "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you--even Jesus."

It is the line: "times of refreshing may come from the Lord" that rings in my mind constantly these days. Without going into the context of the verse right now, I just wanted to write here that I have felt the gift of a solid reminder that indeed,

Times of Refreshing

DO come FROM THE LORD.

And I pray for these times to come to me, my family, my surroundings, our world.

List

Here's a list of some random things in our lives and on my mind these days.

-Annie is a "do-it-myself" girl. Don't you DARE pick her up when she's walking somewhere, or she'll squirm out of your arms. Don't try to help her with anything! She WILL do it herself.
-We own a pack-n-play for the first time ever and it is an amazing gift- Annie can't climb out!!! WAHOO! (Huge thanks to our friends who gave it to us!)
-I have been sleeping well now that the kids aren't coming to jump in my bed at 3 am every night - yippee!!
-I can't do a pull-up (even though I think I'm strong since I carry my kids everywhere... I guess I'm not that strong-oh well.)
-Will spends most of his time banging plastic bowling pins on the coffee table as a make-shift drum.
-When Will is not 'drumming', he is usually playing guitar, piano or trumpet
-I took Will on a date to a student recital yesterday and he just sat riveted- his eyes glued to the musicians, taking everything in. Yesterday evening he added viola and clarinet to his repertoire of instruments he 'plays'. This kid likes music.
-Will likes to say "I know." - and if you don't reply with "I know you know", he'll prompt you. It's one of his favorite things to hear people say (especially his Pappa).
-The other day we had to hike up the mountain in a hailing thunderstorm - monsoon is on it's way.
-Annie now says "o-oh" like a native 'american' speaker (hmm this could be confusing...) and she tries to mimic all our other words with varying degrees of success.
-My honey bought me a garden hose and there are a couple of buds coming on my garden plants. -I made candles last week and I worked on my Hindi a tiny bit.
-My days are generally exceedingly lonely and dreary and I feel completely forgotten...
-I'll be missing my little brother's wedding in 9 days! :( Wish we could be there.

Walk In My Light

I haven't written on here in awhile. I have some feeble excuses, but what it comes down to is that in theory, I aim to be REAL on here, while still being encouraging and helpful in what I post for others to read. These days are busy and I'm tired and when I DO take time to sit and think of something uplifting to post on here, I'm not coming up with much.

On one particularly low day, as my heart felt like it was crumbling irreparably, I was crying out to my Father in Heaven, and He brought a song to my mind. I found that the words were exactly what I needed to hear from Him- just exactly for that moment and it was a song that He was singing to me, His child.

All at once, the most incredible realization came to me- God had given me a song! I like to sing, I like to harmonize, I like to make up new melodies and harmonies... but I can never find the right words. This has always been the most difficult thing for me in writing my own songs. And that night, the song that God gave back to me was one I had written for Annie a few weeks ago. The words didn't seem quite right at the time I wrote it- I was trying to write a song full of truths that God speaks to us about how He sees us. Then, when God gave it back to me, I realized that they were what I needed to hear Him say-- and the words I had scribbled on a sheet of scratch paper were from Him to me and also for me to share with others who might need to hear His words as I had heard them. The song is inspired mainly by Colossians 1:22,23 but I'm sure you'll see other verses from His Word jumping out at you as well -smile. Someday I'll record it or play it for you live- until then, I pray that 'my' feeble words, which are actually His, touch your heart and encourage you. (P.S. I have now recorded the song and if you want to listen to it, email me and I'll send you a link.)

"Walk In My Light" - for Annie
-by Joie Burchell 2009
Crushed in spirit, you may be.
Broken-hearted, call to me.
Weak and hungry, taste and see
That I am good.

You stand holy, perfect in my sight.
You are radiant, beautiful, and my great delight.
You're my child, I claim you, now shine so bright.
None can find a fault in you, - walk in my Light.

Come and hide when you feel small.
Though you stumble, I'll catch your fall.
Listen carefully, I'll teach you all,
For I am always by your side.

Hope I offer, Peace I give.
Trust in me, and you will Live.
Heavy guilt leave here, for I forgive,
Child of mine, I long to carry you.

May pictures

Here's what we've been eating at our house: Danish Puffs! :)

Annie is our Dandelion girl, we decided. We like to blow her fluffy hair so that it waves around like white dandelion flowers do when they're not quite ready to fall apart. Annie is all grins when we blow on her hair.

After naptime, these kids are enjoying a snack of candy sent from relatives back in the US.

We think this doll is such a cutie!

Check out her teeth- yup, she's got molars and a third bottom front tooth! Go Annie!

And this one is getting so big!

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Last but not least, a picture of Potty Training (which is going remarkably well considering that the princess can't talk yet and fits all the way IN the hole of the potty chair...)

glimpses of life at our house