, I recently got home from a road trip of reunions with the long lost, the distant, the loved, the missed, the in-law, and the long-distant.  It was a whirlwind of emotion and brief happinesses followed by contemplation and memories.  But I came home hungry again for my regular relationships.  I dove right in.

The Van Dyke sibling camping trip ended Tuesday night in a delightfully different dinner at Woolgrowers, a French Basque restaurant that serves a family style six-course meal with huge allotments of meat and where delicious red wine comes standard.  All the siblings, in-laws, and little cousins sat around a room-length table, under a tall, warehouse style ceiling, and surrounded by old fashioned French maps, paintings, and advertisements.  I never imagined a French restaurant to be this down-to-earth.  All my expectations of tiny artistic portions of rare food are obliterated.  We feasted on as much soup, potato salad, beans, salad, stew, french fries, meats of all shapes and flavors, fresh fruit and ice cream we could hold, passed around and shared. No wonder this restaurant has sustained 80 years of changing economy.  It's fun and timeless.

We had another sibling camping trip.  We love our tradition.  Always some place new, always different activities, but always sibls, always tents and pickup trucks and campfires, and always fun.  The last trip was 1.5 years ago (January 2009) and the oldest cousin, Eddy, was the age that the next-in-line, Caleb is now!  Everyone kept getting confused over this fact ("Caleb MUST have gone with us...there was a baby there!")  It's an easy mistake.  Eddy is so grown up now.  He converses casually with the adults and occasionally even contributes helpful information (though it's rarely noticed on account of his kid voice).  He has his many moments of "accidents" and tempter tantrums, but he's certainly not the wobbly wide-eyed munchkin Caleb is today.  Just the memory of those days makes me smile.  And to think, next camping trip Caleb will be the new toddler-mania, and Whit will take over for Caleb's mobile baby stage =)

Every year our lives are so different, too.  Sam & Nicki are new parents, Lukas is married to Suzy, and many other life altering changes have occurred for each of us.  Still, they were good old times getting together like that.  My sister Jule is amazing at meal planning, and with everyone's cooperation we were able to eat high class-yet-campy food for every meal, even with the budgets of 20-somethings.  We also kayaked on the small river by the campsite, went blackberry and cat park adventuring, went for ice cream, stayed up late playing games, sacked out in the sun to nap and read, sang and played guitar, and soaked in the togetherness of these siblings whom we seem to never get to see.  I was lovin' the California-ness, too...oh, and the extra babysitters!

Tomorrow Eddy and I go home.  It's been a long trip and can't wait to see my Danny boy!  But I'm so glad to  renew my relationships with siblings.

It's interesting how our happenstance affects our thoughts on God and truth.  This last week I've had conversations with siblings about the role of family and about parenting, with strangers at church about salvation, with Buddhists on a train about God, with Mormon's at their church about the Bible, and with many others about various topics.  My mind has be flooded with deep, allbeit frustrating, thoughts and queries.

In fact, all these thoughts and conversations have been so exhausting, I will not think about them anymore, but will simply give you a snapshot from yesterday:

Sam and I loitered on the sidewalk with our respective sons in their respective strollers.  We examined each stroller and discussed the vast differences between them.  Whit was in his carseat, nestled into the backward-facing, eight-wheeled folding stroller, with cargo space, plastic wheels, and many adjustment and swivel options -- it was a steal from Craigslist, and it was high class.  Eddy was in a borrowed stroller that a New Zealander had given Sam & Nicki.  It actually didn't look like a stroller at all, but more like a two-wheeled dolly for moving boxes, only with a seat and handlebars, canopy, and straps on the back for converting to a backpack!

Finally Nicki poked out of the door. "The cake will be done cooking in 2 minutes."  It was hard, but we managed to wait, then commenced down the sidewalk.

Around the corner we strolled, and on through my brother's neighborhood, of small old houses and low-income apartments.  I breathed in the dry cooling air of west central California's July.  Everything struck me as old here, compared to Wisconsin.  Maybe it's because the trees have longer growing seasons. Maybe it's because the sun beats down so harshly, softening colors.  Maybe it's because items last longer with the absence of corrosive rust.  Or, maybe it's simply my old childhood memories of the state, with its hibiscus hedges covered in lavish silky blossoms, it's giant Eucalyptus trees, it's waving Queen Palms against the white sky, the dusty earth, and the friendly Hispanic culture I've grown to miss.

As sunset approached, Sam pointed out friends' houses, street changes, and houses for sale.  Whit looked up at his daddy with interest one moment, and was asleep the next.  Eddy loves dolly rides, so this stroller was his favorite.  He tested the limits of every novelty, and tested our patience.  But the many many kids playing and biking around us kept him cheerful.  I conversed with my brother while basking in the beauties we went through, and Nicki walked, mostly quiet and happy...happy for the company...happy for the weather...happy to be a mom.

I got to meet new baby Whitaker!  Hooray!  I love the littleness and tininess, the sleepiness and wrinkliness.  He has a little baby cry, and eyes that are not even used to the light yet!  Life is so hard to figure out for a newborn.  I love being the first sibling to meet him, and getting to help his mommy (Eddy's Aunty Nicki) out in this unique time.  Neighbors stop by all the time to see the baby and ask how everything went.  What a privilege to visit right after the baby comes home from the hospital.  There's nothing as special.

Come and meet the new tiny man who just discovered there's a larger world out there: that of mommy's and daddy's house.  Congratulations brother Sam!  Congratulations Nicki!  Your family loves you, and loves the new little baby nephew, cousin, and grandson.  So much potential all wrapped up in one little guy.

I sit on the couch of my sister,
My sister in California.
My sister a mother,
My sister at home,
My sister asleep on her bed.

I type on my sister's computer.
A computer well used and cared for.
A computer for family,
A computer for shows,
A computer for work and for play.

I ponder the ways of my sister.
The ways of creation and practice.
The way that she mothers,
The way she corrects,
The way that she teaches and learns.

I wait for the baby of sister.
The baby all sleepy and tired.
The baby to wake,
The baby to cry,
The baby to play with his mommy.

I love to spend time with my sister.
Time out and time in and with kids.
To introduce cousins,
To go for a walk,
To parent and sister and be.

Today is the day...it's all downhill from here!  We woke up at 'Gramma's' house in Eau Claire, we finished packing the items that we didn't have in Afton.  A couple errands and we're set for the month.

Forrest will come in today and we'll go to dinner with him and Cathy...that's vacationing!
Tomorrow will be filled with Hobbs family fun activities...that's vacationing!
Sunday, July 4th will come, and with it will be happy festive friends at church...vacationing!
Straight from church to Dad's house for a Van Dyke reunion!  Vacation time!
A ride with Aunt Bonnie to the airport and Eddy's loooooooonnnnnngggg awaited airport and airplane time will commence...our vacation!
A packed week in Los Angeles with the siblings...hooray for vacationing!
A train ride with Eddy! Vacationing!
A whole week with brother, silly, and a brand new baby!  What a great vacation!
Siblings all camping together...vacationing!
Reuniting with hubby to see what life brings us next...

vacationing =) here we come.

This has been my thought for the weekend.  We sow and reap alike.

On Friday my little sister graduated from college.  I'm so proud of her!  But it got me thinking on my school situation.  Twenty-four years old and only 40 credits to my name.  Of course, thoughts like this lead to daydreams of diplomas and accomplishments, of research and travel and music and languages.  "If I could just work harder..." but is that really true?

Most things worth having do require hard work, but hard work doesn't get you everything you want.  You reap what you sow.  If I sow cantaloupe and carrots in my little seed patch for my garden (which I have), I will reap cantaloupe and carrots later on.  No matter how much I dream about watermelon, and strive to do a good job gardening so I can have a juicy slice of watermelon, it will never come out of cantaloupe and carrot seeds.  Those seeds are absolutely useless for that.  But they are incredibly useful for cantaloupe and carrots.

In the same way, no matter how well I raise my son, it will never get me a bachelor's degree.  It is useless for that.  To dream of academic accomplishments and work harder at home, will only lead to disappointment, for I'm looking for the fruit of something I never planted, and missing the fruit of what I did -- a grown son.  And no matter how much I study for a test, it could never get me a family.  My sister traded an early marriage for an early degree.  A choice I very much respect in her, but still, she is not married.  Loving and training children reaps loving and trained adults.  Studying and taking classes reaps knowledge and degrees.

How something is sown also determines how something is reaped.  Planting cantaloupe and carrots in mediocre soil, and haphazardly watering them (which I have) produces a few bedraggled plants (which I have).  But devoting time and money to the meticulous care of your garden produces bumper crops (which I've experienced in the past), crowding each other out like a chia pet.  Likewise, if I daydream of books and music all day and spend no time with my son, I will only reap an unhealthy son with a bad attitude.  I need to consider the harvest.  You only reap what you sow, and you only reap as well as you sow.

It is the same with food.  This is a subject I've always tried to avoid in the past, but it is true.  No matter how much you promote and talk about carrots, or how many you have in your refrigerator, if you are sitting here reading this next to a bag of marshmallows, you will never reap the benefits of carrots.  You will reap the sugar high and low, lack of energy, depression, and eventual chronic disease from malnutrition that marshmallows reap...not to mention unwanted weight.  However, if you just stop eating those right now and use your hands to pick up a carrot, put it in your mouth, chew, and swallow, you will receive the nourishment carrots offer.

This weekend my sister graduated, a friend just found out she's having her first child, another friend just had an adorable baby boy, I sang at church, watched Eddy, and ate a lot of junk food because of busy schedule, moods, and the holiday.  This morning I reaped more musical experience, a son who survived, and extreme weariness and downcast eyes.  I decided pretending isn't worth it.  Consider the harvest you desire, and actually plant and tend to the seeds that will bring that harvest.  Don't daydream of some other harvest.  Accept or make the one you want.  Eating candy to make you feel better won't.  Eating vegetables will.  Just do it.  If you want to finish school, pick up your textbook right now.  If you want a happy child, get up and walk to the park with him right now.  You will reap what you sow,  and only as well as you sow it.

I have a new sister. Her name is Suzy.  She's 23.  My brother loves her a lot.

She's southern, you know, with reddish hair, freckles, and a big pretty smile.  She likes writing stories and songs.  She's sunshine when she walks in, playful with little boys, helpful with dinner, and caring. She uses funny southern words and makes funny southern faces...though she claims to be long removed from the south. Her family is different than ours. For one thing, they're southern. But there are others. Fun things to learn, funny stories to hear.

Suzy lives in a colorful house, in a warm state, with a very happy husband. She loves her black cat...and yellow...and high school ministry, with sleepovers! She has lots of pictures and a special piano. And entertains hundreds of guests in their little house with a pool.  She thirsts after God.

My brother came to visit me. My new sister Suzy came too.  We adventured. We drove. We strolled through Wisconsin, and cruised Minnesota. She'd never been. It was new. We had fun. My little Eddy loves Auntie "Suthy". They snuggle and play. My new sister taught me many new things...we conversed, debated, compared, related, bonded, shared, understood, and prayed. Our friendship grew.

I have a new sister. Her name is Suzy. I love her a lot.

The long awaited visit has commenced!  Brother Lukas and relatively new sister-in-law Suzy arrived in their sporty rented car yesterday afternoon at 2:45 -- just in time to help pick up Eddy from the babysitter's.  Hooray for sibling visits!  We've filled our time well, thus far, with house tours, tire swing rides, stories, adventures, garden shopping, state hopping, cooking, picture editing, and movie-watching.

Today promises to be another memorable one.  I'm getting all the business work done that I can while my distinguished guests catch up on much needed sleep in the bed & breakfast style room I prepared for them ;)  Then it's back to adventures and memories together.

Pictures soon.

Okay, so I'm kinda being a copycat (lukasvandyke.com) but my brother had a good idea (and can I help it if I'm 1,000 days ahead of him?). His celebrating 120 years of marriage will probably be written off by most as the natural action of a newlywed, but why can't we oldlyweds be just as celebratory?

So, in the spirit of randomness and love, I'm committing to celebrating this day of marriage in the most elaborate and caring way I can on such short notice =)

I hope I can make your day so much brighter and smoother, Danny. Thank you for always being there for me, and for all you provide for our family.

I'll start by doing the dishes...then perhaps make some much-coveted egg bagels (yum!)...
Tonight is a little sketchy because of a possible group nightskiing outing so I'll just play that by ear...There's sure to be some fun on the spur of the moment...

Thank you, Lukas & Suzy, for being so in love and proud of it. You remind me of just how good I have it. And to the rest of you married folks, show some spontaneity and rejoice in the time you have together!

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth...God is love...God demonstrated His love toward us in that...Christ died for us...how shall He not with him also freely give us all things?...all things work together for good to them that love God...if God be for us, who shall be against us?...for I am persuaded that nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God.

Positive: 8 a: having a good effect: FAVORABLE: b: marked by optimism

A conversation with my brother about life recently brought some long-standing questions to the surface of my mind: why do I, without trying, always see the bad about everything around me? How can my life be so dark, when someone else with the same circumstances think of every part of work and life as a grand vacation?

He said he has learned to only notice the bright side of things...a point of view I've always thought of as shallow, silly, unreal. Maybe that's my problem. Upon looking on the memorized phrases of Scripture above, I gotta admit, there is huge amounts of positivity in the Bible. Of course, the point I always fall on is that you can't fool yourself either. God teaches us to look at the good AND the bad realistically. But, what would happen if I gave this positivity thing a try? I think God has given me plenty of blessings enough to fill one blog. Perhaps I'll find out I've been living in paradise all along...I just needed to take off the dark glasses =)