I typically refrain from saying anything on facebook besides snarky/cutesy/pleasant comments.  My wit, peppered with pics of my beautiful family likely makes a fairly benign addition to your newsfeed.  A few years ago, it was made apparent to me that that was all most of my fb friends could take from me.  I am not a natural arguer.  I think out loud and consequently, when put in a conversation that is tense, I say things that I don’t mean, or haven’t thought through and so  then I look like an idiot.  Not only that, I look like an idiot who doesn’t know what she thinks.  So yeah, I tend to only speak to the fb masses about what I know for sure, and what no one can argue with me about:  My family is awesome, slow drivers make me crazy, and it’s not the heat, it’s the humidity.  Everyone wins. 

Even when tragedies happen, I am reluctant to say anything—ANYTHING--people.  You might see my silence as callous (oh, God, I hope not) or just ‘well-she’s-got-other-things-to-focus-on’ or just my positive slant keeping me from saying anything negative.  My silence is also motivated by the knowledge that no one changes his or her mind based on a well worded facebook post.  Even less likely is one to have a change of heart in the heated comment sections that generally follow posts about things people feel strongly about.  So, it seems like it’s a no win situation. 

But then that causes me to wonder what winning would be.  I’m not sure I know in this sort of scenario.  It’s kinda like justice.  How do you know you’re getting it?

Yesterday I wrestled in my head over the shooting in Charleston.  If you know me—as in really know me—I’m sure you know how I feel about gun ownership…we’ll get to that.  But what kept coming to my heart is about justice.  There is no justice in circumstances like these.  Regardless of what penalty the shooter will pay, it isn’t justice.  If justice is a thing that replaces something that was taken, then we all know that the taking of a life is an act that can never be covered in justice.  Ever.  For the families of the beautiful victims, nothing can be done now.  Except for the amazing stories I am hearing of forgiveness, that is.  But still, that isn’t justice.  That is Jesus’ way.  Grace in the face of injustice is what Christians have received and are called to give.  Forgiveness is hard to give in the aftermath of the smallest infraction; in the face of a monumental wrong, even harder.  But Christians know forgiveness like this is not without precedent.  And we also know that it is not for the wrong doer that we forgive.  It is so we can remain without hate.  So we can release this injustice from our power into the hands of the One who has promised a day when hate will no longer threaten.

So to the Church in America, I have this to ask:  We see things in the news that cause our conservative-leaning Bible morals all sorts of trouble.  Then we say things like, “Well, we live in a broken (or fallen) world.  Of course these bad things are what we have to be prepared to face.”  Please consider my next sentence honestly.  If, in the face of brokenness, your response is to arm yourself to protect what’s ‘yours’ from it, then I think you need to reconsider your position on Christ’s call in your life.  Yes, in America we have the right to bear arms.  Whatever the hell that means.  But Church, our citizenship is not of this world, let alone these silly borders we find ourselves living in.  Arms=weapons.  While not a gun enthusiast or expert even I know that some guns are for shooting once (or twice) and some guns  are  specifically made to kill lots of people, you know, like in a combat zone.  I ask you, American Christians, why in the name of the Prince of Peace do you need to have so many weapons that kill the fellow image-bearers you encounter?  Why are you so afraid of the people God has made and loved and died for?  This is not about hunting for food.  If your family relies on meat you must hunt, yeah, you’ll need a gun for that.  But not an automatic one, am I right?  Not one that in the hands of a 17 year old can take out his Chemistry class.  I may be wrong here but none of the mass shootings I know about have been with a weapon that was illegally obtained.  They were bought legally and then used illegally.  How many people have to be murdered in this way before gun gurus say, “You know, maybe my ‘right’ to my gun collection isn’t worth the lives of the 20 young children from Sandy Hook.”

But that won’t happen, Church, until we declare that the taking of a life is immoral.  Sometimes we agonize about our collective voice as God's people.  "Is our silence seen as approval?" "Shouldn't we say something about this or that?"  "Shouldn't we at least support a particular candidate?"  I don't know about that but I do believe this.  Here is a place we should be able to speak with one voice loud and clear: Yes, the taking of ANY life is immoral!  And if we are a people who prize each life as a gift, then I maintain, we won’t have anything to do with weapons that can snuff that gift out in an instant.  

You are welcome to comment if you like.  Please be kind.   

Looking Back and Looking Ahead

Happy 2014 Everyone!

A long time ago I quit mailing Christmas letters and started emailing them instead.  Then we moved to MS and decided to add a family year-end video with the emailed Christmas letter.   The past 2 years I haven't done either...just didn't, for lots of reasons.  BUT I am happy to report that the Livingston Family Year End Video will be posted later today, and here I am, summing up the past year for you.  I bet you're breathing easier now, feeling that all is right with the world!

I think everyone we know knows that we made a big move this year from Jackson, Mississippi to Nashville, Tennessee.  I have wanted to write about this for some time but just couldn't.  It was quite a difficult decision to make and then acting on it was even harder.  We've been here 7 months today and I think it is safe to say that I feel like I'm on the downhill side (which is the good side) of the 'transition' way of functioning.

Most of you know that I moved every 3.5-4 years as a kid as my dad was in the Air Force so I am no stranger to a nomadic existence.  But we had put roots down in MS, our kids had grown...quite a bit, in that house.  They had only been in school with those kids.  They had only been loved by that church family.  I had grown into a rather busy PTO participant.  Eric had matured as a minister with love and care from those at Meadowbrook.  Blessings abounded for us in MS.  Our family had thrived.

As I walked home from dropping Jaylie at school on the last day in May, I cried and cried.  I think what it boils down to, for me, is being willing to stand and acknowledge the ways--all of them, big and small--that we had been blessed in that place.  Stand in gratitude and thanksgiving for the path that led us there...and then turn my face to a different path in faith...in the absolute belief that the Lord will do it again for us here, in a new place.

He has.  He is now blessing us in our new home here in Middle Tennessee.  We're coming off of what may be one of the top 5 Christmases in my book.  All of my immediate family were seated around my table(s) last week.  Mom and Dad drove a short 17 minute drive from their new house in College Grove for Christmas dinner.  Dawn and Brad and my nieces, Audra and Carmen, drove about 15 minutes from their house in Brentwood.  Eric's parents drove about 30 minutes from their house in Thompson's Station.  My brother Jason came with my folks but he had driven 20 hours to get here from Lubbock the week before! (We're working on a job closer to us once he finishes his dissertation.)  So yes, this alone is the blessing I wished for my entire life.  To be near grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins.  I only saw mine once or sometimes twice a year.  Now, this has become the reality for my children and I am immensely thankful.  But we also had 2 additional people at our Christmas table.  These new friends from Otter Creek represent the way the Lord always has people for us to love, and people who will love us, no matter where we are.

So here's what we've been up to:

Isaac has just turned 13 (gasp!) and wears a size 13 (double gasp!) shoe.  He's much taller than me and can rest his chin on my head, which I find both endearing and unnerving.  He's in 7th grade at Sunset Middle School and is making friends steadily.  He's got several school friends who live here in our neighborhood which is a welcome change.  He is 1st chair saxophone in the 7th grade band and continues to do well in school academically.  He absolutely loves the middle school youth group at church.  The OCYG has been a lifeline for him (us) as we transitioned over the summer.  David and Susan Knox do a fantastic job and we are so thankful for them both.

Ethan is 9 and in 4th grade.  He is a San Antonio Spurs fanatic!  As I write this, he is wearing his #21 Spurs T-shirt (Tim Duncan's number) with his Spurs basketball shorts and his Spurs ball cap.  He also got 2 Spurs posters for his room.  He has plans to be in the NBA as an outside shooter a la Danny Green.  He plays basketball every single day.  (I am not exaggerating)  Ethan also has several school friends right here in the neighborhood.  There is always a boy his size to play with.  He is doing well in school and has had a bit of a harder time than I expected with all the changes at his new place.  Things are definitely smoothing out though and we're looking forward to a happy 2nd semester.  There are an abundance of 4th grade boys at church (some even go to school with him!) to hang out with and we're so thankful for that.

Jaylie turned 8 in September and is in 2nd grade.  Her age and her social demeanor has made the school transition easiest for her.  She has 2nd grade girls from school all over the place in our new neighborhood.  Most special is Savannah, whose family (who is awesome and we love them!) goes to Otter Creek with us, and who lives 2 doors down from us.  Jaylie can stand on our deck and see Savannah in her back yard.  She absolutely loves her teacher and her classmates. She is doing great in school and has fun everyday.  Jaylie has lost 4 teeth since we've been here and currently is missing the top 2.  No, she didn't get her 2 front teeth for Christmas.

Eric is finding his feet at Otter Creek as the Community Life Minister.  Mostly that means that he is the architect of the Life Group ministry and also coordinates the adult ed. ministry as well as all other non-Sunday-morning-worship adult gatherings.  So, this is a much different role than he had at Meadowbrook but he is excited by the challenge of it and the goal of it: to connect people to each other as they walk with Christ.  Life is easier when it is shared.  Eric is also currently coaching both boys basketball teams in the local recreational league.  He is sharing that responsibility with a friend from church, and also in the neighborhood and school (love when those circles overlap!) who has boys both our boys' ages.  The Hawkins family is a blessing to us.

I am finding my way.  I love Otter Creek and the many ways to serve there.  It's a bit overwhelming sometimes, but in really good ways.  I am starting to participate with the praise team and got to offer my first benediction in Vespers!  Eric and I both led the communion time a few weeks ago and that was monumentally meaningful to me.  A very new thing for me is willingness (on my part) to serve in the Middle School ministry.  I had always believed that I had very little to offer this group of humanity :) But God has opened my eyes to the ways I can speak to them.  I have become a Huddle Group leader of 4 absolutely precious 6 grade girls.  These girls are not at all what I expected them to be and I'm so glad I was wrong. Turns out, middle schoolers are pretty great and exciting.  I went with the Middle School youth group on the fall retreat in November which was awesome.  And no, I don't think Isaac minds this at all.  He mostly ignores me :)  The biggest difference in my new life here is the lack of school involvement.  I sincerely miss having that other sphere to function in.  That just takes time, though, and I am trying to be patient, and available to the opportunities.

Middle Tennessee is a beautiful place.  Hills and hardwood trees, horses and cows (and even 2 zebras on one road we drive!) are everywhere.  We have been so thankful for those of you who have stopped in on your way someplace else:  the Lynns, the Tollesons, the Partridges, the Hales and the Neills.  We do have a guestroom so please let us know if you're ever in the area.  Even if it's short notice (right Carrie Partridge?) or just for a short time.  All are welcome in our house and at our table.

May Peace and Love find you this year.  May you look around you and see, everyday, how you are blessed and loved.  You are each a reminder to me that God does great things because He made each of you.

With love
Eric, Dixie, Isaac, Ethan and Jaylie.

Gentleness

So here I am.  One whole year past my last post.  It seems like having good intentions to keep a current blog doesn't actually result in a current blog!  Who knew?

I am going to do this thing that I've known others to do recently and that is to pick one single word to be my 'theme' for the year.  I frequently shy away from bandwagons but this one sorta picked me, so I thought I'd go with it.

The Sunday before Christmas was our last week teaching the Middle School class at church.  This man that I don't know, on a DVD clip we were watching, read this passage in Isaiah about the LORD as shepherd.

Isaiah 40:11--He tends his flock like a shepherd:      He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart;  he gently leads those that have young.

 It was really the part about him gently leading those that have young that spoke directly to me.  I have young.  He is always gentle with me.  Really.  Always.  He deals with me, make no mistake.  But he is gentle.

The man on the DVD (really should find out his name) went on to describe some of the ways that shepherds lead.  In the UK, the shepherds use sheep dogs (think Babe--love that movie) to 'herd' them where they want to go.  But apparently in the Middle East it isn't (or wasn't) like that.  Shepherds live with their sheep.  They keep them safe at night by laying their bodies down in the opening of the pen (becoming the gate, like Jesus also uses to describe himself)  The sheep of Middle Eastern shepherds follow them because they know what the voice of their shepherd sounds like.

More and more I do see myself as a shepherd.  Yes, I have a small flock--only 3 sheep.  But I want this flock to follow me because they know my voice and I want that voice to be gentle.  I want to lead them with a tender touch and gentle words.  I don't want them to go where I want them to go because I'm biting and snarling at them.  This is a task I should be able to do because I, too, am led by shepherd.  He is gentle.  Because his Spirit lives within me, I know it is possible.

Happy New Year

Loved ones 2011

Well, Christmas is over and I’m just now writing so this is now the New Year Livingston update! I hope everybody had a wonderful time of relaxation, ate lots of junk food, and enjoyed sweet time with family and friends. We have enjoyed ourselves as much as possible with several mostly sick family members and a veritable monsoon that has settled over Mississippi for the past 3 days. I’m ready for sunny skies!

I will attempt to recap our 2011 in a reasonable amount of time. If you know me at all, though, you’ll know I have the gift of gab and that sometimes translates to print. Sorry ‘bout that!

You may recall from last year’s letter that Isaac has been involved in Speed Stacking after being introduced to the sport (yes, it is a sport!) by his PE coach at school. Well, the World Speed Stacking Championship was held in Dallas in April so we decided to take Isaac and let him compete in the open competition that was being held at the same time. It was lots of fun. He did really well for someone who had only been stacking for a couple of months. He came back with a zeal for starting a speed stacking team so with a little help from Eric, Isaac created a Power Point presentation. He pitched the idea to his principal and PE coach at the end of the school year. There are now 2 speed stack clubs at his elementary school: one for 4^th graders and one for 5^th graders. It’s the highlight of his week. We’ll be having a tournament in Feb. If you’re in the neighborhood, come see! It’s lots of fun to watch. Isaac loves school, has a good group of friends, and is actually looking forward to middle school next year. (I am not, by the way, but I try to maintain a happy face whenever the subject comes up) Isaac has officially attained the height of 5’3”. This is significant because it’s how tall I am. I’m sure he’ll pass me by Spring Break. Sniff, sniff…

Ethan loves life and making folks smile with his dazzling dimples. He is now in 2^nd grade and has a wonderful teacher who is absolutely perfect for him. He is playing UPWARD basketball again for the 2^nd year in a row and has lots of fun with that. He has been sick for the past 6 weeks or so. Mostly he seems to stay congested in his sinuses but then that causes ear infections which cause him to be miserable. Ethan was on antibiotics for 5 weeks (3 different ones) and while the infection cleared up, the fluid in his ears never went away. This has greatly affected his hearing. According to a hearing test done last week, he has moderate hearing loss in his right ear (typical of one with fluid in there) but severe hearing loss in his left (more than what they expect to see with just fluid). We are so thankful that a sweet friend in our small group from church is also an ENT. She is going to be removing his tonsils and adenoids as well as draining his ears and putting in tubes on January 3^rd. Prayers are definitely coveted here. Isaac’s tonsils and adenoids were taken out when he was just a little guy, almost 3. Watching him come out of the anesthesia was not fun. I am hoping that Ethan does beautifully and recovers quickly. Mostly, we want him to stay healthy and be able to hear normally.

Jaylie brought about the biggest milestone for our family in 2011 by starting kindergarten. She was so excited; so ready. I’ll never forget that morning of the first day of school. I was up, fixing breakfast. I heard her door open and her little feet pounding, running across the living room floor. She burst into the kitchen, threw her arms around my legs and said, “Eeeeeeeee!” It was hard to be sad when she was so happy. Her teacher is named Ms. Beasley, which is funny. She is a wonderful first teacher for Jaylie to have and I’m so thankful for her. Jaylie is reading and writing well, which is so awesome. It is so different hearing about a school day from a little girl’s perspective, as opposed to a little boy’s perspective. After 2 years of ballet classes, Jaylie decided to try out gymnastics. We started that in late August. Let’s just say, it didn’t take. She’ll be back in ballet after the new year! I am pleased about this. I was surprised that she didn’t dance at home while she was in gymnastics. It made me a little sad but I never said anything to her. After she said she wasn’t liking gymnastics and we got the ballet stuff worked back out, she dances all the time. There’s just nothing like watching her spontaneously dance because the mood strikes her. It makes my heart happy. Another major thing here lately for her is that she’s stopped sucking her thumb. For someone who has been sucking the same thumb everyday since BEFORE she was born, this was no small feat. The most recent big girl thing she did: pierced ears! She got them pierced just a few days ago. Her hair is now perpetually pulled back into a pony, the better to show off her ears. My little girl…not so little anymore.

Eric is everywhere at Meadowbrook. God continues to expand Eric’s giftedness and show him new ways to use those gifts for the body at Meadowbrook. March 1^st marks his 6^th anniversary at here which, incidentally, is the same amount of time that he was in the Air Force. It’s so weird to think of it that way. Our family continues to thrive, which is what every parent wants, so we are thankful. Eric is coaching both boys basketball teams this year, which will be fun and crazy. He participated with Isaac at the World Speed Stacking Championship. They entered the Parent/Child doubles event which consisted of Isaac using his left hand and Eric using his right hand as they went through the cycle. It was lots of fun to watch.

I am adjusting to life at home without children to dictate my schedule. It is quite different. For 11 years, while I had a loose schedule, it was more or less dictated by the kids needs (play with me, feed me, make me sleep, help me, hold me, be in the same room with me…) you know how it goes. I truly treasure all of those things and have always been completely and utterly fulfilled having my kids at home. These first few months with Jaylie in school have been quite a change. First of all, I’ve got some commitments that fill my time. I am one of the PTO presidents at Ethan and Jaylie’s school so that right there occupies a great deal of time and energy. I love that though. I love that I can go to their school and see them at work while I am up there contributing my time to help their school experience be the best it can possibly be. I also try to be at Isaac’s school when I can. Next year, I’ll have 3 kids at 3 schools…that makes my head hurt. The other thing is that some of you may not know that I took a part time job at the exact same time that school started. It’s a long story but basically, God is funny and He gives exactly what is needed at the exact right time. I work from home about 8-10 hours a week. I am the Relationship Manager for an online ministry called CrossLink International. www.crosslink.org I do several things but one of the biggest projects I work on is a massive directory of Restoration Movement churches. (So, if you go to a Church of Christ, and Independent Christian Church, or a Disciples of Christ congregation, you can help me out by checking to see if your church’s information is listed in our directory. If it isn’t, you can add it. If it’s out of date, you can update it. Or, you can let me know and I’ll fix it. Thanks!) Anyway, when you combine a couple of hours of work a day with being at school for events and shopping for groceries, doing laundry, running and keeping the house clean…well, let’s just say I’m not sitting at home twiddling my thumbs. Oh yeah, I have become a runner! I ran my first 5K last April which was a major milestone for me. I’ll run another in Feb. I actually like it this time, which hasn’t been the case in the past. I’m hoping to some day have a runner’s body, but right now, I’m just still in awe that I can run for 30 minutes without having a heart attack or something!

We are happily anticipating 2012 because we are headed to Disney World on February 5! This will be the first time our kids have ever been and we are excited! Next year’s Christmas (or New Year’s) letter will no doubt be filled with excerpts from our experience there.

I hope that you enjoyed 2011 and look forward to 2012 with hope and joy. Truly every day is a gift, a miracle in and of itself. Sometimes I struggle to see the miraculous amidst the common drudgery that I allow my life to become. As a new year begins, I feel myself resolving to be intentional about seeking out these daily miracles. I pray that my heart is always open to seeing them. I know that the LORD is always at work. Praise God for that!

With Love

Eric, Dixie, Isaac, Ethan and Jaylie Livingston

Autumn

I remember back in 2006 when we were experiencing our first Mississippi summer, I asked a friend, "When does it cool down around here?" She said, "Well, in September it usually starts getting back down into the 60s at night. It'll still be warm during the day, but at night it is cooler." She was right. And her prophesy has proved accurate each and every year since. This year, thanks to Tropical Storm Lee which came in during the 1st week in September, it cooled off and has stayed that way:) You know, cooling off means 60s at night and mid (sometimes upper) 80s during the day but it is far superior to upper 70s during the night and upper 90s during the day with 80% humidity. I enjoy Autumn.

The cooler temps in the morning also mean I'm running again. I totally wimped out during the summer. I am just not made of tough enough stuff to get out there in the heat and mug to plod myself around for miles. Nope. Part of why I actually enjoyed running this time (as opposed to other times I've tried---and failed---to become a runner) was being outside. That was completely taken away from about midMay til early Sept. Now it's back, and I'm out.

School is going well for everyone. Jaylie is loving kindergarten. It completely wipes her out but she is having fun and making friends. She's happy to read now (before she hadn't liked to read out loud for me...I think she is very aware of how well her brothers read and didn't want to make mistakes) she's counting by 2's and 5's and 10's. She's pretty proud of herself:)

Ethan is loving 2nd grade. His teacher is such a blessing. She is kind and sweet and gentle. Ethan has great friends in his class; some that he's had for a few years now, which is pretty lucky. He continues to be a great reader and speller. He dislikes memorizing math facts but does well regardless.

Isaac continues to enjoy school. He is already looking forward to middle school next year. I, on the other hand, have dreaded middles school since he started kinder. But the school he'll be going to has a lot of things to offer a kid like him (primarily a radio and technology club) that he's excited about. He and Ethan are going to be playing UPWARD basketball again this fall.

I have recently been collecting data from moms who've had kids at school for longer than me to see how they manage their day! I am finding that I am trying to do bits of everything everyday and therefor not making any progress on anything! So, I'm in the process of formulating a schedule for myself so that I can spend my time more efficiently. Work in progress!

I hope you are all enjoying a change of seasons. I am really looking forward to Halloween and Thanksgiving and Christmas. I just love this time of year.

Blessings
D

Turning the Page

So apparently, I decided not to blog all summer. I found myself being a little surprised by that BUT, it's mostly because it takes me quite a bit of time/thought/energy to blog. With my 3 kids home all summer, I found it difficult to prioritize that much uninterrupted computer time. (That's a nice way of saying that my kids interrupt me quite frequently)

Our summer was great. We got to see Brad and Dawn and their girls each month, which is unprecedented, but made the kids really happy. We made a trip to Nashville over the 4th and to the beach last week. Eric and Isaac went to camp. We made regular trips to the library to keep the kids reading. Each kid got to stay the night with my parents once a week all summer; they enjoyed the one-on-one time with them. All in all, it was a very relaxing summer. Not too harried. Extremely hot but you know, we live in the South...

Now school has started. Tuesday, Aug. 9 was everyone's first day. Jaylie has been super excited about kindergarten ever since she got her shots behind her back in May. Ethan has been ready for school for quite some time and even Isaac was ready to go back several weeks ago. He said he wasn't missing the work, but he was missing his friends.

The big question I've had is,"How are you doing with Jaylie at school now?" followed quickly by,"What are you going to do all day?" Indeed, that was sorta what Ethan asked me Monday night as I was saying good night to him. "Mom, you'll be all alone here. What are you going to do?" Bless him. I told him that I'd be at school a lot (I'm a PTO president now, after all) and I would still have my house work to do (laundry, grocery shopping, cleaning the house, etc) and that I hoped to have all that done before they came home from school so that when the get home, all I have to 'do' is fix supper. Ethan kinda lit up after that when he realized that I'd be free to play games and stuff. I always like to play with them, but up til now, it has meant that I don't do something that I feel like needs to be done, because I want to be available to the kids. Which leads me to the thrust of this post...

Tuesday marked the end of an era for me. For 11 years, I have stayed home, bound by nap times and meal times, tethered by my kids' needs which are usually (as in always) more urgent than mine. Now, I set out to discover who I am without those bonds. 'Bonds' sounds so negative. 'Constraints' isn't the right word either. It is accurate, but not at all negative. I have been absolutely, totally and utterly fulfilled staying home with my kids. It's one of those things that has gone according to plan, praise the Lord. Eric and I knew we wanted me to stay home. We were blessed that Isaac arrived when he did to allow that. We have been blessed for these 11 years to have a salary for Eric that didn't necessitate my working at all (as in, getting paid) to make our ends meet. We put a very high priority on living with one income because we valued my staying home. I am so glad that Eric has always valued what I do.

I told a sweet friend yesterday that I feel like I've done a good job. That's not meant to sound like a boast. I don't have regrets about how I've spent my time with my kids. I feel like I have done a good job preparing them for school. I think that's evidenced in their excitement for starting back. There have been some choked back tears for me. As I told Jaylie goodnight on Monday, I had to try not to boo-hoo at her. There's an element of disbelief that she can possibly be 'school-aged'. Time flies.

But it is hard to be sad in the face of such joy and excitement. Our little school where Jaylie is is such a sweet place. I know all the teachers and staff there. I can be there as often as I like. It is populated with lots of folks I go to church with, that Jaylie and Ethan have known for most of their lives. It is a good place.

So far, this sounds so final. As if I'm done with the raising of my kids! Yikes, I would be sad about that! I guess I am just recognizing that I am moving into a new phase. When I was pregnant with Jaylie, I knew--absolutely--that she would be my last baby. After all, with the very rare exception (think, Duggar family with 19 kids) there is a finite number of kids a woman can have. With women who have c-sections (like me) there's a limited number of times you can be cut open. Knowing she was my last made it not so hard when lots of my friends were having subsequent babies. Accepting the end of my 'child-bearing' years made me embrace 'child-rearing' years. Alot of prayer goes into these phase-shifts for me. I appreciate the way God works in preparing my heart for the new adventures that await me in the new phase.

I titled this post, Turning the Page. I feel very much like that. I am moving into a different part of my story. This part isn't as familiar. It's going to take some getting used to. But lucky for me, I like to re-read my favorite books a lot. (seriously, I read them a LOT) So armed with my giant logs of not-so-wonderfully-taken photos, I will be able to look back again and again rejoicing in my story this far. Praising the Author for the beauty of it. And anticipating what awaits in the new chapter. It will be good.

Our May=Ready for Summer

Well, since it's been a whole month since my last post, I guess it's ok for me to be making a new one. I don't want to overwhelm y'all with too many, you know.

This is the last week of school and I am so ready to delete the 6am alarm on my phone. I thought I'd recap our May and it might give you an idea as to why I am so excited about summer!

After Easter weekend Eric left for a conference in Atlanta and I got sick. (It's always nice to get sick the day your husband leaves town. My kids watched a bunch of TV that week.) This was the 2nd Atlanta conference in a month for Eric, but the 4th weekend in a row away when you count our speedstack trip to Dallas and his spontaneous trip to Memphis to see a Spurs playoff game. The following week was teacher appreciation week at school, which included sending happies with both boys for their teachers and eating lunch at school with Ethan. Field Day rounded out that week, which was lots of fun. We also got a new roof that week; we're still finding nails around our house! Then came our neighborhood garage sale and small group, Mother's Day, Ethan's actual Birthday on Monday, state testing for Isaac Tuesday-Thursday, Ethan's birthday party/movie trip for him and some friends and the arrival of Eric's parents that Friday. Jaylie's ballet recital was Saturday and then Small Group was here at our house that night. Eric's parents left last Sunday afternoon and we are so happy they can make quick trips for big celebrations like birthdays and recitals. The kids love having them participate in their milestones. Last week was much more laid back with just Ethan's 7 year old check up and Jaylie's kindergarten shots... bless her. One more thing of note last week was that Isaac prepared a powerpoint presentation for his principal and PE coach. Eric went with him as he pitched the idea for a cup-stacking club at his school for next year. I'll keep you posted as that develops :)

Now, finally, the school year is almost over. The last week of school is always such a crazy time. Sort of like finding an excuse to send them when you know they aren't doing too much. But I remember as a kid loving the last week. Cleaning out desks and playing games and watching movies...kinda like a long playdate before not seeing your friends for a long while. Eric's sister and her family are coming on Friday for a long visit. It will be nice to have them and the girls here. My kids love their cousins. This weekend is Memorial day so we have a cookout with our small group and a wedding and....

Enjoy your summer. There are some things I'm mulling that I'll most likely post about soon.

Here's a couple of pics from the past couple of weeks.



Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that my parents got a new puppy 2 weeks ago. His name is Bevo and the kids adore having a puppy to play with. Here is Ethan watching the world go by with Bevo one day after school.

Hurry Up Sunday

Today is Good Friday. I am so glad to be free from school schedules today. It's nice that our kids are out for Good Friday and not some secular-coated spring holiday. Around here, it's Good Friday. Everyone knows it's a holy day...or it's supposed to be.

I am feeling weighed down by the Act; by what I believe happened today all those many years ago. Last year was the first time I ever gave up something for Lent. It was coffee. Not super self-sacrificing or anything. But I do enjoy my coffee and it did mean something to me to give it up; to focus on what Christ gave up...for me. This year, I didn't give up something. It seemed somehow flat to do the same thing again. I thought of not eating sugar or desserts or meat or something like that but I know secretly I would hope to be losing weight as a result of abstaining from that stuff for 40 days. It seems wrong to me to use Lent to lose weight.

I am not a reflective person by nature. It takes effort for me to actually look 'into' what something is or means or seems instead of just going with my initial reaction. I realize I need to work on this but am coming to the realization that I lack the tools to do that.

I am reading a little book by Lauren Winner called The Mudhouse Sabbath. I am just about to be finished with it. I read her book Girl Meets God a few years ago when she was the keynote speaker at the ZOE conference. I appreciate her writing and her thoughts. I appreciate that she's my age and thus not so far removed from the the experiences I've had. She grew up Jewish and then converted to Christianity in her 20s I think. She attends an Episcopalian church in Charlotte, NC. She is a reflective person. She ponders and studies and researches and writes. I am grateful for people like her who provide tools for people like me. I think I may get myself a prayer book.

I keep thinking about Jesus' friends on today. He was gone; taken. I can't imagine the not knowing. I can't imagine knowing that he most likely wasn't coming back to them and feeling like, "Now what?" They don't know about Sunday and what will happen. He's just gone; out of their reach.

But I do know about Sunday and I can't wait for it's arrival. Last year, I woke up with this thought, "He's risen! He's alive!" I had set my coffee maker the night before and I got up to the smell of a fresh pot. I fixed myself a cup, got my bible and went and sat on the patio at the table and read all 4 Gospel accounts of the crucifixion and Resurrection. I love John's. I love when it tells of the women going to the tomb and Mary is crying and Jesus comes to her and asks her why. I picture her as looking at the ground, trying to hide her tears from who she thinks is a stranger. And Jesus says, "Mary." Just her name. I imagine him saying it with emotion, like, "Mary...look at me." But he doesn't even get that far. When he says her name, she knows. He's alive! He's risen! He's here. Mary hurries back to tell the others. Can you imagine being one of only a couple of people who knew that this had happened? It might be like knowing you had picked the winning numbers for the lottery and as soon as you confirmed you're the winner, it'd be all over the news. But for now, the knowledge is your own.

I'm not an expert so I don't know how many Christians are in the world and how many non-Christians know, in an academic way, that this guy named Jesus supposedly rose from the dead on Easter. But my guess is, there's a lot of folks that know this. Or at least know about it. I can't imagine when that wasn't the case, when it was just Mary and her friends, until they told and Jesus showed up all over the place to lots of people.

So now it's been thousands of years. I've been alive 35 of them, and I'm still learning how to reflect on Easter. It does take effort. But He says my name. "Dixie..look at me." And I know he is here. He always will be.

Hurry up Sunday.

this is my garden and all the daisies that make me happy

Bodies

In April of 2003, my youngest niece, Carmen, was born. We lived in Augusta, GA and they (Eric's sister, Dawn, her husband, Brad and my oldest niece, Audra) lived in Florence, AL. We visited often while we lived there but when I got the call from Brad that Dawn had gone into labor, I took Isaac (who was about 15 months old) and set out by myself for their house. The plan was that I would stay at their house and take care of Audra while they were in the hospital and then help for a day or 2 after they came home. I think that my mother-in-law was sick at the time and couldn't be around a newborn. That's why I got to go:) Anyway, that whole experience was wonderful. We arrived at the hospital just a few hours after Carmen had been born. It was so neat to see Audra (almost 3) and Isaac love on the tiny baby. One of the most wonderful things I remember was fixing Audra's hair in braids and pony tails; things I hadn't gotten to do as a mother yet. Anyway, fast forward 5 weeks and we were back at home. I got a call in the very early hours of the morning from Dawn. With a teary voice she said,"I have a very sick baby." Carmen had somehow contracted meningitis. I don't remember all the details but I remember her telling me that her white blood count was really high. My comment was how amazing, that this little tiny body is doing exactly what it's supposed to---what a grown up body does---in the face of infection. Carmen came through and recovered and has been a joy to watch grow and mature. She'll be 8 in a couple of weeks!

Here's Carmen and Audra then

Here's Jaylie and Carmen this past Thanksgiving

You may be wondering how this post, so far, can have much to do with bodies, which is what this post is titled. Well, I'm getting there. Or at least, I'm trying to.

I have had brief stints with exercise in my childbearing life. You see, it may surprise you to know that I didn't always look like a mother of 3, but used to have a more petite figure! I never really had to exercise. But then, as with most people I know, you get married, have kids (gaining and losing a ton of weight in the process) and then YIKES! before you know it, you're in your mid-30s and you sorta don't really look like you used to and losing weight is not easy. I don't know about you, sweet reader, but I go through phases of being fine with how I look and then really being sick to death of how I look. I don't really expect to ever look like I did (or even weigh what I did) before I was a mother of 3. After all, I was 24 when I had Isaac and let's face it, having kids changes so much about you, not just what your body looks like. So, yeah, although I would really like to someday have a slightly smaller jean size and also a smaller number on the scale, I'm not after reclaiming my high school size 4 prom dress. Those days are gone forever...and I'm fine with that...really...

Lots of you know that I have started running this year. I've started to run in the past but never for this long, with this much success and with this good of an attitude. I ran 3.26 miles on Monday this week. That's the farthest I've ever run. As in ever. It took me a solid 40 minutes which is pretty darn slow if you ask me but you know what they say about slow and steady winning the race. I'm running a 5K at Isaac's school in 2 weeks. I'm not expecting to win it (especially when I know people can walk about as fast as I run!) but this will be a major milestone, both mentally and physically.

Back to the bodies thing though. I have been amazed at my body. (How many times have you said that about your body?) What amazes me is that what I used to not be able to do (run a mile without stopping, run for 10 minutes without stopping, run for 20, 30 minutes, 2,3, miles) I can now do. Conditioning, or training is what you call it, I guess. (You can tell I'm not an athlete) I used to not do something, and now I can. That's amazing to me. Now, it hasn't made all that much difference on the scales, yet...I think I'm only off about 8 pounds since I started in January. But I know I'm doing what I should be, and I'll keep doing it and trust that at some point, my metabolism will kick in and help out a bit!

God has made our bodies perfectly and amazingly. From Carmen's white blood cells to my super-soft mother-of-3- tummy---perfect and amazing. Capable of doing things we wouldn't think we could do. I'm fully aware that David said it much better than me in Psalm 139:

For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place,
when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are your thoughts, God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand—
when I awake, I am still with you.

But then again, I doubt David ever had squishy abs.

Enjoy the rest of the week!

D

Half a Decade

This past weekend was rather momentous for the Livingston family. (Mostly for me because I'm the one who keeps track of things like this) It was the 5 year anniversary of our arrival in MS, this house, Meadowbrook and full time ministry. As many--or most of you--probably know, I moved around all the time as a kid and even the first 10 years of our marriage was pretty transient. This address is by far the longest one I have ever had...EVER in my life (and I'm getting pretty old) Jaylie just turned 5 and a half, Ethan will be 7 in May and Isaac turned 10 in December. Subtract 5 from their ages and you'll see that this house is pretty much the only one my littlest ones know of. This house was Isaac's 5th one when we moved here; he was 5 then. Meadowbrook is the only church they have really known. Jaylie learned how to walk in this living room. Isaac learned how to tie his shoes in this kitchen. Ethan learned how to play Mario Kart in this house. I've become a runner in this neighborhood. Eric has become a vessel used by God to serve others in this community...

Thank you so much to those of you who have loved us and our kids so much. Thank you for allowing us to be here to serve with you. We couldn't ask for more.

And Mom and Dad, your own 5 year anniversary is coming up in May. Thank you for coming with us, for loving us more than TX. Isaac and Ethan and Jaylie have no idea what life is like without you. That is a gift that is immeasurable. And thanks is really not enough. I do love you so much.

So this is what roots feel like :)

Blessings to you

D

Rest

You know how, before you have kids, you glean a lot of info from your friends that do have kids? Well, one of the things that really stuck came from my first friend who I knew before they had kids, knew all through her pregnancy, and then got to hold their baby in those first few months of early parenting. This was all back before the Air Force when Eric and I were very young and rather newly married. We were blessed with a core group of other young married friends at church; most of them weren't quite as young as we were.

Anyway, after these friends had moved away and we were in the Air Force and living in GA and Isaac was tiny, I remember talking to my good friend. (Her name's Joanna, btw) By this time, they had added twins to their family. In our phone conversation, she was talking about Rest Time at their house. I remember her saying,"As long as their are children in my house, there will be Rest Time." or something like that. I really took this to heart. At the time I had only one child, and he did NOT like to sleep (still doesn't). He was never a good napper and maybe that's why I grabbed onto the idea of a Rest Time. I also recalled my Grandmother telling me, when I was very young staying with her, "You don't have to sleep. Just lay there and rest." Joanna's rule in her house seemed to have some good footing, in my opinion.

As if my Grandmother wasn't enough, I learned at a ZOE conference a few years ago more about Sabbath than I had known before. I'm not just talking about the resting on the 7th day that the LORD commanded in the bible. Having a day for rest and worship is so important, He commanded His people observe it. Because our family values that, we try to limit our extra activities on Sunday. Beyond worship and sometimes a meal with friends, our family tries to mostly stay at home -- resting, playing games, being outside. What Rest Time is at our house is a daily Sabbath.

Back to one of Joanna's comments, "It's important for my kids to be able to be alone and to be quiet for a while." Being alone was so important, she made her twin boys have rest time in different rooms. I used to hate being alone. I am a pretty extroverted person and enjoy people and the energy that conversation and company gives me. But through our Rest Times, I have learned to treasure the quiet solitary moments I have. Rest Time lasts for about an hour at our house. When Eric is at work and the boys are at school, I still make Jaylie go rest in her room for a bit. A lot of times, she will go to sleep. Other days she just reads or plays with small toys on her bed. I use my hour to read (sometimes for fun, sometimes the Bible), to write in my prayer journal, to catch up on small things I am behind on (this isn't very restful, but makes for a smoother evening). Most days I do actually lay down on my bed. I have a pretty good view of our backyard and I like to watch the birds and squirrels and the trees in the wind (when we have some) I have also been known to have a little nap (luxury of luxuries!)

I have held to a daily schedule that includes REST for far longer than most of my friends. Perhaps it is because I have come to need it so much. I do notice a difference in my patience level when I have not stopped and slowed down for a little bit. I'm sure Eric and the kids notice too. I like to think of Rest Time as a little Sabbath; a daily Sabbath. It's a little time to stop and rest knowing the the LORD is taking care of whatever it is I'm NOT doing at the time. It's an acknowledgment of my place in His plan. He's got this. I can rest for a bit. And I find myself renewed and ready for the remainder of the day.

I really hope that my kids will leave our home rested, not rushed or hurried. I hope that they will take time to rest as they enter adulthood and not cram every minute full of activity and noise. God's voice is small and hushed sometimes. I hope that they can lean on Rest Time and learn to hear the voice of their Maker once their lives are busy and full of adult things. This is one habit I hope they will take with them.

Poetry II

The first one was kind of long. Here's a shorter one. Who doesn't love Shakespeare?

From Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, 1596.

The quality of mercy is not strain'd,
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath: it is twice blest;
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest: it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown;
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway;
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God's
When mercy seasons justice.

Open Houses at Ann Smith Elementary

Poetry

I am not a poet but I do appreciate poetry. I tend to like poetry that rhymes and has a good meter. I thought I'd post a few of my favorites over the next few days. Tell me what you think.


The Eternal Goodness by John Greenleaf Whittier



O Friends! with whom my feet have trod
The quiet aisles of prayer,
Glad witness to your zeal for God
And love of man I bear.

I trace your lines of argument;
Your logic linked and strong
I weigh as one who dreads dissent,
And fears a doubt as wrong.

But still my human hands are weak
To hold your iron creeds:
Against the words ye bid me speak
My heart within me pleads.

Who fathoms the Eternal Thought?
Who talks of scheme and plan?
The Lord is God! He needeth not
The poor device of man.

I walk with bare, hushed feet the ground
Ye tread with boldness shod;
I dare not fix with mete and bound
The love and power of God.

Ye praise His justice; even such
His pitying love I deem:
Ye seek a king; I fain would touch
The robe that hath no seam.

Ye see the curse which overbroods
A world of pain and loss;
I hear our Lord`s beatitudes
And prayer upon the cross.

More than your schoolmen teach, within
Myself, alas! I know:
Too dark ye cannot paint the sin,
Too small the merit show.

I bow my forehead to the dust,
I veil mine eyes for shame,
And urge, in trembling self-distrust,
A prayer without a claim.

I see the wrong that round me lies,
I feel the guilt within;
I hear, with groan and travail-cries,
The world confess its sin.

Yet, in the maddening maze of things,
And tossed by storm and flood,
To one fixed trust my spirit clings;
I know that God is good!

Not mine to look where cherubim
And seraphs may not see,
But nothing can be good in Him
Which evil is in me.

The wrong that pains my soul below
I dare not throne above,
I know not of His hate, - I know
His goodness and His love.

I dimly guess from blessings known
Of greater out of sight,
And, with the chastened Psalmist, own
His judgments too are right.

I long for household voices gone.
For vanished smiles I long,
But God hath led my dear ones on,
And He can do no wrong.

I know not what the future hath
Of marvel or surprise,
Assured alone that life and death
His mercy underlies.

And if my heart and flesh are weak
To bear an untried pain,
The bruised reed He will not break,
But strengthen and sustain.

No offering of my own I have,
Nor works my faith to prove;
I can but give the gifts He gave,
And plead His love for love.

And so beside the Silent Sea
I wait the muffled oar;
No harm from Him can come to me
On ocean or on shore.

I know not where His islands lift
Their fronded palms in air;
I only know I cannot drift
Beyond His love and care.

O brothers! if my faith is vain,
If hopes like these betray,
Pray for me that my feet may gain
The sure and safer way.

And Thou, O Lord! by whom are seen
Thy creatures as they be,
Forgive me if too close I lean
My human heart on Thee!

Merry Christmas

Here is our Christmas letter and year-end slide show (scroll down; it's at the end of the letter) for your enjoyment. I hope you each had a wonderful Christmas yesterday and are looking forward to the New Year.

Merry Christmas Everybody!

2010 is almost over! It really did blow by. I was trying to explain to Isaac the other night why time seems to pass more quickly for adults than for children. It really is true. It seems like ever since he entered kindergarten, time has sped up. Nevertheless, we are enjoying our life that is going by so quickly. We try to take advantage of each moment---take a picture so we don’t forget---try to freeze time for just a bit. That’s what Christmas letters are for, to try to share some of those joys of the year that’s gone. Here we go!

Jaylie is 5. I can hardly believe she is. She is a fun little girl with lots to say. She is busy all the time. She loves to be outside as much as possible. Jaylie is taking ballet again this year and is gearing up for The Christmas Dream. Although we have never seen it, it is supposed to be a really Big Deal. It is the ballet studio’s take on the Nutcracker. I’ll post pictures on facebook. Last March she danced at our Talent Show at church while Eric and I sang. Then she danced in her first recital in May. She really likes to be on a stage. Jaylie will start Kindergarten in the fall. I’ll let you know how I handle that next year!

Ethan is 6 ½ and in the 1st grade. He loves school! His teacher is so perfect for him. Ethan continues to love reading. I am so proud of how well he reads. We gave him a big kid Bible for his half birthday last month and he has been doing the readings for our Advent devotionals. It is such a joy to hear a young voice read God’s words. Ethan had a speaking and a singing part in the Thanksgiving play at school. It seems we have another child who likes the stage! Ethan has just started his first ever stint in organized sports. He’s playing UPWARD basketball. Eric is coaching his team. We’re looking forward to a fun season. Ethan is a sweet little soul and a treasure to be around. His dimples are quite potent!

Isaac has just turned 10 years old! He’s in the 4th grade and enjoys school immensely. This year, he has done two notable things in school so far. 1: After a unit on the brain, his PATHWAYS class dissected a sheep’s brain. While I think it sounds pretty gross (I always managed to have a sympathetic lab partner who did all the dissecting in biology) I think it’s cool that he got to do it. 2: Thanks to his PE coach, he has discovered Speed Stacking. If you don’t know what this is, look it up on youtube and prepare to be amazed. On the last day of school before Christmas break, there was a tournament. Isaac won 2 1st place trophies for both of the 4th grade events. He went on to compete against the 1st place winner of the 5th grade and won there too! So he was the school champion of Speed Stacking at his school! Pretty good for his ego, let me tell ya. His UPWARD season has just started as well and he loves basketball. He’s just over 5 feet tall (inching up on me every day) so we’re looking forward to all the rebounds he’ll be pulling down.

Eric continues his ministry at Meadowbrook. We are just about to celebrate 5 years here! He graduated from Lipscomb in May (for which we are exceedingly thankful) with his Masters in Theology. With school out of the way for the next 15-20 years (I hope!) he has tons of free time! I’m kidding. He’s always busy with…well, with lots of stuff. Too much to write down. He serves Meadowbrook well with his time and talent. He and Isaac have started learning how to play guitar this year. It is really neat to hear them improve.

I haven’t added anything noteworthy to my daily routine. Jaylie and I hang out and stay busy during the day. I am treasuring our last year at home together. I got a bicycle last year for Christmas so when the weather is nice, we would go for a ride around the neighborhood. Me on my bike, she on her pink and purple Big Wheel. I think we probably looked pretty cute! I have been teaching the 6th grade class at church and enjoy them so much. I’ve had that group since they were in 2nd grade. It is such a joy to see how they have grown and changed.

In May, we all (my parents included) went to Nashville to celebrate Eric’s graduation, Ethan and Audra’s (our niece) Birthdays, and Mother’s Day. It was such a great weekend of celebration. The next weekend, Eric’s folks came down for Ethan’s birthday party and Jaylie’s recital.

A few weeks later we made our annual trek to Galveston Island for a week of fun on the beach. The week didn’t start out that fun though. Mom and Dad had taken the kids to Galveston a few days ahead of us. They slept at my Pawpaw’s house on the way and wouldn’t you know it, Ethan’s head and the corner of Pawpaw’s dresser met with a crash. 2 stitches later, he was ready for the beach. The worst part of the whole thing (for me) was that I wasn’t there with him at the doctor’s office. But this particular doctor is beloved by (and takes care of) my whole family in Jasper, TX so I knew he was in good hands. The rest of our trip was fun, but blessedly uneventful.

A few weeks after that Eric and I took Ethan on his completion-of-kindergarten trip. This is a little tradition we started with Isaac (we took him camping). This time, the 3 of us road the Amtrak train down to New Orleans. The train ride was a fun experience. It is definitely easier than driving. It took about the same amount of time. We walked the whole time in NOLA, which is definitely doable if you stay in close proximity to the French Quarter. This was our first trip to NOLA and we really had a great time. We went to the IMAX and to the Children’s Museum. Whenever Ethan would get tired of walking, we’d duck into a candy shop or toy store. We hope to go back as a family sometime soon. Ethan had a great time and still talks about it.

In July, Brad, Dawn and the girls came for a few days. Audra and Carmen are our kids’ only cousins and so we try to get them together as often as is possible. We love how they love each other so much.

In August Eric and I celebrated 15 years of marriage. In celebration we went to New York City in September. We went on a Monday and came back on a Friday. We had such a great time. We saw 2 shows on Broadway, went to the MET, road the subway, saw the Statue of Liberty, toured several cathedrals…it was really a wonderful time. Thanks to Mother and Daddy for keeping our kids. We know we couldn’t have done it without them.

Eric’s parents visited us in September for Jaylie’s Birthday. We are so grateful for them being willing to come visit as often as they do. Grandpa took the kids fishing and they are still talking about that!

Thanksgiving saw us back in Nashville! Eric grandparents and aunt and uncle from MO drove out. It was so fun being around extended family and remember we have so much to be thankful for.

Eric’s parents are hoping to come visit during the Christmas break. Eric’s dad has just had a partial knee replacement so when he gets a bit more comfortable, they’ll be coming. My Pawpaw got here on Isaac’s birthday and will be here for a couple of weeks. My brother, Jason, drove in to town last night to stay for a few days. He is actually en route to Lubbock, TX, where he’s starting a PhD program at TX Tech. It is going to be a family filled Christmas---the best kind.

Our 2009 ended on a sad note and it continued into the beginning of the year. Both of our Grandmothers passed away within a couple of weeks of each other. My Grandmother died pretty much on my birthday last year. We had just arrived at Eric’s grandparent’s house (500 miles from MS) and got the news. We traveled another 700 miles to south TX for her funeral and then another 650 miles back home. It was a lot of driving. Right after the first of the year, Eric’s Grandma passed away. Eric and I drove out to MO to be with his family. As we anticipate the joy of this season, I am acutely aware of both of our mothers and how the absence of their own mothers is a constant ache. Praise God that He came and will come again. We long for that day of reunion.

Enjoy this Christmas and the people around you. We have all been given so much. How great is the love the Father has lavished on us…

Merry Christmas

Eric, Dixie, Isaac, Ethan and Jaylie

Eric’s blog: www.ericnlivingston.com
Dixie’s blog: www.lookaway-dixieland.blogspot.com
Email: ericdixie@yahoo.com
And you can find us on facebook too!

Livingston 2010 from Eric Livingston on Vimeo.

Christmas is Pretty

I have been struggling with what to post lately. This isn't an entirely new thing, but usually it's because I haven't made time to do it. Lately, it's been that I just don't know what I should say. What? Me? Speechless? Well, apparently. I even noticed that my facebook page has no status next to my name. I don't think that's happened before. So, why am I status-less? Who knows. I have lots going on; lots to think about, I've just been second-guessing what to say, or how to say it...sheesh.

Here's a fun thing you might want to know. Isaac has been speed stacking in PE for the past couple of months. If you don't know what speed stacking watch this:



Anyway, he has been getting better and better and faster and faster. This week, his PE coach has been timing them to qualify for the school tournament next week. Isaac's class goes to PE on Monday and Friday. His time was the fastest in his class on Monday. The top 2 fastest from each class go to the tourney. Today he beat both of his times from Monday and his coach said he's the fastest in his grade and maybe the whole school. He's excited for next week. I think we'll get to go watch the tournament.

I have gotten our Christmas letter written and the pictures picked out for our annual slideshow. It is always such a blessing to go through the year's events and relive these memories. Look for that on facebook and via email real soon.

Isaac's birthday is right around the corner. Then Christmas. Then my birthday. It's the best time of year and I love everything about it. Our tree is pretty, the house is pretty, the street is pretty...Christmas is just pretty!

Enjoy the weekend

Merry Christmas

D

Tagged

A sweet Facebook friend (whom I have never actually met but wish with all my heart I will someday!) tagged me in her last blog entry. I'll do my best to answer these 8 questions and then figure out if I need to tag some other folks or not.

In case you ever wondered...

1: What is your favorite scripture or inspiration quote?
I have 2 favorites scriptures:

1: The second half of Matthew 28:10 when Jesus tells us "And surely I am with you always, even until the very end of the age." This meant a lot to me as a kid, moving around so much. I knew I was never alone, no matter how many friends I had left behind.

2: 1 Peter 1:3-12 but especially verses 6 and 7. Here Peter says "In all this (this being the things discussed in v. 3-6, namely the salvation we are receiving) you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed."
This passage came to me when we were in the midst of losing a pregnancy (after Isaac before Ethan) and it has come to represent to me the answer to the question: Why does God allow bad things happen to good people? So that our faith will be proved genuine...and that's worth more than gold. I always had assumed my faith was genuine, but I never knew until it was tested in that trial.


2: What was the last book you read? Would you recommend it?
Well, let's see. I'm always in the process of reading at least one Diana Gabaldon book (which I've read numerous times and which I don't recommend to everyone) and something else. Oh, I know. I picked up Max Lucado's An Angel's Story at Lifeway last week and I read that. I would totally recommend it. I had read it years ago but didn't own it. I've looked for it over the years and came across it at Lifeway (it was on the bargain bookshelf but it was NOT a bargain---but totally worth it) Yes, read it. Especially as Christmas approaches!

3: What is your favorite comfort food meal to cook?
Easy. Chicken and Wild Rice. This was my favorite thing that my mother made when I was a kid. When we got married, Mother printed off some of my favorite recipes of hers and gave them to me. We had it Monday. Delicious!

4: If you had an afternoon with absolutely nothing that you absolutely had to do, what would you do with the time?
Just an afternoon?! I'd probably read, outside on the patio if the weather was nice. I really like to read, and I really enjoy the peace of my backyard.

5: Tea? Coffee? Diet Coke?
Super sweet tea (a la McAllisters) I also enjoy coffee. I like my coffee hot in the morning but enjoy iced coffee at any other time of day.

6: What's your favorite candy?
Plain m&ms. No contest.

7: What weird talent (or talents) do you have?
I don't know that it's a talent but I am double jointed in both of my index fingers. Oh, and I can write backwards with both hands (not at the same time). And I am also rather direct, which isn't really a talent either but it does sometimes make me seem weird.

8: How many hours do you spend on the computer on an average day?
As if I sit around keep track! No, I think the answer to this question shames me...I have no idea how many hours I spend on this darn thing. I do know that it is probably too many. I communicate on the computer; I bank online; I get all my news online; I do a good bit of shopping online...it all adds up.

And now you know...

Enjoy the rest of the week.

D

November

I thought that I might just start titling my posts with the name of the month, since I may well become a once a month poster! Oh well, it's better than nothing, right?

It has been a month since my final NYC post. Funny how time flies. Our wonderful trip seems like it was so long ago already! When the kids are noisy and grumpy, and we're rushing around, I'll look at Eric and say, "Remember when we were walking around NYC by ourselves doing whatever we wanted?" And he'll say, "Yeah, that was nice." :)

Let's see. We went to the fair earlier this month. We hadn't been in 3 years and the kids were really wanting to go. We had a good time, spent too much money and Eric says we'll enjoy it again in 4 years. Kinda like the Olympics, every 4 years is enough for him.

We've all had a bout with a cold over the past month. It has sorta come and gone and come and gone. Isaac is finishing up his second round with it. Ugh. Ready for everyone to be at 100% again.

Halloween was this past weekend and we had a really good time. Isaac was Harry Potter

Yes, his hair is painted black!

Ethan was Woody (with Green Crocs)



And Jaylie was a rainbow ballerina for the trunk or treat at church



And a medieval princess for trick or treating on Saturday night because we had a pretty significant temperature change from Wed. to Sat. (note Woody's socks with his Crocs--you know, so his feet wouldn't get cold)

Jaylie is mad at me in this picture because I wouldn't let her take her baby Cinderella trick or treating (I didn't want to carry her). I'm mean like that. Isaac opted to stay at home and hand out candy with Eric instead of trick or treat this year. I was surprised, but happy for him to be doing something new. The littles and I were out for about an hour and a half and had a great time. Ethan would update me on what candy he received after every house, "They game me some Reeses Mom." "Oooh! I got some Nerds Mom!" He did kindly hand over the plain m&ms since he knows that's my fave. Not many of those this year :(

So we're pretty much caught up. Today is voting day and I am not going. I know that makes me a bad American, or unAmerican or whatever but I promise not to complain about the government for at least 2 years! Actually, I don't really complain about what goes on in DC anyway. I do think most people who want to serve in public office are good and honest people. But I think those same people wind up having to compromise too much that they are unable to do what they set out to do when they first ran. Call me disillusioned. I'll jump back in in 2 years.

Today is wet and rainy. Be careful out there if you're on the road. Come on Fall! We're ready:)

Blessings
D

Coming Home

I think I've put off this post because it is about the return to real life. Don't get me wrong, I love our real life and I missed the kids, but our trip was so great. It was nice to just be me and Eric for several days.

On Friday morning, we woke up kinda late and packed up. Eric had found a bakery place that was close by so that's where we headed for breakfast. It was delicious! I wished we had found it early in our visit instead of at the end. We each had a bacon and egg sandwich (which were so big we could have shared one) on a home made roll. I think they were $2.75 each. Which brings me to say that things weren't quite as expensive in NY as we had thought they would be. We had thought taxis would be outrageous but paid $35 for the airport ride. A subway ride is $2.25. Dinner everywhere we ate was reasonable. Now, I know that there are LOTS of places that are super expensive, but it was nice to know that we didn't have to scrounge to eat well.

We strolled back to the hotel. Finished packing and went downstairs to get a cab. The ride was the same except that this guy had trouble staying in his own lane. He also hardly said a word the whole time.

We made it to the airport plenty early to get through security and to the gate. Which brings me to say something about security. It really struck me this time how much headache (I mean, beyond the actual destruction--which is incalculable) a handful of terrorists have caused. Not just at the airport, where security makes sense but has also been taken to ridiculous extremes (we had to get rid of brand new deodorant and shave cream because they were too big, and my bottle of perfume because the container was too big. I said,"If I pour most of it out, can I take it on?" The lady said no because only 3.75 oz or smaller was allowed. This makes no sense to me, if you know and 8oz container only has a couple of ounces on it, what's the big deal? We did have the option of checking our carry-on bag, which would have cost $35 but we're not idiots so we didn't pay $35 for something that costs less that $10 to replace. It was just irritating) but also at the statue of liberty, where security is just as strict as at the airport, and the cathedrals (they have people stationed near the entrance to look in bags) and even the NY Public Library. It just seems a shame to need to distrust everyone because a few bad people did what they did. There's no other way, of course. It just seems like a lack of basic trust is another casualty of 9/11.

Our flights home were uneventful and we arrived on time in Jackson to 3 happy kids excited to see us. We are so grateful to my parents for keeping them and letting us have this time away. I encourage you to find the time to spend with just your spouse. It is so great to remember that we are a unit apart from our kids. We love and treasure our 3 kids, but the 2 of us were happy before the kids and we need to be able to be happy without them, since they won't be here forever. I'm not trying to rush they're exit at all but it is good to know that, in many years when our house isn't full of children and their needs, it will still be full of love.

Thursday: Legos, St. Patrick's, St. Bart's, the Waldorf, Library, Stardust, WICKED!

Thursday we had an open morning so we decided to do some souvenir shopping. We went back up through Times Square to Rockefeller Center. Our destination was the Lego store which we had seen our first night there but it was closed. This would have been the highlight of the trip if Isaac had been with us. He is a Lego fanatic. We spent a good bit of time in here and bought him a Lego Empire State Building (which took him about 10 minutes to put together when we got home but which he has since converted into a larger scale model using a bunch of his other Legos) The Lego store is right across the ice rink from 30 Rock.

30 Rock
Lego store
We bought a few things at another gift shop and then headed to St. Patrick's for the 12:00 mass. St. Patrick's is the only Catholic cathedral that we saw. The rest were all Episcopalian. I was really surprised that there was a difference. As ornate as the ones we had seen were, St. Patrick's was even more so. It was also the best lit. It was also the only one we saw actually being used (except for the prayers for peace and reconciliation at St. Paul's) and I think that made a difference. It was a beautiful place and an interesting service, especially for a non-Catholic. We got to hear the organ, which was huge and awesome. The lady who led the singing part of the service had a beautiful voice which echoed in the huge space. Here's some pics:


Next on our agenda was to go see St. Bart's. We saw SALT (with Angelina Jolie) when it came out in the theater and part of it was filmed at St. Bart's. That is what gave me the idea to see as many historical cathedrals as we could. There just aren't all that many in the US (compared with Europe) and it's not like anyone is building churches like this anymore. They really are a sight to see. That said, I was a tad disappointed in St. Bart's. It was fairly gloomy in there.

I will say this about cathedrals. They offer quite a respite from the noise and crush of people on the street. It can be super loud with horns and sirens and jack hammers outside but when you step into the cathedral, it is hushed and peaceful. There were people praying in almost every church we looked at; if not in the main sanctuary than in the small chapels that surround the nave. I was impressed at people who would come and pray in the middle of their busy day and I wondered about what had led to that habit. And I envied that I don't have that sort of discipline.

Since St. Bart's is on Park Avenue, we decided to stroll down the street a ways to see what we could see. Well, lo and behold, we came to the Waldorf Astoria! Now, when I was researching hotels to stay in I did actually look at the Waldorf's site, you know, just to see. It's pretty much waaaay out of our price range. Anyway, we stepped in, saw a sign about a dress code for men (coat and collared shirt) decided to just walk through the lobby and snap a few pics (they didn't turn out very well) and then step back out, just to say we've been to the Waldorf.


We got some chicken over rice at a corner vendor and then headed to the New York Public Library and sat on the steps outside to eat. The Library was pretty impressive because of it's size and age. I've never been in a library that looked like this. There is a copy of the Gutenberg Bible there that we wanted to see and that was pretty neat. The art and architecture was really amazing.

After the library, we headed back to the hotel to change for supper and the theatre. We had had Ellen's Stardust Diner recommended to us and were looking forward to that. Since we had eaten a late lunch we weren't all that hungry so we ordered nachos to eat. The thing about Ellen's Stardust Diner is that all of the wait-staff are aspiring Broadway actors so they sing the whole time. They are really good and it makes for a really fun dining experience. Here's some pics.



We shared a strawberry soda for dessert (I don't know what is wrong with my face in this picture!)
And a black and white cookie. ("Look to the cookie!")

After dinner we walked the couple of blocks to the Gershwin theatre where we were to see Wicked. This theatre is way bigger and a lot nicer than the one where we saw the Addams family.


Wicked was awesome. It was the absolute quintessential Broadway magical fairytale show. The set was awesome, the costumes were awesome, the cast was awesome...it was just great. We thoroughly enjoyed it. That said, I did enjoy myself more at Addams Family. It was just more fun, to me. If Wicked ever comes to your town on tour, or if you're ever in NYC, you gotta see it.

Wicked was over at around 10:45 and we headed back to the subway to ride back to the hotel. I was pretty worn out after this night. It had been a great day.