Book Review: Where Lilacs Still Bloom

I recently read Where Lilacs Still Bloom by Jane Kirkpatrick.  I found this book extremely interesting.   The author opened the book with various chapters dedicated to the various characters.  I found this odd at first that I was introduced to various and seemingly random people.    Ms. Kirkpatrick then started weaving the stories together and I found it came together nicely.  The characters were very believable and likable.   The protagonist of the story was humble woman who truly had a passion of what she did with plants.  

As the whole the book is unique.  The book introduced me to an aspect of gardening I do not have much experience with, the hybridizing of various plants.   I found this interesting.  The Christian themes were present, but not overwhelming.  Hulda had a quiet, unassuming faith.   The story follows Hulda's life as it ebbs and flows like the rivers that threaten to destroy her work.    

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for an interesting, well written book that fictionizes parts of a real person's life story.

Recap

The blog has been quiet because I am BUSY!  

Sunday a week ago, the kids, Jason and I went on a bike ride.   After using the bike trail in L.A., I was itching to check out the Heights bike trail here.  We got on the trail near Lancaster Park and just wanted to see where it went.   I couldn't find a ton of information online about the trail.   We wound our way through the Heights, crossed Yale, Heights, and White Oak.   We passed the Target on Taylor and ended up at U of H Downtown.   After congratulating ourselves for making it downtown, we turned around and rode home.   The total distance was 6.75 miles, slight biggie for Jason and me.  For the kids, especially little man, this was incredible.   He did it on a small 12 inch bike.   He is ready for a bigger bike, so that will be next.   My one disappointment with the Heights bike trail was the number of streets you have to cross.   In L.A., the bike trail has a few street crossings, but they are some distance apart with a crosswalk and a light.   The street crossings on the Heights bike trail are about a block apart.   Yale, Heights, and White Oak are crossings without a light.  Houston HAS a few bike trails now and that is progress.  I won't complain too much about it, but if anyone wanted a suggestion for improvement...I'm just sayin'.  

Monday we went to violin lessons.   Tuesday we headed over to Canninos for some produce.   Thursday, my daughter filmed an audition submission for a short independent film.   Her asthma had flared up and it took two hours to film due to her coughing.   I figured she was fighting a cold virus and reacting to the high ozone days.  Thursday night, Jason and I went on a date to the Rienzi Museum.   I love to tour old houses.   This house is more modern than I usually visit, designed in 1952, but it was filled with 17th century English antiques.   Absolutely beautiful!   The fountain in the backyard is big enough to be a swimming pool, but only a foot deep. 

After dinner, we went to Saltgrass for dinner.   So good!   I love their chicken tortilla soup.   We headed home after that.  

When we got home, we found our daughter running a fever and looking terrible.   My Mom was watching the kids.   The fever had started abot 30 minutes before we got home.   She was about to call when when came in.   I gave my daughter medicine for the fever and got her into bed.   I was up 3 times that night giving her more asthma medicine.   Friday was more of the same.    She was coughing constantly, as in several times a minute.  She also took two naps on the couch.   My daughter hasn't napped since she was toddler.   Even when she is sick, she will not nap.   I called the nurse at the doctor's office.   They wanted to see her.   The doctor said she has a respiratory infection going around and that her asthma seemed to be in check.   She gave me a script for an oral steroid, just in case.  Saturday morning, we went to church for my daughter to audition for a speaking part in the summer choir camp.  After that, we just laid low.    Her coughing started to get worse again.   By that evening, I saw her have her first true asthma attack where she couldn't get a breath.   After six puffs on the inhaler, she could breathe, but after an hour seemed worse again.   Jason and I decided the oral steroid needed to be filled.   We had already increased her inhaled steroid on the advice of the doctor.  Jason headed over to the 24 hour CVS.   At 11:00, they said it would be ready by 12:45.   He dropped it off and came home to wait.   The pharmacist called at midnight to tell us it was ready.   We gave it to her when Jason got home.   The next morning she was a different child.  The coughing was markedly better, she was perkier.   We stayed home from church and rested.   We rented a movie and watched it.   She seemed a lot better by Sunday night.  Monday morning brought my son to our bed with a fever and a nauseous tummy.   It wasn't long before he threw up.   He laid low on Monday and we rented another movie.   They also played Legos.  

Tuesday, both seem better, although my son had a fever.   I have it now, but it seems milder.   I have nasal drainage, body aches, and a cough.   Hopefully, I can kick it quickly.

We'd hoped to do a fun outing on Memorial Day, but it wasn't meant to be.   This morning, I had an appointment to protest our taxes.   I made a presentation and was successful!   The review board complimented me on my presentation and said it helped the process go so smoothly.   The kids sat in the room with me very quiet.   They review board also complimented the kids on their good behavior.  Yea!   Jason and I are doing something right.   Truly, after spending the last 8 months at lots of  auditions, they know how to wait quietly.  

Now I am parked on the coach vowing to do nothing the rest of the day.   Hopefully tomorrow I will feel better. 

My house is finally organized, except for my studio space.   I need to finish some projects and downsize some of the stuff.   That will be a process.   I'll post the projects as I finish them.  

Thursday, Thursday

Today is Thursday and I am beat!   I am getting up every morning with my husband.   That allows me time to have Bible study before the kids get up.   I also plan to add exercise to that time next week.  I managed to make it work one day this week.   I am enjoying my FB accountability group.   It is fun to encouraging to read what other like minded ladies are doing.   I think I am also adjusted back to central time.   Two hours doesn't seem like much, but it is a bit rough.  

I have worked everyday except Wednesday on getting my house back into shape.   When you leave for 7-8 months, your kids outgrow stuff and stuff just kind of piles up.   We also brought home the contents of our studio apartment.   It is new stuff to assimilate with the old.  There is old to throw out or donate.   I could just throw all the stuff into drawers and shove them closed, but that would make me crazy.   I have cleaned out room by room.   I started in the bathroom.  I worked on the kids rooms today.   We have a nice tidy pile of clothes that I need to ask my sister-in-law if she wants for her kids.   What she doesn't want gets sold or dontated.   I haven't tackled the toys in the playroom yet.  I did go through the books and have another nice tidy pile for my sister-in-law.   I did this to the kitchen last summer and truly it is still ok.   I need to clear the rest of the living room out so that I can take down the Christmas decorations tomorrow.  Yep, it is still Christmas at my house.   I didn't have time to do it before I had to rush back to L.A. for film rehearsals.   It looks like tomorrow is the day!   I actually worked on a couple of drawers in my bedroom yesterday and today.   It feels good to declutter.   I haven't made it to my studio space, but I have big plans for decluttering there too!  I plan for the decluttering to be a long process and I am taking my time and not stressing myself out.  

Wednesday I went to my final MOPS meeting.   I missed most of the meetings this year due to being in L.A., but I was able to go to the last one.  We do an accessory exchange every year at the final meeting.   I got some cute headbands that would work for either Brooke or myself.   It was fun to see my friends and catch up.   I love my MOPS group and I will miss not being a part of MOPS next year.  I've done MOPS since my daughter was about a year old.   I joined a group in Florida and then joined the group here.   MOPS has been wonderful, but another season in my life has ended.  I love that God walks with me through it all.   

I am still homeschooling, so that impedes house progress some.   I have a pile of school work to grade from the last couple of days.   I am planning to school through the summer.   The kids have enough days to stop, but I don't like to have to restart routines in the fall.  Our new school year will start July 1st.   We are working on finishing this school year strong.   I am pleased with what has been accomplished this year.   I am thinking about how to tweak for next year.   I worked on cleaning out our homeschooling trunk.   Some of my early childhood stuff is being packed away for the first time in 5 years!  I am saving some stuff on the off chance I ever return to teaching.   In the short term, I don't see that happening, but I cannot predict the future.   It has been a fun year.   I can see lots of growth in the kids.  Once I catch my breath, I plan to have my Mom watch the kids while I spend the morning at the homeschool store getting curriculum for next year.   I have a couple areas I want to improve, so I have in mind what I need to look for at the store.   The homeschool store can be very overwhelming at first.   Now that I have math, Grammar, Vocabulary, and Spelling programs I like, I plan to look for some history/social studies and science that is practical for our unique situation.   I also want to get all the books I need to the reading program for my son, so I don't have to search for them at the library.   I just don't have the time to do that.   For homeschooling I am wrapping up and looking forward.  

In other news, I went to a VBS volunteer meeting last night at church.   I'm so excited to help out in the crafts room under the direction of two wonderful ladies who are directing.   We started prepping crafts last night and it was fun.   I love VBS.   It is so much fun for me and my kids love it too.   I couldn't imagine going through summer without doing VBS.  

I am working on what activities the kids will do this summer.   My son is doing gymnastics after missing out on it this school year.   I am not sure if my daughter will do gymnastics, dance, or something else.   They are both signed up for the week of choir camp at church.  

I needed to catch my breath before launching into dinner and the nighttime routines, thanks for listening.   Have a blessed rest of the day!

Hello Monday!

Our trip home from California is finally over.   We arrived into Houston about 6:00 Saturday night.   Friday morning I started feeling ill.   I called my husband and asked if he could fly into El Paso that evening and drive the rest of the way with me.   El Paso didn't work, but Midland did work.   Jason flew into Midland Friday night and we picked him up.    was so happy to see him!  We stayed in Midland overnight and drove home on Saturday.   Jason did all of the driving.   We got into Houston with enough time to pick up Jason's car from the airport and meet my family for dinner.   We got home, left the car loaded and went to bed.   We finally made it to bed about 11:30.   Sunday morning we slept a little later and went to service at church.   After church, we ate lunch with friends and enjoyed catching up while the kids played.   Last night, we unpacked the car into the den. 

My house is due for a deep cleaning, so I am cleaning before I put things away.   I plan to start in the bathroom.   I plan to clean out drawer and shelves, throw away things and then put stuff up.   It will be a process, but I'll get it done.   The kids have outgrown clothes.   I need to clean out clothes as well.   We have tons of yard work to do as well.   I'll pace myself and slowly things will get done.

I joined a group of college friends doing an accountability group.   The challenge is to get up before your children, study the Word, and exercise.   Today I started a Bible study I put down a few years ago and did Pilates.   The group is open to anyone.   We have a FB group that we post into.  Let me know if you are interested in joining out FB group.   This is the basis for it. 

I need to get the kids up.   We are having breakfast with my Grandmother and then off to violin lessons.   Wait, I hear feet.   Good timing! 

"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.  But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night."
 Psalm 1: 1-2

Extended Vacay, Not Really

We left out apartment last Thursday morning planning for one final day in L.A. and a road trip home.   Well that was my plan, but the Lord had other plans.

My daughter woke me at up 6:00 am Thursday morning which meant I was tired all day Thursday.   She went to one final acting class.   Then we ate lunch and wasted time before one final audition.   The audition was in Culver City which made getting on I-10 super easy after the audition.   I went early to the audition hoping to get out early and beat some of the rush hour traffic.   Well...the audition went late, I got on the road at 4:20.   There was a stalled car on I-10 that backed traffic up as soon as I got on it.   We were smack in the middle of rush hour traffic.   I think I went past downtown L.A. at 5:00, not optimal.   We caught CA-60 and enjoyed the carpool lane all the way to Riverside.  We stopped for dinner at the worlds slowest McDonalds and were back on the road about 6:30.   A friend of mine with lots of Hilton points offered to get us a room for the night in a Hilton brand hotel.   As we talked, I realized I could either A) drive 5 hours to Phoenix and get in around midnight or B) stop around Palm Springs.   Since I had yawned all day, I talked to Jason.   He didn't have a good feeling about me driving to Phoenix, so I choose B, but decided to get an early start and still get to Houston Saturday night.  

We stayed in Desert Springs, east of Palm Springs for the night.   I woke up on my own at 5:50 the next morning after a fitful night sleep.   I got the kids up and fed and we were on the road by 6:45.   My plan was to make Fort Stockton, TX for the night.   The first 40 minutes passed rather uneventfully.   We went up a huge mountain and cruised down the road.   We passed a sign that said, "Next services 60 miles."   About 10 minutes past the sign, the car made a funny noise and downshifted.   I thought that something could be wrong, so I started looking for an exit.   I found one after about 5 minutes and pulled off.  It was an exit for utiltiy vehicles I later figured out.  I called Jason, no answer, I called Jason, no answer, I called Jason and he answered with, "Is there a problem." 
I replied, "I wouldn't call you three times if there wasn't."

I had already looked under the hood and thought maybe I had broken the fan belt.  I couldn't tell and so I kept Jason on the phone as I tried to get back on the interstate.   I didn't get up to 40 mph before the car made a horrible noise, lurched, and then sounded like something was dragging.   I pulled way off the road and put the car in park.   It was hard to shift into park which confirmed my broken transmission fears.   I then told Jason, I was pretty sure I had a transmission malfunction and I was calling roadside assistance.  

I called roadside assistance and started answering the questions.   The hardest one was, "Where are you.?"   I know I am eastbound on I-10, the next town is Blythe.   I've passed Indio.   I just passed an exit for Red Cloud Road.   It took 5 minutes to find me on a map.   Just as she determined where I was, a friendly CA highway patrol officer stopped.  He confirmed I was in Desert Center.   Named because it was in the center of the desert, I have all the luck!   I told the officer that I was on the phone with roadside assistance and that they were locating a tow truck for me.   He said he was going to check on me if I was still there in 2 hours.   I really hoped I wouldn't see him again.   After about an hour, the roadside assistance clerk found someone to get me.   She got estimates of 5-6 hours and $660.   I turned those down and prayed she would keep trying.   I was in the desert.  At 8:30 it was beginning to get warm, I couldn't imagine 12:30.   The tow truck driver showed up at 9:30 and the charge was not too terrible considering he had to drive about 25 miles one way to get me.   The kids and I squeezed into 2 seats and strapped in.   The tow truck driver was very nice and delivered us to the repair shop Jason had found on the Internet.  

The guys at the shop were hopeful for my sake that the axle had broken.   They put it up on the lift, checked the axle, then drained some transmission fluid.   They showed me fluid that had metal shavings everywhere...never a good sign.   I knew then my transmission was damaged.   Then they showed me a piece of chewed up metal.   It was my differential before it overheated and exploded and took out my transmission with it.  At some point all the fluid around the differential had drained out.  Several of the gears pieces inside the transmission were missing.   I looked into my transmission and saw it for myself!   At this point, I knew it was going to be a painful, expensive transmission repair.   The guy told me the earliest they could get the part would be Monday, from L.A. (the irony.)   They were getting a used one which they would rebuild with a new clutch and seals and then install.   The earliest I would be able to get the car back would be Tuesday afternoon.   FYI: It is Tuesday night and I am still in Indio.   The shop owner, a woman, drove us to a motel with fast food restaurants within walking distance.   That is where the kids and I have been since Friday about noon.   Since then I have undertaken operation: make the best of things.  

Since, I didn't think I would need our swimsuits when we left L.A. I packed them at the bottom and back of our trunk with most of our clothes.   So Friday afternoon, the kids and I walked to K-Mart down the street and bought swimsuits and sunscreen.   They swam late Friday afternoon when the sun was less intense.   We did school on Saturday morning, talked to Jason on Skype, played card games, and swam Saturday afternoon.   We watched church online Sunday morning, did school (might as well make the time productive), and went to see the Avengers Sunday afternoon.   By the way, the kids and I liked it.   My son didn't get scared as I expected he would.   He did sit in my lap the entire movie.   Monday we did school, played card games, and swam.  Today, we did school, watched a movie on Netflix, played card games, and swam.   The hotel has complimentary breakfast and we walk to the nearby restaurants for lunch and dinner.   So far, we've been to Burger King 3 times, KFC twice, Pollo Loco once, and ordered Dominoes once.   There is not a grocery store nearby or I would have walked over there and gotten some snacks or sandwich stuff.   We have a mini fridge.   The temps during the day have been 96-100 degrees.   It was 70 the day we left L.A.   We are acclimating to the heat quickly!   When I talked to the mechanic today, before I paid for another night at the hotel, he said maybe the car would be ready by Wednesday, but didn't sound very promising.   Today was the first day that I could tell the kids were getting tired of being in the hotel.   It is too hot to be outside much during the day and I don't feel safe going out after dark.  We're making the best of it and praying we get home by the weekend.   Above all, I want the car fixed correctly.   I still have about 1,400 until I get home.  I am praying for the mechanic, praying for no cabin fever, and praying for safety. 

The upside of all of this is that I am more rested than I was when I left L.A.  We have caught back up on school due to missing a couple of days last week.   I have talked with my sister-in-law, my friend Marcy, my friend Sarah, and my Mom.  I am caught up with them.   The kids have gotten to swim four out of the last five days.   We got to see the Avengers.   The kids may be completely burned out on fast food by the time we get home, I know I will be!  :)   We were truly kept safe throughout our ordeal.   We encountered nice, upstanding people along the way.   I have gotten to hang out with my kids with few distractions.   Praying for an uneventful rest of the trip home. God willing!

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps."
Proverbs 16:9

Last Few Days in L.A.

We made a vacation out of our last few days in L.A.   Jason flew in Thursday night a week ago, late because of a dust storm diverting his flight to Lubbock.   Friday, he took our daughter to a short film shoot.   The shoot went very fast and they were home early.  We headed to the pool for a swim.    Saturday, we had a violin group class.   We really enjoyed the group class and were glad to attend once more.   After violin, we came home and got ready to go to the beach.   Jason bought a kite and had it shipped to us around my daughter's birthday.   The kids were ready to try it out.   The day was beautiful at the beach.   We each took a turn flying the kite.

My daughter loves to go into the ocean.   It was freezing, my husband wasn't interested in getting in!

There were several sailboats in the ocean.   I enjoyed the view.

After a few minutes, the kids gave up on the water and played in the sand. 

We headed out just before out parking meter was set to expire.

We planned to get an early start at Disney on Sunday, so we spent the rest of the day relaxing at the apartment.  Disney was really crowded.   We got to ride some fun rides, but didn't get to do as much as we would have liked.   We went on Star Tours and attempted to do Jedi Training Academy, but didn't get picked.   We rode the train to Winnie the Pooh and I talked everyone into Splash Mountain.   My son was nervous about it.   He wasn't too crazy about Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.   He ended up loving Splash Mountain.   My daughter and I got the most wet which was good because my husband did not want to get very wet since he was flying out later in the day.

We rode Winnie the Pooh and Roger Rabbit.   We got a couple of pictures in Toon Town.

 

We attempted to do a few more things, but it was really crowded and the wait times were really long.   We headed off to LAX.

Monday, we recovered and headed back to Disney on Tuesday.   It was a cloudy, misty rain type of day.  It was crowded when we first got to the park, but thinned out quickly.   The first thing we did was go to California Adventure to get tickets in World of Color for that evening.   We then waited for Paradise Pier to open and headed for the Toy Story ride.  

We waited about 15 minutes for Toy Story.   Toy Story does not have a fast pass and it has long wait times throughout the day.   We rode Goofy's Sky School twice and headed over to Disneyland.  

The kids were determined to get picked for the Jedi Training Academy.   The first show, we attended my daughter was picked, but not my son.  

 

She had a blast.   We ate our lunch and waited for the next show time.   It started raining harder and the show was canceled due to slick floors.   We went to Main Street and danced with Chip and Dale.

 

We took a ride on the spinning tea cups.

We headed back to the Jedi Training Academy and my son was picked.  

Little man is the one in the back fighting Darth Vader.

He was pretty excited! 

We decided to ride Big Thunder Mountain railroad again to see if my son liked it any better.   He did like it more the 2nd time since he knew what to expect.  

We were finished with Disneyland and ready to do more things at California Adventure.   On the way out of Disney we met Jasmine and Aladdin.   They were so sweet talking to the children.  

In California Adventure, we rode the bumper car ride in Bug's Life World and took a peek at Car's Land. 

I can't wait to come and try it out in August when we return to California.  Cars Land opens June 15th. 

We rode Toy Story again and got our spot for World of Color.   World of Color was amazing.   I want to go again!   After World of Color, we headed home for the night. 

Wednesday, I spent the day packing the apartment and putting it all in car.   Thursday, my daughter had an acting class and an audition.  

I'll blog about the trip home in another post.  

Book Review: A Daughter's Walk

Jane Kirkpatrick's book, The Daughter's Walk sounded very intriguing.   I was very curious to read about a fictionalized historical event.   The conflict in the book involves a woman's decision to walk from Spokane, Washington to New York City to raise awareness for a more comfortable and modern woman's dress.   The woman takes her teenage daughter along on the 3,000 mile journey.   The daughter, Clara, is not happy about being pressed into this adventure.   She walks with her mother and along the way learns some important truths about herself.   Their adventure is a failure and when they arrive home, they endure great persecution from family and the community as a whole.   Clara, decides to continue on with her life adopting a new surname and leaving her family behind.   She spends the next 20 years working hard as an entrepreneur.   Her actions are informed by the trials she faced on the fateful walk with her mother.

The book is interesting to read.   It was not always an uplifting story because of the schism between Clara and her family.   The book does come full circle with grace and love bringing the estrangement to an end.   This gives the book a  happy ending.   The book was not what I expected at all.  I have mixed feelings about it.  I liked that is was based on historical fact, but I wanted it to turn out happily instead of leading to a 20 year estrangement.   I think it was well written, but the narrative was a bit long and rambling in places.  I also didn't like how Clara, who was so strong, didn't stand up to some of the characters in the book.   I have mixed feelings about recommending this book to a friend.   I was a bit disappointed in it myself, despite being excited to read it.  

I received this book for the purposes of review from Waterbrook / Multnomah publishers.   All opinions expressed are my own.