'It is well with my soul'

J and I just finished the most wonderful weekend camping trip to Garner.

It was our first camping trip as a couple. And we survived! It's been years since I've camped and so I'm happy to report that not a lot has changed.

My friend Chelsea's boyfriend served as the master of ceremonies as he was the expert camper. Due too one of our campers backpacking experience, we cooked for our semi-large group on his one burner attached to a half-sized propane can. It was all good, but still laughable. I remember the days when we used to "car camp" and used out totally legit camp stove! Oh the good days... Anyway, I think you live and learn and no one died along the way.

J and I even hiked up to the summit of a small Texas "mountain." Yea, it was pretty much a vertical ascent and the outdoorsy boyfriend pretty much jumped up the mountain at a speedy clip leaving J and I to kinda bumble up the mountain at our newbie, untrained pace. Either way, we made it! When I get the pics I'll be sure to post.

On the top of the mountain, there was a stack of rocks to mark the highest point of the formation. Like people do on Everest, past hikers had left rocks indicating the date they had climbed and words of encouragement. It was neat that the time we arrived there was also a trail now-dried flowers that led up to the hill of rocks and apparently were a part of a marriage proposal. We deduced this because there were a couple of rocks at that said, "and I want to spend the rest of my life with you." We assumed that the "Will you marry me?" rock was carried back to the bottom as a keepsake, but the other nice words were left behind. These rocks were fairly large..small boulders..so I don't blame the happy couple for leaving some behind. I do give major props to the young man (I'm guessing) who  secretly hiked up the mountain to set up the romantic scene only to hike down and do it all over again with his wife-to-be.

Anyway, the picture has nothing to do with all this I just typed. Mom took this picture at the Antique Rose Emporium weekend before last and I like it. Reminds me of a favorite hymn, "It is well..."

Listen to 'It is Well in my Soul'

'I promised her a rose garden...'

First off, let me say, I intended to include a picture of mom sniffing a flower with a blissful look on her face with this picture. Note to readers, there are no pictures of mom sniffing flowers on Facebook. Surprised? Doubtful? Prove me wrong.

Anyway, this nice picture of Sarah will do just fine. Mom is the photo credit on the picture and I believe that it was taken at a botanical garden in Denver before Sarah's grad school graduation (wasn't that just yesterday...?).

Mom, Dad and Sarah just left Houston on  Sunday (Sarah left Monday, but I was at work, so that doesn't count) after two weeks of visiting. During their visit aside from trips to the many wonderful culinary offerings of Houston, Jarrod, Mom, Dad and I went to Brenham to pay a visit to the Antique Rose Emporium. We would have gone to the Blue Bell Factory...but it was closed. We would have gone on the painted churches of Texas tour....but apparently Good Friday means that the churches are closed to tourists. We would have gone to Galveston, but mom says, "Ew, gross."

But the Antique Rose Emporium is one of those places from the good ol' days of Mom an Dad living here that they like to visit. It's one of the 'pluses' in the short list, next to the long list of  'negatives' that Mom and Dad have drawn up about living in Texas. I'm not sure which side of the list I'm on...poll the audience?

It was a beautiful day, perfect for taking pictures in the blue bonnets and for wandering around the big flower shop. Mom and Dad insisted that you can't visit the ARE without purchasing a rose, or two (or many more if you're Mom, but she couldn't since she was flying back to Alaska). So we set about the task of picking roses for me!

Dad chose the Julia Childe rose for me, a petite rose bush with baby fist-sized yellow blooms and deep floral notes (sounds like I know what I'm talking about, right!?) and Mom helped me select a plant with light pink blooms. Though she did not think the two would compliment each other well. We also picked up a rosemary plant, though I've already filed a living will for it because I have a terrible, horrible track record of killing rosemary.

I spent some time picking yellow, spotted leaves off of my two rose bushes yesterday afternoon. I know nothing about plants, so I have no idea if my plants are doomed to disease-ridden death, but for the 15 minutes or so that I sat crouched on my porch picking off the dead leaves I felt like a gardener. I felt like I was with Mom in her garden at the Katy house. I remembered all the Saturdays and Sunday she piddled around the pool caring for the beds and around the front yard pulling weeds.

I don't know that I'll ever be filled with the passion for plants like mom is. Someday? Maybe when I have a house? But I remember forever how mom could spend so much happy time out there picking at the garden and making it look nice.

So, Mom, there you have it. The flowers you bought me make me think of you.

I'm glad you all made it home safe. Much love from Houston.

EM

The trip from hell

In my story about the pie crust tip, I mentioned a trip from hell that has been a part of family lore for years. Before it is lost, I thought that I would record it here as a Daddy story.

While we were still living in Alabama and I was working at The University, I occasionally worked on pipeline projects just outside of Mobile. Little did I know at the time that I was sort of already working for Shell because the offshore gas platform and the onshore processing plant were Shell's. There were several pipelines that were being built from there and I and some of my colleagues were working on the environmental surveys. I had made that trip several times.

This particular time we came up with the idea of taking the whole family to Mobile. Mom and the girls could hang at the hotel for a couple of days while my friend Larry and I did field work. Then, the plan was, to go on to Gulf Shores for a few days of beach time. Sarah was three or four. Emily was just over a year old. Mom was early pregnant with Todd, or, soon would be.

The trip started uneventfuly enough. I had worked at The University most of the day, then drove home to Helena to pack up the car and the kids and head out. We were getting on the road about 6 p.m. expecting a 3-4 hour drive to Mobile.

Just before getting on the interstate (about two miles from the house) we stopped at Arby's to get food for the road. At the time we were both enamoured with the Arby's beef and cheddar sandwiches. We got the food and the curly fries and got back in the car, headed for the beach. Emily was in her car seat and Sarah was in her booster seat.

I put the car in reverse and, as I was backing out of the parking space, Sarah bent forward and spewed all over the back seat and floor. Oh God, the smell was horrible. We drove home and I spent the next 30 minutes up to my elbows in vomit. Mom gave Sarah a quick bath and change of clothes. She wasn't acting like she felt bad, so we thought/hoped it was an isolated event.

Back in the car, we headed South. Fortunately, mom had grabbed a large yellow mixing bowl with a handle.

We didn't make is 10 miles before S got sick again. Fortunately, we had a bit more warning and I was able to pull over and catch the majority in the bowl.

We were now running very late and I had an early start the next, so I pushed on.

Along the way S yaked about five more times. I reached the point where I didn't even slow down. I just held the bowl into the back seat and, bless her heart, she leaned forward and heaved.

We finally got to the hotel about 1 a.m. S had done all she could do and collapsed into a deep sleep. E had been asleep in the car, but was now awake and acting almost frantic. Mom and I were exhausted, so brought E into our bed in hopes that she would relax. I was just about asleep and she suddenly raised up and threw up all over my chest. The bed was now filled with an astonishing volume of puke.

We leapt into action. Mom took E into the tub to clean them both off. I quickly stripped the bed and called the desk for more bedding. They didn't have anyone to bring it to the room, so at 2:30 a.m. I was running around the hotel trying to get sheets.

When I got back to the room E had already thrown up in the crib, soiling those sheets. The room absolutely reeked, but we collapsed about 4 a.m.

I sneaked out at 6:30 the next morning and spent a full day hiking through the swamps and fields of Mobile county with my friends Larry Davenport (thankfully he had driven by himself) and Bruce Bodson. Mom spent the day shut up in the pukey room with two girls who were beginning to feel better. All the while she was starting to feel bad.

When I returned to the hotel that evening I insisted that Larry come by and meet the kids. When we stepped in the room, I realized that it still reeked of sickness and mom was feeling like something you would be upset to step in.

He later told me that he felt the illness germs jumping at him from the walls.

That night my head hurt so bad, that I laid face down in the tub breathing out slowly until I had to take a breath. Mom was sick a bit. I think I took the girls out to eat, but neither mom or I ate.

I spent another day in the field and mom spent the day getting just a bit better. From there we went to Dauphin Island and caught the ferry to Fort Morgan for the first time. We spent the next two days in Gulf Shores in a hotel that was fairly new. Gradually we all felt better and there is a great picture with the girls pressing their faces against the glass door. Mom and I were actually out on the balcony trying to breathing the sea air trying to feel better. We ended up having a great time.

The rest of the story: You kids may remember that when we used to go to Gulf Shores we would always stop for the night at a Holiday Inn just outside of Mobile. That was the sick hotel. We also always started the vacation by driving to Dauphin Island and taking the ferry (a cruise) to Ft. Morgan. Those traditions started on this trip.....from hell.

First lazy Saturday of 2014

Ah. I'm back home. Sitting here with mountains of laundry and bills I'm to frightened to open. Home is where the peace is, right?

It is nice to be home, but, you see, I didn't realize-no, I didn't want to realize-that over the last two months as family came and went, I never really cleaned my home. You know about those hiding spots? The one you shove stuff in when company is coming over in five minutes? I started the cleaning process this week and my home has exploded. That's what I get for surface cleaning for two months, right?

It seems like the last two months went by in a blur. I was with the Underwood's for Thanksgiving. Then Jarrod came in town for his graduation at the beginning of December. Then Mom was in Houston for a day. Then she left. Then she and Dad were in town for a day. Then they left for Christmas in Baton Rouge. I went to Christmas in Sugar Land with the Underwoods. Then it was off to Alabama for a week. Then I came home. Todd and Nick came in town for about a day and a half for to celebrate the new year. Then they left. Then Gonzalo came by with his crazy dog. Then Jarrod came by with my crazy dog. Then it was 10 p.m. on the night before I had to go back to work!

I'm glad Todd and Nick came in town. They got to hang out with Todd's friend Angie from high school. Jarrod and I went to a couple friends' home to celebrate the new year and we played rummy. I've never played before, though I think I got the hang of it.

The next day, Jan. 1, Todd, Nick, Angie and I went to Ikea. Yep, that's right. Todd and his lover come in town to visit me and all they want to do is go to the Ikea. Nick helped me assemble a Target shelf for my new mixer. So thank you very much for that. Anyway, we had a fruitful visit to the land of Ikea. Let's see if I can remember what they got: a lamp with a crinkly paper shade, a bathroom rug, some candles, some picture frames...all for less than $100! Bargain.

While at Ikea we came across these adorable cultural stuffed dolls. Todd and Nick posed for a "family portrait."

Happy New Year, family. Many adventures to come in 2014.

Now get to cleaning your houses your nasty hoes. I know your home is as messy as mine.

Snowshoeing

Crunch, crunch, slush. Crunch, crunch, slush. Climbing through trees, that look as if they have been recently dipped in marshmallow cream, all you can hear is the sound of your snowshoes leaving their imprint in sparkling snow. Pressing on, your breath leads the way as it wafts through chilly mountain air up towards heaven. Everything around you takes on a crisp blueish hue as dappled sun light gets lost on its way to the forest floor. Even the birds take pause before making the slightest utterance for fear of disturbing the crystalline shell of winter. Once in a while though a clump breaks free from its arboreal captor and falls towards earth to rejoin its earth bound siblings. Here in snow entrenched mountains the world falls away. Peace creeps in and my soul smiles.

Wish you all were here.

Best part of a hairdresser brother? Free haircuts.

We're right in the middle of the Christmas season, so I figured it was time for a family update. After leaving San Antonio on Friday, Mom and Dad traveled to Baton Rouge to see Todd and Nick. On Christmas eve they went to a posh wine bar called WINO (Wine Institute of New Orleans).

I'm just going to say that Todd looks like he's not so happy in this picture.

Christmas morning dad got up early and made his famous cinnamon rolls. Nick's mom came over and enjoyed Christmas morning with the family.

For Christmas, Dad surprised Mom with a new iPad. We're not sure what we'll call this new addition to the family yet. iPad3? iPad junior? No worries. Mom's old iPad is going to Dad. Hopefully he won't break this one. Beware elder iPad.

Some day later, Mom and Dad went to Regis where Todd cut their hair. True Macrander fact. Todd cuts all of our hair. Every single one of us. I can't remember the last time I paid to get my hair cut or highlighted. That is wonderful. It also helps that Todd is giving of his time and very good at what he does.

Here's a picture of Alaska Mom getting her "Northern Lights" touched up.

Anyway, this evening, Mom and Dad are headed to Birmingham to see Mom's parents. I'm (Emily) already here. I got here last night and had the grandparents to myself for a whole evening.

Before coming to Alabama, I spent the holiday with Underwood clan. Let's see. Christmas eve for me was spent in the afternoon with Jarrod's dad's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Tappmeyer. Then we went to church. Then we chilled and napped. Then church again for the midnight service at Jarrod and I's church Canvas in Montrose. That was special because we usually meet in an elementary school and for this occasion we were in First Christian. I love celebrating the birth of Jesus with my wonderful church family.

Christmas morning we headed over to the Jarrod's mother's parents home for a brunch and then it was back to the Underwood home. I was surprised with a beautiful red KitchenAid mixer from mother and father Underwood and an ice cream maker from Dylan and Kaitlyn. I guess they know I like to cook, right?

The night came to an end with a visit from the Wiesendangers, Mollie and Layne.

Okay, I'm a person that stresses to the max over Christmas. I'm still waiting for the holy grail no-cry Christmas (maybe Christmas 2014??). But all said and done, I am blessed. I have wonderful family spread all over the country and my brother has a loving partner. I have Jarrod and his family is very gracious to me. And I have a little dog.

Christmas with Nick & Todd

We just spent 3+ great days here in Baton Rouge with Todd & Nick. It was a really special Christmas. We had great food, lots of good wine, did some shopping and sight seeing, farkled (Thanks to Sarah for introducing our family to farling) and, generally relaxed.

There are many special times for a parent. The birth (of course), first step, first goal, off to school, becoming an adult and accomplishments and honors along the way. What must rank right up there is being with your child as they cross into that special relationship that makes them whole, happy, and secure. Being with Todd & Nick feels that way. Our family is bigger and stronger.

May you always continue to grow in love and support one another as you mature as people and expand their horizons individually and together.

Thanks for a wonderful three days.

Twas a Macrander eve before Christmas eve

On the eve before Christmas eve and all through the nation, Mom and Dad were driving to Baton Rouge and trying to agree on a radio station.

Excited to visit Todd and Nick, and wave goodbye to their daughter,

Mom exclaimed, ‘Oh my! Texas couldn’t be hotter.’

So far in the trip Dad had visited his sister,

And Mom had bought some cheap shoes that dad swore would cause a blister,

Shout out to Kayla, the newest addition to us all,

Who was born at just over six pounds on Friday and oh so small.

Todd was busy cleaning, while Nick busy mixing,

Lots of treats to fill their home, Mom and Dad would surely find transfixing,

Sarah was still in Denver, though lonely was not she,

For the beauty of friends and mountains, how much better could life be?

So this morning, Emily sits at her computer not working, oh no, no,

Excited to see Jarrod and family, but more to the point Santa, ho ho ho.

God is great, Jesus is born, this is the reason for the season,

But getting to see the ones we love sure is extra pleasin’

So as we close this year before,

Let’s enjoy our moments together and plan for many more.

Christmas in New Zealand

I will report out on my trip to New Zealand in another entry in the blog, but I thought this was perfect for a funny happenings entry.

The New Zealand that I saw from the air and in the brief taxi ride from the airport into town was a phenomenal landscape of mountains, coastline, and agrarian fields that were reminiscent of Hawaii and the Lord of the Rings movies. The town of Dunedin (pronounce doon-ee-dn), though, was nothing spectacular. Actually, it very much had the look and feel of a mid-sized Midwestern city, buildings 2-3 stories high sidewalks overhung by awnings on storefronts, small businesses, etc. There was kind of a barely prosperous look to the whole thing. My hotel was about a mile from the meeting sight, so I got in nice walks each day going to and from.

Similar to the city, the people were very English, not the most attractive people in the world. It was a combination of rosy-cheeked flat- faced young boys growing into stolid George Smiley (literary reference here) older men. And, there were pinch-faced girls trending toward stout Mrs. Doubtfire matrons.

The first two days were cool, overcast, and drizzly. The weather made me glad I had taken my gortex, and, leant an even greater sense of a community in doldrums. On the third day I hung in my room catching up on email and work until about 11, then, headed out under clearing skies and warming temperatures for the walk to the conference. With the great weather, the sidewalks were packed with shoppers that I realized were beginning to get serious about the Christmas holidays. I caught the festive feel and there was a spring in my step and a smile on my face.

Walking along, I became aware of a car driving down the street with the windows rolled down and a Christmas song blasting from the radio. The jingling bells and piano of the instrumental break were from jingle-bell rock. Looking at the car I saw a grundgy boy behind the wheel and a tattooed and pierced tough looking girl hanging a cigarette out the window with a smirk on her face. Ah, the wonders of Christmas. Even the young toughs have the spirit. How nice.

As the car passed me and the music began to fade, the next verse started up. “You make my d--- swell, as I moan and yell….” OMG! Did I really hear that? As the sound of the song faded into the traffic and street noise, I wanted to turn and chase the car to see if it was real or just my dirty mind playing tricks on me. But, the rest of the day, as I tried to listen to complex talks on whale genomics and sound propagation and exposure, those two lines continued to bounce around my head.

I did a search on Jingle Bell Rock spoofs and, indeed, the song is real and I heard correctly. It is so bad that I will not post the link here. WARNING. This is pretty graphic stuff and you may not want to forever have these lyrics in your head. DO NOT listen to this at work, unless you have earphones in. Having given these warnings, I know everyone will listen. Happy Holidays.

Dad visits New Zealand

So before the Christmas travels began, Dad had to make one more trip for work. This one was fun, though. He got to travel all the way to New Zeland! I'm not sure if we've always traveled a lot or if we're just in a season of travel. Either way, next stop is Houston for MacranderParents.

P.S. Can you see the penguin?

Holiday travels begin

First, Mom and Dad visit Sarah in Denver for Thanksgiving.

Then, Mom flew from Denver to Houston to hang with me in Houston for a week.

Mom and I were blessed to be able to visit Brookewood, a home for functionally handicapped adults, on their open house! Many Christmas gifts were purchased.

Todd & Dad in Seattle