Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Friday, December 26, 2008
Christmas 2008
Santa came for sure!
Grandma and O doing word searches. O loves her word search books!
She got gloves and boots to match too! Reminds me a little of Ralphie from A Christmas Story
Dida and Gigi.
O with her new magnifying glass. She's doing her best Sid the Science Kid!
How did Santa get the bike down the chimney?
Santa came for sure!
Grandma and O doing word searches. O loves her word search books!
She got gloves and boots to match too! Reminds me a little of Ralphie from A Christmas Story
Dida and Gigi.
O with her new magnifying glass. She's doing her best Sid the Science Kid!
How did Santa get the bike down the chimney?
Fantasies and Taking One's Time: A Reflection on Pottery & Faith 
Five years ago, Kim and I were losing our minds. We had six straight months of sleep deprived nights, the lack of proven parenting skills and frankly, very little sanity. In the midst of all that chaos, I was unloading my emotional baggage to someone I know and trust. After I had stopped talking, she looked at me and said, "So, what is your fantasy?" My response was to cock my head sideways like a confused cocker spaniel, "Huh?" I said. "When it all makes you crazy, what is it you dream of to escape the chaos?" she replied. With that explanation, I knew exactly what she meant. I blurted out, "I quit my job, take all of the money I can pull together and drive to Las Vegas in a convertible and join the World Poker Tour." There you have it. It became my personal fortress of solitude. I needed only to close my eyes, take a few deep breaths and in the midst of Olivia's screams, I could be playing poker.
Georgia is a much quieter baby. However, those moments are still there. Two days ago, on Christmas Eve, I was holding Gigi. She was crying. Actually, she was screaming. Olivia was at my side shaking Zingo, a game she received for her birthday a couple weeks ago. I was trying to get her to help me dress her for the five o'clock Christmas Eve service. Then the phone rang. My mother was asking me what time they should come over on Christmas day. I felt the sense of chaos creeping back. I realized in that moment what my new fantasy was.
I hung up the phone with my mother and closed my eyes. I took a couple of breaths and tried to hear past Gigi's cries and Olivia's calls to play Zingo. I had quit my job and was sitting in a pottery studio up in Provicetown. We lived on Commercial Street. I had a studio and gallery downstairs from an apartment with water views. I was alone throwing pots all day with a breeze blowing through the studio from the bay, right out the front door to the hustle of people walking down Commercial Street.
I opened my eyes and was back in the reality of caring for a two week old and a five year old. I was, for the time being, revitalized.
That fantasy also helped me realize how much I love pottery, how much I enjoy the process. Unfortunately, I only spend one evening a week at the studio. It isn't enough. There are those weeks when I feel the same about Church. Sometimes, Sunday mornings just aren't enough. Luckily, I have a key to the Church and can steal away to the sanctuary, even for 10 minutes of quiet reflection.
Pottery isn't quite that easy. While I could go for an additional evening, it would require several hours of commitment. Clean-up alone takes 20 minutes. This often results in rushing to get the most out of my two and a half hour studio time. The work should really dictate how quickly I progress with a piece. When I attempt to control the piece it usually results in disaster.
If you try to rush when making a plate and fail to compress the bottom (many, many times) it will likely result in a nasty crack after the bisque firing. If you trim a piece when it is to wet it will likely result in a gouged or warped finished product. If you try to rush the drying process and the piece dries to quickly or unevenly, it is prone to crack.
The drying process can be more stressful to clay than the kiln. I have written previously about my imagery of violence in the act of firing a piece of clay. While the drying process isn't violent, it can damage the more delicate aspects of your work. If not done properly, it can result in cracked edges and the separating of handles and added feet.
Long handles with multiple points of attachment are particularly vulnerable. If not covered properly, the clay at the two attachment points may dry at different rates. This may lead to breakage either at the joint or within the handle itself. One needs to ensure that the piece is adequately covered to minimize these risks. What you give up is time. There can be no rushing.
When we rush a piece we risk it cracking and we find ourselves having to start over at the beginning. I think our faith journeys have similar risks. If we rush through our time in prayer, community and thanksgiving, we risk arresting our spiritual development. Many of us stopped any spiritual growth when we were confirmed. As lay and ordained church leaders, we don't do a good job at keeping teenagers and 20-somethings engaged in a meaningful way in the church. Luckily, we tend to get them back when they have their own children in their late 20s and early 30s.
One needs to keep ones self engaged in reading texts that challenge us spiritually. And yes, we even need to make time for those adult education sessions. I know how precious time is. Trust me. However, we need these moments in community to help work out all that we've read. Remember, Jesus didn't show up to Thomas on a lonely road to disprove his doubt. He showed to Thomas in a locked room where all of the terrified disciples were hiding. I can't help but think Jesus did that on purpose. Thomas needed to be with his friends and peers to work out what he saw.
I read a recent post on a pottery blog that talked about how to slow the drying process on pottery. "For these vulnerable pieces, wrap the fragile part in a scrap of plastic to slow its drying rate to match that of the rest of the piece. Or apply wax resist to these areas for a similar result, if you don't mind the extra expense, production time and unwanted fumes during the bisque firing." One could say the same thing about our spiritual development. We only need change the nouns and verbs a bit. 'For these vulnerable pieces of our lives, wrap the fragile part in a community of faith to focus its development to match that of the rest of one's life. Or apply appropriate levels of education to these areas for a similar result, particularly if you don't mind the time spent in self-development and the challenging thoughts that will likely develop.'
All in good time.
Five years ago, Kim and I were losing our minds. We had six straight months of sleep deprived nights, the lack of proven parenting skills and frankly, very little sanity. In the midst of all that chaos, I was unloading my emotional baggage to someone I know and trust. After I had stopped talking, she looked at me and said, "So, what is your fantasy?" My response was to cock my head sideways like a confused cocker spaniel, "Huh?" I said. "When it all makes you crazy, what is it you dream of to escape the chaos?" she replied. With that explanation, I knew exactly what she meant. I blurted out, "I quit my job, take all of the money I can pull together and drive to Las Vegas in a convertible and join the World Poker Tour." There you have it. It became my personal fortress of solitude. I needed only to close my eyes, take a few deep breaths and in the midst of Olivia's screams, I could be playing poker.
Georgia is a much quieter baby. However, those moments are still there. Two days ago, on Christmas Eve, I was holding Gigi. She was crying. Actually, she was screaming. Olivia was at my side shaking Zingo, a game she received for her birthday a couple weeks ago. I was trying to get her to help me dress her for the five o'clock Christmas Eve service. Then the phone rang. My mother was asking me what time they should come over on Christmas day. I felt the sense of chaos creeping back. I realized in that moment what my new fantasy was.
I hung up the phone with my mother and closed my eyes. I took a couple of breaths and tried to hear past Gigi's cries and Olivia's calls to play Zingo. I had quit my job and was sitting in a pottery studio up in Provicetown. We lived on Commercial Street. I had a studio and gallery downstairs from an apartment with water views. I was alone throwing pots all day with a breeze blowing through the studio from the bay, right out the front door to the hustle of people walking down Commercial Street.
I opened my eyes and was back in the reality of caring for a two week old and a five year old. I was, for the time being, revitalized.
That fantasy also helped me realize how much I love pottery, how much I enjoy the process. Unfortunately, I only spend one evening a week at the studio. It isn't enough. There are those weeks when I feel the same about Church. Sometimes, Sunday mornings just aren't enough. Luckily, I have a key to the Church and can steal away to the sanctuary, even for 10 minutes of quiet reflection.
Pottery isn't quite that easy. While I could go for an additional evening, it would require several hours of commitment. Clean-up alone takes 20 minutes. This often results in rushing to get the most out of my two and a half hour studio time. The work should really dictate how quickly I progress with a piece. When I attempt to control the piece it usually results in disaster.
If you try to rush when making a plate and fail to compress the bottom (many, many times) it will likely result in a nasty crack after the bisque firing. If you trim a piece when it is to wet it will likely result in a gouged or warped finished product. If you try to rush the drying process and the piece dries to quickly or unevenly, it is prone to crack.
The drying process can be more stressful to clay than the kiln. I have written previously about my imagery of violence in the act of firing a piece of clay. While the drying process isn't violent, it can damage the more delicate aspects of your work. If not done properly, it can result in cracked edges and the separating of handles and added feet.
Long handles with multiple points of attachment are particularly vulnerable. If not covered properly, the clay at the two attachment points may dry at different rates. This may lead to breakage either at the joint or within the handle itself. One needs to ensure that the piece is adequately covered to minimize these risks. What you give up is time. There can be no rushing.
When we rush a piece we risk it cracking and we find ourselves having to start over at the beginning. I think our faith journeys have similar risks. If we rush through our time in prayer, community and thanksgiving, we risk arresting our spiritual development. Many of us stopped any spiritual growth when we were confirmed. As lay and ordained church leaders, we don't do a good job at keeping teenagers and 20-somethings engaged in a meaningful way in the church. Luckily, we tend to get them back when they have their own children in their late 20s and early 30s.
One needs to keep ones self engaged in reading texts that challenge us spiritually. And yes, we even need to make time for those adult education sessions. I know how precious time is. Trust me. However, we need these moments in community to help work out all that we've read. Remember, Jesus didn't show up to Thomas on a lonely road to disprove his doubt. He showed to Thomas in a locked room where all of the terrified disciples were hiding. I can't help but think Jesus did that on purpose. Thomas needed to be with his friends and peers to work out what he saw.
I read a recent post on a pottery blog that talked about how to slow the drying process on pottery. "For these vulnerable pieces, wrap the fragile part in a scrap of plastic to slow its drying rate to match that of the rest of the piece. Or apply wax resist to these areas for a similar result, if you don't mind the extra expense, production time and unwanted fumes during the bisque firing." One could say the same thing about our spiritual development. We only need change the nouns and verbs a bit. 'For these vulnerable pieces of our lives, wrap the fragile part in a community of faith to focus its development to match that of the rest of one's life. Or apply appropriate levels of education to these areas for a similar result, particularly if you don't mind the time spent in self-development and the challenging thoughts that will likely develop.'
All in good time.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Australia!
Today, Olivia came home with the map in the picture above. She's apparently been learning about Australia.
.
For those of you who don't know, we have several dear cousins in Australia. Dusanka and Boris (my father-in-law) are first cousins. We all follow each others lives from a distance of thousands of miles. The internet has made all of that easier.
.
I imagine we'll be hearing all about Australia, its history, animals and major exports over dinner for the next few days. I think we'll get out a marker and draw Dusanka and Ante, and Rita and Ivo's (and their three darling daughters) homes on our newest map!
Monday, December 22, 2008
A video for all Moms or those of us who have one
The Mom Song from Northland Video on Vimeo.
This video is fantastic! By the way - thanks Mom.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
In the midst of all the chaos, pottery continues.
I got a few things out of the kiln this weekend. I helped Carla load the kiln on Wednesday. Actually, I didn't do much - but it was fun. Loading the kiln is kind of like playing tetris. You want to try and maximize the space and get as many pieces on each shelf as you can, without letting them touch. Then you delicately put the shelf atop the pillars and start a new layer of working things out.
As usual, I saw an analogy to one's spiritual growth in the process of preparing the kiln. Each layer seemed like how we work something out and try to get the pieces of our pottery and our lives and our spiritual growth to work together and fit as well as possible. And sometimes, sometimes, it just isn't possible. Sometimes you have one big piece that you've worked for weeks on - and nothing fits around it. That's ok. Those pieces are just as important as the others - and perhaps it just needs it's own space to develop.
I love how this turned out. It is a paten for a chalice that I made a few months ago. The glaze is deep and rich. I love it.
This came out really nice as well. It is white on the outside with plum on the rim and inside. The plum bled through a little on the base and the white turned a lovely orange hue as the chemicals mixed. It's a pretty small piece, but very nice.
Carla makes lots of these. Hers are amazing. This is best one I've done. It makes for a good utensil holder in the kitchen.
This was my big experiment. It didn't come out at all as I had intended. They never really do. But it is wonderful. It is a matte black base glaze with a large bulb (like a babies nasal aspirator) full of shiny black. The shiny black alone looks like a shiny gray metal. It looks very industrial. I like what it did on this bowl. I anticipate doing some platters and additional bowls like this in the future.
I got a few things out of the kiln this weekend. I helped Carla load the kiln on Wednesday. Actually, I didn't do much - but it was fun. Loading the kiln is kind of like playing tetris. You want to try and maximize the space and get as many pieces on each shelf as you can, without letting them touch. Then you delicately put the shelf atop the pillars and start a new layer of working things out. As usual, I saw an analogy to one's spiritual growth in the process of preparing the kiln. Each layer seemed like how we work something out and try to get the pieces of our pottery and our lives and our spiritual growth to work together and fit as well as possible. And sometimes, sometimes, it just isn't possible. Sometimes you have one big piece that you've worked for weeks on - and nothing fits around it. That's ok. Those pieces are just as important as the others - and perhaps it just needs it's own space to develop.
I tried something new this time. I glazed the tray above in a thin white glaze. Yes, it is curled at the edges and somewhat purposefully warped. The tree is painted with blue slip. I'm not much of a painter, but I like the color and concept. I may use the slip for painted bands on pieces in the future. Not a big fan of the piece overall - it will likely wind up at next year's St. Paul's Christmas Bazaar table. It's where all the pieces go that aren't garbage bound, but that I just don't have room for around the house.
I love how this turned out. It is a paten for a chalice that I made a few months ago. The glaze is deep and rich. I love it.
This came out really nice as well. It is white on the outside with plum on the rim and inside. The plum bled through a little on the base and the white turned a lovely orange hue as the chemicals mixed. It's a pretty small piece, but very nice.
Carla makes lots of these. Hers are amazing. This is best one I've done. It makes for a good utensil holder in the kitchen.
This was my big experiment. It didn't come out at all as I had intended. They never really do. But it is wonderful. It is a matte black base glaze with a large bulb (like a babies nasal aspirator) full of shiny black. The shiny black alone looks like a shiny gray metal. It looks very industrial. I like what it did on this bowl. I anticipate doing some platters and additional bowls like this in the future.
This piece is a gift for some friends. Shhh - don't tell them. It came out great - just as I'd hoped. It is a white base glaze with VC Bronze over it. When you're lucky it produces these hints of purple and blue. I was lucky.
Snow, Jesus, and Myrtle the Christmas Turtle
This is what we woke up to this morning. An inch or so or snow, then sleet and rain. This is on top of the four inches of VERY wet and heavy snow we received on Friday.
Even with the snow - we made it to Church for St. Paul's Annual Christmas Pagent. The animals (led by a penguin) made it down the aisle to worship Baby Jesus.
Of course... the Angels were there.
Olivia and Catherine. Olivia was Myrtle the Christmas Turtle. Catherine sat with us today. She was one of the best worshiping cows I've ever seen! She's fantastic (so is her Mom - Hi Mary!).
Elizabeth and Barbara were fawning over Gigi during coffee hour!
This is what we woke up to this morning. An inch or so or snow, then sleet and rain. This is on top of the four inches of VERY wet and heavy snow we received on Friday.
Even with the snow - we made it to Church for St. Paul's Annual Christmas Pagent. The animals (led by a penguin) made it down the aisle to worship Baby Jesus.
Of course... the Angels were there.Olivia and Catherine. Olivia was Myrtle the Christmas Turtle. Catherine sat with us today. She was one of the best worshiping cows I've ever seen! She's fantastic (so is her Mom - Hi Mary!).Elizabeth and Barbara were fawning over Gigi during coffee hour!
Monday, December 15, 2008
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Happy Christmas!
The tree may be up, but in our house, the Christmas Season doesn't fully begin until after the Birthday Party is officially over. Next year that will be plural - birthday parties - for both O and Gigi. I'm a little early with this picture, as the 'family' party begin in a few hours.
Hope you and your families have a Happy Christmas season.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Jesus Hitchin' a Ride
alternate title: Tweety is my Co-Pilot
We're having some family over tomorrow to celebrate O's birthday. I've been running around cleaning the house for the last two days. I don't understand what it is about having a baby that makes the house such a mess - but it does.
When I was putting some things away in O's room I saw this. The Weeble on the horse towing the cart was mine as a kid. Olivia aparently was trying to work out how Jesus made it to so many towns in the Bible and figured he must have had a ride. I love how Tweety is riding shotgun.
For those of you wondering why we have these things: O has over 100 of these miscellaneous characters. She loved them when she was younger and still plays with them occasionally.
alternate title: Tweety is my Co-Pilot
We're having some family over tomorrow to celebrate O's birthday. I've been running around cleaning the house for the last two days. I don't understand what it is about having a baby that makes the house such a mess - but it does.
When I was putting some things away in O's room I saw this. The Weeble on the horse towing the cart was mine as a kid. Olivia aparently was trying to work out how Jesus made it to so many towns in the Bible and figured he must have had a ride. I love how Tweety is riding shotgun.
For those of you wondering why we have these things: O has over 100 of these miscellaneous characters. She loved them when she was younger and still plays with them occasionally.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Happy Birthday Olivia!
We celebrated O's birthday with moderate fanfare. She had her "friends" (school) party in late November at McCools (the local ice cream shop in Madison). Her "family" party is on Sunday. Grandma stopped by after work on Thursday to have a cupcake with us. The doll on the table was Grandma and Pop-pop's present to O - an American Girl Doll. That is so going to be a grandparent thing in our house.
Us singing to the nervous birthday girl.
(I broke the video up into two segments so that it doesn't take forever to load.)
A candle quandary.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Monday, December 08, 2008
Georgia's first bath
It dawns on me that this must be incredibly boring viewing for the rest of the world. Those of you who are watching this... I know you must love us. Few would willingly watch such slow moving cinematography.
So. Georgia got her first bath (at home) today. Last night was not particularly fun for Kim. Gigi has decided that she wants to eat every half-hour in the evening. This makes for particularly difficult sleeping for Kim. Any suggestions?
Sunday, December 07, 2008
Saturday's Photos!
Olivia holding her new baby sister!
Grandma holding Georgia in the midst of a nice wailing session. Olivia is telling her to "Shhhhhh!"
The new and improved family.
Grandma and Pop-pop with Gigi.
Rev. Elizabeth holding the newest member of St. Paul's, Chatham.
Olivia and Mommy in bed (watching Loony Toons). This is what they were watching. One of my personal favorites (Hyde and Hare). My favorite quote is, "You, are a men'al case!"
Olivia holding her new baby sister!
Grandma holding Georgia in the midst of a nice wailing session. Olivia is telling her to "Shhhhhh!"
The new and improved family.
Grandma and Pop-pop with Gigi.
Rev. Elizabeth holding the newest member of St. Paul's, Chatham.
Olivia and Mommy in bed (watching Loony Toons). This is what they were watching. One of my personal favorites (Hyde and Hare). My favorite quote is, "You, are a men'al case!"
Saturday, December 06, 2008
Friday, December 05, 2008
Some quiet time
I'm home alone with O now. My in-laws are spending time with Kim at the hospital now. O can't go to the hospital today. She showed up last night with her Oma and Dida and seemed a little off... cranky, clingy and not quite herself. As the evening wore on she got progressively worse.
I brought her home with a fever of 102. She paid a visit to Dr. Costeas (the best!) this morning and learned that she has a case of strep. The doctor's visit was a mess. She wanted no part of the strep throat test; or as she calls it, the tooth pick in the mouth. She had a bad experience last time which resulted in her vomiting on the floor of the doctor's office. Nice.
Everyone at the hospital looks healthy, but I have some nagging anxiety that Georgia and Kim were exposed to strep.
I'm sitting in bed able to reflect for the first time on the last 24 hours. In the background is a video of Loony Tunes (Tweety Bird is O's new favorite) and the gentle, rhythmic murmur of O's breathing as she sleeps. It is a soothing alternative to the whining and crying that have taken up the last 12 hours for me.
Just over 24 hours ago we arrived at St. Barnabas in Livingston. It was amazing to me that Kim turned into a patient so quickly. In a matter of 15 minutes, she went from an upright fully-clothed woman into a someone I was worrying about. She had a monitor strapped around her belly with the sound of the baby's heartbeat filling the room. An IV dripped a glucose bag into her hand as I changed into my scrubs.
Rev. Elizabeth was there. It was wonderful to have our priest there - someone we trust and love and know - someone who trusts and knows and loves us. We talked for a while and prayed for a few minutes. She helped us center ourselves amid all of the anxiety.
20 minutes later Kim was in the operating room being prepared for surgery. When I walked in about 10 minutes after that, she was laid out on the table like Jesus. (No, the irony isn't lost on me). I sat down and looked around the room. There were a dozen people there. The Messiah was playing loudly in the background. People came over to say hello and tell me why they were there. The anesthesiologist took pictures. I peaked over over the sheet covering Kim's chest and saw some amazing things.
As James Taylor began crooning 'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas' I saw a head protruding from Kim's stomach. Less than a minute later she was wailing and turning pink in Dr. Chervenak's (he's amazing!) hands. I was keenly aware in that moment that the operating room had more than just Kim, Georgia, me and all of those professionals in it. The Holy Spirit was rushing around like a whirl-wind. I know she's always there, but I don't know that we're always conscious of her presence.
Luckily, we had a few moments in the morning where that was pointed out. May those moments come more often.
Thursday, December 04, 2008
It's a girl!
Georgia Gail (Gigi) was born at 10:47 this morning weighing a solid 8 pounds 5 ounces and measuring 20 inches.
Gigi and Mommy are both doing very well.
Mommy and Georgia in the recovery room.
Georgia Gail (Gigi) was born at 10:47 this morning weighing a solid 8 pounds 5 ounces and measuring 20 inches.
Gigi and Mommy are both doing very well.
Mommy and Georgia in the recovery room.
Oma and Dida with Georgia. Grandma was there too - but no pictures!?!?!
Aunt Allison & Uncle Ted - check out Georgia staring at Allison!
Oliva and Georgia's first introduction. Shortly after this moment we learned Olivia has a fever. I'll be bringing her to the doctor's office tomorrow.
The weigh-in.
This is a picture from the operating room. The anesthesiologist isn't a bad photographer, huh?
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