Interpretation Is Everything

A couple of weeks ago as we were packing up to move I noticed Zoe's silence once again. So, same as many days I yelled out to her "Zoe, what are you doing?" And that dreaded answer "nuffing" (she still has trouble with her 'th' sound). So, I kept packing. Pretty soon she came into the kitchen asking for a big bowl. Enjoying her being so content I gave her the bowl without asking any further questions. A bit of time went by and I hollered again "Zoe, what are you doing?" Her answer, "I told you 'nuffing' mom!". I went out to make sure it was really "nuffing".

Zoe had taken the bowl and filled it with dirt and rocks and was pouring water in and packing it down. I stood at the window wondering what she was up to. Pretty soon the bowl was packed with rocky mud. She flipped the bowl over and patted it to make sure she got all the mud out. She then took her barbie dolls---all naked--and placed them in a sitting--legs straight out line around this pile of mud. She then took her Ken doll and put him on the top of the mud in up to his knees so he could stand firm.

She the started speaking as if she was Ken to the rest of the Barbies. She was telling them that Jesus loved them and that each of them was amazing and beautiful and going on and on. I was really curious at this point so I said "Zoe what are you doing?" this time she looked up at me with this "duh mom" look and said "Mommy, it's the sermon on the mound!". I loved her interpretation of this Bible story.

Our kids continue to make us laugh and smile in the midst of our craziness. We are now settling into life living back in NE Portland just two blocks from where Dust and I met over 16 years ago!

We have decided as part of Lily's homework and helping her develop writing skills, we are going to have her write on the family blog a couple of times a month. Watch this space for musings from the point of view of 8 year old Lily Joy!

Switchfoot sings for "Prince Caspian"

See the youtube box on the right for a winsome song by Jon Foreman and Switchfoot for the new Chronicles of Narnia film. "This is Home" captures the essence of Chronicles. Jon is quoted as "trying to capture how I felt when I was six years old and our Dad would read them to us."

Spring Poem

The poem below was written a few days ago. A great accompaniment as you read my poem would be to download Jon Foreman's "Spring" EP from here:

http://store2.bandfarm.com/jonforeman/product/?catID=&prodID=1621

I highly recommend listening with headphones or earbuds, since the music -- acoustic as it is -- has many sonic layers that you'll miss otherwise.

Well, here's the poem:

"Waiting for the Buffleheads"

Driving back from dropping
off Lily the road winds
up past the stop sign on
Valhalla road,
Takes two sharp curves
Drops in a gentle turn by
the flooded and marbled wetlands.

I look each day for first sign
of waterfowl.
There are watery edges now
between the snow on the banks
and the humps of vegetation
and the sickly ice.
Soon, it goes.
Soon, they come and play, mate, and live.

This patch.
This little wet spot.

Some man's hand touched it and made it,

Sinews bent and turned

Unravelling and ravelling.

Even better -- such beauty

lies here on the edge

of a curving road

So we can't look straight

and say,

"I didn't see."

Keeping up the Blog

Some of you may be wondering if this blog is going away... since we're not posting like we used to ...

A good question.

At the moment, we are simply both working and the time is not available. We recognize our present state isn't sustainable, so if you're reading this and want more... have hope!

And pray that some things come through for us so one of us can be at home more often -- for the children, and for you!

Kenyans for Peace

A friend of ours is in Kenya right now, working to help the people suffering from the violence and hatred. Through him we found out about a unique music video -- made up of Kenyan musicians from across the tribal lines, all of them singing "Wakenya Pamoja" (Kenyans Together). See the the right column to watch the video.

Keep the people of Kenya in your thoughts (and prayers if you talk to God). Its a tough time, and they haven't made it to peace just yet.

Kunkel Fam Vid Moved to Sidebar

We've moved the kunkel fam vid to the sidebar on the right. Its much smaller, so if you want to see the larger version, go here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAL03zKAi7k

A Wild & Snowy Winter!

For those who've wondered what we're up to.... here's a look at the weather we've been dealing with: Our snows have broken the record set in 1915!!!

http://www.krem.com/topstories/stories/krem2_020608_cdasnowrecord.96d1a329.html

Kunkel Fam Summer Video

We realized that many of you may not have a picture of what our lives are like -- particularly in the summer time.
The video slideshow above is an attempt to give a feel for Kunkel Fam life during summer camp 2007. Our daughter Brandi (25) moved to camp this summer to work as camp staff and she's in the pictures too.
Of course... things you can't see in the video:

1. Dust working in the wee hours/late hours to finish his dissertation.
2. Janette looking for work (her job as Day Camp Coordinator was done in August).
3. Our other older kids who are growing, changing, and facing life's challenges as adults and parents themselves.

Musings on Marriage and Motherhood in the wee hours of the Morn

First an update on my dad and Zoe and then my musings from this morning.

Dad came through surgery and is doing great! Thanks for the prayers. Sorry we have yet to get Christmas cards out since we hit the road to go see dad. We do have a family Christmas video and greeting on www.youtube.com and I will get Dust to post the link on here once he is up today.

Zoe has gone back to the doctors twice since writing the first time. She has had a series of treatments and the short of it is that the mass in her intestine has shrank in size. The doctor now thinks perhaps it was an inflamed intestine--great news! They are watching her white blood count as it is low and went down a bit from her last test. She had a whole new series of tests on Friday for allergies, Thyroid function, blood count and who knows what else. She is so brave and doesn't even cry! She likes to watch the "bubbly blood" come out of her arm. Please continue to pray with us about the test results and that the Dr. will have a clear understanding of what is going on in Zoe.

Now for story time!

I got off work at 6:30pm on Saturday night from working at the hospital ER came home loaded Brandi into the car and took her to the hospital--right where I had come from. After explaining a half dozen times how a 34 year old could be the mother of a 25 year old the Phlebotomist came in to do a blood test on Brandi. She said something to the fact that she had gone on to be a Phlebotomist after her children had gotten older so blood and bodily fluids don't get to her.

At 5:30 this morning Lily was screaming from the entry of our bedroom "Zoe puked all over me!" We jumped up out of bed to see chunks falling off of Lily. We ran to see Zoe sitting in Bed with well, you can imagine all over her and the bed and a trail on their floor to our room from where Lily walked. Lily and Zoe share a queen size bed because they still insist they sleep better together (that might change when Lily wakes up again).

Without really coming up with a game plan Dust and I sprung into action. He had Lily in the shower rinsing off while Zoe was getting undressed and on standby. I was rolling up soiled bedding and stuffed animals and running them to the shared laundry room here at camp. I had to survey the damage and prioritize what got washed first. Bottom sheet, pillow cases, pj's and Grey Dust--the stuffed bear Lily sleeps with that was Dustin's from the time that he was a baby. Grey Dust has lived in West Africa, Scotland, Oregon, Missouri, Montana and Idaho not to mention that he traveled to Greece, France and England and where ever Dust took him as a child.

I should back up and tell you that today is Dustin and I's 12th wedding anniversary and I had these fantasies of sleeping in, lingering in bed with a magazine and cup of tea. 12 years!

Lily got all cleaned up and got into our bed to get a bit more sleep. Dustin helped get more soiled laundry out of the house. It's amazing how quickly the smell of puke spreads! I went and washed Zoe's hair and got her out. Dust got her set up to watch a movie with a nice big tupperware bowl while I cleaned chunks out of the laundry room sink. We decided that Dust should go snuggle up to Lily and get some sleep in hopes that later we can tag team allowing me some sleep.

I came back in to check Zoe was doing alright and went back to the laundry room. The first load was done. I opened the washing machine to find chunks all over the place. 35 year old stuffing from Grey Dust everywhere. It's that point where you just laugh because there is nothing else to do. I shook the sheets, pj's, and pillow cases out, finished getting the last bit of stuffing out of Grey Dust and began to sweep up the mess that I had dumped on the floor. I began to sing in a rather sadly sarcastic tone "Happy Anniversary to me".

I wouldn't change this morning for a morning of sleeping in and being lazy...well maybe I would. But I appreciate moments of barf and mounds of laundry in the wee hours of the morning. I appreciate a husband who jumps up with me and springs into action and the teamwork that happens without having to talk about a game plan. I appreciate my girls who are both sound asleep now.

I don't want to leave you wondering about Brandi in the hospital. She has some inflammation in her hip/pelvic muscles that the doctor gave her a nice shot in her rear and a prescription to help.

The snow began to fall early this morning putting a new blanket of white all over everything making it clean and beautiful. Our house smells of lavender cleaner and the Island Spa candle the girls got me for Christmas and Zoe has just woke up crying about her tummy and I can't help but thinking "here we go again" and humming "Happy Anniversary to me".