oldie but goodie (late summer 2009)

Our newest member of the family, Miss Abigail Joelle.

Abigail, or Abi Jo as well call her sometimes is our sweet baby girl. She just turned fourteen months old on Oct. 21st.
These pictures were taken in March when she was six months. Luke and Ethan love their baby sister, she brings a lot of joy to our whole family!

Fall Leaves

Little brother and big brother playing in the leaves

Three beautiful things

Monday of this week was a clear, sunny day. The colors are magnificent as the leaves change.

The boys and I went for a short trail walk to see the late season salmon spawning. The trail was lined with tall aspens, birch and cottonwoods all aglow with golden leaves. The random breeze carried the small aspen leaves off the branches only to let them float like snowflakes to the ground. The sunlight sparkled through the woods and moved the colors. The boys ran about and then stopped to watch the snowing leaves. No traffic noise, nothing except the rustling of leaves, a faint rush of river water, and little boys. I drank it in. Monday evening, my spirit was still refreshed from the beauty.

Lunchtime, Friday. The boys decided to sit at their little table instead of the regular kitchen table. Waiting patiently for their lunch plates. I dutifully placed cheese sprinkled pasta and tomato slices before them and instead of helping them thank God for their food I gave them the responsibility and walked away to the kitchen. And peaked. The eldest took charge and the younger closed his eyes too, while chewing a noodle. "Thank you Lord for this day and for our cups and thank you for our food. In Jesus' name we pray, amen."

Is it real in his heart yet? I pray everyday it will be. For now, it is mimicking dad and mom. Someday, we pray, He will be his one heart's desire.

Friday evening. Driving south with my boys. Snow has capped the mountains and the late sun is falling below rain clouds and shining light on the golden colors still hanging on the trees. Then, a combination of storm clouds, bright blue sky, snowcapped mountains, fall colors dazzling in the sunlight, and then on the other side, a fiery sky above the ocean and horizon.

Beauty for the purpose of our pleasure.

Still Brainstorming The Blog

THE BRAINSTORM RAGES ON...

My brother Marty is a Stars Wars collector. He has a small fortune of the stuff. One of the best things that has ever happened to my brother is his wife Dahlia. She is from the Philippines and cooks a mean Adobo. Dahlia loves my brother and she loves (their) boys. She also loves the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. She and I were so blessed to attend a conference on prayer recently. Pam Hardy spoke and gave us a great outline for organizing our own prayer journals, including scripture that takes us right where we need to be in preparation to pray...

Woa, need to stop--- keep brainstorming Carina.

More Interesting People

Robin Lilley, renaissance woman on Century and Figueroa. Beloved sister in Christ.

Rachel Paunic, embodiment of compassion. Would love to learn more about this woman's life history.

Irene Babin--Saved out of Catholicism in her late 70's. Knowing the Savior without need for a priest to mediate, to take her money for the deceased loved ones souls, etc..
Saved from the blasphemy of the demeaning treatment of the Lord Jesus Christ and Saved to honor Him and Glorify Him as He is meant to be honored.

My student Donald Phelps--His mom had 5 kids or so with 4 different dads. He was shot in the foot in front of his grandma's house by gangster cross fire. He was my student for 2 years in the first grade. We discovered he had a knack for a cross between ballet and hip hop dancing. We also discovered that his peers and elders alike really enjoyed watching him dance. My husband and I have a cherished memory of taking this precious child and his cousin Clarice to the UCLA bookfair one year. There's so much more to say about Donald...

Maggie Nesbitt--extraordinary teacher, especially in language arts.

Ms. Udeze--I don't know how she did it, 'cause she didn't do the mandated Open Court curriculum, but she got those K-1 babies reading before they moved out of her class. She told me that in Jamaica, where she was from originally, folks had kids reading by age 3. I believe her.
bty, she is the PROUD mom of THE Kenechi Udeze-former USC football star and now...uh where is he? Better google.

Oh my, I will never forget the elegant Ms. Busby (Jr) Her mom is also so very elegant. She told me one life-altering word as I was beginning my first year teaching. "Breathe." I also remember her eating a drumstick one time and I was struck how she ate everything but the bone.

Seems I've gotten into a category rut. Ol' teaching memories.

Moving along...
My Grandma Lena-from Calabria, Italy. Resides in Newburgh, speaks and cooks Italian.
Every recipe she gives me starts out this way..."You just saute a little garlic in your olive oil, then you push that aside and do your onions, then you add your basil, oregano...

She refers to her children, grand and great-grand children as her "little apples" from her, the apple tree.
I love you Grandma Lena.

When Honey get's home later today, I think he may put the brakes on this--especially since the computer monitor shines directly in his face when he's in bed. I know, I know, horrors, the computer is in the bedroom. So is a bookcase full of books, an ironing board (currently out) a basket of baby toys, a diaper changing station (that is now reduced to a cute basket with diapers, wipes and powder) and various other small paper/odd and ends piles.

I once heard the bedroom should be used strictly for sleeping and marital relations. Perhaps the first year of marriage...
And that you should only have plants and other lovely aesthetic things--i.e. NO excercise equipment!!

Mom are you reading this? I love you.

Welcome to Last Frontier Mom

Welcome to "Last Frontier Mom" blog spot!

This post marks the beginning of something worthwhile (I hope). I really hope.

First, I would like to acknowledge some blog sites that have motivated me to join in.

My friends the (Fred) Butlers of "Hip and Thigh" showed me how much fun one could have with a blog.
Which linked me to "Pyromaniacs" a la Phil Johnson and gang. Then onto "Girltalk" and "Fide-O".

When I was doing some research on Michael Pearl of "No Greater Joy" ministries I came across a site called "Choosing Home" which is a group of women who are gifted writers. I especially enjoy Holly's contributions. And I would like to meet Molly by golly 'cause she's another Alaskan mom. Bty, thank you so much Anne V. for your posts on Pearl. I know the concerns you raised honor the Lord Jesus.

For my benefit now, I would like to brainstorm some ideas I have for future posts.

Write about things with concluding thoughts "in light of eternity..."

Write about all the creative ways my other mom friends manage their households. I just love Girltalk and their "just a suggestion" link/disclaimer.

Write about my mom and how she makes me laugh, and maybe even "blogpublish" some of her stories!. My mom-in law and how she makes me think. (and laugh too Margaret Mae!)

I would like to join the "Stellar" category in Pyromaniacs blog. But this seems super ambitious especially since my first mentioned motivator Hip and Thigh has only made it to the really teeny print category of "Entertaining".

I hope I am using correct punctuation with the period after the quotation mark.

Today I took my boys to eat breakfast (since daddy's on a business trip) and we ran into my friend Elisa who was having breakfast with a lady (named Pat) suffering from brain cancer.

After we greeted one another and my boys and I set down to our table to eat, I observed Elisa and Pat bow their heads in prayer and listened as Pat prayed to her Heavenly Father. I didn't hear everything, (I really wasn't trying to eavesdrop) but I did hear her thank God and give Him praise.

As we finished our meal and got ready to leave, I stopped to say bye to the ladies. As we conversed, I was struck by Pat's attitude. I didn't hear any bitterness, self-focused "ness", or even a hint of arrogance. Her words concluded our conversation, "I just give Him thanks for everything, He has been so wonderful to me."

I hope that when I am pressed as she has been, my attitude and my words will be "I just give Him thanks for everything, He has been so wonderful to me."

Hey! I can use my brainstorm idea right now..."in light of eternity"

SO...

In Light Of Eternity, I will quote Paul from 2 Corinthians 4:14-18.

"knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus
will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you.

For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving

to abound to the glory of God. (Yay, Pat!)

Therefore we do not lose heart.

Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
while we do not look at the things which are seen but the things which are not seen.

For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal."


This is my attempt at what my friends Bill and Katie Woodell did in their wedding program (hands down best wedding program ever and most precious ceremony ever too). I forget what it's called, but it's some literary way to place words strategically on a page for emphasis.

Boy this is fun, I really need to go to bed though.

Some more brainstorms...

My sister Stacy is super talented in poetry, painting, writing, and getting under my skin with her endless demands to make me think deeper than I regularly do.

My sisters-in law Dahlia, Megan and Laura are wonderful and I am so thankful for them. They are each so unique and definitely have many things to contribute to the Kingdom.

My husband is definitely writing material. He is the smartest person I know. The whole family would agree with me too. Except maybe his brothers... hee hee. He has opened up the other half of life that I was missing.

(Hey hon, Mia said they would've happily watched the kids if I went to San Diego with you. We'll have to take them up on that some time.)

My Dad, and dad-in-law... oh man don't get me started. Unbelievable. They are STELLAR. Stellar is my new favorite word, thanks Phil Johnson.