August

Because I take so many pictures on any given time, I thought that, every end of the month, I will post choice pictures of the month - those ones that I did not already feature in other post but reflects what happened that month

August...

School starts :  Books are covered with brown paper.

Tim looks old compared to Elisha :)

The yard looks cooler than it felt

Spending more time in learning to draw

Hummingbirds provide daily entertainment

August is like the last month of pregnancy.  You know you have just enough tolerance for the tormenting heat of summer as you look at the depressing gray/brown appearance of the once-upon-a-time green plants - because you know you will get a relief sooner or later.  It is the time when we are all ready for the change but when we get there we'll find out that we're not prepared at all.  Nevertheless, life will go on and we will survive - and with the right attitude we might even enjoy the ride.  :)

The Story Behind the Shell

Sea Snail Shell

Sometimes even a simple picture can initiate a story.  While Tim was on a business trip last week, I sent him a picture of my recent drawing.  He texted me back:

"Where did you get a shell like that?"

I didn't respond because Miriam and I were just leaving the house to go on a date.  So we get to the place and ordered our food.  As we waited I checked my phone again for Tim's message(s).

"I have to admit that at first I thought it was a cinnamon roll? :) "

"Wait,is it a cinnamon roll?"

"I'm sorry."

So I answered back, "Lol it's a shell."  But during the time Miriam and I were at the restaurant I kept trying to understand why he thought it was a cinnamon roll.  And figured out that it must be the highlights that looked like cream cheese frosting.  So I thought maybe I'll change the color next time.

Days later he comes back from his trip.  Miriam tells him of the struggle I had in figuring out his interpretation of my drawing.  Lol. And the revelation was hilarious.  He was right the first time in thinking it was a shell. Whew!  I was relieved to know that I can draw a simple shell!  The cinnamon roll emerge only because I didn't reply to his text immediately.  He thought I was offended, therefore he had to work harder to interpret my work.  A cinnamon roll might be better!  And because I still did not respond after that more enlightened response, he began to doubt again.  At this point he was really lost but he is so sure I was really mad.  "Why is she not responding? What is it really?"   There was a burst of laughter in the house.

And the moral of the story:

My silence doesn't always have something to do with you 

or what you are thinking.

One Sunday Morning in August

Pie and Milk for Breakfast

 It's almost two months now since we started going to Oak Hills Church in Folsom.  And since we attend the first service at nine o'clock, our Sunday mornings have been earlier than it used to.  Unlike before when Tim was the only one who had to get up early, we all get up early now.  Which means that when we eat breakfast during this time of year, the sun is right there at the table with us. :) Last night we had apple pie for dessert because Tim just got back from a trip to Taiwan and by default we have pie for breakfast the next day.

Even milk looks better when it is in the morning light. :)

The Gossards

The Gossard family visited El Dorado Hills! 
The last time Daniel and Becky came was when Eden was a baby.  This is the first time Alex and Elisha came to El Dorado Hills.  And they had the full experience because they came on a really hot summer day - a defining feature of our place. They were such a bunch of troopers!

And of course, for as long as my camera batteries are recharged, I would take pictures.  Here are a few of my favorites.  It turned out that Alex is very photogenic.  :)

Alex, Elisha and Eden

Eden in Focus

Alex

She was sitting so low that I wondered how she would eat her food.

Alex in focus.

The Gossards:  A moment in time.

They so reminded us of the days when our house had three little children. Looking back now, I see a very happy chapter of our life.  If I were to start all over again, that would surely be one part of my life that I would repeat. :)

Defining Marks

"Peaches" in colored pencil (8/3/2016)

In developing my new hobby, drawing, I have been using things that are found in my garden as my subject.  This summer, fruits seemed to be the obvious choice.  Being in close proximity, I thought that I would have a better grasp of the appearance of the fruits and the relationship between light and shadow on their form. I found out that I have no mastery of the fruits I have been eating and growing in my garden.  Take the peach for example,  I may be familiar with the general appearance but I found it difficult to draw and depict that general impression of a peach even if I am actually looking at a picture to copy during the process.  At first it came out looking like a lemon and I would have been happy to call it so but the leaf did not match the fruit. Oh, the joy of teaching myself something new.  I'm sure that there are instructions on how to do these simple things but I want to experience the process of discovering the marks that define an object.  There is indeed a deeper sense of understanding required in being able to duplicate what we see as beautiful.

Life presents us a similar structure. We are always copying something and Christians for example are called to copy the life of Christ. The question is, what is the rate of success in producing the Christ-like appearance in their lives?  We have a general idea of what a Christian should look and we admit that we live that life and yet we still need to tell others that we are Christians.  Should it not be enough that others look at us and know that we are?  I have learned, as clearly depicted through my attempts in drawing, that it is the small details of our lives that define our true form when we are exposed to light.  A slight deviation from such details will distort the image.  This makes me think of my own life.  What image does my life illustrate?  Do people see a picture of a follower of Christ?  If not, what defining marks am I missing?

"An unexamined life is not worth living."  Socrates

Sweet Sixteen

Miriam is sixteen!  As if it was only yesterday... It was a very hot day when I had to go to the hospital to have a baby, my smallest baby.  Now she's not that small anymore.  She has grown to be a beautiful smart, confident and considerate person. As much as I would describe her siblings as such, but she is completely different and unique.  God was gracious to give her to us.  

At sixteen...

Boss Drummer 

Four AP classes

Braces in place

Long term friend of Becky Carmickael

Owns a bunny and a dove

Traveled alone on a multiple-legged trip

The only girl in the group "Half and Half"

Successfully denied hope to several admirers but remained as friends

Filed a thousand songs in her playlist

Avid fan of "Hamilton".  She can sing the whole sound track.

Wears Converse shoes - primarily in primary colors.

Has a good friend named Keeton West. 

Legally permitted to learn to drive. She's a calm driving student.

Loves Macaroni and Cheese, Brie, Cheese Curds and Caesar Salad

She thinks she and I can eat a whole tub of cream puffs while watching television

Has a high-paying job dog-sitting three dogs.

Been to eight countries, so far.

 But then again, she's only sixteen...I can only imagine what God has in store for her.  God Bless my daughter so that she will walk closely with Him.