I Never Knew

Today I've learned more about Gayle Mackenzie.  She told a very interesting story/testimony at a women's group meeting about her past and her walk with God.  She and I have known each other for a long time, attended the same bible studies, women's conferences, and even tailgated at Arco Arena together.  She's beautiful, smart, talented, and she loves the Lord.  She likes to prepare food for people and enjoys working in the Children's ministry.  She and her husband sit on the same side of the sanctuary during worship service that I could isolate her voice when we're singing hymns and praises.  I thought I knew her.  But today I found out one more thing about her.  In her maiden name Gayle Kovaly, she was Miss USA!  She did not mention details but in my research I found out that she was a finalist in the 1969 Miss International Beauty Pageant in Japan.  Indeed she was a celebrity.  

Gayle now hangs out with the Greatest Celebrity that ever walked the earth - our Savior Lord Jesus Christ. 

Just Miriam, Brahms and I

Miriam and I had a pie-making session this afternoon.   She watched me make one and then she made her first pie!  I helped her peel the apples but everything else was done by her.  I told her that she is "The Youngest Pie-Making-Lewis".   We brought one of the pies to Mr. Tom Jenkins and the other one was for us.  The combination of our homemade-GrannySmith-pie) and Kirkland (Costco) vanilla ice cream is the one of my favorite desserts in the world.  I'm positive that Brahms and Shannon would agree with me.  Miriam eats her pie in its purest form- no ice cream.  Sometimes Tim also eats his pie that way.

Today she also told me that if I compete in the reality cooking show "Chopped" I would win.  What a complement!  My daughter has the total confidence in my cooking abilities.  She must really like the food I feed her.  Someday she will find out that her mother is no chef at all.  But then she'll be older and independent that nostalgia will over-rate and exaggerate her childhood memories including the food that her mommy made for her. 

Brahms went out today to tutor Michael Montejano.  After that he spent the rest of the afternoon working on his homework and making a video. 

Brahms and Miriam get along really well except when Brahms tries to parent her.  For example this morning he commented on the excessive amount of butter she was spreading on her toast.  That didn't settle well for Miriam.  :)

We were a few minutes late to church today but that's normal for us anyway.  After that we came back home and ate some left-over halibut and roasted butternut squash - which were surprisingly very good even on the second day.  Dinner was oven-raasted chicken quarters, spinach salad and of course, pie for dessert.  The day was generally restful.  We had our devotion and prayer time just the three of us - Tim being in Taipei on a business trip/conference.

Cutest Card of the Year

Handmade card by Maya Musselman - September 2011

 Maya, my niece sent this card to Miriam and Brahms.  I believe that it was intended to give comfort to her cousins who just had their sibling Shannon leave for college. 

I like to keep a record of the early works of the kids whenever I can because they are one of a kind.   Their works give us a glimpse of how their young minds and tiny hands translate thoughts into art and writings. 

Maya - May 2011

 

Letter from Mrs. Cox

This card shows two obvious truths:  Miriam is doing great in middle school and she has a great teacher. 

We Left Her in Irvine

We watched Shannon walk away...

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Breakdfast

Purchased printer, textbook for Shannon and souvenirs (hats, sweatshirts, t-shirt) for the rest of us at the UCI Bookstore

Purchased bicycle for Shannon.

Bought little things such as Coke, bottled water, tylenol, etc. for Shannon

Played Civilization 5  (Tim's is still winning)

Brahms led devotions at the hotel lobby.

Ronnie and Irene Lim delivered the fridge, that we stored at their house, to the hotel.

 

Once they were always together...

Leonard

(Leonard is a doll that Miriam made for her sister. We tucked him under her bed cover before we left the Shire.)

How can a parent prepare for a time as this?

 

Only by trust and faith in God and the confidence on our child. 

 

Sunday, September 18, 2011

7:00  Breakfast at Embassy Suites, Irvine.

8:30 New Song Church, Shannon went to sign her name to indicate her intention to volunteer at the Children's ministry.

9:00   Worship Service at New Song.   Shannon met people in the New Song College group. Talked to the college pastor Abe Park.

11:00  We helped Shannon move in to Middle Earth Housing.

12:30  We went out to eat lunch together at Carl's Jr.

2:00  Dropped her off at the Berkeley Place Parking lot.  We hugged and said goodbyes and watched her walk towards Middle Earth.

2:15   We drove back home and arrived at about 10:30 pm. 

She now lives so far away from us - 8 hr-drive on I-5

Everyone is sad that there are only four people in our family now.  Miriam teared up several times at the thought of not having her sister with her anymore.  Brahms regrets that the only person he knew ever since he was born (other than mommy and daddy) is not with him anymore. 

This is Shannon's time to try her wings and see how they fare out there.  We've done all we can to prepare her for this time.  May God be with my daughter always...

Brahms is Sixteen Today

It is hard to believe but it has been sixteen years ago when a 10.4 pound baby was born to us.  Now he is a young man with so much energy and enthusiasm to learn.  As a junior in high school, he is taking five AP (Advance placement) classes and an engineering class.  He is a hard-working student.   When he is not studying, he would be reading, working as a tutor, writing a blog, playing bass in youth band, helping in children's ministry at church,  taking pictures, making YouTube videos, learning to play banjo, reading John Piper's "Think", planning his next trip, mowing the lawn, telling us what he just read, playing MineCraft, writing, making mazes, looking for food from the fridge, and many more.


 Brahms is a kind, considerate, and self-controlled guy. I am very proud to be his mother.  I thank God for He gave us the greatest son we could ever have. 

Tonight we are going to celebrate at his favorite hamburger place - Mels.  (We are just waiting for Tim to arrive from helping the Neff family move from Rescue to their new house in Coloma.) Instead of a cake Brahms requested for homemade apple pie.  I made a ten-inch apple pie and it will be served with vanilla ice cream. 

Time with Sue

 

Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art (for God did not need to create).  It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival.   ~ C.S. Lewis  

Sue and I took the time to catch with each other by getting lunch at Togo's today.  Life does not seem right when we do not get to talk to each other for a week.  We lose track of what's going on in each other's life and that doesn't settle well with either of us.  So we go out and do something together and share.  We talked about the kids, church, why we both do not work,  our spouses, their jobs, and chores we have not finished.  It is always refreshing getting-together with her.