I'd Rather Have a Frog

I wasn't going to post this, but then I thought, "Hey, they already know I'm nuts!"  So I threw caution to the wind, and here it is... 

I've never written poetry before.  It was for a contest; I just won't tell you who sponsored it. ;)  The folks up here might run me out of town.  (Just kidding!)

 

 

A froggy sat alone one day,

A lovely princess for to see,

To come and kiss his froggy nose,

And from his spell, to be set free.

 

The princess came and scooped him up

And stuffed him in her pocket.

"I'd rather have a frog," she said,

"Than a silver locket."

 

"A handsome prince I'll turn into

If you will only kiss me,

A charming prince with blue, blue eyes

If you will only risk me."

 

The princess rolled her royal eye

In its haughty socket.

"I'd rather have a frog," she said,

"Than a prince within my pocket."

 

"A pious minister?" he tried,

"A fire and brimstone preacher,

A most respected citizen,

A real lost-soul reacher?"

 

The princess said, "I've one at home,

His name is Samuel Crocket.

Now, froggy, dear, be nice and good,

And stay inside my pocket."

 

"A movie star so rich and cute

With California abode,

A private plane, a pleasure cruise,

Cash flowing by the load?"

 

The princess cried, "I'll never kiss you!

I like you as you are.

Though a movie star is tempting;

I'd rather have a frog by far!"

 

~Written by Aimee

May, 2010

 

Six Months Already

Such wonderful, musical memories! I can hardly believe it... it's already been six months since we visited AZ. That was the last really wonderful music session I've had, and it was SO good to see all our people again. If I could post videos (dial-up, don't you know), I would post us doing "Days of Elijah" with that big huge group. In a couple of the pictures, Aimee, Kate, and I are practicing "When It's All Been Said and Done" with piano, guitar, and pennywhistle. We got to sing it during communion the next Sunday. It was so good to see my violin-playing friend N; in this picture, we're trying to remember "I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say" the way we used to play it together. Then we had three violins, a viola, two guitars, and my pennywhistle playing our top-favorite Irish jig set, "The Road to Lisdoonvarna/Swallowtail Jig". Why the close up of me making a weird face? Well, if I could caption that picture, it would say, "Sometimes you just feel short. Like when you find yourself standing UNDER the neck of your friend's guitar." ;) We also had a great time catching up on favorite Rich Mullins and Celtic music (even though it was like 80 degrees in November, and silly OR-girl was wearing long sleeves and a woolen Tam O'Shanter!)

So, I remember it all with great fondness. Thank you to everyone who helped make that such a special time. (Especially you, Lisa and Anna, for taking the great pics I just posted!) We miss you!

Astoria Column

An adventure on Saturday...

My head is throbbing-I just climbed the 164 steps of the Astoria Column. I was scared and so was Perry, but I tried not to yelp about it too much. At the top, where it was really cold, you could see the bridge to WA, Young's Bay, Warrenton, and the Pacific Ocean. A really incredible experience... If anybody visits us, we'll have to take you there. That was really cold. :)

Mastering the Social Aspects of Driving

Anyone with a creative imagination can picture my driving so far.  It began, white-knuckled, at about 10 to 15 mph, jolting, jerking, sharply turning, down a curvy country road.  Woe betide the situation in which I should have to drive faster than 25, meet another vehicle coming down the road, use my brakes on a curvy down slope, turn on windshield-wipers or turn signal, or lay eyes on a logging truck.  Can't remember the most exhausting part of learning to drive?  The hysterical giggling.

 

Yeah.  Hopefully you're starting to get the picture.

 

Well, things have improved somewhat (though I've still never driven under more "normal" town circumstances.)  I am able to go about 30, maybe 35 on a rare straight area.  I guide the big, red 15-passenger beast around curves with grace and aplomb (most of the time... heh, heh...), as long as you don't ask me to go too fast. ;)  I can park, back up—sort of; I even backed down the massively sloping driveway!  I passed a loaded logging truck the other day.*  And I only scared my Dad at the end of that trip by flying into the church parking lot... again!  I've driven in the rain (Ha, T!) although I guess I was only going 25-ish, and I used the windshield-wipers without having to stop in the middle of the road!

 

But the big accomplishment...

 

I have mastered the social aspects of driving in the country.  Two girls, one in a large red van, another in a large green van meet each other on a road... and, yes, I properly executed the Friendly Country Wave!!!  Tasha just invites that! ;)  The very next day, when driving home from Ladies' Bible Study with Mom, I spotted a bunch of kids we have met up on their family's hill... what d'ya do??  HONK!  Just a friendly "bip-bip."  I did not run off the road, neither did I halt!

 

So, while I would curl up and die on a freeway, and go back to white-knuckling it in a small town, I am improving at driving home from church. ;)

 

 

*Uh... just a little disclaimer: the logging truck was parked on the shoulder. ;)

 

Kate: Homeschool Convention

The weekend before last, we went to a homeschool convention in a town near Seattle, Washington.  We had to drive for four hours so we got up around four o'clock.  Perry, Aimee, and I took part in a chorale of 211 youth.  Our director was very good and could hear the slightest off-tune note.  He'd have us sing a note and hold it so he could hear if it fit right with the other parts.  The night of the performance, we stood on risers that were built for 180, so we were kinda' squished, and some people had to stand on the stage in front of the risers.  It was really hard to hold our music, so another girl and I worked out a system.  I would hold the music folder and she and her friend would look over my shoulders.  Then, when we had finished a song, I would hand it to her to hold.  During practice, I kept dropping my music, so this was a good plan.  We sang an arrangement of "Fairest Lord Jesus," "God So Loved the World," "The Heavens are Telling," and "Ain't that Good News."

We got changed into our black and white outfits during the lunch break because there wasn't going to be much time to change later.  This turned out to be very wise because, later, in the small time frame between practice, rehearsal, and performance, there was a mad rush for the restrooms.  Tons of chorale girls were doing their hair, changing their clothes, etc.  (The boys took way less time getting ready!)  One girl even brought a curling iron!

Anyway, we had a good time and glorified God.