Field trip and February

 

Lord, I need You, oh, I need You

Every hour, I need You

My one defense, my righteousness

Oh God, how I need You

Matt Maher, “Lord, I Need You”

On the way back from Nana’s, we spent some time at the same children’s museum we went to nine years ago, wherein Caleb was very much a toddler and my inability to crawl through tunnels was due to the need to keep track of multiple small children rather than my advanced age.

During this February of deadened trees and deadened affections, Lord, I even need You to make me feel how much I need You.

Last time we had communion, our pastor remarked that even though now we observe the Lord’s Supper around a small table, eating and drinking very tiny portions, one day “we will sit at a very big table.” The gray drizzle of this world will be past and we will feast with Jesus in full glorious color, with His people from every tribe, tongue, and nation.

Caleb understood the concept of working the water locks this time, as opposed to merely keeping a death grip on the little boats and repeating, “MINE”

’Cause You fashioned the earth and You hold it together, God

So hold me now

I will lift my eyes to the Maker

Of the mountains I can’t climb

I will lift my eyes to the Calmer

Of the oceans raging wild

I will lift my eyes to the Healer

Of the hurt I hold inside

I will lift my eyes, lift my eyes to You

I will lift my eyes, lift my eyes to You

God, my God, I cry out

Your beloved needs You now

Bebo Norman, “I Will Lift My Eyes”

Ada, 60 seconds after she told Caleb to stop hoarding the controls so little kids could play too

He makes the flowers and the sun come back every spring; He can hold me together. In fact, thanks to the groundhog, this year it’s coming early. 

Spring will heal this February ache, but my better hope is that one day He will heal all the hurts I have inside.

Lizzy playing the part of Little Red Riding Hood and me playing the part of the big bad dinosaur that eats Grandmother.

Every hour, I need you, Lord, to lift my eyes. Lift my chin to gaze at barren mountains and remember Who formed them, and that He calls me Beloved.

Nana and Grandpa and the zoo

Jason was home from our St. Lucia trip a whopping 10 hours before flying out once again to faraway lands on business.

Actually it was only a few states over, but still.

I got reacquainted with my child by playing a round of .com Monopoly, which Jason owned well before we were married, back when the properties made sense, so naturally most of the houses and hotels are missing.

We made do with what we had nearby.

One Kix on Yahoo: a truly daunting space to land on.

Caleb’s improved properties eventually bankrupted me.

A Kix and a Lego on Yahoo: truly unaffordable.

Meanwhile Jason was put up in a fancy hotel. This pic of his morning crema made me wonder if I need a Nespresso.

On his return home, we enjoyed each other’s company once again for a full two weeks, after which I took the kids to visit Nana and Grandpa for a couple days.

We went to the zoo in an effort to be mildly educational.

This smart sandbox thing in the visitor center was really cool—it constantly rearranged the topographical lines and filled in “lakes” as you dug around in the sand.

Then we wandered through the wildflower garden toward the zoo entrance. A zoo for plants, if you will. And all the specimens are hibernating.

The reptile center was nice and warm, although less than accurately named, since it was half filled with frogs.

Poisonous frogs are sooo cute!

This guy looked pretty grumpy about being stared at while he was sleeping. 

In the outdoor exhibits, we found a snoozing raccoon that was SO FLUFFY.

And this gorgeous red fox.

Red wolf. He looks just like the guy in Dances with Wolves!

The sightseeing train wasn’t running in the off season, but Caleb took time to explain to Grandpa all about the gauge of the track.

Next we visited this Indian Crested Porcupine, and who knew porcupines were so cute?

Next door to the porcupines were these show-stealing otters, one of whom was inexplicably chewing on a porcupine quill.

A break to take in the view, and then a visit to the ducks.

And their little chipmunk friend.

Sandhill crane.

After a climb to the very top of the hill, we moseyed back down to the car.

And returned home to enjoy more of Nana’s fabulous cooking.