MOVE DAY

I will post some photos soon since we have moved all the big pieces of furniture into the house. We have draperies in most room, trash cans, most furniture in place except the chairs in front of the fireplace.

WOW

...I was speechless when I stepped onto the back patio to see the large orange sun setting in the western sky and the orange full moon rising in the eastern sky, same time, opposite ends of the sky....breathtaking...awesome....unbelieveable!

I have never seen this before...didn't think it was possible to see....both beautiful, so beautiful that I kept turning my head from side to side to look at each. WOW ...what else can you say? Has anyone else seen this?

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012

...it's hard to believe we are one week into a New Year..and the changes continue. The contractors are having a slow start as no one showed up on January 3rd for work...or the 4th....and so after many calls, Jim Donaldson reported that the cabinets are still not complete. Disappointed.....but it made for an easy decision to return to Shreveport and WAIT. We plan to return at the end of the month, that is if the floors are finished and then we can begin to move furnishings into the Gathering House/Main House.

I am having mixed emotions about all this...and I am not sure I can explain it. The house is beautiful and well done, classic, timeless...truly a work of art per my friend, Dianne Gosslee. However I am at the brink of tears most days....not sure I understand how all this happened. Humble to have the opportunity to create, to see this home realized in respect to what was only in my mind's eye. Emotional about the possibilites....the present, the future. Emotional about the gifts....many many gifts...

Merry Christmas 2011

"Home: understanding the little and often ramshackle shed of spiritual life that holds such immortal treasure of the soul and thereby vast energy for being and doing- and this little testudo, little refugio, like a turtle's shell, even though it often looks far less promising, is a beautiful protective carapace for the soul, and far exceeds burying oneself in the securely appointed castle filled only with "treasure" of ashes with no phoenix", from my new favorite book, Untie the Strong Woman by Clarissa Pinkola Estes, PhD, page 229.

Home: understanding that it is far more than the stone and mortar, brick, wood or hay, it is a symbol of all there is, all the possibilities. On one special night, our blessed Mary and Joseph made their home in a stable as they traveled through Bethlehem. They carried their home on their backs much like a turtle. These two disciples are courageous examples of faith and love. Thank you to the first Christian family for saying YES.

This year is our first Christmas with our 3 married children spending their holiday with their new families, their in-laws. We feel grateful that they each have receptive, loving new families. Christmas 2011 is special because Yaya is with us and we await the Morrell Family for a reunion on Christmas Day. Home is where the heart is, right?

Changes ....more and more changes....

...tonight I am not able to sleep. It's not because there is anything wrong, I am just pondering, that is, trying to mentally catch up with, all the changes. Tonight I am wishing that life would stay still for a bit while I catch my breath. It feels like I have been running and just need a "water break", so I can tie my shoe, breathe, re-evaluate my course, wipe my brow, before running again. Truth is, change is necessary, important, good....it's just that I feel like I am "chasing daylight" ...however, when the sun comes up in the morning, I will be good to go!

about this change thing....when we started OMESA, Nicole was living with Ashley in San Francisco, Ellie was unmarried, studying medicine in New Orleans, and William was unmarried, working and studying in Houston. OMESA was a dream. The plan was to build a home to live and gather everyone together, a place for recreation, solitude, restoration, enjoyment, rest, refreshment, contemplation...you got the idea? Well, we are about to complete this home and everything has changed. Nicole and Ashley are moving back to their beloved Virginia, Ellie and Matt are considering a committment with the Family Doctors in Shreveport, and William, Jorie and Liam are moving back to Shreveport and just bought a home 2 blocks from our Gilbert Place home.

So will we ever see our children in Fredricksburg? Will any of them have the TIME to visit? Will my precious children slow down long enough to watch the sunset, the sunrise, the birds soaring with the wind, the clouds moving in and then moving out, meet the resident porcupine strolling along side the barn, or just having a glass of tea on the back patio and sharing TIME with their 'ol mom. Not sure how all this works...this thing called life...we work our lives to be able to afford the enjoyable TIME with our loved ones but about the TIME you can sit for a moment, there's no one there to sit with you. It's this that is keeping me up tonight.

So here's what I think.... I am watching my children do what I did...hard to see at times....racing around as they build their careers, building their homes, their lives with family and friends, balancing responsiblities with commitments and taking them all seriously. I guess I was a good mentor for this, because they are all doing this life-thing in a similar fashion: all very successful...whatever that means. So I imagine they will look up in 35 years and see their own children gone, their bodies tired, some family members gone and burned out on their careers ...and maybe ask of themselves the same question, where's everybody? Maybe then they may hear OMESA calling them "home". So with Bill traveling and staying "busy"...I guess I will have TIME to sit at OMESA and ponder...so I will let you know what I conclude, that is, unless something changes!....

.... so it's with gratitude that I pray...."thank you God for the changes...for children who are living their lives fully, working, loving, growing and living good lives for you. I pray that they can be still long enough to feel your presence in their daily lives, to feel your love and know it's okay to stop running and breathe, to take a water break and visit their 'ol mom at OMESA.

Tonight I think about the love of St. Mary saying yes to you, Lord, as she left her family to join Joseph in their adventure with your Son. During this Christmas season, I am reminded that changes are a part of life, that we can plan all we want as long as we remember YOU HOLD THE ERASER. "


We hope to have all the children in Fredericksburg between Christmas and New Year's. Maybe they will meet Pat ( the OMESA resident porcupine)....and maybe they will want to come back to OMESA again and again...maybe, just maybe....

I hope this home on a rock will feel good to their hearts and they will want to be there to refresh their soul...and sit with their 'ol mom...that is before something changes AGAIN!

Furniture for Cabinets

Our cabinet maker, Ward Johnson, is finally working on the kitchen. We are using Gene Smith to paint the cabinets ( furniture)....you see, Ward says he is taking longer then normal because " I am not building cabinets, I am making furniture".... hmmm...his reason for taking forever....but they are certainly worth the wait! We have also moved some furniture into the casitas with hopes that we can use at least one of them for this Christmas. The casita #one entrance is shown above. What's that broom doing in the picture?...yep, we are cleaning up and getting ready to move in!