almost december.

once upon a time 6/7ths of us were steamrolled by a post-thanksgiving flu, and then just about the time i could stand without a perilous case of jelly legs, this oral surgeon stopped in and wrenched out my wisdom tooth.

or actually, i went to his place and paid to have it extracted, but the whole thing still feels crazy, like here, let me trade you $350 for a double helping of misery. with a side of nausea and swollen gums. and for dessert, nearly passing out.

i am on day three of empty socket pain, and i am possibly being a baby about it, but i'd have to say that on the outside i am quite stoic and respectable. you, however, dear blog readers, get direct access to the Inner Workings of my Soul, and in here it's all about the whining and the passing out.

:)

in truth, i think the main problem is that i didn't expect it to hurt much. it's like when you go to watch a nicholas sparks movie thinking it's going to be sappy and horribly predictable, and then when it's halfway decent you're mildly dazed with how not-bad it was. (theoretically. i don't know that this has ever happened in actual real reality, but it could.) (ns fans everywhere, i'm sorry for my feelings on the subject.) so that. it's like that, but in reverse.

also, one more thing and then i promise i shall scoot along to greener pastures: it tastes like a sweaty lemon walked into my mouth and died. why is that? the percocet? the saltwater washes? it's unclear.

but moseying along.

it's that time of year to print your beloved a pair of tea towels, bake up some gingersnaps, or buy them a flock of sheep. it's also that time of year for me to have a christmas sale in my shop, so if you're hankering after a map print, do stop in.



shop sweetTea. sale code: MERRYANDBRIGHT

and while we're talking shop, etsy has a fresh batch of beautiful somethings this season. once in a while i find a gift that is just perfect for someone i know, but mostly my etsy sifting serves up inspiration to dig in and make that little something.

[links here]

okay, so most of those somethings? i probably couldn't pull off. but i could totally learn to make them, in an alternate universe with 60 hour days and a more talented version of me. either way, i'm excited that we've hit the season where i get to make people stuff, and they get to smile and say grazie (translation: what is it?) and wear it around town as if it's their favorite thing ever.

and mostly: i'm glad for the wonder thick around us. for the marvel of God with sinew, lips, elbows. for grace brought close to live with us and die for us.


It's still a mystery to me
That the hands of God could be so small,
How tiny fingers reaching in the night
Were the very hands that measured the sky

Hallelujah, hallelujah
Heaven's love reaching down to save the world
Hallelujah, hallelujah
Son of God, Servant King,
You're here with us

good folks.

one of the bestest parts of my jaunt back home was the chance to see my long-time friend emi.

we met in preschool, where she jumped (fell? was pushed?) off the swings and i purportedly brought her juice. i remember none of this, but i come off looking pretty good, so i'll take it.


[i have no explanation for what i'm doing in this shot, but for the record, i was actually only three here. and i brought people juice. probably.]

em and i had a couple hours free on my last saturday there, so we took her kiddos to say hello to the sea turtles at lani's, then headed into haleiwa for some iconic shave ice. there's a rule about oahu and shave ice: they don't let you leave the island if you haven't consumed your fair share.




this was my only fifteen minutes on the sand, so don't be too jealous. you have full permission, however, to be jealous of my time with emi, because that girl still loves me after all those years of drama and angst and helmet hair. that's some serious friendship.







speaking of friendship, my girl hannah has just designed bunches of happy earrings and necklaces in her shop to benefit a couple missionary families (including ours!) and relief efforts. (click on her 'give back' section to find these guys.) God has heaped such good folks around me on this trek to kenya, and i'm grateful.




and you. every single one of you. what a gift to have such friends, both close and in far-flung corners of this giant ball of earth. i'm overflowing.

happy thanksgiving, dears, whether you're american or not. :)

like home.

so i'm on oahu sharing about kenya with friends and church family and catching up on all that God's been up to in their lives. and mostly i feel like someone hit pause, because even the folks i haven't seen for a decade look exactly the same, except now they come with kids.

the first morning here as i looped out an early morning jog, something hulking on the outskirts of my vision startled me a bit. then a half-second later my brain caught up and i was like, ah. mountains. i do remember those guys.

also, can i just say that it is weird to be in your childhood home and constantly opening the wrong drawers or reaching for a towel rack that is no longer there. muscle memory is a stubborn thing, and maybe also my mom should keep the forks in the same place for all time so it doesn't take me three tries to find them. :)

i'm poured full right now--i've gotten to see so many school and church and family friends, people who have loved me through my growing pains, done life right beside me, made me so much of who i am.

and i'm in this muddled flux of missing my kids and the mister like crazy, but relishing the chance to be with my folks and my brothers and all the good people of hawaii. this place--with its red dirt sidewalks and eucalyptus and tanioka's sushi--this feels like home. the midwest feels like home. and soon east africa will feel like home. and i wonder if i'll always feel a bit stretched, like my heart covers so much terrain, and no matter where i am there's a bunch of precious somebodies i'm missing.

maybe so. probably so. but still, i wouldn't trade this life for anything.