I love being the parent of a six year old. Each day is a grand new adventure for her, and life is unfolding in a beautiful way. It's marvelous to watch and experience.

This evening our daughter sang to me-- song after song about brushing teeth, saying goodnight, and beautiful blue skies. Shy, until now she has not wanted to sing along with either me or the radio, and has painfully endured school performances. So, when tonight after a bedtime story she suggested she sing me a song, I was happily surprised. My mouth felt caught in a perpetual smile as she created each new song and made her voice sound as musical as she could, singing with an unselfconscious freedom. Even as I write, I can hear her singing in her room— it sounds like a bedtime operetta. Such moments are intoxicating for me.

Yummy!

Last summer I mentioned that I'm a whim chaser, and the successes and failures I was experiencing in the journey. I've been trying new recipes for over a year now, and I thought I’d share an absolute winner. This rub for steak is incredibly flavorful—try it!



Texas Signature Steak Rub

This recipe from Chef Kevin Williamson was the winner of the 2000 Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Festival. Use a good cut of meat, well marbled. Serves 6


1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons dark chili powder
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon dry Mexican oregano
1 tablespoon dry sweet basil
2 tablespoons dry mustard
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons garlic


Thoroughly mix all ingredients. Rub on steaks. Cover and refrigerate one hour. (If you have the time, marinating them overnight in the 'fridge is even better!)

Broadway, the Blues, Blessings, and Birthdays


Our MS/HS end of the year concert was a Broadway Revue. This year I asked our choreographer to tackle three choirs and 5 songs, and the results were amazing! It took hard work on everyone’s part (and some extra rehearsals) to make the show a success, and in the end it was worth it. I completely love it when my students are enjoying performing and this particular concert was especially gratifying. At the end of each song the kids were smiling and out of breath, their faces shining with the
joy of accomplishment. It was a good night.


Two days later we presented our Elementary Program, Music in Our World. The children sang with energy and the cute factor was tremendous. There’s something precious about watching young children perform—their singing and playing is so free.

The hectic nature of the week left me tired and open to the blues as I moved through the weekend and into a week of introspection and reflection. Tuesday, the 27th, marked the 9th anniversary of our son Jesse’s death, and the day was full of memories-- some unbidden, some shared by much loved friends, and some pursued by our aching hearts. The week seemed long, the days weighted. Tears ebbed and flowed.

Nine years ago on May 31st, we buried our youngest son. As long as I live, I’ll never forget images of that day that are seared into my mind. I remember thinking that I would always see that date on the calendar as bleak. Six years ago, on May 31st, our daughter Marla was born and placed in my arms. What had been the darkest day of my life, was covered by an unexpected mercy. This year, as I felt the weight of that date approaching, I also felt joy as I prepared for a birthday party for Marla at the park.

Graduation for our school was the 30th, Marla’s birthday eve. I went to the ceremony, expecting to hurt a bit, as I do each year at this event, but instead I was blessed. One of our school’s seniors shared her love for Christ and her class in a testimony that was awe-inspiring.




















The evening progressed with beautiful music by four seniors that I love and will miss greatly as they move into their college experiences, and with fine speeches by co-valedictorians. What had threatened to be a difficult evening was instead a gift, and I left smiling.


Saturday morning I was up early making brownies for Marla’s birthday party, then scurrying around packing supplies, games, and decorations. The party was at Sybelia Point Park, a beautiful place tucked away on the north end of Lake Sybelia. Although the morning was hot, there was a nice breeze and most of the parents stayed in the shady comfort of the pavilion. The children played on the equipment, explored the dock area, and had a great time. I spent most of the morning smiling, watching them interact, and enjoying the conversations around me, finding myself grateful once again for the mercy of God in our lives.