Mon.-Spent the day in Farmville after dropping car off at Davis Pontiac. Lindsay came and got me and we home schooled Emma and Adi together. They learned their S's and worked on a sea animal booklet. Lindsay is a natural teacher and the girls learning process continues during nap time. I heard Adi saying, "Two S's, Three S's, Four S's" as she counted on her fingers while resting in bed. We took an excursion into town and dropped off chairs at The Grind, looked at the Christmas decorations inside the shops, and ate fries at Walker's Diner. I stayed with the girls and watched Tinkerbelle while Gil and Lindsay went on campus to meet with students. Phil picked up Susan since I didn't get the car until after 4:30.
I am thankful for the beautiful artistry and creativity in the Tinkerbelle movie.
I am thankful for the nifty craft ideas I got while visiting the shops in town.
I am thankful that Michael is home this week.
Tues.-Good day in school. Select Choir keeps getting better. In one song, "The African Noel", seven people are singing 5 different parts. Really beautiful. Went to Walmart and the library to drop off books after school. Made pumpkin pie for us and pumpkin bars for teachers meal tomorrow this eve.
I am thankful for caring teachers. I am thankful that God will make a way when there seems to be no way. I am thankful for the Thanksgivingy fragrance of pumpkin and cinnamon which makes me feel all Christmassy inside. I am thankful, because of the songs we've been practicing for the Christmas program, that by the time Christmas comes around, I will have been thinking about Jesus in a manger, shepherds, wisemen, and glorias for at least three months.
Wed.-School. In the eve., I walked around Longwood Campus before small group, praying and feeling bold and invisible. I am thankful that God's invitation to peace, reconciliation, and friendship is based on the premise of truth and trust and forgiveness.
I am thankful that He said, "Cast all of your cares upon me."
Thurs.-Susan and Graham sang 'Silent Night' in chapel. It was sweet and peaceful. We've been practicing the different classroom songs at the end of chapel. I met Lisa H. at Baine's and as always, she helps me, and I am so thankful for this friendship. A little boy came into art class with a tear streaked face and I took his adorable little face in my hands and said, "Jesus loves you. Mrs. Hertzler loves you." And he gulped back more tears and got ahold of the love of God. I watched it happen. Guss said, "Mrs. Hertzler loves everybody in the whole school," and I said, "That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me. I'm going to have to write that down." The other little boys said, "I love you, Mrs. Hertzler. Are you going to write that down?" And I said, "Yes," and here it is. We made little owl pictures and they are just so cute. I worked on another origami project with the second graders. We made clackers, snappers or poppers. I forget what they are actually called. We folded big paper a certain way and then snapped them down and they made a wonderful loud sound. For some reason, I found it exhilarating. One little girl got into it with her body, facial expression, and flying hair and I got her to perform with her popper for Mrs. Jones. Susan and I went to get our weekly ice cream and came home to find Alli braving the role of hunter's wife as she vacuumed packed raw meat. I am busy doing wash and packing. I'm meeting Naomi in Harrisonburg tomorrow morning and I can't wait. My throat, foot, back, neck, and heart is sore and I dearly need a new perspective. I am thankful for dear little boys. I am thankful for second grade. I am thankful for Susan's happiness. I am thankful for peacemakers.
Fri.-Rough night I was thinking too much and the dogs were barking too much and I was having difficulty breathing. Drove to Bridgewater after dropping Susan off at school. I had about 2 1/2 hours to myself before Naomi could get there so I spent some time at the Dayton Farmer's Market. I bought a few things-a book -"When God Weeps" by Joni Eareckson Tada and Steve Estes-(Steve would walk on Park Road and I'd see him sometimes as I looked out our house window. He is just an ordinary guy with an inordinate amount of humility which makes him great in the eyes of God. Susan was a baby when this book came out); some bulk food including gummy sunny side up eggs, and a very sour freshly squeezed lemonade. I saw a group of Mennonites having some sort of meeting at the lunch table and 'The Mennonite Weekly' was sitting there between them and I so badly wanted to flip it open and point out the article on Janelle and say, "That's my sister in law and my daughter took that picture!" I wasn't sure what they would think about that and lost my nerve somewhere on the pathway towards proper behavior. I went back into Bridgewater and parked at our meeting place. When I saw Naomi's car driving into the back street I jumped out of the car and waved my arms and then the guy kept driving and turned towards the bank and I sheepishly acted like I was looking beyond him at someone else when there was really no one there at all. Oh, the silliness of pride and I've got it. It was wonderful to see Naomi when she did get there. After I got into her car, she handed me an invitation to her parent's 50th wedding anniversary. I scanned it and asked, 'Did you print these already?" because I caught a typo right away. She knew about it and that's why she had handed it to me. "We would like you invite you.." she said in her nasally high pitched horrified dutchified voice. She had sealed all of the invitations before she caught it although several people had proofread it and everything. It became one of our jokes for the weekend. "We would like you invite you.." we said over and over again. Later, her brother Sammy suggested that they give a prize to the person at the party who could write down the typing error...as if they tried to make it that way. Oh my. So much laughing. We drove to Krissy's apartment and put some groceries in her fridge. Krissy ended up going to see Zack this weekend instead of hanging out with us but it worked out fine. Naomi and I walked by the river and talked and cried and talked some more.
We went to 'Taste of Thai' for supper and I was in my glory with a platter of Chicken Cashew with Rice. Our server was an oriental man. As he was getting our order, a waitress behind him dropped her tray which resulted in a terrific noise, broken plates, and flying food. He jumped and looked behind him and then rolled his eyes and shook his head. Naomi thought maybe this wasn't the first time this had happened for this waitress and she was quite a pro at sweeping up the mess with a broom and dust pan and brush. I asked our waiter if he was from Thailand and he said he was from Loas and had spent some time in the camps and then moved to Thailand and then to the states. He wondered what part of Thailand I had been in and why and when I told him that my brother in law and his wife were missionaries in Thailand and that he had been killed in Thailand, etc. he said with great compassion, "A drunk driver? So sorry." And he stood there and was quiet for a second and I felt comforted. After supper, we went to the Oriental grocery store right behind the restaurant, and I bought some sticky rice and fish sauce. Now I need a good cashew chicken recipe and this is what I will eat breakfast, lunch, and supper for the rest of my life.
Susan called. She was happy. Philip had joined her for lunch at school. Mrs. Loy had taken good care of him. Freeman picked her up from school. She was wondering where the yeast was because she wanted to make a homemade pizza since Michael had eaten the one she was planning on making for supper. I suggested she make a pizza using Bisquick crust and she was off and running.
Naomi and I made our home base at Sammy and Marta's. Her brother and his wife have three children, ages 15, 11, and 7. They built their lovely home on top of a knoll in the midst of the Shenandoah Valley and mountains. Every window in their house is a picture of serenity and beauty.
(Sammy told this funny story about his and Naomi's dad. Their dad has a hook for a hand due to a farming accident. (Which is another story all on its own, fraught with humor in the midst of the tragedy.) One day, he took the hand of a manikin up to the store clerk and said that he wanted to buy it. So after we stopped laughing, I told how Phil asked a waitress if the restaurant had any scruples and she said, "I'll go back and check." She wasn't overly excited about coming back to our table.)
We watched a movie, 'A walk in the Clouds', and because we kept falling asleep, we watched it again on Sat.
I am thankful for people who make you feel like family just because you are with their family or maybe just because it is the way they are. I am thankful that I finally found the house plan of my dreams and I drew it out for Phil. I am thankful for friendships that last through the years and that when you get together, no time has lapsed, and you pick up where you left off. I am thankful for our dear husbands who are happy that we have a chance to get together with our dearest friends.
Sat.-Took it easy in the morning. Drank lots of tea and coffee. We were getting ready to go shopping at the mall and Naomi was drying her hair so I stood in the doorway (about 12 inches from her face) to watch her and her eyes were closed and her lips were pursed and she was humming a little tune that I memorized by the time she was done. I kept expecting her to open her eyes and see me and sometimes she did open her eyes but she was watching herself in the mirror and didn't see me. Well, this whole thing just had me laughing so hard I could hardly stand upright and of course she couldn't hear me because of the noise and when she finally did see me, I really scared her, which set me off to laughing even harder and the kids came running because they thought we were crying and that something was wrong and I told them that about once a year I have a nervous breakdown while laughing and that I was due for one. All this while I was in hysterics to the point of tears and I finally went into the other bathroom and then Naomi was looking for me and she asked Jacob-7, where I was and he said, "She's probably in the bathroom having her nose is broke down," whereupon, Lucas, 11, corrected him by saying, "Nervous breakdown" and Jacob, who has trouble with saying his r's, said, "Noivous breakdown." Which gave us another whole wonderful experience to laugh about.
So, Naomi and I went shopping at Penney's because they had fantastic 50% off sales plus door buster sales, plus a scratch off card, and we inherited a 30% off card so I was buying $44.00 dress pants for $13.00 and we just had the time of our lives. We ate lunch at Country Cooking halfway through our shopping excursion and headed for home close to dusk and had chili and celery with cheese and popcorn for supper while we rewatched our movie. Marta and Emma joined us after they came home from their Mystery Supper.
I am thankful that Naomi said she was able to sleep in spite of the fact that I snored. I am thankful for the great buys and the way Naomi can put things together since I have no idea how to dress myself properly. I am thankful that I am not worried about my family because Susan and Phil are in charge taking care of things. I found out later that she got to go hunting today. Michael is at Niagara Falls with Cutco. Freeman and Alli are in D.C. with Chi Alpha.
Sun.-Nice leisurely morning. Tidied up our things and their's before leaving a bit before noon while they were in church. Went to Francesca's for lunch and had delicious homemade rolls, salad, and manicotti and cannoli's and a raspberry creme cake for dessert. We took our leftovers back to Krissy's for her to enjoy and took another walk by the river before parting ways around 3 and this time, I had to cry. I made it home before 5. Later in the eve, a friend called with some tough news for Susan and it was almost too much for both teller and hearer to bear. I can't talk about it.
Watched some of a 007 movie with Phil after I put most of my stuff away. Susan texted Makenzie. I am thankful for them both. I am thankful for the way Phil just watches me and smiles and for his kind words, "I missed you every minute of every day. I am so glad you are home." I am thankful for my big tub and a new book to read.
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