The Baltimore Museum of Industry

We'd heard great things, over the years, of the Baltimore Museum of Industry, and we figured we should probably make use of these great facilities while we are still able to. Can we say, "field trip"?

It's a well-appointed joint, with all sorts of interesting displays. The grocers, cannery, workshop, apothecary, printers, tailors and more are all represented in different rooms with all the assorted items associated with the trade. Different printing presses, medicinal jars and workshop tools are all on display. 

 For those who don't know much of Baltimore's history, it's instructive; for those born and bred here, it's a celebration of local ingenuity and progress. It was incredible to see how many industrial processes got there start here in Baltimore!

The only downer was how little there "progress" there was toward making the museum "child-friendly". Most rooms had a little green box with a couple of booklets, puzzles or some Duplo inside, but that's all there was for the kids to engage with. My kids were so much more interested in the displays, which were all set up as if the workers stepped out for lunch but would resume work shortly - meaning, there were tools and cans and jars and just stuff left out for authenticity. What kid, well-behaved or no, would rather look at a picture than touch the real thing? Not mine, that's for sure.

So, while I would definitely recommend paying a visit the sometime, it might be worth waiting until your kids are in the preteen years - or so young that they're still confined to a stroller.  Maybe by the time they're old enough, the museum curators will have made some more child-friendly adjustments.

The next (uncomfortable) adventure

It's been more than 5 years, now, since my husband has started exploring whether he might be called to pastoral ministry. I still remember the morning God got his attention through Ecclesiastes 3:11:

 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.

 

Over these last 5 years, God has provided opportunities for Toby to preach, lead a care group, serve in children's ministry and various other capacities, and even work a 4-day week to spend one day each week at church, serving on the leadership team.

 

Earlier this year, Toby was invited to apply to the Sovereign Grace Pastor's College in Louisville, Kentucky. His application, complete with recommendations for our pastors, was accepted last month.

 

And now, it's time for the next step on this crazy adventure.

 

This September, we'll be packing up the clan, renting out the house, and heading southwest. It's going to be difficult to say good-bye to friends, neighbors, and family, but we are in faith for all God has called us to.

 

Interestingly enough, we don't know what that is yet. We are excited by the prospect of being involved in a church plant, but we're not totally sure where that will be. There are, currently, no fixed plans after June.

 

Through all of this, we have seen and continue to see God's guidance and provision for us. Though we are "going, not knowing", we know the One whom we serve and that is enough for us. We would covet your prayers, however:

• that we would find a family to rent our home (we have already organized a home to rent in KY)
• that all the moving details would come together
• to coin a phrase, to "make new friends and keep the old"
• for the kids to adjust to new...everything
• for Toby's step back into full-time study, after more than 15 years of the working world
• for a church to serve at the end of college
• for wise financial stewardship during a year of no income

 In all these things, we are trusting God and His faithfulness. In all these things, too, we are out of our comfort zone. Yet, Hebrews 13:12-14 encourages each of us:

So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood.  Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured.  For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.

While it would be easy and pleasant for us to continue to carry on as always, we feel that Jesus is calling us to step outside the safety of the camp and join Him in what He is doing. We know that we are safest where He is, wherever that might be, and we're excited to be involved in His kingdom-building mission.

The Orchid Cowl

A simple pattern with lovely soft yarn.

 It makes the knitting such a pleasure, as does the knowledge that you're using up just a little more yarn in your closet.

Details on my ravelry page.

Location, location, location

After I hung up a load of laundry outside, I noticed a wren flitting around with nesting material in his beak. I assumed he was building a nest in our canoe. Again.

 When I pulled the laundry off the line, I realized my mistake as soon as I put my hand in the peg bag...

 That poor bird must have worked awfully hard to stuff all that material into my peg bag in just one afternoon!

 

Thankfully, there were no eggs, but I still think the local house wren population needs a better realtor.

Finally!

Well, it took him nearly 7 years, but Noah finally managed to loose some teeth!

Because it's Noah and he doesn't tend to do the conventional thing, he lost two at the same time.

 

Okay, so he lost one and then I pulled the other wiggly one out. I did have permission, though.

 

He's the only Gayner kid to have received a dollar bill for his teeth, much to the indignation of his sisters - evidently the Tooth Fairy pays delayed tooth loss with interest.

Wet Weather Fun

A couple weeks ago, friends asked us to join them for a picnic and swimming trip. Unfortunately, it rained on our parade, but these friends of ours are smart - they had a backup plan. What do you do with a dozen or so kids that were hoping to spend time swimming? You take them to the mall for a scavenger hunt, of course!

3 moms with a combined total of 16 children split up into 4 teams and wandered all over our local mall looking for the mall map...

...having pictures taken with an employee (fairly rubbish pictures, but whatever)...

 

...saluting in front of the Yankee Candle store...

...and collecting various other items like employment applications, tissue paper, and strangers' signatures. It was so fun - for the kids and for the moms. I think the highlight for us parents, though, was the opportunity to publicly embarrass our children by providing the winning team with a victory dance. Who could pass that up?

9

Anna had her ninth birthday yesterday. Of course, this is where I join the ranks of countless parents in saying how quick it's gone and how I can't believe she's growing up so quickly...but that's boring. So, let me share with you nine things about Anna, for her ninth birthday:

1. She's an excellent musician, with a great ear and a natural affinity. She's coming along well with her piano playing, and has expressed an interest in the saxophone and the viola!
2. She is incredibly friendly. Anywhere this girl goes, she makes an instant friend.
3. She's really protective. She really personifies the idea that one can torture one's own family, but pity the outsider who gives it a try.
4. When asked which special people she would like to spend time with, her extended family - grandparents, cousins, etc - are usually the top of the list.
5. She's got an amazing imagination. Pretend games are the main diet of play in our house, and it's usually Anna who's at the center of organizing some elaborate plot for everyone to act out.
6. She will probably grow up to at least experiment with being a vegetarian. I know of no children who get as excited as she about salad!
7. She can be very compassionate. When Dan swallowed a marble a while ago, she was in tears thinking that he might have been hurt. (It passed without incident)
8. She's energetic. After being awake at some ungodly hour, she had enough energy that I found it necessary to have her run up and down the road for a while!
9. She can be forgiving. In decorating her cake yesterday, I got distracted and instead of putting a "9" on her cake, I got half way through a "5" before I realized what I was doing. I quickly tried to make it into a "9", but it ended up being more of a "6". Before I fixed it (I really did!), she looked at it, cocked her head and said, "Thank you?"

 

Happy Birthday, my sweet girl.

Spring CousCous Salad

When it's dark and cold, I'm all about warm meals, especially for lunch. But when it's light at 5:30am (ask me how I know) and just looking at the kitchen makes me over heat, I love me some salad. But a green salad gets boring after a while...
I found this recipe on Pinterest and have made (and eaten) it plenty. It's fast, it's yummy, it's healthy, and probably my favorite part - since it's got asparagus, my kids aren't interested. Win!

Spring Couscous Salad

Ingredients

• 1 cup Israeli couscous (if you can't find it, regular couscous works fine)
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 3 pieces of bacon
• 1/2 cup fresh English peas
• 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Combine the olive oil and couscous in a large skillet over medium high heat. Toast the couscous until just golden brown and then add the chicken stock. Stir occasionally and let cook until all the liquid is gone. Transfer the cooked couscous to a bowl and set aside.
2. Place another skillet over medium heat. Add the strips of bacon and cook until crisp on both sides. Remove bacon from the skillet and add the trimmed asparagus. Saute for 4-5 minutes and season with salt and pepper as needed. Add the asparagus to the cooked couscous.
3. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the peas and blanch for about 3 minutes. Drain the peas and shock them in an ice bath. Add peas to the couscous mixture.
4. Toss together the couscous and vegetables with the lemon juice and zest. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if desired. Also, feel free to add a teaspoon or so of the bacon drippings if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature. I've also kept some in the fridge to eat later in the week - it's still good cold, but the flavors are a bit more muted, so 30 seconds in the microwave help kick up the flavor.

Just remember - bacon makes everything better.

Nom nom.

Not your average date night

A while back, I was scrolling through the Groupon offers for our area when I came across one for archery. I don't know much about bows and arrows, beyond what I did in my high school gym class more than 15 years ago, but it looked like fun. Toby thought so, too, because when I asked if he'd be interested, he excitedly responded, "Book it!"

The guys at Deer Creek Archery in Churchville were nice and gave us a quick tutorial on how to use the equipment and some basic safety measures, then let us get on with things.

You're shooting at various targets and foam animals in a large, indoor range. Our beginners' bows only reach about 25 yards, but the range is possibly double that size.

 

We would totally go back again, though going through a Groupon offer is the cheapest way to go, unless you have your own equipment. So, if you're looking for something fun beyond the dinner-and-a-movie option, this might be worth a visit.

And I just want to say for the record: I think it says a lot about a marriage if you can go out for the evening, play with deadly weapons, and still come home smiling.

Motherhood

It's hard stuff, this "mom" gig. The more kids I have, the more I realize how much I have to learn - that "having half a dozen theories and no kids to half a dozen kids and no theories" scenario.

One thing that's clear - kids change you:

• they show me my sin, and they're really only scratching the surface of it!
• they've made me braver
• they've made me learn to not care what others think so much
• they've made me tired - really tired
• they've made me wish I paid better attention in school
• they've made me realize I wasn't such a bad (little) kid after all
• they've made me want to apologize for my teenage years
• they've made me pray

I can be thankful, though, that I'm not the same impulsive, spoiled, selfish brat I used to be (of course, my sin is still there, it's just a little more sophisticated at times), and that God has used my kids to help me grow in Christ-likeness.
I am also thankful that on the days when everything seems to be changing at once (or when I'm sure I'll never see the change I want!), God is faithful:

...let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.  Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.

Hebrews 10:22-23