The Kohlmans

We've made a little progress since my long list post. Now we have things hanging on the walls in our bedroom and the office. Without further ado, in case you really do care what my home looks like... The center frame is a picture of my bouquet. The two on the sides are the actual petals from it; I knew I didn't want to just dry the flowers and keep the bouquet in tact, so this Martha Stewart idea to press the petals and frame them was perfect. I love how they turned out! The wall hanging is our house-warming present from my mom and sisters. They did it all. Our pretty blue hydrangeas look great. So do the white ones, but they're not as much fun to take pictures of. And.... the floors are now a work in progress! Brad and his uncle Greg spent most of Sunday working on them. The picture doesn't do them justice... more will come when they are further along. I can't believe that this week is already July... not that this is a bad thing. We've done a lot in the last c...

A list, not of overwhelming proportions, not of things I will force myself to do. A list of pure, summertime fun... energy... excitement... longings... expectations... for when lazy days like today are too much for me to handle. The wood floors still sit in their boxes. (Maybe this weekend, but if not, then for sure two weeks from this weekend.) The rug, then, is still in the wrapping. (I'm not trying to display it yet, so no worries!) The pictures still lie on the floor. (They are mostly at least in the room where they will hang. Today we bought picture hangers for one Brad got at Christmas.) The hydrangeas have been moved to pots in the shade. (I think they look better already.) One week later... Grammar Rock came. I reminisced. It's still in the box, waiting for the day when I break it open and dedicate some real time to contemplating how it will help me teach parts of speech. Our desk from Bethel has been stripped, sanded, stained, and finished. Eight-ish months later. (The...

My parents sent me this article about my middle school English teacher. Read it. Remington teacher gives gifts beyond grammar - Newton, KS - The Newton Kansan Posted using ShareThis

What an exciting title! I know, I just can't help myself. At least I have a little alliteration. Story one: Sunday night. High school seniors - scratch that, college freshmen. Our house. If it were just the tp, I'd have no problem. But climbing onto our air conditioner to look in our kitchen window, going around back (through the closed gate) into our fenced backyard onto the deck and looking in the sliding glass door... maybe a little much?! Add that to the fact that they've tried to open our car doors (I'm so small-town that I don't lock the doors when it's in my driveway) and walked into our garage (we also leave the garage door open when we're home)... Maybe a little creepy?! Maybe some boundary issues. I don't know what to think... I do know I never would have done it to my high school coaches. Even the one who wants to be a carnie/carney and would just laugh. I've never seen the thrill in tp'ing. Story two: I bought a rug. I've been wai...

...the darker wood. It actually ended up a little darker than the sample, but that's okay. We like it, and we'll like it even more once it's installed. For about a week, our rooms were nice, big, open spaces. And, by some strange miracle (called Kilz), the smell is gone! Seriously. Gone. If you've been to my house or seen pictures of the carpet , you know what a big accomplishment this is. Since we tore up the carpet I've wondered if it will ever really go away. The Kilz... All I can say is wow. There just isn't a smell anymore. Now I'm confident that when all the carpet is gone - meaning from the bedrooms, too - our house will smell like us, instead of dog. Now the living/dining room looks like this (usually without Brad in the picture, though) because the wood floors have to become acclimated to our home. For two weeks. I guess this makes it less likely to expand and contract and be problematic once it's installed. But it's here, and some day soon ...

Okay, I'll admit it. Vacation Bible School (VBS) is one of my favorite things... pretty much ever. I'm not sure if I love-loved it when I participated as a kiddo, but I love-love it now. Two summers ago my job was to do VBS (7 times in 5 weeks) around our church conference with 3 other college students and a retired pastor. That was when I really feel in love. Last year I couldn't help - something about a wedding that week?! So when this spring rolled around, I eagerly anticipated the Sunday when the announcement for VBS helpers would be made. I was definitely volunteering. This past week I got to lead worship for VBS. Our church, Hope Mennonite, puts on a week-long session with three other Mennonite churches in Wichita: Lorraine Avenue, First Church of the Brethern, and Church of the Servant. The theme was "Catch the Spirit," and we learned all about the Holy Spirit, from how God sent the Holy Spirit to help the disciples start the church up to the gifts the Holy...

I married my best friend.

I just started a new book. Well, about a week and a half ago, I started a new book. It's nonfiction, so I'm struggling even though it's so good. One Saturday I was wandering around a bookstore, waiting for it to be time to meet Brad and his parents to go to a graduation party. I walked by the religion section and a title jumped out at me. Now, you must understand that the religion section is not one that I would normally be perusing. In fact, the word religion feels stifling to me... I prefer faith. It's less constricting, like the opposite of a boa constrictor. You Don't Have to be Wrong for me to be Right: Finding Faith without Fanaticism by Brad Hirschfield. He's a rabbi. This book is wonderful. I haven't spent much time processing, but basically his premise is that we can peacefully coexist, understanding that we all have different beliefs. No one person or religion (ick - that word again) or faith tradition has the absolute, black and white answers to...