Not So SAHM

Yosemite – (mostly) Black and White

We traveled to Yosemite recently — a couple days in April that were mild on the Monterey Peninsula, downright hot in inland California, and still quite chilly in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Chilly enough to have snowfall and closed roads. After fishing out our cold weather gear that we never used in Monterey, we packed it all up and headed inland – past the heat of the San Joaquin Valley where oranges were ripening on the trees – up the winding roads to the otherworldly paradise of the Yosemite Valley. We didn’t have any strict curriculum planned for the girls. We let the surroundings teach us. And the instructional plaques that are placed throughout the park.

Ansel Adams (home educated from the 8th grade) spent much of his life in this valley. I haven’t studied his work or technique, but I love how the grandeur of the granite is expressed through a black and white lens. (Not that they would compare, but these are my images, lest anyone think they’re staring at Adams’ work.)

Tunnel View of El Capitan Yosemite Valley black and white Not So SAHM — Tunnel View

El Capitan framed by two trees Yosemite Valley black and white Not So SAHM — El Capitan

And one in color. The valleys were so peaceful and beautiful. I think that’s Yosemite Falls in the background.

Yosemite Valley Meadow with waterfall Not So SAHM — One of the meadows

~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~

Roadschooling West to East – Snake River

Perrine Bridge over Snake River near Twin Falls Idaho Not So SAHM

The Snake River flows through quite a bit of the upper Northwest U.S. We didn’t know we would, but we happened to follow its path for some of our trip.

Our first spotting of the river was in Idaho – Shoshone Falls in Twin Falls. Shoshone Falls is known as the Niagara Falls of the West. It was beautiful, but not quite as awe inspiring as Niagara Falls. Or is it that we’ve seen so many waterfalls now that we’re jaded? May that never be. What struck me was the fact that there were houses built right there on the upper part of the falls.

Shoshone Falls near Twin Falls Idaho Not So SAHM — Shoshone Falls

Next we spotted it snaking under the Perrine Bridge, a sight in its own right.

Our next sighting was in the Grand Tetons. The River was about the only thing we were able to see during our three days there. It was overcast the whole time.

Pronghorn antelope graze along the Snake River in the Grand Tetons Not So SAHM — Some of the wildlife in the Tetons

The Grand Tetons are back behind those clouds. Boohoo! There are some pronghorn antelope grazing in the grass. We also saw three elk crossing the river in front of us.

Elk Crossing the Snake River in the Grand Tetons Not So SAHM — Elk Crossing

This was on a rafting cruise down the river. At the ending site we had lunch and found out that this is the bend in the river where Ansel Adams took his famous picture of The Tetons and the Snake River. He was able to build some type of riser so he could be super high off the ground. He also had great weather. Me? I had neither height nor sky.

Cloudy day on the Snake River with the Tetons hidden in the background Not So SAHM — Snake River but no Tetons

Google Adams’ photo. Much, much, much grander. Sigh. This means that we will have to revisit the Tetons. And hope for better weather.

~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~

Roadschooling West to East – Our Own Private Idaho

lava field for miles at Craters of the Moon Idaho Not So SAHM

As we made our way from California eastward we drove through states and areas that I had never been to before. What struck me is that each state has its own beauty.

~~ It is SO worth it to get in the car and drive to your next destination. ~~
(Even if it IS all the way across the country.)

You will see some amazing things. Like lava fields that give you the impression you’re on the moon.
But in real life we were Idaho.
Craters of the Moon National Park to be exact.

lava flow at Craters of the Moon Idaho Not So SAHM — beautiful contrast

lava tube at Craters of the Moon Idaho Not So SAHM — lava tube (see the man in the tube?!)

lava flow looks like tree bark at Craters of the Moon Idaho Not So SAHM — looks like petrified wood (but it’s not)

skeleton tree at Craters of the Moon Idaho Not So SAHM — skeleton tree

Now go. Travel.

~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~

Roadschooling West to East – Golden Spike

119 and Jupiter meet at Golden Spike Monument Not So SAHM

I’ve got to get a little bit better at posting while traveling. It seems like the two have been inversely proportional this past year. We’ve finished our time on the West Coast and have made our way back East. One of the places we traveled to recently was a site where the continent was united (connected is a better term) and an event occurred that ushered in many changes in the nation.

Golden Spike National Historic Site Not So SAHM — Visiting Golden Spike National Historic Site

It was a beautiful day to watch a re-enactment. Both trains, the 119 and Jupiter, are replicas (in which Walt Disney had a little hand in helping out with the restoration). One was and is fueled by coal (119), the other, wood (Jupiter).

Golden Spike Monument 119 Jupiter Not So SAHM — Choo choo!

~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~

Object lesson – beach

Even with protests from one who would prefer to stay home, I packed a quick lunch of finger foods, grabbed my camera and a blanket, and ushered my two students out the door. We read something last week that I have been ruminating on and I wanted to share that bigness with the girls. It takes all of five minutes to get to the beach, and within that time all complaints about leaving the house had subsided. I did promise that we wouldn’t be there for too long, though.

How could you not want to come here every day?

Object lessons tend to remain with us longer than words on paper. Our minds work by painting pictures, and to see those pictures come to life can make something we read, and even believe without actually seeing, become reality and even more believable. The images we created in our minds are played out in front of us–something easier to grasp, to remember. Meaning becomes meaningful.

Last week we read Psalm 139. It says

“How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.
They cannot be numbered!
I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand!”

This is what I wanted my girls to experience, the object lesson that I wanted engrained into their minds. Before the words I quoted above, the psalm talks about how God knew the psalmist before he was even born. “You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book.” God was thinking about my girls before they were and He continues to think about them. His thoughts about us outnumber the grains of sand.

That is a lot of thoughts. I had the girls pick up a handful of sand and let it sift through their fingers. It would be difficult enough to count the grains in these small palms.

The psalms are poetry and full of imagery. Who knows exactly how many thoughts God has about each of us, but the point is, He thinks about us. A lot. From before we were, to now, to forever in the future. Everyone.

There’s enough sand to go around.

I’m so thankful when school and life can coincide big like this. And all in less than 45 minutes. Even if you aren’t a homeschooler you can seize upon opportunities to create object lessons. I need to keep my eyes open to more of them.

Not So SAHM

~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~

The Workers are Few

Small tienda in the dump town in Tijuana, Mexico Not So SAHM

“The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.”

Jesus told us to go out into the world spreading the Good News.

But can people hear the News over the loud rumblings in their bellies?*

Can they drink in the Living Water when the water they have isn’t fit to drink?

~~~

We attempted to be the hands and feet of Jesus, even if just for a week, down in Mexico.

In Tijuana, there is a town that is built in what used to be the city dump. The dump closed down, leaving the residents with no means of income. They build their houses with what they can find.

What you and I see as trash, or an old billboard poster, becomes a roof and the sides of a dwelling.

Tires are foundational.

There were actually several tiendas in the dump town.

If they can’t get it here, like fresh drinking water, they must climb steps. Climb up with babies in your arms. Climb down with babies and gallons of water.

Some families can’t afford fresh water so they feed their babies bottles of soda. Soda is cheaper.

~~~

But God’s beauty still breaks through.

And for those who are willing, beauty and civility can be created even in the direst situation.

This family has potted plants:

This family has landscaping and a hedge:

~~~

We spent time serving. Literally serving breakfast to the residents. Also by helping to build a trench for a community center that a church, located in the dump, is building.

There are people who are devoting more than just a week out of their lives to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Locals and foreigners are working side by side to help meet needs so that the Gospel can be preached and heard.

What can we do? We are just a small family. Some hands and feet that don’t quite know yet how God wants to use us. But we can’t just sit around waiting for Him to drop a message from on high.

Why wait when there are things that need to be done now.

If God tells us, during the middle of serving, that He’d rather us be somewhere else, well, we can go do that something else then. In the meantime, we can do. . . things. Anything.

I ended the week wondering if I had really done enough down there. If the figurative seeds I had planted helping to serve amounted to even just a little. Was it really worth it? Yes. God can and will still use that for good.

And seeds are beginning to spring up inside me.

Live beyond yourself. Serve others.

Not So SAHM

*It struck me as I was writing that sentence – can people here the News over the loud rumblings in their bellies – it struck me that it’s probably just as hard for people to understand and know Jesus when their bellies are so full that they lack nothing. Both extreme poverty and wealth (of varying degrees) can drown the calling of Jesus.

~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~