Hurling

No, not the gross kind of hurling.  I'm talking about the Gaelic game of hurling.  The one that involves slitters (the ball), sticks, and thankfully shin guards and helmets with face protection.  Davis had his first game this past Saturday.  I can imagine someone watching baseball for the first time would be as confused as I was watching hurling.  How many players are on the field at a time?  No idea.  How long can you run with the ball in your hand?  No idea.  How many points do you get for passing it though the uprights as opposed to the net?  No idea.  Watching your son getting hit in the helmet with a slitter?  Priceless. 

Back on the grid

I know that a lot of time passes between my posts, but this time I have a good excuse.  I have been fasting from the internet this week in solidarity with some of my team mates to spend time in prayer for a supporting church for Jo.  Okay, it is the wimpy way out but someone needs the energy to keep this house running.  I did get plenty of time to think about Jo and how God is going to get her here.  Some great reading, quiet time and sewing got accomplished too.  On Thursday I went to the Knitting and Stitching Show at the RDS, where incidentally Bon Jovi will be playing in June 2011.  "Shot through the heart and you're to blame, darlin' you give love a bad name."  Anyway, I was one of at least a thousand people there buying fabric, yarn, books, ribbons, buttons, and mops.  Mops?  I can't really say bad things about people who buy mops at craft shows since my friend Deanna and I did the same thing last December in Huntsville.  Good times.  I bought myself a Christmas present and some other fabric before I made a bee line for home.

In other news, our friend Jocelyn was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes on Thursday.  She is doing great at the hospital while they learn all there is to know about JD and work on getting her sugar number down.  Dannon and Gabe spent the night with us and will trick-or-treat with us later this afternoon.   We would have gotten an extra hour of sleep last night because of the time change but Bailey wasn't feeling well at 4:30 AM and Gabe is an early riser.  Sick kids are kind of like babies in that their bodies don't tell them they get another hour of sleep and to take advantage of it.  I can feel a nap coming on...

Autumn Doesn't Rhyme With Ya'll

Pizza, pizza.

Eve and Bailey

Master Chef Peter Maguire

Second verse, same as the first.  A little bit louder...

The hard knock life for us.

Come to mama.

Child labor.

Apparently Scott got some slack recently for saying fall instead of autumn but you can't say 'Happy Autumn Ya'll' if you are trying to rhyme.  This season has been very beautiful.  We picked blackberries yesterday but ran out of jelly jars last night.  I guess it's cobbler from now on.  The Maguire clan invited us over for homemade pizza last Saturday night.  (Notice the stone pizza oven built by Mick and Peter--impressive.)  Following full bellies it was guitar jam session to the tune of 'Sunshine of My Love' with a little 'Hotel California' thrown in for good measure.  That's all for now, happy fall ya'll!

We passed inspection!

No, not home inspection, although Scott probably thought that was what we were trying to pass with all the cleaning I was doing and wanting him to do.  We passed the Education Welfare Board interview with the very nice Sarah who assessed us on our ability to home school our children.  It turned out to be easy peasy, lemon squeezy.  (And yes I do know that peasy and squeezy are not actual words.)  We did find out that if we wanted the kids to attempt the Irish leaving certificate through the school system, that home school is not an exemption for knowing Gaelic.  Clearly, we won't be teaching them Gaelic so now our options for a high school diploma have been narrowed down to exclude taking the Irish exams through the school system. 

On another note, the Ellis family will be adding another person to their family tomorrow when Jess marries Rob.  Be praying for a great day and a wonderful marriage.  Congrats!

Road Trip!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Rock (of Cashel)

"I've got the fever and the only cure is more cow bell."

Chicken!

You know it's fall when the ivy turns red.

Minutes before the Smiths got in trouble for being on the playground equipment.  Personally, I think it was the Hook 'Em Horns sign. 

We went to Tipperary this past week with our team for a little relaxation and bonding time. On the way we stopped at the Rock of Cashel and on the way back we toured Kilkenney.  Autumn is in full swing here and the leaves are beautiful.  Earlier today, Scott umpired the Baseball Ireland Little League championship game.  He almost threw out one of the coaches.  Maybe they won't ask him to fill in again.  Since the Mariners were short one player Davis got to fill in for center field and caught an amazing pop fly.  Tonight Scott and I met some baseball friends at the only Cajun restaurant in Dublin, Tante Zoe's.  I had blackened catfish and Scott ordered 'the best jambalaya he has ever had.'  It was certainly a bright spot on this rainy Saturday.  Next stop: their favorite Japanese restaurant.  Once again, enjoy the pictures.

Going Native

Mmm, blackberry jelly time!

Lucy's quilt

The team that builds furniture together, stays together.

Tiger Lilly's new bed

Ta-da! (room for sewing supplies!)

Teague trying to make her team jealous.

Effeson and the kid magnet bar stools.

So we broke down and got two new bookcases from IKEA.  The original bookcase was looking sad and beginning to fall apart.  Bailey and Davis also got new bookcases out of the deal.  Basically, we walk into IKEA, they hand us furniture we didn't know we needed and we come home and put it together.  In more productive, less costly news, Merschon assisted me in making 3 batches of blackberry jelly and they are yummy.  I also got a baby quilt mailed to its recipient.  Last night our Korean baseball friend came over and made some great food for Scott and our house guests, the Meyer family.  They are visiting with us from Portugal where they are in language school before heading off to Angola early next year.  Please be in prayer for their team as they live, learn and move to Angola.

Rainbows outside my front door every morning

We have been without hot water since Thursday afternoon.  After reading Julia Wright's missionary journals from Fiji this past year, I thought we might escape the trials of spotty electricity, crazy tropical weather and water issues here in Dublin.  I was wrong.  Sponge baths only go so far in the comfort department.  Never fear, Robbie the Plumber came to our rescue this evening and we are better for it.  I'll leave you with a few of the pictures Davis took this past month.