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Post by Joelle on Aug 8, 2019 10:19:16 GMT -8
"We say SALohmay in Greek. But I get the point. I do have an idea. Christian gave me a link of hummingbird species. He said a lot sound like people's names." She types it in. "He's right. Doryfera Johannae, scientific name of the blue frosted lancebill." A smile lights her face. "Joanna then. For sure."
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Post by MarieEliz (Mayor) on Aug 12, 2019 16:25:02 GMT -8
Theo looks thoughtfully. "Dory is a name. Johannae is kind of pretty. I knew a girl named Johnna. Maybe Johnnae?"
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Post by Joelle on Aug 12, 2019 18:34:56 GMT -8
"Johnnae would kind of combine Joanna and Janae." Celine adds. "I do like it. Maybe Johnnae Gwyneth?"
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Post by MarieEliz (Mayor) on Aug 19, 2019 22:16:18 GMT -8
Their conversation is interrupted by a series of metallic sounding crashes. Theo starts. "Uh... let me just check on that."
Later that evening as Celine is setting the table, Theo enters holding his phone. "Honey, listen to this:
John 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me."
He scrolls on his screen. "So I looked up names going off that verse and I found one that means vine. Bryony.
"It is a reminder to abide in the vine. Bryony Johnnae. Our abiding hummingbird from a gracious and merciful God. "
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Post by Joelle on Aug 20, 2019 7:01:19 GMT -8
"It's absolutely perfect." Celine says. As she sets the last plate down, she puts her hand on her belly again. "Bryony Noble." Another kick makes Celine laugh. "I think she knows." She grins.
"What was that earlier, anyway? Finn trying to make a robot? Verity trying to hang something up?" She'd been considering getting a hummingbird feeder. The kids might like to see some real ones. As she goes to call the kids in for dinner...
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Post by MarieEliz (Mayor) on Aug 20, 2019 12:18:41 GMT -8
"Matchbox car avalanche," Theo answers. He pulls out a chair for his daughter as the kids join them for dinner.
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Post by Joelle on Aug 21, 2019 8:23:47 GMT -8
Celine laughs. "Summer vacation! Good time for a little noise." With the baby seeming to turn somersaults in her belly, she wonders as she begins to eat if life will ever be quiet again once the baby comes...and then realizes she doesn't really care. For many years, before she met Theo, her life had been quieter than she would have liked. Noise and movement- for her, anyway- mean life and hope.
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Post by MarieEliz (Mayor) on Aug 21, 2019 19:18:34 GMT -8
Theo pauses as he serves his family. "Uh... do you not live here?" he laughs. "Ah well, the more people we have the better I like it. I guess I was excited to get out on my own and get away from the noise, but now I kind of miss it."
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Post by Joelle on Aug 22, 2019 4:44:58 GMT -8
" That's not quite what I mean. My life was far too quiet before I met you and your family. It was an adjustment moving from a family of five kids to seven- and later 10!" Celine chuckles. "But it was pretty lonely other than them. After the accident, I didn't have a lot of friends. It's almost like people were afraid of me. Now, though...sometimes I need time to...reflect. On life, on my relationship with God- outside of the obligations of church. And being pregnant is just a little exhausting, even though- this time, anyway- I've enjoyed every minute." She winks... that last comment is just for him. "So yes, I'm often physically tired and could use a little of the quiet.But then I realize...it was far too quiet in a different way after we lost Adrian and Anastasia. So do I care if I ever sleep soundly again, or if a Matchbox car avalanche interrupts our conversations?" She smiles at the kids. "No. I'd have a million of them if it were possible. I truly believe I was always meant to be a mother. So there are different kinds of quiet, if you know what I mean. I wouldn't trade what God has blessed us with for anything. I amaze myself- not in a good way- about how long it's taken me to learn to live in the moment...but I know God understands."
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Post by MarieEliz (Mayor) on Aug 22, 2019 20:48:00 GMT -8
Theo raises his eyebrows as Verity knocks her glass of milk into her plate.
"Sorry," she says, sinking into her seat. She hops up to grab a towel just as she has been taught, but Theo knows she'll need a whole new plate. He gets up, too. "The more the merrier!" He agrees with wry amusement.
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Post by Joelle on Aug 23, 2019 8:48:55 GMT -8
Finn gets up to try to help clear Verity's soaked plate away, knowing his mom should not be lifting much right now. "You'd learn to help each other a lot- maybe more than we do here- with so many people in the house, wouldn't you, Daddy? I know Mommy said there were ten kids in her family before Aunt Dawn died, but they weren't all in the house at the same time."
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Post by MarieEliz (Mayor) on Aug 24, 2019 17:22:40 GMT -8
"Definitely lots of helping, " Theo agrees. "Uncle Tyce was the oldest, like you, so he helped a lot. I guess I did, too. We were close in age. "
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Post by Joelle on Aug 25, 2019 8:26:28 GMT -8
"It must have been a big house," Finn says. "But what about Africa? Where did you live then? I don't think they have big huts there. And when Uncle Tanner was born, that made ten kids."
Celine chuckles. "Good job, Finn! You came up with a question I don't remember asking. How did I not think of that?"
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Post by MarieEliz (Mayor) on Aug 25, 2019 10:40:12 GMT -8
Theo enjoys watching his son interact with his wife. He is always amazed how he went from a squishy new baby to now a full fledged intelligent interactive member of their family. "The Maasai in Africa live in little structures made of cow dung. They aren't tall enough to stand up in and the beds are made of boards. They spend most of their time outside.
"Nairobi is pretty Westernized, so we did have our own house. It wasn't too different from this one. A little old fashioned, like Great Grandpa Noble's in Washington. Everyone shared a room, sometimes three to a room, and we had only one bathroom. That was interesting. We weren't home too much, though."
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Post by Joelle on Aug 25, 2019 17:31:08 GMT -8
"One bathroom for 12 people would definitely teach you a lesson or two in patience!" Celine agrees. "Did you have dance classes in Nairobi?"
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Post by MarieEliz (Mayor) on Aug 30, 2019 10:48:33 GMT -8
"Oh sure. My parents were great at making sure I was still able to study. Of course, I learned this there, too." He breaks into a series of traditional African dance moves.
(OCC: Bonus)
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Post by Joelle on Aug 30, 2019 20:16:00 GMT -8
Finn and Celine break into applause. "That's awesome!" Finn adds. "You'll have to teach us sometime." Celine laughs. "Preferably after we finish dinner."
Finn seems to be considering something as he picks up his fork again. "You must have made lots of friends, but did you ever get homesick?"
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Post by MarieEliz (Mayor) on Sept 7, 2019 11:42:06 GMT -8
Theo places a new plate in front of his daughter and returns to the table. "Oh sure. I was 10 when we moved and had never known anything else. I think that was hard for all of us, at least the older ones. We only moved once in Tacoma as our family grew and we went to the same church all that time and were close to family. Mom and Dad prepared for mission work for years, so we talked about moving, but actually being away from all our friends was difficult at first."
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Post by Joelle on Sept 9, 2019 12:53:19 GMT -8
"Do you think the mission work helped with the rest of your life? And is that why you're such a good pastor, too?"
That last question was something Celine herself had considered, but she isn't sure that's the whole answer.
"Finn, I think that God, and to some extent the things that He allows to happen to us in life, determine what kind of advice we can give to others, whether you pastor a church or not. You can't help people yourself if you've never gone through some things." Celine thinks of the verse Theo had reminded her of when he came over after Dawn died. He'd said that losing Teague had helped him know how to help somewhat.
"But other than that? That's a good question, Finn. Did it influence your decision at all?" Celine asks Theo.
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Post by MarieEliz (Mayor) on Sept 9, 2019 20:00:05 GMT -8
Theo scrunches his face in thought and fills his fork. "I'm sure it did some. Grandpa Ben was always a pastor so we were all involved in ministry somewhat. I never really thought that's what I would do because I always wanted to be a dancer. However, it felt natural when Grandpa asked me to consider it."
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Post by Joelle on Sept 10, 2019 16:04:11 GMT -8
"And you never wanted to change your mind?" asks Finn. "Like, you wouldn't have given it up to only be a dancer?"
This is part of what Celine had meant when asking Theo if he ever had any regrets or things he wanted to accomplish, but she stays silent. She thinks of those horrible days- two times over- after they'd lost each of the babies. Did he at least consider it then, since people had seemed to look at them differently? Being pastors does not insulate people from the painful parts of life, but some people don't seem to believe that.
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Post by MarieEliz (Mayor) on Sept 14, 2019 20:35:23 GMT -8
Theo puts down his fork to look his son in the eye. "Never for a moment. I didn't give up dance to become a pastor. You know I'm still a dancer. I haven't given it up at all. However, I chose to emphasize eternal perspective. Some things are fun, and are great to pursue, but in the long run they don't matter. What matters are the things that will last for all of life and into eternity. I can definitely use dance to glorify God, and that will last for eternity, but it's much more important to invest in people. I am grateful to have a job which provides our financial needs, but also allows me to obey God by sharing the gospel and ministering to people in need. Most of all, I want to be home and available for Mom and for you. Sometimes I miss being part of a production, but I can still do that here. I would never want to miss making memories with our family."
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Post by Joelle on Sept 17, 2019 15:30:06 GMT -8
Celine finds herself so proud of and more in love with Theo in that moment. His answer makes her think that maybe she shouldn't worry so much if things don't happen the way she plans them, even though in the case of horseback riding, it would give her a sense of closure. She thinks of something she's learned as she's dealt with her injury, and she thinks it's important that the kids know this, too.
"We don't always get to do everything we want to in life, sometimes even things we feel we need to do. But worrying about it- even though it's easy for me to do right now- won't help anything. I'm talking to myself here as much as to you." Celine chuckles before continuing.
"We hear about Philippians 4:13 sometimes, but not always what comes before it. Verse 12 says: "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."
(Philippians 4:12, NIV)
"Verse 13 seems to be continuing that thought. We can do all things through Christ- we may not always like all situations, but we can deal with them. Being content doesn't mean you're jumping for joy all the time- it can mean that you would like other things to happen, but that you can be satisfied with what you have at the same time."
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Post by MarieEliz (Mayor) on Sept 21, 2019 11:41:08 GMT -8
Later that evening, after the kids have run off to play and Theo and Celine are tidying up the kitchen, Theo approaches the back of his wife's chair and wraps his arms around her. "Parenting win, tonight, I think," he shares. He feels a glow in his gut at having had a valuable moment with his children. He knows well that parenting is rarely easy and there are many fails. Tonight felt like a win.
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Post by Joelle on Sept 21, 2019 12:18:13 GMT -8
"I think so, too. It seems like- in part because of all you told them about Africa- it really sunk in," she says, reaching to touch his face. "They had fun and learned things that I hope will help them through life. It's always so much better to learn these things when you're young- something I don't quite think I realized at the time I had to learn some of them. Was it shock? Maybe. Grief? Almost definitely. But although I seem to have learned some things late...I've learned them. It's just taken a long time. I felt like the Lord showed me something today as well...that I am content, like that verse I talked about with the kids. And that although there has been pain involved sometimes, I don't have any regrets. It can be so easy to say you regret things that cause you pain. But for example, would I have decided not to try to have kids if I knew we would lose Adrian and Anastasia? Or would I have not wanted to know Teague or Dawn? Those losses will always be something painful in our lives that happened, but I don't regret anything."
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Post by MarieEliz (Mayor) on Oct 9, 2019 15:27:56 GMT -8
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