A family Valentines

The day before Valentines, I was talking to Moriah about how we were going to do presents together "tomorrow."
She asked, "so we're going to play the Valentines song?"
Me (trying not to laugh): "No, we don't have a Valentines song."
Moriah (a little confused with this dilemma): "Oh, so we'll just have to play the Chanukah song?"
Me: "No, we won't play any song."
It made me glad that we had done Chanukah together in December;  it seems as though that was a special memory to her.  Now to introduce another family tradition: Valentines.

We had about half of this Small family here for Valentines, which is just a small party of 13 altogether.  While we missed having the rest, those of us here enjoyed being together for a couple days.  I'm really thankful for special celebrations that my family has made our own.  These make life complete and this family pretty sweet.

We were brought a few bouquets of flowers from my thoughtful brother and sister.  Aren't they sweet!?

Skyping with Sarah and family to pretend more of us are together.

Opening presents around the computer.

My crazy, cool new gorillapod!  Excited about this contraption.

Opening presents is a little intense.

Selah and Gideon evaluating toys.

Gideon!

More interested in the book or the camera?...

Hair flips and muddy bike rides

It's been a long time since I've posted pictures of Chara, I think.  She is full of energy, and demonstrates this by jumping, running faster than we can bike, and barking.  She may be a pain sometimes, but we still love her.  :)

Happy Sunday!

Happy Valentines Day

We often think of Valentines Day as that couples day.  Someone decides to like someone else and sends them cards and messages like "Be my Valentine," "You are the icing to my doughnut," and "roses are red, violets are blue..."
But some of us are single.  And we don't get all that junk.  (some of us don't care for it, either.)  Where is the attention we deserve, though?

"Roses are red,

Violets are blue,

I bet you were expecting something romantic, but no

These are just gardening facts."

For as long as I can remember, my family has made Valentine's Day a family celebration. Therefore, I often forget that, for other people, Valentines is strictly celebrated by couples.  We get to wake up to treats at our room doors, and then we give gifts later in the day.  It is a day full of good food, games, family, and laughter.
To the Smalls, Valentines is a fun day to be together--an extra excuse to celebrate! This year is no exception.
It can be easy to get caught up in the celebrating, love, and family, though;  we often forget Who gave the ultimate gift love.  It is through His example that we are shown how to love in the right way.   Sometimes loving comes easily, but most often it does not.  He is a hard act to follow, but a right model to have.  Therefore Valentines isn't only for coupled friends;  it's for you and me.  We are loved by Someone who matters.
Happy Valentines!  As for my family, we'll be over here eating and having fun.

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, 

that we should be called children of God!

1 John 3:1a

...let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth...

Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

1 John 3:18, 4:11

I must admit, this is one of my favorite shirts.

One year ago Tirzah and I woke up to these giant fuzz-balls sitting at our door.  Sebastian and Ollie were among our last gifts from my dad.  They have made wonderful companions.  NOW tell me what's not to love about Valentines!

Winter's argument

I have bad news for everyone.  Winter is coming to an end.  Yes, that was the bad news.  Can I hear a collective sob from the audience?  

Well, to be honest, I only have one complaint against spring: it is the sign that summer is very near.  Most people spend winter wishing it would be summer already.  I spend all year wishing summer didn't exist.  So I have been making sure that every other season feels loved.

In the past couple weeks I have been noticing that life is returning to the bushes around our house.  The tiny, perfect buds are appearing on each branch.  A few days ago we had a really hard frost, though, which seemed to be threatening the apparent signs of spring.  Can't you imagine winter arguing with spring each year?...

Winter: it's not your turn yet!

Spring: umm, YES.  You've taken over for too long.  And everyone wants to see me back.

Winter: I'm just doing my job.  People just won't admit to wanting to be cozy and wrapped in blankets, which is all thanks to me.

Spring: then my job is to make people feel hope in life and warmth.

Winter: no one wants that kind of hope.  

Spring: you have obviously been spending too much time with yourself.

Winter: if you were winter, you would feel neglected, too!

Spring: neglected?!

Winter: well, do people spend all year wishing you didn't exist?  Do people complain about all that you contribute to the world?  NO!  Everyone sees me and hopes you will come quickly.  If anyone has ever felt so unwanted, it is me.

Spring: you have a point. 

So I am here to tell you to enjoy the coldness of winter.  Those days are coming to an end.  If you appreciate the cold, I will try to find joy in the heat of summer.

The frost tries to threaten away the life of spring.

Seattle symphony

It is hard to beat good classical music.  However, the population of those who listen to classical music seems very low these days.  I am a very big fan myself, though, so it was a real treat when my mom took us to the Seattle symphony last month!  

The music was all so lovely.  I could have listened for a very long time.  But not only was the music unbelievable; the orchestra director passed the requirements for his job and was a very entertaining director.  Apart from the music, my favorite thing about live orchestras is the director.  They often really get into the music and make wild movements that make the symphony feel more like a movie!  :)  

One of the amazing pieces was an oboe concerto by Vivaldi.  The soloist was absolutely fantastic; this can be proven by the fact that her playing made me feel both depressed and inspired.  (Yes, I play oboe; but when I play, it certainly doesn't sound like the same instrument she played!)

In 2014 my dad took my mom, Tirzah, and myself to the symphony to hear St. Matthew's Passion.  It was really special to be back for the first time since then.  

Intense chandelier thing hanging in the symphony building

No, the performance was not really this empty.

Traditional picture together.

Tirzah and me at the symphony 2 years ago.

The bell tower

"For the Beauty of the Earth" is such a simple hymn, but it accurately demonstrates the praise we ought to have for God.  I think there are many things in life that we have to be amazed at--things that give us opportunity to praise--but we neglect to because they are often the every-day things.  Don't forget that you didn't have the ability to make the rain fall or create the dew and frost that shines on the grass.

Listen to this arrangement by John Rutter!  And I got to sing that in a choir once!  Truly wonderful.

For the beauty of the earth, 

For the glory of the skies,

For the love which from our birth

Over and around us lies:

Christ our God, to Thee we raise

This our hymn of grateful praise.

For the wonder of each hour

Of the day and of the night,

Hill and vale and tree and flow'r,

Sun and moon and stars of light:

(I think we often tend to take the everyday things for granted.  What if they were truly seen as wonders each day?  They really are, we just forget!)

Christ our God, to Thee we raise

This our hymn of grateful praise.

For the joy of human love,

Brother, sister, parent, child,

Friends on earth and friends above,

For all gentle thoughts and mild:

Christ our God, to Thee we raise

This our hymn of grateful praise.

For Thy church that evermore

Lifteth holy hands above,

Off'ring up on every shore

Her pure sacrifice of love:

Christ our God, to Thee we raise

This our hymn of grateful praise.