Hind's Feet on High Places

It was time for a family getaway. 

Usually, what happens at our April anniversary is that Jon and I leave the kids with family during "spring break" (in the first week of  March) and go spend one quick night away together, then rush back to relieve the sitter. This year, we decided to try something different. 

Jon has been wanting to go the Smoky Mountains National Park to hike for years. When we decided to take a family mini-break instead of a couple's getaway, I stipulated that we could visit the park, but I wanted to sleep in a hotel, thankyouverymuch. Off we went to Camp Compromise. 

Road trip selfie

The kids cheered when we made it over the border into Tennessee. They noticed the giant guitar. 

I noticed the confederate flag within five minutes. Unfortunately, I noticed it out loud, and Miles was on it like a hawk on prey and we found ourselves having to explain the whole Civil War in the car. Oh brother. 

The best part, though, was when we asked him what he already knew about the Civil War, and he said, "That's when Virginia said to England, 'we want to be a country' and we fought a war and we won so we got to go to America." 

We had a lot of 'splainin to do. 

Meanwhile, we were getting into Pigeon Forge. If you haven't been to Dolly Parton's hometown before, I really can't fully explain. You will just have to experience it for yourself. 

It's kind of like... Disneyworld and Los Vegas had a baby and it grew up in Tennessee.  

I just stopped taking pictures in Gatlinburg because it was more fun to just gawk and point with the kids and enjoy their thrilled exclamations. 

The weather was looking rainy for Saturday, so we decided to make our main hiking expedition on Friday. We drove straight to the park, ate our packed lunch at the visitors' center, and drove out to Clingman's Dome, Jon's priority hike. 

The neon spring green on all the foliage was stunning.

The elevation at Clingman's Dome is in the 6000s ft above sea level. It's the kind of air that doesn't feel cold on your skin but feels cold when you breathe it in. The deciduous trees don't even have leaves yet, up there.

It was exhilarating. 

This was the beginning of the final climb, which I understand brought us to the highest point in the state of Tennessee.

Adele started in the carrier...

...then demanded to be allowed to walk. She hit a wall, and lay down for a while. But once I got her to the observation tower, she could see Jon and Miles, and Adele broke into a triumphant run. 

She was thrilled to be reunited with them after 10 long minutes. :-)

Guys... the view... 

Miles loved that he could stand in North Carolina with one foot and Tennessee with another. 

He must have explained this to Adele about 50 times before he moved on to explaining it to every passerby. 

I had to drag him away. He will be giving tours at some historical place someday. 

After that hike, Jon saw a sign for the Appalachian Trail. It was just half a mile away. Though we were all tired, we decided we'd go for it. Jon's always wanted to hike a portion of the trail. 

They trotted along like little goats. I think it was the air. It may also have been the view? Or, possibly, the proximity to God.

And who is a rock besides our God?—

the God who girded me with strength, and made my way safe.

He made my feet like the feet of a deer, and set me secure on the heights.

Psalm 18

A kind passerby took our family photo.

At long last, we finally made it to the AT. We may have hiked it for half a mile?

The glory of that day! Alas, did not cause our kids to fall asleep quickly and easily as we'd hoped. The ice cream seemed to have been more powerful than the exertion. 

Still, it was good ice cream. 

Thank you God, for 13 years together, 9 years married, 5 3/4 years as parents. It's been a mighty fine trip, and the company's been even better. 

Around the world in Blacksburg, VA

I can't believe the world has turned this far. Once again, it's April, the world is in bloom, the sun has returned, and we got to attend another International Fair.

Days before the Fair, the Parade of Nations festoons Main Street with lovely flag after lovely flag

Unfortunately, unlike last year, the weather was about as bad as April can be. Temperatures were in the low 50s, the wind was chilling and the rain varied only in its intensity.

I was so worried that the good people who make this fair happen would be utterly thwarted, and that they'd be disappointed. But everyone was so joyful! They smiled in the rain, and laughed and shouted and helped one another to secure tents which the wind was threatening to blow away. This weekend I just loved people so much.

The Saudi Tent, once again, got our attention right away by inviting us in to try on Saudi clothes.

They gave Miles a backpack with the Saudi flag on it

Me in (partial) hijab:

Miles getting fitted for his keffiyeh.

They talked to us a while and welcomed us with food samples (dates! Spicy rice!) and sent the kids away with Saudi Arabian coloring books. 

You can see the scene here, the tents stretching up and down the streets, the sea of umbrellas... and one bizarre cartoon face in the crowd:

Some kind of Saudi Mascot, I think! Hilarious.

Miles wasn't too happy about being rained on, but Adele thought it a wonderful lark.


The Society for Creative Anachronism also had a tent in the International Fair. The sense I got is these are people obsessed with medieval Europe who wish to incorporate clothing, activities and decor from the period into modern life. Not exactly a nation-state, but I suppose they're promoting medieval Europe as a world culture?
Nothing about this bothered Miles; he got to hold a real sword!:

I got so few pictures outdoors. There was tent after tent selling food, playing music, displaying artifacts, giving out gifts (I got a free Koran in English!), educating and entertaining! Belly dancing, martial arts, drumming and singing were among the way we were attracted to another tent, and another. But I was holding the diaper bag, my purse, at least one cup of liquid refreshment and the umbrella in the windy rain the entire time. I was pretty proud of myself for maintaining a good attitude, let alone pictures. 

Eating their Chinese Chicken & taking shelter

But we ate food from East Africa, Saudia Arabia, China, Mexico and West Africa, and the kids got to learn about geography, play games for prizes, play a Senegalese drum and clap along with the belly dancers and with the Saudi singers:

Inside, there was a KidZone where various local orgs had booths. The Montessori School won most of Adele's attention at first with their books and rocking chairs. Miles did the entire session of Kid Yoga: 

Last kid standing... in triangle pose

The next table over was making homemade play-dough in bags (a new preschool's booth). The next table over was doing origami. We spent the entire afternoon, thank you very much.

Miles and Adele are going through a phase of Bible story enthusiasm. We retired that night with The Jesus Storybook Bible:

When we gave thanks, Miles wanted to give thanks for our family; Adele, for Jesus. And John-the-Baptist (her current favorite Bible character). I added in a thanks for our community that can send us around the world, only 5 minutes from home. 

Let us throw off everything that hinders

Saturday, April 18 was this year's 3.2 for 32 run, and my second time running. I remember last year, feeling that impostor syndrome when I signed up because I had only run twice that year. Well, I ran zero times between last year's event and this one. But somehow, I knew I'd be able to run it. No impostor feelings now, just a stupid reckless impulsive confidence. Maybe it was the sunshine, but all week long I'd had the feeling that it was going to be a brilliant weekend. Working counter to the Anxiety Narrative (that probably terrible things are in the works at all times), this conviction of grace buoyed me right up to the starting line (my Jackson5 music on the iphone didn't hurt either). What a gift. What a beautiful day.

Before the race, the 32 white balloons are raised for a moment of reflective silence, to remember the 32 lives lost (though in my opinion it really ought to be 33. The gunman was a person too). I got to thinking as we stood in silence, the only sound the pinging of everyone's phones.. Why do we do this?

Why a 5K to remember a massacre? Students were murdered one morning, and we have balloons, flowers, and running? How does this help?

I think what bothers us so much about tragic, early deaths is the apparently meaninglessness. One morning, these people were going about their business, bright futures ahead, and the next day they're gone, because of the darkness in one of their fellow student's soul. And we don't have answers, and this hurts our pride. We are humans! We deserve answers! We deserve meaning! So in the absence of apparent meaning in an event, we make some. We feel we owe it to our fellow humans to make some sense out of their deaths. So we do rituals. And we actually do create meaning. In this way we show a strong family resemblance to God. 

Anyway, once the maroon and orange balloons were elevated and everyone began to cheer, the running part began and I could no longer do philosophy. With music in my ears and with very good company, we set off! 

It was all running from the start to the mid-point, at the football stadium. There, we bottlenecked and I got a couple of pictures.

Into the tunnel, where the football team usually enters.

Silly mid-race selfie. I like the faces behind me, blurry with life energy. 

I do love this portion of the race. You feel like an athlete for this part.

It felt good to have run that. I am convinced I ran faster this year, though I don't remember my time from last year. I surprised myself with how many people I passed, and how many places I felt like stopping and didn't, and how lifted up I was by the people cheering on the sidelines, the pep band playing the the sight of cadets carrying heavy loads like these along the way:



So we do this to make meaning out of tragedy, and we do it to to remind ourselves that, like Momastary says, "We can do hard things."

Other life challenges do seem more manageable after a 5K, somehow. Well, after a 5K and some ibuprofen!

After the race, there was a line at the 4.16 memorial to pay respects to the fallen. I said a breathless prayer.

I hung around the finish line a while, cheering for folks, waving at people I knew as they finished, and got a chance I've been hoping for for years: 

A hug from the Hokie Bird! 

Once my co-workers crossed the line, we had a couple pictures at the finish.

So stylin' with my fanny pack. I will bring them back. 

There's a larger than life significance to a 5K that honors people gone too soon. It does seem important somehow. These words from Hebrews were running in my mind, so I'll end with them:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

I feel lighter now, somehow. Also, sore.

We laugh our way home

Eastertide is a very good time for laughing, dancing, and other breathless acts of joy. 

But first, some artwork from Adele: 

"My Family," by Adele. Miles is the first. Don't we look formidable?!

I saw a poster a few weeks back featuring Maz Jobrani with the news that he would be part of the Islamic Worlds Festival at Virginia Tech, 2015. Maz Jobrani! Actually on campus! We love his stuff and I was thrilled to find we could make a discount date of it with our student IDs. 

Back in January, I made the resolution to make this a year of laughter. What better way to keep it? 

Maz was not the only comedian. I hadn't heard of Maysoon Zayid before this spring, but I watched her Ted Talk before the show to increase my anticipation. She is hilarious! I couldn't wait to be in the same room with her. 

Miraculously, we even got a babysitter. Thank you, Debra! 

The sunset was closing in as we arrived at the Arts Center. I told Jon, "I love living in Blacksburg because we can leave home for an 8:00 event at 7:47, arrive, park, and walk in before it starts." 

The international community in Blacksburg is substantial, but only at certain events do they outnumber American-born folks. This was one. As we arrived, lines of devout Muslims were saying evening prayers before the show began. It was beautiful. 

Neither Maysoon nor Maz disappointed! We were laughing straight through. 

I got giddy halfway through Maz's show. You know the feeling; lightheaded, a bit wheezy, and, for me, triggery. But I remembered my resolution. I took a break, breathed, tuned out... and then tuned back in for a second round. Praise God/Allah.

Saturday night was another brilliant time, as our church was hosting a BBQ/concert. The weather was absolutely perfect. The BBQ was tangy. The band was fun and the turnout exceeded expectations. 

Afterward, the band leader told me, "I thought I was in a Norman Rockwell painting. I expected a sudsy dog to come barreling through any moment. It was just so perfect, with the happy kids and the smiling seniors, and the dancing!" He was right. 

They played 70s rock hits, and I danced with Miles, and some of the other kids who were willing. The kids ran feral in the fenced yard. What a perfect, golden evening. 

The band dedicated their last song to Miles, because he took every chance he get to sneak away and hang out in their tent. He was flabbergasted by the fame! After dancing with me vigorously (the song was "Signed, Sealed and Delivered" by Stevie), he said earnestly, "Thank you for playing my song!" He got a good laugh.

After the band cleared up, we had an after-part in the curate's yard (which backs up to the church). There was a prolonged battle featuring jedi, knights, and good and bad princesses. The adults intervened when things turned tearful or violent (once when a young girl got knocked down and went crying to her mother, another boy was heard to proclaim, "The bad princess is dead!" Some intervention was necessary), but mainly, we enjoyed each other's company. And drank beer. Hallelujah, resurrection sure feels good.

There have been some interruptions to sleep. Miles has been going through a rough stage which missed sleep aggravates: there are tantrums, and just generally a lot of emotion. But we made our butterflies in children's chapel (from coffee filters, Melissa! in manner of Saint Anne LaMott) and the good people at church encouraged me.

The struggle is real. But the struggle is cute, too. 

And there has been sidewalk play, supervised and un. Lots of chalk art has resulted. And the sun has shined on our days.

Learning to blow music from grass

There is so much that is up in the air. So much that feels like life is holding its breath. We do not know much at all about next year.

But if we have to wait, Eastertide seems a good enough time for it.