This is What Happens When ...

... we leave our front door open in the summertime :)

Love,

Jodi

Jack's Puppies.

Our Australian Shepherd, Jack, is now a Daddy!

We went to visit his pups on Saturday in Winthrop, Maine. It was so sweet. They all look so much like him. As part of the breeding "deal", we have first pick of the litter. And boy, oh boy, that is going to be a very tough decision. We all already have a favorite, but HE is not a SHE and we were initially wanting to choose a girl.

We will be returning in 2 weeks to make our final choice and we are all looking forward to it. Thanks to Mark and his family for taking such great care of them all. And thanks of course to their Mommy, Sydney :)


Love,

Jodi

Father's Day at the Beach.

Give me a weekend with the proper mix of the following ingredients, and I am in heaven: Halis, Isaac, Meg, the Coast of Maine, Some Beachcombing, Excellent Weather, and a Healthy Dose of Ice Cream. Ahh ... a recipe for happiness.

For Father's Day, we took Daddy to Belfast so that he could do a little fishing off the new walking bridge. We gave him some "alone time" while we hung out by the water to search for sea glass and other treasures. Daddy wasn't successful at catching anything (partly because he had no idea that he was going ocean fishing and therefore brought all the wrong equipment - oops) but he enjoyed a peaceful day by the sea. And we are all much happier (and so much less cranky) for our time spent taking in the sea air. Here are some of my favorite photos of the day:

See that (above)? I successfully took a family portrait even though I was behind the camera! I love it.

I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful Father's Day Weekend. Thank God for wonderful Daddies.

Love,

Jodi

The Voice of God.

Isaac, If you are not the voice of God, then God never spoke.

I have wanted to write this post all week, but can't seem to find the emotional strength I thought it might take to express myself. See, I have been reading Cormac McCarthy's "The Road". It is very intense ... and very foreboding ... and all too real ... and all too emotional for me to even try to finish reading. In a nutshell, it is a love story between a father and a son. It takes place after America has been bombed to near dust. The pair must make a post-apocalyptic journey to the coast in hopes of finding food and better shelter. All the while, horrific things are happening all around them ... and this Dad is doing all he can to protect and shelter his child from the cruel world they now face.

At one point, while travelling, the man looks out at the barren landscape through his binoculars ... seeking to find a sign of life. When he could find nothing ... "He lowered the glasses and pulled down the cotton mask from his face and wiped his nose on the back of his wrist and then glassed the country again. Then he just sat there holding the binoculars and watching the ashen daylight congeal over the land. He knew only that the child was his warrant. He said: If he is not the voice of God God never spoke."

That line hit me with such a force, that I had to put the book down in order to recover from it. (I swear that I am not being dramatic. I had to take the time to absorb those words before I could go on. And I wiped several tears from my eyes in the process.) Isn't that how we all feel about our children? I look at Isaac and because of him, I know that God exists... because if Isaac is not the best that God has to offer this world, than God has no hand in anything. Do you feel what I am trying to say? It is an emotion that feels impossible to convey.

And then, to feel the passion that this man has for getting his son to safety ... for providing him food and shelter ... and above all ... for doing all he can to give his boy hope in the midst of this incredible disaster ... well, it was more than I could bear. Because it is too real for me right now ... given the state of our country... and given the world's opinion of us.

Forgive me for getting slightly political here ... but it cannot be helped. I, like every parent, want my child to be safe in this world. And because of our Middle East policies (i.e. interfering in mid east civil wars, aiding Israel in their fight against the Palestinians, setting up permanent military bases in Muslim holy lands, initiating a war in Iraq, protecting our oil interests at all costs, nation building where we are not wanted, ticking off Iran, etc...etc...) I truly fear for my son's life and for the future of my country (that I love). I fear major retaliations in the near future. I fear that I may one day be in the position of this Father in "The Road".

Thus, I have made a major political decision, that has most of my friends in complete shock - I have changed political parties (something I swore on pain of death that I would never do!) in order to vote for this man in the Presidential Primaries.

(For more info as to why I have made this decision, watch this, this and this.) I may disagree with this man on some social issues, but how can I worry about that when what is most important at this time is the safety of my country. I will worry about more specific social issues later when I have the luxury to do so.

Though I swore that I would never share my politics on this blog, reading "The Road" prompted me to express myself on this matter ... for the sake of Isaac ... who is surely the voice of God. I hope you understand ... love for a child can do that to a Mommy. It can morph her life into something she never could have expected. And she wouldn't change it for anything.

And because Master Yoda has taught me not to give in to fear... as fear leads to anger ... anger leads to hate ... and hate leads to suffering ... I am going to do my best to remain positive and optimistic about the future :) For those with no clue what I am referring to, please read this.

Anyway, it is clear that I will never be the same person again. I have seen the eyes of God, I have heard God's voice, and I have held God's hand. And I will do anything within my power to protect him in every way possible. Even if that means becoming a Republican (temporarily at least). I can't believe that I just wrote those words. Ahh... Motherhood.

Amen.

~ Jodi

P.S. For the record, I switched parties before reading the book. I had given that candidate much consideration in light of our country's current circumstances and their implication for the future of my son.

30th Anniversary of Star Wars!

It is hard to believe that I am old enough to celebrate this monumentous anniversary ... but alas, I remember seeing Star Wars at the movie theatre as a child. I hated it then, but I am in love with it now. Especially Yoda. He has become one of my spiritual advisors....

"Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering." ~ Yoda

"Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you? Hmmm. And well you should not. For my ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is. Life creates it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings we are, not this crude matter. You must feel the force around you; here, between you, me, the tree, the rock, everywhere, yes. Even between the land and the ship." ~ Yoda

See what I mean? Who needs to buy "The Secret", when you can just rent Star Wars? Really, rent it. Watch it with new eyes. It is so much cooler 30 years later :)

Anyway, though I won't let Isaac watch the Star Wars series for quite some time, I thought it best that he get to know Yoda in some small way while he is young. So, I made him a Yoda shirt (see above). Silly, I know ... but darn cute!

May the Force Be With You. Always.

Love,

Jedi Jodi

P.S. If you would like me to make your little one a Yoda shirt, please leave a comment and we can work it out. I only charge $10.