"5 Small Things Friday" No. 21

Go back and read this post for the story behind "Five Small Things Friday".

For this week, here is my list:

1. Sight: M&M Smiley Face

2. Hearing: 'Peepers'

3. Smell: 'Alamo Book' / Bookcases

4. Taste: Supper On Tuesday Night

5. Touch:

The stories behind the list:

1. I had been out somewhere Friday, and came back in, and on the cabinet was a little M&M smiley face. Two M&M eyes, and a curved row of them for a smile. Trissy had used a dish of M&Ms we had left over from a project, to make a little cheerful welcome for me :) .

2. I don't know what they're really called, but around here we have little frogs Trissy and I call 'peepers', because they hide away in the lower, damp areas of the woods and make quick loud little "Peeper! Peeper! Peeper!" noises. There is a particular stretch of woods on the way back to our house from town where there are a lot of them and when I'm on my way back to the house in the evening (like from Tuesday evening music practice or something), it's such a sweet, pleasant sound and makes me so happy.

3. Dad is a carpenter (among other things) and several years ago he built a set of three bookcases for his study. I don't remember what all was going on at that time in my life, but I associate the smell of the wood varnish he was using on the bookcases to a very pleasant season. Those bookcases also meant that books that had been stored away in boxes for years now got to come out of hiding to live on the new shelves. Treasure time for two avid young readers!
I remember there was a travel book with a picture of the Alamo on the back cover. I love history, and had recently been introduced to the heroism of the Alamo. I sat in the big comfy chair in the study probably for hours looking at that book, and eventually the smell of the new bookcases became one with the thrill of that story.
I don't remember what I was doing or where I smelt it, but at some point this week, I caught a whiff of that particular smell, and it just took me back.

4. I love random (or as Mom says, "Hodge-podge.") suppers. Tuesday night I had pigs-in-a-blanket, scrambled eggs, and yogurt. So good.

5.

"5 Small Things Friday" No. 20

Go back and read this post for the story behind "Five Small Things Friday".

For this week, here is my list:

1. Sight: Seeing Mrs. S. Follows Me On Pinterest

2. Hearing: Mrs. Carrie Asking Me To Hold Maxwell

3. Smell: Andrea's Potato Soup

4. Taste: Candy Corn Cupid

5. Touch: J.'s Hand On My Shoulder

The stories behind the list:

1. Yeah, I'm on Pinterest now. At first I wasn't quite sure about it; but once I figured out how to work things, it has become a very inspiring and creative tool. I do have to be careful or I'll end up wasting alot of time there though :) !
Several people I know are on Pinterest, including Mrs. S., and this week I noticed that she'd started 'following' me!

2. This past Sunday was Trissy's and my turn for nursery, and at one point Mrs. Carrie came in to feed Maxwell. She had her arms full, trying to juggle him and a couple of bags and things too. Trissy was holding another baby, and Mrs. Carrie turned to me and asked, "Would you mind holding him for a minute?" Would I mind?! How on earth could I mind?! I was thrilled!!

3. Sunday nights after church, the college kids get together for supper at one of the married couples' houses to share some time together. But something we've started trying to do recently, is one Sunday night a month we (the college kids) host a 'fun night' for the younger kids (5th grade and up) with supper and games after church, instead of our usual college fellowship time. We want to form relationships with the younger kids, hopefully providing solid Christian friendships for them to be able to rely on, as well as developing an influence we can use to help lead them in Godly paths for their lives. This past Sunday night was one of those 'college-hosted youth fun nights', and Andrea made potato soup for it. Potato soup has got to be one of the best foods in the world, and the smell of it was deliciously overwhelming when I walked in.

4. There's no candy quite like candy corn. I'm not entirely sure why, but candy corn and candy corn 'shapes' hold a very special place in my heart. Somehow they take me back to a special time in my childhood. I can't really put my finger on a specific event or occasion, but the feeling is still there, and I love that candy for it. Besides, they're just plain delicious :) .
After Valentine's Day all the stores put the Valentines items on sale or clearance, trying to get rid of this suddenly-outdated stuff. I was whizzing through Wal*Mart on some errand this week, and took a minute to dash through the Valentines section to see if there was anything I might be interested in. There was.
One lone plastic carton of those 'shapes', made out of the same sort of stuff as candy corn. You know, at Thanksgiving they have cartons with the candy corn, and little pumpkins, and sometimes Indians and ears of corn and such too. And at Valentine's Day, they have hearts and arrows and little cupids. There was one carton left. One. How could I go off and leave it?! But, even though on sale, it was still more expensive than my penny-pinching self could justify paying. I knew if I waited long enough, the price would go down some more. But what if someone else bought it in the meantime? So, yes I did, I hid that box in among some big stuffed teddy bears and left it in their capable paws :) . A few days later, after the prices went down some more, I went back and bought it.
When I got back to the house, I told Mom and Trissy about the whole little adventure, and invited them to join me in eating just one (we're trying to cut back on our sugar intake) of the delicious treats. They agreed :) . There were three different kinds of shapes in the box, cupids, hearts, and something else (don't remember for sure what), as well as three colors, red, pink, and white, so it was perfect - we each had a different shape and a different color :) .
I can't even begin to describe how good that pink candy-corn cupid was!

5. On Thursday mornings there is a group from The Grandparents' church that comes to the breakfast at the church. Among the boys is a young man, J. - about 15 years old - who is very shy, and very strong in his Christian principles. According to The Grandmother, these two traits have caused him to be quite friendless at school (the other boys from that church either go to another school, or are in a different grade, I believe, so they don't get to be together much). Trissy and I have tried to make a point to welcome and befriend these kids, but especially J., who doesn't seem to have many friends.
Yesterday as the kids were all trooping in, I spoke to them and said hello to J., calling him by name, but I was already in a conversation with someone else, so I just got to briefly say hi, then turned back to the other person. But a moment later I felt a sort of clumsy and brief but gentle pat on my shoulder and, looking back, saw J. walking past to put his book bag in the pile against the wall.

"5 Small Things Friday" No. 19

Go back and read this post for the story behind "Five Small Things Friday".

For this week, here is my list:

1. Sight: Mocking Bird On The Burning Barrel

2. Hearing: Cardinal Chirping

3. Smell: Meatballs Frying

4. Taste: Fried Oreos

5. Touch: Hug From Mrs. Renae's Youngest Daughter

The stories behind the list:

1. My bedroom window looks out on our garden spot at the end of the house, and we have a big 50-gallon metal barrel sitting at the edge of the garden that we burn papers in (like old checks, bank statements, addresses, etc. - stuff with personal information on it). I was working at my desk the other day, and looked out my window and noticed a mocking bird perched on the edge of that barrel. I don't know what it was about that picture - maybe it was the sun and lighting, maybe it was the fact that a little lively thing had fearlessly chosen the edge of a place of 'destruction' of sorts as a place to rest - I don't know, but that picture gave me a feeling of happiness and encouragement.

2. I was outside to feed the chickens one day this week and noticed the cheerful sound of a redbird's pert little "Chip! Chip! Chip!" in one of Dad's winter-bare Poplar trees.

3. Mom made Swedish Meatballs and gravy this week. The smell of those meatballs frying has got to be one of the best ever.

4. In the months that have five Sundays, on the 5th Sunday Victory Rd. has morning services, a potluck lunch at the church, then afternoon singing, omitting the evening service. Since it's a potluck lunch, you never know what there's going to be. This Sunday, someone had brought fried Oreos. Now, I know that sounds gross (and they are terribly unhealthy - I mean, fried Oreos. Sounds like a recipe for a heart attack!), but don't knock them 'til you've tried them. Our college friends at church talk about them often, and finally once got me to try one. I've been hooked ever since (though I rarely eat them, they are so unhealthy). Anyway, when a bunch of us were cleaning up after lunch, I found those fried Oreos. I hadn't known that anyone had brought some and, even though they weren't hot anymore, 'couldn't resist' one. I discovered that fried Oreos are very close to being just as good cold as they are hot!

5. Thursday morning at breakfast, as the group of students was waiting for 7:00 (and the stragglers that come in either at 7:00 on the dot, or late) to line up and have prayer so we could start, suddenly from half-way across the room, Mrs. Renae's youngest daughter called, "Miss Kyrie!!" and came running across and threw her arms around my waist. She's always been friendly (she's the type of kid who never meets a stranger), but I've never known her to be that excited to see me! It made my day a little brighter :) .

"5 Small Things Friday" No. 18

Go back and read this post for the story behind "Five Small Things Friday".

For this week, here is my list:

1. Sight: Abigail Laughing

2. Hearing: Bro. Blake Laughing

3. Smell: Fish Frying

4. Taste: Hamburger

5. Touch: Abigail Putting My Bracelet Back On

The stories behind the list:

1. Abigail is my corny joke buddy. Just about every Wednesday night, she has another silly joke for me. She says I'm the only one who tries to guess them or figure them out - most people just say, "Ok, tell me." She'll say, "Hey Kyrie, what do you call a cow without legs?" (Ground beef.) Or, "What do you call four bullfighters in quicksand?" (Quatro sinko.) Or other stuff like that. I love it :) . So at some point this week, Trissy came up with one. I thought it was pretty good, and I had to share it with Abigail Wednesday night. "What do you call a jumping air conditioner?" She couldn't get it. "Hyper ventilation!" She kindof chuckled, but looked like she really didn't get it. I think she was laughing more at me laughing than at the joke! But after about five minutes, she started laughing so hard she was doubling over! "I get it now!"
Abigail's so pretty anyway, but when she laughs it just lights up her whole face!

2. Every year Victory Rd. hosts a fish fry to raise money for the year's mission trips and such. It's pretty much an all-day thing, and any of the young people that come and help work, get a percentage of the earnings put into their mission trip account at the church. I usually try to be there on Fish Fry day.
Bro. Blake was there for a little while to drop off his daughter Joy, who was going to be working it, and chat for a few minutes. At one point something struck him funny and he started laughing like it was the funniest thing he'd ever encountered. I love it when Bro. Blake laughs. He's 6 feet, 7 inches tall - and when he laughs, it's such a great big, vibrating, powerful, happy sound! It seems to shake him from the inside out, and if you're around, even if you don't know what's going on or what the joke is, it makes you smile too.

3. The smell of fish frying on Fish Fry day is one-of-a-kind. The men of Victory Rd. who always cook, are the best - they know what they are doing when it comes to cooking, and you always know their fish is going to be something! When Trissy and I were walking up to the fellowship building (where the fish fries always are) at the beginning of the day, we could smell it.

4.

5. Coming back from Strength To Stand, we stopped to eat at this place called "Shake and Bake" - an old-fashioned ice cream and hamburger place (it was good too!). We were standing in line, and I was a little behind Abigail in another line on her right. She turned and noticed me, and as she stepped over, she held out a narrow little rainbow-striped rubber bracelet and said, "Kyrie - a cool bracelet for you." It had a little connection thing she attached around my wrist. It was one of the ones like the kids had gotten at the arcade-type place the day before when Law had won the X-Box Kinect.
"For me?!" I said, rising to the occasion and trying to match her mannerism and tone of voice. "I'm so special!"
She kindof smiled and stepped back in line, and I was left wondering why she had given it to me. There were several of the younger girls who were her friends, who she might have given it to. But, I guess like Piper's white carnation, I might not ever find out. She had some reason, and I treasure this cheap little bracelet as a reminder of the precious girl who gave it to me and her sweet spirit and friendship.
Wednesday evening, getting to the church after work, I was in a hurry and got the bracelet caught on something in my car. Before I realized it, it had pulled loose the connection and dropped out into the parking lot. I was in the building before I realized it.
I went back and got it, then found Abigail and after chatting for a minute, told her my bracelet came off and asked if she'd put it back on for me. She seemed half puzzled, half pleased, but she connected it again for me :) .