jlodom

Year in Review

It seems to be expected that one should complain and lament this entire last year. I have neither the desire nor the right to do so. If I were to complain–even about the legitimately discouraging events of the year–I would feel as though I were looking down on the truly good things that have happenedContinue reading “Year in Review”

The Desert is More than Sand

I have lived in/visited a fair variety of climates. I’m from Oklahoma, I lived a while in Virginia, spent a summer working at a clinic in Chiapas, Mexico, and lived in Israel for six months as a Moshav volunteer when I was 17 (Judean Hills area, near Abu Ghosh). When I was in the MarineContinue reading “The Desert is More than Sand”

The Everlasting Trope: Stable Boy among Kings.

Or (according to TVtropes): Penny among Diamonds I desperately, inconveniently, and perhaps inexcusably, love this trope. I will be using it a bit more broadly than the tvtropes definition, as you will see, but the basic idea is the same. The poor lad or lass of low social standing somehow gets involved with the higher social classes–culturalContinue reading “The Everlasting Trope: Stable Boy among Kings.”

Wedding Joys and New Family

I once had a pastor say that, if ever he was going to preach on a topic, he could expect to be tested severely on it while he prepared the sermon. Preaching on mercy? He could expect to struggle with feeling unmerciful. Talking about faithfulness? He should expect to find some area in which heContinue reading “Wedding Joys and New Family”

The Tombs of Atuan and Till We Have Faces

*SPOILERS* for The Tombs of Atuan and Till We Have Faces I just read The Tombs of Atuan by Ursula K. LeGuin for the first time. It had been recommended to me before, and I have had my sisters’ copies of it (and Wizard of Earthsea and The Farthest Shore) on my shelves for years. MyContinue reading “The Tombs of Atuan and Till We Have Faces”

Slow is Smooth, Smooth is Fast

I have mentioned before that I don’t really have writing advice to offer. This is for two reasons. One? The good stuff has all been said, no real need for me to rephrase it. Two? I don’t know that my way of writing and learning to write would be particularly helpful. But just in caseContinue reading “Slow is Smooth, Smooth is Fast”

New Normal

4 days ago I went into labor to deliver our second child. I am so very, very tired (and sore, and all that jazz), but also relieved. This one went a WHOLE LOT smoother than last time. Last time was longer, it was excruciating, and I was basically unable to move like a regular humanContinue reading “New Normal”

Ye Old Waiting Game

So, today is my due date. I thought this baby would come early but, alas, I’m still waddling around and waking up in the middle of the night trying to analyze whether or not I feel labor-ish. Since this is my second kid, you would think I would have better intuition about these things. EitherContinue reading “Ye Old Waiting Game”

The Everlasting Trope: The Chosen One

Disclaimer: “the chosen one” is not usually one of my favorite tropes, but I’m going to go through it because it really is one of the most iconic and enduring and–as per usual–it is thus for a variety of good reasons. The reasons it can be obnoxious are also quite valid. So, the good, the bad, and…the resonance. Except notContinue reading “The Everlasting Trope: The Chosen One”

A Certain Kind of Busy: Distracted

So I have been a certain kind of busy, not the kind that is exciting or always useful. I’m just about two weeks out from my due date for baby number 2, and I’m tired, and we’ve been doing various things to get ready for labor and the general life shift that’s about to happen. We’veContinue reading “A Certain Kind of Busy: Distracted”