This lovely little life

We are home from Operation Shock & Awe which was round and round a success. If you want to hear (or see, rather) about it, head on over to Part One on Two's Company!

I have been thinking about lots of things lately. ( Of course. I always am, aren't I? ) and among them are what I ought to be doing to make money and how God wants me to balance all the pieces of this life. There is so much good stuff going on, but it is coming to the point where I need to buckle down and throw my full energy into a certain set of things instead of dashing like a mad woman from one to the other and trying to get all of them done at once. These things include:

Writing (3 different books at once?)

Blogging

Research for Secret Projects

Teaching

Working With Dad

Family Life

Quiet Time

Ministry

Money-Making

Any Other Creative Efforts

I'm only one gal. I've only got 24 hours. But I can see that those 24 hours need to be carefully spent and right now I blink at the list and go back to twiddling at all of them and I'm less effective than I could be. So if y'all could please pray for me about that, I would love it.

Sometimes I think my imagination is such a brilliant place. I mean seriously. I make up the best-case scenarios for myself. Today I was out with Mama at the store which never happens. It was great to spend some one-on-one time with her and get Starbucks after. ^.^ The entire time it was raining. Actually, it has been raining ever since I got home from Operation Shock & Awe. I love rain. You'll know how much I love rain when you realize that on my bucket list there is at least one item that has to do directly with rain. Like: "Meet someone unexpectedly in the rain. Someone who is very glad to see me." I'm serious here. That is on my list. Sarah told me that the word for a person who loves rain as much as I is "pluviophile". Huh. Funny word, but it means me and I mean IT! *Tigger Laugh & Bounce* At any rate, Mama and I waited out a deluge and then I climbed out of our van, umbrella-less and said, "This is where my imagination outranks real life: in Rachel's World you would never take an umbrella because there would always be someone right behind you to run up and jut their umbrella over your head."
She agreed that was a very pleasant thing.
But you know what? So is walking in the rain, bareheaded, with your Mama and making up stories about the WWII veteran with the tattoos on all his knuckles...

Thanking God for my idiosyncratic, lovely, helter-skelter, jam-packed little life. Love you guys. <3

There's none of it at all!

"The funniest thing about it is the way it likes to grow:

Not at all like proper children which is always very slow.

For it sometimes shoots up straighter like an India-rubber ball

And it sometimes gets so little that there's none of it at all."

-Robert Louis Stevenson

Though Robert Louis Stevenson was, of course, referencing his shadow, I think this quatrain fits well with the current state of my life. (and probably the lives of many of you gals who are graduated.) It seems like we're either sitting with so much free-time we're about crazy, or the schedule merits none at all. I'm about to enter a none-at-all stage, and I'm looking forward to it.

Since we're a "political family" (i.e. don't sit around with our heads in the sand), autumn is not so much pumpkin-spice lattes as it is campaigning. And in Virginia this year we have a really vital race. The spot for governor is up for grabs and the nation's (collective) eye is on the race; whoever becomes governor will swing Virginia one way or the other which will effect national elections in the next few years. You'll likely remember me speaking of the SAT's last year (student action teams) with Generation Joshua; they have called for two early SAT's in addition to the normal ones over election-week, and are trying to gather 200 students for each round! I have volunteered as a leader for those two (as well as the normal one). That means that from the 19-24 I will be in Northern VA, and from October 3-8 I will be in Southern VA. In addition to this, we have our beloved County Fair this weekend, a family camping trip planned for the week after the second early SAT in October, and the girls go to camp mid-October. (I am not taking that full week out of my time for obvious reasons. :D) Of course after October comes election-week with the normal SAT. I'm really hoping and praying that we can get Ken Cuccinelli elected as our next governor; he's a Catholic, homeschooling father with excellent values who stands for everything I am concerned about as a young, intelligent, and voting single woman. Please be praying with me that the fondly-termed "Operation Shock & Awe" will change the course of Virginia history--most candidates whose races our SAT's helped push through election day credit GenJ kids with tipping the final scale. I know it has worked before and I pray these kids' efforts will help push Ken Cuccinelli through. I am SO excited! If you've never done something like this you can't understand the energy and thrill of working so closely with the stuff that changes American history. Seriously now. Get involved with politics; if the country has lame leaders, it's really our fault.

Off the political topic, I am also teaching English Literature to Leah and creative-writing lessons to Leah, Anna, and our cousin Emily. (This will have to be slipped here and there through cracks.)

Also in the background is my online shop, The Warren, which hasn't exactly taken off with a bang because of the fact that I've had no  time to publicize it. So if any of you felt like helping me out with that...(blog buttons, mentioning on your blog, following The Warren on Facebook... :) The business is finally beginning to boom (after three years of nil), praise GOD, and we are having to work Saturdays to keep up. I am still doing billing and occasional office-related things in addition to going out on the work-crew now and then. (the other girls and Benj still carry the brunt of that.) This month I got to do it all at Starbucks. (hence the picture above. Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate is divine.) Oh yes. And I'm writing a Cinderella-novella (25,000 words) which I have to finish, get critiqued, edit, and send into author Anne Elisabeth Stengl's contest by December. The reason I'm pushing to do this is that the best five stories will be published by Rooglewood Press in an anthology dubbed: Five Glass Slippers. Of course A.E. Stengl will get all the money from it, but the winners have have glory, honor, and free publicity in connection with a very successful author in the Christian-fiction circles. So I'm writing my best and shoving it in the ring and we'll see what outcome the Lord has for all that! It would be a lovely break into the realm of publicity for my writing which is currently-unpublished-but-seeking-to-remedy-that.

So yes. I'm bonkers. This fall is bonkers. And I'm loving every minute of it. ^.^

Various, Sundries, and Oh LOOK! I'm going to Florida!

Yes, yes I know. I've spent the whole of this spring traveling from one place to another. I can't say I'm sorry! I love to travel--I love the adventure of it, and the excitement of it, and the squished airplane seats with the stewardesses that smell like disinfectant when they walk by, and the popping in my ears when we rise off the ground, and then the landing when you are pushed out with a tide of passengers into the belly of a complex airport. And I especially love the time spent in new crazy places. All the new sights and sounds and experiences.

Orlando might not be Romania, but it should satisfy my wander-lust for a week or so. ;) Abigail Taylor and her sister Rebekah blessed Sarah and I beyond belief by paying our way to Sovereign Grace's Transfer Conference, and we are headed down this weekend. *eep!* I've never been to Florida, funny enough. I'm more of a European/mountain chick than a beach-bum, so I've never had a burning desire to go. But where a conference calls, I shall answer! Even unto 100% humidity! Mama says when she went to visit Florida where my Uncle Lon was going to college, it was so humid her hair never dried all day after her shower. O.o

"I'm melllllllttttiiiiinnnnnggggg!"

But more than travel, I'm excited about this conference. Excited to spend a weekend with thousands of other young men and women who love Jesus. Can't wait to see what God will teach me/show me while there! :)

 We just got back from a family camping trip with you can hear all about here! It was our first family vacation in 6 years so very well-deserved. ;) We camped at Chippokes State Park on the lovely James River. I love places with history, and being able to dash down the road a couple miles and take the very across to Jamestown and Williamsburg is thrilling!

Let's see. I am currently loving Laura Osnes' voice in Broadway music! It's so clear and sweet and there always seems to be a smile lurking somewhere. If I had a better voice and was on Broadway, I bet it'd sound like hers. :P

I discovered yoga pants a couple weeks ago! :D I had never owned a pair, but being stuck away from home and having forgot my overnight bag, I headed to Walmart to buy some pajamas and lo and behold, a love affair began with that impossibly soft garment! You need to get some if you haven't already. I'm serious!

After watching Nicholas Nickleby for the first time, I can't stop quoting Fanny Squeeers: "Deah Mistah Knuckle-boy..."

We are indoctrinating Levi with Broadway songs. He already requests "Stars" quite often and can hold his own in the "bum-bumming" parts of "Master of the House", "At The End of the Day", "Seize the Day" and "Carrying the Banner". :D

I updated my "About The Lass" page so go check out Take Two!

And last but not least, I'm going to be gone on and off through the middle of July so if this blog is a little spacey during that period of time, don't think I've abandoned blog-dom. I'll simply be jawin' with all the muckity-muck and blowin' my dough and goin' deluxe. ;) Actually, I'll be counseling/working at Generation Joshua's iGovern camps! There are three: one each at Patrick Henry College, in LA, and in Colorado Springs. Travel Travel Travel! :D Yes, I'm a busy, crazy, delighted girl over here, and I ought to sign up for frequent flier miles because for HEAVEN's sake, if I had

March for Life 2013

(photos by Daniel Tate)

For the past several years, a group of people we know have gone up to Washington DC for the March for Life, and it has never worked out in our schedule for me to go. But this year was different. This year Sarah and I both felt very strongly that we wanted to go and show our support for Life. To be counted among those hundreds of thousands of people who are not willing to stay silent. Daniel and Abigail decided to come along too, so we piled into the Tate's 15 passenger van and headed out at 6:30 yesterday morning.

The March for Life, for those of you who aren't familiar with it, is a yearly gathering where people of all faiths, really (lots of Catholics and Christians) collect on the National Mall in Washington DC and listen to speakers speaking on the topic of Life. We got there before the official starting time, and at first there weren't that many people so we were able to get rather close to the stage.

I was standing among a bunch of Catholic college students from Kansas. One particular guy had the loudest shouting voice I think I've ever heard. :D It scared me every time he bellowed!

We stood there in the freezing cold listening to the speakers, all of whom are passionate about the fact that life begins at conception, that abortion is wrong, and that it hurts the mothers as well as the children--a fact many people don't realize. Among the live speakers and video messages, we were able to hear the Speaker of the House: John Boehner, Rick Santorum, and several other notables. But my two favorite speakers were less-famous.

The Jeremiah Lorrig, please return to Miss Grace Tate at earliest opportunity. ;)

One speaker that impacted me was a nineteen year old college student named Ruben Aaoron Verastigui who has devoted his life to fighting abortion. "We are the Pro-Life Generation," he said, calling upon the thousands upon thousands of young people in the crowd to press forward. 

Jill and Grace :)

Grace and Jeremiah

Ruben reminded us that the pro-choice side is getting older and older while the pro-life side is getting younger and younger. It was so neat to hear a guy this young exhorting those of us around his age to get involved. And it was also neat to see that about half of the people there were between the ages of 17-25. :) Definitely a good show of hope for the pro-life movement. According to the Washington Post, the majority of the crowd was young people. 

I also loved hearing Ryan Bomberger, the founder of the Too Many Aborted ministry. See, Ryan has a special niche in the pro-life market. In his own words, he said: "I'm the fringe case even pro-lifers have a hard time accepting." Because Ryan was a baby born of rape. But his mother was a courageous, courageous woman and she chose to keep him. She chose to put him up for adoption, and because of that, Ryan grew up in a wonderful, loving home with parents who adopted ten other children. TEN! Isn't that amazing? His story is so inspiring, so be sure to check out his website.

When the speakers were finished and we were thoroughly frozen, we smushed and pushed and joggled ourselves out to Constitution Avenue. It took about 2 hours just to walk from the Mall to the Supreme Court building on Capitol Hill, but while we were walking, a perfect snow began. Literally perfect, crystal snowflakes that were so ornate I forgot where I was. Standing on Capitol Hill and looking back down the streets (realizing that we were in the last 2/3 of the parade anyway) was astonishing. So many people. And that gorgeous snow.

I forgot I was in DC among hundreds of thousands of people. I forgot there was anyone else there. I just stared at my beautiful snowflakes on my glove and exclaimed, "THEY'RE REAL!" (referencing snowflakes that look like the cartoon ones) which apparently occasioned a fellow marching beside me to look at me with a horrified, "You must be stupid" expression on his face. Well whatever, dude. By the time we marched all the way to the Supreme Court building, the snow had filled my hood, and was a quiet powder on the sidewalks. We parted with our good friends who live up in the DC area, and headed back to Union Station to thaw before the drive home.

It was freezing.

It was almost miserable.

But oh, was it worth it. To hear the cheers of thousands of pro-life supporters...to see the thousands of young people who are swelling the country with support for a cause that will not die with the original Roe V. Wade protesters. We prayed together. We marched together. And I am fully confident that someday we will weep together in joy as abortion is nationally recognized as murder of innocent children and is forever banned from our country.

Amen?

no need to say goodbye.

Now we're back to the beginning

It's just a feeling and no one knows yet

But just because they can't feel it too

Doesn't mean that you have to forget.

Let your memories grow stronger and stronger

'Til they're before your eyes

You'll come back when they call you

No need to say goodbye.

-Regina Spektor "The Call"

I have come home. It is so good to see little faces and give kisses eight times a day to each chubby cheek, and pull Grace onto my lap or ruffle Levi's hair. It's good to be eating homemade food again, it's good to sleep in my own bed, it's good to talk with Sarah after getting in our pajamas. It's good to be with home-people, speaking of home-things, seeing home-sights...Georgia's pretty but Virginia's gorgeous. Just sayin'. ;) Abigail Taylor came up Thursday night after we got home, so I haven't had a long time to get Campaign-sick yet. She's amazing enough herself. <3

We also ended up getting together a group of home-people that I hadn't seen for at least a month, which was so much fun! We went to see the newest Batman movie, and (after I got over my temporary theatre-fear :P) I really enjoyed it! The themes of heroism, courage, and A Tale of Two Cities will be discussed in a different post. Suffice it to say, I liked it very well. :)

But despite all these things, I will admit it that a sensation of Missing Them is lurking, and I didn't expect that. :D I miss my guys and girls that I spent such a long, eventful month with. It's crazy how quickly you grow close to people when you are working together with a common purpose, a common goal, and sharing the same life. :] Thankfully I expect to see a good many of them again someday--homeschooling, Christian, political circles just aren't that cavernous, and I am fast becoming a believer in the 6-degrees-of-separation idea. I mean really, I just discovered that I'm two degrees away from Michael Phelps! (A friend's cousin is Brandon Hansen--a guy on the US Olympic swim-team which means he would know Michael. :)

I have had so.many.memories on this Georgia trip, and though we did not win the election, I cannot in any way say it was a waste. Not when I flip through  my mental scrapbook. Not when I picture Autumn giggling or John laughing, or Zach's happy-dance. Not when I remember the many sighs and laughs and exclamations, or all the thousand-and-one stories of going door-to-door.
These people have made indelible prints on this summer of memories, and I hope I will linger in their thoughts awhile. :) I know they've effected me!

I'll never again eat Skittles without remembering Wyatt Fairlead.

I'll never smell Axe without recalling the Axe-opinion war I waged with Micah.

I'll never hear the words "Eagle-stare" without remembering my first day with Autumn.

And I'll never ever ever hear anything about 6-packs without thinking of Katie. 

Even though the girls we had were few and far between, I got to be great friends with Katie Frost, Autumn B, Bridget, and Mamie Carlstrom. You girls were awesome, and when you were around we had larks by the bucket-load. I love you! <3

But a huge thank-you goes out to my hotel boys. These dozen or so guys made life as the only girl at the hotel simply amazing. The surprise birthday party...the literary discussions...the anticipation over Olympic events....you've spoiled me, guys. You were such gentleman that I really am missing you majorly.

I actually had to open a door by myself...two of you were always there to do it in Georgia. 

Since coming home I've kinda lost my Royal Retinue...I always had a pod of 3 or 4 of you wherever I went. It was fun being your Queen. :)

I'll have to look for fashion in the Belk-ads now...Jere and Stephen, you definitely gave us some laughs.

I've gone back to doing laundry at home...Nystrom boys...you'll have to get your own laundry soap from now on. ;)

Russell...no one can sleep as deep as you. Period.

Ian...Bumble-bee kilts and you are forever paired in my mind.

I now know a deal about loose-leaf tea, Southern soul-food, Pentatonix, Kansas, and why I don't run marathons. Thanks, Zach. :)

Elijah...you with the face. That's all.

Justin...you make a splendid Puddleglum, even when you're cross. And you can run like nobody's business. You and Zach should race sometime.

I just wanted to let you guys know how much getting to know you blessed me. :) You turned what could have been a lonely, drab hotel time into a grand and glorious hullaballoo. You were entirely awesome and I'm still smiling over my month. And thank you, Jesus, for bringing our amazing team together. Thank You for blessing us with Your grace and letting us bring You glory, even through what we see as a defeat. You are amazing, God. :)

Georgia on my mind!

Hello darling people! I wished to tell you that after much flipping and flopping and waiting and going and not going and waiting some more and going again and flipping and flopping every more, I am leaving tomorrow to be in Georgia for a month, working as an assistant on 3 primary campaigns. :)
Daniel is heading up the door-knocking campaign, and I am his assistant as well as a general all-around helper. I am so so excited about this! Getting to work on campaigns in a state I've never been in, flying (and having a lay-over) by myself both ways...it's going to be awesome! :) The Lord brought this up really quick for Daniel and I both, but I am so blessed it worked out! 4 weeks on a mission like this with Daniel is going to be fabulous.
I'd appreciate prayer, both for safe travel and a blessed time down there--and safety in the Georgia heat! Virginia gets awful sultry and sticky, but I've GA's worse.... :P
Anyway, I'm off to our dear little local Fourth of July picnic so I've got to scram! Oh yeah---and this was what I wanted to say in the first place:
I'm on Facebook now, so you girls can stay updated with me there! :) (I have some posts scheduled here as well, for those of you who don't have FB. :) Ciao!

In a Major Pickle.

"Oh nonononono. This is bad. This is bad. This is very very bad." 

-Said in a Flynn Ryder voice.

I made this button to efficiently express my feelings on the subject of today's Supreme Court developments. I'm in the depths of despair. :P What are your thoughts? It's a pickle, ain't it?

*I truly would love to hear your thoughts. If your opinion differs from mine I'd love to hear from you too, but please keep your comments kind and thoughtful. We don't need to start a Civil War over it. ;)

I'll Meet You At The Polls! ;)

Hi gals! Boy it's been forever since I've posted here! I am sorry it's been such a while, but you will understand, I'm sure, how it is, getting busy and all that. I'm in a hotel room having a bit of an adventure right now...yeah. My brother's in the next room over and until tonight I had two gals rooming with me...but they had to go home and so I'm in a shabby hotel in a shabby room by myself for the night. The door's dead-bolted, locked, and barricaded with a chair, the curtains are religiously closed, and I've got my phone at my elbow. I'm just praying Psalm 91 and I'm not in too bad a state with my nerves. :P

...I'm a *homeschooler*! I don't have this experience! :D...

But I did want to say that I got to meet a sort of "Homeschool-hero" today! Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli! He was a dinner our SAT group attended and we got a picture with him! And not only him, but we actually got to speak with, shake hands with, talk with, generally-feel-famous-with Gov. Bob McDonnell!! Excitement was running pretty high (not to mention energy after our Team Leader, James forced us all to drink Mountain Dew and get "Kray-Kray" and we were all a little star-struck, I think. :P

Your's Truly working the phones. (Terrible Phone-Photo)

 I am trying to summon my courage to do double-phones tomorrow. But I'm not so bad using only one--yesterday I made 500 phone calls and knocked on 29 doors. (in 5 miles!) Our SAT team totally whipped ALL OTHER PHONE BANKING STATIONS IN THE NATION yesterday with 9,048 calls in one day! [Along with multiple miles of walking and door-to-door work.] We are pretty awesome. ;)
Anyway, I'd appreciate prayer for protection, (A lot, considering the location of our lodgings. Ahem.) extra energy, extra patience, and success in our mission to get a God-fearing, family-supporting, all-together amazing man elected to Senate! And please, everyone! Get out and vote! I could give you my whole spiel:
    "Hi this is Rachel working for the _______ Campaign! I was calling to see if we could count on your vote at the state senate elections!"
If you are like lots of these people you'll fuss at me and hang up. If you are like the kind few, you'll tell me to keep up the good work. Either way, I won't let you off the hook. ;) But in all seriousness, we like to sit back and complain and disparage today's government, but it's because we are not doing anything to elect officials who are honorable, godly, and trustworthy. It's common sense, and I'm asking you all to think about it! Thanks and I'll be back up on here before too long, hopefully. :)