this weekend

We're going to a conference about living in community.

Hopefully we'll network some and learn some.

We'll post post-conference.

Possibility

Recently I wrote a poem to encourage my sense of hope. Since then I've shared it with friends and many have given me back a sense of joy and renewed purpose in writing. Go slow and read it twice - hope you enjoy it. - Shawn

Possibility
by Shawn Latourelle



Early in the morn
when the birds are waking
the light on the water
dawns first

The silhouette of the trees
Is still dark
Waters glow with fore light
In the pre-dawn silence

Here
Is where possibility waits
Along with the sun
(not hurried but coming)

Yet when the sun climbs over the horizon
Potential is born
And its beauty is blinding

Brighter than my eyes can stand

Larger than my heart can contain

Longer than my past can overcome

Is the Vast desire of Hope

Freely released in each new Day

dessert

so maybe one day shawn will write about the Good Friday service. Until then, I'll continue blogging.

tonight, we were waiting for dinner to cook (Shawn was cooking; I was catching up on things). I said I wanted to have dessert.

Shawn said, "you should've gotten some when we went to the grocery store yesterday."*

So I said (in response to him saying I should've gotten dessert at the grocery store), "I felt guilty about wanting to buy dessert because you were there." He, in turn, says, "I really wanted you to buy dessert."

Seems we've still got a ways to go on the communication thing.

*(since we've been married, Shawn's gone to the grocery store by himself. We tried twice, when we were first married, to go together, but it didn't work out. BUT the past two Sundays, we've gone together. And we made it. And it was good times both times! Sunday mornings seem to work. It frees up a night and we still have the rest of Sunday for such things as tennis, running errands, taking naps, and going to church in the evening.)

Good Friday

Loren and I attended our first Good Friday - Tennabrae style. It's a specific service where the lights are slowly dimmed and it ends in the dark. Symbolizing the light of the world being extinguished on Good Friday.

It was encouraging to see community wide participation from Episcopalian, Methodist, Baptist, Calvary Chapel, Roman Catholic, Lutheran, churches. Each Pastor/Priest gave insights on the last words of Jesus while on the Cross. We couldn't help noticing the breadth of viewpoints given. I told Loren "when we open the doors wide we'll get a wide breadth of perspective" Loren was touched near the end when one of the Catholic Priest spoke on how we in the Christian tradition have much more in common than we differ. He also said that what we agree on is vastly more important that what we disagree on -Amen! Then (unscripted) he began to lay the cross down, but because he was advanced in years he needed help, so the Baptist minister got up and helped him lay the cross down. What a great symbol of the entire evening. - Peace Shawn

Tennis

we've been taking advantage of the weather and of day light savings time (even though I don't like it not being light out when I wake up these days) by playing tennis. we have two courts near our apartment. one is just a couple of blocks down the street. the other is just on the other side of downtown. shawn is better than I am, for sure, but I'm able to at least hit it across the net a few times and we occasionally have a good rally. we are averaging playing about two days a week.

Spring is Here

so it's been a while since we've blogged. since the last post, Spring has sprung.

Proof of such is a tree outside our apartment.

Trip to Tahoe

the weekend of February 22-25, we spent in Lake Tahoe. A couple friend of ours invited us to join in their weekend away, so we agreed! We planning on going from Friday evening until Sunday mid-day. But we got snowed in! It snowed from Saturday around 11a until 10p Sunday night. It was so beautiful. We went snowshoeing both Saturday and Sunday. Sunday after our snowshoeing expedition (we went down the end of the street we were staying on because we heard there was a trail head there. But there was so much snow that we ended up making our own trail) we went sledding in the back yard. It was a blast!
We took a few photos. It was nice to have a taste of the snow. And fun to be snowed in just for a day. Our drive back on Monday was clear skies with little traffic.

what we did today

there's a first time for everything. today we helped out with a first in Marin: churches coming together to serve the community by cleaning up park areas. we chose to clean-up where we had our rehearsal dinner back in June: McNear's Beach. the weather was beautiful, everyone's spirits were up, we met some new people and had an all around good time.

You can read the article here in the Marin Independent Journal.

differences

Wednesday night, I went to the local sports bar to watch basketball (DUKE vs. UNC). Shawn went to an Ash Wednesday service at a local Episcopalian church. Interesting dichotomy, I thought.

famous!

Shawn made his television debut this past week! 

He built some furniture for a local version of Extreme Home Makeover.

The website is linked below. When you go over to it, click on Episode 43. Then go to the session called 'Our Living With Pets Makeover Revealed.' It's the 5th one down on the right-hand side.

If you wanna see him in action go here. 

Nothing like free advertising for free assembly!

a break in the rain

it rained from Monday through Friday. Saturday there was a break in the rain, so Shawn and I decided to take advantage of it. We walked from our place to the house in which he used to live. We hung out with the couple who still lives there from when Shawn lived there. They both had been on both of our hearts and minds, so we decided to stop in and see how things were going. Seems like there was a good reason for it. We chatted for about an hour and a half, them doing most of the talking. They're dealing with a few things that we had no idea about, so we know how more specifically to pray. Then we headed down a few blocks to a place up for rent. Cute loft-type place. High ceilings. Kind of small. We're not looking to move. It's just fun to see what else is out there. Then we walked downtown. Then we walked to the library. Shawn read Christianity Today magazine. I found a Poetry magazine and then checked two books out about being a writer. 'Bird by Bird' by Anne Lamott. We'll see what happens.

Then we walked back to our place. It was refreshing to be outside, with no rain. To spend time with friends. To get some reading in. A good day in the life of the Latourelles.

something we're looking into

Have been reading up and praying about this: Sojourners

You can also check out their blog.

Thinking maybe something like this but adapted for Marin.

date night

every other Tuesday is date night. tonight, we just had an evening at home. it's been raining since yesterday morning and it's a bit cool out, so I decided we'd just stay in.

 

pizza+wine+candle light+jazz+chocolate=

one happy couple on one good cozy date night!

us

some friends of ours got married this past Saturday. i got to coordinate/direct the rehearsal, wedding and reception. it was a good time. and they're married.

here's a picture of Shawn and me outside of the chapel after the happy couple's wedding ceremony.

walking

yesterday, Shawn and I walked from Blackie's Pasture

(part of the trail pictured above)to downtown Tiburon, via Belvedere. I think it's at least 5 miles round-trip.


last Sunday Shawn and I took the Tennessee Valley trail (top picture) from the starting point to the end (the ocean, just above) and back. It's about 3 miles round trip.

both were fun. the trip to Tiburon was a little longer than expected, but we got fresh air (and a good bit of wind) and were able to enjoy the views of the Bay and the tips of the Golden Gate bridge.

more about christmas

we got the tree December 2. we decorated throughout the first week of December. we listened to Christmas music all the while. since we were going to SC for Christmas, leaving on Christmas Eve, we decided to open the gifts we'd gotten for each other on Sunday the 23rd. Shawn gave me the Charlie Brown Christmas Special soundtrack (I've been wanting it for years); a book of Rilke poetry, and some slippers (LOVE them...they keep my feet nice and warm; and I've never owned a pair of slippers before). I gave him some pancake mix, a bar of dark chocolate, a pruning saw (for the Christmas tree next year) and some cologne (SLATE from Banana Republic). We went to SC and spent the week with my family. One of the highlights was a trip to visit the Biltmore House in Asheville, NC.

our first christmas

live garland atop the bookshelves in the living room
the advent wreath Shawn made from live garland

we bought our live tree from the high school down the street; it was just 5 feet, but as you'll see, fit nicely in our apartment
the tree all lit up

pictures of all sorts of things

at the reception on our wedding day
a bowl of grapes
we went to the Filoli House for Shawn's birthday
my first trip to Lake Tahoe
beautiful Lake Tahoe!