Additions to Our Family

For those of you excited by the title of this post thinking that we're going to have an addition within the next nine months, I'm sorry to report no such tidings. I do however, want to introduce you to the new members of our little household. There are six of them. They've been with us for several months, and I thought it only fitting that we introduce them to our friends and family, even though only through cyber space.

For starters, this is home to five of them:

I acquired this tank while in high school, and it has faithfully housed many fish (and even a frog at one point!). It sits atop a table in our kitchen and many a night I frustrate Kevin as I am unable to pay attention to what he's saying because of the motion of the fish swimming. Shortly after getting them, Kevin remarked, "I can see why you like fish." What can I say? I'm easily amused!


Now, let's meet the fish themselves...

This is Abraham the Albino Catfish.

Abraham feeds off of the bottom, and spends most of his time scouring the rocks for left-overs. While most of the time he's sitting quite contentedly in one spot for extended amounts of time, he's not slow. He zips around the tank at lightning speed the instant he spots a net coming to scoop him up. Abraham vacations inside the colorful "coral" castle you see behind him. It's a great place to get out of the glare of the overhead light and just relax. Though I love all our fish dearly, Abraham is my secret favorite.

Now, let's meet the others...

This is Gabriel the Guppy. "Where?" you may be saying and understandibly so. He's the shy one of the bunch. Gabriel first came to us with two other guppies; however, all was not well in Tankland amongst the guppies. In the end, one died and the other went back to the pet store, whilst only Gabriel remained. It took much patience and cajoling to get Gabriel to pose even this much. He's much more photogenic when he's with his friends. He is, however, going through a slight identity crisis--he thinks he's a blue neon.

Which brings us to the most recently acquired members of the group.

These are our four blue neons, who sadly exist nameless. We've considered such variations as John, Paul, George, and Ringo; or Larry, Curly, Mo, and Shemp; or we considered keeping it in the family and going with Ashlynne, Rachel, Lauren, and Kate. We have, however, come up with nothing that seems to quite fit. Still pondering on that one....

I can see why Gabriel wants to be one: they're bright, they're colorful, they're never alone, and, well, they know how to pose for the camera. We're just hoping one day, Gabriel learns he has something to offer the Tank too.

Last, but not least (only separate) is Barnabas our Betta.


Barnabas lives in the fishbowl on the pantry shelf (it's a shelf that holds our items normally stored in the pantry--don't worry, he's not living in a closet). As Bettas cannot live in peace with others, he's forced to live a life of solitary confinement. He has magnificent hues in his coloring, some of which are visible in the picture. He keeps busy by lazily drifting among the one piece of glass within his bowl. His is truly a life lived within a fishbowl.

And there you are: Abraham, Gabriel, Fish, Fish, Fish, Fish, and Barnabas. They're a joy to have in our family, and they sure keep us (well, me) entertained. Here's to many more hours of watching the fish swim by.

"Even Solomon In All His Splendor...."

I have recently learned that I love Spring. My soul is fed while driving along the highway gazing at the patches of purple, yellow, and white flowers that are suddenly popping up. I took a walk at work yesterday during a break and was captivated by a bird who sat atop a seven-foot bush and sang just because he could. It makes me want to do nothing more than throw my windows open and take a nap. Such is the Spring Fever I've been attacked with around this time of year since moving to East Tennessee. It's a glorious feeling that many times goes frustrated as I am not afforded the free time to satisfy it completely.

Amazing, isn't it, that after such a dreary time as Winter, although beautiful in it's own right with snow-capped mountains and serene outdoors, we are given such a colorful, lively time as Spring?
I've learned recently that I like to work with my hands. It was a revelation given to me one afternoon as I sat lazily on our couch. Finally sick of being lazy, I got up and began preparing dinner, which, to my surprise lifted my spirits. It's my theory that I got this gift of "handiness" from my mother, who also is a master crafts-woman and enjoys being creative with her hands.

While at Wal-Mart the other day, I picked up a $1 box of wildflower seeds, which I planted with great ceremony in our 2ft x 6in planter on our porch. I wasn't expecting much. I couldn't till the earth or walk over the planted seeds to press them down as the box instructed. I knew I would forget to water them, and I could only hope what the dogs would do if they realized something I didn't want them to touch was in there. But, I figured, it would be an adventure in it's own right.

Imagine my surprise when, after only a couple of days, I could see two little green buds sprouting. I actually drug Kevin by the hand from in front of the computer to view them one night. Granted, it is no farm, as our Wilkerson family has begun in Nebraska, and it will bring no lasting sustenance to our family; however, it pleases me nonetheless to see what meager offering the Lord can take and bring something beautiful of it. Seeds have always fascinated me as they are lacking in size compared with their yield.

I'm not sure how large these will grow, as they are wildflowers. We can only hope that the next picture is not us on our porch being accosted by six foot sunflowers. :)

The Wit and Wisdom of this World

Bumper Sticker seen today: "God is coming and is she p***ed."

It's always amazed me that we will acknowledge that there is a god, but not what He says about Himself.

Quote from one of my student's...

Student: Are you still sick today?

Kevin: Nah, I took some medicine. So I am feeling a little better. I really really do not like taking medicine.

Student: What are you? A hippie?

Oh, the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus....

It was while we were in church yesterday singing that the above song came to mind. It was a phrase someone in the service said that led my mind to that tune. If you haven't heard it, it's beautiful. If you have heard it, you know what I'm talking about...

I think the most accurate description of the place I'm in is overwhelmedly blessed.

Yesterday, Kevin and I went on a hike behind our house. (I guess a more appropriate way to say it would be we went on a hike in front of our house, since our house faces the woods that we hiked through and hiking behind our house would be walking down our driveway, but that doesn't really make much sense. Anyway....) I had never hiked as far as we went around where we live, and it was gorgeous! We live on one of the side peaks of a valley, and, from where we hiked, we could see almost evey house on all parts of our valley, including the lights from Maryville, several hills away. I so desperately wanted to take a picture; however, our camera battery has died, and we have yet to revive it. :(

We climbed straight up--through thick pine trees with three dogs at our heels (Dolly and Rocket, both of whom you've met, and Sadie, Dolly's sister who was in for a visit).

As we hiked up, Kevin called loudly, "Hibernating snakes, come out, come out, whereever you are!" It only made me shudder as I'm not a huge forrest wildlife person. When we made it to the top, I could only stare in awe at the beautiful sun as it set behind the far side of our valley...I stared and mused. Who would have ever thought a girl such as me would wind up in the woods? I mean, I thought we were living rustic in El Paso where there were peacocks down the street and our yard had a plum tree in it. Now, we can't see our neighbors during the summer because the pine trees are so thick. I can watch the sun set nightly behind the trees as I stand at our kitchen window. Always having been a sucker for a gorgeous sunset, I stand there many times and just gape or call Kevin over to partake with me.

As I think back to where we were just a year ago--wondering if we'd even be able to get married when we wanted to since our planned living arrangements had fallen through--I am amazed. God has provided so much more than we EVER could have hoped for: a wondeful job for me, two reliable paid-off cars, a scholarship that paid Kevin's entire senior year, a great church, a beautiful little furnished aparment...and I could keep going.

Now, I realize that for God to be a gracious God, these things are not necessary in my life, but that is what makes them that much more amazing--because I don't deserve them. What I must realize is that He will take care of me--or us, as Kevin and I must both start referencing ourselves in the collective. :)

We begin apartment/house hunting and job hunting for Kevin within a matter of months, and I'm very excited to see where we are headed next! :)