Today's picture taken after a rousing shopping adventure for school supplies.  I love ... LOVE ... school supplies.  It speaks to the inner teacher that dwells deep inside me.  I dislike living in a country that doesn't sell cheap notebook paper, have erasers on pencils or spiral notebooks in festive colors.  As I sat down at the table with Libby, organizing her notebook, my soul was satisfied.

A "new" place we discovered right in our back door.  Lichtenstein Palace.

Every year the natural rhythm of life picks back up when school starts.  Routine.  Normalcy.  Alarms.  Agendas.  Lists.  Schedules.  It all works together and a new rhythm of another chapter establishes a new beat.

Something about celebrating a 47th birthday and sending my "baby" off to middle-school makes me "measure my days" a little.  I really like the routine, normal, alarms, agendas, lists and schedules.  But somehow those things that keep life somewhat predictable are making me bored.

I'm feeling the urge to do something new, try a new thing, branch out, spread my wings ... free fall.  Ok, nothing as dramatic as a convertible sports car and spandex, but maybe, just maybe ... a little something ... new.

This year, my traditional "It's my birthday and I can do what I want to do" ... which always means I take the day to do something by myself ... got ousted for a night out on the town with friends.  I'm feeling the urge to take a photo a day ... and blog something about it.  Who knows?  I may even add highlights to my hair!

I really don't believe this is a mid-life crisis.  I think it's a "standing up and taking stock of the brevity of life" crisis.  I do routine really well.  It's time to shake it up a bit ...

drinking coffee from a new mug,
christina

In the middle of launching one daughter, the other two had "launchings" of their own!



Precious Parker turned 14 on July 22.  My little free-spirit was surprised by old friends popping by for a "Surprise" birthday party.  Greek food at our famous "Greek House" on campus was on the menu for dinner.

Little Libby turned 10 ("double digit"s as she likes to now refer to herself) August 21 ... which just happened to be the first day of school.  My tender-hearted, bold beauty wanted to celebrate her day with me on August 14 so Addie could be a part of the festivities.


So ... on August 21, Parker made her way to her middle school in style ... in quiet confidence that only Parker can rock ... and came home reporting the day to be a 7 out of 10.


Since the first day of school for Libby just happened to be her birthday, she brought donuts to school to celebrate.  She came home reporting the day to be ... "Great"!


The night before school started, the four of us(Chris, me, Parker and Libby) were eating dinner.  We were engaging, laughing, and eating when Libby made a profound little Libby-like statement:

"Guys!  We are doing OK aren't we?  I thought we'd be crying for days after Addie left but look at us.  We are doing just fine!"

Kinda sums it up.  We are doing just fine.

And ... because I gotta get in the last word ... we are doing just fine because of the One who is holding our hearts in this process.  We are a mess without Him.  He holds us all together ... either together or separated .. and in His hands ... "We are doing just fine!"

Every year I say the same thing, "Where did the summer go?" And every year there is never a resonable answer. Truth is, it just passed. Time marches on.

As I type, the older girls have just finished an afternoon of homework, Chris and I have taken naps, Libby has played with her neighbor/BFF, and routine has settled in on us like a comfortable shoe. Time marches on.

In the routine and the normal, I catch myself thinking these are the passing or ordinary days ... yet also create a lifetime of extraordinary. Enjoy the photos of another year of routine ... and another year of expecting the extraordinary!

Yep. That's what she said. Last night, her last night of freedom before starting school again, she was walking up the stairs, very slowly. I asked my little melancholy friend what was the matter. Her response was just as the title of this blog implies, "I feel like it's the end of the rainbow!" I'm guessing this is her 6 year-old way of saying reality has hit. School is starting and a brand new way of life is getting ready to begin! More on the Austrian "First-Day-of-School" Mania ... and yes, I mean MANIA! All students who attend first grade are considered royalty. Not really, but judging by the number of onlookers it would appear that way! It is customary for children to receive a "schule tota" which is a big cone filled with school supplies, candies and other goodies. Everyone brings one to school! You get your picture taken with it, you save it for school pictures and keep it as a memorial to your childhood. It's a really big deal! Then, parents, grandparents, neighbors, aunts, uncles, friends, mailmen ... all escort the first grader to the classroom. No joke, it was so full of adults you couldn't stir people with sticks! I've taken pictures of the ocean of people just to prove how crazy it was! I thought it was a K-Mart fashion shoot. One could barely see the classroom over the light of flashbulbs and the glare of video cameras! And, here's the best part, the first day of school only lasts ... are you ready ... ONE HOUR! So, hoopla, cameras, lights, then ... home! It was fun and the backdrop for all this activity is an old, really old school that looks like something the character Madeline (the french orphan) would attend. So charming ... iron stair rails, marble stairs, yellow on the outside ... so cute. Chris and I started language school today. We could be the parents of every single person in our class ... enough said! This week we had old fashioned buttermilk pancakes and homemade chili. It was sort of our American twist to the Austrian fall. The weather is cooler and crisper and perfect for walking. It's a very popular sport right now, wandering. In the stores you can find walking shoes, walking sticks, walking jackets, walking hats, walking pants ... it's a national past-time. There are trails all around the outskirts of Vienna as well as plenty of walking paths inside the city. As Chris and I walked at seperate times yesterday, we were both struck by the fact that mere months ago we were walking about in our neighborhood in Norman, Oklahoma, praying for the opportunity to be in Vienna. God continues to show us His faithfulness!!!

This week I watched my oldest go off to high school, my middle child say she loves school, and told my youngest she was too heavy for Mommy to carry. To the silent observer these are no big things. To the author of this blog, a huge monumental moment.

Since being displaced from our home in Oklahoma the end of November '08 and being in transition until the end of March '09, this week has been the first "normal" we've experienced in a very long time! Somehow getting back into the groove of school starting is a natural routine setter. This was our first repeat experience in Austria that we could hold on to as establishing a routine. For these Elledge's this has been a huge monumental moment.

Yesterday, Chris, Libby and I went to IKEA to finish purchasing what we needed for the last curtain hanging projects around our flat. We had a rather short list, found our goods, didn't even get a free coffee, and made it home is less than 2 hours ... and that's including travel time. Now, this may be no small feat for IKEA shoppers in the U.S., but for we Austrian IKEA shoppers, still wrestling with our new language, this was a huge monumental moment.

Chris, all by himself, tackled an administrative duty related to our driver's license. Did I mention he did this all by himself? He traversed the underground system, using a new line never traveled by his feet, waiting in line in the burro for all things auto, and managed to tell the clerks of his need to make progress with the application process of our auto licenses. Again, did I mention he did this all by himself? All I can say is this, my friends, was another monumental moment.

Speaking of Chris, God has used high blood pressure to transform this go getting, high energy, let's move it, kind a guy to a more, relaxed go getting, high energy, let's move it kind of guy who listens to God more intently and less to his natural ambitions. God made Chris Elledge (may I just personally say I think this is a monumental moment, Chris' creation, blush, blush). God uses Chris' go getting, high energy, let's move it, kind of guy for Him. However, I believe Chris is letting God direct all his qualities in a way he's never let Him before. Again, all I can say is this is another monumental moment.

For those of you who know us well, Friday night in the Elledge Home is sacred:" Friday Night in the Big Town" to be exact. For years Friday nights have been characterized by making homemade nachos, drinking soda, watching a good movie, and falling asleep on the living room floor. We've tried to maintain this tradition during our transition with hit-and-miss success. However, last night we officially reinstated our family ritual. Menu: nachos made with Cheddar cheese (a hard to find commodity in Vienna, ended up paying 6 Euro for enough to make one pan) homemade guacamole, homemade salsa, and American Ginger Ale (at 1.79 Euro for a 1 Liter). Entertainment: the travel channel on our new found satellite system. Bedtime: undetermined! We are back, baby!! Yet again, another monumental moment!

Well, the first day of school is upon us. We were ready. We had breakfast together. The day was tackled with optimism. Armed with a few new clothes and a pocket full of hopes for the new year, they are gone. At least the two older ones are gone ... Libby has two more weeks left before starting her new bilingual school September 7th. Funny how every year I think "Wow, where did the summer go?" I'm sure I will be one of those little old ladies who tell all young mothers in the line at the grocery store, "Honey, enjoy those little ones. The time goes so fast." Of course I won't be the typical old lady, wearing sensible shoes and knee highs ... unless I find those shoes to be comfortable!

Today also marked the last day of vacation for the Elledge's; now it's back to the old grind! Actually, I am really looking forward to a new routine. This starting school and work thing feels really normal ... and it's nice to have a normal!

We celebrated Libby's 6th birthday this past Friday. Since she can't read, I will post an embarrassing little tid bit about her. If anyone tells her, I will deny writing such awful things! She is in love with Elvis! At one of my favorite second-hand stores, I found an old Elvis movie, "Spin Out". I highly recommend it if you are in the mood for cheesy/corny/smoochy Elvis. Anyway, apparently this was the first Libby laid eyes on the once-upon-a-star Elvis. She was infatuated! She, and this is no exaggerated lie like I usually tell, has watched this movie at least 6 times! She knows all his songs by heart, wanted us to get her an Elvis poster for her room, and wanted to put this poster right by her bed so she could see him as she falls asleep! I don't know if this is super cute ... or borderline obsession! None the less, pray for us. At some point we will have to tell her he's not alive and died as an overweight 42 year old ... but that's a whole other blog post!

Wanted to share something God pointed out to me this morning. I was reading in Exodus. Israel has grown into a powerful nation, just like God told Abraham when he had no children back in Genesis 15. Now, his descendants are numerous and threatening the Pharaoh. You can read the plight of Israel, it's not pretty. They become slaves and 400 years later Moses steps in ... you get the picture.

So, why do I tend to think that bad circumstances mean God has forgotten me? It was in the bad circumstances of Israel that God fulfilled His prophecy to Abraham. Even though Pharaoh tried to kill Hebrew babies, Israel prospered! I began looking back at all things "bad": my struggles with anxiety, my brother-in-law Rodney's cancer, my friend Carrie's cancer, Chris's ER stay recently ...all things that I first think of as bad. But, when I dig a little deeper, all I can see is the good that has come out of those circumstances. Then, God gave me this thought: the greatest news ever presented to man was delivered by way of the cross.

If we believe God's Word to be true, we must reevaluate our view of what's "bad". God says that He works all things out for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. I've got to have a shift in perspective. Not that I'm gonna look forward to the next tragedy in my life, but oh that I would see the next tragedy as an opportunity to see God's good working in my life!

I want my girls to make friends this school year. That seems to be the biggest concern this first day of school. However, if they don't find that kindred spirit, it's not the end of the world. Maybe it's an opportunity for them to experience the closeness of God in a real way!

Enough for now ... the party is over and Elvis has left the building!