life with the dickersons

one step at a time

2012-02-07T09:42:00.000-05:00

David is not too interested in walking. After all, he crawls so fast that walking would never get him to his best friends, Mr. Stripes and Cottonsocks, quicker than the old hand and knee approach. I've been trying to encourage him to walk and, with me holding only one hand, he can easily support himself. Furthermore, it would be great if every time we go outside if his pants didn't end up mud-soaked and his feet covered with scratches (and splinters, yikes!) But, as with all things with kids and life, it's one step at a time. [Pun intended.]

One thing he does LOVE to do, is climb and climb on everything. This I try, unsuccessfully, to discourage. Exhibits A-D of our monkey child featured below. Yesterday, he climbed into our basket where we keep blankets and propped himself up like King Tut. He then promptly demanded his 'stuffed elephant' be brought to him. I think he's watched the cat sleep on this pile because why else would he choose that particular climb? His other new favorite is hoisting himself up on our outdoor rocking chairs. After climbing up, he gets a great kick out of 'rocking himself' - closely supervised, mind you. When he does decide to walk, I think we're in for a real treat (and exercise!)

a list

2012-02-05T09:57:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I've started reading Ann Voskamp's book, One Thousand Gifts. It is really an amazing book, and I've been inspired to start my own list of God's gifts and grace to hopefully develop the habit of gratitude and contentment, in all things and all circumstances. Some days (like the 60 degree, sunny one we had last week) are easier than others to adopt this attitude. Other days, it's quite difficult to do so, especially when you want to find a blessing in every circumstance. On that note, here's a mix of circumstances that are at the top of my prayer list:

Friends from Portico (including this one) on a missions trip to an orphanage in Nicaragua.
Friends of friends that lost their baby after delivering her 3 months early.
Cynthia and our family as Cynthia attempts to navigate life and the impact (mental, emotional, and so on...) of turning 18 on February 20.
Our pastor, Chris Atwell, and his family as Chris recovers from another cancer-removing surgery (after 5+ years of being cancer free.)
Our dear friends, the Hoffmans, as they get closer and closer to adopting their children from Uganda.

I could write a post on each of these things. But, for now, with a sick baby (toddler?) and a dirty house, a bulleted list will have to suffice. Any and all prayers for this list of items (and healing for David's terrible, no good, ugly cold and cough) would be much appreciated.

David's Birthday - Part II

2012-02-04T13:29:00.000-05:00

David continued his birthday celebration on Sunday, January 22 - the actual date of his birthday - with his maternal grandparents, aunts, and great grands. He was quite the ham as he opened his gifts, which included lots of books, a "car,"several knitted pieces from Toes First (Nanny Peg's "brand"), a leather jacket from his Aunties, Apple Park finger puppets and matching books, a swing and gift cards (which Mom and Dad used towards a new "big boy" car seat!). This child is much loved and much spoiled. And I still can't believe he is already a year old.

thank you notes

2012-01-30T20:41:00.000-05:00

I come from a 'thank you note for everything' type of family. I don't think it's a bad thing, either. I want my children to learn how to write well (and not just for Twitter, e-mail, and Facebook), and thank you notes are a great way to start that process from a young age. Plus, most everyone loves to get something in the mail and a habit of expressing gratitude will never offend, whereas not doing it could mean the difference between getting a job or not. You with me?

So while I am the family's "cheerleader" for thank you notes, I don't serve as an editor for them. (Although, my nature wants to 'help' and share my years of "thank you note writing experience.") This year, Cynthia sealed her notes before I could even be tempted to read them. Beau did the same but he did give me a glimpse into their contents and this sampling is what I want to share with you.

To my Aunt Jill, who Beau has met twice, in response to the Annual Fischer Family Secret Santa Gift Exchange:

Dear Jill,

...

Another Christmas, another Secret Santa. Thank you so much for the wine bottle opening set. It will come to much use especially since both Cynthia and David are driving us to the the bottle.

...

Much obliged,

Beau

To my English grandparents, who Beau has met once (and they are from a different culture (duh) and 78 and 85 years old):

Dear Vera & Reg,

...

I thank you for the $50 gift card. It will be used wisely by myself so long as I can keep Christa's thieving hands off of it.

...

Much obliged,

Beau

What can I say? Everyone says "thank you" in their own way. I hope the recipients find their notes as amusing as I do (and know that Beau is indeed thankful for their gifts!)

David's Birthday - Part 1

2012-01-28T09:00:00.001-05:00

I had grand plans of writing a little poem to accompany these pics but given David's proclivity for breaking things (his lamp and an ink pen) and fussing (about his teeth and shots) today, these pictures will have to be my thousand words.

For those who are curious, my poem was going to start off something like:

T'was the day of David's birthday party

and there was excitement in the air

All the pom poms had been hung

from the ceiling with care

[And David had thoroughly brushed

Pop Pop Pop Jim's hair.]

Dressed in his finest button down and vest

(the latter made by Nanny Peg nonetheless)

David consulted with Daddy

over a beer and a text

on how he should best greet his fine guests.

And that is as far as I got before I was interrupted....and, reading over it now, I think you've been spared some rather bad rhyming and poetry. (insert hash tag: #sticktowhatyouknow)

Anyhow - David had fine time playing with a few little people, some friends, his aunties, both set of grandparents and a set of great grandparents. It was a lovely way to celebrate God's amazing gift to us and remember how blessed we are to have David and all of those who love him and us.

marcy may photography

2012-01-27T09:00:00.001-05:00

our dear and talented friend, Marcy of Marcy May Photography, took the Dickerson family photos for this year's Christmas card. Here's a collage I snagged from her blog - we got so many compliments on our season's greetings (and it even won first runner-up in a friend's unofficial Christmas card contest. Not that we even knew that we were "entered.") And she is the artist behind the professional Dickerson Homes & Development photos too!

a december to remember

2012-01-25T13:30:00.000-05:00

Since its almost February 2012, I figured I should share some photos from (pre-Christmas travels) December 2011. David is by far the most willing photo subject in the Dickerson family, if it isn't obvious from the photos below.

(a) David and Dad wrestling. (b) David the Tasmasian Dickerson "hits" the bathroom.

(e) Cynthia finishing the tree decorations with a helper. (f) David and his best frienemy - Mr. Stripavich.

a typical Wednesday

2012-01-12T18:00:00.000-05:00

Since I don't work for Journey on Wednesdays or Fridays, I try to arrange my days to spend as much time with David while getting a few errands and things done around the house. Last Wednesday, he woke up with a "I'm not growing molars THIS week" smile and hair-do to match so the day looked promising. After his morning nap - which I hope never goes away but alas... we bundled up (pic #2) for the adventure portion of our day. We usually try to get out to a park or go for a walk but the weather was freezing so... Fashion Square Mall, it was! We stopped by the Salvation Army to drop off a bag that had been rattling around in my trunk for a few weeks. I counted this as 1 of about 3 "car seat in/out" experiences that David would permit before the lovely arch-back/tear-filled anti-carseat protest that has become the norm in the past few weeks would rear its ugly head.

Next stop: the mall to buy a belt for Cynthia, a few cards from Hallmark and lunch. After David helped me pick the perfect belt (what is better for a baby in a stroller to grab on to and pull off the rack??), we left and encountered: The Baby PlayLand. I've been warned of this germ-laden kiddie haven, but David is social and he needed a break from the stroller post belt search. After some apprehension and my affirmed commitment to sanitizer, David ended up loving the playland (pic #3). He even got his first hug from a similar-sized young lady - and his response was a look that said: "What in the world is she doing to me?"

Next up - sharing a slice of spinach pizza (pic #4 features my lunch date, practicing his dinosaur face and roar) and, then, time to head home. The anti-carseat protest ensued (cut it too close to naptime), but a nice nap and some TV/toy box climbing later that afternoon made for a perfect day. Oh, and the icing on the cake: David's new MoMA bib, a bargain purchase from the trip.

a few new reads

2012-01-06T19:51:00.001-05:00

I redeemed my Amazon.com gift card from Christmas on Monday and purchased a few books from my 'gotta read sometime soon' list. I've heard a lot of things about them and they will make a nice change from the Game of Thrones series, which I love but doesn't do much for personal, spiritual or any other type of "good" growth - except maybe in the database of nicknames at my disposal. For example, David is a little "Wildling" and, Beau, of course, is my "Sun and Stars" - just like Khal Drago in Thrones... Not sure the latter has caught on like the former. Just imagine me calling up the stairs, "My Sun and Stars, can you bring down the vacuum?" And there you go, the nickname has lost its magic.

Moving on. Here are the books that arrived yesterday! yay:

A Thousand Splendid Gifts by Ann Voskamp
Real Marriage: The Truth About Sex, Friendship, and Life Together by Marc Driscoll
Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids by Kim John Payne

Oh, and a friend lent me Carly Fiorina's memoir, Tough Choices - a NYT best seller. She was named "The Most Powerful Woman in Business" by Fortune and was the first woman CEO of a Fortune 20 company - her story seems an interesting one, to say the least.

Before I break into these, I've got to finish Bringing Up Boys by James Dobson. David is going to be '"brought up" before I know it! I'm finding the book interesting and very dinner-table-conversation-worthy. In the first chapter or so, he shares the scientific findings of the last couple of decades that highlight the early, early differences between boys and girls. I mean - we know it to be true from experience - but to learn that at 6 weeks in the womb, boys and girls start to develop biologically differently due to a little hormone called testosterone (and then some) is just plain, umm, "how can you doubt a genius master Creator and Designer"?

Phew - that's a lot of reading to be had in early 2012. Hopefully the little Wildling will keep up with his lovely 7ish bedtime and I can continue to enjoy a chapter or two (or three...) in the evenings.

winter and waistlines

2012-01-04T10:00:00.001-05:00

Winter is a hard time for healthy eating. How can you be compelled to eat a salad when it's too cold to grill your protein of choice and you're missing all the fresh veggies of the summer like beets and corn off the cob? Not to mention the temptation of more weather-friendly, seasonable alternatives such as chili, pot roast, chicken pot pie and anything with mashed potatoes. Curling up on the couch in front of the fire with a bowlful of salad on a cold winter evening just doesn't hold the same appeal.

But, I've been reading Dr. Sear's book on 'becoming your family's nutritionist' and it's convicting. For my sake and theirs, we have to make some changes - focus on portions, healthy fats and more green in our lives. According to Sears, Beau, Cynthia and I can actually be 'retrained' to like the healthier foods better. I have doubts that when left to my own devices, I'd pick a salad over my favorite Chick-fi-la spicy chicken sandwich but maybe... just maybe. And little David, well, his food preferences are things he forgets from week to week but, oddly, at the same time, are being shaped with each day. And it's my responsibility to help him learn to love the good things.

Actually, I shouldn't lump Beau in with Cynthia and me because he is really good at making the healthy choice. I mean, I have known him to finish an entire watermelon in one sitting or actually eat lettuce off the head of iceburg. That last one is a strange thing... but, in this house, I sometimes have to label produce "Don't eat - saving this for XX dish or event." He'll pick something fresh over say...Cheeze-Its... so I don't face any anti-green pressure from him. In fact, his favorite thing about a 'plate' is how much color it has (well, that and his weakness for prime rib if also on the plate.)

Needless to say, I've made a couple of great winterish dishes from this website. I would recommend the Turkey White Bean Pumpkin Chili and the Acorn Squash and Leek Soup. Cynthia doesn't like pumpkin (or any seafood... problematic since fish is one of the healthiest proteins around) but she loved this chili. And David loved the acorn squash soup.

Any suggestions on recipes that "lighten" winter fare and are baby and anti-seafood teenager friendly? Can I also stipulate that some be freezable too so I can make a triple batch and freeze some for us and the next new mom in our lives? That's not too much for a busy, aspiring family-nutritionist to ask for, right?

Pics courtesy of skinnytaste.com

2011

2011-12-31T22:10:00.000-05:00

After a 5 month hiatus - I figured an appropriately cliche "highlights of 2011" post on New Years Eve would be the fitting way to return to the blogosphere. 2011 has been the best and most challenging year for me personally - and probably for the Dickerson family as a whole (minus David whose biggest challenge currently is his fight against the carseat.) Twitter and Facebook have rapidly become my social media drugs of choice - because 'who has time for blogging' between trips to Albemarle High School and diaper changes? I would say that although I use Twitter in a non-social media way (no hash tags, no latest news, no replies...), it HAS gotten a lot cuter since the introduction of David. I'm not biased or anything, though.

So - here's the highlights from 2011 from the Dickersons:

David Michael Dickerson was born on 1/22/11 and now, a short 11 months later, he has tripled in size and has gone from not being able to hold up his head to unraveling an entire roll of toilet paper and climbing the stairs before I can say "Where is this child's mother??"

Cynthia 'CiCi' turned 17 and finished 10th grade with mostly A's and B's. She participated in her first missions trip to Joplin, MO and helped recruit foster parents at Portico Church with this video. Her connection with reality seems to grow more each day. We are praying this continues and you can too. Today, she finished all of her chores and then some in 3 hours. Yipee! But, just last week, she and Beau had the following exchange:

After Cici disappeared for 1 hour, 20 minutes:

B: What have you been doing? You said you wanted to start your Algebra project 2 hours ago so you could go to the movies this afternoon.

C: I was getting ready.

B: Getting ready for what? The second coming of our Lord, Jesus?

Beau and Dickerson Homes & Development built and sold 6 houses and have 3 under construction now. A team of two grew to five. All of this in-between being a great Dad (and tutor) and officiating many a basketball game. Oh, and turning 31. Yikes.

As for me - I had a baby, have maintained a part time job at Journey Group and still have most of my sanity although I can't say much for my memory. In November, I traveled with aforementioned baby to England to 'surprise' his Great Grandparents and celebrate my 30th birthday - gasp. We also visited the American Great Grands on Long Island and David earned his wings on Southwest.

Here's a little series of photos to show my son's latest accomplishments in the wild world of learning and being almost one. (These occur spontaneously, in response to 'voice command' or by emulating a similar adult gesture. He has had a whole room of adults slapping their heads or Praising Him.)

Clap hands

Praise Him aka Big Stretch

"Uh oh" - stated whenever something drops/breaks, he throws something or just for fun.

and my personal favorite - "Oh my goodness" aka "You've got to be kidding me."

(Not pictured: Waving hello and goodbye.)

summer reading list?

2011-07-08T10:24:00.000-04:00

If you're looking for a excellent book - beach season and all - I highly recommend The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. It's nonfiction and written in such a clever way - you don't even realize how much you're learning about biology (not my usual genre) as the author weaves this story of a poor black family and how one woman changed the course of history forever with her cervical cancer cells... Not to mention the lesson on cell biology, genetic research and bioethical questions we still face today.

http://rebeccaskloot.com/the-immortal-life/

My mother-in-law is in a book club so I've benefitted from their selections (like Henrietta) over the past year of so! I also recently rediscovered a box of books from a friend in the basement. When I first received them, I read through all the authors I recognized and left the older/lesser knowns for later (or never). But since I haven't made it to the library in a couple of months, I decided to try out the rest of them. So far, only 2 have been sorta junk/trash but a couple of others you might find interesting:

The Whistling Season by Ivan Doig

Rocking the Babies by Linda Raymond

The Cobra Event by Richard Preston

Of course, these have been my "relaxation" reads that come amongst the regulars: the Bible, Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, and various baby development books. :)

Any recommendations for other good books this summer? I love if they are older so I can find them at the library. Beau is reading Counterfeit Gods so I get that next and Cici is making her way through The Hunger Games (which I also get next!)

a trip to Joplin, MO

2011-06-27T14:31:00.000-04:00

Cynthia went with a group from Portico as a missionary/relief worker to Joplin, MS two weeks ago. Back in May, Joplin was hit by the single deadliest tornado since 1947 left parts of the town unrecognizable and killed at least 116.

We were a bit hesistant in letting her go. She is a teenager (as a start) and loves her hour-long morning "getting ready for the day" routine. And, that is the weekday routine.

BUT- we knew there is a HUGE need for help and having just passed the 10th grade (with A's & B's!), she had the time and desire to go. We're proud she could represent us - and she did a great job, according to all reports.

Check out the videos here.

happy father's day

2011-06-21T21:23:00.002-04:00

David and I tried to put some creativity into Father's Day. The boy has been campaigning for a name change for DH&D: he wants it to be Dickerson & Son. You know - old-fashioned, Brooklyn borough style. I can't say I blame him - it's time to buy into the booming business and booming it is... check out the photos on the www. Cynthia opted for the service-oriented father's day gift with a complimentary car-cleaning. Below are some images of our handiwork so Beau would feel appreciated on his first 'official' Father's Day.

its in the small things

2011-05-15T09:42:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, Cynthia and I had a conversation that went like this:

"What is your summer job searching strategy?" - me

"What do you mean?" - CC

"Well, where are you going to apply? You need to think about location and whether they are hiring, etc. And if you don't get started soon, you will be competing with a lot more high school and college students looking for summer jobs. Remember when we talked about this a few weeks ago?" - me

"Well... I was thinking I would apply at Starbucks." - CC

"Uh, ok - which one and are they hiring? " - me

"I don't know. I haven't gotten that far." -CC

"Well, I'm happy to help you but you have to do some of the legwork yourself. Like we disucssed, I would start by .... I doubt you want to spend every day of your summer at the Boys and Girls Club, which will be the alternative if you don't put some effort into finding a job." - me

Silence and a grimace ensue.

And then, Cynthia's evening's facebook post (in response to a friend who is also looking for a job):

"Tell him to look online, there's a hand full of employment opportunities! ________ needs to start filling out applications asap because it's going to be difficult to get a job once school is over. He can apply online or make a list of places he is interested in and either call or go there in person to talk to the manager, remind him that it can get competative so he needs to be prepared. ;)"

What?!?? Now, we'll see how this turns out... but its nice to know that sometimes they ARE listening to what you're saying and how it might help them (even if its the second time around and contains threats of what the alternative could be). For me, its small things that count: Good baby sleep and evidence of a teenager who might be listening to you.

dear mom

2011-05-08T13:31:00.001-04:00

Dear Mom-

I decided to forget about sleeping from 8 pm to 6 am just about the time you decided to announce the 'trend' on the world wide web. I just miss you too much at 2:30 am and 5 am to make that long stretch of sleep a habit. If I weren't so cute, I could see how you'd prefer sleep to spending time with me. I'll only be a baby for a little while so you'll be ok.

Love,
David

P.S. Happy Mother's Day!

First comes love...

2011-05-03T20:42:00.000-04:00

These girls have been the subject of more than a couple of posts on this blog. Like the road trip to the visit Nanny Peg on the North Fork or a visit to Chicago to celebrate Lisa's wedding... so its no surprise that we are celebrating yet another one of life's big adventures together: parenthood!

We met as single ladies in 2004 working at Darden and then...

we all got married (within 2 years of each other)

and then we all got pregnant (in the same year)

And then we all had baby boys.

growing joys

2011-05-02T11:29:00.000-04:00

Folks - I'm having a hard time keeping up with life these days but I can't complain because its all exciting and good. Even young David has decided to sleep until 6 am the last 5 days. 8 pmish to 6 am for a 3 month old? I can't ask for better than that...Maybe we're turning the corner?

David has been growing fast and learning so many new things - blink and you'll miss something! He 'turned' 14 weeks on Saturday. And, yesterday, Cynthia posted to her Facebook wall that she was 'job hunting.' Nothing like having your entire Facebook 'community' hold you accountable to that quest. So the kids are doing well and prospering in their own little, very different, worlds.

And then, there's our company, Dickerson Homes & Development. It, too, is growing fast! Here's the update: (maybe I should post more often... there is a lot going on...)

Greenleaf : Single family home "redevelopment" completed October 2010 and sold - January 2011.
Concord: Single family home "redevelopment"completed March 2011 (pre-sold.)
Westfield: Town home "redevelopment" completed and sold in April 2011, will close in August 2011.
Rockland, Lot 3: Single family home "new construction" - pre-sold, construction under way for a July closing

Coming Soon:
Rockland, Lot 2
and some more new construction opportunities in the urban ring!

And, of course, view all the pictures of the construction process on our website.

To close, I'll post a few pictures of mini-Beau. I'll spare you a current picture of my front door mat (dead mole, bird feathers and one little bird foot/claw?, and a lizard tail) and my front yard. I think we're "that" yard in the neighborhood right now. But something's gotta give...

beach ready

2011-04-12T20:44:00.000-04:00

It makes sense that "Big Poopie" is also a chubby little man like his namesake, both pictured above. He weighed in close to 14 lbs at 10 weeks and is currently working on a 3rd chin and another thigh roll to add to the 3 others. More importantly, he's ready for the beach and sunshine (and so is his mom.) That being said - I will only post pictures of David in a swimsuit. Somehow the Notorius B.I.G. in a swimsuit doesn't sound too family friendly.

and we have this because

2011-04-06T15:53:00.000-04:00

I was looking through my list of posts and noticed that I have a tendency of drafting a post and never finishing it. Take this one for example - it had a draft date of May 2010 - almost a year ago. I remember pulling down the butter bell from the cupboard and the butter dish (both filled) and thinking - why do we have to have both of these? and then it got me thinking of all the "quirky-type" things that Beau has accumulated that I would donate or throw away. And then, to be fair (of course), I thought of all the things of mine that Beau has tried to donate or throw away in the past.

My list of Beau's 'stuff':

extended limb saw
two grills
ribs that have been in our freezer for two years
catnip cigar (that doesn't really look like a cigar on your floor...)
butterbell and a butter dish
fry daddy (never been used by us)
3 black suitcases and a black duffel-type bag (all purchased to haul to bball games he's officiating)
A computer with all his music on it, a computer that died at the hands of a teen and a glass of water (but still has stuff on the hard drive), and then the computer he uses.
A basement full of miscellaneous building supplies/leftovers.

Beau's list for me:

a "bordello" (his word) chair that I had one day planned on re-upholstering.
armoire (that I love and he hates but will be used in our one day finished basement)
loads of boxes that I just have to save in case I need to ship many gifts at once
lots of business books that are probably out of date from the latest thinking (and I won't read again)
summer & winter clothes (that need to be exchanged biannually)
too many pairs of shoes (which, I know for a fact, is less than most women)

Given that our lists are about the same length (and I created his list for me so mine could grow if he wrote it himself....), I decided I'd live with the butterbell and the fry daddy and so on since he lives with my shoes (we share the same closet) and my ready-to-go boxes and so on.

Isn't that what marriage is about? Addressing things that have to be addressed, having grace for those that don't, and leaving enough room for our individual personalities and "quirks" in our cupboards, basements, closets, etc. All for the sake of the bigger whole. I know - its simple - and I'm sure the marriage ministry won't be knocking down our door anytime soon to add us to the counseling team. But the butter bell and a butter dish will remain in our crowded kitchen cupboards until my husband realizes the error of his butter bell ways on his own. And the same goes for my 'stuff'. :-)

(Sorry if I've offended any butter-bell campers out there - the butter dish was here first and doesn't grow mold.)

I love it when they call me...

2011-04-03T16:51:00.000-04:00

David turned 10 weeks yesterday. On one hand, I can't believe its been that long since he's been born. But, in lots of ways, it seems longer... I can't imagine life without him. Its been so amazing getting to know him and his little personality. I do know that he loves to eat (and has the thighs and chins to prove it) and he rejects sleep like his mom did, so I'm told. Who hates sleep? My child, of course. That (and the fact that I technically have 5 followers on this blog) are the reasons that I haven't updated it. I am tired and its hard to be coherent enough at work let alone on the internet (and we all know that whatever you write and post in cyberspace lasts forever. And if it doesn't, don't tell Cynthia because that is how we help guard - sometimes unsucessfully - what latest teen drama becomes a Facebook post...)

Each day, David looks more and more like his Dad to me. He has my eye-shape and my lack of desire to sleep. He has his Dad's chin and his dramatics. He is such a happy baby until he wants to let you know that he would rather continue eating than be burped. That bottom lip comes out and its pout and fuss time. Dickersons dramatics in full effect.

Oh and his Dad has nicknamed him Big Poopie. Yep, like the rap star, Notorius B.I.G. aka Big Poppa. And getting his diaper changed is one of his favorite things because he gets sung to. "I love it when they call me big Poopie - put your hands in the air if you're a true playa..." Totally inappropriate song in its full context (of course) but it makes the boy laugh and smile. If you didn't grow up with the urban background I did, you can listen here to get the beat to go with the song. But consider yourself warned that this isn't the Walmart version...

I could write a whole other post dedicated to my love of 90s R&B and my desire to get all lyrics Walmart-ized so I can blast them at full volume... another day, another post...

Beau and the boy taking a nap after the 6 am feeding. Beau does at least one feeding a night - he just loves his boy and his boy's mama (to give her a bit more sleep!)

See I told you I would have two Beau's giving me the "look." Its my fate and I can't help but love it and them.

DH&D: Project 2 Update

2011-02-02T09:03:00.000-05:00

Dickerson Homes & Development's second redevelopment project (Concord) is well on its way to a March delivery to its new owners. Construction photos can be found on www.builddhd.com.

Looking for the next project to deliver this spring! We're pursuing some options in the JPA/Frye Springs area as well as the Belmont area, if you know anyone in the market for a home in the City.

a little pizazz

2011-02-01T14:24:00.001-05:00

One day before he was officially "due", David Michael Dickerson arrived on Saturday, January 22 at 6:53 pm weighing in at 7 lbs, 9 oz and measuring 20 3/4 inches long. We couldn't be happier with our new addition - healthy and growing quickly!

Heard from the delivery room 2 at Martha Jefferson:

"I thought the counting could use a little pizazz." - Beau in response to Christa not appreciating his change in "counting cadence octaves?" at 7 cm dilated plus.

and so we wait...

2011-01-08T09:44:00.000-05:00

The end of 2010 was busy for the Dickersons. We sold our first DH&D development project, officially started on our second, traveled to Williamsburg for Thanksgiving and Alexandria for Christmas, and got ready for the arrival of baby Dickerson. Whenever I begin to list things that I should probably still do or get for the baby, Beau's response is "What did they do 6000 years ago?" This is not very helpful to a 9 month pregnant woman but, I have to admit, there is some logic behind it. (And I say "some" because 6000 years ago, for example, they didn't have cars and therefore didn't require car SEATS and now we do.)

And my no-where-near-having-children-of-her-own sister wisely says "All a baby really needs is his parents." And its true - God designed us to provide for our child's needs without Babies R Us. If you doubt - watch the documentary "Babies."

And maybe He was trying to tell me this directly yesterday when I went for my appointment with the fire department for the car seat installation and they weren't there. I can only assume (since I couldn't find the engines) that they were out fighting a fire.

So instead of busying myself with the list of things I could still do - I'm going to put my feet up when I can and wait.

All that to say that we've been so blessed by the generousity of our friends and family and have had a lot of fun preparing a nursery for our new family member. I think Cynthia still wants to get her earplugs ready (her words) but she is also excited for his arrival and so is Mr. Stripavich (as you can see below). I'm 38 weeks tomorrow so any time David wants to make an appearance is fine by us.

(I ended up painting my own Alphabet Print and the set of four above because I couldn't find anything I liked that I could: 1) afford, 2) matched the bedding, and 3) that I really, really liked.)

how the dickersons do apple picking

2010-11-14T08:00:00.003-05:00

It has been a busy Fall. Cynthia started 10th grade (Beau and I lowered the average age at Back to School night just a bit), the mercy team launched at Portico, we traveled more than half of the weekends in September and October, continued to grow a healthy baby boy, "adopted" Cynthia into our family - and to be fair to the whole entourage over here - Stripes and Cotton significantly lowered the mouse, mole and bird population in Carter's View. There is barely a day that goes by that we aren't "gifted" by them.

But, you know - we did make some time to travel to Carter's Mountain for some good old fashioned family togetherness (sans felines). We were a little late in the season so it presented some challenges. Meaning: there were no apples left within our reach and no 'poles' left for us to use. No matter - in a true Dwight-like moment, Beau decided we'd do it the way they do it in the real world. He'd spot the apples up high (and if he couldn't stretch his 6'4" frame that far) would proceed to shake the tree so Cynthia and I could chase the resulting 'loose apple' down the hill and hope to be able to pick it out from the hundreds littering the ground.

Does anyone know if this is really how apples are harvested? I mean, we did end up with about 12 apples so it worked... and there were definitely folks who gave up and did their picking from the bins near the cash registers so I should really focus on the blessing of ended up with fresh 'shaken' apples, right? I think so.

you're invited

2010-11-11T19:40:00.001-05:00

You're invited to check out the first completed Dickerson Homes and Development project this Sunday, November 14, 1-4 pm! Here are a few before and after shots and more can be found on our web site (under Developments, tag: Greenleaf.) We also have pictures posted from our next project on Concord Drive.

Beau's worked hard on this project and it also benefitted immensely from Amanda Uhl's design and architecture consultation! So, you should definitely share the invite with anyone you know who might be in the market (shameless plug - but it would be nice to get rid of at least one of our mortgage payments before the holidays, right?)

Before - Exterior

After - Exterior

Before - Backyard

After - Backyard

26 weeks

2010-10-19T07:54:00.000-04:00

26 weeks - October 17, 2010

Folks, my growing belly and a 16 year old that can't understand why a "C" in Spanish 1 and Driver's Ed is unacceptable are why you haven't heard much from me lately. Beau took this progress picture for my grandparents who live in England and can't travel to the U.S. They generously, along with my parents, have helped to furnish baby Dickerson's room. The furniture was backordered until November 24 but somehow arrived last Friday for an unprepared space and it came fully assembled. Not having to assemble a dresser and changing tower should be considered a great! thing but it was hard to convince Beau of such as he and a friend were (unexpectedly on a football Saturday) maneuvering the very large and heavy boxes up the stairs at the expense of my wall mural. I'm going to give it a few days before I suggest we dismantle the unwieldy futon and get that into the basement.... we do have a couple of months left. Beau can't understand why I wouldn't want a futon in the baby's room - you know, for guests. Even if it did fit in there with everything else, my preference for a rocking chair stands... for lots of reasons.

I get bigger everyday (at least if feels this way) but its a blessing because that is what is supposed to happen and hopefully the doc, who has limited me to 2 pounds a month for month 6 & 7 (seems extreme?) will agree. "You'll never regret not gaining extra weight." You're right, doc, but I am not a marathon runner (pregnant or not) but so far genetics have worked in my favor and the cravings for mac & cheese, starbursts, and lemonade haven't sent me spiraling down the path of unforgivable weight gain (and therefore, I have stayed in your good graces thus far!)

uncle sam

2010-10-05T20:55:00.002-04:00

There isn't that much on TV that Cynthia, Beau and I all enjoy (Swamp People, anyone? exactly...) but we do all like Modern Family and a high school sitcom from the 80's "Freaks & Geeks." Both are appropriate (relatively) and funny. During a recent viewing of "Freaks & Geeks" the dad says to his daughter: "Everyone is a Democrat until they start paying taxes."

Beau and I laugh and agree.

Cynthia then asks us, "Do Republicans not have to pay taxes?"

Uh.... I think we missed a government or civics class along the way here but, if that were true, then everyone really would be a Republican and politics would be a lot less interesting. Nothing like another teaching moment about the facts about taxation and government, a household specialty.

habla espanol?

2010-08-28T09:09:00.001-04:00

School started this week for CeCe - 10th grade! What a difference a year has made for her. The high school has switched to a 4x4 schedule so this fall we have: biology, health/PE, Spanish, and history. Not too bad - Geometry and English await us in the spring. CeCe had originally signed up for French. I think because her best friend at school in French Canadian? Who knows (we did ask) but thankfully, we got that changed up to Spanish - let's reinforce those grammar lessons in another language and build on a foundation we actually do have in place!

So, she shows up to class on the first day and the teacher recognizes her. (The "old" CeCe had required translation services following an altercation with another girl at the school...ah, yes...) So, the teacher proceeds to have a conversation with her in fluent Spanish about how he knows her and how she is too advanced for Spanish 1. (As if the fluent, extensive conversation wasn't evidence of that!) I can picture the rest of the whole class (who don't even know one word of Spanish) staring on... He asked her to check in with her guidance counselor but CeCe shows back up the second day (not wanting her whole schedule to be changed...) and the teacher decides that since she's already there, she might as well stay and is thus pronounced his assistant for the semester. No one said she wasn't a clever girl, but I will be holding her to "A" in that class. :-)

cute!

2010-08-24T08:55:00.000-04:00

My sister, Katy's, friend made some tie-dyed onesies for me - my first baby gift! Aren't they cute? Katy looked at them and said, "Do you think a baby will actually fit in those?" My response: "The baby better fit knowing where its coming from!" (Much to the grimace of my father who was peacefully doing a crossword puzzle in the neighboring armchair.) But really, we can all pray that the baby will fit in a 0-3 month onesie, ok?

BuildDHD.com

2010-08-09T20:54:00.001-04:00

The Dickerson Homes & Development website has been launched. I still need to update the Team section so it will include more than Beau, the team leader. Any feedback you have on the site or things we should include is very much appreciated.

The Greenleaf development project is almost complete. View process pictures and check out the listing information on the site. (And of course, share the listing with anyone who might be searching for a home in Charlottesville!)

if only it were that simple

2010-08-09T08:23:00.000-04:00

In Beau's absence, I taught the 3-4 year old Sunday school class a few weeks ago. We had just started class and someone raised their hand to ask a good question but definitely not one related to what I had been trying to teach for the first 10 minutes of class. It went like this:

"What makes Jesus the Lord?" - 3 year old

"Does anyone know the answer to this question?" - me.

Multiple answers follow and I go with those as my answer - I think they had talked about this in an earlier class.... "Now, moving on to the lesson..." - me

"I have something to say. God told me who I should marry and its Madeline. We moved away from Madeline so I better move back or she better move here since God told me to marry her." - 4 year old boy

"Wow, that is great that you have it all worked out. Anyone else know who they are going to marry?"

Room of 15 three-four year olds shake their heads "no" and look at _____ with admiration (or confusion?)

the good, the bad & the ugly

2010-08-01T20:36:00.001-04:00

The Dickersons' week can be neatly filed under the following categories:

The Good
We're down to the last 10% of work at the home renovation project. Beau's been having a great time and its very rewarding to see the home being restored. Lots of people stop by, which is encouraging and reassuring that we won't have two mortgages forever. AND - we're almost done with the new Dickerson Homes & Development website.

We went to the doctor's on Friday for our 15 week baby appointment and listened the heartbeat (again) and heard the baby flipping in my belly. Praise God! This really fits under its own category of "miracles that happened to us this week." Oh and the quote of the appt: my doctor gave me an A+ for lack of weight gain. I better keep it up or he's going to prescribe a mouse wheel to take home.

The Bad
Beau announced to a dinner party that his favorite women's sport was field hockey. Everyone is looking forward to seeing a grown man without familial ties to a field hockey player "under the lights" next Thursday.

I had a long day on Thursday and went to Bodos for a late lunch after dropping Cynthia at work. I ordered a Cleo salad, an onion bagel with Feta cheese spread and a lemonade. Nice combo, eh? So I say to the cash register woman "Its one of those days." (smile) And she says, "Uh, yeah, I work here and I never eat that much." And I said, "Shut up you little twit." No, I didn't, but that is what I felt like saying.

The Ugly
I attempted to go to a water aerobics class at lunch only to find out it wasn't until Tuesday. So I decided to swim laps, ended up with rings around my eyes (goggles) and forehead (swim cap that didn't work), and wet hair for work. Not that bad.... Afterwards, I walked into the locker room and turned to close the shower curtain. It was THEN I realized that I was in the men's locker room.

I announced proudly to the same aforementioned dinner party that even though I am not as athletic as Beau that I was MVP of the lacrosse team in high school (and only played two years.) Then, I remembered that I was MVP as a JUNIOR on the Junior Varsity team. Not so impressive.

4 years

2010-07-21T08:12:00.000-04:00

I wrote a guest post on my friend, Marcy's, blog this morning as she in is Santa Fe at a photography training (is that the right word?) course. She is an amazing photographer, by the way. The guest post is probably all we're going to hear from the Dickerson's this week. But I will mention that last week we celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary. And this August, we will have known each other 11 years, having met in the back row (I was late!) of Calculus at UVa. Beau's version of the full story is not appropriate for the Internet and I don't have time for my version right now so maybe a future post?

updates

2010-07-15T07:17:00.003-04:00

In an attempt to change my default text font and size, I did something to my blog that made all of my formatting (as little as it was) go away. Now, I can't even find the screen with the 'widgets' to add back all my links to other blogs. Oh well - I'll have to figure it out later.

In other news, CeCe took a first-aid/CPR certification class on Saturday at the Red Cross. It was her idea (not sure what inspired it) but we signed her up for it and $75 later her one comment on its value was: “I’m not sure how valuable it was. I pretty much already knew everything they taught by watching Lifetime.” Later, at Starry Nights, a woman passed out near us and ended up elevated her feet on our cooler for 30 minutes or so. As we saw it happening, Cynthia asked if anyone thought there was a 'divine' reason that she took the class today - no one did and, thankfully, Cynthia did not feel called to put her Lifetime/Red Cross skills to use.

Beau’s development project is moving along nicely. All of the rough-in has been completed and passed inspection. We’re now into the finishes stage and things should go quickly. I can’t wait to see new fixtures, tile, paint, cabinets, etc. I think the plan is to have an open house the first or second weekend in August. You’re invited, of course.

I spent 4th of July weekend with some dear girlfriends from high school in Duck, NC at the beach. Beau Mr. Mom’d it and I got to relax, read a couple of books and laugh – a lot. We’ve spread out – hailing from Atlanta, Los Angeles and Virginia – so its nice to have this type of time together to catch up. And even nicer when the beach house is donated to us by Kara’s parents.

crafty

2010-07-10T09:05:00.000-04:00

I try to be crafty (in the Arts and Crafts/Martha Stewart sense) - I find it relaxing and fun when there is enough time to really devote to it. I'm certainly no Martha Stewart in the making - I am always amazed by how creative some people are! But, I do draw inspiration from Martha, Better Homes, and Real Simple. Most of the time, I'm only able to manage changing out the contents of the apothecary jars and wreath over my fireplace, which I do seasonly. Its been a busy year, to say the least.

My latest craft projects include the onesies for the baby shower, sets of decorated notecards for gifts (stamped, then watercolored), and sponge-painted "bird" wrapping paper for Father's day. I've decided recently that I'd really like to learn how to sew so maybe we'll move from paper crafts into the world of material. It's so easy (and usually cheaper!) to buy pre-made items but there is nothing like a homemade gift or set of curtains that match just right with your furniture. We'll see if I can carve out some time for this initiative - any one know of sewing classes in C-ville?

Heroes

2010-07-09T08:30:00.000-04:00

I received this article as an email forward from a friend and thought it was well worthwhile to share with you!

Ben Stein's final column --    For many years Ben Stein has written a biweekly column called  ''Monday Night At Morton's.'' (Morton's is a famous chain of Steakhouses known to be frequented by movie stars and famous people from around the globe.) Now, Ben is terminating the column to move on to other things in his life. Reading his final column is worth a few minutes of your time.  

Ben Stein's Last Column...   How Can Someone Who Lives in Insane Luxury Be a Star in Today's World?
   As I begin to write this, I 'slug' it, as we writers say, which means I put a heading on top of the document to identify it. This heading is 'eonline FINAL,' and it gives me a shiver to write it. I have been doing this column for so long that I cannot even recall when I started... I loved writing this column so much for so long I came to believe it would never end.  It worked well for a long time, but gradually, my changing as a person and the world's change have overtaken it..
   On a small scale, Morton's, while better than ever, no longer attracts as many stars as it used to. It still brings in the rich people in droves and definitely some stars. I saw Samuel L. Jackson there a few days ago, and we had a nice visit, and right before that, I saw and had a splendid talk with Warren Beatty in an elevator, in which we agreed that Splendor in the Grass was a super movie. But Morton's is not the star galaxy it once was, though it probably will be again.  
   Beyond that, a bigger change has happened. I no longer think Hollywood stars are terribly important. They are uniformly pleasant, friendly people, and they treat me better than I deserve to be treated. But a man or woman who makes a huge wage for memorizing lines and reciting them in front of a camera is no longer my idea of a shining star we should all look up to.  How can a man or woman who makes an eight-figure wage and lives in insane luxury really be a star in today's world, if by a 'star' we mean someone bright and powerful and attractive as a role model? Real stars are not riding around in the backs of limousines or in Porsches or getting trained in yoga or Pilates and eating only raw fruit while they have Vietnamese girls do their nails..  They can be interesting, nice people, but they are not heroes to me any longer.
   A real star is the soldier of the 4th Infantry Division who poked his head into a hole on a farm near Tikrit , Iraq . He could have been met by a bomb or a hail of AK-47 bullets. Instead, he faced an abject Saddam Hussein and the gratitude of all of the decent people of the world.
    A real star is the U.S. soldier who was sent to disarm a bomb next to a road north of Baghdad . He approached it, and the bomb went off and killed him..  A real star, the kind who haunts my memory night and day, is the U.S. soldier in Baghdad who saw a little girl playing with a piece of unexploded ordnance on a street near where he was guarding a station. He pushed her aside and threw himself on it just as it exploded. He left a family desolate in California and a little girl alive in Baghdad.
   The stars who deserve media attention are not the ones who have lavish weddings on TV but the ones who patrol the streets of Mosul even after two of their buddies were murdered and their bodies battered and stripped for the sin of trying to protect Iraqis from terrorists.  We put couples with incomes of $100 million a year on the covers of our magazines...
   The noncoms and officers who barely scrape by on military pay but stand on guard in Afghanistan and Iraq and on ships and in submarines and near the Arctic Circle are anonymous as they live and die.  
   I am no longer comfortable being a part of the system that has such poor values, and I do not want to perpetuate those values by pretending that who is eating at Morton's is a big subject.  There are plenty of other stars in the American firmament...the policemen and women who go off on patrol in South Central and have no idea if they will return alive; the orderlies and paramedics who bring in people who have been in terrible accidents and prepare them for surgery; the teachers and nurses who throw their whole spirits into caring for autistic children; the kind men and women who work in hospices and in cancer wards.  Think of each and every fireman who was running up the stairs at the World Trade Center as the towers began to collapse.
   Now you have my idea of a real hero.   I came to realize that life lived to help others is the only one that matters This is my highest and best use as a human. I can put it another way. Years ago, I realized I could never be as great an actor as Olivier or as good a comic as Steve Martin or Martin Mull or Fred Willard--or as good an economist as Samuelson or Friedman or as good a writer as Fitzgerald. Or even remotely close to any of them.  But, I could be a devoted father to my son, husband to my wife and, above all, a good son to the parents who had done so much for me. This came to be my main task in life. I did it moderately well with my son, pretty well with my wife and well indeed with my parents (with my sister's help). I cared for and paid attention to them in their declining years. I stayed with my father as he got sick, went into extremis and then into a coma and then entered immortality with my sister and me reading him the Psalms.  
   This was the only point at which my life touched the lives of the soldiers in Iraq or the firefighters in New York . I came to realize that life lived to help others is the only one that matters and that it is my duty, in return for the lavish life God has devolved upon me, to help others He has placed in my path. This is my highest and best use as a human.
    Faith is not believing that God can. It is knowing that God will.

shower season

2010-06-24T07:50:00.000-04:00

We've had 2 baby showers and 1 bridal shower hosted at the Dickerson residence this spring and I've been a co-host of two others (not at our home). And I love helping to plan and host these events - using the home God's blessed us with to bless others, celebrating new life, new unions. But, shower season is over for a bit and I am ok with that too. Here are some fun pictures from the showers this spring:

(we decorated onesies instead of games at the last baby shower. If anyone needs stencils to do something similar, I'm your girl.)

the usual suspects

2010-06-22T17:46:00.005-04:00

In case you were wondering what happened to our felines as they had not been featured recently, rest assured that they are alive and well. Evidence of their vitality displayed in the recent carnage below. (I've spared the blogosphere of half-eaten bird that was this evening's "gift".)

Nothing says "good morning" like this does. Or, for that matter, "welcome home from a long day of work." And my personal favorite: "welcome to our house for dinner - we hope you can still enjoy your meal." Cynthia said today that she thinks we should give them background checks.

The usual suspects - Innocent looking indeed.

belief

2010-06-16T07:29:00.000-04:00

I just finished up the last lesson in Beth Moore's Esther bible study. It was fantastic, and I highly recommend it! In the final lesson, she talks about not really knowing her Dad and reading a memoir of sorts after he passed away. One of the stories, recounted by his wife, was when he was in the army in WWII and liberated Nazi concentration camps at the end of the war. In one of the camps he visited, he saw the following words etched onto the prison wall:

I believe in the sun, even when its is not shining.

I believe in love, even when I do not feel it.

I believe in God, even when He is silent.

-Author Unknown

This went on to be engraved on plaques and resold to future generations. I thought it was beautiful, powerful and a testament to faith worth sharing.

turkey burger recipe

2010-06-15T07:35:00.001-04:00

I have two fun posts that I am awaiting photos for so, in the meantime, I thought I'd share a delicious turkey burger recipe. (Similar to picture above, minus avocado.) The Dickerson family is adhering to the Weight Watchers diet this summer along with (hopefully "lots of") exercise. It's always a treat to find a low fat/high fiber recipe that we actually enjoy and this is one of those. Even my meat-loving neighbor who has never had a turkey burger before loves them.

Turkey & Cheddar Burgers

1 pound ground skinless turkey breast

1 small zucchini, shredded

1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

1/4 cup minced red onion

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

Combine ingredients and shape into patties (4 or so.) Grill patties until browned on the outside and no longer pink in the middle. (These only come well-done.) Enjoy!

(Including whole wheat bun, ketchup, lowfat mayo, lettuce and tomato, this is 7 pts for those of you who might care. :-))

do you need to unplug?

2010-06-08T06:18:00.000-04:00

TECHNOLOGY

Check out this article from the New York Times. Very interesting read - do you need to unplug??

Hooked on Gadgets, and Paying a Mental Price

By MATT RICHTEL

Published: June 6, 2010

Scientists say our ability to focus is being undermined by bursts of information from e-mail and other interruptions.

what a way to start the day

2010-06-06T17:42:00.002-04:00

This is decidedly not a good way to start a Sunday morning:

Beau: "Cynthia has been in the shower for 20 minutes."

Christa: "I know, she takes a LONG time. I have no idea why."

...5 more minutes go by.

Beau: "I'm going to knock on the door in 2 minutes if she isn't done. And we're talking about this after church."

...2 more minutes go by.

Beau: "Cynthia, do you know how long you've been in there?"

Cynthia: "No." (turns the shower off.)

Beau: "Nearly 30 minutes. That is way too long. We'll talk to you about this when you get dressed."

...shower goes back on, much to Beau's shock and dismay.

Christa: "Maybe she needs to rinse her hair. Give her 30 more seconds."

...2 more minutes go by. Beau shuts the water off from the main water line.

This was not received well.

Thankfully, the rest of the day went better.

unemployment infographic

2010-06-05T08:58:00.001-04:00

Check out this powerful infographic. It was a timely reminder to stop and thank God for our jobs and pray for those who are seeking employment!

transformation

2010-06-04T07:00:00.004-04:00

I went by Beau's development project before work and was amazed at the transformation already. Here are some before and after shots of the back patio. Underneath all that bamboo and yard debris is a flagstone patio!

Before

After

this week's life lessons

2010-06-03T10:00:00.002-04:00

This week we learned:

1) water bottles don’t belong at the bottom of your backpack. Rather they can be placed conveniently in one of the mesh pockets on either side of the backpack. And, this practice could prevent an entire semester’s worth of English paperwork getting soaked the night before your graded notebook check.

2) even if you “have” tell someone to “get their nappy head out of your salad,” it is good to refrain from the temptation of “jumping them.”

3) we shouldn’t leave our purse in the bathroom sink while we use the bathroom since your purse complete with wallet, ID with home address and house key will get stolen.

4) maimed cats should not be placed in the wild to ‘have a chance.’ On the contrary, doing that would be more inhumane than treatment or being put down. So, its a really good thing Mr. Stripavich survived his encounter with the neighbor's garage door.

home stretch

2010-06-02T08:56:00.001-04:00

We are in the home stretch (8 days!) to finish ninth grade successfully. For history, Cynthia was assigned a biography project and, of her own volition, chose to write hers on Jesus. We were pretty excited since it seems like the public school system would normally frown on such a thing and peer pressure would also negatively influence her but Cynthia boldly (maybe obliviously?) went forth. Even the most secular can’t disagree with the fact that Jesus is one of the greatest, more influential leaders in all of history.

She wrote the essay on Saturday at an open house with Beau. Monday, we put together the accompanying poster, oral presentation, and bibliography. When I asked her for her source for the essay, this is how it went:

CC: “Beau was my source.”

Christa: “I know Beau helped you but where did you find your information?”

CC: “From Beau. He knew the information I needed. Should I list Beau in my bibliography”

Christa: “Uh, no. Somehow I don’t think that counts as an official source...”

Happily she went off to school yesterday with her paper and poster, gloating over all the ‘haters’ she’d have. We, of course, took the opportunity to reinforce how great it was to have ‘haters’ when it came to excellent schoolwork vs. other, less worthy teen-valued things. It was worth a try...

clarification

2010-05-31T11:44:00.001-04:00

This is a close-up of the aforementioned 'hammer-on-roids.' Beau got it as a Christmas gift from my parents 5 years ago (pre-golf, post XBOX - we had a short-lived "tools" phase.) It is certainly not appropriate for hanging pictures or the like and, before this project, its greatest use was hammering nail pops flush back into the deck. Maybe one day that tree extension saw we have will also fulfill a greater purpose. I was told the other day that a hammer that puts this one to shame was spotted (and highly desired) but, thankfully, temptation did not overcome the sticker price of $67.

get your hard hat on

2010-05-29T11:30:00.002-04:00

Dickerson Homes & Development's first project has begun! If you're looking for Beau over the next month, it's likely you'll might find him here, knocking down walls, clearing landscaping, removing siding and loading the dumpster with all the debris. It already looks (and smells) 10 x better. I knew that hammer-on-roids would one day find its purpose.

countering the culture

2010-05-28T10:21:00.001-04:00

I recently completed two books recommended by colleagues. One of them is Rework by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson, the founders of 37Signals. Its basically a collection of essays that cover a multitude of topics with a common theme: just because its been done this way for a long time, doesn’t mean it’s the right or most productive/efficient way to do things. Essays titles include such things as:

No time is no excuse.
Ignore the details early on.
Meetings are toxic.
Let your customers outgrow you.
Throw less at a problem.
ASAP is poison.
Skip the rock stars.

And my personal favorites: Send people home at 5 and Workaholism.

Why are those my favorites? First, because I have baggage from a prior job in which my boss was the worst workaholic I have ever encountered and I, as his direct report, suffered under the side effects of such a disease (dramatic, I know.) Secondly, I think these essays were the most directly counter-cultural. Here are some excerpts from the Workaholism essay:

“Our culture celebrates the idea of the workaholic. We hear about people burning the midnight oil. They pull all-nighters and sleep at the office… Not only is this workaholism unnecessary, it’s stupid. Working more doesn’t mean you care more or get more done. It just means you work more. Workaholics wind up creating more problems than they solve…

…In the end, workaholics don’t actually accomplish more than nonworkaholics. They may claim to be perfectionists, but that just means they’re wasting time fixating on inconsequential details instead of moving on to the next task.

Workaholics aren’t heroes. They don’t save the day, they just use it up. The real hero is already home because she figured out a faster way to get things done.”

Makes sense, huh? It’s better to be an efficient and effective worker than one who works long hours, no matter the motivation or perception of the necessity of those hours. And, of course, there are seasons in which longer hours are required. Deadlines for projects, transitions in company structure/jobs, spike in workload and the lag of a new hire, your boss makes you and you're trying to keep your job while you find a new one, etc. Not all the theories addressed in the essays apply to every company but, overall, Rework is thought provoking, entertaining, and a quick read.

if only

2010-05-18T20:10:00.001-04:00

Overheard coming from the kitchen yesterday during dinner prep:

"If I only had an axe this would be a lot easier."

from the soapbox: a blind spot

2010-05-16T16:00:00.001-04:00

We watched The Blind Side last weekend with my family. Although we knew the story and its outcome, it was still heartwarming and inspiring (and not rated TV-MA.) Who doesn't like a happy ending out of a near impossible situation?

So, I am prefacing my post with the fact that I wholeheartedly respect and admire the Tuohy family. (Not to mention how angry I got when I heard the skeptical judgments on their motivations and intentions.)

That being said, I have two issues with the movie and the way Hollywood chose (or didn't choose) to present a few things. The first is minor: the fact that in Michael's old neighborhood, Hurt Village, the interior of the public housing was HUGE. I mean, they had close to 15 people in the room in the scene towards the end. Ironically, it reminded me of watching Friends and doubting the size of their NYC apartment. I have been numerous times into public housing and it is tiny (and not "free," in case you were wondering; I didn't know that until this year). You and fifteen of your closest friends could not fit, especially lounged out with your 40s and extensive stereo system. I guess my issue wasn't that it glamourized the housing but it was so far from real, it was hard to put into context.

You might be able to guess my "real" issue. There is a scene in which Mrs. Tuohy (Sandra Bullock) visits Michael's biological mom. Her past, her attitude, her issues - all real, all things you hear about with foster care situations. What got me was when she asked, "How many other foster kids do you have?" And Bullock replies, "I don't have any others, I don't get any money from the state."

Translation: Foster parents have foster children for the financial benefit and you have to be wealthy to begin with to take a child in. And, oh, you can find a child on the street and social services won't care if you bring him or her into your home without reporting it and becoming certified caregivers for a minor.

So, here's the problem: the movie had the IDEAL OPPORTUNITY to promote fostering children. Plainly, there are not enough foster parents. In the first month of having CC in our home, we received 4 other requests to take in other foster children (two on a pernament basis and two on a temporary basis.) Finally, I had to say - we just can't at this point take any other kids in, no matter the circumstances. And - it hurts to do that - I know that they are 'at capacity' for foster parents - everyone is taken. I recently read a statistic that said that if 1 of every 100 Christian families would foster or adopt locally, there would be no foster or un-adopted children in the U.S. Can you imagine the impact?

And my second point: if fostering was SO lucrative, don't you think more people would do it? I mean, really. People are always looking for a way to make a quick buck so if the financial room and board stipend is your motivation and it outweighs having a stranger in your home, who requires constant care and love and the most basic of needs met (and comes with an entourage of counselors, representatives, lawyers!, baggage etc.) so be it. But, really, that isn't the norm, despite what myths society perpetuates. Yes, of course, there are always people willing to take advantage of a system (and that is one of the reasons why it is a rigorous, invasive process to become a foster parent.)

Oh and that brings me to my final point - it is not likely that you will find a child on the street and take him or her into your home without someone in social services knowing about the child or at least, feeling like you need to report it and 'make it legal.' I don't know the exact process the Tuohy's went through, but the way the movie portrayed it is not accurate with our experience with social services and foster care, at least not today.

Conclusion: Waiting to become wealthy and find a 'child in need' on the streets randomly is a fruitless endeavor. Hollywood might use the spin to try to play up the philanthropic nature of the Tuohy's (as IF they need that!) but I could guess that the Tuohy's too would say as I do: do NOW what you can to change a child's life who doesn't have the opportunities you have/had or your children do. Yes, it will sometimes be an inconvenience and you'll want to pull your hair out. And yes, there is a lot of things and people and emotions and etc. to deal with. But, in the long run, the blessings on your life will outweigh any hardships. And, God calls us to do this, whether Hollywood or society does or not.

Father to the fatherless, defender of widows — this is God, whose dwelling is holy. God places the lonely in families.

Psalms 68:5-6

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.

Proverbs 31:8-9

And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.

Matthew 18:5

dinner for one

2010-04-29T18:33:00.001-04:00

During a blog post inventory, I became acutely aware that a majority of my recent posts focus on CeCe. Even Beau and Mr. Stripes have taken a back seat to the blog fodder that having a 16 year old provides. And you know, I don't even post half of it. Its funny but our lives have really become quite full caring for her as parents, tutors, counselors, and on. Its not wonder God eases us into parenthood - He did not intend for us to start with people our size, that are awake the same or more amount of time each day and that require Algebra tutoring at 10 pm. All that being said, we're on quite the adventure and we intend to make the most of it.

Now - this isn't to say that I don't cherish my 'alone time' and get tired, frustrated, annoyed trying to keep up my "old" pace of life. I didn't even know that I liked alone time until we got CeCe two months ago. So, when she headed off to attend a friend's Quinceañera this past Sunday and Beau was officiating at a tournament in Richmond, I took full advantage of my alone time.

Dinner for one, a couch and "Couples Retreat."

I have a question

2010-04-23T18:17:00.000-04:00

Almost every day, CeCe says to either Beau, myself or both of us several times over: "I have a question." We're trained like Pavlov's mice to brace ourselves for anything. Don't get me wrong - its good to be inquisitive and we encourage it but, really, you never know what she is going to ask like...

"Can I get my nose pierced?" or "Why is using "mexblood" in your email address bad?"

and those were just yesterday's inquiries.

happy birthday, billy!

2010-04-23T09:10:00.000-04:00

"Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt." -William Shakespeare

mr. mom

2010-04-16T20:03:00.002-04:00

I've been in my favorite U.S. city, New York City, on the past two days on business and I'm traveling back to Charlottesville on the train as I type. Although my job doesn't take me out of town on business very often, I do travel sometimes and I like traveling. Variety is the spice of life and there is a lot of spice in NYC and on the train there and back. Enter 16 year old daughter... Beau assured me he could Mr. Mom it for a couple of days and, with a twinge of guilt, I heading off on my trip.

So I called my beloved to see how it was going and I got the standard - great! response. He is a man of few words and doesn't like talking on the phone very much, unless of course we're talking politics or something else he's fired up about. Instead of pushing for details, I decide to check other sources, like Facebook updates, and here's what I find in my absence:

Thursday, April 15, 6 pm: Beau Dickerson The fair tax...But it won't happen because government, Dems or Repub, don't want to give up the power. Sad really.

Thursday, April 15, 10 pm: Beau Dickerson what I thought was going to be a relaxing night turned in to me make 40 chocolate chip cookies for 14 high school kids and their teacher. All this just to bribe Mrs. _____ into giving Cynthia a "B"

Friday, April 16, 2 pm: Beau Dickerson Joe Biden had a gross income of $333,182 and gave a mere $4,820 to charity. Yet he feels we all should "Give a little more". But Joe doesn't want to give any more ...4800 is good enough.

Amidst the expected political commentary, he speaks of making cookies and bribing an algebra teacher. So I inquire:

Christa: Beau - why didn't you buy cookies from the store and make the Mr. Mom gig a little easier on you?

Beau: We are going for a "B" here Christa, you think store bought cookies are going to cut it? You have a lot to learn about bribes.

I guess I do.

Location, location, location.

2010-04-13T09:15:00.002-04:00

My real estate guru husband negotiated an amazing price over the course of several months for a home “flip” in one of Charlottesville’s best city neighborhoods: Greenleaf/Rugby Avenue area. The house is situated on a corner lot, facing Greenleaf Park across the street. Homes in this neighborhood sell any where from $300K (1100 SF, 3 bedroom, 1 bath) to upwards of $500K.

So, I am sharing this with you in case you know someone looking to take advantage of an opportunity in this real estate market. And, yes, in very specific, ideal circumstances like these “flipping” a house is still a viable and profitable business. He has researched many a deal and this has been the best one yet.

Here’s the basic scoop on this home, which will be gutted and completely renovated (new fiber cement siding, new landscaping, new HVAC, new kitchen and on and on). Beau has been working with the very talented Amanda Uhl to get specifications and a new floor plan in place. Here are some details & photos:

1645 finished square feet
825 unfinished square feet
3 bedrooms
2 full bathrooms
Venable Elementary School

Proposed floor plan:

So, if you’re interested or know someone who might be, email Beau at beaudickerson@gmail.com to get the specifications, pricing, schedule, etc. This is not listed on the MLS yet so it won’t show up if you’re searching in general. :-)

battle of the brown thumb

2010-04-09T10:49:00.003-04:00

In an attempt to battle valiantly against my brown thumb and have fresh ingredients to cook with, I have moved this year’s garden to the back deck. The theory being that we can keep animals away, manage the drainage better by using pots, and maintain the plants better overall. Given the 8+ hours of direct sunlight we get every day, we’ve chosen plants that love sun. And this is the last chance for the Topsy Turvy. If that ugly thing doesn’t do a better job of producing tomatoes this year, I’m tossing it. So, we have cherry tomatoes, cilantro, basil, rosemary, strawberry plants and a rose plant we received as a gift in December that has actually flourished. So far, so good.

I can do bad all by myself

2010-04-05T06:00:00.000-04:00

"I Can Do Bad All By Myself."

That is the title of the movie I watched on Saturday night for 'movie night' with CeCe. Beau huddled in the basement with the joy of March madness (convenient.) We went to the video store (yes, they still have these) looking for Grease. Somehow, my copy of Grease is no longer part of the Dickerson inventory... and its just old enough that you can barely find it anywhere; including the local video store. Of course, I should have known what I was getting myself into by going to the non-brand name video store by the Food Lion on 5th Street at 8:00 pm on a Saturday night. It has been recently purchased and is in renovation. Meaning: None of the movies were in alphabetical order and neither of the new owners were aware of an organizational system in place or their inventory in general. They were very kind and apologized for being in flux, but still.... no Grease. So, with the "no rated-R movies" rule in place (even though I was informed by CeCe that she watches movies rated TV-MA. yikes. Not on our watch...) and in the spirit of encouraging choices within boundaries, I let her pick at PG-13 (or less) movie of her choice so,

Tyler Perry's: "I Can Do Bad All By Myself."

And, you know what? The title was the worst part of the movie. It had a decent storyline, some humor, a good moral, a happy ending and even some of the gospel. Not bad, eh? So yet another reminder to not be so quick to "judge a book by its cover" as my horizons get expanded by my foster child.

welcome nora!

2010-04-03T21:05:00.000-04:00

Our dear friends, Jen and Daniel Nairn, welcomed their daughter into the world Tuesday. Nora Dorothy Nairn, born 6:57 PM, March 31, 2010. 5 lbs 11 oz. 19 inches.

you don't say.

2010-03-26T14:17:00.000-04:00

How was Ms. _____ today? (Christa)

Ms. ____ needs to get out of my face. (Cynthia)

Cynthia, we pay your teachers to ‘get in your face’ every day so if she only did it today, (Christa)

we’re going to have to ask for a refund. (Beau)

When I was your age, I asked to stay out until 2 am. My dad responded that I was shooting for the moon, hoping to land on the roof. So, we compromised on the roof. The roof is not a bad place to be. We’ll let you know what your roof is but you can keep shooting for the moon in the meantime. (Beau to Cynthia)

I have a probation officer. Not a parole officer. There is a big difference. (Cynthia to Christa)

I don’t think people should get second chances. I think they don’t learn then. They need to be punished, even if it’s a small punishment, or they’ll do it again. (Cynthia)

Did you get a second chance? (Christa)

Yes. (Cynthia)

So, you’re saying that… (Christa)

I shouldn’t have. I should have had a punishment the first time. (Cynthia)

I'll have to keep that in mind . (Christa)

poetry as therapy

2010-03-24T09:27:00.002-04:00

It can happen: sometimes a sunny afternoon,

or the bright blue of a flower, or our own

breathing holds us like a mother holds her

baby, and for a time, the pain is less.

Last week, a couple of my colleagues attended different sessions at the Virginia Festival of the Book and I found their summary of one of the sessions particularly intriguing. It was about the use of poetry, photography, writing, etc. as therapy for victims of violence or depression or just about anything. It made me think of CeCe and a book that the Voices for Virginia's Children publishes each year with writings from foster children. (Here's the link to the 2009 edition.) I can not claim to even begin to know the depth of sorrow and grief (and many other emotions) that victims of violence and neglect experience. I can’t even claim to know what it is to be truly depressed. But, I have experienced great sorrow over a loss, which is probably something we all can relate to or will be able to relate to as we walk in this broken world.

Here are some of the poems from the After Violence series. I particularly love the hope offered from the first one by Rumi.

(1)
Sorrow prepares you for joy.

It violently sweeps everything

out of your house, so that new

joy can find space to enter.

It shakes the yellow leaves

from the bough of your heart,

so that fresh, green leaves can

grown in their place.

It pulls up rotten roots,

so that new roots hidden

beneath have room to grow.

Whatever sorrow shakes from

your heart, far better things

will take their place.

Excerpt from a poem by Rumi.

(2)

After violence,

there can be deadly quiet inside.

As if one's soul had floated off.

As if one's life had gone,

and forgotten the body.

oh really?

2010-03-20T08:06:00.001-04:00

"I think she does it for the money." CeCe in reference to her social worker.

"I don't have a strong personality." - Beau

check this out

2010-03-17T09:03:00.001-04:00

Check out these amazing interactive features that our team came up with as the online extensions for articles in World Vision magazine. We design and publish this quarterly magazine that tells the stories of children and families in 3rd world countries and how you can sponsor them. The Dickerson's first child, Umaru, 'graduated' from the program last year and we're now on to our second Ugandan child! It's fun to receive letters and progress reports on 'your child'. The personal aspect is one of the things that makes this program so successful. I had the wonderful opportunity at a conference last month to hear Richard Stearns, the president of World Vision, speak. He was an excellent speaker and wrote the book A Hole in the Gospel, which is summarized as:

"This is a story of how a CEO faced his own struggle to obey God, whatever the cost, and his passionate call for Christians to change the world by actively living out their faith. Believing that the “good news” is more than a private transaction between God and us, Stearns challenges readers with this question: What does God expect of us? Two thousand years ago, twelve people changed the world. Stearns believes it can happen again."

Basically, a call to Christians to be out there in the world, serving others. Not to be insulated in a little 'holier than thou' bubble. That sounds harsh as I read it back but I can't think of anything better right now. (My mind has become less sharp with a 16 year old in the house - my extra energy is all in that direction!) Stearns has an interesting resume - His career includes executive positions at Gilette and Parker Brothers and, before becoming the President of World Vision, he was the CEO of Lennox. I mention this only to add greater creditibility to his words and works - he's been out in the real world for a while, is quite accomplished, and could have very easily stayed in his executive position in corporate American earning the big $$. (But he didn't.) I haven't read the book yet but I know the cause is an excellent one. So, check out the features and the organization for yourself!

World Vision - Interactive Child Sponsorship Map

World Vision - From Hunger to Harvest

from martha to you

2010-03-13T08:35:00.005-05:00

So, I'm doing pretty well incorporating new vegetables into the Dickerson diet (a goal declared on the blog-o-sphere back in January.) Last week, I made "Spaghetti Pie" with spaghetti squash instead of wheat noodles. Both Cynthia and Beau (aka Siskel and Ebert in our household) enjoyed it so its passed muster with the critics and was deemed a keeper. I also recently made a delicious one pot meal compliments of Martha Stewart that I'd thought I'd share before we get out of chowder season. The 'new' vegetable here is fennel.

shrimp and corn chowder with fennel
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
1 leeks (white and light green parts), chopped
1 fennel bulb, chopped
Kosher salt & black pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 8-ounce bottle clam juice
3 cups whole milk
1 pound potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3/4 pound cooked, peeled, and deveined medium shrimp
1 10-ounce package of frozen corn
2 tablespoons of fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Bread, for serving

Heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and the fennel, season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 4 to 5 minutes; stir in flour.

Add the clam juice, milk and potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 12 minutes. Stir in shrimp and corn and cook until the potatoes are tender and the shrimp and corn are heated through, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the parsley and lemon juice. Serve with the bread.

(I tried to find Martha's picture of the finished product online to no avail. My picture doesn't do the chowder justice - it is very tasty!)

we can't both be the good cop

2010-03-11T10:16:00.006-05:00

It's about time I updated the blog-o-sphere to the newest development in the Dickerson family: as of last Tuesday, we have a 16 year old foster daughter. Our lives have changed dramatically and continue to change (as expected) but already, there have been multiple blessings in opening our home and our lives to this child. I am probably not 'legally' allowed to write a lot of information up here about her and her situation so you'll have to come visit us and meet her. And you can stay to tutor her so she can pass the ninth grade and change her four F's into C's over the next 3 months. Sigh. Her school work (and lack thereof) is proving to be the most challenging obstacle thus far. I have not divided polynomials in about 14 years but while Beau tackled science and history homework, I "did" her Algebra homework so I could check her answers and "help". And that was just Monday night. She still ended up going to school early the next day to have the Algebra teacher explain the two hardest problems. I have to give credit to teachers here - its one thing to be able to do it yourself, its another to teach someone else how to do it!

Beau has been really wonderful with Cynthia or CeCe as he calls her. Its funny to think of a man being able to relate to a 16 year old female child but Beau is so good with kids. (and she really is a young 16.) They love him - his sense of humor and his no nonsense manner. Some of my favorite "parenting" moments thus far as we have become parents (yikes!) overnight include:

"We can't both be the good cop and I am not going to always be the bad cop for the hard stuff while you bad cop what she watches on TV." - Christa to Beau
"Now I know why my parents got so frustrated with me and my lack of attention to homework and details." - Beau in response to having to take Cynthia back to the group home to retrieve her 'lost' Algebra book.
"We are an 'on-time' family." - Beau
"Cynthia, we can call this initiative 'Cynthia's plan for Academic Success' or 'Cynthia Doesn't Want to be 17 in 9th grade', either way, it means the same thing." -Christa
"Cynthia, if you can't stop texting when I ask you to, then I can also put limits on your phone. Wouldn't that be fun?" - Christa. Cynthia's response, "Oh, no, no that won't be necessary. Coming right now."
"Cynthia, you are looking a little less than just 'not ready' for church." Christa to Cynthia having just gotten out of the shower, wet hair, wrapped in a towel at 8:45 am for 9 am church.
"Cynthia, why are you disgruntled? We are all gruntled here. Have a good day at school." - Beau

Well, we're trying and, by the grace of God, hopefully will do more good than bad. We've been given a chance to make a difference in her life over a short period (6-9 months) so we better make the most of it.

must see tv: modern family

2010-03-01T22:03:00.000-05:00

Modern Family, in its first season on ABC, is hands-down the funniest show on television. I hate to say it, but it is beating out The Office. Check it out on Wednesdays, 9 pm. I rarely laugh out loud (that is just me - not a conscious thing) but I do at this show. Old episodes can be watched at www.hulu.com.

a sweet treat

2010-02-27T09:36:00.000-05:00

I made Beau decorated sugar cookies for Valentine's day and shipped some out to my family members so they could enjoy. Decorating sugar cookies is a family Christmas tradition and they are a favorite of ours. Despite the weather, the cookies arrived to my two sisters and grandparents but, unfortunately, they still have not arrived at my parents house. I used "click and ship" and it says the package was delivered but it wasn't! I think my poor mum thought I forgot about her. (And I was waiting to post this picture until all of my Valentines had received their surprise in the mail!) I forwarded the confirmation to my mum so Detective Dow is now on the case: watch-out postman.

match.com circa 1995

2010-02-26T19:58:00.000-05:00

I was cleaning out my stationery/photo/keepsake drawers the other week and stumbled across this gem of a note from my sister, Tracey, to a boy named Brad in middle school. I could not stop laughing as I read how my sister was representing me in my "love life" and overseeing the gifting of my school and drill team pictures. In case you can't read it, here is what it says:

"Brad, she knows who you are. Your sorta hard to miss

because your normally the tallest person in the group.

I'll get one of her pictures and give it to you tomorrow

and I'll tell her not to tell everybody, ok.

Which would you prefer school or drill team?

Tracey

Who else likes my sister because she'll ask me who?"

I use to think the hardest "position" in a line of siblings was the oldest - they have to 'break in' the parents and, by the time you get to the youngest, the youngest is allowed to watch PG13 movies at 10 years old, instead of 13 or gets to stay out to 11:30 instead of 10 pm. But, as I get older, I can see why being in the middle could be really tough too. In true form, the middle sibling is stuck somewhere in-between: both fighting & sharing the limelight with the older and younger sisters. And, with a big sister like me, you had the added pressure of negotiating the trade of school and drill team pictures.

I love you, Tracey!

take a walk in these shoes

2010-02-25T17:05:00.000-05:00

I left early Wednesday morning (6 am) to fly to a conference in Atlanta. I had a brief layover in Philadelphia (the con of flying out of Charlottesville). So, here I am walking in the Philadelphia airport, slipping and thinking haughtily that they ought to sweep the floors in this airport when I discover that my shoe has lost its heel and that is why I am slipping. Of course my heel has cracked and scattered along the hall. AND - the only other pair of dress shoes I brought have a tall heel - so these flats were my saving grace to hours of on my feet "conferencing." Sigh - I just kept wearing them and took small steps so I wouldn't slip and no one would see the soles of my shoes. And on day two of the conference (today) -I busted out the 3 inch heels. At least I decided against the strapless bra - that would have definitely put me over the edge. Being a woman is tough.

ONE: Racial Reconciliation in the Gospel

2010-02-21T16:22:00.000-05:00

I've been helping the Portico team promote the ONE conference that we're hosting this week - February 25 & 26. The topic for the conference is "Racial Reconciliation in the Gospel," with the focus on the role of the church in working towards reconciling people of all colors and backgrounds. It's a powerful message and not one that a lot of people are ready to hear. I found out that ugly truth first hand through a series of phone calls to church leaders. Although I mostly left voicemails, I did get to speak to several pastors directly and their reactions ranged from positive to fake positive/polite to pure denial to irritation to self-righteousness.

That all being said - the conference will go on and despite some negative reactions (perhaps isolated?), it will impact this city and make positive strides towards reconciliation. I could go on and on but the bottom line is the Gospel is more powerful than any ignorant or racist person and God will do what He wants to do. And He wants us to be reconciled to one another.

I've also been participating in the "Dialogue on Race" organized by the City of Charlottesville. I believe that in order to really impact a seemingly social issue you have learn something about the city you live in (its history, its own stigmas, etc.) and get to know people that wouldn't cross your life path otherwise. You know, engage with people that don't share my core beliefs and have their own set of life experiences that have shaped who they are today. I have hopes that the experience will provide new insights and perspectives that I hadn't considered before. I also hope it will give greater awareness and strength to my own efforts and "our" faith-centered efforts to combat blatant and latent racism in our society. Oh, and its a "dialogue," so by its very nature, I get to share my views and maybe impact someone there in one of the same ways that I hope to be impacted.

And, before you start picturing me with a halo that comes with a consistent selfless attitude (if you know me, you don't even need to read this part...): do you think I really want to spend my Tuesday evenings at the end of a long work day with a bunch of strangers that I may or may not agree with? Not always... Not even 50% of the time (maybe it will go up once I get to know people better... or down...sigh.)

BUT could you imagine that if enough people would give it a try - to give of themselves for the common good, go outside of their comfort zones, get off of Facebook and get face to face with people from entirely different backgrounds, the change that could take place?

I say ALL of this with the known fact that I am not perfect nor the example to follow in self-sacrifice. What started out as an intent to promote the One Conference with this post turned into a little personal pep talk to get into the game and stay there. I try to do what I can and compared to others, it is VERY little. But little is better than nothing and, more often than not, I end up more blessed than those I serve. Fancy that.

a whole new meaning to "cabin fever"

2010-02-11T19:13:00.000-05:00

My cat attacked me again today.

Yep, that angelic looking, striped feline above tried to wrestle my arm to the ground just for sitting next to him and walking closely by him. Now, before you envision something vicious, please know that this is a regular occurrence and he rarely, if ever, pulls out the claws and never bites. (You've read about his killer instincts previously so you know what he is capable of.) The snow has only made his restlessness more apparent. His girlfriend - Cougar Cottonsocks- suffers the most. (Note: her 'real name' is not Cougar Cottonsocks (not that I'd put it past us to name a cat that) but the Cougar comes from her age relative to Mr. Stripavich. She is 4 years his senior.) He takes his cabin fever frustration out on her as well - chasing her around the house, despite her loud, vocal protests and the effect on our furniture as they fly around the room.

I would guess that Mr. Stripavich is probably more sick of the snow than any other 'being' I know. I keep telling him bird season is just around the corner but he scowls at me and lays by the fire. And, if its not on, he lays in front of it staring at us (plotting our demise) until we put it on.

Speaking our plotting our demise --- this email forward should make you laugh. We honestly believe that this is what Mr. Stripavich is thinking when he is in Mr. Hyde mode.

Enjoy!

A Cat's Diary:

Day 983 of my captivity....

My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets.

Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength.

The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet.

Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a 'good little hunter' I am. Bastards.

There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of 'allergies.' I must learn what this means and how to use it to my advantage.

Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow -- but at the top of the stairs.

I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released - and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded

The bird has got to be an informant. I observe him communicating with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe. For now.

your ENT will thank you

2010-02-08T20:39:00.000-05:00

Seriously. I recently learned about a neti pot and know several people that use them every day for good nasal/sinus health. Beau gave me his bad head cold last week and the neti pot was the best remedy. I drank the kool-aid and now pour salt water in one nostril and out the other on a regular basis. Paints a pretty picture, eh?

congratulations!

2010-02-05T09:36:00.001-05:00

Our dear friends, Amy & Jeremiah, got engaged last week. We celebrated their engagement and Jeremiah's birthday last Friday. A summer 2010 wedding is planned!

Of course, I took the opportunity to test out my new digital camera's 'macro' setting to capture Amy's beautiful ring. BLING!

a sweeter trip up the stairs

2010-02-03T15:00:00.000-05:00

My Nanny Peg has family photos lining her staircase and I have always loved walking past generations of our family in one of the most trafficked areas of her home. Over the years, the picture trail entered into the upper hallway as more grandchildren were born, and then, wrapped the corner as those grandchildren have begun to get married.

So - combine this nostalgia with an empty stairwell and no budget for large art, and you get the Dickerson version of framing your stairway with loved ones. I love the Pottery Barn example above but this was a tough sell for Beau (who hates clutter, which is how he categorized PB's example) so the compromise was a more uniform approach - both in spacing and frame color. I hope it will grow more organically over time but in the meantime, I converted Beau into a 'fan' with the finished product. We both love it. Pics below.

in your prime

2010-02-02T11:00:00.000-05:00

29 is a prime number. one of the few. so....

Beau turned 29 on December 30. As a rule - he doesn't like birthday parties. In fact, the idea that you would sing to him at a restaurant, plan a surprise party or invite more than 4 friends to a birthday party makes him cringe. He never had the Chuck E Cheese party or the party with 10 of your closest elementary school classmates AND he never wanted it (just in case you were still wondering if there really is a parallel with Dwight Schrute...)

I know my husband is an introvert. Introvert, as I loosely define it, is: someone who does not get their energy from other people but rather has a need to recharge on their own. An extrovert would be the opposite- someone who gets their energy from engagement with others. (I think this is pretty close to the scientific/generally accepted opinion as well.)

Well, please don't tell Beau I called him an introvert. To him, Introvert=Jeffrey Dahmer.

Yep.

We're working on that "Old serial killer" bias. Of course, we all have an appreciation for the introvert and the extrovert and the balance between the two, right? So, enough is enough with the serial killer dramatics.

All this to say, the big man decided that the age 29 was worth celebrating and his dutiful wife jumped on the opportunity. Ten pans of eggplant and chicken parm later, the birth of my husband (with no characteristics of Jeffrey Dahmer) was fully celebrated. (pics above)

deja vu

2010-02-01T12:59:00.000-05:00

At least it was only a 1/3 of what we had in December but still...

candlestick makers

2010-01-30T13:20:00.000-05:00

Umm, yeah, I disappeared for November and December 2009. So, I owe you and myself some life documentation for those months.... In the meantime, I share with you our trip to Williamsburg for the Baker (aka - the Candlestick makers) wedding. I really hope they know we call them the Bakers and the Candlestick makers interchangeably in the most loving of ways. I can't help my husband and his nicknames. They (you know, "they") say that if you give someone a nickname, you really love them. It's true.

So, the Dickersons, the Boggs sans flock and Brad Uhl (sans Amanda) headed down to Williamsburg for the Baker wedding on January 9th. Brad once said he wanted more time with the Dickersons...well, he got it - baptism by fire. You gotta love Brad - the only man in the group who would go to an out of town wedding without his wife. Beau's parents live there so we were hooked up with the ultimate sleeping accommodations (free and spacious).

So - in short, the wedding was awesome. The highlights: 1) the thoughtfulness behind the ceremony. They were deliberate in what they included, and from the sermon to the Jewish wine ceremony to their personal vows - they touched the hearts of their guests. I had tears in my eyes several times. Beau didn't (but that is his problem and he and Nathaniel can spend some more time with P90X in the basement to work through that.)

2) The jamming DJ. Yep - I was on the dance floor, which is not that unusual. Jen Boggs was in the center of the 'dance circle.' When a mom of four who is also your designated driver busts a move in front of the whole dance floor - you are not only amazed, you are delighted! (and for me, you could find me backing away from the inner circle to not be grabbed into the forefront.) Beau danced too - a rarity, to say the least. We were sad to see the night end!

Oh and I can't write this post without giving a recommendation to Megan Daubert, the Baker's wedding planner. Not only did she help make everything smooth and efficient (and who knows what else...), she LOOKED the part. I mean, its not "shallow" to say that - you want your event planner at your wedding to look like she/he belongs at the wedding and is professional. I could never look like her consistently every day for work. I have to purposefully pull out the game face, when necesary, and even then, I scare my colleagues with the power pearls and smile as I say, "get your game face on."

Finally, in case you don't know the Candlestick makers, I have to say that Brett was a beautiful bride (as you can see). We are blessed to have them as neighbors and friends.

catching the worm

2010-01-27T09:00:00.000-05:00

I had to take a picture of the sunrise off of my back deck. It made 6:30 am beautiful (even before my coffee.)

leeks and more

2010-01-25T20:16:00.000-05:00

This year, I've decided to try new vegetables and to try not buy 'pre-packaged' items like spinach and lettuce. In my fridge now, I have a red cabbage and the aforementioned spinach and red leaf lettuce, as well as other 'salad' staples. Yesterday, I made stuffed spaghetti squash - which was basically a spaghetti pie/lasagna dish using the spaghetti squash in place of regular noodles and involved restuffing the 'noodles' and sauce mixture back into the shell for baking. It was very good (and healthy) but I need to find a way to work some low fat ricotta in there. Cheese makes everything better.

Tonight I made Leek & Potato Stew from Cooking Light. I have never made anything with leeks before and it was delicious! We served it with Trader Joe's beer bread and topped it with some shredded Mexican blend. It is always something to be celebrated when you make a Cooking Light recipe and it's so tasty you don't realize its "light."

Here's the recipe (with my small modifications). It does not disappoint.

Ingredients

4 bacon slices (cut into 1 inch pieces)
3 cups chopped leek
4 1/2 cups chicken stock
4 cups cubed peeled Yukon gold potato (I used baking potatoes)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2 cups of corn

Preparation

Cook bacon in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until crisp. Add leek; cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 3 minutes. Add stock, potato, salt, and thyme; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes or until potato is tender. Remove 1 1/2 cup potato with a slotted spoon; place in a blender. Add 1/2 cup cooking liquid to blender; process until smooth. Return puréed mixture to pan.

Nutritional Information

Calories:: 312 (26% from fat)
Fat:: 9.1g (sat 3.1g,mono 3.7g,poly 1.5g)
Protein:: 13.4g
Carbohydrate:: 44.5g
Fiber:: 4.3g
Cholesterol:: 26mg
Iron:: 2.5mg
Sodium:: 686mg
Calcium:: 59mg

toes first

2009-10-18T09:00:00.000-04:00

Working at a creative firm and living in Charlottesville, VA means that I am consistently learning about new trends in the art/design community. One such trend, that has definitely been growing over the past few years at the least, is a return to the handmade. For previous generations, handmade items were less desirable and even looked down upon as the option if you couldn't afford to buy something at the store. Remember Maria making the Von Trapp family 'play clothes' out of the family curtains?

Now, the paradigm has completed shifted, at least in our culture, and the handmade is more expensive and begs a much larger premium than something bought in a store. The evidence can be found in the popularity of the online store Esty , the fact that more and more boutiques are carrying handmade items, and a resurgence of classes and lessons teaching the 'handmade' skills offered by community members and stores alike.

I am not sure of what my 'handcraft' contribution to this world might be but there are a lot of options out there. Knitting, sewing, rug-hooking, making notecards/stationery, pottery, embroidery, creating your own wall-art, candle-making, and on and on.

All this to say that I informed my grandmother last weekend of how hip she is with her handknit goods. Although she has had items on consignment in boutiques before, she has decided that she'd rather make items for people as gifts, knowing that the recipients will appreciate them. Last Christmas, she made 100 pairs of mittens for homeless children! I have been the recipient of many of her knitted gems over the years and, most recently, have been receiving 'small things'. (There isn't a subtle pressure here for Beau and I to produce 'small things' but rather, she feels that its better to start now in case her arthritis prevents her from knitting down the road.) Here are some pics of her handiwork.

striving for a culinary balance

2009-10-15T20:47:00.000-04:00

I like to cook, enjoy variety, try to be healthy, love a good deal and want everything to be efficient. (Meaning= if I am going to dirty 15 dishes and spend $ on lots of perishable ingredients, I want to make the most of the dishes and use the ingredients completely.)

Its hard to combine all of these traits and end up producing a tasty meal that your guests (and carnivorous husband) likes, that doesn't require 20 expensive/fresh ingredients that aren't in your pantry, and, oh yeah, you can make double and freeze it. So, I try for at least two out of three and vary them. I have my go-to "new mom meals" that are great on the leftover/freezablilty/deliverability but not so high on the healthy spectrum side. The following fits in the same such category but, hey, its got spinach in it rather than yet another cheese so it makes me feel better (and its delicious!) I found it by "googling" 'spinach, sausage, stuffed shells' because that is what I had in my freezer/pantry (and the Cooking Light search didn't return anything when I searched the same terms there.)

Sausage, Spinach, Ricotta Stuffed Pasta Shells

Ingredients
1 12-ounce package jumbo pasta shells
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 large egg
16-ounces ricotta cheese
10-ounces chopped frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed dry, chopped further (or 10 ounces chopped fresh spinach)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 28-ounce can tomatoes with herbs, including the liquid, tomatoes broken up (or your favorite tomato or pasta sauce)
2 9x13 shallow baking dishes

Method
1-Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (1 teaspoon salt per quart of water). Cook the pasta shells according to the instructions on the package. Drain, rinse in cold water, and set aside.

2-Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage to the pan, breaking up the sausage into smaller bits. Cook sausage until cooked through, and no pink remains, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to a minute more. Remove pan from heat.

3-Beat the egg lightly in a large bowl. Mix in the ricotta, chopped spinach, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese, basil, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and sausage mixture. Fill each cooked pasta shell with some of the ricotta, spinach, sausage mixture.

4-Spread 1/2 cup chopped canned tomatoes over the bottom of each of the baking dishes. Arrange the stuffed pasta shells in the dishes. Spread the remaining tomatoes over the top of the pasta shells.

At this point you can make ahead, to freeze (up to four months) or refrigerate before cooking. (If freezing, cover with foil, then wrap with plastic wrap.)

5-Heat oven to 375°F. Cover the pans with foil and bake for 30 minutes, until hot and bubbling. Remove foil and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese, bake uncovered for 10 more minutes.

Serves 8.

trying an alternative

2009-10-14T17:35:00.000-04:00

I spent last weekend in Alexandria, VA visiting with my family and my grandparents, the latter of whom had flown down from Long Island. I took the train to DC Friday morning to meet a client and colleague and, instead of driving 2+ hours after work up I-95, I metroed my way to Alexandria in time for dinner. Public transportation definitely has advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages:

I don't have to drive = no dealing with traffic & parking
I can do something else with my time - read, work on my laptop, sleep
Can be less expensive for a person traveling alone
They sell food/drinks and have restrooms
They are more environmentally friendly (if lots of people take them!)

Disadvantages:

You are at the mercy of Amtrak (or some other company's schedule)
You never know who you will have to sit by or when they last showered
It generally takes longer overall, there are often delays and you have to carry all your belongings on the train & metro

I've taken the train a couple of times and the Greyhound (once). Last October, I took a train all the way to Penn Station in New York City and then another train for the two hour distance to Southold on Long Island. If you haven't tried it, its something you should do at least once, with the caveat that train travel is not romantic (as it has sometimes been portrayed in the media or literature) and you are aware of the potential disadvantages.

Charlottesville recently became a "stop" on a new commuter train (Northeast Regional line) that originates in Lynchburg rather than the Crescent line that originates in New Orleans. (Translation: if your train originates in Lynchburg, you are a lot less likely to end up in a seat next to someone who has spent the night in their seat for the last couple of days and the train coming from New Orleans has a lot more stops to potentially get delayed at.)

Ok - enough of my train awareness promotion. The weekend overall was a lot of fun. We stuffed ourselves with lots of good food, laughed at all of my grandfather's silly jokes (which we have heard numerous times before), exercised, and got some good sleep. Oh, and, we made a trip to Michael's Craft Store because my sister, Katy, has a broken wrist and is wearing a black brace. Any excuse to make an accessory, she asked for our assistance in creating a variety of 'brace wraps', modeling below.

summer 2009

2009-09-04T19:13:00.001-04:00

This has been a busy summer and its hard to believe that its Labor Day weekend and the first home football game is tomorrow! I thought I'd give a tribute (or perhaps more aptly named a "recap") to summer 2009 so you know what I've been up to at the expense of the blog-o-sphere.

My bestest 'slap' Alexis became a doctor and turned 3o!

10 year high school reunion (more on that here)
2nd Family reunion to celebrate Nanny Peg's 75th birthday on Long Island, New York

(The Family- Dad's side)

Dina's mom, Michelle, celebrated her recovery from breast cancer.
4th of July in Duck, NC with Kara and Jenny (and Kathryn, in spirit!)

3 year anniversary at Veritas with Sue & Marty - Starry Nights (engagement photo from November 5th, 2005)

Attended the Bank's annual fish fry which entailed 200+ people at McIntire, a Jazz band, dancing and lots of fried fish.
Got baptized.
Bid farewell to our dear friends, Lisa & Jeremy, who moved to Canada.

Spent Beach Week 2009 with Lynn & Rob in North Myrtle. (yes, we can still call it beach week, even if you are going with your parents.)
Finished our home study to become 'certified' foster care parents.

So, you see, I have been busy and life is good. This list doesn't even mention the dinners and bbq's we have had with friends. We are blessed - but you already know that.