Photographing a River

My sisters both had babies within 6 weeks of one another in 2014. 

It was a great time for me: the time when I became a blood aunt.

Actually I don't call myself a blood aunt because that is terrifying.

Recently (ok last summer) I was able to take pictures of my niece, River. 

She's cute.

She's sassy,

She's a ginger.

Her full name is River Itasca so this means we call her: River, Riv, River Itasca, Tassy, Tass, Itasca-dera, Sassy Tassy, Sass-a-fras, Sassy Tassy Fras, Tass-a-fras,

Uhh, moving on...

At first glance the photo shoot appears to be going well.

Anderson, Party of 13

Recently (OK, over a month ago) we drove on over to Utah (Yew- tah for those non-familiar with the state) to visit Mark's brother and family. It had been 3 years since we've seen them and it was high time.

Matthew and Chandra live south of Salt Lake City with their 5 children. They head up the team of Plant Utah and do a great job of telling people about Jesus. They are planting a churches in the Utah Valley. 

While with them we stayed up extraordinarily late (considering we had 9 children between us all that would be wanting breakfast rather early), we laughed. 

Oh my goodness we laughed so hard. 

We made meals together, we played games together, and after the kids were in bed we drank bulletproof coffee together. 

(Don't get weird, it's coffee with coconut oil and butter in it. It is yumilicious--MY word.)

There were times I giggled knowing WE were the adults in charge.

While visiting we took advantage of fancy big cameras to take family pictures.

Matthew is a for reals photographer whose has owned a fancy camera for many a year.

I fancy myself a wannabe photographer. I've owned a big camera for a year.

I'll let you just rest on your own mercy when viewing the photos that Fatty and I have taken side by side.

Mark calls his brother Fatty, because in no way shape or form is Matthew fat. 

And ridiculous nicknames are an Anderson passion.

Right outta the shoot (chute, works also) Fatty gets a frowning 9 year old and a distracted 40 year old...

The Taste of Christmas

It has been WAY too long, people.

I miss blogging. But with no internet I've found myself out at our house at night after the kids are in bed writing in hopes that one day I'll have myself gathered enough to put said writings on a flash drive, haul all 4 kids and Mark's laptop into town, and get on wifi to post.

Today is that day.

I may or may not have showered,

I may or may not have done my hair,

But by golly I have a post for the blog.

Enjoy...

I’ll never forget the first time I tasted the flavor that said, “CHRISTMAS” and yet it was July.

Doing the County Fair

I've shared a lot of what our life was like in Scotland, and rest assured I've taken a ridiculous amount of photos there to continue to share with y'all.

But I thought I'd swap things around and share with our friends in the UK a taste of the USA.

This may come as a shock to y'all, but we aren't big city people. 

I lived for 4 years of my life in Dallas and 8 months in Houston, Texas and those experiences fulfilled any small desire I had to live in a densely populated area. 

Sure, you have your pros, like a Hobby Lobby every 10 miles, Chick-fil-a, Chipotle, Pei Wei, Starbucks, Gigi's Cupcakes, Firehouse Subs, Whole Foods 

(Ok, well, I haven't ever been in a Whole Foods, but I have been gouged for groceries before, does that count?) 

but y'all not only does my wallet and waistline hate this, 

but there's just something about the country that appeals to me.

Here in USA it's the most wonderful time of the year--county fair time!

Bear in mind y'all a county fair tends to be small.

Each state in the USA has a LOT of counties. After the county fairs the winners go on to the state fair.

But county fair time is a super fun where my husband especially travels back his roots. 

Let's start this show off with a bang and focus on the little girl in the background instead of my boys closely examining the sheep.

Patient Declined Termination of Pregnancy: Sally Pink's story

Two years ago this week our world tilted on its axis. We lived in Houston, Texas, I was 20 weeks pregnant with our 4^th child, and we had just been in to receive our anatomy ultrasound. This is the scan where the baby’s major organs are checked. We had the scan done at a special ultrasound clinic and our biggest decision that day was whether to find out the gender of the baby or not. We choose both and had the technician write the results on a yellow sticky note and I placed in my purse.

The next day Mark and I were out trying to finalize the sale of our two vehicles and had stopped to eat lunch when my obstetrician called us. I quickly stepped out of the restaurant to more clearly hear. Just in time to hear the Dr when she said, “All the measurements look good with the baby and everything looks up to date... However, the technician did find a spot in the brain. You’re going to need a level 2 scan to address this.” I felt the blood draining...I tried to ask coherent questions, tried to understand what the Dr was saying, but basically until we had the scan there was no telling what “spot on the brain meant.” This was Thursday and so we had to wait over an agonizing long weekend until Tuesday to attend the scan with a perinatologist.

That weekend I turned 31 and it was a horrible birthday, sad to say. I was consumed with worry. If you’ve never experienced it worry on this level it rips you in two. Sleep was the only respite from this disease that was eating me alive.

Flowers, Seals, and Slimy Things

We've been exploring, as we are oft to do.
Scotland has so so many beautiful places to hike around.
Our kids ask a lot for us to take them to the ever present, ever popular indoor play areas here. Those are great--for rainy days.

But we tell them God has created an amazing playground for them outside.
We're going to walk all over it...
and they're gonna like it!

Best part of God's playground?

It doesn't cost £4 a head.

It's not far from us and...

The Great Outdoor Playground

If you're out and about (or oot and aboot)
in Scotland you may see the Anderson family wandering around.

It's what we do in our free time: explore the great outdoor playground!

This is the Buckie Harbour wall.

Comparison: what I'd do in my free time, if I had any

I have four children. 

I don't have free time.

But I sneakily take time from important tasks to pretend like I've got free time.

This is including but not limited to:

- laundry

- washing dishes

- grading papers

- mending (I know it's 2015 and this is like so 50 years ago and SO Cinderella, but it's true)

- the tapestries

- and the draperies

and oh yes, one more thing:

- bathing

I'm not proud of it, but I can place the last item well down on the list if the need to procrastinate arises.

So I thought I'd pretend like I had free time and imagine what I do with it:

I'd compare pictures of my children all at the same age.

So I did it tonight.

(Laundry, get thee behind me.)

April 2015 

Caedmon is 8

and he's eating candy money.

I'm sure there's a good analogy or hidden meaning here.

My Very First Little Brother

It's another happy birthday time!

Mark's youngest brother, Joshua, had a birthday today.

If you know your historical turn of phrase you'll know how old he is:

Two score and eight years.

Joshua is the youngest of 7 children.

So when I married Mark I got 3 older brothers, one brother my age, a little sister, and one baby brother.

SO exciting! 

I never had a little brother growing up.

Joshua is the best of little brothers to have.

We ALL can universally agree Joshua is highly recognisable with his smile: 

His eyes disappear.

Happy Birthday: to the only Cat I've ever loved

I have a little sister

Catlin is her name

I think she's very pretty

with her curly mane.

We like to laugh together

Good friends are what we are.

We can sit for hours and blether

Even in a strangers car.

So come and join with me

And read the post below.

Let's end the horrid poem

And shuffle off to Buffalo.

Y'all, that was so much harder than it looks.

My baby sister, Catlin Daye, is having a birthday today. 

I won't tell you how old she is but it starts with a two and rhymes with heaven.

Here's a walk down memory lane with the one and only Cat in my life....

Her name is Catlin but she also responds to:
CatDaye, Cat, Miss Kitty, Callitan, Kitty Cat, Skister Sue, Cat-Cat-Jehosephat, KitCat, Gosshopper, Callin
I think it's obvious our family has nickname issues.

My April Babies

This April marks a birthday month for the Anderson household. 

There's only 2 birthday months a year here--we make a big deal out of them.

Caithness Maela Anderson was born on April 11, 2009. (I should write that birth story out sometime--if you know Nessie you'll know how indicative of HER that trial was).

Caithness is a county in Scotland located in the highlands. You can actually see it looking northwest across the Moray Firth from Buckie.

Maela is an "Anderson creation." We wanted a name that would honour the Grandmothers, but do so simultaneously without hurting feelings. So Mary + Pamela = Maela.

That little fat face,

and ALWAYS frowning eyebrows.

Be still my heart.

On or About This Day: 10 March

Airdrie is napping.
Mark has the big kids playing outside.
I have NOTHING to do!

That's a lie.
But if I don't turn around and look a the massive pile of laundry waiting for me...

I have NOTHING to do!

Ok, still stretching it.
But I thought I'd procrastinate with a fun thing called "On or About This Day."

Back when Caedmon was born I started a great system for keeping my photos organised on my computer. I can look up a photo by month, by kid's age, by siblings age....it works well.

And now that I already have the system in place it's not any effort to maintain.
Which is good because ain't nobody got time for that.

(PILE OF LAUNDRY BEHIND ME staring me down)

Ahem.



10 March 2015
A nice bright and sunny day in Scotland, but here's the previous years' story as told by my iPhoto Album on or near 10 March:

2014

Ouch! Caedmon, then 7, was in public school at this time and was sent home because of this. 

He ran into a wall, poor guy. 

Driving Scotland

If you ever wanted to drive in Scotland (and by "drive" I mean look at pictures.

And by "you" drive I mean Mark Anderson behind the wheel),

well, boy howdy you've come to the right place. 

I take a lot of pictures while here in Scotland. 

For one, I'm trying to be a better photographer, 

and for two, I'm a horrible photographer.

We tend to do a lot of adventuring and we do it in the car, because any other form of transportation with 4 kids tends to be pricey.

So most pictures were taken from within our vehicle.

Also, when the car stops the Anderson circus [children] think they all should abandon ship. And so we refrain from stopping the vehicle as much as possible to avoid an uprising by the natives.

Want to see what it would be like to drive in Scotland?

Our mode of transportation:

The French-made (don't get Mark started) Citroen C8, 

it's a "people carrier" and not a minivan.

And don't you forget it.

18 with 21 years Experience

Let me tell you a story I love...

A long time ago in Wyoming a little boy was born.

He was the very first baby to a man and his wife and they loved him so.

Caedmon's 8th Birthday

Let me start off by saying there is NO way this picture was taken 8 years ago...

NO way. 

Because that's my baby boy and doesn't he still look like this?! 

It makes me want to curl up in a ball and cry a bit because time is passing so very swiftly.

I know, I know go ahead and ask me at about 2 a.m. and I may sing a different tune--such is the nature of motherhood.

Airdrie's 1st Birthday

Let me tell you about a miracle that took place last month:

Airdrie Abileen Anderson turned one year old. 

The baby, who at 20 weeks gestation was found to have a brain deformity causing a heartless perinatologist to say, "Something is really wrong with this child", celebrated one year of living, loving, and thriving. 

God is good, indeed. 

If you're just joining us and would like to read the entire story you can start here and work your way through by newer posts.

So it is with profound joy that I can share with you the details of our precious baby's first birthday. If you've been along on this journey with us for the past 18 months, weeping, praying, and rejoicing with us, thank you. 

Enjoy this glimpse into the celebration of our God's great love and mercy.

Summer Family Saturdays

Sometimes on those rare family days when we're meandering around Scotland

Our sweet children;

Those blessed little fruit of my womb ...

(Well that was awkward, 

I promise I'll never say 'fruit of my womb' again.)

(Also, it sounds like men's undergarments.)

Our precious little lambs,

 start to drive me bonkers in the vehicle...

Strawberry Fields Whenever

How pretty is Scotland in July?

I mean Scotland any time, nearly any place, is pretty.

Nearly any photo you take is instantly calendar-worthy.

But July is just lovely.

That's just a regular 'ol wheat field and it's gorgeous.

Technology: Preserving Anderson Memories

"The Green Book" is a family name 'round these parts.

It is something my mother created when deep in the throes of potty training and sleepless nights. To retain her sanity she would journal each nap time, putting the notes in a green binder folder. As my sisters and I grew up it eventually became something my mom would pull out at the end of the day to jot down funny things we said. For my high school graduation in (ahem) 2000 she had typed and chronologically organised the whole thing and gave me a copy.

To this day when I want a good laugh I can simply go and look up things crazy 5 year old Jordan did i.e.: wash her sisters hair in the vaporiser; get stitches in chin from an incident with a cannon at Veterans Park; jump in a trash can to catch a boys attention only to fall out of it fully breaking her dignity (that may or may not have been 14 year old Jordan).


So I have one started for our children.
But my memory has gone the way of the buffalo these days.
(is that an acceptable metaphor?)
So when something happens that makes Mark and I cackle the iPad is usually within reach to write these down.


Because one of my favourite things to do in life is laugh, I thought I'd share a section straight from my iPad with you:

Things I Never Thought I'd Say:
(and then I became a mother)

- Don't hang on the door knob.

Once Upon A Time in Glasgow...

Howdy folk!

(the term "folk" is plural so no need for folk"s" 

Thanks for that error in our education Looney Tunes.)

I haven't posted in forever and ever so when I found this half completed post in my drafts I was overjoyed!

A full post with half the effort!

Y'all just please never mind the events took place in February...

Back in February:
We found out in order to obtain Airdrie's UK visa in a timely and efficient manner we needed to book an outrageously expensive appointment in Glasgow.
So we did, and just about a month after our venture to Edinburgh, again back down through the Cairngorms we trekked.

Wait a minute...'Ol Eagle Eye Anderson has spotted something:

Do you see them?