Citizenship

This week, my friend Vy, and a few hundred other people, participated in a naturalization ceremony to become U.S. Citizens. A ceremony like this happens every week all over the United States. I attended my first ceremony in Kansas City many years ago to celebrate with my friend Gamil, who is originally from Egypt. 

There are a number of things that are striking to me about these ceremonies:

First, there is not a person who participated who did not struggle or sacrifice for the distinction. A distinction I was given at birth. I didn't earn it. I didn't even ask for it. And, if I am honest, I usually take for granted the rights and privileges that come with the distinction. In fact, I may even engage in unfair criticism of a nation that so many still flock to as a beacon of freedom and prosperity. When I traveled to foreign destinations, on the regular I was reminded of this gift - especially as a woman. 

Second, there is an oath of allegiance that is part of the ceremony. The current oath follows: 

I hereby declare, on oath, that I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any foreign prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen; that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I will bear arms on behalf of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the United States when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; and that I take this obligation freely without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; so help me God.

I could write a dissertation on the meaning of the various statements in this oath. What strikes me as note worthy is that I, as a U.S. born citizen, never had to take an oath of allegiance.

Finally, scripture says (Philippians 3:20) that as a follower of Jesus my citizenship is in heaven. Like these new U.S. Citizens, this will require a leaving behind of the old and embarking on an unknown future. It also involves an oath of allegiance, that I am subject to an authority and have a duty to support and defend this rule/kingdom. And, that I will do so willingly. But, in the challenges, God is with me.

just Sheri, grateful for my citizenship status

Container Garden

Another benefit of being place bound and having a home, is that I can (attempt to) plant and grow herbs or vegetables. Since my knowledge base of such things is pretty much zero, I attended a class with the master gardeners in February. I learned a lot about microbes and bacteria, organic gardening and planting-harvesting-rotation. Most of it was WAY over my head. But, I really wanted to try to grow a few things this summer. So, here is my first attempt at gardening - herbs in a container.

I also bought another small container for my favorite herb - cilantro. I really hope I can keep this alive because I use it often and would prefer not to have to buy it, at least for a few months.

I also bought a little tomato plant and put it in a pot...this one is more of an experiment. Let's try and see what happens.

I'll keep you posted on any progress.

just Sheri, amateur gardener

storyteller

In my homeland of New Mexico there is a common image - the Native American storyteller. There are variations on the theme; but it is basically a woman, surrounded by children with her mouth open because she is telling a story. Something like this.

Photo via The Children's Museum of Indianapolis (Wikimedia Commons)

Well, I recently participated in a real life reinactment.

Actually, I really like this picture and I am glad someone captured this moment. Recently, I have been surrounded by families and welcomed in to their lives in very meaningful and intimate ways.

While I may not have children of my own...to run round and round and round the dining table....or duck behind the couch because they just can't resist crawling in the space between it and the wall...or slide on the wood floor in their socks...or be amazed at the small trampoline in the basement...to color with or read to. Other people have kids that will come to my house and make the space a play zone or leave pretty pictures that they colored.

I am honored these families have invited me in to their lives and I like the frenzy of activity and creativity their children bring to our home.

Matthew 19:14 Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."



just Sheri, looking forward to the next storytime

In honor of Black History Month: Emancipation Eve

This year marks the 150th year of Emancipation. The Hubs and I had a unique (and educational) new year's. We drove in to the city and participated in Emancipation Eve activities. The National Park rangers had a full night of activities planned. They offered lectures full of fascinating, unpublished history.

One of the presentations involved actors dressed in period costume. It would be an understatement to say they brought history to life!

The most memorable moments for me was sitting on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, not far from the spot where Martin Luther King Jr stood to give his famous "I have a dream speech," and singing old negro spirituals with a diverse group of strangers. It was a powerful moment of voices united, proclaiming freedom from oppression.

Since we never know how long we are going to stay in a place - we want to be sure to take advantage of our proximity to the nation's capital and memorable events such as this...especially when they are free.

just Sheri, inspired by those who fought for freedom

reminiscent of...Africa

Since I am now a mortgage payer and more place bound than I have been in the past, I decided to decorate our home in honor of the places we have lived.

The first room that made any progress was an ode to my birthplace: New Mexico. I wrote about this in a post titled: home away from home.

I have made progress on my second room - our "great room"...I am not sure what else to call this. It is the biggest room in our house. It is the first one entered from the front door. This is what it looked like before we moved in.

Today, it has a 10' sectional and our dining table. The theme for this room is an ode to Africa. Many of the items in this room came from previous travels. For instance, the rug was purchased after an eventful day of bartering in Morrocco.

The round baskets on the wall remind me of this man who I met in Liberia on one of my trips. He was weaving similar baskets from straw. I saw many of these beautiful, colorful baskets all over the Continent. I look at these and think of the people I met who create such beautiful handicrafts.

One the wall between the windows is a batik that comes from Kenya.  

The figurines in the batik remind me of the Masai people. Some of whom I was able to meet on a visit to the coast of that country.

I also have memorabilia from Mozambique from our time there. We could not bring much back with us due to weight limits, but my heart still resides with all of the people I met along the journey of life. While I cannot be with them, and frequent visits are unlikely due to present circumstances; I have brought these memories front and center in our home. These items also allow me to share the memories with guests who come to our home.

just Sheri, collector of memories

Hatch Green Chile

When I say the word "chili" most people think of this...

Unless you grew up in New Mexico like I did, then "chili" is not a stew. It is a chili pepper; specifically, a Hatch green chile.

These tasty, spicy green chiles are grown in Hatch, New Mexico and are an essential ingredient in most foods we eat. Yes, a true New Mexican eats these chiles for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We eat it on pizza, hamburgers, with eggs, or smothering any other food we can think of. The peppers are harvested in fall and every grocery has them outside roasting. They can be purchased by the pound and usually they are brought home in a burlap sack after the roasting process is complete. I have lived outside of New Mexico for the bulk of my adult life and have never found a substitute for Hatch chile. Thankfully, in Virginia I don't have to.

A local grocery story in the town where we live held a chili festival one weekend in September.

They even had the authentic roaster sitting outside, which resulted in the same aroma of roasting chiles that I remember from my younger years.

They were selling the chiles by the pound or the case.

I brought home a case. My car held the aroma for weeks.

Then I hosted a party. All of the dishes served that evening contained this special ingredient: green chile, chicken enchiladas; spanish rice; fresh salsa; and posole. I also made some frijoles and had tamales shipped in for the event. I enjoyed sharing a bit of my homeleand with our friends here.

just Sheri, a green chile enthusiast

Fall Activities

Obviously I am a bit behind in updating the blog, but life hasn't slowed down. Here are some of the highlights from the fall season.

I took a road trip with these lovely ladies to Colonial Williamsburg.

It was Ms. Josephine in white that opened my eyes to the ways Americans lock themselves in their homes creating a voluntary prison.

At a dinner party I was reminded how our palletes are influenced by what we are exposed to...this young man was dunking sushi in soy sauce the way most kids dunk chicken nuggets in ketchup.

Kenyon and I spent some time exploring the District. We went to a Smithsonian museum known as "the castle." I am sure you can see why from the picture.

We also made a stop at the botanic garden. Which is where I learned about carnivorous plants.

The botanic garden is across the street from the capital building. I took a picture because it was looking particularly regal that day. Each time I see the capital building, I still feel like I am having a celebrity sighting. I want to say, "Hey look, there's the capital!"

My dear friend Phim took me to the fish market at the wharf. I felt like I had been transported back to Psar Toul Tom Poun in Phnom Pen, Cambodia.

Every year I set aside time to participate in the Global Leadership Summitt. This year the destination was Kansas City. I had the privilege of participating in the annual event with one of my sister friends. This was a photo from dinner with ladies who encourage and inspire me.

While Kenyon was between jobs, we took some time to date (again). This photo is from a double date with Joyce and Victor at the National Harbor.

Another date was an inaugural visit to the county fair. We saw lots of curiosities - a fuzzy chicken, acrobats, and this...fried Kool-Aid. We didn't order any, but I do wonder what that is all about. Can anyone explain this to me?

I also took a trip with my adopted dad to a warmer climate.

These are just a few of the fall activities that occupied my time, and the people who make life enjoyable.

just Sheri, blessed with wonderful memories and relationships

Where am I?

Recently, I attended a house warming party with my friend Vy. The food: Southeast Asian cuisine. The people: primarily Vietnamese. The entertainment: karaoke. The language: not English.

For a few moments, it took me back to my time living in Asia, where the restaurant next door would have karaoke four nights a week until the wee hours of the morning.

Then Vy showed up with a serving of dessert she had made. What was it? Flan. As in, the Latin American favorite...and a favorite of mine from childhood.

As I sat eating my flan and listening to karaoke (where I could not read or understand the lyrics), I thought to myself, "it's a wonderful life!"

Thank you, Vy, for sharing unique experiences like this with me.

just Sheri, gratefully transported to a different time and place

Fitness Vacay

My family came to visit this summer. The first full day we walked nearly a marathon while exploring the District. 

The next day we went kayaking on the reservoir. The third day we went hiking in the Shenandoah mountains. At this point the fatigue was setting in. My brother branded it a "fitness vacay." 

For relaxation, we went to the (very unique) Rivershore for fresh crabs and chicken wings. At the end of a few days, it was surprising how much we had fit in to a short time! 

It was so nice to have family come for a visit. It was also nice to have a house where every couple had a bedroom, and their own bathroom. Though we also tested the limits of the new house and found the plumbing to be problematic. The day family left - a plumber arrived.

just Sheri, grateful for a visit from family

Active Summer

These days, I mostly live life off-line. But from time-to-time, I come back to give a short news report. It has been an active summer full of new and interesting activities.

My dear friend Phim and I took a couple of road trips early in the Summer. One trip was to New Jersey, prior to that trip I had only seen the Newark airport. We had an excellent time with girlfriends in Atlantic City - walking the Boardwalk, looking at the ocean, sitting by the pool of our hotel, listening to live music and laughing until the wee hours of the morning.

Our second road trip was inspired by a calendar with a photo of the Blue Ridge mountains. She made a comment that she wanted to go there...so we did. We spent some time in North Carolina with her friends and with mine. We felt welcomed everywhere we went, but at one stop, our hosts made sure we knew it.

One of the highlights from the visit to North Carolina was meeting beautiful Valentina. She was a baby born of the heart, but conceived by others. This family and ours shared this journey. Valentina is their blessing brought through adoption. My friend Jan used to be such a curmudgeonly Brit, it was a pleasant surprise to see him smiling so much!

We also hosted a housewarming. I learned why they call it this - "housewarming." After everyone left, it felt more like home than it had before. Why? I think because it was filled with memories of people and laughter and fun. Thanks friends (and family) for warming our house.

I've had some wonderful times with Vy, too. We continue to share new experiences. I took her and her sister to an Independence Day parade -thier first live parade.

They took me to a celebration at the Vietnamese Buddhist Temple in Maryland. There were Vietnamese celebrities, lots of food, and a fun atmosphere.

This is only a sampling of our active summer. There has still been plenty of kayaking and hiking adventures. Some golf outings. Lots of food. A visit from family and time spent with people.

As kids are headed back to school and (supposedly) the weather starts to cool - what are the highlights of your summer?

just Sheri, active off-line

crossroads of the world

Recently I was stopped at a light on my way home. On my left was a Latin Hair Salon with all their services listed in Spanish. Next to that was a Halal butcher with writing in Arabic. Across the street was a Korean grocer with a Korean neon sign and across from that was an Afghan kabob restaurant which smelled of curry and cinnamon.

I took a deep breath and thought, "this is what I like about living here - the mass amounts of diversity. It as if every corner of the world is represented in one place."

The nations come here. It's wonderful. Really wonderful.

just Sheri, embracing the diversity

don't worry...trust instead

If you watched the news in recent weeks you may have heard that Virginia had a massive, freak wind storm recently. The storm left millions without power, brought down trees, tore off siding. In the community where we live it knocked out the emergency 911 system...and the back-up emergency system.

Here's what's amazing...we were clueless. Absolutely. Positively. Completely oblivious.

Without TV, we didn't watch the news. So, we didn't know we were supposed to be afraid.

Instead, we watched a movie on the laptop. Went to sleep. Slept soundly. Then woke to find the world had changed.

We were lucky to have been spared - we had electricity, but no internet or cell phones as the storm had knocked out the entire system.

I have told this story a few times since the storm. Each time it has me thinking of this scripture in Matthew...

Matthew 6:27
Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?


What would we have done had we known in advance the storm was coming? We would have worried...okay, I will speak for myself. I would have worried. What if...what will we do?

What we will do is deal with whatever comes - just as we did. What would worrying have got me? Less rest.

This was an important lesson, as I was able to avoid worry and rest in perfect peace. I think that is the message of Matthew 6. Don't worry. Trust God. He's got this.

Thank you, God, for providing peace in the midst of storms - literally and figuratively.

just Sheri, learning about trust in the year of "perfect peace"

catching up: winter activities

As faithful readers have noticed...and commented - I don't post as often as I once did. I do, however, still carry my camera with me everywhere I go and take lots of pictures.  The winter months were filled with lots of time with girlfriends.

For New Year's Eve, my friend Lily and I had a night on the town. We had a nice dinner at a Thai restaurant, then headed to a late night improv comedy show. Along the way Lily found a guy who sold blinking 2012 eyeglasses and negotiated for a couple. Hands down the glasses were the hit of the night. We got LOTS of attention walking down the street with these on - people would stop and talk with us, or yell out car windows, etc. I have learned the secret to making friends with strangers on New Year's Eve - blinky glasses...who knew?

The next day we walked the town and happened upon an Occupier's camp. We talked with a few different people; none seemed to have the same story of why they were there. I assume the lack of a clear objective is problematic for a movement that wants to bring about change, but decided it unnecessary to point that out during our visit. A nice group of ladies came with lunch for the campers, that is when we made our exit.

There were also a couple of ice skating adventures. This one was outdoors and included s'mores over an open flame. The other was indoor and amounted to chaos. I hope to repeat the outdoor adventure next year.

There was also the welcoming of new life - Naomi and her beautiful mother Joyce. I enjoy hangin' with these two as often as possible.

Spring season and spring activities have arrived. I thought you might still like to see some of the photos from winter events and the people who make life a joyful journey.

just Sheri, blessed with great friendships

Aloe Vera - edible?

I learned something positively fascinating last week. My friend Vy came over with food one night. She cooked a fabulous dinner like she owned the place (at least the kitchen) and I got to be treated like a spoiled guest. Yeah, she's wonderful.

So, she had a drink I had never heard of...an Aloe drink. Made from the plant Aloe Vera. Imagine my surprise. I only thought aloe was something you rubbed on sunburned skin. Boy was I wrong!

Vy told me the drink is good for the skin. Apparently there are some Asian dishes where they also cook with it.  I must admit I NEVER considered eating Aloe Vera. Aren't there little spiky things on the leaves? Who wants to put that in their mouth?

When I posted this discovery on Facebook, I also learned it is good for upset stomachs too. Really? I thought the remedy for that was Sprite.

Anyway, I learn something new from Vy all the time. Thanks, girl, for expanding my horizons and teaching me things I wouldn't know without our friendship.

just Sheri, a life-long learner

You can call me "mortgage-payer"

We took the plunge! Last week we sat in a Title and Escrow company office and signed papers to become mortgage-payers. It is a monumental day in every American's life. This month we will be relocating to a fancy townhouse that we will be calling "home." 

It has a nice kitchen with granite counter tops, a gas stove and a small pantry.

A breakfast nook and family room off the kitchen.

A larger space for a formal dining and sitting area.

And a fully finished basement. 

In addition to all of this, there are four bedrooms and three full baths. That means there is plenty of space for visitors! Yes, please, come visit.

While we were sitting outside waiting for the Realtor to arrive to do our final walk through, Kenyon said, "we are going to have a lot more stuff to move when we leave this place."

I said, "You never know, we might be here a while."

Kenyon didn't believe me. I can only assume he thought I was joking based on the laughter that followed.

just Sheri, not as mobile as I used to be