A new addition!

Yesterday Jody and I made a big decision. We drove down to Pueblo and got a puppy! She is a wirehaired miniature dachshund that we've been debating on for several months. She's 8 weeks old and so adorable. We don't have a name for her yet... so we're welcoming recommendations. We're hoping to see more of her personality before we settle on one.

24 hours into it, a few observations:

• Puppies aren't trained. Why don't they understand what I mean when I say, "Sit!"?! :)
• Puppies howl, whine and whimper when unsure and sad. Potentially for hours. :-/
• Puppies disrupt routine.
• Puppies smell good. A smell like no other.
• Puppies are cute. Little. Fun.
• Puppies' 'transmissions' are so low to the ground it's hard to see when they're pottying. :)

Apart from the obvious adjustment of transitioning from one dog to two, this will be a new adventure since we have never had to deal with longer hair. This pup's coat is expected to grow a significant amount within this first year, and the breeder has even prepared us to expect that her coat will lighten significantly to a wheaton color. As in, almost as blonde as a golden retriever! We'll see, though. 

Pray for us. It's been three years since we did all this. Potty training. Crate training. Commands. Grooming. All of it! We'll keep you posted. 

Victory over the Darkness

I can hardly believe it. Our class has ended.

It all started a year ago. I was driving to work one morning, listening to the local Christian radio station, and a song came on. For the life of me, I cannot remember the name of the song or the artist, but message was clear: "Don't expect others to do what God has called YOU to do." The lyrics stayed in my mind and thoughts, and I felt very much that the Lord was speaking to me. For several months, I had felt a that more intentional discipleship was needed in our church. What it would actually look like was yet to be determined, but I decided I needed to obey the prompting of the Lord.

So I began talking with the head pastor at our church and also with Jody about what that could look like. Big group vs. Small(er) group. Bible as curriculum vs. separate book curriculum with a heavy Scripture focus. Sunday morning vs. Mid-week evening. Shorter commitment/smaller workload vs. Longer commitment/greater workload. We went back and forth on ideas as to what would suit the Body here in Englewood best.

In the end, we settled on the book Victory over the Darkness, by Neil Anderson, and Jody and I decided that we would co-teach a small class on Sunday mornings. We started the end of September, limiting the class to under 10 people. We asked for commitment and a willingness to invest in the material during the week, to memorize Scripture that was important to the lesson and to keep confidential personal information that was discussed in the class.

Thirteen chapters later, I am so thrilled that I stepped out and obeyed the Lord. There's nothing like digging into Scripture in the context of a group and allowing people to process what the Word of God is saying to them. And perhaps the most thrilling part of it is observing the Word of God changing them as they submit themselves to His Lordship in their lives. And, as one of the teachers of the class, I marveled at how God began working in me, as well, as we went through the chapters. It reminded me again and again of what the writer of Hebrews wrote concerning the Word of God in Hebrews 4:12.

 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Definitely, if you are hungry to grow in your walk with God but you don't know where to start, I would encourage you to consider this book. It is easy to read, easy to understand, and so helpful in explaining the foundational truths of our faith. I personally recommend it for its heavy Scriptural emphasis. And even if you have been walking with the Lord for a long time, this book will renew your love for the Lord by taking you back to the basics.

We can never get too far from the Cross, right?

Well, if you have any questions about the class or the book, just let me know!

A Trip to Virginia

A week after celebrating Jody's graduation from Denver Seminary, Jody and I packed up a suitcase, a duffel bag and my carry-on (Eu-mi!) for a two week trip to Virginia to spend time with my family. The end of 2011 marked over three (3!) years since Jody had been to Virginia and seen the majority of my side of the family. I have been to Virginia every year at some point (usually at Thanksgiving), but I always went alone because of Jody's school and workload. I did not realize until this trip how divided I have felt without him. He really has become my family.

The flights (a flight to Atlanta, and then one to Richmond) were uneventful, and Eu-mi was fantastic. She whimpered a little when we first arrived at the Denver airport, and she was stuffed inside her crate. Poor thing. So many smells and sounds. But she was a rockstar, and all three of us arrived in Richmond, safe and sound. Thank you, Sherpa Pet Carrier. And thank you to everyone who prayed for her!

During the course of our visit, we saw my whole family. My parents. My siblings. Their spouses. Their significant others. Nieces and nephews. Pets. It was a madhouse! And yet, there were times of quiet, as well. We talked late into the night and got up late. We went on errands together. We ate dinner and sat around the table. Then we'd go into the 'New Room' (that is actually 10 years old, but will always be called the New Room) and continue the conversation near the fire. It was wonderful, and I pray it will not be so long until we can return.

Here are just a few glimpses from our time at home...

With my sister-in-law and friend, Courtney!

Sarah and her boyfriend, Justin

Sisters!

My football studmuffin brother, Daniel

The Holts' new puppy, Charlotte!

The husbands, boyfriends of Clementson girls + Chris

With the kiddos. Love them!

Jane finally started to warm up to Uncle Jody!

With Charlotte, the new puppy in the Holt household!

Clementson girls + Rebekah

Quality Christmas time with Chloe!

Anna and her boyfriend, Nate

What I learned from spending two weeks back in my childhood home... 

1. My family is big.
2. My family is loud.
3. How did I forget?! You must be the first to take a shower in the morning, because if you are #6 or #7 in line, there certainly isn't any hot water left. 
4. Jody brings a lot of laughter to my family... and he blends right in and makes himself at home. So thankful for a husband that can handle the in-laws with grace, gentleness and humor!
5. Everybody is growing up. Each individual is not the same person he/she was when we were little. Shocker, I know. 
6. Living in Virginia and being a Broncos fan means you have to use First Row to get your Broncos games when they're not aired on TV.
7. I'm an introvert. I love my family... but I also love my alone time. 
8. Virginia humidity ♥ my skin. The wrinkles disappear with each passing day!
9. Eu-mi needs her blanket and a soft, warm place to sleep wherever she goes.
10. There's a reason I do that... and that... and that. Yep, all that 'family of origin' stuff makes sense in a whole new way!

Happy Birthday, Eu-mi!

(A little late, but with just as much love as if it was on-time!)

The week of December 12th was a big week for the Been Family. Not only did Jody graduate from Denver Seminary, but Eu-mi had a birthday!

We don't actually know when Eu-mi was born, since we got her on Valentine's Day in 2009, and she was 8 weeks old then. So we just do the math and assume that she was born around December 14th. 

So I just wanted to take a moment and say, "Happy Birthday, Eu-mi!"

For her birthday present, Jo got her a new bed with a heating pad, since Eu-mi is forever the heat-hog. She steals all our blankets and the prime spot in front of the radiator. Usually, she'll also try to hog the top pillow on the sofa. 

NOT ANYMORE! The bed is quite large (enough for TWO wienie dogs, if necessary....), and Jody also bought a heating pad to stick inside the bed. Pure genius! Within minutes of putting the heating pad in the bed and allowing it to heat up, Eu-mi had discovered the warm bed... and was promptly curled up and fast asleep. 

Victory!

Graduation

It finally arrived.

This past Monday, December 12, 2011, after much blood, sweat and tears my awesome husband Jody graduated from Denver Seminary with his Masters of Arts (MA) in Leadership. I am so very proud of him!

The weekend started off very well, with a great surprise. Six weeks before graduation weekend, I got an unexpected call from Jody's best friend Dustin. He asked if he could fly up to be present for Jody's graduation. I was speechless for a moment but recovered myself enough to say, "Why absolutely! Jody would be thrilled to have you here!"

So Dustin bought his tickets, got his rental car... and we didn't really talk for a while. But when we were driving back from Pampa after Thanksgiving, Jody told me that he didn't want anyone coming to celebrate his graduation with him since he had SO MUCH work to do, and his final presentation wasn't until the Wednesday AFTER the Monday graduation. I started panicking, knowing that Dustin had already booked his flights. I got to madly thinking that maybe I should tell Dustin to cancel... but I didn't want to back down. So I responded by telling him that I really felt like he needed to get as much of his work done as he possibly could.

He was not happy. If it could have been possible, smoke would have been pouring out of his ears. He didn't say anything... other than that he was not happy.

So, fast forward a few weeks. It's Friday evening, and Jody and I are sitting down, eating dinner and chatting. His cell phone rings. He glances at it and turns it off, since he wants to focus on our time together. Then there is a knock at the door. Jody gets up, goes to the door and opens it. He looks at Dustin. He looks at me. He looks at Dustin again. Not a word. Just a confused look, as if his brain had shut down.

Surprise!

So that begin three whole days that the guys got to hang out together.

So proud!

With Dustin

Best friends!

With dear friends, Sam and Britt, who came to support us!

And on Monday, Jody graduated from Denver Seminary. Praise the Lord!

South Carolinian Charm

I am slightly jealous. Last month my sister Sarah and her boyfriend Justin were able to take a trip to South Carolina. They got to see my mom's side of the family (who live in Aiken, SC), and they got to see beautiful Charleston, where mom lived for a short season. When I see pictures from their trip, I get a little homesick. Now, I've only been to South Carolina a few times in my life. However, there is no mistaking the beautiful, lush green. The older architecture. The snippets of Southern culture that are even more accentuated in South Carolina than they are in Virginia.

I love the West. I love the mountains... these beautiful Rocky Mountains are just breathtaking. And I love the clear air. And no bugs. And the sunshine. And the snow that melts a day or two after falling. And the outdoorsy, laid-back atmosphere.

But I love the East Coast, too. And pictures of it remind me of my torn affections constantly. So, Justin is a FANTASTIC photographer, and he captured a few shots from their trip. Here are sampling (click on each picture to enlarge).

For more of Justin's pictures, visit his blog posting about the trip.

Gluten-Free Deals and Coupons

Going gluten-free can be expensive. If you need to stock up, here's a link to check out.

Gluten-Free Deals and Coupons 

~ Money Saving Mom, a blog that focusing on frugal living

Doggie Training (again)

I cannot believe it, but it has been two and a half years since we bought Eu-mi. She is almost 3 years old (her birthday is December 14th)! When I look back, I can remember her as a tiny 8-week old pup. I can remember waking up two or three times during the night to take her out to potty. I remember boiling water in the middle of the night to put it in a Nalgene bottle and then stuffing that bottle in an unwashed undershirt of mine that would go in her crate with her. Why, you ask? It would calm her down enough to sleep alone, after just being yanked from the comfort and familiarity of her litter. Oh, the things we would do!

The list could go on and on. Teaching her to potty outside. Teaching her to sit and wait until we commanded her that she could eat. Teaching her to lay down. Teaching her not to bark... no matter how much she may want to. Teaching her to be good in the bathtub. And teaching her to get in her crate at night and not whine, moan, yelp even though she may want to get out.

Fat little dog! Eating her nummies!

Her first bath!

Snuggling in her blanket (~ 10 mos. old)

At the park (~10 mos. old)

Fast-forward a few years. Eu-mi has settled down a bit more. She's still rambunctious (don't get me wrong!), but she's not quite as crazy as she used to be. She knows the rules of the home, and - for the most part - she behaves herself. I do believe she's gotten a little lazy....

Well, since we are going to Virginia for two weeks over Christmas and New Years, we decided that it would be cheaper and far less scarring than boarding Eu-mi to bring her along with us on the plane. So we looked on AirTran's website and found out what was allowed. Then we went to the store and bought a pet carrier that is airline-approved.

Now we are using every means we can to help Eu-mi adjust to the traveling carrier, so that she's ready for the challenge in a few months. 

Our goal: for Eu-mi to successfully manage the long flights without  1) hurting herself, 2) having an accident, 3) annoying us, or 4) annoying the other passengers on the flights. 

Our plan of action:  TREATS! We are shamelessly bribing our dog to get in the crate, to be closed inside the crate, to be carried in the crate around the house. The crate is in the living room, and we are going to make it part of Eu-mi's every day experience from now until the day we pack her up. We have also contacted the vet to find out what she recommends for pet travel.

The Ultimate Test: The mall. Or some other such place that will be similar to an airport terminal. 

Please pray for us! And for Eu-mi! As I said earlier, she has gotten a little lazy, so a little training will probably be good for her (and for us). Don't want to get rusty, do we? We'll let you know how it goes...

I love Jackie!

A few weeks ago, my wonderful childhood friend, Jackie came to visit Jody and me for a quick weekend.  Jackie and I have been friends since Missionettes at WEAG (oh, around age 7 or 8). We went to Youth Group together, caught up after college and have stayed in touch ever since. Now Jackie is about to join her hubby in Edinburgh, Scotland while he works on his PhD. I am so excited for the adventures God has in store for them, and I'm praying we can go visit (!!!) them!!!

Jackie's visit was short (too short!), but I treasure it nonetheless, knowing that it's hard these days to be in the same place as those I love most in this life. For the detailed story of our fun times, visit Jackie's awesome blog for her post:  KELLY LYFE: colorado

I love you, Jackie, and I pray God leads and guides you in this new phase in life!

(Pictures by Jackie)

Making cookies

Homemade pizza!

Watering my garden!

Hiking, Estes Park

The aspens

Phlebotomy

phle·bot·o·my/fləˈbätəmē/ Noun: The surgical opening or puncture of a vein in order to withdraw blood or introduce a fluid, or (historically) as part of the procedure..

Have you ever had trouble getting blood drawn? If you haven't, I can assure you, it is a very traumatic experience. So this past Monday was a typical day for me. A little on the chilly side, so I had some decaf coffee in the morning to get me warm (I am doing my best to avoid caffeine). I knew that I was going to get my blood drawn after work, though, so I still tried to drink extra water that day. 

So I arrive at the lab, and they take me back. As always, I warn them that my veins are hard to find. I don't know that they believe me... So first, the gentleman ties the tourniquet and makes an attempt to draw from my right arm. He tells me to pump my fists. To relax. To move my arm just right. Now he's jimmying the needle inside my arm, trying to find the elusive vein that he swore he'd felt. Oh. my. goodness. Pain.

Feeling a little uneasy about me, he calls for the Top Dog on duty. Oh, it's the lady I recognize! Good. She can surely do it. She cheerfully hands me a roll of gauze tape to squeeze and says, "We'll get it - no problem! Relax." Ok, right. Relax. 

She decides to try the left arm. Oh, she feels the vein immediately! Good. Relief. She pops that needle in with a confident smile, and after a little fiddling that I feel but don't have the emotional strength to actually look at, I hear her say, "Hmm, now where did that vein go? I know I felt it." Holy mackerel. Pain.

Finally, I gather the strength to look. There's a smidgen of blood. But not much. 

Is it over already?

Nope. Breathe, Ruth. Breathe.

Finally, she says to me with a shake of her head, "This arm is a no-go. Hmm, let's see what else we can find." She holds my arms, and I allow them to flop in front of her. The top side. The soft, tender side.

"Aha," she says. "We'll try this one," pointing to a shadow of a vein I see on the soft, tender underside of my forearm. Ok, lady. She hands me a warmer, and I place it on my arm for a few minutes. All the while I'm flexing my arm like crazy. Third time's the charm, right?

Finally, she sticks me in that soft, tender spot. Man, that hurts a lot more than the crux of the arm. Trying not to be bothered by the feel of the needle searching inside my arm for that vein she knew she had, I concentrate on breathing and focus intently on the elderly man in front of me who is also getting his blood drawn. I look at his arms and hands. There are veins all over him. He's easy pickins. Why, Lord? The injustice!

I hear the lady sigh. She says, 'Ruth, I don't think we're going to be able to do it today." She takes the needle out, covers the spot with a cotton ball and tapes it on my arm. 

Come back another day, she says. When I'm not so cold. When I'm more hydrated. 

What? I've never not been a successful phlebotomy patient. I'm a failure!

So upset, the next day I do some research online. I type in, "how to make getting blood drawn easier."

The responses were:

• Be water-logged. Hold the potty break until after you've gotten blood drawn. Just. Hold. It. You can't afford to lose the extra liquid.
• Don't drink caffeine. It constricts your veins.
• Be warm. Wear a hoody. Lots of layers. Run around the parking lot beforehand.
• Lift weights. It will permanently make you a person with bulging veins.
• Sorry, you're just out of luck.

I'm slightly scarred.

Anticipation

I love anticipation. The tingling in my stomach that comes with the knowledge of something GOOD coming. And there are three wonderful events that are, Lord willing, going to happen before 2012 arrives. They are the rope I'm hanging on to.

• We are going to visit Jody's family for Thanksgiving. Since we first got back from Korea in 2008, Jody and I have not been able to spend Thanksgiving together (with one another with one side of our families). But this Thanksgiving, we're making the trek down to the Panhandle to spend the Thanksgiving holidays with the Been side of the fam. I'm beyond thrilled. I am anticipating the good times and memories made. 

It won't ever be the same again, but still looking forward to time with the fam.

Maybe "help" Pam in the kitchen!

And see that beautiful Texas sky!

• Jody graduates in 8 weeks. Yes, 8 weeks. Every Monday I write on my calendar one number less. It builds anticipation and puts a song in my heart to carry through the week. Somehow, I can handle anything, knowing that he will be finished in just a few short months. God has been good and faithful, and I am looking forward to celebrating His faithfulness when this is over. The graduation ceremony is Monday, December 12th. It'll be a small ceremony in the seminary, for which I am very thankful. No need for a big May graduation ceremony at Southeast... I am content that we will be done!

Denver Seminary campus

• After graduation (yay!), we are heading to Virginia. YES! Jody, Eu-mi and I are flying back to Virginia to spend two whole stinkin' weeks with my family. I am on cloud 9. Jody has not seen my family since we first landed in America in 2008 from Korea. Three years. A lot has happened in three years. I am most excited for him to see Rebekah and Bryan's kids. He hasn't even met Jane, our youngest niece, and she's 2 years old (well, she will be next Tuesday)! I just can't wait to see 'em all! The best part of this is the timing. We will be flying out December 19th and returning to CO on January 3rd. That will give us 2 solid weeks over Christmas break to spend with the family. We will be guaranteed quality time with family, and maybe even some good friends. We'll see. So thankful for the chance that we'll have to spend Christmas with my family. I haven't had this privilege since the Christmas I graduated in 2004. That's 7 years!

See my parents!

Maybe hang out with some lovely ladies!

And see my  nieces and nephews!

Suffering in the Lord

Jody showed me a video a few years ago, and I have thought of it often in the difficult seasons that the Lord has led us through. The speaker is a man called John Piper, who is a pastor and theologian. Right now he is the Pastor of Preaching and Vision at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, MN. To find out a little more about him, visit here.

The reason this video and the message it contains are so compelling to me is because it is so TRUE. When I find myself struggling with situations I find myself in - when God doesn't seem present, or He doesn't seem to be consistent with what I think He should be - I realize that what I'm dealing with wrong expectations of the Lord and His Word. And when I read more closely, I see that pain and suffering are exactly what we should expect as followers of Jesus Christ in this life. Ugh. Not the kind of message that makes you want to skip home from church and tell your friends about. Nonetheless, it is the truth.

As I was doing some Scripture verses on the truth of the Word of God vs. the message that is often preached in churches around America, these are some Scripture verses that I happened upon.

During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him. - Hebrews 5:7-9

In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. - 1 Peter 1:6-7

But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.”  - 1 Peter 2:20b-22

Jody shared this video in his sermon today, and I'm so glad he did. It has been a message brewing in our hearts for the past few years. I pray the Lord continues to work out in us a love for the unadulterated, pure Gospel of Jesus Christ, where we are undistracted by the false messages around us. 

To dig in a little deeper into why John Piper feels the way he does about the prosperity gospel, see the following video. While it's a bit longer (~11 minutes), I think it will be worthwhile in challenging you to evaluate your expectations of the life that following Christ entails. 

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 

- 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

This scripture verse has come up again and again the past few days. I think the Lord is trying to get my attention.

Fruit Inspectors

It's time for another post on the garden. After all, it has been a while, and the summer season is quickly moving into fall. Just  yesterday I opened up the front door and was greeted by extremely cool temperatures and the promise of rain in the air. A day later, a temperature of 58° and the rain we got last night have really impressed upon me that the end of summer is here, and it will soon be time for sweaters and a warm bowl of soup!

But back to the garden. As a novice gardener, I have learned so much this year. And there is so much I would like to improve upon next year (or whenever I am able to garden again). So here are some pointers of what I have seen and learned from my first year's experience.

Gardening is healing. I don't know about you, but life is stressful and situations beyond my control zap my energy and my joy. Spending time in the Word and in prayer and praise/worship challenge me to keep pressing on, but there is an elemental level of my being that gardening touches. Seeing a new fruit begin to develop fills me with a childlike wonder that never seems to grow old. Watching a strawberry ripen or a spaghetti squash turn color thrills me to my toes, and I am reminded that God is in control, and I can walk back into the house with a heart full of peace. Or I can sit out and just stare at every little sprout or bud that comes up. I am so thankful for the healing that the garden brought to me during this busy and difficult year.

Another simple principle that I've seen is that you have to plant in order to reap.  It is basic and perhaps silly to even mention, but I have never been able to reap a harvest in a vegetable garden, because I simply have never planted one before. So it is in life. I cannot reap what I have not sown, and therefore, I recognize that I need to put in a good deal of work beforehand in preparation for being able to sow in every area of my life - in friendships, in my marriage, in my health, in my walk with Jesus... and then I can expect a harvest. But more on that later.

Something that I did notice pertaining to my particular garden is that I need more sunlight. The vegetables that wilted in the sun were the lettuce and spinach. Neither did well with direct sunlight. But everything else really has depended on it. In fact, I have noticed that the fruit that my peppers, tomatoes and even my strawberries is significantly smaller than gardens in full sun. The only conclusion I can come to is that the plants in my garden just do not have the sunlight they need for full maturity. Another problem I've noticed is that I need deeper soil. Since my beds are raised above cement, the soil is shallow, and the sun quickly dries out the soil. Every morning or early evening I need to give the garden a good dousing.. or the plants will quickly wilt.

A few other things I have learned: A necessary but difficult gardening task is to prune. I read about it when I was doing research at the beginning of this grand adventure, but I never realized the effects of NOT doing it. Now, at the end of my first season, I have realized that pruning is necessary. When I first dropped those little seeds in the soil, I didn't know how many seeds would sprout. I saw that for some plants, only one or two of the several actually sprouted. For other plants, every single seed I planted took root and shot through to the surface. For those plants, I quickly realized that I did not have enough space to allow for their full growth. For the plants - like the carrots - that I did not prune, I found them  at harvest time bunched together, some of them severely stunted in their growth because they did not have full room to mature. Lesson learned. No matter how much it pains me to pull a few of those sweet, hopeful looking sprouts, I must do it so I can reap a fuller harvest.

I have also become a very avid fruit inspector. I have put in the hard work, and now I want to know if my plants - which I have given every good thing I can - produce the fruit they were made to produce. Most of my plants were very satisfying. The only plants that have not produced fruit have been the broccoli and the eggplant. I have beautiful plants... but no fruit. It brings a whole new meaning to Paul's letter to the Ephesians in Ephesians 2:10.

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

I have been created with a purpose. To do good works. And the same principle exists in the natural world. My broccoli and eggplant plants were created with a purpose: to produce broccoli and eggplants. And I am upset that they have not produced the fruit they should have. It is very disheartening. I now understand why God inspects our lives (and why we should inspect our own lives) to see if we are producing eternal fruit.

 
 Summer 2011 Garden
Planted                Sprouted          Fruit
zucchini                   yes                    yes
spinach                   yes                    yes (bolted early)
broccoli                  yes                     no
garlic                       yes                    yes (bulbs very small)
carrots                    yes                    yes (needed pruning)
lettuce                    yes                     yes
spaghetti squash     yes                    yes
jalapenos                yes                    yes
bell peppers            yes                   yes (fruit small)
eggplant                  yes                   no
tomatoes                 bought              yes (not much fruit)
strawberries            bought              yes


And now, here I am - mid September - and I am a bit sad that the season is coming to an end here in Colorado. I have loved every moment of it!