Kevin and I were at Wendy's the other night when a semi-scruffy-looking young man walked in. On his back, he had a backpack, and sticking out of the backpack was a similarly-scruffy-looking white puppy. It was a cute sight. The dog was just chillin', and the man seemed pleasant enough. He walked up to the counter, and was informed that he couldn't be a patron, even at just the counter, with a puppy in tow. Understanding, he turned and headed out the side door.
At the table behind us were seated a young man looking to be around 13 or 14 with his dad, having dinner. As we watched, the boy jumped up and ran out the door after the guy who had so recently exited. It was all we could do not to stare in appreciative amazement as the boy offered to buy anything the guy wanted for him. His request was simple: two cheeseburgers. They threw in a drink, too. When the guy popped his head in the door to thank the boy's father for the food, the dad offered up the change from the $10 that had been used to buy the meal.
At the table on our opposite side that evening at Wendy's sat a young lady, probably 10 or 11, with her dad, out for a Friday night date night. We again marveled as we listened to them chatting, about nothing in particular, laughing and enjoying one another's company.
Today, at church, half way through the song set, I watched as a son of one of the larger families in the church, arrived, and scooted in to fill his seat on his family's allotted row. He's the fifth child of a family of nine, near 19 or 20. As he shuffled on a chair behind his mom, she turned to greet him, and he greeted her with a kiss on the cheek.
All are examples of children, willing to go against what is popular, "cool," or trendy to both honor their parents and honor and serve those around them. They have each been wonderful reminders that not every child is a texting addict, unable to have a real conversation with a living, breathing, person in front of them. And, personally, I think that's cool.
Things are moving along just as we have prayed they would. My jeans continue to get tighter, and my appetite (what little of it has returned) continues to get bigger. We're scheduled for our 11-week appointment next Wednesday, but we had a fun moment at home last night that I thought I'd share.
When my parents were here a few weeks ago, my mom left a mysterious little box with instructions to open it at 10 weeks, no earlier, no later. Well, the 10 weeks mark finally arrived yesterday, and inside was a very tiny pin with silver baby feet on it--exactly the size of our baby's feet right now. The card she enclosed reminded me of how she wore this pin when working in the PDICU in San Antonio--the international symbol of pro-life. How special! I don't know how long Kevin and I spent just gazing at those little feet, imagining that a very similar pair are within me as our little baby forms.
I don't have a picture with me of the actual pin (I'd like to take one of the baby feet next to Kevin's feet--wouldn't that be funny!? :). But I was able to find some images online to share with you. :)
"For you created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb..." ~Psalm 139:13
It's been a season of firsts for the Fowler family.
At the beginning of September, we celebrated our one year anniversary of attending Cornerstone Church of Knoxville. This church has been a blessing to us in fellowship, friends, teaching, and an incredibly warm community of believers that love the Lord and seek to make Him known in Knoxville.
A couple weekends ago, Kevin ran his first 5k with my dad, who drove down from PA with my mom just for the occasion. It was a neat experience to be there to support them and see them through to the finish line. We're hoping next year, we can all participate--it is, after all, a run/walk. :)
For my birthday last week, we decided it was time to purchase our first ever major furniture purchase--a chocolate brown, micro suede sleeper sofa that will replace the couch that my parents so graciously gave to us when we got our own apartment. We don't get the new couch delivered for a few more weeks, but in the meantime, we're working on getting it down to Vonore, where Kevin's parents have graciously offered to store it until we have a place with room enough for it. Last, we found out on Labor Day (of all days), that I'm pregnant with our first child! This by far has trumped any "first" we've ever had. :) We saw the heartbeat a couple weeks ago, and our baby is a healthy little bundle with a heartbeat of around 150 beats per minute (normal for a developing infant, apparently). Should be sprouting leg and arm buds this very week. We won't find out for another couple months whether our baby is a boy or girl, but for now, we're just reveling in the amazing process that the Lord has begun within me.
This has led to another first for me--maternity clothes! I actually had to read up on how to purchase this new genre of apparel. You don't after all get a guide to buying clothes of this nature when that test comes back positive, after all. I did manage a few great buys at a consignment event today--5 maternity tops for $30!
One of the most common questions I've gotten asked of late is whether I have any food aversions. Unfortunately, the answer to that for the moment is everything. :P I have absolutely no appetite. The Lord has been gracious in regard to morning sickness, nausea and the like. I have had relatively little morning sickness. I've had waves of nausea, but most does not impede day-t0-day functioning. I could not have asked for this, and the Lord has been gracious to grant me what I do not deserve--relative ease during this time of apparent tumult and newness within my body.
I cannot promise more frequent posts. Energy is low and time is little for blogging. I will try to be better about my frequency. Life is exciting right now. :) We are grateful and we are blessed.
I hope this post finds your circumstances similar. :)
Ersie Cordelia Cooper was born on September 18, 1920 to parents William Emory and Mary Eveline Self. She has been an active member of Mt. Zion Baptist Church her entire life and it was there that she met a young man named Willard "Lee" Cooper. Willard was always childhood friends with Ersie's two brothers, and it was on one occasion that an approximately 12-year-old Lee was having breakfast with the Self family that he patted an approximately 9-year-old Ersie on the head and announced that he would one day marry her. After their teenager years and after Lee's four years in the Pacific theater of World War II this would soon become a reality.
While Lee was in the service, Ersie regularly wrote to him. When he came back to the states he had every intention of marrying Ersie. Lee asked Ersie's father for her hand in marriage and he replied, "Well, she is old enough to know who she wants, you're just taking my biscuit maker away from me!" To avoid time-consuming local government paperwork and fees, Lee and Ersie did what so many East Tennessee couples did at that time and got married in the state of Georgia. Their journey together began on December 21, 1946.
Ersie recounts her wedding day.
Even though the two married relatively late in life (Lee was 29 years old, Ersie was 26), Ersie and Lee had nine children, with eight surviving infancy--Shirley, Peggy, Lovonda, Ronnie, infant son Randy Lee, Darlene, Randall, Reese, and Donnie. All children currently reside in Monroe County, except for Darlene Cooper Russell who is an elected official in neighboring Loudon County.
Ersie and family were forever changed on Monday, October 25, 1982 when Lee went home to be with the Lord. He was 65 years old. Keeping him in her memory, Ersie has gone on to enjoy a total of twenty-one grandchildren and twenty great grandchildren. The Lord has continued to bless Ersie with satisfactory health, with the exception of some eye and back difficulties here in recent years. Despite these setbacks she has a sharp mind, quick wit, and a friend to everyone she meets. She is always up for a trip to Wal-Mart and even recently volunteered to board her first airplane for an adventure to Nebraska to visit some of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren for Thanksgiving.
We thank God for the nine decades that he has sovereignly granted Ersie to be in our lives and we count each day as a precious gift.
Each year during the Christmas season, the Coopers enjoy a family reunion at the Vonore Community Center where Ersie is surrounded by all of her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and more gifts than she can open in a single evening. In addition to this event, this year Ersie's friends and family will also be meeting at the Vonore Community Center for a special event on September 18, 2010 at 4-6PM to celebrate her 90th birthday. All are encouraged to attend for food and fellowship. Ersie would love to see you all!
So, the other day, we were sitting in the living room, and up flew a hummingbird. He flew to our porch, hovered for a few seconds, and off he went to conquer another day. Not one to let a great opportunity like that get away, I immediately (well, almost immediately) skittered out and purchased a hummingbird feeder. My hopes were slim that we'd actually attract something, but, boy, have we ever!
Needless to say, the nectar I mix more often than not attracts more than just hummingbirds... And, as yet, I have not gotten a picture of the guys at the actual feeder--they're just too fast! But I did get a picture of this one. He seems to rule the roost. They're very territorial animals, and so we're constantly watching as no less than four of them war over our one feeder. I'm thinking it's time to invest in another one, huh?
Isn't he cute? And, well, we've still got our own bird to contend with. He seems to be getting over his adolescent stage, as he's developed a habit of sitting on the back of the couch and nibbling at our hair, fluttering from perch to perch, or helping Kevin with his work. :) Last, we're still on track to run our 5k. Though a weekend getaway a couple weekends ago put us off schedule a bit in our training, we did run 25 minutes straight on Cedar Bluff this morning. It's quite the humbling experience knowing that the people in their cars are probably laughing at me as I scuttle along down the street. Kevin is much more impressive in his running. :) We're scheduled for an October 2nd 5k run through downtown Knoxville. Should be fun! :)
I wake up in the morning and I turn off my Sleep Cycle app. This application monitors my sleep throughout the night and analyzes the best possible time to awaken me in the morning. Sleep research has established that the best time to awaken a sleeper and ensure that they feel refreshed is if they are at the top of their sleep cycle rhythm—this application uses the iPhone’s accelerometers to pinpoint the best possible time to wake me up. According to the Sleep Cycle’s statistics, I have used the app for over 124 nights—and there have only been two occasions that I did not wake up feeling like I am at the top of the world!
I then rollover and have my morning quiet time using the Reformation Study Bible app. This app was the most expensive I have ever purchased, but it has been the most invaluable. This application offers thousands of commentary notes from today’s leading theologian—including R.C. Sproul’s notes that come preinstalled on the app. The easy to use app also organizes all of my verse notes and easily syncs them to the Internet or to my iPad. With the thanks to this application, I have created hundreds of notes that I will never fear losing, unlike that devotional journal that I once misplaced.
I roll out of bed and it is time for exercise. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays for the past month, I have been using the 100 Pushups App, and thanks to it I am now at 90 consecutive pushups every morning. However, if it is a Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday, it is time for Lydia and myself to train for our 5K and our opportunity to utilize the Get Running and Run Keeper apps. (But naturally, before we go out the door we have to check The Weather Channel app to see what we need wear.) The Get Running app has masterfully coached we couch potatoes into running enthusiasts, while the Run Keeper app commandeers the iPhone’s compass and GPS capabilities and logs our distance and our routes.
While running, I use the Rhapsody app to listen to music. I am the type that abhors the thought of buying an iTunes song for .99 and ending up hating the piece. But with Rhapsody, I can listen unlimitedly to millions of songs (that are also in the iTunes collection) for $10 a month. I cannot tell you how much music that I planned on purchasing, listened to it on Rhapsody instead, ended up hating it, and thus saving $15 thanks to the application. The Rhapsody app keeps getting better and better. Check it out, music enthusiasts!
While sitting down to eat breakfast, I organize my day with 2Do. For those of you who I have not yet converted, I subscribe to David Allen’s personal productivity system called Getting Things Done. I have used countless todo lists on the iPhone, but 2Do is the best by leaps and bounds. What makes it even better is that I use a separate app called reQall to vocally enter my todos throughout the day. ReQall dictates my todos and uses this process to update my 2Do app inbox. I use these apps more than any others.
After I have my morning review of my todo list, I have to see what is going on in the world. So, I use the Google Reader vehicle Byline, The Huffington Post app as well as the Drudge Report and Politico mobile app sites.
Now it is off to work, I am sitting at a red light and I see that Lydia sent me a text message to my Text Free app—an application that allows me to send and receive as many text messages that I want at absolutely no cost to me. Of course, it is rightly against the law to text on the road in the state of Tennessee—even if you are at a red light—so I use the Dragon Dictation app that with a touch of a button records my voice and dictates the reply text message. Is the transcription accurate? It learns your voice overtime so eventually it becomes freakishly accurate!
While in my car, I like to listen to a lot of talk radio, yet living in East Tennessee I oftentimes only have the selection of Rush Limbaugh or Rush Limbaugh, so I fire up the WunderRadio app which boasts the most comprehensive radio streaming archive on the iPhone. I see that Neal Boortz is on a radio station up in Alaska, so I choose the stream and listen to Neal in perfect quality.
On my lunch break, a coworker asks to see photos of my European vacation. Photos work great on any iPhone, however, they also take up way too much disk space. That is why I use the Flickr app to store my photos online. I never have to worry about losing my photos in a hard drive failure, or anything of the like.
After work, I head to the local bookstore to pick up a book on theology. I use the Red Laser app to scan the barcode to see that it is actually sold online much cheaper. But I have even more options! Going on the Amazon website, I see that I can buy the Kindle version of the book at a much cheaper price and it can also be synced to my Kindle app on my iPad. I could start reading the book on the way out the door, drive home, pick up my iPad and pick up where I left off!
While reading my e-book, I hear a lot of emergency sirens. Recognizing that Lydia is on the road, I pull out my 5-0 police radio app to listen in to the local police transmissions. I hear that the sirens are for a 459 in progress. Having no idea what a 459 is, I look it up in the app’s glossary to see that a 459 is a burglary in progress and has nothing to do with traffic accidents, so my anxious heart is quickly relieved.
Lydia then arrives at home.We put down our Apple products. We then share a wonderful evening.
I suspect that this time next year, I will have even more apps to share! Below are photos of the apps mentioned above (in the order in which they were mentioned). I endorse each one!
It's definitely been one of those months. After we got back from Europe, it took roughly two solid weeks for me to even feel like my body, mind, and soul had all landed on the same continent. For the weekends of those two weeks, we had company. Briley Hooper once again travailed the mountains of East Tennessee to visit us with Eva--always good times there! And, second, my very own father drove down our new car! But that's kind of a fun story...
When my parents moved to PA, they soon realized that a car without four-wheel drive would not bode well for its driver during the snow-covered winters of New England. They began shopping around for just such a car. In the meantime, Kevin and I had fully planned to drive both our cars (his a '93, mine a '99) until their wheels fall off. My parents then approached us with a proposition--sell our Nissan and buy their '06 Toyota Corolla. In a wonderful turn of events, we sold our Nissan to a dear friend of ours whose sister (who was her ride) just got married. We then purchased my parents car, and Dad drove it down just a few weeks ago.
Drives like a dream! We haven't, however, found a good name for it yet. Any suggestions? :) In other news, our porch garden is just trucking right along. I must admit, I was a bit surprised that if I left what I thought were green peppers on the pepper plant long enough, they turned red. Is that normal? In any case, the tomatoes have been absolutely scrumptious! Inject random comic relief here: So, as stated in previous blog post, I returned from Europe with a renewed commitment to keeping our lives simple and clutter-free. It's quite the process--have you ever noticed how stuff just seems to develop a life of its own and multiply? Yeah, I know, that's a lame excuse. In reality, we bring stuff in and it only controls us to the level that we allow it.
In all seriousness, I'm learning a lot about appropriate levels of sentimentality. What is it that is truly irreplaceable and should not be given away and what can I take a minute and realize that if it was out of my house, I'd probably never even remember that I once owned it? It's a very fine line, and it takes diligence, structure, resolve, and most of all, the realization that, at the end of the day, it is just stuff.
Where is this mini-rant going? Well, we've got a fabulous guest room/study/piano room that I love having. The problem is that the closet therein had become a bit of a junk closet, something I told Kevin upon moving in that I wanted to avoid at all costs. It wasn't purposeful; it just happened bit by bit, box by box, file by file.
So, last night, around 9:30 at night, we did it. Together, Kevin and I cleared out the entirety of said closet's contents. We have a big bag of trash, two boxes ready for Goodwill, several items ready to be donated or sold on Craigslist, and lots of wonderful, beautiful space of nothingness!
Ladies and Gentlemen, I present our closet! I love it! Now, that that's done, we're moving on to the desk....
Lest you be concerned that all we've been doing is buying, gardening, and cleaning, we're also training for a 5k! I know, for those of you who run and exercise regularly out there, that's not that impressive (what's a wimpy 3 miles!?). But for us this is big news! We're two weeks into our training, and it's just starting to get to the point where I'm sorta kinda looking forward to it. :) The run is sometime this fall, probably October, and we have several others who have said they'd come out and run with us. Should be fun!
So, that's life in a nutshell. The highs, the lows, the plateaus. :)
So.....we got back last night. It was a whirl-wind two-week trip to all the biggies in Western Europe (London, Paris, and Rome), and while I'm already planning our next trip (though not quite on that scale), Kevin's response last night to whether he was sad this one was over was, "No--I'm ready to be home."
And though I am already ready to be traveling again (just can't help that one), it is good to be back in the familiar, English-speaking land of America. I hope to post more pictures in the coming days, but for now, I've chosen one from each stop to share with you, along with some things that crossed my mind while we were across the pond. Hope you enjoy!
1. I can live on much less than I would have ever thought possible. While there's nothing wrong with keeping just-in-case things around (like that Galileo thermometer in case the actual thermometer goes out or something), simpler is better.
2. Souvenirs are nice, but by all means not necessary. I bought one really nice ring in each city we stopped in. And that was all. We bought a couple, well-chosen gifts for family, and that was all. I must have asked Kevin ten times if he was going to get something, and his response every time was, "The pictures are great souvenirs for me." What a fantastic philosophy!(from the London Eye, overlooking Parliament--the ONLY day it rained on our entire trip!)
3. Spend time (even if only a few days) in a place that does not speak your mother tongue. It's uncomfortable and awkward and very eye-opening (especially for us Americans who tend to think the literal world revolves around us).
4. Along with that, accept that the American way is not the only way. There were no "free refills;" we paid for tap water; we had to sit outside at restaurants because the owner wanted us to pay to use his air conditioning; and public restrooms were not always free. While the American in me cried "foul!" to many of these, it's not necessarily wrong. It's different. Appreciate the differences.(The Eiffel Tower, as taken from the second level of the tower, at night, looking straight up.)
5. One thing I was continually amazed at was how well Kevin and I enjoyed being with each other throughout the entirety of the trip. It's one thing to be married and spend the evenings and weekends with each other, but to spend 24/7 with each other is a completely different ball game. And I loved it.
6. It continually amazes me to see how big our world is, and yet, the Lord loves each of us and cares deeply about a relationship with each of us. Six billion is a lot of people, but not for him. I say that because it's very easy for me to limit Him to my human capacity. His ways are not my ways; nor are my thoughts His thoughts. (The Roman Colosseum, Rome, Italy).
7. Be proud of your heritage. When we first arrived, I was so paranoid and self-conscious about being an American. I know our reputation is not always the greatest in terms of foreign relations, but we do hail from a great country that affords a lot of rights and freedoms not afforded in other countries. While respecting other cultures is important, I don't think it's any less important to value the parts of our culture that we are blessed to partake in.
Lord willing, there will be more pictures forthcoming. It sure was a trip to remember!
When I was little, my mother converted a giant tire filled with sand that had worn out its welcome as a sandbox into a circular garden in San Antonio. The only thing I actually remember being grown there was banana peppers, but I'm sure I'm missing something. There were probably tomatoes and other varieties of vegetation. It was fun.
Well, folks, we don't have a tire. We don't have any dirt. Heck, we don't even have a yard!
But we do have a porch, some pots, and I did invest in a bit o' soil.
Aaaaannnddddd.....
Voila! It started with just one little Tomato plant, but he seemed lonely. So, we added.
This is Cilantro (left) and Sweet Bell Pepper (right).
And, imagine my surprise when I was watering the other day, and actually noticed this little guy just hanging around. I guess I underestimated my ability to actually grow plants that produced something!Stuffed peppers, anyone!?
Admittedly the rhyme needs work. However, while Kevin was in Gettysburg last week (I guess the prompt posting needs some work, too), I set to work. Along with our newly-acquired piano (which has already given me hours of enjoyment), I've decided to take up painting. For my first project, I tried a paint-by-gray-scale (instead of paint-by-number). It wasn't super impressive, so it will probably eventually go to meet its maker in a landfill of some sort (shh! Don't tell Al Gore--who will incidentally be at UT next week for an honorary degree...).
What I did learn, though, is that I'm pretty good at the abstract. Forget still life; abstract is where it's at! So, after several laborious hours that produced a thoroughly disappointing attempt at a masterpiece (the packaging lied!), I set my mind free and this is what I came up with:
(the one on the top) You like? I do, too. :)
Then, I proceeded to my second attempt at abstract, which I like, but I'm not crazy about. It does make a nice, whimsical entry-way piece (complete with monogrammed letters spray painted by yours truly).
Last, I took my liking for the colors black and khaki, my talent of spray painting, and combined them on a third, larger canvas and came up with this: And speaking of dreaming, I've got some to do pretty soon! :)
G'night!
P.S. If you're wondering where the produce of my rhyme is, I'll get around to it eventually. The pictures aren't loading properly and I don't have the patience to wait for them to.
Only because I'm so incredibly excited am I blogging about this now. (and because Kevin is currently experimenting with said new toy :). But what could it be? Well, recently, I started really, really, REALLY missing my piano. See, when we moved into our apartment, we agreed that both the weight of the piano and the noise it would cause for the neighbors meant it was probably best left at Mom and Dad Fowler's. :( And, though I appreciated the times when I was able to play it when we visited there, it just wasn't satisfying my music craving.
When I brought up the idea to Kevin, he agreed that I should look into digital piano options. They have weighted keys, so they feel much more like a real piano, but they also have volume control (which I'm sure the neighbors would be grateful for).
I shopped online, shopped in-store, and after trying out a couple, I found one I liked that was within our price range. And though I will admit, if felt a little strange to be assembling a piano, it went off relatively without a hitch.A mere one hour later, we are able to present to you our Piano. And, here's to many more evenings that look like this: :)
We have a porch. It's tiny, and it's one floor up, but it's ours and recently, I've taken a great liking to decorating it. Last spring, my flower experiment was a failure (completely!), but I'm not letting that get me down. We're trying again--this time with some easier flowers.
Aren't they pretty? We've also got a white annual, but it doesn't have as many buds yet. Here's hoping a little water and lots of sunshine is sufficient to sustain these little guy, because my thumb is as far from green as can get.And.....
I've got a tomato plant! Yay! Again lack of green-thumbness may mean we get no maters, but we're giving it a shot. Everything I've read says that tomatoes are fairly foolproof gardening. :) AND...
Since the weather's been absolutely lovely, we've been frequenting our newly-flowered porch. And what better way to frequent it than to take along a game we both loved when we were younger? We played late into the night, as you can see from the lack of sunlight behind me. We did have to decipher, change, and compromise with some of the house rules that we're used to. :) Hope you're enjoying the spring weather in ways that are special to you! :)
While we're in fierce disagreement that owning a pet (dog, cat, bird, lizard...) is good "practice" for raising a child one day, I will admit that it is fun to have a little life around that we care for. His name is Optimus, and we brought to our home in the midst of a harrowing hail/thunder/lightning storm (and he consequently didn't move from his perch for 3 days afterward).
As we fast approach his one-year anniversary of being with us, I thought I'd give some glimpses into a day in the life of Optimus J. Prime. For starters, this is the face that greets me every morning, as I remove the towel covering his cage. Though he isn't really a morning bird, sometimes I can still get one or two chirps out of him before I leave for work.
Upon returning from work, we always try to greet him and ask how his day has been. For the most part, his days consist of water, play toys, and oatmeal (never knew this, but parakeets can eat a wide variety of human food, and this one can suck down plain, uncooked oatmeal like there's no tomorrow!). In the evenings, we try to spend quality time with him. He's developing quite a love for technology. As his wings have grown back, and he's been able to fly around and explore the apartment, he's made quite a few "friends" out of his reflections in various fixtures around our house. His favorite we've named Charlie, who resides in the ceiling fan of our dining room. He also took quite a liking to his shadow recently as the sun streamed in. It's not uncommon that we catch Optimus stretching his wings (pun intended) and attempting to add new skills to his already well-rounded set of skills like biting the hand that feeds him and playing with the food on his plate--er, dish. Today, we caught him perched (another pun intended) precariously. While I don't think he appreciated our laughter at his expense, I must give him props--I couldn't stand successfully with one foot on a ladder and another on a swing! And while he can't talk, he does sing quite well. We've found the best way to encourage this singing is to play music he's fond of. Caedmon's Call and Casting Crowns are among his favorite bands to sing to.
And, finally, we've learned that though he can't vocalize his contentment, he can show us in other ways that he's happy. For example, when he puffs up and stands on one leg, he's showing us that he's happy right where he's at. :) See that little pink dot beneath his wing? That's one claw that he's curled under. So, here's to another year with our little budgie! :)
6. He's not afraid to call it like it is. If you're a male in Kevin's class, you are either acting like a man or a boy. He dispels the myth of adolescence on the first day of class.
5. He makes current events in the world real, starting out each day by asking his students what's going on in the world. If he'd have been my teacher, I would have had a much broader scope of world happenings than I had when I was in 8th grade.
4. He thinks of creative forms of discipline. The kids didn't bring their books to class? No problem. They simply sing a lyric from a Miley Cyrus song in front of the class. "Party in the USA," anyone?
3. He's not afraid to have fun (even with something so seemingly boring as history). Last year, his classroom turned into a veritable street corner, with signs plastered all over encouraging student to vote one way or the other for classmates who were running in Kevin's classes very own presidential election (including various classes assigned at the House, the Senate, and the Supreme Court).
2. The students respect him. Thus they don't want to disappoint him. Thus the only students he's ever calling out in the halls and/or writing up are those that aren't his.
1. He's the boss. There can occasionally be room for discussion/explanation; however there is no room for arguing.
Suffice it to say that I never knew what a history nerd I was until I married one. A love of history and knowledge of our country's past, present, and future is something we hope to pass on one day. :)
After a whirlwind planning (pulled off in less than 3 weeks), we jumped in the car and drove to Pittsburgh, PA last Thursday, spent Friday and Saturday with Mom and Dad Skidmore, and then drove back on Sunday (also known as "Easter"). Fortunately, my mother is a very easy person to surprise because she's sort of clueless when it comes to being suspicious of things. (So, that's where I get it from!?)
I didn't bring our camera, but we did get a video of the actual surprise. Kevin took the video while holding his iPhone against his chest, so it's a little shaky, but definitely worth a look-see. :)
Growing up, I had bangs that started at the base of my skull and ran all the way to my eyelashes. I don't begrudge my mother this--after all, it was the 80's, and, well, mile-high hair was in (as were Vanilla Ice and Jammers, but let's just not go there).
When I hit middle school, I decided that bangs were for little girls, and I would grow mine out! I held onto that bangs-are-for-little-girls mentality until recently, when I noticed they were starting to make a come-back (along with pink eye shadow and fluorescent tights, but we'll leave those to another day). For a while, my mom's been telling me for a while that I need to cover up my forehead because nobody should be subjected to that much white, which are not her exact words, but I'm good at deducing.
So, while down at the Fowler's today, I petitioned a hair cut out of my mother-in-law, bangs and all! As she's never cut my hair before, I think she was a bit nervous (probably because Kevin told her I'd never speak to her again if she messed up, which is not true--it would only be a week at most).
But we needn't have worried--she did a marvelous job!
So, here's my new do! What do you think? Ahem, well, while my photography skills definitely need honing, here's a better picture with some light attached to it. Now, I'm afraid to go take a shower for fear I'll never get it to look this good again!
So, while the rule in the previous post about knowing where something is until the exact moment you need it still applies, the second part of that rule reads as follows:
"Once final and thorough means to locate _______ have been exhausted and means to replace _______ have been enacted, ________ will be found." [once again fill in the blank with lost item of your choice.]
We knew it was going to happen. All members of my immediate family that I consulted regarding replacing said document affirmed that it would be found...eventually. So, the semi-rational part of me was thinking, "If that's the case, let's just go file for the darn thing and I'll find the old one all the sooner!" Never mind that it's not cheap to replace them--I was just wanting it found.
And, alas, I wish I could tell you I saw a vision in the heavens on my drive home from that infamous Post Office (anyone for the miraculous gifts of the Spirit?). Or even that I was holding it in my hands all along, just like happens with my keys, oh, every other day! Or even that when I got home, it was right underneath the desk that I've searched within an inch of its life over the last month and a half of looking.
But it's not that exciting. I was cleaning out a shelf at work (AT WORK, I tell you!), and there it was--inside an old day planner (a DAY PLANNER, for goodness sake!). Why did I put it there? I don't know. When did I put it there? Haven't the foggiest. Would I ever, in a million years, have though to look there? No on your life!
So, as Kevin says, it was meant to be. I must trust that since my old passport was due to expire next year anyway, there's a reason the Lord wants me to have a valid one for the next ten years. (which, I'll admit, kind of excites me :).
The new one is joining me for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and everything in between (short of maybe a bath). I'm stapling this baby to my backside and not letting go.
It’s got to be somebody’s law: You will always know where ________ is until the very moment you need it (fill in the blank).Over the last couple of months, my blank has been filled in with “passport.”I got my passport almost 10 years ago, and it’s got all sorts of fun stamps from places like Prague, Copenhagen, and Krakow in it.It’s been floating around our apartment since we moved in, and I’ve known where it was (roughly) until Kevin and I actually decided to put them (he’s gotten one recently) to good use.And that’s when it went missing.
I’ve searched as many places as I could think of—boxes, books, shelves, cupboards, closets, you name it.No passport.
My decision to bite the bullet and replace it was two fold:
1)We’re traveling the end of May, and should there be any complications within the 5-week window you’re to allow for processing, we’ll at least have some time, and
2)It expires next year anyway, so why not?
With that in mind, I set out this morning, paperwork in hand, to file for a replacement.The plan was to leave at 8, arrive at post office, file, and be home by 8:45, 9 if we’re being generous.
Well, I didn’t drag my lazy self out of bed until 9:45.The morning is not my friend, and I was doubtful of my own self-discipline to leave at 8 to begin with.
First stop: Post Office near home.I walk in to find a sign reading, “Sorry for the inconvenience.Today [only] we are not accepting passport applications.”Other USPS offices are listed, but, being the rebel that I am, I head to my second choice—the County Clerk’s Office.The time is roughly 10:06.
I drive the few miles in between, and my heart sinks as I catch a glimpse of the Clerk’s parking lot—it’s empty.Oh, wait!There’s one car.I must be the only interested party today.Lucky me!
Lucky indeed—their office is only open Monday—Friday (something I would have known had I taken the time to check).
“No matter!” I think.I grab my trusty GPS and type in “Post Office.”Perfect there’s one just down the road.According to GPS (or Gepus, as we affectionately call him), my arrival time will be 10:27.
I arrive at USPS location #2 and though my heart drops at both its size and the volume of cars in the parking lot, I assuage myself with the thought that they’re not there for passports (how common could the need for them be, anyway?).The though is short-lived, as I enter to find a line no shorter than 20 people—all waiting for passports. And they're having a great time, too. Alas, I cannot partake of such frivolity at a time like this.
I text my husband to tell him of my travails and ask his opinion.He suggests just waiting until Monday.I consider this, but my impatience gets the best of me, and I search for another Post Office location.It’s only 4.2 miles away.Not bothering to check the arrival time, I head out, hopeful that this location is smaller, less crowded, and I can make it home by 11:30.
Well, I got my wish.This Post Office was indeed smaller, and there was only one patron in line before me.However, taking in the outside, inside, and manner of the single employee behind the counter, I’m not so sure I would entrust a postcard for their delivery, nonetheless a document that requires everything short of a blood sample to obtain.After a brief internal struggle, I retire once again to my car, not caring whether they actually do file for passports or not.
At this point, I was starting to feel like I do when eating from a bag of potato chips—“Just one more; just one more.”I also shortly entertain the thought that maybe the Lord just does not want me to go to Europe.That thought is short lived, as I decide that He’s going to have to be slightly more forceful if that’s the case.
The clock reads 11:02, and Gepus told me I could be to the next nearest Post Office location at 11:24.Can’t pass up a deal like that!
Beginning to feel only slightly anxious, I wonder what the penalty for forgery of an official document of this nature would be.Forgery can’t be too hard, can it?
At 11:23 (gotta love speeding!), I arrived at the next Post Office that the all-wise Gepus advised.Large, yes, but not overly crowded.I think we’ll be okay.The end is in sight.
But a sign out front changes all that.
“This office does not accept passport applications.”Of course it doesn’t.
“Those can be handled at our main office at [fill in said address].”Of course they can.
I began taking note as my gas tank began slipping from ¾ full to half on my way to Post Office #4, Stop Number 6.Having not eaten breakfast before leaving home (because morning is not my friend, remember?), I stopped briefly at a gas station and purchased a drink.
Upon arriving at the maze of arrows and gravel that is Post Office #4, I let out my only cry of frustration of the entire morning, as I’m routed every way but the right way to get into a parking spot.
There are only three customer-labeled parking spots, all vacant, and I snag one.As I enter the large building with a small office, I exult at the sign that reads, “This office is for passports only.All commercial post office business is taken at [fill in said address].”Now we’re talking!
The lady behind the counter seems pleasant, and I hand her my documents (everything but some blood), and begin to remove my checkbook from my purse (checks only; no debit).
“You’re going to have to take another picture.”Of course I am.
“They’ve changed the laws, and you can’t be smiling in passport photos any more.See how it distorts you face?”Hm.I’ll have to remember that the next time I’m smiling.Thanks for the complex.
“And, since you’ve gotten married since your last passport was issued, we’ll need a copy of your marriage license.”In all the fine print that I did read, obviously that was one part that I didn’t.
So, I leave the fourth Post Office of the day, still with no passport, beginning to hunger, and done attempting to plan anything else for the remainder of my Saturday waking hours.It’s 12:10, and it only takes me thirty minutes to drive from that Post Office to home, and then back to where I took my passport pictures the first time to have them redone.It’s during this trip that I wonder if Kevin can just carry me in his suitcase.He’s strong, and though I’m far over the 50-pound weight limit, the extra fee might actually be worth it.
At 12:45 the lady at the photo lab tells me I can walk around the store for ten minutes until the (unsmiling) pics are ready.At 1:01, she’s standing with two co-workers at the printer, shaking her head slowly from side to side.
“There’s a really big order in front of you, and it’s not uploading your picture.”Naturally.After pacing a few times in front of the photo counter, I break down and buy a bag of Doritos.After all, it’s going to do nobody any good if I finally make it to the passport office and pass out before the dang thing can finally be filed.
At 1:10, the photo lab manager, hands me my new photos.It’s then that I realize that smiling may distort my face, but not smiling proves that my eyes are indeed two different sizes.(Distorted picture or Igor-lookalike?Hm.Tough call.)
All documents in hand, it only takes me a few minutes in the parking lot to fill out the final paperwork once back at the Post Office.I run through the documents in my head—application, form admitting I did in fact lose my passport, marriage license, birth certificate, and driver’s license.(For only a brief second, I ponder the irony if I didn’t actually have my driver’s license, but, alas, it was present.)
As I hand it to the lengthy-haired gentleman behind the counter, I sigh.After all this work, a few staples and two checks from the checkbook that I so rarely “happen” to have on me, seal the deal.
I sign my name (in black ink only), and leave the office.
It’s slightly anticlimactic.So much work.For a little book of paper.
"My, oh, my! What is that heavenly aroma?" you ask.
Quite simple, really.
You see, I've got a husband who adores in the most Christ-like way possible the ground I walk on. Though we still claim the "newly-wed" title, we're past the stage of doe-eyes, and we're learning to deal gently, yet firmly, and in truth, but also in love with each other. And it's a trip, but I wouldn't change it for the world. But I digress....
The smell......is because the one I love loves me back with all of his heart, and he shows it in the way that's most meaningful to me. (I like gifts. :) To cap it all off, he had them delivered to my work office! Can't get much more special than that! :)
It only took a couple months (maybe even weeks) of marriage for Kevin to realize that I love to rearrange furniture. I wasn't really all that worried, though, because when we were in college, I took note that Kevin made a point to rearrange his dorm room at least once a year--and he only had one room to play with!
I'm a very visual person, and it only takes the twinkling of an idea of rearrangement to get my cylinders firing. I even remember one night when we were living in Maryville. It was 10 pm, and the idea had been forming all day. Finally, I got the mental redecorating right, and, well, I just couldn't wait until the next morning to bring it to fruition. It had to happen right then!
Whatever this may say about my lack of patience (and there is plenty lack, let me tell you!), I do have an incredibly understanding husband who, to the best of his ability, humors my whims.
But, this time, it was all on him. Well...mostly.
See, Kevin's been hinting toward a new TV recently. I resisted for whatever excuses I could put up: it won't our current entertainment center (which was true), we don't watch it that much anyway (but we love our movies!), and we don't have the money (yet).
Well, Kevin's accepted the entertainment center as his new dresser (doing well so far), we still don't watch too much (but American Idol has been fun), and the debt is PIF. So, we bit the bullet, and bought a wholesale, brand new, flat-screen TV. And it's been fun. Even Optimus has been getting in on it (I think he thought it was real yesterday and was trying to fly into the screen :).
So, Welcome to our New Living Room.... P.S. Since you'd probably not be aware of this on your own--that's Kevin's old dresser in the corner. It's a surprisingly functional game/remote control/VHS holder. :)
